On The Darkest Night [2]

The Night That Didn't End

15
The Night That Didn't End
Season Two: Episode 5

"Wake up," Said Sheyara. She shook Alister awake gently.

Alister groaned as he woke. A dull pain radiated from his back. He looked past Sheyara's worried eyes. The darkness of his mind surrounded them.

"Sheyara? How are you in my head?" He asked.

Sheyara sighed. "I'm not really Sheyara, remember? I'm your—for now, I'm your mace. Your Morning Star. I'm here to guide you through your subconscious. I was trying to help you take control before he did something irredeemable."

Alister shut his eyes. He pressed his hands to his temples and nodded. "Right, right. I... I thought we took control again? I saw Jason."

"You did, you got back to the surface, but I... I think you're back here because of what happened." Said Sheyara. She helped Alister up from the ground.

"What do you mean? What happened?" He asked.

Alister lost focus on Sheyara. He stepped into a warm puddle. As he focused his eyes, he realized the puddle was blood.

His brows furrowed. He knelt down and dipped a finger in the puddle. Upon further examination, he could see silver specks of liquid within it.

Alister looked ahead. A light seemed to illuminate a path of blood. He gasped.

"Sheyara what happened?" Alister asked once more. He stood and found her eyes.

She turned away. "I... Deathstroke, he..." Words failed her.

Alister's lips parted to interrogate her further. A distant whimper caught his attention. He turned away and looked back to the trail of blood.

Dread welled in his chest. He gulped, tried his best to swallow the lump in his throat. It was no use.

Alister followed the blood wordlessly. He walked for what felt like miles. The more he walked, the louder the cries became. The sharper the pain in his back.

He came upon a door. A door that stood on its own. No hinges, no wall attached. Alister looked at Sheyara over his shoulder.

She gave him a nod of encouragement. "Go on," She said. "But remember, you are so strong Alister. You've endured things most will never fathom. If you could see what I see from here, you'd know this pain will only be temporary in the grand scheme of things."

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"It means this was a plot by a being much greater than Deathstroke, or Vandal Savage. The being you think is the Nth, is something greater—something darker. Once you realize who you are, you will see past all of his machinations."

"Sheyara, you're not making any sense..."

"Alister, you need to see through. No matter what, don't let him win. Don't let him break you. Hold on to the ones that know your heart." She instructed with a gentle push.

Alister gulped. He reached for the doorknob and gave it a twist. When he pushed into the room, familiarity washed over him.

It was Dick's old room in the Wayne Manor. The first place he laid eyes on Dick. The first place on Earth he truly felt welcomed.

Everything was the same. From the position of the knacks on the dresser, to the smell of the room. The anxiety that crawled up and down Alister's spine seemed to slow.