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The womanly figure, formed entirely of dripping, viscous blood levitated higher, asserting herself above me as I stared on at its crimson glowing silhouette. My heart and mind raced together in unison, and various emotions began to fill my being. I could see Red Hood walk slowly over to my side, coming over to face the strange anomaly that had appeared. His hands remained fixed over his guns, holstered to his legs. He was ready for another fight, eyeing the woman made of blood. Despite never seeing this figure before, I knew exactly what was now in front of me.

“Caedes…”

This was her, I thought. The one who started this all. Despite my brain flowing with things to say to her, I could only muster out her name, spitting it out with a venom that erupted in my throat. My hands turned to fists, slowly lowering from my ears now that the rage within was finally subsiding away.

“Be on your guard, Sarah…”

I could hear Mortis within me give his warning, causing me to eye down my foe with a cautious and weary gaze. Before I could make another move, a pair of glowing red eyes suddenly shot open from the figure, glaring me down as if they could pin me to the spot. I would be lying if I said her presence wasn’t intimidating. The truth was nothing compared to the uneasiness this figure emitted. Breaking the silence, her response to me was hissed back with the same disdain, conveying her displeasure at me.

“So we finally meet, Bound… I half expected you to be dead by tonight. Either I overestimated my choice in allies, or I underestimated you… Such an easy mistake given your fragile nature.”

From the corner of my eyes, I could see the limp body of the Joker just a few feet behind Caedes. A pool of blood had begun to trickle from under his purple suit, encasing his head on the floor. A crooked smile remained on his lifeless face, his eyes staring ahead in a void glance. Despite my growing uneasiness, I swallowed my hesitance, responding coldly to the floating figure.

“Your allies failed. They’re beaten, and you’re beaten. It’s over Caedes…”

Caedes’ bright red eyes squinted at me, and her sharp exhale escaped into the air. The noise from her non-existent lips sounded like the winds from Hell had come from within her. It echoed throughout the abandoned office room we stood in. I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes back, holding my side with my unwounded hand to try and prevent further bleeding. My heart continued to pound within my chest as we stared at each other with our own raging hatred for one another. Finally, I noticed her dripping red head tilt back slowly as if she were relenting. What followed was a hissed sentence, erupting from her being. This time, it was calmer, almost more threatening, and determined in its promise.

“Savor this victory, Bound. You’ve won for today. But you don’t think this is the end, do you? Dear Mortis should have warned you better. You’ve only just begun to understand what resides in you. I’ve wielded his Bounds since the beginning. They were my tools, my instruments of death. Your attempts to thwart me are in vain. There will always be bloodshed and chaos amongst you mortals. You may have resisted me thus far, but I always find a way… This is only the beginning of your end. ”

I inhaled sharply upon hearing this, trying my best to uphold my display of strength. The floating woman made of blood relaxed her shoulders, seemingly easing into a cocky demeanor. Caedes was sure of herself and believed her words with absolute certainty. She had faith in my eventual downfall. Anger at her arrogance made me clench my bleeding hand into a fist, which caused more blood to push its way out of my deep wound.

Well, I was certain too. I won’t let her win, I thought.

I was about to speak, my words of deviance beginning to spill from my lips. Just before I could, however, Red Hood spoke in my place. He stepped forward toward the bloody figure, beginning to unholster his weapon as he walked up to her. Despite Red Hood approaching her, Caedes remained fixated on me, not breaking her red gaze.

“Look lady, I don’t think you-”

The sudden shock of Caedes’ blood-made hand stretching out inhumanly to catch Red Hood in the neck caused me to jump back. It was as if her arm were made of crimson rubber, like a monster out of a horror story. It almost doubled in length to reach Red Hood, making her arm longer than the bloody silhouette she portrayed.

Taken aback, Red Hood began grasping at the bloody hand that clenched around his throat. Through his helmet, he made gasping noises that corresponded with a man losing air. As he clawed at the bloodied arm, his hands kept slipping off with the blood that dripped from the figure. As I stood there in shock, I snapped my head back to look at Caedes, who still hadn’t looked away from me.

“Seems like this mortal also contributed to tonight's failure to end you. I lost my allies tonight. Perhaps I should even the score, Bound…”

Just as she finished hissing her words out, I watched as her grip tightened around Red Hood’s neck. His breaths seemed more labored now as if the life were being squeezed from him. He continued to try and free himself, trying to remain calm. Suddenly, Caedes lifted him up into the air, putting more pressure on his throat. I could feel my words spill from my lips in anger and desperation, with no second thought to them.

“Let him go! No!”

Before I could speak again, I felt another surge of energy rush within me. Seeing my unlikely ally running out of time gave me the rush I needed to forget my pain. I leaped forward toward my bloody foe, letting my hand curl itself into a fist. As I jumped towards Caedes, my arm swung out, aiming a punch towards the woman of blood.

Just as my fist was about to land on my foe, it was as if her body had adapted to the attack. With a movement as fluid as water, her head and neck bent away from my fist. As they did so, her arm retracted back into her body, releasing its grip on Red Hood. I watched as he went tumbling to the floor, collapsing onto the filthy tiles in a coughing fit. As I began to fall down from my leap, Caedes seemingly disappeared out of the way of me. Before I could hit the floor, I looked behind me in time to see the bloody woman reappear in a flash of crimson. I watched as her arm stretched out again, shifting to form a whip of sorts. It was as if her body were truly moldable like she could take any shape she wanted. In a sudden move, she swung the whip of blood in my direction. Reaching for Mortis within, I quickly let myself embrace him. As shadows danced around me, the bloody whip of Caedes’ arm came barreling toward me. My survival instinct led me to try and phase in order to avoid her blow. To my surprise, despite my transparent form, Caedes’ whip still managed to come into contact with me, catching me on my stomach with such force it sent me flying into the wall behind me.

My back hit the wall with such force I lost focus, causing the shadows to disappear away from me. I cried out as I fell onto the ground, feeling the pain of all my injuries come back to me. Managing to get to my knees, I stared at the ground, wincing at what I just endured. My hair stuck to my face as some strands fell downward toward the ground, covered with the brutality the night had to offer. I could feel my energy flee me, making my breath quicken.

How could I face her in the state I was in? I didn’t have much left in me, I thought. It seemed I was on borrowed time.

Caedes’ hiss caused me to look up at her again, with both hands supporting me on the dirt-covered floor.

“Predictable. I can appreciate that about you, Bound. It makes you easy prey…”

As I watched her recoil her stretched, morphed arm back again, I couldn’t muster any strength to move, as any attempt to do so would warrant shooting pain around my body. Instead, I braced myself for the hit, clenching my fists to prepare for the pain. Closing my eyes, I anticipated the blow.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The loud shots of gunfire caused my eyes to jolt back open. I looked in time to see Red Hood recovered, now aiming both of his guns at the bloody woman. Hisses of discontent seeped from the creature, causing her arm to retract back to its normal form yet again. I watched as bullets fired into her bloody figure. Instead of having any effect, the bullets erupting from Red Hood’s weapons only seemed to pass through her body, as if splashing into thick, red water. Red Hood continued to walk closer to her, firing off shots relentlessly. He seemed to understand they weren’t doing any damage but was now just using it as a distraction. Suddenly, an idea swam into my head as I watched Caedes’ attention turn to Red Hood in annoyance.

With her distracted, I could muster the last of my strength to catch her off guard, using my claw to try and wound her. As if Mortis could hear my thoughts and plan, I heard his voice within me.

“I am here, dear one.”

I watched as Red Hood closed the gap between Caedes and himself, continuing to shoot endlessly into the bloody woman. Using some strength I got to my knee, looking over at Caedes. Feeling the shadows reach out, I grasped onto them one last time from within. Just as Caedes swung her stretched arm for Red Hood, I used every ounce of my waning strength to reappear in front of her with my claws outstretched.

When I reappeared, the bloody woman was too late to react. Letting out one last cry of might, I plunged my clawed hand into her bloody side. It felt as if I had stabbed magma, my hand burning from the heat that emitted from her. A sharp, hellish scream came from Caedes as her head snapped to face me. It was as if the blood she was made of started boiling at my shadowed touch, bubbling violently around my claws still inside her torso. It seemed that while bullets could not affect her, my claw did. As I stared her down, I realized that I could only affect her using Mortis and his gifts. With them being similar beings, they seemed to affect each other. I couldn’t phase to avoid her arm, but that meant she couldn’t avoid me either. We were vulnerable to each other.

I got you, I thought.

Caedes quickly stepped away from my claws, causing her bloodied form to rip out of my grasp to escape. As she cried out in hellish agony, she began to boil all over. It gave the appearance of melting. Caedes quickly tried to hold her side, as if to stop the boiling. Her red eyes then turned back to me, letting out a growl of disdain.

“DAMN YOU! Damn you, Bound! I’ll make you SUFFER!”

Suddenly, the silhouette of the woman morphed quickly into another shape. A sphere, which dripped with the same oozing blood from before. My claws retracted in time, but I was too slow to avoid the sphere barreling toward me. The object speeded past me, pushing me down onto the ground and out of its way. Grunting as I collided with the filthy surface, I watched as it raced towards the Joker’s body, seemingly enveloping the dead man into the bloody orb. With a sharp hiss, Caedes cursed back at me again.

“This isn’t over Bound… You will beg for death when I am done with you! YOU WILL!”

Once it had encased the Joker, it sped toward the closed door I had chased the clown through earlier, morphing past its solid surface. Somehow, it had made its way through.

No, I thought. I couldn’t let her get away.

Using some strength left, I staggered up, limping toward the door. From the corner of my eye, I watched as Red Hood holstered his weapons on his thighs again, following in my tracks. With him being faster, he ran in front of me. I did my best to keep up despite my body filling with pain. We both raced down the dimly lit halls, trying to find where the sphere had gone. As we chased the faint red light, we watched it die within the projector room I had come from earlier. We rounded the corner of the abandoned, decaying halls, making our way through the threshold. Expecting to find the sphere, we instead found nothing. The glowing red light had died around the corner, making it now impossible to discern where Caedes and Joker’s body had gone.

“Shit...”

Red Hood spoke up in an angry voice, as he searched the room in a frustrated manner. I walked behind him, looking at the area as well. All that illuminated our path were the dim lights in the hall behind us. Nothing else resided in the room besides the shut-off projector Joker had used earlier, and the row of wheelchairs in the corner. As we scoured the dark room, we both silently concluded that Caedes was gone.

We let her escape, I thought.

I clenched my fist again, upset at the circumstances.

I had her, I thought. She was wounded, and I should have done more to incapacitate her.

Red Hood sighed aggressively, before putting a firm, gloved hand on my shoulder, trying to ease my racing mind. As if he knew the guilt, anger, and panic that was running through my mind at the moment.

“What’s done is done. You did what you could.”

“She’s gone. She’s gotten away. That means more people could get hurt, and it’s my fau-”

I winced out as pain shot through my torso. The tenseness in my body my anger caused seemed to put a strain on the wound to my abdomen. As I clutched it with my hand, Red Hood helped steady me.

“I get it, kid. But in the shape you’re in, we wouldn’t stand a chance. You saw it back there, my bullets didn’t do shit. Even with that lucky shot you got back there… You’re better off fighting another day when you're not a dead man walking. Make up for tonight by getting out alive…”

He moved his hand away from my shoulder, then spoke again.

“Let’s go. There are still people in the asylum who still need our help out of this place.”

With Red Hood’s surprising voice of reason, I shared a disappointed glance his way, before nodding in agreement. He was right. Every move I made continued to be agony. Despite how much I tried to push on, I could feel myself straining. The adrenaline Red Hood gave me could only take me so far. The rush I received when using Mortis could only sustain me for short stints. It was the wiser move to let her go, even though my heart constricted with anger at the decision. I turned to Red Hood, holding my abdomen as tightly as I could.

“What now?”

I asked, trying my best to mask the disappointment.

“I’ll take you through the way I came. It won’t be easy. You’ll need to climb and crawl. But it’s better than staying here. ”

He spoke with a low rumble, and it was then I could tell he wasn’t happy about the idea either. In a frustrated silence shared between us, I nodded in his direction.

“Lead the wa-”

A sharp, loud gasp of air from beside us caused me to jump back in utter surprise. The noise, it seemed, shocked Red Hood too, as his hand reached instinctively towards his holster. When we both sharply turned our heads to see what had made the noise, my heart erupted in hope. A body on the floor began to move again, and I recognized her tangled golden hair on the ground. Just as the woman’s coughing fit started, I quickly ran over to her side.

“Doctor!”

I couldn’t help but yell out in desperation. Somehow, in some way, Dr. Chacon was breathing again. I quickly propped her up against the wall to help stabilize her.

“I passed by her on the way here… She looked dead. How is she-”

Red Hood began to inquire, coming to her side as well. As if he were assessing her damage, he remained focused. Without looking away from Dr. Chacon, I assessed her too, making sure she continued to breathe.

“I-I attempted CPR before I chased Joker… Maybe I got her breathing after all…”

I said with a hopeful breath. Red Hood nodded, before looking back to the doctor.

“She’s breathing all right, but still unconscious. We need to get her out of here. Here- take her arm, and put it over your shoulder.”

Without a second thought, he quickly demonstrated to me what he meant. In a swift move, he carefully swung Dr. Chacon's limp arm around his neck, then motioned to me with his head to do the same. I complied, and on three, we lifted her. She wasn’t as heavy with Red Hood’s help, but her unconscious state meant we had to move slowly. Red Hood turned towards the filthy, dimly lit halls, beginning to walk. After a couple of steps, he stopped abruptly, his armored boots kicking up a bit of dust.

“What’s wrong?”

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

As if he were listening to something, his attention remained focused ahead. Confused, I waited for a response, worried another wrench in our plans had begun to unfold. What he said next put my mind at ease.

“Your Boy Scouts… They just reversed the lockdown. Thanks to Oracle, no doubt.”

My mind started to race with relief at his sentence, instilling a new will and motivation. I could feel my face, despite the blood that ran down it, stretch into a thankful smile.

Finally, I thought. This night is finally ending with some good terms.

As I was about to move, I stopped too, a question now sinking into my mind.

“Wait… How do you know?”

Red Hood shared a quick glance over in my direction before looking forward. Not saying anything, I put the pieces together myself despite his silence.

“Y-You’ve had access to our comms? For how long?”

In an emotionless voice, he spoke.

“Since before you even joined. Like I said, I keep tabs on everything… Come on, we’ll go out the front.”

The confusion of it all started to fill me as he tried to change the subject. He began to walk, and I walked with him. Cautiously and carefully, we stepped, trying to support Dr. Chacon.

“B-But that means you can tell them I’m okay! And you could have told them how to get in! Why… Why didn’t you?

“Two reasons. One, they would have gotten in the way. I came here with one intention tonight, and that was to kill Joker once and for all. Which leads me to my second point. Robin, Nightwing, Oracle… We all don’t see eye to eye so to speak. They still think there’s honor in keeping scumbags alive. I tend to disagree… I’m not a part of your merry little gang. And the fact is, if they had the chance, they’d take me off the streets… I’m not welcome here. But I’m staying, whether they want me to or not. They need my help regardless if they want it. That's why I got access to their comms.”

He continued to look forward, never breaking his gaze away from the halls in front of us. As we rounded a corner, I couldn’t help but speak my realization.

“That night… The night Candyman stopped my transfer to Arkham… Why didn’t you kill me then? I was wearing my jumpsuit. If you kill criminals, why not just shoot me then and there.”

“You’ve got it all twisted, kid. Firstly, I needed information from you about what happened that night. But I never planned on killing you, just sending you back. I told you then, I don’t like hurting women or kids. And besides, the scumbags I’m talking about have had years to change. I only kill the worst of the worst. Rapists, murderers, gangsters… Those who continue to victimize the people of Gotham despite the chances they’ve been given. That’s what you and others don’t fucking understand. There is no justice in stuffing those low lives in a box with three meals a day, where they eventually escape out onto the streets again. It’s just a destructive cycle with no end. I’m out here trying to put a stop to it. So I can prevent the people out there from turning out like m-”

Red Hood suddenly stopped in his tracks, caught on the last word he was about to speak. I couldn’t help but gaze at him as he stared ahead, beginning to unravel the mystery that surrounded the man in the red helm. The realization clicked within mere seconds, and I was able to piece together what his last word was going to be.

Me.

He wanted to prevent others from turning out like himself. Which meant that in some way, he was hurt by the people he now hunted. Victimized by the criminals in Gotham. With his hatred toward the Joker, I knew deep down that Red Hood had been affected by one of the gruesome things he had done. Whichever crime that could be still remained unknown, but I eased myself in his presence, now filled with remorse instead of uneasiness. I understood now why he was the way he was. I couldn’t blame him. After Scarecrow I wasn't the same. Dealing with these people changed me, and made me afraid. After tonight, that fear turned me cold. I began to worry about what the aftermath of tonight would turn me into.

Red Hood sighed, before walking on. He spoke again, this time changing the subject as we carried Dr. Chacon.

“You were given a second chance. And as much as I hate they did at the time, I’m glad you were here to save these people. Not many people live after their experience with Joker, and you kept most of his hostages intact. I guess you aren’t a complete fuck-up after all.”

Despite the slight insult, I couldn’t help but smile a little. Quickly, it faded as I remembered the two I couldn’t save.

“Not all of them… An inmate got ahold of one of the doctors, named Taft. And then some kind of monster in the sewers managed to eat a guard. I failed them… I wasn’t quick enough.”

“Sounds like Croc... He's technically human, but you're right. He's an animal. But beating yourself up is a good way to drive yourself insane. Be aware of who was lost, but don’t let those losses drag you down or cloud your focus. Instead, try and use them to push yourself to be better. So that next time you are ready…”

I nodded, heeding his advice. In a way, he was right. If I trained hard enough and worked to be better, those who died wouldn’t have done so in vain. I looked to Dr. Chacon, still unconscious and clinging to life. Seeing her presumably dead made me feel so helpless. When she was lying on the floor, completely still. The way her lips were blue and her body was limp, I remember the anger that I felt. The same spark of pain and rage fueled me when I saw the doctor at the pig-masked lunatic’s table, barely even human anymore. It appeared again when I saw the guard lying in the water, bloody and unrecognizable. Then all again when I witnessed the victims of Joker’s heinous crimes. The feeling inside was like a match igniting the fire of determination, and it burned within me still. Though pain racked my body, and blood poured out of me endlessly, I still felt it. No matter how weak I was, I could feel my heart begin to beat within the flames inside.

My memory then sent the sight of Caedes into my mind, and I couldn’t help but hold onto Dr. Chacon more tightly. Despite this night ending in my survival, I heeded that it wasn’t over. Caedes would return, and continue bringing back the evil in Gotham to aid her. Joker would be back, and Candyman too. Other deceased criminals might be under her thrall too. All of them with a desire to maim and murder innocent people. With this in mind, I knew I was the only one who could stop Caedes. I was the only one who could prevent the carnage Caedes would bring.

The weight of the world seemingly was placed on my shoulders at this moment. The dawning realization I would be fighting this battle for quite some time. If I had any chance of stopping these foes, I would need to become stronger. If tonight taught me anything, it was that I had no choice in this fate. This was my burden to bear, and I was not yet skilled enough to do so.

I began to feel the adrenaline wear off, and my body weaken. The pain was beginning to claim my muscles and wounds, with my hands shaking as they maintained Dr. Chacon in my grasp.

Just as we turned down another corner, I perked up when I saw the corridor I had led the survivors to appear. The walls were cracked, and coated in dirt. The tiles remained caked in years of neglect. My sight shifted to the pile of rubble, leading up to the hole in the wall. Through the entrance, I could hear and see Arkham’s alarm still echoing throughout the building. As we drew closer, the alarm got louder. Despite the weakness in me, I spoke up just as we were approaching, delivering a promise to myself.

“I’ll be ready. I won’t stop until Caedes is gone… I won’t fail anyone else.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Red Hood said. Suddenly, he stopped again, seemingly in thought.

“You okay?”

I sputtered out, curious about his sudden pause in movement. After a brief moment, he spoke.

“This is as far as I go. I can’t go out with you.”

“What? Why not?”

Concern and confusion washed over my face. Red Hood moved to put Dr. Chacon against the wall, propping her up. I helped him do so, before looking at him. My vision began to blur, yet I forced myself to focus.

“As I said before… Your Boy Scouts aren’t fond of me. So, promise me something?”

I stared at him with cautious, perplexed eyes. He made a slight movement with his head as if he were sincere. After a slight hesitation, I nodded slowly, agreeing to acknowledge his sudden request. Once I did, he spoke. This time gently, as if giving a plea.

“Don’t… Don’t let the others know I was here. That’s all I ask…”

A weird sensation in my heart began to arise at the request. Part of me was hesitant to accept, as I was unsure how to lie to the others about what happened. On the other hand, I felt like I owed this to him after all of his help saving me. Not just once, but twice. An idea then formed in my thoughts, and I was reminded I had something to request of him as well. A request that was a long shot, but one that could increase our chances of beating Caedes.

“I won’t. I promise. But-”

I was cut off abruptly. As if I could feel the man’s eyebrows rise, he spoke.

“But?”

“I have a request in exchange…”

Red Hood seemed confused at my words and lifted his head up.

“I feel like the exchange was me saving your life-”

I spoke again, cutting him off before he could finish. I knew where he was going with his statement, and decided to spare myself from the rest.

“I know, I know… But… Everything is different now. With Caedes, it’s complicated. She… She gets stronger with bloodshed. It was explained to me that with each violent death, it feeds her in a way. That’s why she brought back Joker and the others in the first place. To get to me. I know it is impossible to tell everyone in Gotham to stop killing each other, but if I can at least make a difference with one person, I have to try…”

Red Hood seemed to lower his head, seemingly in understanding.

“And… That one person is me...”

“Right. Look, I don’t want to debate your ways, especially after your help tonight. I owe you my life. I do disagree with what you do, but that doesn’t matter right now. The thing is, you contribute to Caedes when you pull the trigger, no matter who the bullet goes through. No matter your intention, it still contributes. When blood spills, it fuels her. So please… Until we can stop Caedes, at least... I need you to refrain from killing anyone.”

Red Hood shifted, seemingly agitated and annoyed. After a pause, he sighed out his words.

“Look, I get where you are coming from kid, but that’s just not going to happen. I can’t let these assholes-”

“I know it is a lot to ask, especially with what you told me… But I don’t know what I am dealing with, okay? There might not be anyone else other than me who can stop Caedes. You saw her tonight. Your bullets and my hands alone don’t affect her. Yet, when I used my abilities, that seemed to be the only way to attack her. With all of her lackeys on the loose, and this city being the way it is, this is already going to be impossible to keep her from getting stronger. So, please… All I am asking is you refrain until we stop her. Then we can debate the morality of it later, but for now, it is purely out of increasing our chances to stop this. I'm going to need every advantage I can get, no matter how small.”

Red Hood took a second to think. I could tell by his small movements he hated considering this. Yet, he still was. I waited patiently, eagerly anticipating his answer. He let out a sharp, displeased sigh before nodding slowly.

“Okay. No more killing from me until we stop the blood-bitch. In exchange for your silence on me being here tonight. Deal?”

Regardless of his anger, he agreed. I smiled lightly, shocked that I had made it through to him for the first time. Red Hood held out his gloved hand, the black and grey leather on his jacket and gloves crinkling as he extended his arm. With the terms set, I accepted, grabbing his hand. We shook once, firmly and in unity, accepting the other’s requests. Just as we let go, I felt myself get dizzy. I backed into the wall for support, steadying myself on the filthy surface. Red Hood noticed this and turned to Dr. Chacon.

“You’re not going to make it much longer. You’re bleeding out too much. Quickly, get her out of here. Go out the front.”

“W-Will you be alright?”

I asked, concerned about him possibly running into Caedes again. Red Hood only shook his head, pointing at me.

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me. Right now you have an obligation to get her and yourself out alive. That’s more important.”

I nodded, Quickly doing my best to stagger to Dr. Chacon. I lifted her up, using all of my fleeting strength to get her up to the hole in the wall. Just as I was about to climb up through the broken entrance into the new asylum, I looked back at Red Hood. One last question still burning in my mind.

“Will I see you again? Will you continue to help us out there?”

With a low, soft voice, he reassured me with his last words.

“I’m not backing out of this fight anytime soon... Especially if what you said about Joker coming back, I'm in this with you all. Now, go!”

With his last words, I nodded. The final memory of the man in the red helmet burned into my brain as I turned away from him. I managed to lift Dr. Chacon through the hole in the wall that separated the abandoned asylum from the new building. Once I climbed through myself, I stumbled a bit but forced myself to keep going. As I stood up, my vision and mind continued to blur, my mind dizzying itself. Red lights continued to flash and spin, as the alarm blarred in my ears. I looked at Dr. Chacon now lying on the new Arkham tiles, both of us covered in filth and dirt that embedded itself in the abandoned asylum down below. The room around us looked ransacked, with papers lying all over the oak desk that resided in front of the hole in the wall. Pictures and books were scattered about, leaving me to believe this was someone’s office. I looked back down at Dr. Chacon, still breathing shallow breaths.

I’ve got to hurry, I thought.

Leaning down, I supported the doctor around my shoulder. She was heavier without Red Hood’s support, but I kept whispering to myself as I forced myself to walk with Dr. Chacon dragging alongside me. As we exited the office, a long corridor resided in front of us. The checkered floor had items and papers strewn about in chaotic patterns, forming a scene of utter destruction in front of us. The alarm continued to pierce into my ears, the red lights almost disorienting me. The world around me continued to blur my reality, yet I gripped onto focus with the words I spoke to myself.

“Get her out of her…”

I kept whispering that to myself over and over again, as I continued to drudge on. Like a broken record, I kept repeating it. Like my own personal war drum, empowering me to push on, I said it time again. The doors I passed were all opened, it seemed, and were seemingly torn apart as if a tornado had come through the corridor. I continued on, not heeding the mess. I only had one thing on my mind now.

“Get her out of here…”

My muscles shook, and my wounds ached with pain unfathomable. Yet, I forced myself onward. I looked up at the sign above the end of the corridor, which read ‘Main Entrance.’ Hope still ignited within me as I carried Dr. Chacon with me. As we rounded the corridor, I could see the familiar lobby I had come through earlier that tonight. The moment I had entered was the moment I walked into my doom. I felt a sense of disbelief in me, realizing earlier that I thought I wouldn’t make it back here alive. As the front security desk came into sight with the red hues of flashing lights, it drove me to walk even faster across the shiny checkered floor.

“Get her out of here…”

As I walked around the front security desk, I looked to the front entrance. Only a few paces away stood our freedom. Without sheets of metal covering the door, I could see the two large doors now open. Outside, a swarm of officers crowded the entrance, seemingly awaiting the arrival of an advanced team to storm the asylum. The moonlight peaked in through the entrance as if shining a bright beam to guide me back. I continued to walk straight forward, out of the darkness and into the light while carefully staggering toward the doors.

“Get her out of here…”

The light encased me as dragged Dr. Chacon with me. Using all of my last remaining might to hold her up and support her. As I came into view inside the asylum, the officers from outside began to notice. Some of them gasped in disbelief, watching on as I walked towards them. I noticed the rain, falling down on the massive paved walkway of Arkham Asylum. The trees surrounding the island danced and waved their leaves in different patterns, creating what looked to be a raging sea of branches. The bushes outside shook and rustled themselves, the wind blowing through them violently.

“Get her out of here…”

I only had ten more steps. As I approached I looked to the sky. Grey clouds swirled with bright, beautiful tones. I almost gasped in complete awe. It was no sunset, but it was something new. It was still the sky I never thought I’d see again after tonight. I could feel tears well up in my eyes as I crossed the threshold.

“Get her out of here.”

As soon as I made it outside, the police force outside stared on in shock. The rain began beating down on the both of us, and I welcomed its cold sting. It made me realize I was safe. I was finally free from the horrors the night had offered.

I had survived.

I shook off my thoughts, turning to Dr. Chacon. I still had one thing left to do.

“S-She needs help!”

I called weakly out to the crowd of officers. They seemed to push away their disbelief before two of them came rushing forward.

“We got another survivor! We need to get some EMTs by the south side!”

The two officers came up to me. One of them a man, and the other a woman. Both seemed to have blonde hair, neatly put up in their police hats. They gently lifted Dr. Chacon off of me, and I watched as a team of emergency service professionals brought out a stretcher. Carefully the limp doctor was laid on the stretcher and was immediately wheeled away. As I gazed upon her being taken to safety, Once she was out of view, and in good hands, I then looked up at the sky. The world around me began to blur even more, exhaustion and relief washing over me with the rain that hid my tears.

I heard the click of a radio being engaged, and I looked over to see one of the officers down below the marble steps speaking into it.

“Sir! We’ve got another survivor. Someone in a mask brought them out… Dressed in black, sir… No idea where she came from-”

My attention turned to an officer who stepped in front of me. A male, who looked old and rugged, yet he seemed concerned for me.

“Are you alright, girl? What happened in there?”

I tried to nod in response to his first question, but I could feel a bought of pain pierce my body. I looked at my hand as I swayed side to side. The blood continued to run from it, as the pain seared into me. I looked back at the officer, before trying to take a step down the stairs. In my effort, I faltered, seemingly paralyzed by the pain I began to feel. As I fell, I tumbled down the stairs onto the concrete walkway, grunting from the impact as I did so.

I tried to move, but couldn’t. All I could feel was my body beginning to grow cold again. It didn’t seem to matter to me now, as I had fulfilled what I needed to do. Dr. Chacon was safe. The hostages were safe. I had done what I promised. As I lay on my back, the pain seemed to melt away. My vision began to darken, but not before I could see a cluster of officers come to my side, each of them trying to help me. Their words of encouragement, confusion and worry seemed to deafen as I stared up into the sky. Rain continued to fall on my face, as I felt peace at last. Each droplet felt like a cold, welcoming hand. Washing away all of the pain and torture from the night.

I was free. Finally, I had made it out.

As I stared into the grey clouds above, I could hear Mortis’ voice speak softly to me, as the chaos of the officers buzzed in the background.

“You did well, dear one… You aren’t done yet, my brave soul…”

I smiled at Mortis’ comforting words. Just like when I was a child, I had the voice in my head telling me it would be alright. Slowing my breath, I relaxed knowing Mortis was watching over me.

Just as my vision began to darken, I could see the blur of a red and green figure clear out the officers surrounding me. Before I could discern or recognize a face, I felt myself being lifted from the ground. As my consciousness faded, I heard Mortis’ last words to me.

“I am always with you.”