《Ghost Rider SI: Time's Up, Joker.》 Chapter 1: A New Life. Chapter 1: A New Life. -0- Reincarnation is a real thing. I never believed it was possible to be reborn after dying. Especially with your memories intact. But it happened to me, soo...I guess anything is possible. Here''s the kicker, I wasn''t just given a second chance at life in a normal world. Oh no no no. The entity or God responsible for my second life sent me to the crazy world of the DC Universe. At first I had no idea where I was. And I didn''t try that hard to find out either. I mean, I was a normal kid with only faint memories of a past life. My childhood years were thus spent building sand castles, playing catch with my Dad and basically being a brat. At least in my Parent''s eyes. All until a kid named Clark Kent saved our school bus from falling off a bridge. That''s when my past life memories decided to pour in. I was 13 at the time. The influx of 38 years worth of information was hell. I was hit by migraines almost every day for a full year. And occasionally, I would black out at school/home or start mumbling incoherently. I think my mind was trying to come to terms with the memories and ended up bloated. It got so serious that my parents had to take me to a mental health specialist when I was 14. There, I ended up being diagnosed with split personality disorder. 15, 16 and 17 were spent popping medication pills and trying to adjust to my new condition. Fortunately, I got better. It wasn''t easy, but I followed the instructions given, took my medicine and did everything right. By the time I was ready to graduate High School, the memories had settled within me and I no longer got headaches or blackouts. It was a testament that sometimes hardwork pays. And with two sets of memories, school was not a problem. I did well on my tests and actually became Valedictorian, surprising many people and making my parents proud. Unfortunately, the world was determined to set the scales right. All my success became meaningless when I lost my Mom and Dad to a car crash. It was the most unexpected way for them to go. I mean, this was a world fraught with danger. Whether it was from supervillains, demons, aliens...it felt underwhelming and cheap for them to die in a car crash. I even tried to investigate, hoping to find something that would give my loss a meaning. Some villain to blame. But it turned out to be the wet road, which caused a truck to lose control and slam into their car. I couldn''t even direct my anger to the driver as he had died too, thrown out of the window by the impact. His only mistep being the failure to wear a seat belt. A lot of people showed up for the funeral. My parents were well known and loved by many. Smallville was a small place so everyone knew almost everyone else. Even the Kents showed up. Jonathan Kent gave his heartfelt condolences with his wife Martha. Clark looked apologetic and understanding. It felt like he could relate. But once everyone was gone, I realized how truly alone I was. The house felt unbearable. For 18 years, Travis and Angela Hawthorn had been my rock. My shield. They had protected me, cared for me and I had truly come to love and respect them as my parents. But now they were gone and I was confused at what to do. That night I cried myself to sleep. When I woke up the following day, I had made a decision. I would rent out our ranch and move. Selling it was out of the option. Even if it meant I would only receive a small sum of money every month, 1000-1500 dollars to be exact, I couldn''t let go of the memories we had created in our modest home. Modest was a stretch however, seeing as the entire land was about 90 acres. There was a substantial tax on a ranch that big, otherwise I would have received a lot more money. According to Jonathan Kent at least. He was the one who helped me finalize the deal, and I appointed him as overseer before packing up my stuff, loading it on the Pick up truck Dad had got me for my 18th birthday, and left Smallville, Kansas. My name is Michael Hawthorn, and this is the story of my not-so-normal life in DC. The only thing I can say, is I wish I''d been better prepared. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. -10 years later- The day had been long, filled with meetings, deadlines, and the usual hustle of the office. But as I turned the key in the lock and stepped into our home, a wave of warmth washed over me. The scent of dinner wafted through the air, and the sound of little feet pattering towards me made my heart swell with joy. "Daddy!" My five-year-old daughter, Emily, bounded towards me, her face lighting up the room with her radiant smile. She wrapped her tiny arms around my legs, hugging me tightly. "Hey there, my little artist," I said, ruffling her hair as I bent down to her level. "What have you been up to today?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she held up a piece of paper. "Look, Daddy! I drew a picture of our family!" I took the drawing from her hands and admired her work. There we were, stick figures with big smiles, standing in front of a house with a sun shining brightly overhead. Emily had drawn herself in the middle, holding hands with me and her mom. "It''s beautiful, Emily." I said, genuinely impressed by her creativity. "You''re getting better every day." She beamed with pride and took my hand, leading me to the kitchen where my wife, Sarah, was setting the table for dinner. Sarah turned and smiled warmly at me, her eyes reflecting the same love and happiness that I felt. "Dinner''s almost ready." she told me, planting a quick kiss on my cheek. "How was your day?" "Long," I admitted, "but it''s so good to be home." We sat down to eat, and the evening passed in a blur of laughter and conversation. Emily chattered away, telling us about her day at preschool and all the new things she had learned. After dinner, we put her to bed. I read her a story, and Sarah sang her a lullaby. As we stood by her bedside, watching her drift off to sleep, I felt a deep sense of contentment. In my past life, I''d been alone. I was glad this one was different. Sarah took my hand and led me to our bedroom. She could always tell when I was tired, and tonight was no exception. There had been a shipment coming in and one of the guys messed up the numbers. Mr. Fox, who was my boss at Wayne Industries where I worked, was NOT happy. We had to stay late to work out the issue. "You look exhausted." Sarah said softly, her eyes filled with concern. "Come to bed, love." I nodded, too weary to argue. As we lay down, she snuggled close to me, her warmth and presence soothing my tired soul. "I''m so lucky to have you." I whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "And I''m lucky to have you." Came the reply, her voice filled with love. We lay there in the quiet, the only sound being her gentle moans as we made love. Despite the exhaustion, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and gratitude. In that moment, I knew that no matter how tough the days could be, coming home to my beautiful wife and precious daughter made everything worthwhile. I drifted off to sleep, holding onto the image of Emily''s drawing. -0- Late in the night, I jolted awake, my head pounding and my vision blurry. I found myself sitting in a chair in the living room, arms painfully bound behind my back. Panic surged through me as I tried to move, only to find that my wrists were tightly tied. The warm comfort of my wife''s body was replaced by a chilling dread. "Sarah?" I called out, my voice cracking with fear. My heart stopped when I saw her across the room, tied to a chair just like me. Her eyes were wide with terror, and she was struggling against her bonds. "Michael!" she cried, her voice trembling. "Where''s Emily? Have you seen Emily?" My blood ran cold. Emily. Where was Emily? "Good evening, folks!" A voice, dripping with madness and malevolence, echoed through the room. I turned my head, and my heart sank into an abyss of despair. No. Not us. Oh God. Why...what''s he doing here!!??! The Joker, with his grotesque smile and twisted eyes, stood in the doorway, holding a small, struggling figure. My daughter. "Emily!" I screamed, straining against my bindings. "Let her go, you monster!" The Joker cackled, the sound filling the room with an eerie resonance. He held Emily up by the scruff of her dress, her tiny feet kicking desperately in the air. "Oh, don''t worry, Daddy. We''re just going to have a little fun." he sneered, his eyes gleaming with insanity. I wanted to kill him. How dare he?!! "Please, no! Let her go!" Sarah begged, tears streaming down her face. "Please, she''s just a child!" The Joker ignored her, his focus entirely on me and the hateful glare I was sending him. Unfazed, he took out a knife and brought it close to Emily''s face, making her cry out in fear. Seeing her like that broke something in me. I cursed myself for being weak. What was I thinking, this was DC! "Stop! Please, I''ll do anything!" I shouted, my voice breaking with desperation. "Anything?" The Joker''s smile widened. "Now, that''s what I like to hear." He placed Emily on the floor and walked over to me, the knife glinting in his hand. He crouched down, his face inches from mine. The stench of his breath made me gag, but I couldn''t look away from those crazed eyes. "You see, Daddy, it''s all a game," he whispered. "And I''m going to make sure you never forget it." He turned and walked back to Emily, who was now huddled in a corner, sobbing. He raised the knife, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. "No! Please, no!" I screamed, my voice raw with agony. With a swift motion, the Joker brought the knife down. Emily''s scream pierced the night, and everything went black. -- I woke up with a start, drenched in sweat, my heart hammering in my chest. I was back in our bed, the room dark and silent. Reaching out, I felt Sarah beside me, her steady breathing a soothing reminder of reality, beautiful blonde hair sprayed out on the pillow. "Sarah," I whispered, my voice shaking. "It was just a dream... just a nightmare." She stirred and turned towards me, concern etched on her face. "Michael, what''s wrong?" "I... I had a nightmare," I said, my voice barely audible. "It was so real..." She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close. "It''s okay, love. It was just a dream. We''re safe." I melted into her embrace, my heart rate calming down. And as she held me I felt her giggling softly. The sound grew louder and more manic. My heart sank as I pulled away and saw her face, twisted into a grotesque grin, her eyes wide with terror. "No... no, no, no..." I stammered, realizing the nightmare was far from over. The laughter echoed around the room, and I saw her eyes rolling back. "Sarah, what''s happening to you?" I begged, but she continued to laugh uncontrollably. Suddenly, the darkness of the room shattered and I found myself back in the chair, my body aching and bloody from a brutal beating. An...an hallucination... I had briefly passed out from the pain of having my shins and hands broken by a bat. One of my eyes was shut and everything was painted red under the other one. Sarah was still in her chair, her hands broken from struggling against her bindings, frothing at the mouth, her laughter a symphony of horror. "Welcome back, sleepyhead." the Joker''s voice cut through the haze. He stood there with Harley Quinn, who was holding a crying Emily. She must have been so terrified. My heart shattered as I realized this could be it for us. This was Joker. Maybe if I beg hard enough...he''ll let them go. Or at least Emily. "Please." I whispered through bloodied and bursted lips, my voice barely audible. "Please, let them go." The Joker threw his head back and laughed. "Let them go? Oh, Daddy, you''re killing me!" "Why are you doing this?" I sobbed. "Is it because I work at Wayne Industries?" The Joker and Harley looked at each other and burst into hysterical laughter. "Wayne Industries? We didn''t even know you worked there! Isn''t that a riot?" the Joker cackled. One of the three goons in the corner hesitated, then spoke up, "Boss, I hear sirens..." The Joker spun around, pulled out a golden gun and shot him point-blank. "Don''t interrupt me when I''m having fun!" He turned back to Harley. "Come on, let''s bail and find Scarecrow. He promised this mix of Joker venom and his toxin would make someone laugh in terror until their heart exploded, but the wife seems to have gone mad instead." Harley looked at Emily. "What about the little one?" The Joker''s smile widened. "Let her go." Harley did so. Emily ran to me, crying, "Daddy, Daddy!" "Thank you, thank you," I sobbed over her shoulder, as she hugged my bloodied form. "Thank you for sparing their lives." The Joker paused at the door. "You''re welcome. Oh, and I forgot to mention, what does a rabid dog do?" He shot at Sarah''s cuffs, releasing her. Sarah''s laughter stopped. She began growling, her eyes wild and feral as she looked our way, sights lingering on Emily. I didn''t see anything that remained of my wife in those eyes. My heart sped up in fear as I realized, the Joker hadn''t spared us. "Emily, run!" I shouted. "Lock yourself in your room and don''t open it!" Emily obeyed, running up the stairs, but Sarah cleared the distance quicker, grabbing our daughter''s leg and throwing her back down. "No! Sarah, stop!" I screamed myself hoarse, trying to move. The chair tipped over and I fell to the floor. Sarah didn''t even spare a look my way as she lunged at Emily, her eyes empty and soulless. As I watched, helpless and broken, my wife, under the influence of the Joker''s enhanced venom, began to devour our daughter. "NOOOO!!" I screamed and cried, lunging against my restraints, but there was nothing I could do. My world shattered as I lost everything I held dear. Chapter 2: Gods Vengeance is not enough. -0- A few days later. -Gotham General Hospital- Detective James Gordon walked through the dimly lit hospital hallway, his heavy steps echoing off the sterile walls. His face was lined with exhaustion, his mind burdened with the horrors of the latest case. He spotted his partner, Harvey Bullock, leaning against the wall outside a hospital room, a grim expression etched on his face. "How''s he holding up?" Gordon asked as he approached. Bullock shook his head, his eyes dark with anger and sorrow. "Not good, Jim. Can''t say I blame him. This city''s getting worse every day." Gordon sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. "Batman will find him. The Joker¡¯s never gone this far into the suburbs before. This isn¡¯t his usual M.O." Bullock snorted. "The clown¡¯s crazy, Jim. He doesn''t have an M.O. or a reason for what he does. He¡¯s just pure evil." "I know, but this... it''s different. The autopsy on Sarah Hawthorn showed traces of Scarecrow¡¯s fear toxin mixed with Joker¡¯s laughing gas. It¡¯s a new kind of nightmare." Jim sighed and revealed. Bullock looked away, his face contorted with disgust. "Even expecting the worst from the Joker, this is too much. Making the husband watch as his own wife ate their kid? That¡¯s all kinds of sick, even for Gotham. Thankfully, the cops who arrived on the scene put her out of her misery before she got to the Husband. Though considering things, I don''t think he''s thrilled to be the one that survived." They stopped outside the hospital room where Michael was being kept. Gordon turned to Bullock. "Get me a cup of coffee, Harvey. I¡¯ll talk to him." Bullock nodded and walked away, leaving Gordon to gather his thoughts. He took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping into the dimly lit room. Michael was lying in the bed, his face bruised and bandaged, his lone eye hollow and lifeless. "Mr.Hawthorn, hope I''m not interrupting, may I call you Michael?"Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The detective politely asked, not getting a response. Gordon jerked his head in a nod, pulling up a chair beside the bed. "I''m Detective James Gordon. I know this is hard, but we need your help." Michael¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the window, his expression void of any emotion. Gordon reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph, holding it in front of Michael¡¯s face. "Do you recognize any of these men? They¡¯re members of the Joker¡¯s gang." Michael glanced at the photo, his eyes flickering briefly before he turned away. "No. Leave me alone." Gordon studied him for a moment, then placed a card on the bedside table. "If you remember anything, anything at all, call me." He stood up and walked to the door, casting one last glance at the broken man on the bed. "I''m sorry for your loss, Michael. We''ll find them all and bring them in. I promise." As Gordon left the room, Michael¡¯s mind shifted to the photograph the detective had shown him. He had recognized the tattoo on the hand of one of the Joker''s men, a distinctive mark he¡¯d never forget. A black snake with a sword for a tail. But he couldn¡¯t trust the police to handle this. Even if they found the Joker, they¡¯d only lock him up or fail to catch him like they always did. And Batman was no better. The Joker would still roam the streets and destroy more lives. The man who had taken his wife and daughter would continue laughing and breathing while they lay cold in the morgue. No, Michael thought, clenching his fists beneath the blanket. This was personal. He would find the goon himself, and he would make him talk. He would find the Joker and make him pay for what he had done to his family. The pain, the anger, the unimaginable grief¡ªall of it coalesced into a single, burning resolve. He had no power but he would find it. Michael was no longer going to be the victim; he was a man with a mission. And nothing would stand in his way. Later that night, he woke up screaming and drenched in sweat. He slapped his palm against his forehead, muttering to himself, "It''s just a nightmare." "The nightmares are the worst part." a voice said. Michael looked toward the now open window, where a man in a green hooded cloak stood, the curtain behind him flapping in the breeze. After a few seconds of studying the figure, he asked, "What''s God''s Spirit of Vengeance doing here?" The Specter, unsurprised, replied, "To hand over the mantle. Michael Hawthorn, I sense great potential and purpose in you. Will you become the Specter?" Michael''s eyes widened in surprise before they grew sharp. "What you call potential is hatred. What you call purpose is vengeance. Will you let me kill them all? Every villain. If the answer is yes, then I fully accept." He had determined that the Joker wasn''t the only problem. All these supervillains in costumes exercised their powers to hurt innocent people. How many had Firefly burned? How many families had Victor Zasz destroyed? They all had to die. Everyone calling themselves a Villain and proud of it. The Specter fell silent. "Killing them all will not bring Sarah and Emily back. The Specter is a tool for God to punish evildoers. Vengeance is not part of God''s plan." "I don''t give a damn about his plan!" Michael spat out furiously, his unbandaged eye staring straight through the darkness shrouding the Spectre''s face. "I know how this world works. Even if I wait it and they somehow die, it will only be for a few years before they come back. If what you offer is the power to extinguish their very souls then I''ll give myself over to you. If not, I''ll find my own method." He seethed. Pausing, Michael looked down, hair falling over his eyes. "The only thing that will satisfy my hatred is complete annihilation of anyone calling themselves a villain. That''s the price my family''s blood demand. Nothing more and nothing less." The soul of Jim Morrigan inside the Specter, shuddered at the cold resolve in Michael''s voice. ''He''s completely given himself over to the darkness. This man will stop at nothing to accomplish his goal. Making him the new host of the Specter will insteas corrupt It with his hatred.'' As the Specter, he said, "I cannot offer you that, Michael Hawthorn." Michael turned his back to the Specter. "Then Leave." The Specter lingered. "However, what I can give you is an instrument. A tool to carry out your blind Justice. A power that will manifest itself according to you. Use it how you will." The Specter''s voice faded away, leaving Michael alone in his hospital bed. "Kill them...all of them...I''ll kill them all. " The broken man muttered, ignoring the Specter''s final words. "Even if I have to sell my soul, even if I die a million times over...or spend an eternity in the deepest pits of hell, I''ll kill you, Joker." In response to his bloodlust, the shadows in the room gathered together, combining into a dark orb with a green sheen, floating before his eyes. A little surprised, Michael sat up with a tired sigh, "Whoever or whatever you are, if you''re here to offer me power, save your breath. I told the last guy, I won''t accept it unless you let me do what I need to do. I won''t be stopped from killing those responsible. Even if I have to destroy the whole world to get to them." No response came from the orb and his expression changed into a thoughtful one, ''Could it be, this is the power The Specter was talking about? But then why would he help me after I refused him?'' The orb slowly floated forward, coming into contact with his chest and merging with his body. Michael made no move to stop it from happening. If it was indeed a Power that could be useful to him, then he would be dumb to refuse it. (Ding!) A completely black panel with yellow flames burning on the edges appeared before his eyes. (Ghost Rider Template equipped) "God''s vengeance is not enough," Michael muttered, his eyes glowing with a new, hellish power. "I will bring my own vengeance upon them all." ::-------------------------------------------------------:: Ever since I could remember, a lot of you guys have been wanting a Ghost Rider story. Here it is. Chapter 3: First Ride. (General P.O.V) Anger. Fury. Wrath. However you want to call it, the emotion of [Rage] was personified by/in the Red Lantern corp. At this moment, a Red Lantern ring was streaking through outerspace, leaving a trail of red fire behind as it crossed Sectors, covering thousands of light years each passing second. Up until it reached Sector 2814. Entering the Solar System, it''s speed decreased, but the trajectory remained the same. It was headed for Earth. The call came from here. A soul filled with smoldering hate and a cold fury was waiting. The ring was eager to see how such a soul would use it. Just as it cleared the asteroid space around the fourth planet, the Specter suddenly appeared in it''s path. The ring tried to divert it''s course and fly around the Spirit of God''s Vengeance, only for the latter to wave a hand, smacking the Red ring away with an invisible force. The ring was sent flying off to the very ends of the universe at a speed that could only be termed as, God''s Velocity. It would take some time before it returned to it''s intended host. For now, the Specter would not allow Michael Hawthorn any more power. What he had was already terrifying enough. Anymore and there was a risk of breaking the balance. The soul of Jim Corrigan snickered within the Specter. ''Risk? It''s already broken. You just don''t know it yet.'' That man''s eyes had been filled with the resolve to see things through. There was no way to stop what was coming. -0- Speaking of, It was the third day Michael was in the hospital. Third day since he lost everything. And he was already sick of sitting around while his family''s murderer roamed free. Despite that, he felt that his current situation was useful. His injuries would be his perfect Alibi for when he brought the chaos to the city. No one would suspect a man with broken limbs to be responsible for the havoc he was planning to unleash. ''Joker will die screaming.'' For the billionth instance, his anger was sated by this promise. His hatred- by the thought of what he would do to the Clown. "Goodnight Mr. Hawthorn. A nurse will come by at 4 am to check up on you. If you need anything, press on the buzzer." The night duty nurse told him as she left. Michael didn''t respond. To the hospital staff, he seemed moody, always staring out through the window. His current focus however, was on: (Ghost Rider Template: 10% Progress) The strange panel hanging before his eyes. It was meant to show how much of the Ghost Rider''s ability he could access. There was no additional description or explanation but, 10% had to be pretty powerful, no?Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The tests he had contucted the previous night when alone gave him some answers, but left him with more questions. For instance, he could easily tap into the well of fiery power bundled within his soul. All he had to do was remember his hatred. Negative emotions seemed to be the trigger to call out the Ghost Rider. Breathing out slowly, he did exactly that, stretching his good hand out and focusing on the patient''s gown he was wearing. With a thought, the cloth caught on fire, the entire sleeve burning off along with the flesh of his hand. Now his forearm was a long sturdy piece of bone skeleton covered in smokey yellow flames. The fire didn''t hurt and moving the wrist was easy even without the presence of tendons, his fingers dancing in the air. He turned his attention to his broken hand, held close to the chest. The cast around the forearm disappeared into flames, burned into seemingly dark ash that fell into his shadow...leaving behind another burning bone. Next his entire body caught on glorious fire, flaring out into the bed and turning it into molten slag. The whole room instantly started burning. And in the middle of it all, ''It'' rose to ''It''s'' feet, no longer in a white patient''s gown but now dressed in all leather, chains wrapped around the shoulders, chest, arms and legs. From the metal studded boots to the top of it''s burning skull, the entity was 7 feet tall, adding to the terrifying presence given off by the dark yellow flames shrouding it''s skull, and the bottomless empty eye sockets that promised doom to all who looked inside. No more Michael Hawthorn, this was The Ghost Rider. "THE JUDGEMENT OF THE DAMNED BEGINS TONIGHT." The Rider''s voice was a bone-chilling rasp, deep and hollow like the whisper of death itself. Walking toward the Window, an opening was created as the walls, metal and glass melted under the Rider''s intense flames. The room was on the fourth floor, facing the Hospital''s back entrance and parking lot. Without hesitation, the Rider jumped and landed on the pavement with a thud, leaving sizable footprints and cracks on the concrete. Stalking forward, he stopped by a scooter, skull tilting to the side in question. "PUNY." He moved on to a stretcher, running a glove-covered hand across its metal frame. "USELESS." That only left a row of ambulances. The Rider chose one in the middle, running a burning hand across its white surface. "PERFECT." at least for now. Instantly, the vehicle morphed into a monstrous, hellfire-covered creation. Larger in size than a typical ambulance, it looked like a blend between a monster truck and a van. It''s massive front tyres were studded with sharp spikes, and the siren lights converted into Air Horns that spewed out fire akin to flamethrowers. The Rider jumped inside his Hell Ride and the monster vehicle roared to life, flames flaring out through the Air horns, pushing the other vehicles away. Pulling out of the hospital, the Hell Ride left molten tracks in its wake, speeding down the road in search of Sinners to punish. -0- A few blocks away from the hospital, a police scanner crackled to life inside a patrol car, "All units, we''ve got a gang war heating up between Two-Face¡¯s crew and the Penguin¡¯s Mob in East End." One of the cops within the car, rolled his eyes, muttering, "Guess we''ll have to skip checking out that fire reported from the hospital." "Probably just a prank call anyway." His partner said, reversing the vehicle and heading towards East End, sirens flashing. As they drove, one cop grumbled, "Crime¡¯s so rampant lately, we¡¯re forced to pick up extra shifts just to keep up." The other one sighed, "Yeah, and it¡¯s not safe for anyone anymore, including us. The Joker could just stroll into your home one night and wipe out your family. People are terrified. Even Batman¡¯s losing his grip. Maybe it¡¯s time to pack up and leave this hellhole." Before his partner could respond, the first cop glanced at the side mirror and squinted, spotting a ball of fire quickly catching up to them. "What is that?" "What''s what?" his partner, on the wheel asked. The first cop shook his head in disbelief, unsure of what his eyes were seeing, "Its...a vehicle? Looks like Optimus Prime had a fling with a monster truck and this is their love child on fire." His partner burst out laughing, "Seriously? That''s some weird ass shit." His tone was skeptical. The humor was short-lived however when the monstrous vehicle appeared on the side, scaring the crap out of both of them. "What the fuck??" The driver yelped. The Ghost Rider opened its jaw at the two, "THE END OF YOUR NIGHTMARES HAS ARRIVED." Voooom! The cops were left in stunned silence as the Hell Ride threw their patrol car aside with a force that seemed to defy physics. Then it zoomed through Gotham''s streets at breakneck speeds, doing the same to any car in its path. A man walking his dog on the sidewalk, heard the deafening blare of heavy metal coming from his back and turned around. Just in time to see the Hell Ride roar down the street with burning tyres, before coming to a sudden stop at a red light. The man froze in fear at the sight of a burning skeleton behind the wheel. His dog started barking at the monstrous vehicle, causing the Ghost Rider to turn its empty gaze toward them. Dropping its jaw, the Rider let out a thunderous roar that made the dog yelp and cower behind its owner. The lights turned green, and the Hell Ride sped off, following the sounds of distant gunshots. The man lowered his phone after taking a picture, his hand shaking. Later he would post it and garner much attention as it went viral on social media. -0- The situation at East End had changed. When the cops arrived at the site of the Gang war, the Penguin mob had already withdrawn, leaving Two-Face¡¯s gang to face off against the police. The cops had formed a barricade around the street, boxing in the Two-Face crew in a nearby warehouse. Detective Gordon, standing behind the police barricade, addressed them through a megaphone, "Listen up! We can work this out. Just put down your weapons!" One of the gang members hiding behind a crate sneered, shouting back, "Suck my d*ck, Copper! We ain''t scared of you or the Bat no more!" He then opened fire on the police. Gordon ducked behind the cop cars with a sigh, glancing at Harvey, "We can''t move in with all those weapons in the warehouse. And we can''t go around either. This is turning into a headache." "Not our day partner." Harvey grunted. If only Batman was here. But he was busy looking for Joker after the Clown''s last stunt. Inside the warehouse, a gang member hefted an RPG missile launcher onto his shoulder and aimed it at the police. Gordon¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the missile being prepared. "RPG! Move!" The cops scrambled away from their cars just as the RPG was launched. At that moment, the Hell Ride burst through the police barricade at high speeds, colliding headfirst with the missile and causing a massive explosion. The shockwave threw everyone off their feet. As the dust settled, a gang member close to the entrance of the warehouse, staggered to his feet, coughing due to the smoke. He couldn''t see clearly, nearly jumping as a door slammed from his front. Steady steps sounded out, a form cloaked in fire stepping through the dust and approaching the goon. The Gang Member was stunned silly at the sight of what emerged. Before he could react, he was lifted up by the collar. And With a fiery glare, the Ghost Rider growled, "YOUR RECKONING HAS ARRIVED." Chapter 4: Encounter with Batman. (General P.O.V) Jimmy was a true Gothamite. Born and bred. Raised in Little Italy, he followed in his Father''s footsteps and started running jobs for the Falcone mob family, before Batman and Catwoman ruined that particular gig. His Dad and a bunch of the associates were sent to Blackgate for life. Jimmy managed to escape that mess by being a minor. Luckily, Two Face happened to take him in during the slump, and Jimmy became a loyal subordinate ever since. Proving himself quick witted and brutal, he was promoted to squad leader. And for 10 years, he was yet to fail his boss or get permanently incarcerated by the Justice System. All because of one tiny little principle: ''Get outta dodge when the freaks come out.'' Jimmy and his crew, had been sent by Two Face to collect a cache of weaponry from the rival gang but out of nowhere, the Penguin had decided to raise the price. Things got heated and then the Cops showed up. His men were giving them a hell of a fight too, until that thing appeared. First it went for Ramirez. -0- With a fiery glare, the Ghost Rider growled, "YOUR RECKONING HAS ARRIVED." "D- Die...freak!!!" Ramirez screamed at the burning skull and empty eyes focused on him. He brought his gun up, switched to automatic and emptied the whole clip on the Rider''s face. The Rider''s open mouth swallowed all the bullets with no visible damage. When the gun clicked empty, Ramirez damn near wet himself in terror. With a sadistic cackle, "LOOK INTO MY EYES, SINNER." The Ghost Rider rasped out, pulling Ramirez close. The gang member immediately found himself moving through a journey through his own life. Everything bad Ramirez had ever done was laid before him to witness. Memories he had forgotten- bullying a classmate, stealing from his mother, assaulting a girl he liked but who didn''t like him back, his first time killing a man, the subsequent killings once he was used to murder... The guilt hit him hard. He felt so sick and disgusted at his actions, to the point he wanted to kill himself. The Rider''s burning gaze pierced through his mind, into his shrivelled and dirty soul. "DEATH IS A MERCY YOU HAVE NOT EARNED. RELIVE THE PAIN YOU CAUSED A THOUSAND TIMES MORE." The Ghost Rider declared, and in the real world Ramirez'' eyes turned pale and hollow. He was eternally locked in his mind, forced to feel every bit of anguish until the day his body died. Such was the effect of the Rider''s Penance Stare. Dropping the lifeless body, The Ghost Rider turned his sights on the Warehouse. "MORE SINNERS TO PUNISH." Hiding inside, Jimmy and his men took a collective step back. The Rider had began walking towards the entrance. "Shit...what do we do Jimmy?" One of his guys asked. Jimmy grabbed his gun. "What you asking me for?! Pump the horror show with lead! Don''t let that thing in here. Use the heavy stuff. For Ramirez''s sake!" The 6 guys yelled out in confirmation and stepped up, armor piercing guns from the weapon''s cache in hand. Jimmy knew how to stoke his men''s spirits. They could willingly go to hell and back for him. And he would too. While they were throwing everything they had at the Rider, Jimmy knew it wasn''t enough and snatched an RPG from a crate. Outside, the Ghost Rider walked through the hail of bullets which packed enough force to shred apart a tank. In contrast, the heavy fire only made the Spirit of Vengeance momentarily stop. The chains around its shoulders and hands dropped to the floor. Fire spread down the chain links, hot enough that the air hissed. "Ah Jimmy...we''re out." One of the men called out in fear, gun lowering- the magazine empty. Same case with the rest. "Just a second boys." Jimmy said over his shoulder, fixing the missile round. "We gonna blow that son of a bitch back to hell." The Rider''s jaw dropped before the entrance, and a maniacal cackle emanated forth. The men''s souls shivered in dread. The laughter was akin to tolls of death. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. A whizzing noise sounded out, and right as Jimmy was turning around, RPG set on his shoulders, the entire front of the Warehouse- from left to right- was sliced through by flaming chains. Leaving a burning trail behind, his men suffered the same fate as the building''s entrance, turned into a red mist that burned up under the oppressive heat. Jimmy was in disbelief. Then came the rage. "You fucking asshole! Die!!" He aimed the RPG at the Rider''s form and launched the missile. BOOM!!! The explosion was close enough that the shockwave threw Jimmy into the air. From within the smoke and dust, the Rider''s chain flew out, wrapping around Jimmy''s torso while still in midair. Screaming in terror, Jimmy found himself pulled back, landing right in the clutches of the Ghost Rider, just like Ramirez. "W-What are you? Y-you took the missile head on! You should be in pieces, ya freak!" Jimmy howled, terror gripping him. "RELAX JIMMY." The Rider rasped, "I WANT YOU TO SEND A MESSAGE TO YOUR BOSS. THERE''S A NEW PLAYER IN TOWN." -0- "Gordon...Gordoon!!" Harvey''s voice reached his partner''s ears, rousing him from the ground, amidst a fiery background. "Huh? Wha- Harvey...what the fuck is going on?! Why is the Warehouse burning?" The senior detective asked, adjusting his glasses. "Its the flaming Skeleton Gordo. That thing''s taken out everyone!" Harvey responded with wide eyes, gazing towards the burning Warehouse. Gordon turned to the same direction, only for a body to smash on the windscreen of the cop car they were hiding behind. "Shit." Gordon muttered, checking the body and feeling a very faint pulse. "I recognize him. That''s Jimmy Tribbiani, Two-face second in command. Cuff him." Harvey did so, only for the sound of heavy steps to reach their ears. The two detectives turned around and came face to face with the Ghost Rider. Harvey raised his gun to point at the Rider but Gordon slapped his hand, leading him to lower it. "VENGEANCE HAS BEEN SERVED." The Rider stated, stopping before the two. Gordon found his courage and voice, "Vengeance? Vengeance is not Justice! Those men should have been brought in, interrogated and sent to prison for rehabilitation!" The Rider walked past them without a word, causing Harvey to stumble and fall on his fat ass. "WRONG PROFESSION DETECTIVE. I DON''T REHABILITATE. I PUNISH." The Rider threw back almost contemptuously. Crinkkk.... The chains dragging on the ground were pulled to it''s leather clad Skeletal form, wrapping around it''s limbs tight and concisely. "Who- what even are you?" Gordon questioned as the Hell Ride''s door swung open for the Rider. The Ghost Rider slowly turned it''s head, and Gordon made the mistake of staring into its eyes. All he saw inside was an empty void. ''He''s not...human.'' Gordon shuddered, almost regretting his question. "YOUR REPLACEMENT." The Rider answered, getting in the Hell Ride and with a monstrous roar of engine, the burning vehicle pulled away from the scene, fire left in the wake of its retreat. Harvey sighed, getting up and doing the sign of the cross. "Tonight is most definitely not our night Gordo." As if to emphasize that point, a new but familiar engine sound, came from the opposite street. A sleek black armored vehicle rushed past them in hot pursuit of the Hell Ride. "The Batmobile.." Harvey muttered, staring at Gordon in question. "You think this will end well for our Bat friend? I mean...that Skeleton ain''t one of the usual crazies. He''s not human. He''s spooky. A vengeful Ghost from hell." Gordon took that to heart, immediately switching on his walkie talkie. "Batman come in." There was a bit of static, followed by calm breathing. "Detective, what is the situation?" "Batman, turn back, don''t go after It. I repeat, do not go after the Ghost Rider." Gordon yelled through the Talkie. There was a pause. "Negative." Batman grunted, "No one plays in my backyard without permission." The connection was cut off, prompting a curse from Gordon. "Ghost Rider?" Harvey asked with a raised eyebrow. "Where did that come from?" "I don''t know. Seemed like a more fitting name than calling it Burning Skeleton." Gordon shrugged. -0- "Alfred, I lost sight of him. His ride is faster than mine." Batman spoke into his comms, turning around a corner, where the burning tracks left by the Hell Ride suddenly disappeared. "Oh, is that jealousy I hear in your tone, Master Bruce?" Alfred teased, his statement making Batman''s frown deepen under the cowl "I need the satellite readings." Batman told him. Almost immediately, his navigation system beeped, the map displayed on the screen inside the Batmobile, showing a red signal a block from his position. Kicking the car into high gear, the Batmobile tore down the street. Gotham¡¯s skyline was like a jagged shadow against the stormy night sky. The streets were deserted as Batman drove through a narrow alley, took a sharp turn and zoomed past an intersection on the road. Alfred had alerted him that Gordon needed backup, but as he was pulling up to the scene, he had caught sight of the monstrous truck speeding away. Earlier reports by a police patrol, cited on a sighting of a burning skeleton tearing through the streets of Gotham. Thinking it was a new villain, Batman decided to follow. In no time, he arrived right where the red dot was blinking and found nothing. "Alfred, I lost-" His statement was cut off as he managed to spot the Hell Ride, driving along the side of a skyscraper, leaving a trail of molten glass- all without shattering the windows. The Batmobile''s engine roared as Batman followed on the ground, determined not to lose the trail. The Hell Ride reached the end of the building and dipped towards another one with a lower rooftop. It was like a beast, spewing flames from its airhorns similar to a dragon- the flare of fire allowing Batman to maintain sight. The end of the block arrived quickly, and the Hell Ride was back on the street, riding down a different intersection. Batman gritted his teeth, turning the Batmobile around to follow. He needed a way to stop the target. "Alfred, I need a perimeter setup at the docks. He''s heading that way," Batman said into his comm. "Understood, sir. Sending coordinates to the police now." Alfred''s calm voice replied. The Batmobile sped up, sirens wailing in the distance. With a turbo charge, Batman was closing in, the Hellfire from the Ghost Rider''s Hell ride lighting up the dark street. The Rider¡¯s flaming skull glanced back, locking eyes with Batman through the rearview mirror. Unnerved by the empty sockets, Batman stayed the course behind the truck. Finally, they reached the docks, the Hell Ride blasting through the gate at the entrance, and riding past the containers. At the end of the docks, it screeched to a halt, spitting embers and smoke, lighting up the rundown warehouses and the bay water. Batman pulled up a second later, the Batmobile''s tires screeching against the wet concrete, right beside the Hell Rider. The Dark Knight jumped out, cape billowing, eyes locked on the fiery figure standing next to the Monstrous Vehicle. There was a brief silence as they regarded each other. "It''s over." Batman said, voice firm. "No one kills in my city and gets away with it. Come quietly." The Ghost Rider tilted it''s blazing skull, chains rattling. "SPIRIT OF FEAR," It growled, the eyes seeming to bore deep into Bruce. "FEAR IS A PAINKILLER. BUT VENGEANCE... VENGEANCE IS THE CURE." Batman stepped forward, fists clenched, "You''re not the judge, jury, or executioner. Gotham''s already got enough blood on its streets. The last thing we need is a maniac like you upsetting things, Ghost Rider." "TELL THAT TO THE SOULS YOU FAIL UPHOLDING A FLAWED SENSE OF JUSTICE." the Ghost Rider hissed. "And you think killing makes it alright? Makes you a savior? It only creates another murderer that I eventually deal with." Batman. "NOT A SAVIOR. NEVER A SAVIOR. I AM A RECKONING. A TOOL OF PUNISHMENT. I AM NOT HERE TO BRING JUSTICE WHERE YOUR SYSTEM FAILS. I AM HERE TO AVENGE." The Ghost Rider rasped. "YOUR CHILD IS TOO NAIVE BARBATOS." With that, the Rider lashed out, his chain snapping through the air. Batman dodged, throwing a batarang that was instantly incinerated by Hellfire from the Rider''s mouth. The Dark Knight rushed forward, falling back on his martial arts skills. He landed a few solid hits on places that would incapacitate a normal person, but the Ghost Rider was unfazed and remained on one spot. Instead, Batman''s fists were left pulsing in pain. The Rider swung his hand out in retaliation, sending a flaming chain at the Bat. Using the wrist blades to deflect the chain turned out to be a bad idea. Batman''s forearm snapped at the impact behind the fire imbued chains, and the heat caused his wristblades to melt. In a desperate move, Batman lunged forward with a kick to the skull, intending to break the Rider''s neck bone with his studded boots. But in speeds to fast to predict, the Rider reacted, catching him and setting their faces inches apart. "LOOK INTO MY EYES." The Ghost Rider commanded, voice echoing with dark power. Batman tried to resist, but the Rider''s grip was iron. The Penance Stare locked onto him, and beneath the whites of his mask, Batman''s eyes widened. His world exploded into pain and guilt. He saw every failure, every death he couldn''t prevent, every soul he couldn¡¯t save. The agony was overwhelming. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious. The Ghost Rider stood over him for a moment, flames flickering across his form. It glanced at the Batmobile, a hint of admiration in the soulless eyes. "COOL RIDE." It muttered. "I''M TAKING IT NEXT TIME." With that, the Ghost Rider climbed back into his monstrous truck, the engine roaring to life. The hell ride sped off into the night, leaving the Dark Knight unconscious on the cold, wet dock, Alfred''s voice calling out to Bruce but to no avail. (Michael''s P.O.V) With difficulty I regained my self awareness...outside the parking lot of the Hospital, looking straight at the white paint of an ambulance. It was still dark out. So hopefully, the night duty nurse hadn''t come to my room. Speaking off, I studied the ground, then the window to my hospital room. There were no molten tracks on the concrete, including the pavement I had cracked by jumping off the fourth floor. As for the room, everything seemed fine from where I was standing. From the Rider''s memories, I had left it on fire, with a gaping hole where the window was. "Good." I sighed, looking at my right hand and leg, which were back in casts. "Everything went back to normal." I guess this proves a theory I had, the Rider''s fire was mystical in nature. Chapter 5: Discharged. Gotham Capes Forum - 3:37 AM User: BatFan123 > Did anyone else see the burning truck downtown tonight? Managed to snap this pic. Who is this guy? Looks like something straight out of a horror movie. Or hell. [Attached Image: A flaming truck with a skeletal figure at the wheel, its head ablaze with hellfire. User: NightWingedAvenger > Whoa, that''s intense! Look at those tire tracks on the asphalt. They''re completely scorched. User: CatAndMouse > Holy crap, that''s terrifying! I don''t know if I should be excited or scared. Is this guy a hero or a villain. User: GothamKnight > Heard from a friend in the GCPD. They''re calling him the Ghost Rider. Apparently, he''s already taken out some of Two-Face''s crew. Only one survivor, and he was told to send a message to Two-Face: "The Rider is coming for him. User: HarlequinDream > A new vigilante in Gotham? I think it''s awesome! The more people standing up to the scum here, the better. User: ArkhamArchivist > Am I the only one who thinks this could be bad news? We don¡¯t need another unpredictable element in the mix. This "Ghost Rider" sounds like he¡¯s out for blood. User: BatFan123 > Reward time, folks! I''m putting up $10,000 for any verifiable information on this Ghost Rider. I want to know who or what we''re dealing with here. User: FlameOn > Look at the details, though. This guy isn''t just out there for show. Those flames are real. We''re talking supernatural level stuff yo. User: Joker''sWild > This is Gotham. Crazy is the norm. I''m in the camp that says let him do his thing. If he''s after Two-Face, good riddance. User: MaskedAvenger > @GothamKnight: Any more details from your cop friend? How did this Ghost Rider take down Two-Face¡¯s men? User: GothamKnight > @MaskedAvenger: Not much else. Just that the survivor was in shock when he woke up, babbling about a flaming skull and chains. Sounds like a real nightmare. User: TwoFace''sLuck > As if a burning skull is going to scare us. When this freak shows his bone head, Two-Face will put a bullet right through it. This Ghost Rider guy''s days are numbered User: BurnNotice > @TwoFace''sLuck: Bold words. We¡¯ll see how well they hold up when you''re facing him. Something tells me bullets won¡¯t be enough. User: TheVengeful You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. > This Ghost Rider is exactly what Gotham needs. Someone who isn''t afraid to do what Batman won¡¯t. Let the criminals fear the fire. User: ArkhamInmate > @TheVengeful: And what happens when he turns on the rest of us? What if he decides we''re all guilty in some way? Where does it end? User: DarkKnightRises > The city needs protectors, not more chaos. But I can¡¯t deny... those flames. This Ghost Rider could be something we''ve never seen before. User: BatFan123 > Keep the info coming, folks. We need to figure this out fast. The stakes are high, and Gotham doesn''t wait for anyone. The online community continued to buzz with heated debates and wild theories. The Rider''s appearance had ignited Gotham''s interest, filling the streets with equal parts hope and fear. Through it all, one thing was clear: the Ghost Rider had made his vengeful entrance, and as a result, Gotham was never going to be the same again. -1 week later- -The Gotham Hospital- (General P.O.V) Down the hall on the same floor where Michael''s room was located, was a special patient''s room used to host mostly VIPs. Detective Gordon flashed his badge at the security guard outside and walked in. The room was big, containing a large bed, a couch, fridge and a wide view of Gotham City. There were 4 people inside including the Patient, a comatose Bruce Wayne. "How''s he doing Doc?" Gordon asked. The doctor in the room shook his head and left without a word. "He''s...helpful." The detective commented at his retreating form. "Only as far as science can take him. This...is something else." A man in a magician''s outfit:- A tuxedo and top hat, said. He was holding a pocket watch above Bruce''s sleeping form. "Giovanni Zatara." Gordon recognized him. "Things must be bad if you''re here. Worse if I include your friend." He added, motioning to the tall and imposing form of a green martian sitting on the couch. "Oh don''t mind Manhunter. He''s in a mental trance right now, trying to work out what''s wrong with our mutual friend''s mind." Zatara explained. "A bad case of burning skeleton is my guess." Gordon muttered, turning to Alfred, who was silent on the bedside. "Sorry Alfred, I tried to stop him from going after Ghost Rider." Alfred shook his head. "No apologies necessary. We all know how he is Detective. Stubborn to a fault." Despite the calm words, worry lined the Butler''s forehead. "He''ll wake up sooner or later, just leave it to J''onn and I." Zatara assured. "Speaking of this Ghost Rider detective, what can you tell me about him." The Magician asked. Gordon reached into his pocket and brought out a Flash Drive which he proceeded to throw at Zatara. "Figured the League would be interested. Just be careful, something tells me he might be too much for one or two of you." Zatara nodded at the grave warning. "Duly noted, Detective." With that, Gordon left. -0- The door to Michael''s room opened, and Gordon walked in...only to find it empty. "Hey, excuse me," He turned to a nurse passing by, "What happened to the patient that was in here?" "Michael Hawthorn? He was discharged this morning." She responded. "With his injuries? How did he even make it out of the room with two broken limbs?" Gordon was confused. It had only been a week since the Joker Incident. Logic dictates Michael should have been hospitalized longer. "A short haired woman came for him." The nurse replied, leaving Gordon at the door to the empty room. (Michael''s P.O.V) "Don''t look so glum. Smile a little. She would have wanted that." Selina said, trying to cheer me up. And while I appreciated the sentiment, she didn''t understand. People smile when they''re happy. My happiness was gone. The only time I was going to be smiling was when I was stomping on Joker''s brains. The Rider within me, surged outwards at my rage-filled thoughts. ''Not Now. You will have your vengeance soon.'' I slammed the door shut, shoving the Spirit deep down before it could leer it''s head. The ride continued on without us talking much. I looked through the window to pass the time before we arrived at my house. Graffiti covered most of the buildings on the street. Shops were boarded up and many places closed. Everyone walking did so with a fast pace. And in the shadows of alleys, Beggars and Junkies huddled in groups. Gotham had never been a great place. But now, it seemed even gloomier. Like a wasteland where only weeds could grow. I hated it almost as much as I hated the Clown. My wife was born and raised here- she always believed the city would change. She was the reason I gave it a chance. The reason I even applied for a job at Wayne Enterprises. The reason I settled down. I was wrong. And maybe she was too. "How''s the leg? And the hand too. " Selina asked, throwing me a side glance. "Fine. Doctor says I''ll need a couple months to recover. I''ll be using crutches until then." I lied without looking her way. Selina was sharp enough to read me and figure out I wasn''t telling the whole truth. She was my Wife''s friend from College. And by extension, had become mine as well. We even made her Emily''s Godmother. A good person. An even better friend. "How''s the Bar?" I asked, hoping to steer the subject away from me. "Exhausting." She sighed, "It''s jam-packed every night. I''m thinking of renting out more space and renovating the basement. Maybe turn it to a nightclub." "Mmh, so business is good. That''s nice." I commented. She owned a bar called ''The Tin Roof Club'' at the rougher parts of town. Despite, or rather, inspire of the prevalent crime activities around the premise, her club was recognized as a neutral zone. Anyone that dared cause trouble ended up with broken bones and a fast ticket to the GCPD. Oh, and they would be permanently banned from entry. Selina had connections and knew how to use them. My wife called her the ''Baddest woman in Gotham.'' I personally had no counter-opinion. Selina Kyle was hot as fuck and knew how to kick ass. The 30 minute ride came to a stop in front of a nice establishment on a clean street. I leaned close to the windshield to get a view of where were. A sign above the building read, ''Tin Roof Club.'' I should have guessed. I turned to Selina with a frown, "I thought you were taking me home?" "In your banged up condition?" She scoffed, opening the door, "Sarah would kill me. Come on, you''ll stay here for a few weeks where I''ll look after you until you can wipe your own ass." "I can..." My statement was cut off by the door banging close. My eyes followed her figure as she walked around the car to my side and opened mine. "Just bear with me Mike. I need to do this. For you and more importantly, for Sarah. Besides, are you in a position to refuse my help?" She asked, pointedly staring at my cast limbs. ''Yes. Because I don''t want to drag you in my mess...'' Is what I wanted to say. But instead, she won me over with the vulnerability in her eyes. She loved my family too. I wasn''t the only one to lose. This was her way of trying to deal with the pain. This bit of understanding someone''s emotions felt like a pseudo-ability from the Rider. "Get my crutches." I told her with a resigned sigh. The smile she sent my way was a light in the ever present darkness. Now that I recall, My wife and Selina had something back in college. Sarah had even suggested a three-way. I could certainly see why. Chapter 6: Riding Skill Is SSS Rank. (General P.O.V.) "Bruce... stay behind me!" His mother''s voice trembled with desperation. Bruce¡¯s father stood resolute, shielding them both as he tried to reason with the man pointing a gun in their direction. "What do you want? Money? I can¡ª" His father''s plea was abruptly silenced by a gunshot. "Dad!" Bruce cried out, trying to rush to his father''s side, but another shot rang out, halting him. His mother''s body crumpled to the ground, her blood mingling with his father''s on the cold wet alley. In that moment, Bruce''s world shattered. His gaze, now filled with unbridled hatred, locked onto the man who had torn his life apart. The Ghost Rider''s flaming skull leaned down close to Bruce, its hollow eyes boring into his very soul, exposing every hidden fear. "YOU HIDE IT WELL, SPIRIT OF FEAR. BUT YOU CANNOT DECEIVE MY EYES. YOU CRAVE... BLOODY VENGEANCE." --- Bruce''s eyes snapped open, the vivid memories fading as reality returned. He found himself in a sterile hospital room, limbs weak as he struggled to sit up. He reached for his chin, feeling the rough stubble. Judging by the length of his nails, he''d been out for¡ª "Eight days." he muttered, his voice hoarse. Water. He needed water first. Then, he needed to get out of this bed and find the Rider. This time, Batman would be ready for the Penance Stare. (Michael''s P.O.V.) A week spent at Selina¡¯s did wonders for my fractured psyche. She set me up in the spare bedroom of the loft above her club, a space she rarely used since she had another apartment in a safer part of the city. She also arranged for one of the serving girls to handle the cooking and cleaning, though Selina insisted on taking care of my... personal needs. To say I was left speechless when she boldly walked in while I was in the bath was an understatement. Her reason? to wash my hair. "...And that¡¯s not even the worst of it, Babe. You¡¯d probably kick my ass if I told you everything. Husband of the year, I¡¯m not. But knowing you, you¡¯d also encourage me to make a move." A chuckle escaped me, the sound breaking the silence of the graveyard. "Best wingman ever." I whispered, tracing the engraved names on the gravestone¡ªSarah and Emily Hawthorne. I¡¯d missed their funeral while I was in the hospital. But Selina, ever thoughtful, had them cremated as Sarah had always wanted. She gave me their ashes, and was there when I scattered them into the sea. The gravestones were a physical reminder of their memory. "I''m sorry... I''m so sorry..." I don''t know how long I stayed there, letting the tears fall for the second time since I¡¯d been released from the hospital. More than missing them, I despised myself for my weakness then. For letting them die that night. This was DC, I should have tried to gain powers...any power. At least enough to protect them. But I hadn''t. The guilt was a block of ice lodged in my throat.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "Code 3, 10-15, getting ready to escort the prisoner to Blackgate..." The police radio on my hip crackled to life, snapping me back to the present. But now that I had power, I would use it to make their loss mean something. To punish those who deserve it. It was time. Placing the bouquet of roses before the grave, I stood up. "I''m doing something to make up for failing you two. I hope you''re proud of me..." The tears evaporated, consumed by the flames of retribution as my face transformed into a burning skull. "IT''S TIME FOR PUNISHMENT." -0- Elsewhere in Gotham, a police convoy moved through the city, led by four patrol cars¡ªtwo at the front and two bringing up the rear. At the center of the convoy was a reinforced prisoner transport truck, carrying Jimmy Tribbiani in his orange prison uniform. "Golf 1 status check. How¡¯s the road looking?" Harvey called from inside the fourth patrol car. The lead car responded, "All clear, Golf 4." Harvey turned to his partner with a sigh, "We can relax." "For now." Gordon grunted, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. His eyes never left the transport truck infront of them. "You think Two-Face will try something?" Harvey asked, tearing open a Snickers wrapper. His 5th one. "Those things will kill you." Gordon remarked, before answering, "And no, I don¡¯t think. I know he will. But that¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about." Harvey caught on, scoffing, "You think the Rider will show up. I wouldn¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯ve got those two hanging around. If he does, he¡¯s screwed." "Yeah... you¡¯re probably right." Gordon replied, though a persistent sense of dread gnawed at him. For a while, the convoy moved steadily toward Blackgate Penitentiary, which was perched on a peninsula a few miles outside the city. As the imposing facility came into view from a far, Gordon noticed something in the rearview mirror. "Harvey, behind us." he said grimly. Bullock turned, his face paling at the sight of a flaming skull rapidly closing in on them. "Fuck me, he can fly too?!" "Not flying. He¡¯s using chains to swing." Gordon corrected, sweat beading on his forehead. "Order the convoy to speed up. He¡¯s after Tribbiani." Behind them, the Ghost Rider hurled his chains, their infernal ends wrapping around streetlights. With a powerful yank, he launched himself forward, hurtling through the air. Cars swerved and honked below, narrowly avoiding the Rider, who left a trail of burning street poles in his wake. The road ahead twisted sharply, leading to an area devoid of streetlights. The Rider jumped from the last one, running along the side of a billboard. His fiery steps scorched the smiling face of a bald man on the advertisement before he leaped, tearing a street pole from the ground and hurling it through the tires of the transport truck. Btoom! The truck flipped into the air, crashing onto its roof, sparks flying as it skidded across the asphalt. "Damn it!" Gordon cursed, swerving to avoid the truck''s flying tire. The maneuver left the other patrol car vulnerable. "POTS!"(STOP) Zatara appeared in a timely manner above the vehicle, casting a spell that halted the tire''s momentum. At the same time, the Rider soared toward the fallen truck, only to be intercepted midair by a collision with the flying Martian Manhunter. The two tumbled over the palm trees lining the road, heading straight for the sea. ''(Zatara, I will handle the Ghost Rider. Tend to the wounded!)'' Manhunter''s voice echoed telepathically. ''(No! J¡¯onn, you¡¯ll be weak to his flames!)'' Zatara warned, his concern evident. ''(Not if we are in the water.)'' Manhunter countered, plunging both himself and the Rider into the cold waters of the bay. The flames around the Rider¡¯s skull extinguished, leaving behind bleached bone. It thrashed, trying to resurface, but Manhunter was ready. He increased his cell density, making himself heavier without changing size. Then he shifted into a mass of green tentacles, wrapping tightly around the Ghost Rider to drag him deeper into the abyss. They sank like an anchor, the city lights fading above them. Manhunter reached out telepathically to the Rider, establishing a mind link. ''(Cease your struggle, strange creature. Here you cannot harm anyone. Once you pass out, you will answer for your crimes.)'' The Ghost Rider''s struggles ceased. ''(Good. Now to discover what you are... what?! Your mind... how can this be?!!)'' Manhunter recoiled in horror, his consciousness buckling under the weight of the Rider''s memories. ''(Such pain and suffering!... It¡¯s too much... I-it hurts!! W-what are you?!)'' Manhunter had never encountered a being like this, and it was tearing him apart. "(I AM YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE, J''ONN JONNZ OF MARS. THE FIRE OF REGRET!) " The Rider answered back. A wisp of blue flame ignited in the Rider''s empty eye sockets, exploding outward in a blaze that seared the water around them. Manhunter screamed as his form began to dissolve, his green flesh melting away. Desperate, he detached a portion of himself, shifting into a sleek green swordfish in an attempt to escape. "(YOU CANNOT FLEE. YOUR JUDGEMENT HAS ARRIVED.)" Enveloped in blue fire, the Rider¡¯s chains shot out, ensnaring the fish. Manhunter reformed, now a massive, tentacled beast¡ªa Kraken. His red eyes glowed with panic as the chains tightened around him. Abandoning escape, he lashed out with thick, poison-laden tentacles. The Rider countered with infernal speed, blocking the strikes with one chain and tightening his grip on the Kraken with the other. The clash between flesh and metal was so intense, it churned the sea into a violent froth. On the shore, after assisting the police, Zatara watched the turbulent waters with growing alarm. Immediately he took to the air with a levitation spell. ''(J¡¯onn! I sense your terror! I¡¯m coming!)'' He said, reaching out through their mental link, closing in on the battle below. ''(No, stay away, Zatara! He¡ª)'' Manhunter¡¯s voice was abruptly cut off as the mind link shattered. ''(Manhunter!!)'' Zatara cried, hovering over the roiling waters, ready to dive in. But before he could, a bluish glow surged from the depths. "Dleihs Ria!" (Air Shield) Zatara¡¯s quick reflexes saved him, casting a protective barrier just as a fiery explosion erupted from the sea, slamming into his shield and hurling him backward. "Tropelet!" (Teleport!) The Magician materialized on the beach, gasping for air. His heart raced, and his hands trembled¡ªhe¡¯d narrowly escaped death. That last attack had obliterated his protective shield in an instant, leaving him utterly vulnerable. He turned his gaze to the sea, only to be met with a sight that defied all logic. The entire bay was bone dry, the ocean water utterly gone, leaving behind a vast, scorched crater that was now slowly refilling with water, steam rising in thick clouds from the exposed seabed. "This...this can''t be real..." Zatara whispered, his voice barely audible as he stared, dumbfounded, at the devastation before him. But the shock didn¡¯t end there. Rising from the depths of the blackened pit, came an earthshaking roar. A monstrous green dragon emerged, its massive wings and tails wreathed in infernal blue flames. Perched atop its back was the Ghost Rider, his flaming skull casting a ghastly glow over the charred landscape. His chains, secured around the dragon like reins. Zatara¡¯s breath caught in his throat as the dragon flew overhead, its immense form blotting out the moonlight. His eyes widened in disbelief as he caught a glimpse of the creature¡¯s familiar face and red eyes. "I-is that... J''onn?" he stammered, barely recognizing the Martian Manhunter in the fiery dragon''s form. ::--------------------------------:: GhostRider Template: 60% progress Chapter 7: Devils Hellfire. (General P.O.V) Gotham was Gotham, until it wasn''t. Jim Gordon had seen a lot in his time with the GCPD, but nothing quite like tonight. Fortunately, Zatara and Manhunter had intervened. Now someone else could deal with the headache that was the Ghost Rider. As for him, he had a prisoner to deliver. But as he approached the prisoner transport truck , the uneasy feeling in his gut twisted tighter. The back door of the fallen vehicle was ajar. Not a good sign. He pulled the door open with a creak, only to find the inside empty. His gut feeling solidified into cold, hard dread. "Damn it!" he spat out, pounding a fist against the metal. "He''s gone." Beside him, Bullock shook his head in disbelief, the stub of his cigarette dropping from his lips, "If this day gets any worse¡ª" As if on cue, the sky above roared, a blast of hot wind sweeping down as a dragon, of all things, blazed past them, its scales crackling with blue fire. Gordon¡¯s coat flapped violently in the sudden gust, and Bullock¡¯s second cigarette was sent flying, leaving him gaping at the sight. The Rider''s figure was prominent on its back. A beacon of vengeance loose in his city. ''The heroes failed.'' Gordon realized. "Well, that answers that," Bullock mumbled, eyes still fixed on the sky. "It just got worse." --- Old Gotham was a place where time stood still, clinging to its dark, gothic roots. Most of the city¡¯s businesses had fled the crumbling district years ago, leaving behind abandoned buildings and shadowed graveyards. But the courthouse, looming beside an old cathedral, still had its uses¡ªat least, for Two-Face. Jimmy Tribbiani was already regretting his life choices as he approached the guards outside the courthouse. They gave him a nod in recognition, though not without a suspicious glance or two- he suspected he knew why. Failing Two-Face once was the same as failing him a million times. In other words, it made no difference to the psychotic villain. The cold welcome aside, he hurried inside, now wishing he was anywhere else. But the boss had to know. Jimmy owed him that at least. The courtroom had been turned into a bizarre reflection of its occupant''s fractured psyche. One side, plush and orderly, mimicked a lawyer¡¯s office. The other side was a sleazy strip club, complete with dim lighting and cheap furniture. And right in the middle of it all, sprawled across a split-colored couch, sat Two-Face, a living embodiment of the madness around him. He lounged back, feet propped up on a bound and gagged man¡¯s back, watching as two dancers twirled before him¡ªone dressed as an angel, the other a demon. "Beautiful! Just marvelous!" Two-Face clapped, his voice a mix of glee and malice. "The duality, the contrast! Pure entertainment!" His henchmen, dressed in matching black and white suits, cheered and hooted in agreement. "But you know what, boys?" Two-Face leaned forward, his tone shifting. "Someone here...might disagree." The bound man, Officer Graves, began to shake uncontrollably as Two-Face revealed a coin in his hand, its worn bronze surface catching the dim light. "Heads, you live. Tails, well..." Two-Face chuckled darkly. "You know the drill." He flipped the coin high into the air. Graves watched it as though his life depended on it¡ªbecause it did. It landed with a soft clink in Two-Face''s palm. He grinned¡ªa wicked, uneven grin that spread wider on the scarred side of his face. "Tails." Before Graves could even begin to beg for his life, Two-Face¡¯s golden revolver was out, and a single, deafening shot echoed through the room. Jimmy winced, his eyes fixed on the lifeless body as it slumped to the floor. "Boss, I¡ª" "Oh, Jimmy! Long time no see!" Two-Face interrupted, his tone unnervingly cheerful as he wiped the blood off his shoe. "Come here, boy. I could use some good news after... this mess." Jimmy forced a smile as he approached, trying not to look at the gun still smoking in Two-Face''s hand. "Yeah, about that..." Two-Face''s expression darkened instantly. "You came back empty-handed. No money, no weapons. What exactly are you bringing to the table, Jimmy?" Jimmy swallowed hard, the room suddenly feeling ten degrees hotter. "We had a... a situation. Scarier than the Bat." "Scarier than the Bat?" Two-Face repeated, skeptical. "The cops call him the Ghost Rider, but he''s more like a Demon." Jimmy blurted out. "He took out the whole team. And then, when I was being transported to Black Gate, he attacked again. Probably took out a lot of cops too. I barely got away." Two-Face¡¯s fingers twitched around the handle of his gun. "The Rider, huh? We heard about him. Thought he was a rumor. Can''t trust anyone these days, you know. Even long term ''loyal'' employees." He poured himself a drink. "So I''m curious, how DID you manage to survive? Or rather why did he let YOU alone live?" Jimmy hesitated, knowing how this would sound, "He... He said something. Told me to send a message." "And what message was that?" Two-Face asked, his voice dangerously low. Jimmy took a deep breath. "¡®You''re next.¡¯ That¡¯s what he said." The room fell into a tense silence. Two-Face froze. Then, one of the henchmen snorted, and soon the room erupted into laughter. "Bullshit." someone muttered, followed by a chorus of agreement. But Two-Face wasn¡¯t laughing. He stared hard at Jimmy, his mind working through the possibilities. "You think I¡¯m stupid, Jimmy? You think you special? A nameless goon? He just happened to kill everybody else but decided to let you walk?" Jimmy¡¯s mouth was dry. "To deliver the message. To make sure you knew he was coming. Boss, I ain''t lying."The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Two-Face¡¯s coin was out again, spinning between his fingers. "If the Rider wanted me dead, he''d be here. He wouldn¡¯t leave a warning. Or wait a fucking week, you little rat. You''re working for Penguin, ain''t ya? Admit it!" Jimmy opened his mouth to deny but nothing came out, he was too stunned. In addition the gun was back at his head. Two-Face''s eyes narrowed, the scarred side of his face twitching. "Silence is the same as an admission of guilt. Let¡¯s see what the coin thinks of your little story." The coin flipped into the air, spinning higher and higher. Suddenly, the skylight above shattered. Glass rained down as something heavy crashed through, landing in the center of the room with a bone-chilling thud. Everyone froze. A skull wreathed in blue flames glared at them from the center of the debris, its empty eye sockets glowing with an unholy light. "BOO." The voice was deep, guttural, like it had clawed its way out of the depths of hell. One of the dancers screamed, the shrill sound snapping everyone back to reality. "That''s him! That''s the Rider! Light him up!" Jimmy yelled, diving for cover as the henchmen instantly opened fire. The room exploded with the sound of gunfire, bullets tearing through the smoke-filled air. But the Rider didn¡¯t flinch. The bullets seemed to burn on impact, any that landed on his chains bounced off. "STOP!" Two-Face bellowed, his voice barely cutting through the chaos. His couch was shredded, but somehow, he was still alive, having shielded himself with the body of one of his unfortunate henchmen. The shooting stopped. Through the haze of gun smoke, Two-Face caught a glimpse of the Rider. It was still standing, untouched, its gaze locked on him. "THERE YOU ARE." "Men! Reload and finish this freak!" Two-Face ordered, desperation creeping into his voice. "A million dollars to whoever brings me that skull!" But even as the henchmen scrambled to obey, the air grew thick with heat. The walls began to glow with a fiery red hue, and the ground beneath them trembled. A deep, guttural roar filled the air, followed by a cracking sound. The ceiling split open as a massive, flaming dragon¡¯s head crashed through, its jaws snapping shut around several henchmen in one terrifying bite. Blood and flames spewed from its mouth, the bodies inside turning to ash in seconds. A few tried to run away in panic, only for the Rider''s chains to claim their souls, turning them into a bloody steam and scorched remains. Jimmy, half-crouched behind a table, felt his heart hammering in his chest, still traumatized from a week ago. The dragon, its body coiled protectively around the Rider, glared down at him with red molten eyes. It growled, a low rumble that shook the walls. "Oh hell no..." Jimmy didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He turned to flee, only to find the exits blocked by a wall of blue flames. He froze, terror washing over him. The dragon¡¯s gaze shifted to him, and he felt his muscles lock in place. "Ma, I should have listened to you and never become a goon, " Jimmy whimpered, too scared to move. Two-Face, covered in the blood of his men, staggered to his feet amidst his ruined lair. Self preservation took a backseat to Indignant anger. He pulled out his other gun, a silver revolver, the special one which carried bullets meant to deal with Gotham''s freaks. "My suit... my base... You¡¯re going to pay for this, Rider!" With a trembling hand, he fired an ice bullet straight at the Rider. The bullet hit its mark, freezing the Rider¡¯s head in an instant. Two-Face¡¯s lips curled into a triumphant sneer. "Yeah, that¡¯s right, freak. Ice bullets. Your flaming ass is done!" An acquisition from Mr. Freeze, the ice bullet didn''t simply lower the temperature of its target, it froze the molecules themselves. There was a reason Firefly and Atomic Skull kept their nose out of Two-Face operations. But the victory was short-lived. The frozen skull cackled within the chunk of ice which promptly shattered, evaporating into steam within seconds. The Rider simply shook his naked skull, relighting it on flames, before resuming his approach. Two-Face¡¯s confidence shattered. He emptied the rest of his clip at It, using variations of his special bullets; acid bullets, explosion bullets, Rust bullets, even a Kryptonite bullet. But each shot- was useless, melting before they could even pierce his hellish form. The ones like a bullet to discharge lightning merely tickled the Rider, flashing across the leather. Panic took over, and Two-Face stumbled backward, tripping over the debris. "Do you know who I am? I¡¯m Two-Face! I¡¯ll¡ª" The Rider loomed over him now, its presence suffocating, its eyes glowing with Infernal hollowness. "ANOTHER VICTIM." The words echoed through the room, and with a flick of its chain, the Rider severed Two-Face¡¯s wrists, the gun and coin clattering to the floor. Two-Face howled in agony, collapsing onto his knees. "My hands! You took my fucking hands!" The Rider bent down, picking up the discarded coin, holding it in front of his victim. "HEADS YOU DIE, TAILS YOU LIVE." Two-Face¡¯s eyes widened in desperate hope. "Yes! Yes... I''ll take those chances!" He leaped at the opportunity, eyes locked on the coin as it tumbled through the air, each spin seeming to drag out the moment into eternity. Seconds stretched into what felt like minutes, his breath hitching with every turn. The coin landed. Tails. It wasn''t his time yet. A chuckle of relief escaped the villainous crime boss, his shoulders slumping as a sneer twisted his scarred features. "Hahaha...The coin has spoken, the world still needs me. You can''t deny Fate, Rider. " The Ghost Rider remained silent. At that, a gloating grin replaced Two-Face''s sneer. "Now what, Vigilante? you take me in? Just know, once I get out of prison, I''ll make your life a living hell." "REDUNDANT. WE ARE ALREADY IN HELL." The Rider''s voice boomed, the blue flames around him surging with a violent intensity, consuming everything in their path as they crept closer to Two-Face. "No... that wasn''t the deal! You lied! You lied!!" Two-Face cried out in fresh panic, looking around in terror- for a path to salvation. He saw one, and tried to run away only for the searing whip of chain to lash out, breaking his legs and sending him crashing to the ground in agony. They coiled around him like snakes, hoisting his body in front of The Rider. He struggled, against the chains, but it was no use. He was powerless, dangling in the air, forced to meet the gaze of the Spirit of Vengeance. "THERE ARE WORSE THINGS THAN DEATH; MY JUDGEMENT." "You think you can judge me?" Two-Face spat, voice dripping with venom. "You have no idea what it''s like to be betrayed by your own face, to be broken in half!" "YOU CHOSE TO REMAIN BROKEN. THAT IS WHY I CAME. NOT TO FIX BUT TO JUDGE AND PUNISH. LOOK INTO MY EYES, SINNER." Two-Face¡¯s eyes widened in terror as he felt his mind being pulled into the abyss of the Rider¡¯s Penance Stare. Memories surged forth, twisted and distorted by the flame''s unforgiving light. He saw himself, once a proud district attorney, fighting for justice. Then came the acid, the pain, the betrayal. But the images didn¡¯t stop there. They showed the other side of the coin¡ªevery life he had destroyed, every person he had hurt in his quest for vengeance. The screams of the innocent echoed in his mind, growing louder and louder until they were unbearable. But just as the agony reached its peak, it stopped. The fire in the Rider''s eyes dimmed, and Two-Face found himself back in the burning building, still suspended by the Rider¡¯s chain. He was gasping for breath, his heart pounding in his chest, the weight of his sins pressing down on him like a leaden shroud. The Rider tilted his head, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "I WOULD PITY THE MAN YOU ONCE WERE, HARVEY DENT. A MAN WHO LOST EVERYTHING, HIS SOUL TORN ASUNDER BY TRAGEDY." Two-Face blinked, confused by the sudden reprieve. But there was no mercy in the Rider¡¯s voice, only cold disdain. "BUT I SEE YOU NOW, AND ALL I SEE IS A COWARD. A WEAK, PITIFUL WORM, SQUIRMING IN FILTH, BLAMING THE WORLD FOR YOUR SCARS. YOU PUNISH OTHERS FOR YOUR MISTAKES, HIDING BEHIND YOUR COIN, PRETENDING IT DECIDES YOUR FATE." The chains released him, and he collapsed to the ground. The flames around the Rider flared once more, but this time, they burned with contempt rather than wrath. "YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF MY VENGEANCE." the Rider hissed, his words laced with disgust. "YOU ARE NOT EVEN WORTHY OF THE PUNISHMENT I WOULD DELIVER. TO LET YOU WALLOW IN YOUR OWN DISGUSTING UNWORTHINESS... THAT IS PUNISHMENT ENOUGH.." The Rider turned away, walking through the wall of fire that obediently parted for him. He paused, casting a final, pitiless glance over his shoulder. "ONLY A FOOL MAKES A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL AND EXPECTS HIM TO KEEP HIS WORD." Two-Face had no words left, only the crushing weight of despair as he lay there, broken and beaten. The only thing left was the coin, tossed back to him by the Rider. Desperately, he clawed at the ground, trying to reach it with his crippled hands as the flames closed in, sealing his fate. --- Minutes later, Commissioner Gordon and half the GCPD arrived on the scene, finding nothing but a scorched grounf where the Courthouse building once stood. "What happened here?" Gordon asked, his voice heavy with concern. One of the officers, pale and shaken, replied, "The firefighters tried everything, but the flames wouldn¡¯t die. It only stopped when the whole building was reduced to ash. People are calling it the Devil¡¯s Hellfire." Gordon sighed deeply, the weight of the night pressing down on him. "And the Rider?" The officer''s face blanched further as he recalled the scene, "My partner and I were the first on the scene. We got here just in time to see a giant Lizard on flames take off, the Rider on its back... and a man, screaming for help, clutched in its claw. We think it was Jimmy Tribbiani." ::-----------------------------------:: Alternative title: First Rogue Down. Chapter 8: Physique Change. -General P.O.V- In the cold vacuum of space, a Yellow Lantern ring blazed a trail of fear, its energy crackling like restrained lightning. It collided briefly with a Red Lantern ring, a comet of seething rage. For an instant, their energies intertwined, a momentary dance of yellow and red light illuminating the void. A pulse of information passed between them, simple yet potent: "Avoid the Specter." And then, just as quickly, they were gone, each ring continuing on its relentless path. The Red Lantern ring flew off- angry at being denied its host, compelled to reach the edge of the Universe, while the Yellow Lantern ring sought out it''s own host. It''s destination? Earth. (Michael''s P.O.V) A week had passed since the Rider had dealt with Two-Face. Dismantling his organization was almost too easy. All it took was finding information on the location of every base or hideout, before turning into the Rider to systematically obliterate everything in a blaze of hell fire. Dozens of buildings turned to ash. Call it extreme, but I couldn¡¯t afford to leave remnants of his crime empire to fester and recover. The press reported over a hundred dead or driven insane by the vengeful spirit. Everyone in Gotham now knew about the Ghost Rider. Some condemned my actions, others praised them. It didn¡¯t matter. Two-Face was finished. Now, it was time to find my next target. Part of me wanted to go after the Joker immediately, to finally get my revenge, but another part¡ªthe Rider¡ªwanted to wait. To work my way up, to make the Joker sweat as he saw the ranks of Gotham¡¯s criminals fall one by one. I wanted him to despair, to feel the terror of being hunted. To shatter his already broken mind a million different ways with anguish and suffering. I wanted him to beg for death, not because he craved it, but because he wanted to escape me. And yet¡­ the torment would never end. But it wasn¡¯t time yet. The Joker was in hiding, likely plotting his next twisted scheme. We¡¯d be ready when he made his move. The Rider was eager to punish someone as evil as the Clown. In the meantime, I would clean up Gotham, make it a place where families could live without fear. There were plenty of criminals who had escaped justice for too long. The Penguin, The Mad Hatter, The Scarecrow, Firefly, Bane...the list was long, but not as long as their overdue punishment. With Batman''s fake justice out of the picture, they would face something far worse: true vengeance. Sweat dripped onto the floor beneath me as I continued doing handstand push-ups in the personal gym within Selina¡¯s building. "567... 568..." It was hard to believe how much I had changed. A few weeks ago, even ten push-ups were a challenge. Now, I was doing more than ten times that number, and I still wasn¡¯t tired. It wasn¡¯t a lie to say I was beyond normal human limits. The reason why? It wasn¡¯t some bleed-over effect from the Ghost Rider. The real reason was the strange plant-animal hybrid in the corner of the room. A bizarre creation that resembled a potted cactus with vibrant red flowers. Those flowers were producing biochemical spores in the form of pollen with a sweet, intoxicating scent, releasing them into the room. The spores induced cellular evolution in any biological organism that inhaled them, resulting in stronger and longer-lasting telomeres. In basic terms, the more strain I put my body through(while breathing in the spores), the stronger my physique became. The plant-animal hybrid''s true identity? The Martian Manhunter. Using his shape-shifting ability, I had him transform into a form that could enhance the results of my training. My theory was simple: the stronger my body, the more of the Ghost Rider''s power I could hold. The progress meter had increased, now stuck at 61%. The 1% was thanks to J''onn. It was a good thing the Rider had effectively overwritten the Martian Manhunter''s personality. Now he was my dragon Hell Ride, J''onn. Loyal to a fault, while also possessing Manhunter''s powers and skills. Speaking of the devil, Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "Master Michael, I sense an energy signature sweeping through Gotham. It seems to be scanning for a mind...much like my own." J''onn informed me through our mind-link. "Much like your own? Must be the League trying to locate their teammate, the Martian Manhunter." I answered, throwing a curious look his way. I wondered how much of the original Manhunter still remained within him. "Are you not interested in rejoining your friends and teammates, J''onn?" I asked. "I am a tool for you to exact vengeance and punishment on those who rightly deserve it, Master Michael. Nothing more." He answered without hesitation, honesty ringing through the mind-link. "Good." I nodded, pushing off the floor and landing on my soles, "That makes it 1,000 pushups. Training is over for the day, you can change back, J''onn. Thanks for the enhancement." The potted plant squirmed before molding into a dark-skinned man in a suit, slightly resembling Lawrence Fishburne. Suck on that Bruce Wayne, I got a butler too. J''onn walked over and handed me a towel while I stretched before the wall mirror. The slim physique I had always had from my teens had withered even further after getting an office job. But now, I was no longer a hunched, almost middle-aged family man working 9-5 all week. My body was starting to fill with muscle, and I stood upright at my full 6''2" height. With blue eyes that Sarah had once described as electric, long dark hair, and the beard I hadn¡¯t bothered to shave for the past month, I looked better than I had in most of my life. I felt good too, though I reeked of sweat. Time to hit the shower, I suppose. Selina had this incredible bathtub that I loved to submerge in after a workout. "Inform me when Jimmy comes back." I threw over my shoulder, headed for the washrooms. "Of course, Master Michael." J''onn replied in a steady tone. I stopped before the door, looking back with a scrunched nose, "Oh, and J''onn, call me Michael when I''m not in my Rider form. Leave the ''Master'' stuff for when It comes out." J''onn''s face showed a little reluctance before he agreed, "As you wish...Michael." I nodded in approval and went in. The Rider was a tool to be used for my goals, much like J''onn. It would serve me well to draw a line between both personas¡ªkeeping Michael and Ghost Rider separate. Lest I lose my sense of self and drown in It. -0- "Ooooh, that''s the spot..." I moaned as my tired shoulders sank into the hot bath. My mind drifted away into the place it usually did when I was alone. Memories of my family. Sarah and Emily''s faces were forever imprinted on me. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see them. I wondered if they were looking down at me from Heaven. "Hi, in need of some company?" A sultry voice cut through my ruminations. "Selina! What the hell are you doing in here?!" I flailed upright, spraying water around as the dark-haired vixen snickered down at me, the towel wrapped around her lithe body straining against her sizable chest. "I needed a bath and you took the only one available, so we¡¯re sharing." Shrugging, she dropped the towel, leaving her completely nude before climbing into the tub with me while I openly gaped. And if I didn¡¯t make it clear before, Selina was the definition of sinful beauty. Just a naked glance of her had me at half-mast, gulping at the way the water glistened on her thighs and hips... With a sly smirk, she slowly lowered herself further into the tub, moaning in relaxation, "Oh, that feels sooo good." Fuck. That''s it, now I had a raging boner. And a lot of mixed emotions. "J''onn! Why didn¡¯t you warn me she was coming?!" I demanded through the mind-link. "Forgive me, Michael. Your mind was giving off a ''do not disturb'' psychic vibe. I assumed you were busy." The Martian answered, before adding, "She also requested I keep my mouth shut or I would be turned into cat food." ''Dammit, J''onn, just admit you fell for her charms. I would understand. Selina can be very huh...convincing.'' J''onn went suspiciously quiet. Luckily, I had reverted to my crippled self before she came in (it wasn¡¯t the first time she turned up unannounced while I was cleaning up). "Don¡¯t look so glum, Mikey. Here..." I stiffened as she grabbed something long and hard. "Let me help wash you..." Dammit, Selina. -0- Jimmy''s life had taken a turn for the absurd. From working for Two-Face, to getting his whole crew decimated, and now finding himself working for the man¡ªor rather, monster¡ªresponsible for it all. He didn''t have much say in it- afterall, threatening someone with a fucking Dragon made for a very convincing recruitment pitch. Such was the life of a mere goon. At least his new boss was higher up on the Totem pole of villains. Or is it vigilantes? Anyway, the Ghost Rider had done something that Two-Face had never achieved- scaring the Bat away. So in a way, Jimmy had upgraded from a mere goon to a pseudo-sidekick. Did he feel bad about selling out the rest of Two-Face''s bases? A little. But in the end, it was either his life or theirs. And above all, Jimmy was learning to look out for number one. Maybe that¡¯s why he was here, in a seedy, dimly lit bar, searching for information on the whereabouts of other high-profile Batman villains. To feed to the Rider. Normally, this would be easy. The Rogues usually didn¡¯t bother hiding when Batman was missing in action. But this time it was different. According to his contacts, everyone was terrified of the Ghost Rider. The Penguin, Mr. Freeze...they¡¯d all gone underground. Even the crazies like Firefly and Joker were suspiciously quiet. Jimmy was going to have to hit another place. Perhaps he would get lucky and point the Rider to Victor Zsazz. Gotham was better off without that maniac. Drowning the last contents of his glass, he left his table, navigating the too-empty bar and headed for the door. As he reached the exit, a voice stopped him. "Excuse me stranger, got a light?" A man dressed in a black jacket with an ivy cap on his head and a scruffy beard asked. A cigarette dangled between his lips. Jimmy tensed. "Who are you?" "Relax. Name''s Joe Chill." The man''s voice was rough, like gravel scraping against pavement. Jimmy eyed him warily, but pulled out his lighter, flicking it on with a practiced hand. The tiny flame danced at the tip of the man''s cigarette, searing the end. Chill took a slow, deliberate drag, exhaling the smoke with a casual side glance. Jimmy''s gaze sharpened, suspicion blooming inside. "Heard you''re in the market for some information." Chill said, his tone low and measured. "I might know something¡ªif the price is right." Jimmy pocketed his lighter, stepping past the man. "You¡¯ve got the wrong guy." He hesitated, turning back to study Chill''s face, then added, with a smirk, "And a tip for next time, ''Joe Chill'': when you''re playing dress-up, don¡¯t just act like you fit in. The disguise is solid, but you ain''t fooling anyone, detective." Chill''s expression didn''t falter, but his stance tightened, a subtle shift that confirmed Jimmy''s suspicion. ''Gotcha,'' Jimmy thought as he scoffed, striding down the street until he was out of sight. Without a second''s delay, he ducked into an alley and broke off into a sprint. He didn''t know if the cop was tailing him or someone else, but he couldn''t risk sticking around. He had to get back to the Rider. The end of the alley was in sight when suddenly, he was yanked off his feet, finding himself hoisted up onto a fire escape. "Wha¡ª? You?!" Jimmy''s shock turned to dread as he found himself staring into the cold, unforgiving eyes of Batman. "You''re coming with me." The Dark Knight growled. Chapter 9: Black Mask 1/2. (General P.O.V) Deep in the Batcave, the flicker of candlelight illuminated intricate runes etched into the floor. The magic circle hummed with latent energy, but Zatara, seated cross-legged at its center, sighed in frustration, a look of resignation settling over his face. "Blocked, yet again." He muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. Standing a few feet behind him, Alfred, ever composed, offered a sympathetic nod. "I''m sure you''ll find him sooner or later, sir. Hiding a twenty-foot dragon does present some challenges, I imagine." He adjusted his cufflinks, "In the meantime, Master Giovanni, you have a visitor." Before Zatara could ask, a familiar voice filled the Batcave, "If I''d known you''d be calling me to this dreary shithole, Zatara, I would''ve asked for a bloody fee." John Constantine strode in, his trench coat flapping slightly as he passed by Alfred. The smell of smoke and whiskey preceded him, even though there was no cigarette lit¡ªyet. Constantine¡¯s eyes darted around the dark recesses of the Batcave, taking in the atmosphere- a mixture of high tech and gloom. "Reckon I can smoke in here, old mate?" He asked, a cigarette already dangling from his lips. Alfred, in his usual dry manner, replied with an emotionless, "No," before swiftly making his exit. Constantine watched the butler leave, an amused grin curling his lips. "Thought butlers were supposed to be hospitable?" Zatara, still kneeling near the circle, ignored the remark, his attention shifting back to the locator magic formation. Constantine''s eyes flicked over it, narrowing at the runes on the ground. A low whistle escaped him. "Top-level construction as always." He remarked, crouching down beside Zatara to inspect the spell. "But what are you so desperate to find that you had to tap into the leyline for extra juice?" Zatara''s voice was flat as he answered, "Manhunter." Constantine straightened, looking Zatara dead in the eye. "Manhunter? As in J''onn J''onzz? The Martian?" Zatara nodded, eyes heavy with worry. "He¡¯s missing. Kidnapped." And so Zatara told him about the Ghost Rider and the havoc his presence had invoked on Gotham. "I suspect J¡¯onn may be involved. I¡¯ve tried reaching out to him magically, but everything¡¯s blocked. His presence is... shrouded." Constantine stood, crossing his arms. "Bullocks." Zatara pressed on, ignoring the doubt. "I called you here because I think this Rider might be a demon. And you''re the foremost expert, John." Constantine scoffed. "Demons on dragons? You¡¯re gonna have to do better than that, mate. What makes you think this Rider¡¯s a demon and not some overblown, magic-wielding nutter?" Zatara hesitated. "The flames... they weren¡¯t natural. More mystical but it''s not magic. If anyone could identify the signature, it¡¯s you." Constantine rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "And the Bat? Where does he figure in all of this?" Before Zatara could respond, the roar of engine filled the dreary cave. The Batmobile drove through an opening and stopped at the edge of a ramp. The door hissed open and Batman stepped out, cape barely whispering as it shifted behind him. His presence in the chamber was palpable¡ªcold, calculated, and watchful. On his shoulder, slung like a sack of flour, was a bound man, Jimmy Tribbiani. His face was pale, hands tied behind his back, struggling weakly against the restraints. Zatara smiled, "He was plan B incase plan A failed." -0- Michael stood on the edge of the rooftop, staring down at the chaos below. Blue flames licked at the remnants of destroyed shipping containers, the eerie glow casting an unnatural light on the water.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Firefighters struggled to put out the Rider''s fire with hoses to no avail. Those flames would only die when Michael allowed it. His gaze shifted from the firefighters to the police cordon. Beyond the yellow tape, paramedics tended to a group of girls huddled on the sidewalk, blankets draped over their shoulders. Their faces¡ªexhausted, scared, and hollow¡ªtold the story of what they''d been through. The sight filled him with rage. They were of different ethnicities: Asian, African, South American. All trafficked from across the globe and thrown into the hands of monsters. J''onn had telepathically sensed their fear, informing Michael of their desperate cries for help. Michael had wasted no time and called out the Rider to deal out his punishment. The traffickers hadn''t stood a chance. ¡°Black Mask¡¯s men huh?¡± Michael muttered, the information relayed to him by J''onn- having read the Trafficker''s minds before the Rider turned them to ash. After Jimmy had failed to show up, Michael had gone looking for him. He hadn''t expected they would stumble upon a human trafficking ring though, but here they were. Thanks to J¡¯onn, they had acted quickly. He shuddered to think what would have happened if they hadn''t coincidentally been around. "I have Black Masks'' location, Michael. In case you want to follow up." J¡¯onn added, his telepathic voice tinged with cold resolve. Michael¡¯s anger simmered just below the surface, barely held in check. ¡°Guess we have our new target, J¡¯onn.¡± He said to the thin green snake coiled around his neck¡ªJ''onn in his shifted form. The snake hissed in agreement. Jimmy would have to wait. Black Mask was the priority now. Michael leaped from the rooftop, green bat-like wings molding across his back before he could hit the ground. With a flap, he rose into the sky and vanished through the night, headed toward Black Mask¡¯s lair. But just as he left, a silent figure dropped from the shadows onto the rooftop he had vacated. Catwoman straightened, sharp eyes scanning the destruction at the docks before narrowing in the direction Michael had disappeared. She had seen enough. "It¡¯s time for answers." She muttered before silently following him. (Michael''s P.O.V) I seethed as I landed across my target, fists clenched tight. Some of those girls had looked barely older than Emily. Ripped from their homes and sold like property. The image wouldn¡¯t leave my head, stoking the rage burning in my chest. I¡¯d always heard stories about Gotham¡¯s worst criminals, and Black Mask ranked among the most despicable. But now I¡¯d seen his cruelty firsthand, and it was taking everything I had not to let the Rider''s rage bubbling inside me explode. Ahead of me, the building loomed¡ªa five-story structure with ¡°Janus Cosmetics¡± spelled out in bold letters. Perfectly disguised as just another corporate office in the business district. A sick joke, considering what was really going on inside. "Talk to me, J''onn." I muttered under my breath. "I can sense 89 minds." J''onn¡¯s voice echoed in my head, calm and steady. "Of them, 22 are Black Mask¡¯s people. 30 appear to be guests. The rest... are young. They''re in torture chambers and holding cells. It¡¯s a slave auction, Michael." The bile rose in my throat as flashes of those kids'' memories flickered through my mind, sent by J''onn. Chains, terror-filled faces, men placing bids like they were buying cattle. My vision blurred, the Rider¡¯s fire creeped up, begging to be unleashed. But I couldn¡¯t lose control. Not now. If I let the Ghost Rider out full force, the innocent victims inside might pay the price. "Michael...she''s back." J''onn¡¯s warning cut through my thoughts. I turned slightly, hearing the faintest sound of Catwoman landing behind me, her black form practically dissolving into the shadows. "Usually, when someone¡¯s out for a heist, they go for a bank." She said with that casual tone of hers. "Didn¡¯t think you were the robbing type." I turned fully, staring her down. "You¡¯re right, Selina, I''m not." I said coldly. Her eyes widened, shocked I knew her name. But that surprise quickly turned into fear as my flesh began to peel away, the flames of the Rider igniting around me, bathing the rooftop in an eerie blue light. I could see the wariness flicker in her eyes as I shifted fully into the Ghost Rider. Michael''s psyche retreated slightly and whoever or whatever I was now could sense her soul-gray with sins. "I EXACT VENGEANCE ON SINNERS LIKE YOU." The Rider¡¯s voice rumbled from deep within me, fire swirling in the air. Selina took a cautious step back, her earlier confidence wavering in the face of the Divine Monster I¡¯d become. She swallowed hard, regaining some of her composure. ¡°Vengeance? For what? I haven¡¯t exactly¡ª¡± My hollow eyes burned into her soul, exposing every misdeed like flipping through the pages of a book. A tragic life, made worse by bad decisions. Bold, but bad nonetheless. ¡°YOU HAVE SINNED, SELINA KYLE. NONE CAN DECEIVE MY GAZE.¡± I heard her heart skipped a beat. She knew she had crossed lines before, stolen, manipulated, and betrayed, but she didn''t think herself deserving of my wrath. None of them ever do. Her next words were carefully measured, ¡°I steal, yeah. But I don¡¯t hurt people, Rider.¡± I cocked my head, the flames dimming around my skull slightly, assessing her words. Mortals always have excuses. ¡°REGARDLESS, YOUR CRIMES WILL BE JUDGED." Her hope that I would spare her dimmed. She panicked but refused to show it. Instead she turned my attention elsewhere, ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing here, but it¡¯s got nothing to do with me. Black Mask... he¡¯s the one you want, right?¡± For a long moment, I stood still with indecision. I could punish her with a Penance Stare but the part of me that was Michael rebelled against that idea. Besides, she was right about one thing- My Vengeance was slated for Black Mask. Michael''s Psyche grabbed control and I let him. The was still time to fully awaken my true self but for now, I allowed him to lead us. The heat receded from my head as my flesh re-emerged and the Rider went back to sleep- ready for when he was needed. I was fully Michael once more. And Selina''s presence had given me an idea. While I knew she had questions, Black Mask took precedence. And even if she tried to hide it, the Rider had sensed her hatred towards him. ¡°We¡¯re after the same man, Selina. What do you say we work together and take down this Asshole?¡± I suggested. -0- Struggled with this chapter due to one reason:- Michael''s P.O.V. While before He and the Rider were separate entities- the line''s getting blurred. Michael is in control for now. But how long will that last? A Question that will probably be confusing and goes a little into psychology: Who is Whoever or Whatever?? Chapter 10: Black Mask 2/2. -0- The Ghost Rider ripped through the night sky like a comet from Hell, chains blazing, burning with blue hellfire. His target lay across the street- the roof of the Janus Masks building, concealing the heart of Black Mask¡¯s lair¡ªan underground palace of depravity hidden beneath. Within the dark chambers, the vilest of Gotham''s elite had gathered for an auction, trading in human lives, unaware of the Reckoning speeding their way. Boom! With an earthquaking punch, the Rider tore through the roof of the top floor, and subsequent building''s floor one by one, leaving behind merchandise burning in a blaze of heat. The whole building shuddered, glass shattering from windows- all caused by the Rider slamming onto and plunging through the ground floor. The fiery chains covering his hands were like drills, spiraling downward and burning away the soil to unearth the underground layer below, separated into sections. The sections'' concrete foundations and metal ceilings faired no better, easily melting into a straight path leading to the deepest sublevel- Black Masks lair. There was no warning. Only a slight shaking before btoom! Blue chains burst through the bunker-like-ceiling, heralding the arrival of a Dark God. The Ghost Rider landed in the center of the auction stage, right in front of everyone. And above him, a hole straight through the whole building structure, showing the open sky and the moonlight streaming in, which added a mystical touch to the flames licking his skeletal frame. He looked even more menacing with a presence that silenced the entire room. "T-the G-Ghost Rider??!" The one to break that silence was the announcer- interrupted in the middle of advertising his next product- a little Asian girl. At his words, the crowd¡ªonce sneering and cheering at the wretched souls up for sale¡ªstared in shock, their terror palpable. Everyone had heard of the terror that had hit Gotham these past few weeks. A vengeful spirit that punished the Immoral. "SO MANY SINNERS." The Ghost Rider growled in dark excitement, surveying the chamber. The announcer screamed and tried to run off, only for a Thwack! Sound to ring out, the whip of a chain turning his body into burning ash. That was the cue for panic. Screaming in Terror, the crowd began to scatter. "GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." A creepy laugh escaped the Rider, the sound filling the chamber and inducing madness and pantshitting fear. The crowd shoved and struggled in a frenzy. More than a few of these High class society Elites found themselves crushed under the stampede of rushing feet. Only for them to freeze in horror as flames covered the perimeter of the chamber and exits, blocking escape. The Ghost Rider''s laugh cut short, head tilted to regard the little girl on the stage, staring his way with dead eyes and a blank expression. Silently, blue fire gathered on the Rider''s palm, compressing to form a small Eastern Dragon which flew to the girl and coiled itself around her neck, protectively. The girl''s blank expression broke into wide eyed awe as she regarded the small dragon. "GO. SHE WILL LEAD YOU TO SAFETY." The Rider stated in an uncharacteristically gentle tone. The girl bowed at him and run off the stage- the fire parting in her wake, her newly created Hellflame Familiar leading her. That done, the Rider''s hollow eyes locked onto Black Masks'' figure, still seated arrogantly at the end of the room. "ROMAN SIONIS, SAY YOUR LAST PRAYER." The Rider''s voice reverberated through the auction chamber, echoing with unearthly malice. "FOR JUDGMENT IS UPON YOU." Surrounded by his security, Black Mask stood, hands tucked behind his back, his face hidden behind his signature ebony skull mask. He exuded a false calm, though his heartbeat betrayed him. "I was expecting you, Rider." He sneered. "After your very recent stunt with my shipment, I figured you''d come sniffing around. You owe me 50 million dollars, by the way." The crowd shifted uncomfortably, but Black Mask raised a hand, signaling them to stay put. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Don''t worry. This guy''s about to be ice cold." He said with a smirk. At a snap of his fingers, his men raised their weapons¡ªgleaming ice guns designed specifically for this moment. "Oh yeah." Black Mask''s eyes practically glinted. "You can thank Mr. Freeze for these little toys he gathered on short notice." Mr. Freeze, encased in a high tech armor with a glass helmet and red googles, silently sat behind Black Mask, studying the Rider curiously- though he made sure not to make eye contact. "Boys? Ice his ass!" The black faced villain in a white suit gave the order. Immediately, the auction hall blazed with the blue glow of cryogenic blasts- "Hahahahaha, who''s laughing now bone freak??" -freezing the Rider in a solid chunk of blue ice wider than the stage. It''s top reached the ceiling. Black Mask strolled forward, dancing in a gloating manner to a silent tune. The laughter had tapered away, replaced by slow clapping as he approached the frozen Ghost Rider. "You see, I''m not like the rest of these scared little cowards in Gotham." He boasted. "I''m not afraid of you or your so-called judgment. The only one dishing out punishment here is me." He leaned in close to the ice, his breath fogging the surface. "Once I figure out who you are," Black Mask continued, his voice dropping into a venomous whisper, "I''ll kill your family. Your friends. And I''ll make you watch before I sell your bones to some priest who loves this occult crap." Behind him, a quiet Mr. Freeze stood in cold silence, his eyes narrowing as Black Mask continued his ran. "Enough!" Mr. Freeze''s voice cut through the auction hall, his frost-bitten words hanging in the air. "Going after wives and children¡­ that was not part of our deal." Surprised, Black Mask turned to him, eyes blazing with anger. "Shut up, Freeze! You''re lucky I even brought you into this. No one else in Gotham would touch your mad experiments. Sit quietly, enjoy the show and wait for your check." Freeze¡¯s face twisted into an unreadable expression behind his helmet. He needed the money, yes, but he should have known better than to deal with someone like Black Mask. The man had no boundaries he wouldn''t cross. The slavery was disturbing enough, but now he knew there was nothing for him here. Freeze''s disgust and weariness were clear as he turned to leave. And that infuriated Black Mask. The Rider momentarily forgotten, Black Mask snapped his fingers and the guards trained their weapons on Mr. Freeze. "You think you can walk away from me?!" Black Mask snarled. "You''re nothing without my money. Boys ice him up! Maximum capacity!" Before the guards could fire, the ground shook violently. The Rider''s chains erupted from the auction Hall''s floor, molten and hungry, coiling around Black Mask¡¯s men and their cryo-guns like serpents from the Infernal realm. Before everyone''s eyes, One by one, they were dragged screaming into the earth¡ªinto Hell itself. -0- Meanwhile, amidst the chaos, Catwoman had already moved. The plan had been two fold- while Mich- Ghost Rider crashed the Auction, she would handle the rescue. ''Take a left.'' In the shadows, she stalked through the dimly lit hallways, led by J''onn, now a green colored bird with blue fire wings. ''How do you know which way it is?'' She curiously asked. The lair was built in the old Gotham sewer system, purposefully modified to form a complex labyrinth. ''I can sense their minds. We should hurry- This place won''t be standing for long.'' J''onn told her. A few twusts and turns later, she arrived at the place they were keeping them. With her whip and expert moves, she quickly disabled the guards surrounding the cages of the trafficked girls. The noise from the auction hall thankfully masked the sounds of her precise takedowns. "Shhh." Catwoman whispered to the girls, unlocking the cages. "Follow me. Stay low." The sight of the rooms they passed made bile rise in her throat. Dark, blood-stained chambers designed for torture and worse. Her green eyes narrowed. ''Roman Sionis is a sick bastard.'' ''That we agree on. Soon, He''ll be getting a taste of the Master''s flames of vengeance.'' J''onn echoed. ''Good. He deserves every ounce of fire the Rider can pull from hell.'' She thought-replied as she led the girls to safety. -0- Back in the auction room, following the unexpected loss of his security, Black Mask''s heart sank, paling as the ice trapping Ghost Rider cracked¡ªfirst softly, then in violent bursts. The mountain of ice crumbled down, hissing as it melted down to water, evaporated into mist and then disappeared altogether. Mr. Freeze watched the blatant disregard of physics in awe, leaving the Rider standing tall in the middle of the stage, his skull ablaze. "Impossible." The scientist Victor Fries, muttered. "That ice feeds on heat¡­" With a tug, the chains speared through the stage retracted, wrapping around the Rider''s arms and leather torso. Finally, the hollow eyes fell on Black Mask and he stumbled back, his bravado crumbling. "I¡¯ll pay you!" He stammered as the Rider jumped off the Stage and started his approach. "Triple¡ªno, quadruple what they¡¯re giving you! Just¡­ spare me." The Ghost Rider stopped and tilted his head slightly. Within the Rider, Michael''s psyche stirred, ''All these villains are reduced to begging when your petty tricks to avoid punishment fail. It would work if I was the forgiving kind. Or the kind to be bought.'' "NO AMOUNT OF MONEY CAN PAY OFF THE DEBT YOUR SOUL OWES." The Rider told him, grabbing the Villain by the front of his suit. "No! Please! Wait! We can work something out! I''ll be good! I''ll stop selling Kids!" Black Mask pleaded, his eyes mad with fear as the Ghost Rider pulled him closer. "F-Freeze! Help me and I''ll save your wife! You want her to die!!?" Of the ones watching, no one said a thing or came to his rescue. Reality sank in for him. "I- I don''t want to die..." He muttered in a broken voice. The Rider smiled creepily despite being a skull. "DEATH IS TOO GOOD FOR YOU. YOUR PUNISHMENT SHALL BE...NON-EXISTENCE." "Huh?..." Black Mask was left clueless. Unfortunately for him, he was about to find out what it meant. The Rider''s jaw dropped wide open. And from within a stream of dark blue hellfire erupted, engulfing Black Mask entirely. The flames were no ordinary fire¡ªthey consumed more than flesh. They erased Black Mask¡¯s very existence¡ªhis soul, his memories, his deeds¡ªall wiped from time itself. The Man known as Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask was no more. His name wiped from the book of Life itself. -0- Across the world, a ripple of unspoken change swept through. Doctor Fate paused in the Tower of Nabu, his hand twitching as if he had forgotten a thought mid-formation. Dream of the Endless glanced up from his conversation in a quiet caf¨¦, his sharp eyes catching the faintest disturbance in the fabric of reality. The Specter, floating above the Earth, frowned, sensing a shift but unable to recall what it had been. And in the next moment, it was gone¡ªlike dust in the wind. One Villain''s death, unmarked. His Sins forgotten. But to the few who noticed, it was a subtle warning that reality itself could be rewritten by the Spirit of Vengeance. -0- Mr. Freeze stood in the silence that followed, glowing blue flames reflecting in his visor. He blinked, an odd sensation washing over him¡ªlike he had forgotten something important. He rubbed at his helmet, noticing something carved into the glass. ''Next Time.'' He looked around and that''s when he noticed he was inside a large hole, with the walls burning. As he watched, the blue flames finally went out, leaving him under a blanket of night, the only source of light being the moon above. Police sirens sounded from afar quickly approaching his way, prompting him to climb out of the hole still confused about his whereabouts. Unknown to him, was the fact, he was the ONLY survivor from the mysterious ordeal. Chapter 11: Reckoning. -A day later- The night draped Gotham in a blanket of suffocating darkness, pierced only by the distant glow of neon lights and the occasional flicker of police sirens. On the rooftop of ''The Cat¡¯s Cradle'', Selina Kyle stood in a red robe and a glass of wine held with one hand. Her green eyes were narrowed in frustration at the man standing close to the roof''s edge. Her dead best friend''s Husband. A man she considered family. Maybe more...but now she wasn''t so sure about that. He''d been ducking her since last night after they''d taken down Black Mask. But the time for answers had arrived. "Why, Michael?" She asked, her voice cutting through the tense silence between them. "How long did you think you could keep it from me? You¡¯ve been lying to me this whole time. Ghost Rider... it¡¯s you." His injuries were nowhere to be seen and his body had also changed. He was bigger and taller. How had she not noticed it?? Michael said nothing, his back still turned to her, gaze locked on the Gotham skyline. His black jacket fluttered slightly in the night''s breeze, the only movement he¡¯d made in what felt like an eternity. He wasn¡¯t the Michael she thought she knew¡ª She could sense the underlying heat and darkness- the Rider lurking just beneath the surface. It''s vengeance like a second skin he wore. Drowning, the wine in her glass, Selina stepped forward, sandals tapping lightly against the concrete, "You¡¯ve killed people. Burned them alive. Granted most of them were scum like Black Mask, but some were people whose mistakes were less than the punishment given." She''d even known a few of Two-Face''s goons. Good men who had no choice but to turn to crime just to provide. Still no reaction. The tension between them became unbearable, like a taut rope on the verge of snapping. She could almost see the fire in his eyes, though his back remained turned. "You''re not the man I knew. Not the man my sister fell in love with. Not my Michael." Her voice grew sharp and cutting, finally eliciting a reaction as his shoulders stiffened. Feeling terrible at the low blow, she went on the offensive, "And when does the Rider''s vendetta end? When you¡¯ve burned the whole city to ash? Gotham doesn¡¯t need another loose cannon tearing it apart." At last, Michael stirred. His voice, low and gravelly, carried an edge that chilled her. "You don¡¯t understand, Selina. Gotham¡¯s a rot, and I¡¯m the cure." She laughed, bitterly. "A cure? You sound like every other maniac who thought they could save this city by burning it down. I¡¯ve seen it before, Michael. They try to fight Gotham¡¯s darkness, and it always breaks them. Turns them into the very thing they swore to destroy." He turned, and when she saw his vengeful eyes, her stomach twisted. "They broke because they were weak," he said, stepping toward her. "But I¡¯m not. You wanna know why?" Selina shivered at the dark confidence in his tone. "Because The Ghost Rider is Immortal and Relentless. He''s God''s Judgement, inviolable and unstoppable. NOTHING ON THIS MORTAL PLANE CAN BREAK ME." His voice thundered with a power that made her instinctively step back, her pulse quickening. She could literally feel the heat wafting off him, as the Ghost Rider''s influence bleed through. The fear from before came back, but she refused to let it rule her. Not now. Her fists clenched, and she met his fire with ice. "And what about the innocents, Michael? The people caught in your so-called Judgment? Would the Rider burn them too? Batman would never¡ª" "Batman?" Michael¡¯s lips curled into a sneer, his eyes flaring brighter. "Batman¡¯s too weak to do what¡¯s needed. He¡¯s been playing this game for years, and look at Gotham¡ªworse than ever. This city doesn¡¯t need a hero. It needs a demon." His words were laced with venom, but beneath the anger, Selina could see it¡ªthe pain he was drowning in, the loss that had consumed him. "Michael, this isn¡¯t you. It doesn¡¯t have to be." He didn¡¯t answer. His gaze shifted past her, toward the sky, where the Bat-Signal had appeared, but not with its usual symbol. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. This time, the silhouette of a skull loomed within it. A personal call, evidently meant for him. "I have to go." He said, voice flat. Selina, confused and angry, grabbed his arm. "Michael, don¡¯t you dare walk away from me. You¡¯re not the only one here who¡¯s lost something. Don¡¯t pretend you¡¯re the only one hurting." He shook her off gently but firmly. "You''re right, Selina. This is about my dead wife and daughter. So stay out of it. I''ll have my Vengeance and not you or anyone else can stop me." And with that, he stepped toward the edge of the rooftop. From the shadows below, the hulking form of J''onn, currently disguised as a monstrous dragon, emerged, his scales glistening in the dim light. Michael leapt onto his back, the dragon¡¯s flaming wings unfurling in preparation for flight. "Michael, wait!" Selina shouted after him, but it was too late. The dragon¡¯s wings flapped once, twice, and then they were airborne, soaring off into the night sky. --- The city passed by beneath him in a blur of lights and shadows as Michael focused on the Bat-Signal, his mind racing. Batman had altered the signal just for the Rider¡ªthere was no mistaking that. But why did he want to meet? Was it a trap? Most likely. Could he have taken Jimmy? A low growl rumbled in Michael¡¯s throat, the flames of the Rider flaring within. Batman had been an obstacle that was quickly turning into an annoyance. It seemed the Penance Stare from last time wasn''t enough to put him down. ''This time I''ll put an end to it'', Michael thought as the Hell Ride descended toward the location marked by the signal¡ªa graveyard on the outskirts of Gotham. The dragon touched down on the sidewalk, its massive form filling up the whole street. Its wings folded as Michael dismounted, taking in his surroundings. The graveyard bordered a large cathedral. His eyes narrowed- he knew the place. "J''onn keep an eye out, there''s a high chance it''s a trap." He could afford the risk but Michael knew better than to lose control of his arrogance. The dragon shifted into a bee, buzzing around Michael''s ears. The flames of Vengeance roared to life, consuming him from the inside out. His body flickered with hellfire, and the Ghost Rider stepped through the Cemetery gateway. The graveyard was deathly silent, the only sound the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. But even in the dim light, the Rider could see two graves ahead. The names on the headstones were: ''Sarah Anders. Emily Anders.'' His wife. His daughter. Standing before them, in the shadows, was Batman¡ªsilent, unmoving, his face hidden beneath the cowl. A familiar, suffocating rage surged within the Rider and the fire around his skull burned hotter. "BATMAN" Ghost Rider growled, his voice now, a guttural echo of hellish vengeance. "YOU TOOK JIMMY. WHERE IS HE?" Batman¡¯s silhouette was calm and composed, despite the weight of the Rider''s presence filling the graveyard. "Jimmy¡¯s been handed over to the police. He¡¯s an escaped convict. I put him where he belongs." The flames flared around the Rider, illuminating the tombstones in a haunting bluish glow. His guess had been right. Which meant, "THIS IS NOT ABOUT HIM, IS IT? YOU CALLED ME HERE FOR SOMETHING ELSE." His skeletal jaw clenched, realization dawning within the empty eye sockets. "YOU CALLED ME HERE BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHO I AM." Why else would Batman be standing in front of his family''s graves? Batman remained silent for a long moment, then finally spoke, his voice measured and deliberate. "I know what you¡¯ve become, Mr. Anders. You think you¡¯re bringing justice to Gotham, but all you¡¯re doing is feeding the city¡¯s fear." The Rider took a step forward, his chain rattling, "THE ONLY ONES WHO NEED TO FEAR ME ARE THE ONES WHO DESERVE IT." Batman didn¡¯t flinch. "And who gets to decide that? You?" His voice dropped to a grave whisper. "I¡¯ve seen this before. Someone who thinks they¡¯re above the law. Someone who thinks their pain gives them the right to do whatever they want. I won¡¯t let that happen again." The Rider¡¯s flames crackled, but there was no hesitation in his voice. "GOTHAM IS A DISEASE, BATMAN. YOU¡¯RE JUST ANOTHER BANDAGE COVERING THE INFECTION. I AM THE CURE YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN." For a moment, neither of them moved. The graveyard was still, save for the flickering flames. And then, slowly, deliberately, Batman reached up and removed his cowl. The man beneath the mask¡ªBruce Wayne¡ªstood revealed. "I want to speak to the Man, not the Ghost." Bruce said quietly, his voice no longer the gravelly growl of Batman, but something softer, more human. Ghost Rider faltered, the flames dimming slightly as Michael¡¯s consciousness fought its way to the surface. The Rider''s burning skull was replaced by a broken man. "Hello boss, came to hand me my termination contract? Who knew Bruce Wayne was the Batman?" Michael asked. "No, I came to talk. To understand you, not the Rider." Bruce shook his head. "Be honest with me, this isn¡¯about Gotham, is it? It¡¯s about them." He nodded toward the graves of Sarah and Emily. "They died because no one did what needed to be done." Michael said, his voice a harsh rasp. "If someone had stopped the Joker before... if you had killed him..." He trailed off, glaring accusingly at Bruce, who remained unaffected. In his anger, wisps of flames flickered across Michael''s body. "I won¡¯t stop until everyone like him is dead." Bruce stepped closer, eyes locked onto Michael¡¯s. "And then what? What happens when you¡¯ve killed them all? Will Gotham be better? Will you be better? You¡¯re not bringing Sarah or Emily back, Michael. And if you keep going like this, you¡¯re just creating more pain¡ªmore families, more loved ones, who¡¯ll be just as broken as you are." Michael chuckled, humorlessly, "What''s with today and the unasked for therapy sessions?" His breath came in ragged gasps, as he stared back, "Get this through that billionaire head of yours, Mr. Wayne. Those monsters you''re trying to protect, WILL DIE. Painfully too, they deserve to suffer for their sins. You could have stopped it then, but you didn¡¯t. Now, I will." Bruce¡¯s expression tightened. "That isn¡¯t justice. It¡¯s revenge." "You think I don¡¯t know that?" Michael''s voice cracked, full of sorrow and anger. "I ''need'' this, Bruce. I need them to pay. For all our sakes. A man like The Joker is an enemy of humanity. A demon. And only a Demon can take out it''s Kind." Bruce stood in silence for a long moment, his eyes heavy with understanding. "I know, Michael. I know what it¡¯s like to want revenge. But there¡¯s a line. And if you cross it, there¡¯s no going back. The Rider has, but Michael Anders hasn''t." Michael¡¯s hand twitched, the Rider fighting for control again. "Even if I have to do it with my own hands, I''ll have the Joker''s head. My hatred has already crossed that line." Bruce closed his eyes, when he opened them, the two held contact for a few seconds. Bruce searched and didn''t find a lick of hesitation in Michael''s eyes. "Then we¡¯ll stop you." He resolved,his voice changing to something hard. Before Michael could respond, J''onn''s voice buzzed in his ear, a telepathic warning. (They¡¯re here, Michael. We¡¯re not alone. I can feel multiple minds approaching.) Michael stopped, scanning the shadows. Slowly, figures emerged from the darkness, surrounding him. Wonder Woman, Shazam, Green Lantern, Zatara, and Constantine¡ªall standing at the ready, their expressions grim. Michael glanced back at Bruce, who had already replaced his cowl. "You should¡¯ve called the whole League, Bruce." Michael said, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You¡¯re gonna need them." Chapter 12: The Graveyard Battle. (General P.O.V) The graveyard was shrouded in an otherworldly glow, Hellfire casting grotesque, flickering shadows over the tombstones. Ghost Rider stood tall, his skull wreathed in blue flame, a figure of pure vengeance. Yet, despite this intensity, there was hesitation in his posture¡ªan unsettling restraint. His empty gaze swept across his opponents, warriors of justice, none of them guilty of the kind of sins that demanded his retribution...except for one. But he was off limits- for now. Across from the Rider, the Justice League braced themselves. Wonder Woman¡¯s grip tightened around her sword, her eyes locked on the Spirit of vengeance. Green Lantern hovered in the air, bathed in emerald light, while Zatara murmured incantations of protection under his breath. Shazam¡¯s cape rippled in the wind, his expression serious as he sensed the raw, primal force standing before them. Constantine, in contrast, seemed more annoyed than worried. He searched his coat for a cigarette lighter, coming up empty. "Bloody hell, of all the times to forget it," he muttered, eyeing Ghost Rider''s flaming skull with a glint of mischief. "Mind lending me a light, mate?" The Rider cocked his head slightly, and a flick of Hellfire ignited the cigarette hanging from Constantine''s lips. "Much obliged." Constantine took a deep drag, utterly unfazed by the stares from his teammates. Green Lantern broke the tension, glancing at Batman. "Does it have to come to a fight? Questionable fashion aside, He doesn''t seem like the usual villains, does he? Looks like he¡¯s just... waiting." Batman¡¯s voice was low, calculated. "He¡¯s assessing us. To know our strengths, our weaknesses. He¡¯s weighing his options." Wonder Woman didn¡¯t look away from Ghost Rider as she spoke. "Like a predator studying its prey." "Exactly," Zatara added, his expression grim. "We may not be evil, but none of us are without sin. And that makes us targets. Be prepared for judgment." Ghost Rider finally moved, his chains clinking ominously as they dragged across the ground. His hollow voice echoed through the graveyard. "COME." The single word sent a ripple of dread through the air, more chilling than the color of the Hellfire itself. Batman¡¯s voice cut through the tension, calm and authoritative. "We hold him until the ritual is complete. Don¡¯t engage directly¡ªdelay him. Go." The stillness of the cemetery shattered as Wonder Woman and Shazam charged forward, their figures cutting through the dark night of the cemetery. Diana¡¯s sword unsheathed, edge gleaming under the eerie light as she leapt at the Rider. Shazam followed from above, lightning crackling from his fists as he hurled a brightly charged blue bolt at the target. The Ghost Rider responded instantly. His chains lashed out, burning with Hellfire, meeting Wonder Woman¡¯s sword and Shazam¡¯s lightning in midair. The force of the impact sent both heroes sprawling, recovering too late to block the wall of blue flames headed their way. "Nruter!" (Return!) Zatara¡¯s voice rang out in time, redirecting the Hellfire with a quick incantation. The flames roared back toward Ghost Rider, but the Rider slammed his foot onto the earth, causing the ground to crack and upheave. Sections of it were thrown upwards. The chunks of soil and stone blocked the redirected fire, resulting in a cloud of smoke and dust. "Demons I¡¯ve handled before, but this bloke... he¡¯s something else entirely." Constantine muttered to Batman as he knelt by a gravestone, chalk in hand, furiously sketching out a pentagram. "Feels like Etrigan, but there¡¯s something purer about him. His fire¡¯s not meant to destroy¡ªit¡¯s meant to cleanse. He¡¯s more of a dark angel than a demon." Batman didn¡¯t look away from the battle as he stood at the center of the forming pentagram. "Just finish the circle. We don¡¯t have much time." The smoke cleared, revealing something worse than expected. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Emerging from the dust came a wave of skeletal figures and decayed/rotting corpses- ghouls, their eyes blazing with the same blue fire as the Rider¡¯s skull. The dead had risen from the graves in the cemetery. "Zombies!?" Shazam cried in disbelief as the undead swarmed toward him. "They¡¯re not just zombies," Zatara said, his voice strained as he cast another spell. "Ghost Rider¡¯s turning them into Hellspwans, just like he did with Manhunter. They¡¯re vessels of vengeance now." True enough, the Rider stood behind the waves of undead, watching as the puppets infused with his flames dogpilled the League. Yet, he was still to make a direct move on them. Green Lantern¡¯s ring flared as he created a giant hammer, smashing through a group of skeletons. "They might look tough, but they¡¯re brittle. I''ll clear them out. You guys can thank me later." A green vacuum construct formed in the air, sucking up the skeletal attackers with ease. But the trap quickly backfired. The undead combined within the vacuum into a massive, fiery ghoul-skeleton hybrid, burning through Hal¡¯s construct with a breath of Hellfire and grabbing him before he could react. "Hal!" Shazam acted fast, summoning a bolt of lightning that obliterated the creature into bits, freeing Green Lantern. "You alright?" "Yeah... barely," Hal panted, his ring flickering slightly. "That thing almost roasted me alive." Constantine¡¯s voice cut through their commotion. "Circle¡¯s done, Batman. We¡¯re ready for the next step." Batman gave a curt nod, his focus never wavering. "It¡¯s time. Restrain him." Shazam and Wonder Woman pushed through the remaining undead, making a direct line for the Ghost Rider. Diana hurled her Lasso of Truth, the golden rope glowing as it caught Ghost Rider¡¯s chains mid-swing. The Amazon tugged hard, locking the chains in place while Shazam unleashed another bolt of lightning that struck the Rider head-on, immobilizing him momentarily. Green Lantern followed up, his ring glowing as he created heavy chains of his own, wrapping them around the Rider¡¯s body. "We¡¯ve got him!" Zatara¡¯s hands moved in a flurry of gestures as he invoked an ancient spell. "Gaea¡¯s Domain: Dnib Stoor Tirips! (Spirit Roots Bind!)" Massive, spectral roots burst from the ground, wrapping themselves around Ghost Rider. The Hellfire flared violently, but the ethereal roots held fast, forged from the will of the Earth itself. "Hold him!" Zatara shouted, his face pale with exertion. "We don¡¯t have much time until he realizes what we''re trying to do!" Constantine stepped forward, chanting in Latin. The pentagram beneath Batman flared to life, a second one appearing beneath Ghost Rider. The ritual had begun, one aimed at transferring the Ghost Rider¡¯s spirit of vengeance from Michael into Bruce Wayne. The plan had hinged on the connection established when Ghost Rider had subjected Batman to the Penance Stare. Under his costume, Bruce was covered in thousands of sealing characters, meant to serve as a cage for the Rider''s spirit and bolster his own soul so that the Rider wouldn''t take over. Constantine had to thank Jason Blood for inspiring the spell. Once the the transfer successed, Constantine would then be able to exorcise the Ghost Rider back to where it came from. The reason the exorcism wouldn''t have worked on Michael was simple. The host had to be willing to let it happen. And Michael would have never agreed to banish the Rider. ''But now, it doesn''t matter if he agrees or not. The ritual is working.'' Ghost Rider struggled, Hellfire burning hotter than ever as the ritual took hold of its spirit. The ground cracked beneath him, but the pentagrams held, glowing with power. Green Lantern¡¯s constructs began to shudder under the strain. "I can¡¯t... hold it much longer!" Hal shouted, his ring¡¯s energy dimming. "Just a little more!" Wonder Woman urged, her grip on the Lasso tightening as she fought to keep the Rider contained. Constantine¡¯s voice reached a fever pitch, the final words of the exorcism spell echoing through the graveyard. Just as the ritual reached its climax, J''onn decided to act, sensing the imminent threat. Abandoning his insect form, the Martian exploded into a massive dragon, his wings cutting through the night air as he hurtled toward Constantine to disrupt the spell, intent on saving his master. The Martian¡¯s roar shook the graveyard, scales gleaming ominously in the glow of Hellfire. But before he could reach his target, Captain Atom shot down from the heavens like a bolt of pure fury, landing a thunderous punch squarely on the back of J''onn''s draconic head. The impact was like a meteor strike, sending the Martian crashing into the earth with a tremor that rattled the gravestones. In the same motion, Atom clamped a custom thermal collar around J''onn¡¯s neck, locking it into place with precision. "Stay down, J''onn," Atom commanded, his voice low and pained. "I don¡¯t want to hurt you." J''onn¡¯s mind screamed in defiance, ''NO! MASTER MICHAEL!'' His telepathic attack flared, a desperate attempt to reach out. But the collar activated before the thought could land¡ª producing a sharp hiss as liquid heat was injected into the Martian. J''onn¡¯s powers flickered and faded, his body slackening under the sudden, paralyzing agony. The fight in him ebbed, leaving him vulnerable, grounded. With J''onn incapacitated, the tide shifted irrevocably. Across the battlefield, Ghost Rider''s flames faltered, the blaze dimming on his skull as the ritual circle siphoned away his power. The Hellfire was drawn into the red glow of the ritual, like an ocean of fire consumed by a bottomless scarlet void. The twin circles pulsed in tandem, resonating with an eerie rhythm that matched the fading heartbeat of the Spirit of Vengeance. Two voices filled the air, screaming in agonized harmony¡ªMichael and Batman, locked in a battle of wills. The light from the circles grew more intense, blinding in its brilliance, before one began to fade faster than the other. Drained of its energy, the circle holding Michael dimmed, its light snuffed out as the ritual reached its conclusion. The screaming stopped. Silence followed, profound and heavy. The cemetery, once bathed in hellfire, was cloaked in darkness again. "Is it... over?" Shazam asked, his voice barely above a whisper, eyes darting between Batman and the defeated Rider. Batman, kneeling in the circle, gasped for breath. The eerie blue fire that briefly burned in his eyes flickered out, leaving only exhaustion in its wake. "Yes," The Dark Knight replied, voice cold and resolute. "The Ghost Rider''s spirit is locked within me. We succeeded." On the other side, still bound by glowing constructs, The Lasso and enchanted roots, Michael stood frozen in shock. His expression was one of hollow disbelief. He had lost¡ªlost the Ghost Rider, lost the very tool that fueled his quest for vengeance. "Secure the target," Batman ordered, his voice sharp and commanding. There was no sympathy, no remorse. The Spirit of Vengeance had won their first encounter, but in the end, it was The Batman who laughed last. ¡ªOut in the void of space¡ª A streak of yellow light cut through the darkness, moving at impossible speeds. Something immense was coming, racing through sector 2814. Chapter 13: Its Over... -0- (General P.O.V) The convoy rumbled down the streets of Gotham, a gloomy atmosphere hanging over it. Michael sat in the back of the armored van, his wrists bound with reinforced restraints. His head rested against the cold metal wall, mind racing with a mix of anger and despair. How could it have come to this? After everything he¡¯d been through, everything he¡¯d fought for, the Justice League had taken the Ghost Rider from him, leaving him broken and powerless. His vengeance...unfulfilled. Outside, the streets were packed with people. Gothamites had gathered to catch a glimpse of the Ghost Rider, the infamous figure who had terrorized the city¡¯s criminal underworld. They didn¡¯t know the truth, of course. They couldn¡¯t. To them, he was still a myth, an urban legend who had instilled fear in the hearts of criminals and brought justice to the streets in ways Batman never could. Now, they thought they¡¯d see him defeated, chained like an animal. And Michael had no energy to even hold up his head. ¡°Damn it,¡± Detective Gordon muttered from the front seat of the convoy. He glanced at the mass of people blocking their path and scowled. ¡°How did this leak out? I swear, if I find out one of my officers spilled the beans¡­¡± Gordon¡¯s frustration was palpable, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that the convoy was moving at a slug''s pace. The police were trying to push the crowd back, but Gotham¡¯s residents were stubborn. "Don''t believe for one second, that they''re here to protest against your arrest." Harvey, guarding Michael with a swat unit in the back of the Van, told him, adding, "They''re here to witness the downfall of a legend." Michael kept his gaze on the floor, silent as a grave. His thoughts circled back to the fight. He had underestimated the Justice League, thinking they could do nothing against the Ghost Rider''s power. He should have remembered that Batman excelled in winning against stronger opponents. He even brought in Constantine, someone just as tactically shrewd as the Dark Knight himself. That should have been the first clue it wasn''t a simple trap. Adding the Rider''s own strange reluctance to hurt the heroes, Michael had lost. Let alone the Rider, J''onn was taken from him too. His hands were then bound in cuffs and now he was sitting in the back of a truck, having to endure the gloating expression on the pig in front of him. His hands curled into fists. It was prison for him now. A fitting destination for a man without a purpose. Without the Rider, revenge was a hopeless dream. And yet...the hatred in his heart remained bitter and heavy. Sarah had always told him he sucked at letting things go. ''If only there was a way to get It back...'' He thought, fanning his dimming hope. But even with his enhanced physique, the cuffs on him were special. Designed for a metahuman. There was no way to tear them apart, making escape that much difficult. The van lurched to a halt, and Michael blinked, drawn from his thoughts. On the path leading to the GCPD, the whole convoy came to a standstill. The noise outside was deafening, the voices of the crowd merging into a chaotic roar of ''Let the Rider Go!'' And through the glass window, Michael even caught a sign that said, ''Ghost Rider for Mayor.'' For a moment, he felt a pang of sour humor. They didn¡¯t know what they were cheering for. They didn¡¯t understand that the Ghost Rider wasn¡¯t some hero of Justice or some Villain of the week. It was never about good or bad for him. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The Rider was the Tool to enact his revenge. Saving Gotham was a byproduct. It did feel good to have some support though. But none of it mattered now. He was no longer the Ghost Rider. Then, as if to punctuate his sense of hopelessness, the world went still. The voices outside faded, and inside the van, Harvey and the swat team went immobile, frozen in time. The cold air inside grew colder still, and Michael felt a chill run down his spine. He looked up, and standing before him was a figure cloaked in green, his eyes glowing with a pale, unearthly light. The Specter. His hope reignited. He could still fix things! He could- ¡°You have failed, Michael,¡± the Specter said, his voice like a death knell. ¡°The flame of vengeance is gone from you, and soon it will be banished from this world entirely. The Justice League are planning to exorcise it from Batman.¡± Michael felt a lump form in his throat. ¡°You¡­ you have to stop them!¡± ¡°It is too late,¡± the Specter said, his tone cold and unfeeling. ¡°The Ghost Rider¡¯s power is no longer yours to command. At midnight, under the full moon, the Spirit will return to it''s Dimension.¡± Michael clenched his fists, his body trembling with frustration. ¡°Then get me out of here! I''ll stop them. I''ll punish them all!¡± The Specter¡¯s expression remained unmoved. ¡°I refuse. Your grief and sorrow called to me, but now you''re hollow. A man fallen into his hatred, drunk off a power that you never made your own. I have helped as much as I should, now you must accept the consequences.¡± The words cut deep. The Specter¡¯s presence faded, leaving Michael alone once more. Time resumed its course, and the noise of the outside world rushed back into the van. But inside, Michael felt dead. It was really...over. The happy faces of his family faded from his mind, replaced with the memory of their bloody corpses. The convoy finally arrived at Gotham PD. "Time to move." Harvey said, the van''s doors swinging open. "Make a move and I won''t care about orders, we''ll pump you full of lead. Wear this." Michael quietly put on the beanie and balaclava which covered his mouth, hiding his identity. He was then roughly shoved out outside, his eyes blinking as cameras flashed their way. "Damn reporters. Like a pack of Hyenas." Gordon cussed at the press standing outside the station''s entrance. "Let''s go." Michael obediently followed after the Detective, head bowed and shoulders low. He was flanked on all sides by cops while Bullock pulled the rear. The police station was an old building with grey stone and a sturdy foundation. On top of the main entrance were the words, Gotham Police Department in bold. At said entrance, they were met by a fat man with grey hair, who seemed far too pleased with himself. ¡°Well well, look who¡¯s back,¡± The man said with a smirk, taking a sip of his coffee mug. "Commissioner." Gordon nodded at him, a slight frustration in his voice. "Dont give me an attitude Gordon. But I see you''ve finally caught a big fish, huh?" He sneered at Michael, ¡°Ghost Rider, huh? You don''t look all that terrifying to me. Guess you¡¯ll be sharing a cell with your buddy, Jimmy.¡± Michael said nothing, but his eyes swirled with a silent dread. A void of emptiness that threatened to suck you in and never let go. The Commissioner faltered, the cockiness slipping from his face as he met the dead gaze. And then, Michael smiled...slowly. The Commissioner''s smirk vanished in an instant. He quickly turned to face Gordon, "T- Take this F- Freak to the holding cell, then come to my office and explain why you planned an operation without informing me." "Your boss is an asshole." Michael muttered. "You should take his job." Gordon glanced at him and just shook his head, leading the way to the cells. "For once I''ll agree with you." Bullock whispered to Michael, "Now keep moving." A few hallways later, Michael was thrown into a dingy cell, where a familiar face greeted him. Jimmy, cowered in the corner, head bowed as if asleep. "You look like shit, Jimmy." Michael said. His voice roused him up, the goon''s eyes going wide with shock and fear when he saw Michael. ¡°You¡­¡± Jimmy¡¯s voice shook. ¡°Boss! What are you doing here?! I heard they were going after the Rider but I didn''t think it was possible...¡± Michael didn¡¯t respond immediately. He simply sat on the hard cot, his head in his hands. "How did they catch you? Was it Batman?" "Yeah. He came outta nowhere and next thing I know...I was here."" Jimmy nodded, swallowing hard as Michael remained quiet. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Boss...I failed the task you gave me. I couldn''t get any info on where the villains are hiding. The Rider got them spooked. Spooked hard. Again...I''m really super sorry boss..." "Relax, I''m not going to kill you." Michael snorted, his voice dipped low, barely above a whisper. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. It¡¯s over.¡± "It''s...over?" Jimmy muttered, confused as to how he was acting. "I lost my powers, Jimmy old pal. I''m not the Ghost Rider anymore." Michael revealed, forcing the words through gritted teeth. Silence settled between them as Jimmy processed. A minute later, he got up and approached Michael. Without warning, Jimmy slapped him across the face. ¡°Who the fuck are you? Why are you sitting here feeling sorry for yourself when you should be busting us out? What gives you the right to act weak? You''re the goddamn Ghost Rider!" Despite being slapped, a bitter laugh escaped Michael¡¯s lips. ¡°Not anymore. That ship has sailed, Jimmy. And while I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, make like a good little goon and shut up.¡± Jimmy glared at him, jaw clenched. "You don¡¯t get it, do you? The Ghost Rider¡­ he isn¡¯t like Batman. He wasn¡¯t just some guy in a suit. He was something else. The criminals in this city? They were terrified of you. Batman¡¯s just a man, but you¡­ you are a force of nature. You gave Gothan real hope. You made me believe that things could really change. I''m in this mess coz I chose to work for you, even after you took out my boys!" He was breathing fast, staring at Michael, waiting for a response. When he received none, a heavy sigh escaped him. "I guess in the end, you were just another selfish asshole playing the hero..." "Jimmy I-" Michael begun. But then a sudden crackling sound filled the air cutting off his reply. The temperature in the cell also spiked. "What''s happening?" Jimmy asked, staring around. Michael¡¯s head shot up as an overwhelming surge of energy coursed through the station. The walls trembled, and a blinding yellow light pierced through the gaps in the cell, growing intense- something was headed their way. "Watch out!" Michael tackled Jimmy just as the cell door violently rattled, bursting open, and through the dust and debris, a glowing ring floated towards Michael, crackling with raw power. ¡°Michael Anders...¡± a deep, ominous voice echoed through the air. ¡°You have the ability to instill great fear. Welcome to the Sinestro Corps.¡± ''No fucking way...'' Michael¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as the yellow ring hovered before him. Without hesitation, it slid onto his finger, and the moment it did, a wave of unimaginable power surged through his body. An alarm went off in the station. Floating off his knees, Michael''s eyes flared with yellow energy as a new uniform materialized around him¡ªa Yellow Lantern uniform. The Rider may be gone, but with this power...he just had to take back what was his. And he didn''t need the Specter or anyone else to do it. "Get Up Jimmy, we got work to do." Okay, maybe just 1 person. Chapter 14: Captain Atom. -General P.O.V- The station shook as an explosion of yellow energy tore through the building, sending debris flying. Michael rose from the wreckage of the cell, his fists crackling with the power of fear. The metahuman collar shackling his neck melted away into red hot liquid, dripped down his blazing yellow costume. On a yellow platform constructed from Fear, attached to the Ring on his finger, Jimmy gulped in awe, "Boss, you look incredible." Spreading his hands out into the open air, Michael chuckled. "Look? I feel incredible Jimmy. You can say...I''m at full capacity." Seen only by him was a yellow screen in front of his face. (Ring charge: 100%) He was no longer the Spirit of Vengeance, but a Lantern of Fear. Outside, police officers scrambled to contain the situation. "Michael Anders! Surrender immediately or be forced to." Gordon yelled over a megaphone, surrounded by a swat team with weapons aimed at the two of them from the ground. Michael floated forward, and with a simple thought, he conjured chains of yellow energy¡ªchains reminiscent of the Ghost Rider¡¯s, but now powered by the raw might of fear. Using the ring was different from being the Rider. The latter was instinct, while the former was intuition and will. He thought of his desire and the ring did his bidding. It was easy, he just had to focus on the cloud of fear hanging over everyone present. The chains pulsed before lashing out and tearing through the opposition with ease, sending cars and officers flying. ThMPH! The crowd of protesters outside the station scattered in terror, their screams filling the air. (Ring Charge: 98%) Michael felt their fear cycle back and feed into his power, his ring¡¯s capacity rising back to 100%. "Hahaha, I gotta say, this feels right, Jimmy!" He relished the feeling, the raw energy coursing through him like a drug. Before he could revel in this newfound strength for too long, a flash of light erupted from above, and Captain Atom landed on the debris filled yard, standing amidst the remains of the GCPD and burning vehicles. His expression was grim as he surveyed the devasted scene. He''d been given the mission to oversee Michael''s arrest and ensure the prisoner wouldn''t escape before he was put in a cell. To think, only seconds after Atom had left, Michael would escape custody and cause all this mess. And even more unexpected, he''d turned into a Yellow Lantern. They''d been right to be extra-cautious with him. Atom would end this before it got out of hand. ¡°Mr. Anders,¡± Captain Atom said, his voice steady but firm. ¡°Despite the situation, I sense that no one has died yet. I must urge you to stand down and hand over the Fear Ring. You can¡¯t win this, Sir.¡± Michael clenched his fists, his eyes burning with yellow light.¡°Stay out of my way or be crushed, Hero.¡± The two had a tense standoff, the seconds ticking away. Midnight was fast approaching, and Michael knew he didn¡¯t have much time. He had to get to Batman. He had to stop the exorcism. "I can''t do that." Atom refused. Yellow chains burst out of the ground, and wound around his metal body, holding him in place. Without another word, Michael shot into the air, his yellow energy propelling him forward with Jimmy inside a protective sphere. Captain Atom charged up his body, forcefully shattering the chains before following in relentless pursuit. The smoking GCPD was left behind them. As Michael''s figure cut across the Gotham sky, Jimmy yelled at him. "Boss! He''s still coming!" Michael looked back, hastily putting up a series of road barricade constructs to block Atom, but the hero tore through them without losing momentum. "This bastard! I don''t have time for this!" Michael''s ring blazed, creating a weapon based on his imagination. However, the Anti-Matter canon forming on his shoulder broke down before it could take full shape. Flying upwards, Michael dodged the Captain''s rush. "Ring what the hell was that?!" (Construct creation relies on the User''s knowledge of the specific Design or Intimate Familiarity) Shit. That limited his options to things he actually understood. Good to know, like a few fucking minutes ago! Which meant Michael was stuck trying to out-manuever Captain Atom in an air battle. Not a very smart idea. "I was in the airforce, Mr. Anders. You''re in my territory!" Atom''s voice reached him as he weaved around dozens of Chain constructs.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ''Shit! What to do...'' Michael racked his head...before an idea came to it. The Ghost Riders Fire! Once more, the shape of an Anti-Matter canon took form, but this time, the barrel glowed with an energy that Michael knew intimately. "Have a taste of my Flames of judgement Captain." Michael pulled the trigger, launching out a concentrated beam of super hot hellfire. The clouds were ripped apart and Atom swallowed by the attack. "Boss! That''s Captain Atom, he can absorb any energy!" Jimmy''s voice cut in after the roaring energy died down. "Not HellFire Jimmy-boy." Michael dismissed his concerns along with the Construct, ready to take off towards- Whoosh! A sudden burst of air pushed against Michael, the Environmental shield around his body flickering on to shield him. "Impossible." Michael muttered, staring at Atom who held in his hands, a writhing ball of dark blue energy. The Hellfire had been contained. "This energy is...quite strange. I couldn''t absorb it but I can manipulate it enough to...send back to owner." Captain Atom breathed, releasing the attack straight at Michael. "Shit." Michael muttered before his world was taken over by white. Breathing heavily and body smoking, Captain Atom tapped on his comms. "Atom to Batcave, I''ve recaptured Anders before he could get to you. What''s your situation?" "Good Job Captain. We are currently in the middle of preparations. Midnight is only 15 minutes away. Keep him contained for at least that long." Zatara informed him. "That''s doable." Came his reply. Another voice jumped in, sounding strained, "Atom this is Batman, do you need back up?" "No I''m good. You exorcise the Rider and I''ll handle Anders. Oh, and Bruce, are you okay? You sound-" The comms cut off with sudden static. "Batman? Do you copy- huh?" Captain Atom, changed gears- distracted by something happening to his front. Light flickered within the smoke surrounding Michael''s last position. Atom couldn''t believe his eyes. "Hey, W-we are not done here." Michael bit out from inside a diamond shaped barrier. His yellow lantern suit was repairing itself. (Michael''s P.O.V) Ring charge was at 42%. Blocking my own attack had dropped it by more than half. And I couldn''t hope to recharge it in midair. Not without a source of fear or a Lantern. I fucked up again, by underestimating my opponent. But this will be the last time. "Boss...that was way too close for comfort." Behind me, Jimmy said in a scared tone. My ring fed on that little bit of fear and ticked up to 45%, still not enough to construct something useful. "I don''t know how you blocked that, but this ends. Now. I won''t let you hurt anyone else. Not after J''onn." Atom''s disbelief, morphed into anger and the amount of power he was putting out, practically doubled. It was like facing a power plant. "J''onn found purpose with me, Captain. And trust me...not only will I get the Rider back, I''ll be coming for the Martian too." I swore to myself. "Over my dead body." From his hands, a wave of energy burst out, aimed my way. I reinforced my Diamond Shields, creating copies to replace the ones that shattered. "Aaargh!" Roaring, his punch destroyed every single one, but I was already flying backwards. (Ring Charge: 39%) ''Should I recite the Yellow Lantern oath? Maybe that will give me access to the Ring''s Inventory space where I''m sure I''ll find the Lantern. But I don''t want Sinestro gaining control of me...'' I''d been feeling a subtle presence trying to bore into me... What was my other option? "Ring, scan for Atom''s weaknesses!" I ordered, still on the defensive- my only means of offence confined to physical constructs that he tore apart with energy beams. (Scanning...) A ray of yellow light washed down his body. The result displayed brought my mood down. (No exploitable weaknesses found) Fuck. My thoughts were further derailed as a hit sent us spiralling towards the ground. The protective sphere around us smashed through a groove of trees, before cracking apart as I lost focus, leaving us in it''s impact crater. (Ring charge: 12%) My head ached with mental exhaustion, vision blurring and I had a nosebleed. ''Got to get up. No time...'' I forced myself to stand but the knees buckled. Jimmy grabbed my shoulders, hefting my weight up. "Boss, sorry to say this...but you look like shit." He threw my words back at me. Heh. Bastard. "We also gotta leave before Captain Tin-foil finds us. Come on." He added, dragging me out of the crater, only for something heavy to land before us. "It''s not Tin-foil, Tribbiani, but good guess. Now stand down, you''re both arrested." Speak of the devil. Through my hazy vision, Atom had energy bolts charging in his fists, ready to blast us in case we failed to comply. "Fuck that, I''m not going back." Unexpectedly, Jimmy resisted. "And neither is the boss. He''s been doing a better job than you capes and your moral high grounds." "I don''t wear a cape." Atom raised a brow. "Ring connect me to Jimmy Telepathically." I whispered. (Ring charge: 11% - 10%) ["Jimmy, keep him talking while I think of something."] ["Got it, Boss. But hurry up"] "Well superman and Batman do. Speaking of, what''s with them wearing underwear on the outside? Kinda fishy for grown ass men..." With the distraction underway, I focused on my internals, using my brainwaves to communicate with the ring, in a way similar to how J''onn and I would. ["Ring, assess my damage."] ["User is afflicted with a Concussion and Motion Sickness. Use 2% Charge to alleviate Effects?"] That explained why it was so hard to keep my balance. I gave the go ahead and felt a coolness settle over my head as I healed up. Able to think clearer, my situation, plainly speaking, pointed at surrender. Atom was stronger than I in every possible spec, and even with the 8% ring charge left, there was no construct I could think of that could hurt him. What I needed was a source of Fear to quickly recharge. But it had to be raw terror, just fear wouldn''t cut it. It had to be...Primal... That''s it. "THANKS JIMMY." I tapped my Minion''s shoulder. "Oh no problem B-aah aaahh!!!!" As he looked back, Jimmy was met with the Ghost Rider''s terrifying visage, the illusionary construct I''d put over myself, perfectly capturing the empty eyes that threatened to pull you into a void of darkness. "Bah hah ma ma..." Jimmy stuttered, face twisted in pantshitting terror, that only grew worse as I leaned closer. "I AM COME FOR WHAT YOU OWE ME, JIMMY BOY. JUDGEMENT UPON YOUR SOUL." He stiffened, eyes rolling up his head and promptly passed out. This time the fear was potent. Whisps of gray emotion entered the ring as it fed on the trauma-induced terror. (Ring Charge: 8%- 67%) Barely enough for what comes next. "What did you do to him?" Atom ground out in anger, as I gently placed Jimmy down. "I finally understand it now." I found myself saying, standing upright while breaking the Illusion around my body. "The difference between Vengeance and Fear. Vengeance works on equal scales. Punishing your sins by forcing you to feel the pain and suffering of your victims. Fear on the other hand-" "I don''t know what you''re going on about, but no more mercy. I''m taking you out Anders." Atom moved to attack, punching out. I felt the heat of his energy as the unleashed blast crossed the distance between us. "Hope-Eater." The air before me swirled with the emergence of a new Construct. Massive Jaws like that of a snake took shape and with a hiss, opened and swallowed the blast, completely absorbing the nuclear charged energy into a bottomless stomach. "I''ll destroy all your constructs and show you I''m stronger!" Atom increased his output, sustaining the beam and adding more power to it. Yet the jaws swallowed it all...hungrily. In fact the void within the jaws was like a black hole, pulling in more of his power and forcing the Captain to cut off the connection before I drained him. "How?" He demanded in heavy breaths. "Was etting to that before you interrupted." I shook my head in frustration. "But now I can''t remember the whole monologue, except the last part...what was it again??? Oh yeah. Vengeance punishes sin, but fear devours hope. So say hello, Captain to my little friend...Hope-Eater. A cousin to Penance Stare if you will." Another one formed under Atom and the jaws closed around his body before he could so much as utter a response. "Turns out, Heroes are it''s favorite snack." I couldn''t help my gloating smirk. Penance Stare failed against the League because that skill used Guilt and Shame as its fuel. Heroes believe they''re always on the right, so negative emotions have no hold on them. What has a hold on them, is Hope. They can''t help but Hope. It was sickeningly naive. And Hope''s biggest enemy...is Fear. Trapped in the void inside the Hope-Eater''s stomach, let alone Captain Atom''s power, even his hope was being devoured. All that was left was...Fear. My ring gorged itself on it. (Ring charge: 7%-> 100%) I was getting a hang of this yellow lantern thing. All that was left to do, was claim the rider and I would have two tools- one for dealing with Villains, the other for Heroes. Chapter 15: Batman Who Rides. -(Michael''s P.O.V.)- It had been ten minutes since I''d dealt with Captain Atom, his consciousness now trapped inside my Yellow Lantern ring. His mind had been a maze of calculations and contingency plans, but I''d pulled the location of the exorcism from him easily enough. Wayne Manor. More specifically...the Batcave. I expected a battlefield when I landed on the charred grounds of one of Gotham''s most iconic estates. But this¡ªthis was carnage. The once-proud manor was a skeletal wreck, consumed by the cold, blue flames of the Ghost Rider. Flames I once wielded, but now...they were in the hands of someone else. What the fuck happened here? ''The first step to understanding one another is to listen.'' Sarah¡¯s voice echoed in my mind, urging me to stop, think. I softly landed, my boots quietly crunching over charred earth. The air was thick with the acrid stench of sulfur and burnt stone. A few Justice League members huddled around something on the ground. Wonder Woman stood closest to the remains of the manor, her sword in hand¡ªbut the blade was half-melted, its usual indestructible edge now just a jagged stump. She turned as I approached, her expression hard but resigned. "Stop. Oh, it''s you..." Her voice lacked its usual fire, and she didn¡¯t raise her sword any further. Her eyes narrowed at my new costume. "Where is Captain Atom?" "Safe. For now. I''m here to exchange him for the Rid-ack!" I found my neck caught in her grip. "Diana, let him go. We...need his help." Zatara stated, in a defeated voice. Surprisingly, she did. Behind her, Green Lantern, Shazam, and Zatara hovered near a scorched corpse, its blackened trench coat barely clinging to the ruined body. Constantine. Even in death, he looked like he''d been though hell. My heart dropped at the sight, Constantine was a cockroach, killing him was no easy task. It''s safe to say, someone royally fucked up. "The ritual¡­ it failed," Zatara finally said, his voice low, strained. His eyes were fixed on the corpse of the man who had once been his friend. "We lost Bruce. The Rider... took him." "What?" I almost couldn''t believe it. The words hung in the air, heavy and unreal. "Bruce is...?" "He''s the Ghost Rider now," Zatara confirmed. His hands clenched at his sides as he spoke, frustration and sorrow mixing in his features. "We couldn''t stop it. Constantine tried, but¡­" My eyes drifted back to the body. Constantine hadn¡¯t just failed, he''d paid the price. Not to sorry about it though. "This is what happens when you deal with a force beyond your control. You should have never taken it from me." I couldn''t keep the vindictive note out of my words. "It was a mistake." Zatara said. They looked regretful. "And it gets worse," Shazam muttered, his voice quieter than usual, "He took the Batwing. It was... on fire. He flew into space, straight for the Watchtower." ("Ring, elaborate ") ("The Watchtower- a space station the justice League are secretly building above the Earth- According to Captain Atom''s memories.") "Why?" I asked, but the answer was already forming in my mind, piecing together the bits of information I knew about the Rider and the Ring''s data on the Watchtower. "He''s going to use the Zetabeam," Green Lantern said, stepping closer, his body glowing with the faintest hint of green energy. "To amplify the Penance Stare. Focus it. Channel it through the Zetabeam terminals all across Earth." "That''ll¡ª" I paused, the horror dawning on me. If Bruce really intended to do what they thought... "It''ll burn everyone." The Rider''s influence had turned him bat shit insane. If this doesn''t warrant the biggest, ''I told you so'' in history... Zatara nodded grimly. "Bruce has always been haunted by his past. Now, with the Ghost Rider feeding off his trauma, he''s taken that to the extreme. He thinks he can purify the world. Rid it of sin." "He''s using the Penance Stare as a weapon, but it''s a tool." A tool that could wipe out millions if used wrongly. "Speaking of tools and weapons...that ring, where did you get it?" Green Lantern¡¯s energy flared. His eyes locked onto mine, and I could feel the tension growing between us. "This isn¡¯t coming off my finger, Jordan. Not now, not later. So save it and tell me what the hell you''re ndoing to stop the Batman who rides." Hal''s eyes flared with anger, but Zatara stepped between us, placing a hand on Hal¡¯s shoulder. "We don''t have time for this," Zatara said, his voice urgent but calm. "We need to get to the Watchtower before he activates the Zetabeam. Once he does, there¡¯s no turning back." For a moment, none of us spoke. The weight of what we were up against settled over us like a dark cloud. This wasn¡¯t just a battle against a rogue hero. This was a battle to stop a ghost rider with the collective skills and experience of Batman, from doing something that could destroy the world. Claiming back the rider just became close to impossible. "Shazam, you¡¯re with me," Wonder Woman commanded, her voice steady despite the situation. "We¡¯ll take a ZetaTube to the Watchtower. Lantern, you follow us up there." "The Zetabeams are on lockdown."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. GL informed her. "We can assume he''s responsible." "Dammit. That means he''s already started. I was hoping the others would keep him away from the control room. If only I had some magical energy left...I could teleport us." Zatara muttered. "Plan b then. We''ll fly." Wonder Woman said as she turned to me next. "Mr.Anders, you know the Ghost Rider better than anyone. If we''re going to have a chance at stopping him and bring Bruce back we need you. You in?" I looked at the burning remains of Wayne Manor, the flames still licking at the sky like vengeful spirits. "On on condition," I said, stepping forward. "You''ll put the Rider back where he belongs. Me." I slapped my chest. "I''m the only one that can control him." The four of them exchanged uneasy looks. "In return, I''ll give back your precious Captain Atom, in one piece." That sealed the deal and they agreed. The ring hummed on my finger as I rose into the air, Green Lantern beside me. There was no going back now. We had to stop the Batman who rides. -General P.O.V- The Batwing screamed through the void of space, its engines roaring with infernal fire. It''s trajectory seemed to be the sun. Superman, trapped in its burning cockpit, struggled in vain against the glowing chains binding him. In the cabin behind him, other members of the Justice League were in a similar situation, bound in infernal chains. From the vantage point in space, Michael, Wonder Woman, Shazam, and Green Lantern looked on in horror. "Our friends! We need to help them!" Shazam shouted, his voice tight with urgency. Without hesitation, Green Lantern shot forward, his ring flaring with green light as he chased the flaming Batwing. ¡°I¡¯ve got the ship! I¡¯ll bring them back before it¡¯s too late!¡± Michael watched Hal disappear into the stars. Superman was powerful, but even he wouldn¡¯t survive a direct trip into the sun. Out of all heroes, the Man of Steel had been Emily''s favorite one. Michael clenched his fists, turning his attention to the massive hell structure that was their destination. As they neared the Watchtower, the full scale of Bruce¡¯s corruption came into view. What was once the symbol of the Justice League¡¯s strength had been twisted into something monstrous. The entire structure pulsed with molten fire, its once-gleaming surface now scorched black and red, like a demonic heart beating in the cold void of space. Shazam hovered to a stop next to Michael, his fists crackling with lightning. ¡°We go in, take down whatever defenses he¡¯s rigged up, and then¡ª" "We get to Bruce,¡± Wonder Woman finished, her voice steely. Her lasso shimmered at her side, ready to strike. The moment they breached the Watchtower¡¯s outer defenses, chaos erupted. Automated cannons turned toward them, spitting hellfire, their barrels spewing molten blasts. The walls seemed to shift and twist, turning into jagged spikes ready to impale them. "What do you call this? Hallway of doom?" Michael asked, the environmental shield around him, reforming into a bulkier streamlined body armor, blocking the attacks. Shazam roared, unleashing a bolt of lightning that cleaved through a wave of the fire. Hellfire spewed out from the debris, creating an unholy mix of metal and flame golems. With swords, and heavy weapons. ¡°Shazam! You and I hold the line. Michael, go for Bruce!" Wonder Woman ordered, using her Laso to bat away the golems. Michael nodded, cutting down the hallway with a truck construct bowling away opposition. "Ring, directions to the Zetabeam Control room! Now!" A detailed map of the structure appeared in a HUD. His eyes narrowed as he spotted a narrow corridor leading toward the heart of the Watchtower. He took off. The heat intensified as he delved deeper, the flames licking at his suit. The Ghost Riders bcorruption was everywhere, infecting the station, twisting it into Batman''s personal HellRide. The Zetabeam control room loomed ahead, and Michael felt the pull of something darker and familiar. He wasn¡¯t just about to face Batman. He was about to face the full force of the Ghost Rider. And that terrified him. (Ring charge: 78%-100%) A derisive chortle escaped him. "Nice to know my fear has uses." As if expecting him, the door to the control room slid open with a groan, revealing a sight that made Michael¡¯s breath catch. Batman stood before the massive array of Zetabeam projectors, his entire body crackling with the fire of vengeance. His armor had fused with the Ghost Rider¡¯s infernal power, creating a grotesque, flaming version of the Bat-suit. His cape flickered with embers, and his head had turned into a terrifying demonic skull, burning with red flames. As he turned around, Michael''s breathed hitched. Batman''s eyes- once sharp and calculating¡ªwere now pits of glowing hatred. ¡°YOU CAME.¡± Batman growled with a deep rumble, his voice laced with contempt and fire. ¡°GOOD. BECAUSE I NOW UNDERSTAND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.¡± Michael squared his shoulders, his Yellow Lantern ring glowing brighter as he stepped forward. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Bruce. What you''re planning isn¡¯t justice, nor vengeance. It¡¯s destruction.¡± Bruce seethed, flames dancing along his gauntlets. ¡°JUSTICE? VENGEANCE? YOU¡¯RE STILL CLINGING TO THOSE LIES? THIS WORLD IS ROTTEN, MICHAEL. SIN RUNS THROUGH EVERY SINGLE PERSON, AND UNTIL THAT¡¯S ERADICATED, THERE CAN BE NO PEACE. NO TRUE JUSTICE.¡± Michael shook his head, feeling the weight of Batman''s words, but refusing to give in. It would be so easy to. ¡°YOU¡¯RE TALKING ABOUT GENOCIDE, BRUCE. YOU¡¯VE LET THE GHOST RIDER TWIST YOU INTO SOMETHING WORSE THAN THE VILLAINS YOU FIGHT.¡± Batman''s face contorted in anger, the flames around him flaring higher. ¡°YOU THINK I¡¯M TWISTED? YOU THINK I HAVEN¡¯T SEEN WHAT HUMANITY IS CAPABLE OF? YOU SAID IT YOURSELF! WE FIGHT DAY AFTER DAY, BUT THE SAME EVIL ALWAYS COMES BACK. THE JOKER, LEX, VANDAL SAVAGE. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO SUFFER BEFORE WE END THIS?¡± Michael¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°I want the Joker gone as much as you do. But this¡ªthis is wrong. You¡¯re not punishing the guilty anymore, Bruce. You¡¯re going after everyone.¡± Batman stepped closer, the heat of his presence overwhelming. ¡°YOU WANT TO BE FREE OF VENGEANCE? SO DO I. BUT THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO ERASE SIN. ERASE THE PEOPLE WHO CAUSE IT. FOR MY PARENTS, FOR YOUR WIFE AND DAUGHTER.¡± For a moment, Michael hesitated. He¡¯d spent so long consumed by his own need for vengeance. But something inside him, something that had survived all his pain, told him this wasn¡¯t the way. He wasn¡¯t noble like Bruce. But he wasn''t a murdering psycho either. ¡°No,¡± Michael said quietly, his voice firm. ¡°I won¡¯t allow it. My fight was never with humanity, Bruce. It¡¯s with the people who choose to hurt others. There¡¯s a difference.¡± Batman''s eyes flared with rage. ¡°YOU¡¯RE A FOOL.¡± In an instant, Batman attacked. Hellfire chains erupted from his arms, lashing toward Michael like living serpents. Michael barely had time to react, raising a construct shield with his ring. The chains slammed into it with a deafening crash, the force sending him skidding backward. ¡°FEAR WON¡¯T SAVE YOU, MICHAEL,¡± Batman snarled, stepping forward. ¡°THE RIDER WHISPERS ABOUT YOU. YOU¡¯RE JUST AS MUCH A SLAVE TO YOUR EMOTIONS AS I AM.¡± Michael¡¯s ring glowed brighter, his construct shifting into a massive, glowing blade. ¡°Maybe. But at least the leash on me is longer than yours. Give me back the Rider. You can''t control it, Bruce.¡± The blade clashed with Batman''s chains, sparks and fire filling the air as their powers collided. Batman''s strikes were relentless, fueled by the raw hatred and vengeance of the Ghost Rider. Each hit shook the ground beneath them, flames licking at the walls of the control room. Michael was reminded of their first fight. How he had dominated. Things were different now. But still he fought back, his fear turning into strength. The ring pulsed with power as he summoned new constructs¡ªwalls of fear energy, massive fists, and barriers to hold Batman at bay. The room trembled under the force of their battle, the very air rippling with the intensity of their clash. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking straight, Bruce!¡± Michael shouted, ducking under another fiery chain and slashing back with his fear blade. ¡°You will lose yourself!¡± Batman roared, his voice echoing with the Ghost Rider¡¯s fury. ¡°YOU THINK I¡¯VE LOST MYSELF? I¡¯VE *FOUND* THE TRUTH! HUMANITY *IS* THE DISEASE!¡± Michael¡¯s ring flickered for a moment, and Bruce took the opening, slamming him against the wall with a chain whip. Michael cried out as the flames melted through the armor, searing his skin. ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to be consumed by the Rider''s need to punish,¡± Michael said, gritting his teeth through the pain. ¡°But I also know it doesn¡¯t have to be this way. You can still stop this.¡± Batman''s eyes burned with rage, his chains tightening around Michael¡¯s throat. ¡°YOU JUST DON¡¯T GET IT, MICHAEL. THERE¡¯S NO GOING BACK. ONCE YOU SEE THE TRUTH, YOU CAN¡¯T UNSEE IT.¡± Michael gasped for air, his vision blurring. But in that moment, something inside him shifted, sparking an ember. His fear¡ªhis fear of failing, of losing control met with his need for vengeance, which stoked the remnants of the Rider''s hellfire within his soul. Yellow light and blue fire combined with him as the focus of the reaction. With a burst of heat, his ring flared to life, the yellow light and blue flames fusing into a new energy that blasted through Bruce¡¯s chains and sent him flying back. Michael stumbled to his feet, his eyes blazing with confusion. His body was cloaked in two different auras. Yellow and blue. The left side of his face was a burning skull, the right was normal flesh. Like a mix of the rider and a yellow lantern. But the weirdest thing was his ring. Which was flashing a bright green. ¡°You¡¯re right, Bruce,¡± Michael stated, his voice steady. ¡°There is no going back. But I¡¯m not like you. I won¡¯t let fear or vengeance control me. I control them.¡± Blinding light erupted from his position. And Michael hovered in his new form. A Green Lantern. Batman snarled, rising to his feet, his flames growing ever stronger. ¡°THEN YOU¡¯VE ALREADY LOST.¡± Chapter 16: Re-Light. (Michael''s P.O.V) "Ugh, did anyone see the number plates on that truck?" I rose out of the debris covering my body, the Green aura around me dimly flickering. The Zetabeam control room was a mess. Sparks flew from shattered consoles, and the walls groaned from the cracks running along the chamber. We had been fighting for close to a minute when I was overwhelmed and blasted away. For all the Willpower I had, Batman still held the edge in terms of...everything. A single Green Lantern/Yellow Lantern had nothing on the Spirit of Vengeance. The solution? I had to become both. At the same time. It made no sense in practice. My version of a Green Lantern was a fusion of the Yellow Light and Blue hellfire. Luckily, I had a renewable source of yellow light from Captain Atom''s terror. So maybe my idea was workable. In the few seconds it took to stand, partly because my opponent underestimated me, I separated a part of the yellow light from the fusion, and segregated it to the left side of my body while the Green light of Willpower remained on the right. This crude transformation made me both a Yellow Lantern and a Green Lantern at the same time. Willpower and Fear¡ªlocked in a constant, delicate balance. Fear to sharpen my Willpower. And Willpower to refine my Fear. (Ring Charge: 100%/100%) My mutated ring informed me. ''I hope it will be enough.'' "NO MATTER HOW MANY POWERS YOU ACCESS, IT WON''T BE ENOUGH." Batman rumbled out, standing across from me- hellfire wrapped around him like a second skin, his eyes glowing with hatred and fury. "Says you. But I think I have a chance." A yellow blade and a green Shield formed in my hands. Batman shook his head at the constructs. ¡°YOU CAN¡¯T STOP ME, MICHAEL. MY FURY AND CONVINCTION ADD TO THE RIDER''S POWER. IT IS INEXHAUSTIBLE.¡± True enough I could sense the emotions radiating off him, feeding into his hellfire cloak. Once familiar, the flames now made my skin crawl. ''Fear has no hold on me.'' I refused to back down. Countless times, I''d faced the Ghost Rider in my nightmares. The battlefield had simply shifted from my dreams to reality. ¡°You can use that rage, Bruce.¡± I said, clenching my fists, creating battle armor around my body. The plates, a perfect fusion of fear and will. ¡°But I''ll still kick your ass. Just like last time. Remember?¡± His eyes narrowwed. "I''LL INCINERATE YOUR ENTIRE BEING." With a roar, he leaped at me, summoning his Hellfire Constructs. And throwing them in a salvo. Batarangs, burning with red fire, and bombs that screamed through the air. They were faster than I expected, almost too fast. My shield flared, enlarging into a green barrier just in time, but the heat seared through the outer layer. I gritted my teeth against the hellfire scorching through the shield, but it held on. Reinforcing it with more energy, it molded into a round green shield with yellow spikes jutting outward. With a yell, I pushed through the flaming projectiles with my shoulder, running forward and slamming into his midsection. I was like a child pushing against a mountain. He didn''t move an inch. Late to react, Infernal chains burst through the walls and floor, ensnaring my limbs and pulling me onto my knees. It annoyed, that he was using my own moves against me. While I struggled, Batman opened the jaws of his monstrous skull, and hellflame lava poured out. Terror surged within me but the ring absorbed it, sharpening my will. A spinning umbrella blocked the hot liquid, which melted the floor under, so that I fell through, still entangled in Chains. From personal experience, I knew they were unbreakable. Hence I found myself in an even worse position. A set of barriers blocked the hole above in case of an attack, while I worked to remove the chains. No use, they were entangled around my limbs too tightly. Too soon, a buzzing sound reached my ears. From above, swarms of insects ate through my Green and Yellow barriers and in no time and I was next. "Shit! Ring, vibrate my limbs and phase me out!" (There are risks...) "Fuck that! Now!" My hands and legs tingled unpleasantly, body slipping through the Rider''s chains to land on the floor below. A flame thrower construct helped me light up the approaching swarm, though the insects looked unharmed and swirled in front of me to form...Batman.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "I''m so fucking Jealous. I could never do that when I was the Rider." "YOU NEVER TRIED. JUST LIKE YOU NEVER TRIED TO SAVE YOUR FAMILY." ''Okay, that''s too far.'' This time, I initiated the attack. Chainsaw constructs tried to hack through the Rider''s chains, in a bus to get to him. The shockwaves of the clash, shattered walls and decimated chambers as we moved from the West Wing to the East. The Watchtower couldn¡¯t handle our fight. It groaned, the structure bulking. It was like fighting in the belly of a beast. Alarms which sounded like painful cries blared out through the hallways and corridors. Things became dire as The Hellride station tilted and fell toward Earth. "Give up Bruce! The Zetabeam control room is destroyed, you''ve failed!" I tried to reason with him. Maybe we could still stop this. "SHUT UP!" Silly me. Batman wouldn¡¯t back down, not with the Rider in control. The shaking structure cost me and before I knew it, the Chain of Damnations wrapped around my body, tight and burning, pulling me toward him. "I AM ENDING THIS!" He growled, grabbing my shoulders. Shit. I knew what was coming. The Penance Stare. His hollowed eyes locked onto mine, and the world around me fell away. The memories came rushing back. Every person I¡¯d killed, every mistake, every drop of blood. Their screams filled my head, trying to crush me under the weight of their pain. I was screaming in agony at having my soul scoured but my Willpower held on. It was tormenting but I forced myself to hold the gaze, reinforcing my spirit with the ring. "I- I have no regrets! Every life I¡¯ve taken d- deserved it! Every judgment passed has been necessary! You CANNOT JUDGE ME! I refuse!" His Penance Stare failed to break me, and I saw the flames in his eyes flicker with frustration. ¡°It¡¯s not working, is it?¡± I chuckled, my voice a forced calm. ¡°I carry zero Guilt, Bruce. Vengeance comes with sacrifice, and I made mine before all this began!" "LIAR! YOU WILL BE RIGHTLY PUNISHED FOR YOUR SINS!" The chains burned hotter, but I pushed back. Fear-Will Amplification surged through me, my power multiplying as the terror Batman threw at me only made me stronger. (Ring Charge: 50%/50%) (Ring Charge: 100%/100%) ... (Ring Charge 500%/500%) ... (Ring Charge: 1000%/1000) The chain disintegrated in my hands, and I exploded with incredible amounts of radiant green and yellow energy, which merged into a lime green color. The crude transformation became streamlined. My body and soul ached under the weight of the amplified emotions. Too much power for a single person to bear. But I was no normal man. My soul had been expanded to host the ghost rider, and my body had been enhanced by J''onn. This was the dawn of a new type of Lantern. With A TRUE balanced scale of Fear and Willpower...existing in Harmonious synchronicity. The Pale Lantern. Power erupted out of me pushing him away. "IMPOSSIBLE." Batman growled, throwing up Hellfire Constructs, trying to block me out. But my aura unravelled them to pure energy. Hellfire whirled around him, molding into his body to create wings of flame and a demonic armor very simlar to The hellbat armor. It wasn''t enough. With a casual thought, My own Enhanced Constructs formed, lime-green colored and so detailed as to appear real. Sharper blades, stronger weapons, they pierced through his armor, tearing through the hellflames and the Rider''s wrathful appearance to expose the mortal man underneath. "NO! DON''T LEAVE Me. IT''s not over..." Bruce bitterly cried out, the Rider''s influence and power slipping through his control. But the burning skull had disappeared, leaving him in a torn up Batman suit. Defiant eyes looked up at me in hate. "You! It''s your fault! It''s all your fault! I''ll kill you...mmmhhh." With a sigh, I bound his mouth with a construct tape, adding lime-green chains that wrapped around his body, holding him to the floor. "It''s over Bruce. I beat you like I promised. And now I''m taking back what''s mine." To ensure no interruptions, I created a dome of energy around us. Which doubled as protection since The Watchtower was still collapsing. Parts of the structure burned up in the atmosphere, exposing the dome to the open air. It held beautifully. Good. Even the Justice League¡ªif they were even watching¡ªcouldn¡¯t stop. Ignoring his desperation, I focused, tapping deeper into the emotional spectrum. Emotion Manipulation¡ªa trick I''d learned to balance the fear and willpower inside me. I pushed my Will into him, using my emotions to create cracks in their connection. The Batman Who Ride''s spirit was strong, but I could also feel the real Bruce fighting back, buried somewhere inside. His struggles slowed, the unity between him and the Rider breaking apart. ¡°That¡¯s it, Bruce, take back control. ¡± I whispered, urging him on. ¡°You¡¯re still in there. You don''t really want to be the rider...so cut him out, get rid of his corruption.¡± For a moment, I thought I had him. Then seals flashed across his body, containing magic. "No!" My will was forcibly pushed out. The magic fed into the Rider and It''s influence renewed. Like a cornered animal, Batman cloaked himself in a cocoon of hellfire. The flames had changed from red to blue and thickened, solidifying into a ferocious heat that rapidly melted my enhanced chains, further surprising me. Unfortunately for him, I had one final card to play. The Hope-Eater appeared behind him. But it was different from before. Enhanced under The Pale Lantern ring to become the most powerful construct I¡¯d ever made¡ªa massive, twisted maw of lime green. It radiated hunger, a void that could consume anything: emotions, matter, energy, even the strongest Hellfire. Batman tried to escape, blasting out tongues and whips of flame that didn''t reach me, as the Hope-Eater behind him absorbed it all. More chains were created by my ring. Hundreds of locks and weight to keep him down. "You remember this scene Bruce?" I asked, maintaining multiple constructs. "You and your friends held me down and stole my power. Now I do the same. What goes around..." "DAMN YOU MICHAEL!!!" A voice that wasn''t quite his roared out. The Hope-Eater opened wide, engulfing him. For a moment, I thought it wasn¡¯t enough. His flames clashed against the walls of the Hope-Eater''s jaws. His howls of rage gradually dissappeared and slowly, the Hope-Eater did its job, and pulled Barman into its depths. I closed my eyes, focusing on the connection between the Hope-Eater and I. By enhancing the construct with the Lime-green, I had gained the ability to influence anything the Hope-Eater devoured. Meaning...I could remove the Spirit of the Ghost Rider from Batman. I pushed harder, amplifying my will, pouring everything into the construct. The Hope-Eater''s jaw opened and Bruce¡¯s body collapsed on the floor before me, unconscious but alive. "...comes around." Meanwhile the spirit of vengeance hung in the Hope-Eater''s Stomach, formless and bound. I wasn¡¯t going to let it go this time. ¡°Welcome home,¡± I whispered, and with a final surge of willpower, I absorbed the Rider back into myself, using my connection with the Hope-Eater as a bridge. The flames of vengeance roared inside my soul. The link was reastablished. I could feel It once more. (Ring Charge: 1000%-1000%-> 50%/50%) It had taken a lot out of me but... (Ghost Rider Template: 70% Progress) A curious thing happened. The Spirit of vengeance seemed to be attracted to the mutated ring on my finger. Despite that, I stopped them from merging. Not until I knew what to expect from such a fusion. On the plus side, I was Ghost Rider once again. It was over. That said, the Watchtower was still in its fiery descent, headed for the ocean. I would survive the impact. But Bruce wouldn''t. We were enemies, so I had no obligation to save him...but, I still encased him in a protective sphere. I wasn''t saving him out of pity. I had a use for him. Before we could crash and kill who knows how many fish, everything stopped, reminding me of the time with the Specter. The air around me shifted, and time itself froze. I turned, and there he was. "This is unexpected." I muttered. Dr. Fate hovered, glowing and serene, with the iconic helmet and a golden ankh portal behind him. ¡°Enough destruction for one day.¡± he said, his voice echoing in the stillness. With a wave of his hand, the Watchtower stopped its descent, suspended in time and space. I let out a breath I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d been holding, my energy flickering out, as I looked down at Bruce who seemed to be waking up. "Next time Mr.Wayne, just leave the guy with the burning skull alone. You''re not cut out for this demon stuff." He groaned, eyes blinking open. "And as a reward for saving your life...I''m definitely taking the Batmobile." Chapter 17: Times Up Joker part 1/2. Chapter 17: Time''s Up, Joker part 1/2. -0- -Michael''s P.O.V- "Nice place." I whistled while looking around the living room. "Please have a seat, Mr. Anders." Dr. Fate motioned to a red couch, which was facing a lit fireplace, the gentle flame sending warmth through out the royal-esque chamber. An appropriate description, given the high class mat, the art framing the walls and the expensive furniture that probably cost more than my salary. "Refreshments?" The Doctor offered. "Coffee please." I wanted something to keep me alert during our conversation. Fate snapped his fingers and a steaming cup appeared on the table in front of me. "Thank you." I took a sip and my mind was instantly stimulated. Must be magic beans. Seems rude to ask though. What was not rude to ask however, was my reason for being here, the Tower of Fate. The magician had portaled us from the crashed Watchtower. Which he''d left sitting out on a beach in Cuba. "So doctor, you said you wanted to talk. Let''s talk." I leaned back on my seat, focus split between my ring and Fate, ready for anything. Dr. Fate reached for his helmet...and removed it, revealing an old man. Our gazes met, and I found myself being studied. The evaluation ended and placing the Helmet on the side, the old man spoke. "Quite a conundrum you present Son." I waited for him to continue. "The Lords of Order and Chaos rarely agree on anything. Such is the way of Cosmic beings am afraid...and yet in this instant, a concession has been reached and an Ultimatum passed." Uh-oh. I didn''t like the sound of that. "Michael Anders, you are to be banished from this universe immediately." He dropped the bomb. My first reaction was confusion, then anger. Instead of acting on it, I laughed at the absurdity of it all. Truly, arrogance is married to self-importance. And none embody that particular trait more than these so called cosmic entities. "On whose authority?" I questioned. "The council of the Lords of Magic. You would do well to heed the verdict, son. Some want to kill you, others to study you. Believe me, the second fate is much worse. In comparison, banishment is the-" "I''m not leaving. This universe is my home." I cut him off. A sigh broke out of him. "My name is Kent Nelson. I''ve been serving the Lord of Order, Nabu for decades. And through that time, I''ve learned that home is not a place but a feeling. Of belonging and love..." His eyes contained nostalgia as he looked at a picture closeby. In it was someone that looked like a younger version of him and a woman at a carnival. "I''ll be frank, Son. You''ve messed with the timeline so bad that if the Lords hadn''t stepped in, some other godlike being that governs reality would have."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it That sounded ominous and yet, I was the Ghost Rider. Ominous is my whole deal. "I''m not afraid. Let them come." I shot back, eyes flashing with hellfire. "Then you''re dumber than you look. There''s Some folks you can''t beat with power alone. Take my advice kid, Run while you still can. Whatever that thing you have within you is...has garnered interest. And the interested parties won''t hesitate to take it off you again. Only this time, they''ll leave your corpse behind." A bit of fear surged in me. Normally I would feed it to the ring but this time, I let it settle in my belly. Fear wasn''t bad. It held back overconfidence and curbed recklessness. "Okay...let''s say for a minute, I leave, where would I go?" I looked at him for an answer. Kent tapped the helmet. "With Nabu''s help, I can briefly open a dimension portal. Where it would lead to, I have no idea. They just want you to be someone else''s problem." That''s not too...convincing. And I told him so. "You laid the bed, now you sleep on it. We wouldn''t be here if you didn''t get involved with the League. They have many eyes on them. Mystical or otherwise." "And if I refuse?" I asked. A serious expression crossed over Kent''s features. "Then you''ll have the full force of the Lords of Magic and anyone else interested in the Rider coming for you. And believe me, the planet would not survive that." Shit. I guess that makes the choice obvious. "Fine. I''ll go...but there''s something I need to do first." Times Up, Joker. I''m coming for your clown ass. -0- "You have one day to handle your business, Mr. Anders, before the delayed spell I cast on you teleports you to another Universe." Dr. Fate stated. The two of us were on the roof of Selina''s building. It was early dawn and Gotham was just waking up. "Fine. But if you send me to a crappy world, I''ll come back and kick your ass." I made the warning. A golden Ankh manifested behind him. "We would like to see you try, Infernal creature." The ankh swallowed him with a flash of light and I was left alone. "Jackass." I snorted, still angry. A part of me wanted to stay and fight. But leaving could be a fresh start. To be honest, this world had taken away my reason to live. Everytime I cast my gaze at this city...I was reminded of what I''d lost. "I was never going to save you, was I Gotham?" A self deprecating chuckle left me. Because I didn''t want to. It was always about vengeance. About handling my pain. About hurting bad people because it was acceptable and made me feel good. Or less guilty for not saving them... But after seeing Batman turn into a monster because of the Rider, I realized something. Sooner or later, that will be me. Sooner or later, I''ll want to burn the sin out of this world too. And I would justify all that suffering with their names. I would say, I did it because of my daughter and wife. And that would soil their memory. Before I get there...I need to go. "Ring, can you find out where they''re keeping the Martian Manhunter?" I requested, floating down the building. (Hacking satellite feeds and intercepting communications. Nationwide scan initiated) "How long will this take?" (Unknown) "Just tell me when you find him. And hurry up, we don''t have all day." In the meantime, I stopped before the window to the third floor, where Selina in a robe, was seated before a mirror, applying make up. I''d bent the light around me, using the ring to turn myself invisible. I didn''t want her to see me. Not after our last argument. "It''s not the way I wanted to do this but...thanks for everything Selina. I''ll miss you." My fingers trailed down the glass window. (Martian Manhunter is being held at Iron Heights penitentiary, Keystone City) "Good job. Let''s go get my butler." I ascended, leaving Gotham. Though, I''d be back 20 minutes later. (General P.O.V) -Central City- They''d lost. Incredibly so. Captain Atom was missing, Batman was out of commission- after almost destroying the world and The Leaguers were butthurt that a villain had been the one to stop him. The worst part of it all? Constantine was dead. Killed by one of their own. Possessed or not, Barry knew Bruce had to be taking it hard. It was a failure on all levels. All the Flash could do right now was focus on securing his city. He was patrolling the streets following a fight with Captain Cold, when the news came in. According to Cisco, Iron heights had been raided and Manhunter taken. The Flash immediately zoomed off. In a few seconds he was in Iron Heights, stopping in front of Manhunter''s open cell. Instead of the Martian, a different occupant was laid on the single bed. "Atom?" Barry muttered. -Gotham- "Welcome back J''onn." Michael, aglow with a yellow aura, hang above Wayne Enterprises. Coiled around his neck was a green viper. It''s thin tongue slipped out and tasted the air. "Itss good to be by your sside once again, master Michael." "Just Michael, remember?" He corrected, remarking, "And I couldn''t leave you behind, J''onn. As a matter of fact, I''ll be leaving this world and I''m hoping you''ll come with me." "I''ll follow you to hell and back." J''onn immediately replied. "Good. I don''t sense doubt or hesitation in your words." Michael said with a contented smile. "However, I need you to understand, I don''t know where we''ll end up. If you''re still keen on coming with, then help me handle some unfinished business." "Anything for you." "Scan the entire city, country, globe...every mind until you find me the Joker." The Viper''s eyes glowed green. A psionic field rippled out with them as the center, invisible tethers of mental energy invading every mind in Gotham. It only took a minute and not even half of the city, for J''onn to locate a mind filled with chaos and laughter. A mind that was broken beyond reason yet fully intact. "I found him."J''onn stated, shuddering in revulsion. "Like a black hole of Anti-reason. A clock that ticks the wrong direction. He''s in an acid factory at the outskirts of the city." J''onn sent the directions into his mind. Michael''s eyes narrowed. It was time, time for his revenge. "Let''s not keep him waiting." Chapter 18: Times Up, Joker part 2/2. (General P.O.V) Inside Gotham¡¯s decaying acid factory, the air was thick with the stench of chemicals and fear. The Joker¡¯s maniacal laughter echoed, piercing through the dim, flickering light. Twenty hostages ¡ª women and children ¡ª were bound on a platform suspended over vats of boiling green acid. Some of the children sobbed quietly, their faces pale with terror. Joker paced in front of them, twirling a rusted crowbar in his hand, talking to someone only he could hear. "Hehehehe...I''ll be nearly unstoppable, huh?" he muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming. From the shadows, Harley Quinn watched him warily, sucking on a lollipop. A frown tugged at her lips. ''Puddin''s officially lost it,'' she thought to herself, seeing him muttering to no one. Suddenly, Joker spun on his heel, eyes bright with madness. An action that sent a fresh wave of terror through the hostages. "Ahhh, Gotham¡¯s finest! Don¡¯t look so glum!" He threw his arms wide, laughing manically. "It¡¯s not every day you get to be part of something so...magnificent!" Harley hesitated, biting her lip as she stared at the lever beside her. One she was supposed to pull. "Ya sure about this, Puddin¡¯? A voice in your head? This feels... different. Even for us." Joker shot her a wild-eyed grin. "Different? HA! That¡¯s the point!" He hopped up onto a railing, crowbar clattering to the ground. "I¡¯ve danced with the Bat for years! But this... this will make me more than a man. I¡¯ll be a demon, Harls. A high-ranking one at that! He upgraded to a flaming skeleton ya see? And I want a makeover too!" His eyes gleamed with excitement. "All it takes is a few innocent ''yuck'' souls, and Gotham will be ours." Harley clutched her mallet, shifting nervously. "But what if you¡¯re wrong? What if you¡¯re lettin¡¯ some voice lead you down a road you don¡¯t come back from?" she whispered. Joker¡¯s smile dropped. He stepped closer to her, his voice cold. "Harley, shut up and do the thing." Her fingers trembled as she wrapped them around the lever. She had seen Joker mad before, but this? There was something manic behind his eyes. Still, she couldn¡¯t refuse him. "Anything for you, Puddin''," she muttered, pulling the lever to drop the hostages. Before the platform could plunge them into the acid, the factory¡¯s doors exploded open. Fiery chains ripped through the entrance, snapping taut around the lever and holding it in place. Harley yelped. The temperature increased. A figure cloaked in flame and darkness stepped through the smoke ¡ª the Ghost Rider. His skull blazed with an unholy blue fire, chains rattling around his leather body. Joker blinked, momentarily stunned. "Batsy! You made it! And look at you, all dressed up in your fancy new duds!" He waved toward the hostages. "You¡¯re just in time for the grand finale!" The Ghost Rider said nothing, walking toward them with terrifying purpose. His boots crunched against the shattered glass and metal littering the floor. Joker¡¯s grin faltered. "What¡¯s the matter, Batsy? Lose your voice in the whole ¡®deal with the devil¡¯ bit?" He taunted, stepping closer. "Well? Say something, or did you go dumb after you became the Ghost Rider?" The Ghost Rider stopped inches from Joker, his voice rumbling like thunder. "I''M NOT BATMAN." Joker¡¯s face twisted in confusion. "Wait, WHAT?" He laughed nervously. "Not Batman? Impossible. A little birdie told me you switched up and I gotta say, digging the new look." Leaning in he tapped the Rider''s chest, "By the way, hats off to you, for getting rid of the last guy. Who''d he think he was, strutting around ''our city'' like a barbecue gone wrong? Jeez, some people have no manners."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Ghost Rider didn¡¯t flinch. He simply reached out, his flaming hand melting the lever Harley had pulled into a slag, fully preventing the hostages from falling. Joker¡¯s eyes widened. "No, no! You can¡¯t just come in here and ruin my party Batsy! You''re supposed to wait for me to level up too!" His voice cracked. Before he could react further, Ghost Rider¡¯s chain whipped around Joker¡¯s wrist, searing his flesh. "What are you doing!" Joker screeched, trying to pull free. The Rider lifted him effortlessly, bringing him face to face with the burning skull. Green gas sprayed out of Joker''s tie, right on the Rider''s face. "How''s that Batman?! A little surprise I''ve been cooking up. Inspired in part by Scarecrow! It will drive you mad with fear and crack you apart with laughter! Hahahaha- Wait why is not working?" The laugh ceased. "YOU THINK YOU KNOW MADNESS," Ghost Rider growled. "BUT ALL YOU WILL KNOW IS FEAR." "That''s not in the script. You''re supposed to be freaking out! It''s not fair! Lemme go! Lemme go!" The Joker desperately struggled against the hold on him. "Leave my puddin alone, Flame head!" Harley yelled out, smashing the mallet onto the Rider''s skull. Wooden chips flew out as the oversized weapon shattered. Harley meeped once the Ghost Rider turned her way, releasing the Joker to crumple to the floor. "HARLEY QUINN, YOU ARE JUST AS GUILTY AS HE IS. YOU TOO WILL BE PUNISHED." Harley barely said a word when her shoulders were suddenly grabbed, and the Rider subjected her to a full powered Penance Stare. She screamed with great agony, eyes burning away with the glare of hellfire. Her body dropped, lifeless, holes where the eyes had been. The factory fell silent with shock. Joker stared at her body mutedly. Clutching his wrist, his breath became ragged. A trace of sanity appeared in his eyes and he turned his head up, "Youre not Batman. He never kills. Who... who the hell are you?" he whispered, barely audible. The rider''s form disappeared, leaving behind Michael, dressed in the same clothes he was wearing, when the Joker and Harley had visited him and his family. When they''d beat him up and made him watch... Back then, Michael''s face had been struck with horror and pain. But right now, as he loomed over the man he hated more than anything, Michael was grinning. Grinning so wide, it threatened to tear his face in two. "Who am I? I''m...REVENGE." -Michael''s P.O.V- The stench of chemicals and rust, the grinding sound of mechanical parts, J''onn''s scales rubbing across my neck, the dirty lighting... I focused on everything else around me, but the Women and Children hostages. Because thinking about them, about what he had been planning to do to them...would make me lose every semblance of control and destroy him right where he stood. Revenge is best served cold. And the Rider''s flames, stoked by my hatred and anger were not appropriate for this particular dish. No, the Joker was not going to die so easily. "Revenge?" He chuckled a little, dragging himself onto unsteady feet. "That''s what this is about? So who did I kill? Or maim or irreversibly scar? Who did I take from you?" His slimy words dripped with nauseaus saccharine. "Was it a brother, parents? No no no...its someone more precious." My jaw tightened and my smile dropped a little. It didn''t go unnoticed. "Ah-ah! A lover then!" He snapped his fingers and pointed my way. I promised myself I would break them. "Look, buddy-o, you killed Harls. Can''t we just call it even and be friends? We can terrorize the city together. You just have to unmelt the lever, and look away as I drop these twenty women and children into a vat of acid to die horrible deaths, and in return you get to have a demon bestie. What do you say?" "You sure about making a deal with a Demon?" I rubbed my chin, as if thinking about it. "But of course! One man''s Demon is another clown''s Best friend forever!" "Mmmh, tempting, very tempting offer. But now I''m sure you don''t remember me at all. If you did...you''d realize, my Dead Wife and Daughter are looking down right now, as I take revenge on the one who killed them. And they don''t expect me to simply end you, Joker, I am going to Terrorize you." "Oh crap." He took a step back and tried to run away while calling for someone to ''help him like they had agreed'' It made me snicker in mirth, turning into a Yellow Lantern, while J''onn went to evacuate the hostages. Joker had a good knowledge of the layout and made quick turns as I chased after him, not too close but never too far for him to see the yellow light glowing behind. "No one''s coming for youuu." I projected my voice through the abandoned factory, the sound echoing off the walls. "Let''s talk about this!" He yelled, voice followed by the blast of gunfire as I rounded up a corner. His bleached face fell as the bullets bounced off my body, flattening against the yellow aura. Without hesitation, he was off fleeing again. "Not Batman, not the devil and certainly not God. No one will save you from me today." He took an elevator up, leading to the top floor, while I followed through the shute, melting a hole through the floor. Emily and Sara rose through the hole as yellow constructs. "Judgement is here for you..." "N-no...no! Stay back! You''re dead!" Joker lashed out with a knife but the blade merely passed through them. The elevator doors opened and he stumbled out in a desperate run onto the roof of the factory. Only to stop as he reached the end of the rooftop. The ground below was several feet away. A guaranteed death if he jumped. """You can run, but not from us.""" The wind around him whispered with his victim''s voices, the memories copied from Joker''s mind into my own by Martian Manhunter. "S-Shut up! Shut your holes! Let me be!!" He raved like a mad man, tearing out his own hair. "I killed you! I killed all of you and I loved it! Is that what you want to hear..?" "No. I just want you to experience the terror of being hunted. The despair of knowing you''re the prey. And the freezing fear once you abandon all hope of living." Wide eyes turned to the sky, at my descending form. "I- I''m so scared...why am I so afraid?!" The Joker muttered in a shaky voice, staring at his trembling hands, "W- what did you do to me??!" "Finally noticed it huh?" When J''onn was inside his mind, I had him tweak something major. "I took away your Insanity. Didn''t want you using it as an excuse for your crimes. You know what they say about excuses right? They''re like assholes, everyone has one and they stink." My reveal sent him into a frenzy. "No! Give it back! G-give it back!!" He tried to claw at me, but a punch to the belly bent him to the ground. My foot stepped on his head, grinding his face onto the roof. "Behave yourself. We haven''t even started yet." "I don''t want to die- Pl-please...I''m sorry..." A cloud of fear emanated off his body, rising up for my ring to greedily devour. All that took a backseat in lieu of my disbelief. "Huh? You''re begging?..." "M-mercy...I won''t do it agai-" A kick dug into his side, cutting him off and cracking his ribs. Suddenly I was beating the shit out of the Joker. Shattering bones, pulping flesh under my fists, coating myself with blood...only maintaining enough sense to not kill him. "DIDNT YOU HEAR ME BEG YOU TO SPARE THEM?! DID YOU SHOW THEM MERCY??! NO! YOU DESTROYED OUR FAMILY! I NEVER DID ANYTHING TO YOU! WHY??! WHY?! WHHHHHHYYYY???!" My breath came out harsh, now on my knees before a pile of meat in a blood stained purple mess. "An -huff- Answer me Joker..." "It''s over Michael, He''s dead." J''onn said from my back. I hadn''t even noticed his arrival. ''Dammit, I thought I held back...'' "No, It''s not over J''onn." I shook my head, changing my eyes into the Rider''s soul gaze. Above the corpse, Joker''s spirit rose into the air, pulled by an invisible black portal that gave off a dark and fiery sensation. A gate to hell. "He''s mine." I growled, the Hope-Eater construct appearing between the ominous portal and swallowing Joker''s soul. A powerful presence rippled out of the portal, putting pressure on me, but I turned into the Ghost Rider and pushed back. "DON''T MAKE ME REPEAT MYSELF. HE''S MINE TO PUNISH." The presence trembled at my words and then retreated; along with the portal. My vengeance was done. But the punishment had just begun. For as long as I lived, the Joker''s soul would suffer a never ending torment. And in case you didn''t know, The Ghost Rider is Immortal. (Ghost Rider Template progress: 80%) -0- Arc 1- Complete. Next: Marvel!