[ WP ] The origins and story of Batman in a medieval fantasy world .

The sounds of laughter erupted from the small tavern, in the town of Goth-Elm, a small hamlet in the eastern part of the world. Each year, around the time of harvest, all the folks of Goth-Elm would gather with eachother, dance, drink, laugh, and share the wealth the year has brought with each other. 
 
 
 The year has been good for the folks of Goth-Elm, and to celebrate the townsfolk, with the help of the mayor, Thomas Wayne, purchased a Gleeman to come to the town and perform for the citizens. It is inside the small tavern that this gleeman now entertains 
 
 `` And now'' the slender, brightly dressed man bellowed, `` I have to ask each of you a very important question..One question so important, it may chance all your lives by the end of the day.'' Whipping his hands into his pockets and quickly back out, he leaned forward, and in a quiet voice, said `` Do you think I can juggle all 10 of these balls?'' 
 
 Laughter errupted from the patrons as the man began to juggle. For hours he had entertained with tales, flips, jumps, spins, rolls, juggling, and more tales. The night was beginning to darken, and many of the townsfolk with smaller children began to leave. 
 
 
 The Mayor of Goth-Elm, Thomas Wayne, his wife Martha, his former farmhand, forever bestfriend, and current town accountant, Alfred, and his son, Bruce, all left together in the early dark of the night. As much as the family would have loved to stay and enjoy more of the performance, the Mayor knew that he would have to get up early. Festival night or not, the mayor had to work tomorrow. 
 
 
 To say that there was a chill in the air this night would have been an understatement. In addition to the sharp weather the night had brought, the noise of the party had also brought another man towards the tavern. This mans name is Joe Chill, a petty thief and well known town drunk. As he stumbled towards the tavern in hopes of a free drink or a loose pocket full of coin, he noticed a family walk out of the tavern, two adults holding hands, and a tall man carrying a sleeping child in his arms. 
 
 `` Master Wayne,'' the tall gaunt man said `` It appears Master Bruce has fallen asleep. Perhaps I could hurry ahead with him while you and Martha enjoy the night? It's not often you have time to yourselves since you became Mayor.'' 
 
 `` That would be excellent, Alfred. Thank you.'' the other man replied. 
 
 
 `` *Fantastic*'' thought the thief `` *Two is even easier to rob than four...'' * 
 
 Crouching down in the shadows, the thief began to move, inching towards the couple talking in the moonlight. as he came closer to the group, he drew his knife. 
 
 `` Your money or your life'' Chill said in a loud whisper `` Now!'' 
 
 Martha issued a loud scream, while Thomas quickly stepped in from of his wife 
 
 `` Now, see hear, I am the Mayor of this to...'' His words were cut off as the knife entered his stomach. *He was n't supposed to do that! * Chill thought. With a quick twist, Chill dumped the bleeding Mayor on the ground and jumped at the woman. Martha once again screamed and tried to get away. 
 
 
 By the time the Gleeman stopped playing, and silence was heard once again over Goth-Elm, the bodies had already begun to grow cold. 
 
 __________________________________________________________ 
 **17 Years Later** 
 
 
 Bruce Wayne stood on the roof of his larger manor, looking out to the roads that led to a world he would never have a chance to see. The years had been kind to Bruce. He grew up to be a tall, muscular man. The family fortune had been left to him, and he had used it well, arming himself with the best armor and weapons a man could buy. Alfred had gone all the way to the capital Metropolis to pick up the custom order for him. 
 
 
 Even in the darkness of night, one could see the unique black armor he wore. It was plated mail, crafted by the hands of masters from the largest city in the world. The front of the plate had a bat carved into the front, the armor detailed to look like the muscular upper body of a man. The bottom matched the top in detail, giving him an appearance of a very, very strong man who simply tight cloth that formed around his muscles. A long black cape hung down his back. 
 
 
 The helmet contained two eye holes and a mouth hole, allowing him to speak to the men and women who caused trouble in Goth-Elm. The helmet rose to two points on the top, giving the apppearance of a bat. 
 
 
 His sword was truly a work of art. The finest steel had been folded over ten thousand times in the creation of his sword. No stronger steel has ever been forged. The blade itself is over five feet long, with steel so bright that light seemed to be sucked up in the presense of the blade. The catch on the bottom was carved to the same symbol on his chest: the bat, and the pommel matched. 
 
 
 `` Master Wayne'' Alfred called from inside the manor `` Will you be here for breakfast in the morning?'' 
 
 
 `` I'm not sure, Alfred. We'll have to see what the night brings.'' replied Bruce in a calm voice. `` I'll leave you a note if I get in before you are up.'' With that, Bruce jumped off the roof of the manor and vanished into the night. 
 
 
 Slinking down an alley, Wayne noticed a man looming over a woman near the other end. Even from twenty feet away, it was clear the man was quite full of liquor, and the woman did not want anything to do with him. 
 
 
 `` That's enough. Leave her alone.'' came the voice from the darkness. 
 
 `` Whose there?'' shouted the drunk `` Yous got ta show yourself or ima cut this pretty lady!'' 
 
 *not on my watch* thought Bruce. Drawing his sword, he charged down the alley, black cape billowing in the wind behind him. As he got close, he drew the blade up in a forward arc, removing the mans hand from his wrist. Screams filled the night as the woman backed away in horror and the man fell to his knees in pain. 
 
 
 `` Gahhhaaahh I'll kill you you sumbitch'' screamed the newly one-handed man. `` No one messed with Joe Chill!'' The man drew his small knife with one hand and lunged, hitting the armored man directly in chest, right where the heart is. 
 
 
 The knife snapped on the black armor. Wayne reached out and crushed Chill's other wrist between his fingers. Chill dropped to the ground into the fetal position and started to cry. 
 
 
 `` I do n't know who you are, but you and your kind are not welcome in Goth-Elm anymore.'' Wayne said `` I will protect the street from scum like you, no matter what it takes.'' 
 
 
 `` Gah kill you... kill you'' cried Chill from the ground, shaking. `` Kill you like I killed that mayor...'' The world seemed to go silent as the woman and Wayne took this information in. 
 
 Wayne's blood went cold. 
 
 
 `` Killed... The Mayor?'' Wayne asked, seething in fury. `` You have no idea what you started when you killed my..When you killed the mayor.'' 
 
 
 Wayne launched his right foot out and kicked the thief in the back, knocking him onto his knees. Raising his sword high above his head, he put his entire weight behind bringing the sword down, severing the head from the man who killed his parents. 
 
 
 As the body finished twitching, Wayne looked over at the woman and said `` Do n't worry, you're safe now.'' 
 
 She looked at him, slightly shocked, slightly awed, and said `` Who *are* you?'' 
 
 `` Me?'' he said `` I'm Batman''. as he turned and vanished once again into the night.
