Zatanna walked through the illuminated streets of Gotham, pulling Arthur along by the arm with the ease of someone who knew the city like the back of her hand. The night breeze played with the sorceress's dark hair as she smiled with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
Along the way, they talked at length, and soon the conversation shifted to her current situation.
"So… no magical search for your dad this time?" Arthur asked, curious.
Zatanna shook her head, the smile still on her lips, though her gaze carried a certain weight.
"Not this time. My father always disappears… and always reappears when I least expect it. For all I know, he could be sitting in some random village right now, sipping black tea and reading an old grimoire. I… I just want to live my own life, make a living with my own shows. Without relying on his fame."
Arthur looked at her in silence, taking in the words. Then, deciding to change the subject, he asked:
"And Constantine? You mentioned him earlier."
Zatanna huffed, crossing her arms.
"He's a lying scumbag. Tricked me into a shady contract and charged me three times more for a damn protection rune that didn't even work properly."
Arthur couldn't help but laugh.
"He sounds… popular with the people who hate him."
"Because he's good at it," Zatanna replied with a shrug.
As they walked, they exchanged contacts. It wasn't so much a goodbye as a "see you soon." But Zatanna's eyes turned more serious as she looked at Arthur for a moment.
"You have a strange aura… ancient, but human," she remarked, almost like talking to herself.
"You're not the first to say that," Arthur answered with a smile.
---
After the brief yet friendly farewell, Arthur returned to the hotel where he was staying. It was well past midnight when, as he walked down the hallway, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
"Rriiinnngg…"
It was an unknown number. He ignored it.
Two seconds later, it rang again. Same number.
Arthur sighed and answered.
"If this is a scam, just know I don't have the time or patience."
"Arthur! How rude, hanging up on me like that. How've you been, champ?"
He recognized the voice instantly—irreverent, intrusive, and with that unmistakable sarcastic tone that only one person could pull off.
"Dick. You know using the Batcave's supercomputer to get my number is a federal crime?"
"Oh, please. You have access to classified data too. We're even. Anyway, I've got a tiny favor to ask."
Arthur rubbed his eyes.
"Knew it wasn't just a welcome call."
"You ever heard of Solomon Grundy?"
"Of course. An undead guy with super strength, insane regeneration, and a terrible attitude. Sounds perfect for a Thursday night."
Dick let out a short laugh.
"Someone reported seeing him in the swamp outside Gotham. Batman's tied up with Scarecrow, and I got sent to investigate. I need backup."
Arthur paused for a moment. "Is this an official mission, or just a casual death-risking stroll?"
"Both?"
"...Alright. Send me the location."
---
Cyrus Gold was born sometime in the early 19th century. In 1895, he became involved with a Gotham City prostitute named Rachel Rykel.
According to Rachel, she became pregnant by Gold and tried to blackmail him for money in exchange for keeping the pregnancy—and the scandal—a secret.
Gold agreed to meet her discreetly at Slaughter Swamp, several miles outside the city limits. However, when he refused to give in to her demands, he was ambushed by Rachel's pimp, Jem, who struck him in the back of the head with a shovel, killing him instantly.
With no witnesses and confident that no one would come looking for Cyrus, the two buried his body in the dark, polluted waters of the swamp.
Over the years, Gold's corpse interacted with the swamp's decaying organic matter, toxic chemicals, and poisonous vegetation. Through some inexplicable process—perhaps alchemical, perhaps mystical—his body was transformed. What emerged from the murky depths was no longer human.
It was a rotting monstrosity of immense strength and fractured mind, one the world would come to fear as… Solomon Grundy.
---
Outskirts of Gotham – Entrance to an isolated estate near Slaughter Swamp
Dick was already there when Arthur arrived, eyeing the old mansion ahead. A police car was parked nearby, with a few officers speaking to the property's owner.
When he saw Arthur approaching, Dick waved.
"Where's your combat suit?" he asked, frowning. "Am I the only idiot dressed for battle here?"
Arthur gave a subtle smile.
"My suit comes with me. Literally."
He reached into his coat, pulled out a white mask, and placed it on his face.
Dick laughed.
"Right, I forgot you only wear that mask. Let's go. The cops already reported strange noises coming from the swamp, and the mansion's owner claims to have seen a giant creature wandering near the lake."
Arthur looked toward the mist-covered path ahead.
"And we're just going in? The two of us?"
Dick shrugged.
"As always. But relax. You've got a white mask, I've got charm."
"If this goes south… we'll need more than charm."
---
"Any updates?" Dick asked as he approached the officers speaking to the mansion's owner.
One of the officers relaxed upon recognizing him.
"Nothing solid so far. She seems to be in shock… hesitant, scared."
"I see. Leave the rest to us," said Robin, thinking for a moment before adding something.
He turned to Arthur and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"This guy's an ally. He's here to help. His name is… uh…" He leaned in and whispered, "Did you pick a codename yet?"
Arthur replied with a small smirk: "Garou. Call me Garou."
Robin turned back to the officer. "This is Garou. He's with me."
The officer nodded without question. "Understood. We're counting on you, Robin and Garou. Good luck."
The officer returned to his patrol car, leaving the two heroes facing the mansion's owner—a middle-aged Caucasian woman, well-dressed but clearly in panic. She trembled and struggled to keep her gaze steady on anything for more than a few seconds.
"Ma'am… please, take a deep breath. We're here to help you," Robin said in a calm, steady voice, trying to reassure her. "Can you tell us exactly what you saw?"
The woman seemed to calm slightly, perhaps due to Robin's iconic presence. Still, the fear on her face remained evident.
"That… that nursery rhyme… it's real!" she exclaimed, wide-eyed. "Solomon Grundy is real! I saw him!"
Arthur and Dick exchanged a silent glance.
"I got home from a party a little over an hour ago… As I was getting out of the car, I saw a massive shadow walking in the swamp, just ahead. I grabbed a flashlight and pointed it, thinking it was some kind of animal..."
She swallowed hard.
"But it wasn't. I'll never forget that sight. It was… it was him. Solomon Grundy. Huge. Rotting. Alive."
"Can you tell us where he is now?" Robin asked.
The woman shook her head, distressed.
"No… I panicked. Ran back inside, locked every door, and called the police. When I looked out the window… he was gone."
Robin frowned. The information was scarce. To make matters worse, there was only one exterior camera, and it was pointed toward the front of the mansion—the swamp behind the house was completely out of view.
The night was dark, and the dense mist made tracking even harder. No footprints. No trail. Solomon Grundy didn't follow paths—he moved through the swamps like a force of nature.
"Any idea what we should do?" Robin asked, turning to Arthur.
Arthur shrugged, bluntly:
"You're asking the wrong guy. You're the one trained by Batman. If anyone here should know how to find a three-meter-tall undead guy, it's you."
Robin let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair.
"Even with the Bat's training, it's tough with so little to go on. And there's always the chance she was drunk and hallucinating."
"If she's as rich as she looks, she should've installed more cameras around the property. This is a mansion, not a hunting shack."
"Exactly. But handling this alone is risky… and calling Batman would be admitting failure."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"Student's pride?"
"Survivor's pride," Robin replied with a half-smile.
Arthur then looked around, thoughtful. The situation reminded him of one of those games where the player is stuck until they find the right character to unlock the next event. And luckily… he knew exactly the right person.
"I can get us some help," Arthur said.
Robin's eyes lit up.
"Seriously? Great! Hurry—before he vanishes again."
Arthur nodded and stepped aside, pulling out his phone. He typed quickly and hoped she was still awake.
Zatanna didn't usually like being bothered late at night—especially when she wasn't on duty.
After a few rings, the call was answered.
"Hello…?"
"Zatanna, it's me. Arthur. I need a favor. A small one—but urgent. And… if it involves magic, even better."
(End of chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."