Starting With Batman

Within two days of the incident ending, Riverton City was abuzz with rumors and whispers. It was as if the city had erupted into a frenzy of speculation and fear.

A creature of immense size had rampaged through the streets, a nightmarish monster that defied all logic. Anyone who was nearby couldn’t help but see it, their eyes widening in disbelief at the impossible sight before them. The authorities, despite their best efforts, couldn’t contain the news. They worked tirelessly, but it was impossible to silence the thousands of voices that were now spreading the story like wildfire.

By the second day, it seemed that the authorities had simply given up trying to control the narrative. Posts on social media, forums, and chat groups were no longer being deleted or blocked. It was as if a dam had burst, and the flood of information was unstoppable. The internet, free from its usual restraints, became a hotbed of activity. Descriptions of the night before were everywhere, each more dramatic than the last. Everyone seemed to know someone who had been there, and the stories grew more vivid and terrifying with each retelling.

Rumors, like a devil’s carving knife, carved deep into the consciousness of the city’s residents. Each person who passed on the tale added their own embellishments, shaping it into something even more monstrous and unsettling.

Though the authorities appeared to have let things go, the news circulating online was still mostly text. There were no videos, no photographs—just words. And words, as they spread, took on a life of their own. People crafted elaborate tales, their imaginations filling in the gaps where evidence was lacking. It became a contest of sorts, to see who could make their version of the events the most compelling, the most believable.

But amidst all the fear and chaos, the focus naturally shifted to something else—someone else. The mysterious figure who had stopped the creature, who had prevented the disaster from spreading further.

No one knew who first released the news, but soon, everyone was talking about it. A mysterious, masked knight, dressed in dark, imposing armor, had appeared out of nowhere. This enigmatic figure had eliminated the monster and saved the city.

There was no video footage, no clear image of him, only vague descriptions that circulated online. The most common description said he looked like a bat—dark, with wings that seemed to blend into the night. Beyond that, no one knew anything about him. He was a ghost, a shadow that had stepped into the light just long enough to end the nightmare before disappearing again.

But that didn’t stop people from talking. A flood of “witnesses” appeared, each claiming to have seen the mysterious hero with their own eyes.

“He can fly!” one person claimed, their voice trembling with excitement. “I saw him with my own eyes! He was up there, fighting that monster in the sky!”

“I saw it too!” another voice chimed in, filled with conviction. “He flew right past my window! And he must have superpowers—I saw him punch that creature so hard it flew back and crashed into a building!”

“He’s more than just strong,” a third voice insisted. “He’s a mage! I swear I saw him breathe fire, freeze things with a wave of his hand, and summon storms. I’ll bet you anything he’s got magical powers…”

As the stories spread and gained more attention, someone began to connect the dots, pulling up reports from the past two nights that had previously gone unnoticed.

For example, there was a report of a woman being attacked while walking home. A mysterious knight had appeared out of nowhere, breaking the attacker’s legs before vanishing into the night.

Or another report, where a street brawl had suddenly been interrupted. The streetlights had gone out, plunging the area into darkness. When the lights came back on, the brawlers were lying on the ground, defeated, while the mysterious figure was nowhere to be seen.

At the time, the criminals involved had ranted about vampire bats and demons, but no one had paid attention. Now, as people revisited the reports, they realized that the same mysterious hero was involved in all these incidents.

Online, someone pieced together all the information and compiled a list of the mysterious knight’s abilities: he could fly, turn invisible, had the strength to overturn a car with one hand, and seemed to possess magical powers…

As night fell the next day, the authorities finally broke their silence.

A unit called Ninth Special Service Division, which no one had ever heard of, stepped forward and held a press conference. The spokesperson, dressed in a crisp suit, stood before the cameras with a solemn expression. For the first time, the public was informed about the existence of infected individuals—people who had somehow been altered, given abilities or driven mad by forces unknown. The spokesperson revealed that the official website of the Ninth Special Service Division would be launched that very night, allowing everyone to access more details about the infected.

This announcement sent shockwaves through society.

Though there had been rumors of strange events before, and conspiracy theorists had long claimed that the government was hiding the truth, no one had taken it seriously. It was easy to dismiss such claims as the ravings of the paranoid or the imaginative.

But now, the truth was undeniable. The world had changed, and fear spread through every home, every office, every street.

That night, the realization began to sink in. The world they had known was gone, replaced by something darker, something more dangerous. From now on, they would have to live in a world where caution was paramount. They would have to adapt to a new reality where anyone around them could be infected, where the shadows themselves might hide unspeakable horrors. They would have to constantly check themselves, to make sure they weren’t losing their grip on reality.

Crime rates soared that night. Whether driven by panic about the future or by a twisted sense of opportunity, people began to act out. The infection became an excuse for all manner of crimes, and the city plunged into chaos.

That night, Ivan was getting ready to leave at the Riverton City office of the Ninth Special Service Division.

He stuffed his crumpled uniform into a locker, the fabric wrinkled and stained from the day’s events. He changed into casual clothes, zipping up his backpack and slinging it over his back with a weary sigh.

“Ready to go?” Melanie’s voice broke the silence. She was leaning against the door, her arms crossed as she watched him.

Ivan didn’t bother to look back. “It’s just a few days off work,” he replied, his tone indifferent. “It’s not the first time.”

It was strictly forbidden to shoot at ordinary people who weren’t infected without explicit permission. Although he may have killed those who deserved it, many of his targets had been ordinary citizens, uninfected but caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In truth, the suspension was more of a formality—a way to appease those higher up, who still acknowledged his significant achievements during the recent crisis.

“Maybe that guy was right,” Ivan said suddenly, his voice thoughtful.

“Who?” Melanie asked, her brow furrowing.

“That madman who was laughing like a maniac,” Ivan explained, sitting down and lighting a cigarette. “He said that what people are really afraid of is ‘nothingness’—the unknown, the uncertain.

These fears have always been there, buried deep within everyone’s heart. But the infection, the chaos, it’s all brought those fears to the surface. Fear drives people to change, to reveal their true nature. The world is starting to show its true face.”

“Is this more of your pessimist talk?” Melanie teased, though her smile was strained.

“It’s not pessimism; it’s realism. Believe me, the demons created by humans will surprise you. I’ve seen it all before, back when I was with the FBI.”

Ivan took a deep drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling around him as he pondered his next words.

“A new era is beginning, and the extraordinary will be the catalyst,” he said quietly. “People’s fear of the unknown will grow like never before. Anxiety will lead them into deeper darkness.

So if you ask me, we’re heading into a dark age, where the bottom line will be cheaper than ever. The days when people could sleep peacefully are over. Now, they’ll need to be wary of every shadow, every dark corner. They’ll have to constantly check themselves, to make sure they’re still sane.”

“So you definitely won’t like this era,” Melanie said, her tone half-joking, half-serious.

“Won’t like it? Are you kidding me?”

Ivan laughed, the sound low and almost dangerous. “I love this era,” he said, a slight smile curling his lips as he stubbed out his cigarette. “It means I’ll have an endless supply of scum to take down.

I’ll hunt them down, crush them until there’s no one left. Or until I’m the last one standing.

Either way, I’m going to enjoy the process... even if I’m doing it alone.”

Melanie’s expression tightened for a moment, but then she burst out laughing, the tension breaking.

“Haha! Sorry, it’s just the way you said that so seriously... it’s a bit funny.” She waved her hand dismissively. “But you’re exaggerating...”

She was about to say more when a rush of footsteps echoed down the corridor, interrupting her. Both Melanie and Ivan turned toward the sound only to see Tara appear at the door, out of breath and wide-eyed.

“Did you see that?” she asked urgently, her voice breathless.

“See what?” Ivan and Melanie exchanged puzzled glances.

“Quick, look out the window.”

Tara hurried across the room to the window, pulling back the curtain with a sharp clatter.

Both

 Melanie and Ivan followed her, peering out into the night.

And then they froze.

The night sky stretched out before them, dark and endless. There was no moon, no stars, only the inky blackness of a cloud-covered sky.

But in the midst of that darkness, something was glowing.

A single light source, bright and golden, pierced through the thick clouds. It cast a circular field of light in the sky, illuminating the night with a warm, otherworldly glow. At the center of this light was a symbol—a bat-shaped figure, stark and unmistakable.

There was no visible beam of light leading up to it, no searchlight or projector. It was as if the symbol had simply appeared in the sky, hanging there like a full moon.

It was a beacon, a lone light in the darkness. Or perhaps it was a watchman standing vigil over the city.

It was a signal.

A signal so clear, so powerful, that anyone who saw it would understand its meaning immediately.

A new era was coming, and the world would undergo profound changes. But with the advent of this era, there wouldn’t necessarily be only darkness.

When people walked at night, when they saw shadows and darkness creeping at the edges of their vision, they didn’t need to be afraid.

Because in the darkness, there wasn’t only evil.

There were also watchmen standing guard, always vigilant.

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