Damian Wayne first appeared in "Batman: Son of the Devil", but this does not mean that his race is a devil or has any deep connection with what is called a devil in the occult world. The devil here is just an adjective.
After the New 52 reboot, the history of the Teen Titans has changed. Before the big event, they did not have much interaction with the Justice League Dark or the occult world, so this is the first time Damian has seen a real demon.
There is a kind of soul-stirring evil and terror in the power of demons. This is the talent of the demon race, but when Red Hood and Red Robin just saw the demon appear for the first time, there was a kind of fear that originated from the depths of their souls. Unlike rejection, Damian had deep doubts after the initial shock.
Did he see it wrong? Why did this demon force a smile after seeing Bruce?
Why was the unbridled evil power surrounding him withdrawn in an instant? After being freed from the majestic energy and the blazing flames of hell extinguished, this demon looked... a bit like a goat kid.
It’s really not that Damian deliberately belittled him. The fact is that the demon standing in the center of the room, after removing those fancy special effects, is an upright black goat. It is only slightly larger than the goats on the earth, but from the horns and Judging from the development of its hooves, I'm afraid it's still a little lamb.
Red Hood and Red Robin also breathed a sigh of relief. Red Hood helped Red Robin come over, looked at Bruce Wayne and asked: "Oh my God, Batman, what is going on? !”
"This hospital, the murderous maniac in the hospital, the mess of corpses, the sinner's heart, the anatomy class, and this... sorry?"
"Jeru is a black devil, that is, the devil whose body is a black goat that is often mentioned in human myths and legends."
"Okay, this black devil, what are you doing?" The Red Hood actually has one sentence left unsaid. That's why compared to the spine-chilling stumps of these horrific serial killers, and the representative He always feels that the things they are doing now are more evil than the devil himself who has the most primitive fear of human beings?
"I'll tell you the truth, but best after it's all over," Bruce said.
The devil agreed to Bruce's conditions almost tremblingly, and when he left with two boxes, he looked as if he was fleeing.
Constantine and Harley went to the next room to divide the accounts. Bruce asked Deathstroke to put the account on Wayne Group, and the mercenary left with satisfaction.
Red Hood took a step forward and was about to ask when Bruce waved to them and said, "Let's go to the office upstairs to talk."
"But outside..."
"I have a dedicated elevator." Bruce carried Damian, and Red Hood and Red Robin followed him to an office upstairs.
Red Robin sat down on the sofa and saw Bruce coming over. He thought Bruce would sit opposite him, but unexpectedly, Bruce pushed away the coffee table in front of him and half-knelt in front of him to check the wound on his leg. .
Red Robin took a breath. Just as he was about to speak, Bruce asked without raising his head: "You should have understood part of what I am doing, right?" Red Robin was silent for a while. Still expressed his inference.
"If I understand correctly, you built a mental hospital, gathered villains and murderers from all over the world, provided them with research materials with the corpses of gangs, and then used these murderers to dig out the organs from the corpses , sell them to the demons who need them." Bruce nodded. He still maintained a half-kneeling posture, but raised his eyes and glanced at Red Robin. When he met those blue eyes, Red Robin's heart suddenly skipped half a beat.
He saw appreciation in Batman's eyes. He does deserve to be appreciated, doesn't he? Red Robin thought this way. They strayed into a strange environment and were hunted by a serial killer. He was the most seriously injured, but he was the only one among the three who could think calmly. He should be worthy of this job. Appreciated.
But Red Robin still feels incredible. He never thought that he was the one who could get special treatment from Batman, because he was simply not special enough, at least he thought so.
He does not have the long-term closeness between Nightwing and Batman, does not have a blood relationship with Batman like Damian, and does not make Batman feel guilty like the Red Hood. He is even the one who still has a way out among all Robins. One, he still has parents and a family.
Tim always feels that there is a barrier between him and Batman that is difficult for ordinary people to see. They are kind but strange, and familiar but polite. They seem to be the most in tune, but they are always the farthest apart.
Tim is not sure what position he holds in Batman's heart at all. If his intelligence can really make the equally intelligent Batman recognize and love him more, then why has he never received any special expression?
But now he gets it, because of his intelligence, because the only thing he and Batman have in common, Batman admits that intelligence is what they have in common.
It was like an anchor, bringing an unparalleled sense of security that even made Tim feel no pain from the wound.
"You're smart," he heard Batman say. Tim even thought the wound should hurt a little more so he could sit here and watch Batman observe his wound longer.
There was no cure, Tim knew that, but he couldn't help it. Then, Bruce opened his mouth again, and another kind of shock and surprise burst out from Red Robin's heart. Could he still discuss this topic with Batman?
Wouldn't his attention be diverted to someone else? Could it be that he could even hear Batman's deeper analysis and get guidance that no one else had?
"You have only seen half of this industrial chain, maybe one-third... Do you know what the soul dust that the devil can provide is used for?" The imagination turned into reality, and Red Robin knew that Batman was not Not wanting an answer, but an explanation, he was going to get an explanation from Batman today, and an explanation for him alone.
This sentence echoed in Red Robin's mind, even leaving him no time to think about anything else, until Bruce's voice came again.
"There is a meandering river in hell. Souls that have been torn into pieces during long-term torture will eventually merge into this river, and the gravel in this river will grind the soul into the most primitive energy and return to the universe. The origin, this is the final destination of most evil people."
"Soul dust is the most delicate gravel in the river. Because it has been polishing various souls for thousands of years, it has many magical properties. They can settle in the complete human soul and increase the human soul. the weight of."
"When humans die, the dust in their souls will begin to polish their souls, retaining the most essential sins and good deeds in their organs." Red Robin began to feel chills all over his body. Every scene he experienced in Arkham Asylum was constantly replayed in his mind. His memory far beyond ordinary people and his talent as a detective allowed him to recall every detail.
Countless fragments were connected together in his mind, and he seemed to be a giant standing above Gotham, overlooking all the living beings on the ground.
He knew it was his gift of deduction that gave him the perspective of the great planner, Batman's perspective.
So Red Robin began to narrate the incident from this perspective, and his voice attracted the attention of both Red Hood, who was standing by the window, and Damian, who was leaning next to the sofa.
"Gotham is a place where human evil gathers." There was a strange tremor in Red Robin's voice. It was not fear, but more like excitement.
"There has never been any city as sinful as this one. The sinners shaped by the endless sin cannot be exterminated. When they flow out of the warm lake in the mother's belly, they are destined to flow into the river of hell."
"These souls should not be wasted like this, I thought... So, I built a ranch and let all the madmen who committed major crimes come here, not only to control them, but also to shepherd them, with luxurious buildings, rich resources and abundant death to feed them." Red Robin looked up, and he saw Bruce's hopeful eyes. Bruce's hands were on his knees, which was a sign of exerting pressure, but Red Robin was unable to do so. ecstasy.
Batman is waiting for his answer, Batman is longing for his understanding, Batman is... loving him. His whole body couldn't stop trembling, his Adam's apple moved up and down and he uttered another sentence: "And, and the soul dust... I feed them with the gravel from the river of hell."
"All the sins in their bodies will settle in their souls, and will be continuously washed and polished by the sand of the soul, becoming heavier and more refined - extreme sin is another kind of treasure." Bruce was still half-kneeling. On the ground, he just stretched out his hand and wiped away the dust and blood on Red Robin's face with his fingers.
Red Robin was trembling all over, as if he was about to cry, not because of the touch brought by this closeness, but because of the fear from the heart and the uncontrollable joy that accompanied it. He almost forced himself to continue speaking. .
"I know someone who needs this kind of treasure - the demons of hell are forever pursuing sin, and they will even spend years luring people in their dreams, making them commit crimes again and again, just to get a soul full of sins."
"Since they regard sin as a treasure, I exchange it with them for the lamb that I feed with my own hands. I hold the reins of the most precious lamb in the world, so the devil will also bow to me and ask for gifts from me."
"This darkness has become a rare and precious treasure to me. Now, I have brought you here so that my devout believers can see this miracle - to let them understand me, respect me, and... love Me." After uttering the last words, Red Robin seemed to have lost all his strength and curled up weakly.
Bruce finally stood up, but bent down and hugged him. In Batman's arms, Tim felt an indescribable relief.
Robins always think that Batman is an omnipotent god intellectually, but they must emotionally accept that he is a human being who makes mistakes, and the pain comes with this contradiction.
But when they knew and understood that Batman was the great patriarch who was far away and unattainable, all their feelings turned into
"Believe", at this time, all uncertainty and self-doubt can be left behind, and the world becomes simple and pure.
Gotham has gathered the evil of the entire universe, and the culprit who spread darkness here must not have thought that after this once angry young bat spreads its wings, it will use the rain of evil that falls in Gotham in a more terrifying posture. Feed fat lambs and sell them for a good price.
When Red Robin's breathing became more and more steady, the three Robins seemed to see the huge terrifying bat wings stretching out from Bruce's back, covering not only the dark room, but also the entire building. Over the city, over the world.
They knew at this point that they had to respect him because he was Batman. Also because this Batman has found a twisted, terrifying but effective solution to the world's deepest madness. He is crazier than crazy.
