Chapter 3
Bruce typically wasn’t someone who made questionable decisions, but everyone has their moments.
Ever since he took that odd book from Tim that contained Latin words and crudely drawn summoning circles, he couldn’t help but think about it. If he didn’t have the proof from Dick that the cameras in his bedroom had captured, he isn’t sure he would have believed the claims of his three youngest. I mean, demons?
But even Bruce had to acknowledge proof when presented.
Still, it bothered him that the being just left. No fights, no attempting to harm his kids in any way, it just left. After lecturing his kids on summoning things responsibly.
He tried his best to put everything out of his mind, yet he still couldn’t completely rid himself of thoughts. What if the being was still lurking around Gotham? What if it was waiting to possess his family? What if it was already possessing his family? He couldn’t risk it.
Bruce glanced over to the shelf in his office that held the book. Damian and Tim were at school, Dick and Jason were at work, and Alfred was prepping dinner. If he were to do anything…
Bruce stood up and took the book off the shelf, flipping to the page Tim had pointed out as the one they had used and stared at it. He sat for a moment, contemplating. Screw it.
He walked over to a drawer in his desk and pulled it open, taking a piece of chalk from the supplies inside. He distinctly remembered from the video that the being wasn’t appreciative of the blood used in the original summoning. He closed the drawer again and knelt down in the middle of his office, beginning to sketch the circle shown on the page.
After making sure everything was as close as he could get it to the original, he looked at the string of words beneath. Bruce took a deep breath and began chanting in what was probably an incredibly butchered version of Latin.
Almost immediately the lights around him began to flicker. He took a small step back from the circle and dropped the book on the floor as a dark figure started to materialise in the centre. When the ritual seemed to be complete, he recognized the man as the same one from the video.
“I recognise the feel of this house. I’ve been here before.” Bruce is embarrassed to admit that he startled a bit as the figure spoke. He took a small step forward and began to speak.
“My sons were the ones who summoned you the first time. I called you back because you pose a threat to them. How am I to know that you aren’t simply around somewhere I can’t see you?” The figure scowled at him as he spoke.
“You’re telling me that you foolishly summoned me after I lectured your sons about summoning random beings? No wonder they are so reckless! They get it from you!” Embarrassment and anger rose in Bruce’s chest.
“Are you a threat to us?” Bruce growled out, his Batman voice making an appearance.
“Why on earth would I stick around here? I have much better things to do than stalk idiotic children who think drawing ancient symbols on the ground with blood is a smart idea. Do you have any idea how much paperwork I have? This conversation is putting me behind!”
“How am I supposed to know that you aren’t a thre-”
“You are a father! You need to be setting a better example for your children! What would you have done if you messed up the ritual and it wasn’t me who came through? You would have put yourself and your family at risk! You need to think through your actions, because you can’t afford to be so reckless again!” The being was pacing angrily.
“Master Bruce! What on earth do you think you are doing?” Bruce swung around and came face to face with an angry Alfred.
Fuck.
He was supposed to be busy.
“I was just-”
“You lectured your sons about summoning beings but you turn around and do the same? I am disappointed in you, Sir.” The man in the summoning circle threw up his hands.
“Thank you! At least one of you has a brain! Now if you excuse me, I will be taking my leave.” With a blink of an eye, the man disappeared and left Bruce with an angry Alfred.
“Alfred-”
“Master Bruce, I will be confiscating this book from you, as it appears that you are also not mature enough to keep possession of it. I expect you to also wash the chalk off the floor before the boys get home.” Bruce hung his head.
“Yes, Alfred.”
Bruce felt like a kid again, on his knees and scrubbing his mess after being scolded not only by Alfred, but also the man that he had summoned in the first place.
He really was no better than his own kids.