Batman: Genesis

Chapter Nineteen - Ring of Fire

Bruce bolted into Wayne Manor, ordered Alfred to get everyone (including himself) out of the house, and suited up quickly. He then ran to the outside of the Manor, where he spotted Black Mask, who had already gone through three cans of gasoline.

"Stop!" Bruce shouted. "You don't have to do this!"

Black Mask simply smiled as he lit a match. Bruce ran toward him, but was too slow. Just as he got to Black Mask, he had thrown the match up into the air. He hadn't thrown it at the Manor, though. He'd thrown it past Bruce.

Bruce watched as a ring of fire lit up around the outside of the Manor. Alfred had gotten everyone far enough away, so it was just him and Black Mask in the circle of fire.

Black Mask noticed Alfred outside and cursed. "No matter. I'll just have to kill him separately."

Black Mask reached for another match, but was stopped as Bruce sent a blow to his jaw.

"Okay then," said Black Mask. "We'll do it like that."

Black Mask drew his handgun and started to shoot at Bruce. Since he was in his Batman armor, the bullets simply deflected off. Bruce kicked at Black Mask and threw a batarang at him, which he dodged.

"We could do this dance all day, Batman," he said. "But you know I've won!"

Bruce went in for a punch, but Black Mask drew out a knife and plunged it into his chest. Bruce cried out and kicked Black Mask's feet out from under him on reflex. Black Mask scrambled up, avoiding the fire, and advanced towards Bruce with his knife waving. Bruce stepped forward, grabbed the flat of the knife carefully. He punched Black Mask, then pulled on the knife and send him flipping over.

Black Mask scrambled up again, and this time pulled out a taser. Before Bruce could react a shock was being sent up his body and he was forced down to his knees. Instead of moving in while Bruce was weak, Black Mask moved back to a safe distance.

"You didn't really think you could stop me, did you?" asked Black Mask. "I've been steps ahead of you this whole time."

Black Mask reached for the matches, in order to finally finish off Wayne Manor, but they weren't there. He looked back at Bruce and Bruce held them up with a faint smile on his face.

"Except for right now," Bruce said. "It seems like I'm one step ahead of you right now."

Realization dawned on Black Mask's face. Bruce hadn't really been stupid enough to go in for a punch with Black Mask holding a knife. He'd just needed to get his hands on the matches. The realization was soon replaced with anger, and Black Mask made a move toward Bruce for the matches.

With one swift move, Bruce tossed the matches into the ring of fire, and Black Mask stopped in his tracks.

"Now that doesn't look like a win to me," Bruce said.

Black Mask looked around and realized that he was trapped.

"Maybe I can't destroy Wayne Manor," said Black Mask. "But I can still destroy Bruce Wayne!"

As Black Mask started his trudge through the fire, Bruce realized something. Black Mask didn't know his identity. He still thought Bruce was tied up in the woods. So Bruce watched as Black Mask screamed as he tried desperately to make it to the other side of the ring of fire. Only his hand made it fully out though, before the pain got the most of him and he crumpled up in the flames.

Then the GCPD appeared, and so Bruce grappled onto the roof of Wayne Manor. He watched as the apprehended the threat and figured out what had happened. Firefighters were called in, and they dealt with the flames and recovered the body of Roman Sionis, or Black Mask.

Reporters came, and Bruce ditched his costume as he seconded the story that everyone else was telling. Black Mask was going to burn Wayne Manor and kill everyone at the event, but Batman had swooped in and saved them. Not all of the details were correct, but they hardly ever were for things like that.

After awhile, the commotion died down a little and people started to leave Wayne Manor. The last thing Bruce saw before he retired for the evening himself was the charred body of Roman Sionis being carried off. He had suffered some very major burns, but the most disturbing part was his head. The shape of his mask had burned into his face and, according to the paramedics, had become permanent. Whether the man lived through the incident or not, nothing would ever be the same for him.