Sorry for not updating, I was one of those weeks. Has to fight my demons. Here is the completed chapter.
Never using Chatgpt much again, I felt like I was draining my spark. It was depressing to see how an AI could dish it out faster than I could complete the idea.
Again, sorry for the wait
___
The air in the chamber thickened heavy with oppressive weight of despair.
The warlock's dark chant reverberated through the wall, each syllable a ripple in the fabric of reality. Each mutter a chill down the spine as coldness infiltrated the area.
Shadows that had once clung to the corners of the room came alive. Twisting and morphing as they took their grotesque form. Their form humanoid with disproportionate limbs. crawling across the walls, the floor and the ceiling. Their long arms ending with flawed fingers. Their mouths cracked open, their cries an eerie chorus of pain and rage.
"Zion," Robin called, his grip on the swords tightening in nervousness. Their enchanted edges gleamed faintly in the oppressive darkness.
"Revenants," Zion answered, drawing his katana in a smooth motion. Its blade shimmered with a faint, green magical aura. "Amalgamation of Gotham's curse and peoples despair taken form."
"Why are they here?"
"Well, we are basically evacuating them from their home so~" Zion shrugged.
The warlock, still chanting cast a withering glare at Zion. "You think you can control me? You might control my body, but you cannot command the curse itself!"
"Don't care," Zion offed the flying corpse. "Robin, its time to use your acrobatic skill and learn some new. Its time you fight Gotham's true darkness."
*Hrrrrhrek*
Unholy howls filled the air as the Revenants broke into a sprint, their stale broken.
The first Revenant lunged, its claws like jagged shards of shadow slicing through the air. Robin moved instinctively, one sword deflecting the attack while the other slashed clean through the creature. The Rvenant let out a shriek as it dissolved into black mist, only to reform a moment later.
"Target its core, target the darker spots," Zion informed, his blade dividing a Revenant's core, exorcising it. The mist dispersed into the air, leaving a broken fingernail in its place.
Robin jumped back, avoiding the sweep while his eyes scanned the Revenants for their core. His eyes squinted. His domino mask activated. It divided the shades, and shone the darkest target. Robin acted immediately.
He adjusted his stance and focused on precision as the Revenant lunged at him. His next strike pierce clean through a revenant's core, and the creature let out a distorted wail before disintegrating completely. The dispersed shadow left a torn train stamp behind.
Robin saw the old ticket and his face couldn't help but contort.
"Robin," Zion called, throwing a kunai at the revenant aiming at Robin's blind spot. "Stay focused."
Robin nodded and he jumped back to fighting the Revenants, pushing the image of the train stamp to the back of his mind.
Meanwhile, Zion moved with practiced grace, his katana weaving through the air like a painter's brush. His each strike deliberate and calculated, flowing like water from one Revenant to another.
A revenant droped from the ceiling, Zion sidestepped and drew up, cleaving the Revenant in two before it could reach the ground. He did not stop moving as he kicked the revenant to his side and followed with a slash. His step never halted, his blade never stopped.
The warlock's chant grew louder, the air vibrating with dark energy, the temperature grew colder. The shadows thickened, becoming more oppressive, and the revenants grew more aggressive.
Revenants at the back began to cuddle together, their form morphing into a larger revenant. It raised its large body and charged forward, absorbing other revenants as it passed by.
Robin saw the large Revenant charge at him and cursed under his breath. He ducked under the first swing but he was caught off by the second, the blow sending him sprawling. The creature loomed over him, its jagged maw opening wide.
Zion immediately dashed forward. He leapt over a cluster of Revenants, his katana slicing through the air. The blade struck one of the revenants cores, causing the revenant to wail in pain. The large revenant reeled back away from Robin, a part of turning to mist.
"Thanks," Robin muttered, pulling himself to his feet.
"Stay sharp," Zion replied, landing next to Robin. He turning to face the swarm and the recovering large revenants. "I will open up a path."
Zion charged forward, his sword raised high. Robin followed behind him, his sword in reverse grip. Zion hacked the way through, his sword exorcising the revenants while Robin followed close, protecting his back. With each swing, they advanced forward until they arrived before the large titan.
Zion silently gestured to Robin before he engaged with the giant. The giant swung its arms, trying to smash Zion where he stood. Zion waited until the final moment before he raised his sword to deflect the attack to the side. With the force redirected to the ground, the revenant stumbled forward. Zion stepped forwards and stabbed one of its core, causing it to howl in pain.
Robing jumped up using Revenanta hand, doing a spin as he landed on its back. He stabbed forth with his two swords, destroying two of its core. Zion shot the last core with his revolver, shattering the giant to mist.
"You could have done that?" Robin asked exasperatedly as he landed behind Zion, cutting a Revenant in the process.
"Where is the fun in that?" Zion asked as he brought a holy hand granada and threw it into the crowd of Revenants.
*Dong*
The holy hand granade exploded with bright light and a bells gong, burning the revenants to ashes. Robin gave Zion a weird looked before returning to fight the Revenants.
While they fought, the warlock chant reached a crescendo as Black light burst forth from him like disco light. The air shuddered with pure malevolence. The remaining revenants converged, merging into a single massive entity—a towering shadow with dozens of eyes and mouths, each one screaming in rage and despair.
Zion looked at the large creature, his expression stoic and uttered one word, "Really."
"How are we going to fight it?" Robin questioned.
"Just like before," Zion answered as he stepped forward, a white Katana appearing at his left.
*ROOOOAAR*
The giant Revenant roared in thousand voice, a wail of hundred souls fused cried in agony, stunning all those who heard it. Robin felt his body freeze over like he was encased in ice while Zion stood guard before him.
The Revenant took its swing, its large hand reaching across the chamber. Zion raised his left to slap the hald away as his right released the blade from its sheath. The action was done in a smooth motion.
*Hrahhaa*
The monster cried as its hand dispersed to dust. Its size reduced by a proportion as it regrew another. Zion looked over to Robin before he turned to the revenant. He raised his sword and swung forwards, releasing hundreds of sword shadow, shattering all its cores and returning it to dust.
Trinkets of different origin and age fell to the ground, the remains of the few despaired souls. Zion used the white light to burn them as he turned to Robin. "Good work, Robin."
Robin could only give him wry smile, rubbing his hand to ward the coldness away. He opened his mouth to talk when Zion pulled him to the side and deflected a beam of black light.
"Hahaha, Finally I am free," The warlock arrogant voice echoed in the chamber. "Your will could not hold me. I shall kill you and free my Master, Nekron. Death shall rule the light."
***
The warlock levitated above the coffin, his eyes burning with malevolent energy as he drew power from the cursed air.
Zion sheathed his katana, stepping back with an air of nonchalance. His expression was calm, almost disinterested, as the warlock's black light surged through the chamber like living tendrils.
"Alright, Robin," Zion said casually, gesturing toward the warlock with an open palm. "Your turn."
Robin shot him a disbelieving look. "My turn? He just entered his phase two!"
Zion shrugged. "Exactly. That why I brought you here—A little challenge to test your metal. Besides," he added with a faint smirk, "What's an adventure without a trial of fire?"
Before Robin could retort, the warlock raised his hands, summoning a swirling mass of black light. With a deafening roar, he hurled it toward Robin, the beam crackling with necrotic energy.
"Move!" Zion barked, leaping back to give Robin space.
Robin's years of training kicked in. He dived forward, rolling across the chamber floor as the black light obliterated the spot where he'd stood a moment before. Springing to his feet, he brandished his twin swords, their enchanted edges glowing faintly in the oppressive darkness.
"You really brought me here for this?" Robin shouted, his eye never moving away from the warlock.
"Yes," Zion called back, his voice laced with amusement. "Now stop complaining and fight."
The warlock descended with eerie grace, his hands weaving dark sigils in the air. From the sigils emerged shadowy spikes that shot toward Robin in rapid succession. Robin dashed to the side, his acrobatics carrying him gracefully through the storm of projectiles.
He jumped, rolled, ran across the wall, avoiding the spikes from impaling him with a feline grace. His training with Batman allowed him push through the exhaustion that appeared at the edge of his mind. His mind raised to finish this trial.
He changed direction and ran at the warlock, avoiding most projectiles while his sword helped him parry others. He closed the distance quickly, his swords flashing as he slashed at the warlock's midsection. The warlock deflected the blow with an arc of black energy, retaliating with a swipe of his own that sent Robin staggering back.
"Impressive," the warlock hissed, his voice a guttural growl. "But you're just a child playing with knives."
Robin's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "Yeah? Let's see how you like a kid who knows how to use them."
He launched himself at the warlock again, spinning mid-air to deliver a flurry of strikes. The warlock countered with his bare hands, dark energy radiating from his fingers as he parried Robin's blows. The clash of steel against shadow sent sparks flying, illuminating the chamber in brief flashes of light.
Robin ducked under a wide swing, sliding between the warlock's legs and slashing at his ankles. The warlock snarled in pain, staggering as the enchanted blades disrupted his energy. Robin pressed the advantage, delivering a rapid series of strikes that forced the warlock onto the defensive.
"You're quicker than I thought," the warlock admitted, his tone laced with venom.
"Quicker than you'll ever be," Robin quipped, dodging a retaliatory blast of dark energy.
But as the fight intensified, the warlock's eyes gleamed with a sinister light. He extended a hand toward Robin, dark tendrils snaking from his fingertips. Robin swung his swords to deflect them, but the tendrils moved like living things, weaving around his blades and striking him square in the chest.
Robin staggered, his vision blurring as the world around him shifted. The oppressive chamber faded away, replaced by a warm, familiar glow.
Robin blinked, his swords lowering instinctively. He was no longer in the shadowy depths of Gotham. Instead, he stood at an elevated platform, high above the ground, surrounded by cheers of the audience.
His heart skipped a beat as he recognized the scene—it was that day.
"Dick,"
The voice made his breath catch. He turned slowly, his eyes widening as he saw them: his parents, their expressions warm and inviting.
"Mom...Dad?" Robin's voice trembled, his grip on his swords faltering.
Mary Grayson swung forward, her hand reaching out to him. "Dick, Grab my hand. Its your turn. "
Robin's swords clattered to the floor. "Mom?" Taking a hesitant step forward as he reached out
His father swung in the distance. "It's okay to be scared, just jump we will catch you."
"C'mon honey, Mom will catch you," His mother extended her hand, her familiar smile tugging at his heart.
Tears welled in Robin's eyes. The memories of his parents flooded back, reminding of how much he missed them. He'd spent so long trying to prove himself, to live up to the legacy of his parents. To see them now, almost in the past—it was almost too much to bear.
He could be with them, here and forever. No need to fight villains, no need to put his life on the line every night.
But something tugged at the edge of his consciousness, the glint of the enchanted sword. He remembered his reason for being here. He was here to fight the warlock. He was fighting the warlock. He is fighting the warlock.
'When dealing with magic, never trust your eyes. Believe nothing you see."
Zion's advice echoed in his mind, giving him a bit of clarity. He reached for his fallen sword, its cold glint reassuring him of his reality. He turned to his parents.
"I missed you, but I have to continue forward," He muttered as he stepped forward, out of the elevated platform.
The illusion began to crack, the warm glow fading as the shadowy chamber started to bleed through.
"Stay with us," His mother spoke, her voice taking a desperate edge.
"I want to, but not like this," He answered
With a defiant cry, Robin swung his sword, shattering the illusion completely. The circus and the crowd disintegrated, and the warlock's snarling face came into focus, his dark tendrils recoiling as Robin broke free.
Robin lunged forward, his sword a blur as he unleashed a flurry of strikes. Fueled by rage and sorrow, his sword held nothing back. Each strike carried his will to move forward while carrying the weight of the past.
The warlock staggered under the onslaught, his control over the shadows weakening. Robin didn't relax, his focus laser-sharp as he drove through Warlock's attacks. With a final, powerful strike, he plunged both swords into the warlock's chest, piercing his corrupted core.
The warlock let out a final, guttural scream as the black light erupted from his body, consuming him in a burst of raw energy. The chamber shook violently, the oppressive darkness dissipating as the curse was finally broken.
Robin stepped back, panting heavily as the warlock's form crumbled into ash. He turned to Zion, his swords still raised. "Next time, you're fighting the illusions."
"An undeserved curse will not reach its intended victim if one remains under God's protection and Congratulations,," Zion clapped softly, "You have succeeded in proving yourself and breaking Gotham's curse. I am proud of you."(Proverbs 26:2:)
Zion picked up Robin's fallen sword and extended it to him. Robin received the sword grumpily, his eyes staring daggers at Zion. Zion lifted the white katana and tapped the ground. A white wave rippled out from the blade, extinguishing the residule curse across Gotham's under ground.
"Time to leave, Robin," Zion said as he grabbed Robin by his collar and glitching away.
After their presence vanished,
Darkness in the chamber churned, tendrils of shadow gathered in the warlock's coffin. They stirred together, their ethereal form materializing into a black ring. The ring hovered above the coffin only for a moment before it flew out of the chamber in a streak of black light.
Moments later, the chamber flooded with light, its walls closing in as they turned into crystals. Erasing any evidence of the structure every existing.
The whole of Gotham's underbelly had changed and reordered. Re-imagined in the best interest of the people and for the people. The structure of the old, those that had no need of existing were erased from it.
Including kicking some feathery intruders out of their nest.