Post by Batman on Feb 27, 2012 9:03:13 GMT -8
Time had shifted again. It spread out endlessly until it doubled back on itself in a stream. He floated along in it more aware now of the movement. How many stops had he made? He couldn't be sure but he did recall now who he was: Bruce Wayne.
He also remembered pain, excruciating pain as he was ripped apart by...by what? He couldn't recall it and he pressed his mind to do it. He reasoned this was death. An altered reality for eternity of visitations to worlds past, present and future. He played out a role in each extrapolation but was unclear of the true nature of the experience. It was only lately that the images made any sense to him. More time was needed to connect the experience to anything called real, but he was working it out.
Lately, the images were as if he was looking in on the people in his life. Mostly, he was back in...what was it?...Wayne Manor, he saw... Alfred... carrying out a nightly vigil. Bruce could see him walking through the Manor, shutting the house down for the evening. Alfred would always place a hot cup of tea on a control panel in what looked like a cave. Bruce wanted to speak but in this spectral shape no words came.
Omega Beams. The words hit him hard as the crystalline truth of realization swept through him. This was not death but a temporal rift, the events purposeful, the experiences real. But how long had it been going on and what was Darkseid's purpose of sending him into the Omega Sanction?
Bruce felt a powerful surge of raw energy jolt through his body and mind as he accelerated through the stream. In a cascade of visions he passed through Vanishing Point, at the end of the universe where all knowledge was revealed to him, he saw members of the Justice League flash by in quantum-time. He felt the presence of Richard, Barbara and Diana. But is was Kal that stood out as the sentinel of his journey, the keeper of the light, the one who held out against hope that Bruce would survive.
In that moment, he was shot out of the stream into the current space-time in a flash of brilliant light and deafening sound. He struck the cold, hard surface of reality with a bone jarring THUD!
***INTRUDER ALERT***INTRUDER ALERT ***blasted in his ears and his eyes burned as if sulfur was poured into them. He was laying in a huddled mass on the cold surface of a cave floor. Naked and freezing, he moved the thick shock of long, wet hair from his eyes and considered the full growth of beard on his face. In the distance, he heard machinery gearing up; coming to life. He was also aware of running as he heard the foot-falls far off, striking stone.
He rose, bathed in the LED light of a massive computer screen. Other smaller screens blipped to life. This was the Batcave. He was possessed of a clarity of mind that he had not know before. A strength coursed through his body that was beyond the pale of human experience. He was now aware of the presence of another person. He turned. There, at the edge of the gantry, was Alfred. Bruce observed the look of shock on his face and sensed a release of unutterable sadness .
"Master Bruce" uttered Alfred. Barely audible
"How long has it been, Alfred?" asked Bruce Wayne. The computer, hearing his voice, responded its voice-recognition.
"Dear boy, it has been two years...two." Alfred moved towards him, retrieving the robe which hung from the hook by the entrance to the suits chamber. Bruce, donning the robe, turned and faced Alfred. The flood of emotion was palpable yet neither man moved further from their spots.
"Right, shears then and a razor!" proclaimed Alfred, hurrying away.
Bruce looked around the expanse of the cave. The date flashed on the main screen, SEPTEMBER 27 2012. A cup of tea sat on the left corner of the console workspace.
It was still hot.
He also remembered pain, excruciating pain as he was ripped apart by...by what? He couldn't recall it and he pressed his mind to do it. He reasoned this was death. An altered reality for eternity of visitations to worlds past, present and future. He played out a role in each extrapolation but was unclear of the true nature of the experience. It was only lately that the images made any sense to him. More time was needed to connect the experience to anything called real, but he was working it out.
Lately, the images were as if he was looking in on the people in his life. Mostly, he was back in...what was it?...Wayne Manor, he saw... Alfred... carrying out a nightly vigil. Bruce could see him walking through the Manor, shutting the house down for the evening. Alfred would always place a hot cup of tea on a control panel in what looked like a cave. Bruce wanted to speak but in this spectral shape no words came.
Omega Beams. The words hit him hard as the crystalline truth of realization swept through him. This was not death but a temporal rift, the events purposeful, the experiences real. But how long had it been going on and what was Darkseid's purpose of sending him into the Omega Sanction?
Bruce felt a powerful surge of raw energy jolt through his body and mind as he accelerated through the stream. In a cascade of visions he passed through Vanishing Point, at the end of the universe where all knowledge was revealed to him, he saw members of the Justice League flash by in quantum-time. He felt the presence of Richard, Barbara and Diana. But is was Kal that stood out as the sentinel of his journey, the keeper of the light, the one who held out against hope that Bruce would survive.
In that moment, he was shot out of the stream into the current space-time in a flash of brilliant light and deafening sound. He struck the cold, hard surface of reality with a bone jarring THUD!
***INTRUDER ALERT***INTRUDER ALERT ***blasted in his ears and his eyes burned as if sulfur was poured into them. He was laying in a huddled mass on the cold surface of a cave floor. Naked and freezing, he moved the thick shock of long, wet hair from his eyes and considered the full growth of beard on his face. In the distance, he heard machinery gearing up; coming to life. He was also aware of running as he heard the foot-falls far off, striking stone.
He rose, bathed in the LED light of a massive computer screen. Other smaller screens blipped to life. This was the Batcave. He was possessed of a clarity of mind that he had not know before. A strength coursed through his body that was beyond the pale of human experience. He was now aware of the presence of another person. He turned. There, at the edge of the gantry, was Alfred. Bruce observed the look of shock on his face and sensed a release of unutterable sadness .
"Master Bruce" uttered Alfred. Barely audible
"How long has it been, Alfred?" asked Bruce Wayne. The computer, hearing his voice, responded its voice-recognition.
"Dear boy, it has been two years...two." Alfred moved towards him, retrieving the robe which hung from the hook by the entrance to the suits chamber. Bruce, donning the robe, turned and faced Alfred. The flood of emotion was palpable yet neither man moved further from their spots.
"Right, shears then and a razor!" proclaimed Alfred, hurrying away.
Bruce looked around the expanse of the cave. The date flashed on the main screen, SEPTEMBER 27 2012. A cup of tea sat on the left corner of the console workspace.
It was still hot.