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“You can’t give up, dear one. Not yet. This city needs you.”

The familiar deep voice echoed out from the black orb, the calming cadence beckoning to me. I looked around at my new surroundings, unsure of where I was. Standing in nothingness, the void around me burned with orange, releasing hues of red that clashed with the world and swirled like an apocalyptic sky. Besides the familiar voice, my surroundings hummed with what sounded like a gentle wind, vibrating with a peace that eased my pain. Moments ago, I was enduring a gruesome beating from the Joker that would most likely claim my life. When my eyes closed, I was suddenly transported here in this vast unknown, bursting with the colors of dying sunlight. Beginning to assume the worst, my head kept spinning with confusion and worry.

I looked back to the floating black orb, still dazed by the sudden change of scenery. The object spoke again, in tranquil, somber tones.

“You brave girl… I am so sorry. So much has been thrust upon you. So much you don’t understand…”

Questions began to circle my head. The only logical explanation for where I was plagued me, as a critical question left my lips.

“A-Am I dead?”

Still processing everything, I looked at my hands, only to be shocked when I saw no wounds. As if the nightmare I had endured this night never happened, my pale hands bore nothing of concern when earlier they had sustained great damage.

What was happening? I couldn’t help but think as I looked at my hands in surprise.

The tranquil voice spoke up again, coming from the black orb in front of me. Shadows danced around the ominous floating object, as it came closer to me. Part of me wanted to run from it, unsure of what it could be. Something in me felt drawn to it, however, as its presence was anything but foreign. Something I’ve felt all my life.

“Not yet, dear one. You still live. But not for long, not if you don’t save yourself… And listen.”

Relief washed over me when I heard I had yet to die, calming me further as I stood in the burning void. I stared up at the dark orb, watching it float closer to me. Its voice drew me in, nurturing me with its words of comfort. Still dazed, I asked another question to the strange orb directly.

“W-Where am I then?”

“Your consciousness. I was able to pull you into the depths of your own mind. Where we could speak, face to face without limit. At last… So much I have to tell you, but we haven’t much time.”

Shock began to fade away, and when my head became clearer I realized that I’d known this voice all my life. The way it spoke, the way it called me ‘dear one,’ like it had been since I was a girl. Panic started to rise within my soul, understanding now what was in front of me, seeing it for the first time.

Somehow, I was staring directly at the monster inside of me.

“It’s you…”

I whispered out, my eyes widening with fear as the orb now resided directly in front of me.

“Be still. It is me, but I mean you no harm. All this time… I’ve never meant to cause you harm. You were only a child. Misguided… Cursed… But I am no demon. I don’t have to be…”

I stood silently, listening to its words. Despite the comfort the voice brought, I still shook with uncertainty. It stung to hear my monster claim that they never meant harm, as that’s all they have caused. The pain, the doubt, the guilt. All of it stemmed from this thing attached to me.

I spoke up, looking up at the shadowed orb, emotions erupting.

“H-How could you have not meant harm? You caused me to… to do everything I’ve done. You were everything wrong with my life… Why-”

Gently, the monster interrupted me, speaking softly as if his words waved a white flag of ceasefire.

“There is much you don’t understand, dear one. I was never the cause. Only an instrument… You were an innocent soul, tossed into the fray of this fate. I tried all I could to warn you. Once upon a time, you heard my voice. But as you grew, I was quieted. Your fear was my silencer. And it was your downfall, dear one. You let it mislead you. Misguide you…”

I inhaled sharply hearing the being’s words. Confusion and pain kept vibrating throughout my own being, ripping me apart. I wanted to yell and scream, but a different desire rose up above all others. I asked my burning question, wanting to get to the bottom of this life-long mystery. The mystery that plagued me since my beginning. The hows and whys of this thing could wait. I needed to know something much more important.

“Who… are you?”

I spoke, looking at the orb. Shadows continued to flicker around its being, smoke encasing the round entity.

“I am called Mortis. Once known as the Deathbringer. In mortal stories, I was named the ferryman of souls.”

“Deathbringer? What does that mean? What are you?”

I asked, still trying to uncover the truth.

“I am not human, yes, but you have already deduced that, dear one. When life first breathed her seeds into this world, I came to be as well. Created alongside others to represent and uphold mortal nature. Safeguarding it. Keeping the balance, preventing the tipping of the scales, I was chosen to ensure everything had an end. I was chosen to safeguard the human cycle of death, and to deliver souls to their next stages after their life was finished.”

I could feel my insides contort with perplextion, as the nonsensical explanation left the floating being. After the being spoke, I couldn’t help but scoff in disbelief at its words.

“What are you saying? I don’t… I don’t understand!”

“Where there is a beginning for mortal life, there is an end. I am there to ensure the end comes. I am the death that comes to claim those whose time on this plane is complete.”

“That doesn’t make any sense! How are you even here, if you’re what you say you are? How can I believe you?”

I couldn’t help but exclaim, looking away from the orb in frustration. A silence filled us for a moment, and after those brief moments, it was as if I could feel the hand inside of me again, reaching out. A gesture on the orbs' behalf. As if I could feel the orb’s emotions, I could feel it wanted to give me space to comprehend what it was telling me. As it stated before, however, time was of the essence. There was no time to waste. It told me I was dying, and if I didn’t help myself soon, it would be too late.

“I am not here to deceive you, dear one. Whatever I must do to earn your trust, I shall do it. But… It would be better to show you how I came to be a part of you.”

The wind in my ears grew, picking up in the void as the world continued to swirl with burning colors. I looked the orb up and down, studying the anomaly. Even though this strange place felt like a dream, I could tell it was the furthest thing from. Somehow, I was in my own mind, standing in front of the monster that resided inside of me. Even though the revelation that my monster could be a personification of death seemed farfetched, a deep feeling within me brought me a probability that I dreaded.

The probability that the orb was who he claimed to be.

A silence filled the void, before the orb, who called himself Mortis, spoke again.

“Know it wasn’t my choice, dear one. It wasn’t my choice to deliver this fate unto anyone. I am cursed… As are you.”

“Cursed how?”

I managed to spit out, coldly. I could feel my emotions start to get the better of me again. Suddenly, a cloud of smoke burst from the orb. I took a step back, unsure of what to make of it. Slowly, the cloud started to form shapes, taking the form finally of a figure of a man lying on a bed. As if I were watching a puppet show made of shadows, I peered into the scene. The shadowed shape of a black circle appeared above the man. My eyes widened as I watched the man begin to ascend toward the orb.

Mortis spoke softly, recounting his story as the cloud of smoke continued to show me the scene.

“Understanding why means understanding my story. When I came to be, I was eager. To do my duty, and keep the balance. As there is life, so there shall be me. But I was not renowned for what I do…”

The black smoke faded, creating another scene. This time, it showed a collective of figures standing by a gloomy gravestone. I could tell by the shadowed figures’ mannerisms they were all upset, shaking their fists and heads at the orb above, which had just taken their loved one away.

“To bring the end… to be the Deathbringer… means to be hated. Despised, feared, and cursed by those who live, and spited by those I came for. I, in my ignorance, grew bitter. Bitter towards those I ultimately served.”

The shadows faded, showing a new setting. Amongst black clouds, a cloaked figure stood tall above an ancient castle. Despite the shadows that made him, his eyes glowed a bright white, staring into the castle with a venomous look. The ominous figure in the black smoke cast his shadowed finger out towards the castle. The black clouds then began to surround the castle, smothering it in darkness. As I peered into the scene, I could hear faint screams and tortured, mournful cries coming from the display. Worry began to fill me as I watched the castle begin to crumble to the ground, figures of shadow running around in chaotic panic. The shadows disolved to showcase another sight, displaying a mass grave. Two figures tossed a deceased man into a hole already piling up with bodies. When the deed was done, the two shadowed gravediggers began to fill the hole, encasing the lifeless in darkness forevermore.

Mortis spoke again in his ethereal voice, regretfully recounting what he had done.

“In my anger, I devised a plan. If I was to be a villain amongst humankind, I would give them one. I brought upon them all a plague. One that almost toppled many a civilization. Collecting their souls, I felt vindicated for how I had been treated. I lost sense of who I was, and what I was supposed to protect. The Deathbringer, once prideful to serve humanity, had been the very one to tip the scales…”

The shadows changed again, to showcase what looked to be the cloaked figure on his knees, in front of three larger and brighter figures. The figures of light pointed judging hands at the cloaked man as if to condemn the dark figure for his misdeeds. A burst of light erupted from all three of their hands, casting out the shadows around the cloaked man, which sent him spiraling down.

“I was tried by the Three… The one all of my kind bow down to… Condemned for unfairly interfering with mortal fates. I had brought discord and chaos to the Earth, almost ending life as we know it. And because of my crimes, I was deemed too dangerous to be left unchecked. I needed to be… diluted-”

Once again, the black smoke coming from the floating orb changed, shifting and distorting until it showed the cloaked figure falling toward the ground. On shadowed grassy plains, the cloaked figure fell down towards an army of soldiers marching into battle. Despite the shadows, their armor shimmered in my eyes. I could hear the faint sounds of war drums pounding as the dark, smoke-like soldiers marched toward their destination. The cloaked figure of death plummeted down until it collided with a soldier on the front lines, causing him to collapse. I watched as the cloaked figure began to disappear into the soldier, his eyes and nostrils filling with black smoke. It seemed as if the soldier began to absorb the cloaked figure, to his confusion. Mortis spoke again, this time quietly as his whispered words carried a somber tone.

“It was decreed that I’d be bound with a human soul, and would continue to join with chosen souls until I had learned to value the importance of life and fate in their cycles. Their mortal ties to the Earth would be my prison, keeping me from fully escaping, or causing more harm. I could not use my abilities, so long as a mortal soul remained tethered to me. It started with a young soldier, off to fight a war demanded by his mad king, who wrongfully blamed my pestilence on neighboring countries. I had… become merged with the man. He tied to me, and I to him. Unable to separate, despite both of our insistences. Though, he believed it would not last, as he believed his death would be on the battlefield. That is when we discovered-”

The shadows shifted again, showcasing a bloody war. Bodies made of black smoke surrounded the scene, littered with chaotic imagery. The soldier from before swung a sword at an assailant, in an effort to defend himself. He struck down the assailant, but not before more appeared to overwhelm him. Just as the enemy soldiers brought the fighter to his knees, I watched in shock as shadows then proceeded to overtake the soldier. Within seconds, shadows had engulfed him, leaving only a monster, with glowing white eyes peering into the petrified souls of his enemies. The familiarity of the sight made me look at the orb in disbelief, whipping my head over when I saw myself in the soldier. Every time I changed, I had looked exactly like how this soldier had, with shadows taking over my body, only leaving white, haunting eyes. I could feel a cold sensation overtake me as I began to understand more of what was being said to me.

“-that those I was cursed to bind with could… share my abilities… As if being bound to me meant I had given them my power. One tied to death would receive death’s tidings, it seemed. Only, I had no control over how those tidings would be used…”

The scene shifted again, displaying the victorious soldier being celebrated by his fellow army, and praised by the king he knelt before. The shadowed crown glinted in the orange light of the world, and when it did, I could see the same glint in the shadowed eyes of the soldier. His expression shifted, and I could tell the soldier was plotting. Something had changed within him, and it was plain by his expression that something bad would happen. Shadows disappeared and reappeared again, this time forming the predictably gruesome scene. I stepped back in horror, watching as everything unfolded in front of me. The soldier, changed into his shadowed form, was holding the decapitated head of the king in his clawed hands. The bloody crown now sat atop the soldier’s head, showcasing a brutal takeover.

“No matter what I said, he was not dissuaded from this dark course. He had become a killer, drunk with the power he was bestowed. Despite my best efforts, I could not take it back. My abilities were no longer mine, it seemed and used for conquests of power. Luckily, the young man’s reign was short. But that only meant another would take the same path…”

Black smoke shifted once again, showcasing many events. The first was a woman, aboard a Viking ship. Their warcries shrieked through the void, disrupting the peaceful silence. The fearsome woman held up her axe in triumph before I watched her shift into a shadowed creature, with white eyes looking to the sea with vengeful eyes. The next to appear was a strongly built figure, changed to his shadowed form. His white eyes fixated on the village he had just burnt to the ground. The roaring fire raged, making other figures run in terror as the man watched. He took only a second before reappearing in front of the running crowd, dawning his claws to prevent their escape. The shadows cleared before he struck, saving me a terrible sight. When they changed again, the shadows shifted to showcase a figure in a top hat, chasing down a woman in Victorian-era clothes. Shadows engulfed the man, as he cornered the poor victim. With his white eyes glowing with murderous intent, he slashed down upon the woman with his shadowed claws, causing her to fall to the ground with a piercing scream.

Seeing the last scene caused me to physically recoil, watching in terror as these people like me committed atrocities. I watched as the clouds of smoke went from person to person, showcasing murders, mutinies, robberies, and other unspeakable crimes. Mortis spoke with each one, remorse spilling out over the lives he had seemingly been tied to.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“I had been bound to monsters in the making. Each pushed to kill by the curse of me. It didn’t matter what I said. Most learned to turn me away. Maidens turned to warlords, chiefs to tyrants, doctors to murderers. All with whispers in their ears from another… I learned to bow to their will, knowing that nothing would change this pattern. For millennia, those who were bound to me brought death and destruction. I grew resentful of humankind once again, seeing how easily crazed by power they were. I gave up on trying to tame them… Until you.”

When I heard his soft, kind voice, I turned once again to face the black orb. He continued on this time using the shadows to showcase a familiar story.

The shadows faded, revealing a man kneeling beside a crib. Items and toys were scattered around in the destroyed nursery that resided around him. The man’s shaking hand grabbed a nursery pillow on the ground, before firmly pushing it into the crib. An infant’s muffled cries echoed throughout the void we stood in, and my eyes widened at the sight. Panic began to set in, waiting anxiously for the result I knew would come. The baby’s cries ceased, and when they did, the disturbed man crawled away from the crib in silence, sitting in the corner of the destroyed nursery. I watched sorrowfully as the figure pulled a handgun from his belt. The man’s depressed panting and sobs were quiet but audible. He placed the handgun to his temple, and in a swift pull of the trigger, he toppled over dead.

I watched on, feeling distraught as I pieced together the puzzle. The scene that was playing on in front of me was my attempted murder, at the hands of my father. The young infant was silent for what felt like hours. The dead man in the corner slumped down further into the wall, a mess of shadowed blood spilling from him. I could feel the turmoil inside, watching everything unfold.

Sadness grew in me as I watched, but then my sadness turned to concern when I saw a familiar cloaked figure slowly fall into the crib. When the cloaked figure faded away into smoke, the infant in the crib began to cry again. As if life was breathed into the baby. Shortly after, I could hear the sounds of police and paramedics pounding on the door, only to enter as soon as the shadows disappeared into the crib.

Slowly, I turned toward the black orb in complete shock. The world around me began to spin with confusion as if every illusion of ignorance in me had shattered once and for all. Everything began sinking in all at once.

He was there, I thought. He was there since the beginning.

The voice in my head, this ancient being of death. He was with me since the bitter start. Each of us unable to be free, as he described. Panic began to arise in me when I thought back to Mortis’ previous lives. All the death, murder, and mayhem that they caused.

Was that who I was destined to become? I thought, with my eyes widening in horror. I looked to the being in black smoke, my voice shaking.

“I-I don’t want this! Please… I don’t want to be like them!”

“You don’t understand, dear one. You are different. You always have been-”

The black orb of shadow began to change, floating wildly around as it merged into something different. I watched with curiosity, looking on as the shadowed orb took the shape of a cloaked figure, with arms outstretched. My gaze had to travel upward, as the figure grew in size, towering above me. His eyes burned a bright white, like the center of a blazing sun, with shadowed hands lowering once he had changed. The figure knelt down on one knee to look upon me. I realized he looked exactly like the monster I was able to change into. Just like others before me.

Seeing him in this form only solidified the truth for me. Everything he told me was real.

“You warmed me, Sarah O’Harren. You were chosen in your infancy, a cruel work of fate… I assumed the worst for you. That you would grow to use my abilities for selfish, destructive reasons. If grown men and women alike before had failed to humble themselves, how could I expect a child to do so? But you… Your heart was pure. You only wanted a beautiful life. For yourself, and for others. As you grew, so did I… I vowed I would protect you from the fates of my other Bounds. I would only reach to you if you were endangered. Yet, in that house you endured so much… I couldn’t help, as being tied to your mortality limited me greatly. I tried my best to walk you through it all. It wasn’t until your life was in peril that fateful night with your mother that I knew I needed to teach you…”

I could feel the sensation of tears arise in me as he told me my story, yet none fell. Confusion swirled in me as he said his last line.

“When you changed for the first time… When you used my gifts.. it led her right to you. The very being I tried protecting you from.”

The story Mortis was telling me resonated with my mind, as the memory of my mother and her boyfriend’s murder arose.

The first time I changed, I thought.

The memory caused me to shake with uncertainty, trying to figure out what he meant. I closed my eyes for a moment, processing his voice. Its calm, low tone, bringing forth tranquility in me. As I forced myself to recount the night I killed my mother, I recounted my steps. Backwards, from when I killed them, until the moment where I first changed. The first time I felt that internal hand reach out for me. Then, I heard his voice, speaking to me. Telling me he would help me. Only, another voice followed. I could remember a second voice. Raspy, sharp, and menacing. The opposite of Mortis’. The tone of the second voice made me quickly open my eyes, as I remembered what it said.

Kill.

Revelations crashed into me, as I remembered all of the times I changed into my monster. Each time I had lost control, I heard the same voice. I had never differentiated the two until now. One, the voice of a male, calm and protective. The other voice was of an angry, threatening woman. Hissing orders and commands at me. Each time I had killed. From my mother and her lover to the girls in Alpena, it was there corrupting me. As if in a trance, led by fear and survival. Driven to kill.

“I-It wasn’t you? All this time…”

I managed to stutter out. The cloaked figure just shook his enormous head slowly, shadows emitting from him with each movement.

“No, dear one. It was always her in those dire moments, whispering for you to end them. Since the beginning… She whispers in the ears of mankind, convincing them to turn with bloodlust. Those with weaker hearts suffer her call. Every one of my bounds fell to her spell, unbothered to resist. Except you… The one who got away, so to speak. Instead of relishing in her murderous ideas, you tried to break free. You tried to be better.”

“What do you mean? Who is she?”

“Her name, as you’ve discovered, is Caedes. Known to my kind as the Bloodspiller. She is carnage personified. Empowered by mortal murder and bloodshed, it was she who deceived you all those years ago. She whose voice you would hear. She can be very… persuasive. She’s a cunning, ruthless creature. One who unfortunately set her sights on you… By no fault of yours, but instead my own.”

Mortis calmly explained my foe bitterly, trying to push back the guilt in his words. I could feel a dark feeling crawling throughout me. The recollection of the victims at my hands made every nerve within me turn to ice. Only now, instead of guilt, I felt used. That feeling in me when I killed my mother and her boyfriend, the urge to kill. It was never me. That disgusting disregard for human life in the showers of Alpena wasn’t my own. Instead, it was all the puppetmaster, and like a puppet, I was manipulated to slaughter. All these years I believed it was me and the monster I thought resided in me. I was able to resist it in later times, believing I had control over my framed demon, but one fact remained.

It wasn’t all my fault.

Curiously, I walked closer to Mortis, with an absolute determination to figure out the truth. Questions poured out of me like a waterfall, flowing out one by one.

“I need to know why… Why me? What does she gain by doing all of this? And why couldn’t you have stopped her if you knew she was persuading me?”

“I tried to protect you dear one, but you must understand… Caedes does not share my fate. She is unbound. Unchained. She may roam freely, and use her gifts willingly. Unlike her, I am in the prison of your flesh, unable to fully ward her off. And with my voice silenced inside you, I could not communicate this. Just like in all of my Bounds, I was helpless… I watched as she turned many onto a dark path, and was able to do nothing about it. She was always there, reaping the benefits. You see, as I mentioned before, she grows strong in the occurrence of a violent, murderous death. All my kind do when humans fulfill a certain aspect of nature. But, somehow, murders committed by my Bounds’ hands fuel her in a way that no other murder could. Almost as if my influence within them would make the bloodshed more potent, more powerful-”

Mortis froze, before continuing on, pointing an enormously gaunt, shadowed finger at me.

“-That is why she is after you. She craves that power now. At the point in time when you were a child, she discovered you. Helped you claim your first victims. But when you were put in isolation at Alpena, she knew she would soon be deprived. She tried to break you out, tried to push you to kill. When you did, she was satiated yet again. However, you chose to try and do good. Be a light in the darkness of this forsaken city… That is when she finally figured out what I had known to be true all your life- That your heart was, at its core, good- ”

I stared up at the large cloaked figure in shock, comprehending what he was telling me. He lowered his finger, and I watched as the shadows around him danced wickedly while he continued on.

“That is why she is after you. Eliminating you would mean I would pass to another chosen Bound. Another Bound she hopes to manipulate into feeding her bloodlust… with you gone, she no longer is starved for power.”

Mortis’ words began to sink in, as I finally understood why these lunatics were after me. Joker, Scarecrow, Candyman. They all were her pawns to get me out of the picture. Thinking about them, another question seeped into my mind. My eyes squinted in perplexion as I asked the cloaked figure.

“How did she bring back the Joker? And… if she wants me dead so badly, how come she can’t kill me herself?”

“The Bloodspiller holds dominion over murderers. She has a claim to them, in ways my kind does not yet know how. Yet, these abilities of hers are… troubling. We’ve yet to see them from her. Yet to understand them. When examining the undead killers after you, I was able to determine that they no longer had souls within them. Instead, just the essence of herself in all three…If I were to wager a guess on how I’d suggest that she used her power to somehow create an artificial life force within them. Soulless copies of who they once were before death. From what you’ve uncovered about your enemies, it seems Caedes handpicked only the most gruesome. Only now, they are twice as deadly, as the master they serve demands chaos…”

Mortis slowly turned his head away from me, smoke and shadows swirling with each movement of his like the flicker of a flame, slow yet sharp, bleeding black clouds into the surroundings. He looked down upon me again with glowing white eyes, speaking again as he did so

“As for Caedes herself… She is clever enough not to touch you directly. Hence why she’s resorted to this… derangement with the dead. The Three keep denying her a true spot amongst my kind. They refuse to recognize her - recognize bloodlust - as a vital part of mortal nature. In her conquest to prove her cause, she’s made tidal waves in blood. Yet, all of my kind have one sacred rule. Never to harm the mortal life we are connected to. Doing so would result in dire consequences, like my own punishment or worse. Many a time, Caedes has broken that rule, but does so with cunning methods. Doing so in a way where she is never the one holding the knife, so to speak. Always whispering in the ears of other mortals, giving them the push they need. She avoids detection and punishment from the Three by hiding behind mortals. That is why I surmise she has gone a step further resurrecting the depraved. So that she can keep coming after you time and time again. And by killing you so indirectly, she completes her task without risking her own existence. ”

Each word he spoke shone a light into the darkness of a mystery that plagued my existence since my first breath. Suddenly, the pieces came crashing together, and revelation after revelation continued to fall upon me, awakening me with a new understanding. His words no longer left me with questions, but instead ignited a flame within me.

All my life I was confused. Left to believe the being inside of me was a monster driving me to kill. Now, I came to realize only one monster was left to blame.

Caedes, the Bloodspiller.

“It was all her… She made me this way. She did this… She made me kill all of those people…”

I whispered out my words, almost in disbelief. Blame started to shift away from my own being, instead directing itself to the name Caedes. A shapeless being in my head, causing all of this havoc. My hatred began to rise, thinking of all of the poisonous, painful memories of blood and gore I had slashed my way into.

All of my blame came to a screeching halt, instead turning to shock when Mortis replied to my accusations.

“Not quite. Your first kills were coerced, yes. But not all of them were hers. She was not there during the slaughter of Johnathan Crane, dear one. She was not there for the one you call The Candyman, the night of his murder before the resurrection. That was unfortunately you, and you alone… Instead of bloodlust, you were driven a fear you let cloud your mind. Fear of me, and fear of the world around you. You operated under your survival instincts, only seeing the world as kill or be killed. That… was your downfall I’m afraid.”

His words were like a slap in the face to me. A cold hit of cruel reality. I inhaled sharply hearing those words, feeling a sense of dread and guilt coming back to haunt me. Even though I hated to admit so, Mortis was right. I don’t remember Caedes’ whispers to me the night I met Candyman and his crew on the fateful transfer to Arkham. The night I was dosed with fear toxin, the only voice I heard was Mortis, trying to aid me in my survival. Only I was too focused on that survival to heed his warnings. Pushing him down time after time because I believed him to be the monster. All along, there was no monster. It was all my own misunderstanding and fear that allowed my actions.

Emotions began to pile up within my being. I looked around at my burning orange surroundings, letting the realizations hit me again and again. While I had not been the catalyst, I had let the fear continue to drive me. The fear of dying left my perceptions warped, and it let me claim lives mercilessly. I couldn’t blame everything on Caedes. Some of it was my own guilt to bear.

Panic and sorrow washed over me like heavy waves, dragging me down into despair. Words spilled out of me, dreadfully pleading with the being in front of me.

“I-I can’t do this anymore… I can’t be here. I can’t continue to hurt people… Mortis, please… What do I do?”

“Be still, dear one. Steady your thoughts. Let me reveal the path and end the deception, once and for all…"

His words soothed me, preparing me for the truth. A truth I was finally ready to heed and understand. I closed my eyes, focusing all of my energy on what the Deathbringer spoke to me.

"Your fear stems from your belief you have no control, Sarah O’Harren. You’ve let the truth be denied to you for too long. You let others deceive you about who I am, and who you are. Others told you I was an animal inside of you, and because you believed in that lie, your fear spread, and only then did your control lessen. Yet, think about what you’ve accomplished tonight. Survival and mercy, all in one blow… Your trials should have left you with two outcomes. Death to yourself, or death to others. Yet instead, you fought to change your fate… You’ve faced the end time and time again this night, yet it never came. You’ve fought against the impulse to kill this night even though many an opportunity has presented itself. You have more control than you have ever realized. It’s time to stop believing otherwise, dear one. I am not your enemy. I, Deathbringer, am at your thrall, Sarah O’Harren. And as long as you believe in that, you have nothing to fear…”

Mortis’ wisdom rang in my ears, his conviction giving strength to my soul. With each sentence, my consciousness began to cleanse itself. My panic began to calm, like a storm coming to pass. I thought back to my mother and her lover, watching in my mind's eye as their bodies fell. Then thinking back to the girls in Alpena, I thought back to the memory the the monster I had become. I thought back to Candyman and his men all the way to Scarecrow and his thugs. With each body that fell into my head, I came to finally understand myself and this being in front of me.

It didn’t matter who was to blame. Whether it was Caedes whispering in my ear or not. Regardless, it was my fear and my weakness that caused their deaths. Either by giving into my fight or flight, or by listening to the venomous whispers of a being beyond my comprehension. I was the cause. I would continue to be the cause unless I finally took a stand against my fear.

The past didn't matter anymore. What mattered now was the stand I would take now that the truth was revealed to me.

A memory came into my mind’s eye once again, only this time instead of blood I saw bright colorful fire in the sky. Burst of fireworks, from the recollection of Fourth of July. The proud and hopeful expressions emitting from the crowd as the colors exploded into the night. The very same night that I had saved Lucius from Thomas Elliot. The same night he asked me to help protect the city.

The hostages then came into view, their hopeful faces once they had escaped their deaths lighting my eyes up. The way I had given them that hope made my heart ignite with the same feeling.

My mind then saw the faces of Sydney and Bill, their smiles flashing before me as the memories we made began pouring into my mind's eye. I could feel the sensation of tears begin welling up within my soul, yet none fell. Instead, I stood there, longing to see their faces yet again. Longing to come home to them. To show them I hadn't given up. I didn't understand until now, that they were my family. The very thing I missed as a child, I realized I had now.

My eyes opened, staring back into the being in front of me with unbreaking conviction. I had two choices, it was true. Only, they weren’t killed or be killed. It was instead fear, or hope. I had to make a choice then and there which one I would carry in my heart.

I understood now that everything he said was the truth. I could feel it in my bones, in my soul, that he meant no harm. All my life, I believed him to have control over me. Yet, that couldn't have been farther from the truth.

Instead, I had control over the Deathbringer, and it was my choice how I used him.

Mortis gave a slight nod as if he felt my understanding. Shadows continued to dance around him as I gave a reassuring nod back.

A silent choice made for the sake of hope over fear. That I would use him for that very purpose.

Stillness remained around the both of us as we remained in my consciousness, the wind in my ears settling again. I knew now that there was only one course of action left. Only one true monster left to stop.

“What do we do now? How do I beat Caedes?”

I asked him, a newfound strength in my voice finding its footing in my throat.

“Now, the only thing in your way is the one called Joker. By some grace, you’ve been spared death despite your injuries. If you conjure my abilities, they can give you enough strength to help aid you. You need to fight… If you can defeat him, you buy enough time to escape the night. But be vigilant. There’s no guarantee Caedes will spare Gotham if you die, dear one. And I know how much its people mean to you…”

I nodded once again, watching as Mortis shifted back into a sphere of dark smoke. Speaking with determination, a promise left my lips.

“I won't let you down... Will you be with me now?”

“I always have, dear one. I don’t see that changing now-”

Mortis paused, and as he did I felt the instinctive reaching inside. A hand within beckoned to me, extending out to me. The orange surroundings began to darken, fading away into nothingness, as I felt my consciousness return to me. As the world around me began melting away back into reality, I looked to Mortis, scared of the fight ahead. Yet, I remained resolved, determined to put a stop to Joker and his madness. Mortis' gaze only solidified his support. Just as he faded away, he spoke again.

“And as long as you have faith in me, there is nothing to fear anymore. Trust in me, dear one...”

Pain slowly began to come back to me, as I felt my mind enter back into the present, falling from my consciousness back into reality.

"We can do this."