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Chapter 310: Doomsday
"I don't agree."
The old butler, Alfred, walked up to Batman and said firmly.
Batman said, "I thought you supported me in finding myself. You were the one who first said I haven't been myself lately."
"That's only because I was worried, Young Master," Alfred said. "You weren't acting normally. I was concerned for your safety, worried that there might be some conspiracy behind it, just as no parent would ever want to see their child get hurt.
But your memories? With all due respect, Young Master... I'm not sure you need them to become better."
Superman and Wonder Woman exchanged a glance and said nothing, tactfully stepping aside.
This was clearly a family matter. They might be Batman's only close friends (though they couldn't remember it themselves right now), but they both understood this was not their place to intervene.
"What do you mean?" Batman frowned. "In my current state, I'm completely incapable of handling this work. I've lost my experience, my skills. You should know, I almost didn't make it back alive today."
"But is it possible that you never needed that kind of experience in the first place, Young Master? Perhaps from the very beginning, no one in this world should have had to bear that?" Alfred said agitatedly.
"Listen to me, Bruce, even though you never used to listen... Batman was born from the terrified scream of a boy in an alley. His mission, everything he does for others, is all built upon the suffering of that child—the child I have watched over as if he were my own.
My entire life has been spent trying in vain to ignite a spark of light in that boy's heart, never giving up on any glimmer of hope. Even though I knew there was a high probability that he had died in that alley long ago, that the only one to survive was the avenger known as Batman... I just couldn't give up. I always fantasized that I could find the boy named Bruce Wayne in there somewhere.
And right now, this is the closest I've ever been. Though I've been worried these past few days, afraid that what happened to you was another plot against Batman, at the same time, watching you live like an ordinary person... that was the closest my dream has ever come to reality.
The you I have waited my whole life for is the you right now. Without the trauma of Crime Alley, without a mission, just you... the man you were supposed to be.
Why can't we just continue like this? Why can't you see this as a gift... a chance for you to finally find salvation from that long nightmare, to let all of this go, to pretend there is nothing beneath Wayne Manor, and to live like a normal person, just... just like yourself."
The old man began to sob without realizing it, until he could barely string a complete sentence together.
But he never got to finish.
It was as if it were all preordained. Alfred felt as though he were facing the great torrent of fate, watching his most beloved child be swallowed up, powerless.
Batman was silent for a moment, then took off his cowl, his blue eyes meeting the old man's.
"You know I have to do this."
The moment his memories as Batman returned would mean the death of Bruce Wayne.
The old man was choked with sobs. "But I can't... How can I watch you die all over again?"
"But I know now. I know that I am Batman," Bruce said softly. "So even without the memories, without the skills, you know that when something happens, I will still put on the cape, just as I did today. I can't just turn around and walk away."
Alfred was silent for a long time.
Then, he let out a soft sigh.
"You are... correct."
Bruce extended his arms and hugged the old man tightly.
"But you should know, no matter what, what you mean to me will never change."
"I know," the old man said softly.
After the hug, Bruce put his cowl back on and turned to face the others.
"I'm ready. Do it. We need to know what happened."
The Old Wizard chanted a spell, and the crystal emitted a faint violet glow. The memory crystal levitated into the air, ancient runes drifting within a chaotic, swirling purple light.
The three of them stared at the radiant light, their eyes widening involuntarily. A massive amount of information, countless images, surged through their minds like a current, flooding them with their lost memories.
"I remember," Superman murmured. "Yes, that's right. I'm a Kryptonian. I'm... Jonathan and Martha's child. I grew up on the farm..."
Wonder Woman's eyes also glowed with a faint violet light. "My name is Diana Prince, Princess of Paradise Island, here to spread peace..."
Batman: "...I am Batman."
Concise and to the point.
"..."
The storm of magic dissipated. The three of them panted slightly, to varying degrees, having seemingly reclaimed their lost memories.
"Uh... is everyone okay?" Kara asked tentatively.
"We're fine, Kara," Superman said with a smile, waving his hand. "And I think we all remember what happened."
"Yeah. We were set up," Batman said in a low voice.
"Lex Luthor broke out of prison, and he's made some new friends."
"Luthor drew our attention, leaving us unprepared for his ally's sneak attack... that memory-loss spell stole our identities," Diana said, gritting her teeth.
"The witch... Circe."
Dressed in a long magical robe, Circe stood by a massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the dazzling, decadent city.
"It seems they've found themselves," Circe said softly.
"To be expected."
Lex Luthor's voice came from within the room.
He walked out slowly, not in his heavy suit of armor this time, but in a "simple" custom-tailored suit. He sat down languidly in an armchair, his smooth head reflecting the incandescent glow.
"After all... they aren't the type to give up easily, especially when it comes to finding out who they are," Luthor said leisurely.
Circe clicked her tongue, seeming somewhat displeased that her spell had been broken, and said no more.
"But it doesn't matter. That was just an attempt. If they don't even know who they are when we defeat them, the fun would be greatly diminished..."
Luthor sneered.
"Are you so confident, Luthor?"
A raspy voice sounded from the back of the room.
"You should know, after all... that's the Justice League."
"Oh, of course. You should have faith in us—not just in me—Deathstroke," Luthor smiled. "After all, our team came together for this very purpose...
This Legion of Doom!"
(end of chapter)
"I don't agree."
The old butler, Alfred, walked up to Batman and said firmly.
Batman said, "I thought you supported me in finding myself. You were the one who first said I haven't been myself lately."
"That's only because I was worried, Young Master," Alfred said. "You weren't acting normally. I was concerned for your safety, worried that there might be some conspiracy behind it, just as no parent would ever want to see their child get hurt.
But your memories? With all due respect, Young Master... I'm not sure you need them to become better."
Superman and Wonder Woman exchanged a glance and said nothing, tactfully stepping aside.
This was clearly a family matter. They might be Batman's only close friends (though they couldn't remember it themselves right now), but they both understood this was not their place to intervene.
"What do you mean?" Batman frowned. "In my current state, I'm completely incapable of handling this work. I've lost my experience, my skills. You should know, I almost didn't make it back alive today."
"But is it possible that you never needed that kind of experience in the first place, Young Master? Perhaps from the very beginning, no one in this world should have had to bear that?" Alfred said agitatedly.
"Listen to me, Bruce, even though you never used to listen... Batman was born from the terrified scream of a boy in an alley. His mission, everything he does for others, is all built upon the suffering of that child—the child I have watched over as if he were my own.
My entire life has been spent trying in vain to ignite a spark of light in that boy's heart, never giving up on any glimmer of hope. Even though I knew there was a high probability that he had died in that alley long ago, that the only one to survive was the avenger known as Batman... I just couldn't give up. I always fantasized that I could find the boy named Bruce Wayne in there somewhere.
And right now, this is the closest I've ever been. Though I've been worried these past few days, afraid that what happened to you was another plot against Batman, at the same time, watching you live like an ordinary person... that was the closest my dream has ever come to reality.
The you I have waited my whole life for is the you right now. Without the trauma of Crime Alley, without a mission, just you... the man you were supposed to be.
Why can't we just continue like this? Why can't you see this as a gift... a chance for you to finally find salvation from that long nightmare, to let all of this go, to pretend there is nothing beneath Wayne Manor, and to live like a normal person, just... just like yourself."
The old man began to sob without realizing it, until he could barely string a complete sentence together.
But he never got to finish.
It was as if it were all preordained. Alfred felt as though he were facing the great torrent of fate, watching his most beloved child be swallowed up, powerless.
Batman was silent for a moment, then took off his cowl, his blue eyes meeting the old man's.
"You know I have to do this."
The moment his memories as Batman returned would mean the death of Bruce Wayne.
The old man was choked with sobs. "But I can't... How can I watch you die all over again?"
"But I know now. I know that I am Batman," Bruce said softly. "So even without the memories, without the skills, you know that when something happens, I will still put on the cape, just as I did today. I can't just turn around and walk away."
Alfred was silent for a long time.
Then, he let out a soft sigh.
"You are... correct."
Bruce extended his arms and hugged the old man tightly.
"But you should know, no matter what, what you mean to me will never change."
"I know," the old man said softly.
After the hug, Bruce put his cowl back on and turned to face the others.
"I'm ready. Do it. We need to know what happened."
The Old Wizard chanted a spell, and the crystal emitted a faint violet glow. The memory crystal levitated into the air, ancient runes drifting within a chaotic, swirling purple light.
The three of them stared at the radiant light, their eyes widening involuntarily. A massive amount of information, countless images, surged through their minds like a current, flooding them with their lost memories.
"I remember," Superman murmured. "Yes, that's right. I'm a Kryptonian. I'm... Jonathan and Martha's child. I grew up on the farm..."
Wonder Woman's eyes also glowed with a faint violet light. "My name is Diana Prince, Princess of Paradise Island, here to spread peace..."
Batman: "...I am Batman."
Concise and to the point.
"..."
The storm of magic dissipated. The three of them panted slightly, to varying degrees, having seemingly reclaimed their lost memories.
"Uh... is everyone okay?" Kara asked tentatively.
"We're fine, Kara," Superman said with a smile, waving his hand. "And I think we all remember what happened."
"Yeah. We were set up," Batman said in a low voice.
"Lex Luthor broke out of prison, and he's made some new friends."
"Luthor drew our attention, leaving us unprepared for his ally's sneak attack... that memory-loss spell stole our identities," Diana said, gritting her teeth.
"The witch... Circe."
Dressed in a long magical robe, Circe stood by a massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the dazzling, decadent city.
"It seems they've found themselves," Circe said softly.
"To be expected."
Lex Luthor's voice came from within the room.
He walked out slowly, not in his heavy suit of armor this time, but in a "simple" custom-tailored suit. He sat down languidly in an armchair, his smooth head reflecting the incandescent glow.
"After all... they aren't the type to give up easily, especially when it comes to finding out who they are," Luthor said leisurely.
Circe clicked her tongue, seeming somewhat displeased that her spell had been broken, and said no more.
"But it doesn't matter. That was just an attempt. If they don't even know who they are when we defeat them, the fun would be greatly diminished..."
Luthor sneered.
"Are you so confident, Luthor?"
A raspy voice sounded from the back of the room.
"You should know, after all... that's the Justice League."
"Oh, of course. You should have faith in us—not just in me—Deathstroke," Luthor smiled. "After all, our team came together for this very purpose...
This Legion of Doom!"
(end of chapter)
