"You monsters!" Fluttershy cried, tears pouring down her face. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie, Rarity, and Spike were all starting to feel tears run down their faces as well. Batman lay limp on the ground, a sword impaled through his chest and blood pouring from the wound and his mouth and nose. "Y-You killed him!"
"Ah, indeed we have. How observant." Chrysalis mocked.
Twilight tried to fight back her urge to cry. She hadn't seen such a brutal act be done before by anypony, and she and her friends weren't taking it well. She hugged Spike, who had began to sob. "You sick freaks... We'll stop you." she threatened in a slight slur from her sniffles and tears. "We'll d-do it for his sake. Batman will not die in vain."
"Oh? Now you're suddenly his best friends? He fought you all to a standstill!" Ra's laughed.
"H-He trusted us." Rarity mumbled, "He managed to put that aside to make sure we were safe. He died... The way he lived. After all he's g-gone through to just-" she paused herself, not wanting to go any further with what she had to say. Applejack wrapped a hoof over the unicorn's shoulder, trying to remain stoic, which was proving hard to do at a time like this.
"Y-Yeah! It's not fair for him!" Dash yelled.
Ra's stepped forward, "We do not care about what is fair. We're only here to purge the world of all of its sins. To rectify the mistakes made that brought us down as a species, yours included as I can tell. I'm only here to fulfill my mission. To save this world through any means necessary, and if Batman wants to die against that, then I shall not argue it any further." he said, kneeling down to face the broken cyan pegasus.
"Face it. Your army's down and your precious princesses have been weakened thanks to the Warp Crystal. The land of Equestria now belongs to the changelings and you seven cannot do anything about it!" snarled Chrysalis, the changeling queen bending down to boast to Twilight Sparkle, who scowled upon seeing her enemy. "Just give up and bow, give you a quick death, or I'll make sure Ra's makes your deaths extra painful." she warned the only alicorn left standing.
"Never."
"We'll never bow to the likes of you two!" Pinkie added.
"You bet! You're all sick psychos!" Dash scoffed.
Ra's huffed, "If you choose. Chrysalis... Use the crystal."
Following his order, Chrysalis's horn began to glow as did the Warp Crystal. The gem created an aura that forced the remaining seven heroes to stay still. "Now... I will end you myself. But if you bow to us, we'll spare you among the evils of the worlds that we live in. Perhaps we'll expand our forces and use your princesses as examples."
Twilight and her friends panted, unable to escape Chrysalis's forcefield. All hope had been lost. Batman was dead and Eauestria's heroes were in an impossible situation. Ra's Al Ghul, Queen Chrysalis, and the changelings have seemingly won a war that nopony was prepared to fight. It truly was the world's darkest hour.
Snapping his eyes open, Batman found himself in a gray void. "Where the hell am I?" he asked himself, his voice echoing through the strange rift. He noticed that his body was perfectly fine, and that he was obviously away from the battlefield back at Canterlot. "The last thing I remember is..." he trailed off, his memories coming back to him. "No! Ra's! I'm dead aren't I? Now two worlds will perish in his plans... No one, not even the ponies will survive. Why did I get them involved?!" he asked himself, regretting his decision to ally with the ponies of Equestria.
'Because you are a hero.'
The Dark Knight turned around, seeing Solar stand there. "Solar... Where am I?"
'In the bridge between life and death, Batman. I told you that I have been watching you and some other heroes for a reason. To form a team. You are indeed what I have been looking for. You put your trust in the ponies, despite not wanting to get them involved. You have shown that you can learn from your mistakes. The ponies wouldn't have lasted long in these events if it weren't for your involvment, and their involvement with you.' she explained.
"But they're going to die without me! The Warp Crystal is capable of anything!" Batman shouted at the top of his lungs, "It's over for them and my world! I'm dead, Solar! And if Ra's knows how to use the crystal they'll be as well!"
'I am aware of that, Dark Knight. That's why I managed to bring enough power to bring you back. But there will be a side effect... I have mentioned that you will bring back a lost element to this world. You have heard of the Elements of Harmony, correct?' once she saw Batman nod, she continued, 'My mission requires me to seek out the Elements of Harmony across different worlds, different elements that do not involve the ones you heard. I have found three at this point. You, Batman, are the Element of Trust. You're able to put aside your ego to aid others when the time calls for it.'
"So I'm part of some ancient prophecy.. You're starting to sound like that Azrael person I met back in Arkham City." the Dark Knight grumbled.
'So, I am able to bring you back to life as the Element of Trust, but with the choice of joining the other warriors, or you can proceed to the afterlife and live in your paradise.' offered Solar to the vigilante. 'But before you decide, two people there wanted to deliver a message to you personally.'
A beacon of light appeared in front of Batman. Two sillouhette figures appeared in the center. 'Bruce.' a male voice called out to the Dark Knight by his real voice.
"Dad?"
'Yes, Bruce. Thomas and I are so proud of what you became. As much as we want to see you again, you have a job to do. Be the Batman, Bruce.' said Batman's mother, Martha.
"I-I will Mom."
'Remember, Bruce. We'll always be waiting for you. When the time comes, we'll be a family again.'
The light faded, and Batman removed his mask, small tears falling down from his face and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Thank you for that, Solar." he put back on his cowl, "But I know what must be done. I'll join your team. If only to help the ponies get the job done." he declared.
'Very well,' Solar nodded, 'I'll send you back with the Element's power!' she lit up her horn and teleported Batman away from the afterlife bridge, back to reality to finish the battle he started with new motivation.
Back in Canterlot, Batman's eyes opened up. 'They think they've won! Ra's and Chrysalis are wrong! I'll stop them and save Equestria and Earth.'
He grabbed the sword stabbed through him. The noise got the attention of Ra's and Chrysalis, and their eyes widened at the sight, "How? You should be dead!" scoffed the changeling queen.
"You could not have survived that without the use of a Lazarus Pit!" Ra's studdered.
Batman pulled the sword out of his chest and threw it across the floor. The ponies began to smile at the sight of seeing Batman was alive, all of his wounds gone. His suit was a darker shade of black and his bat-insignia was golden now. A powerful aura surrounding his being while he stood up. "It's over, you two." he declared, "End this before I make you." he warned, a scowl forming underneath his upgraded cowl. He felt the power eminate within him.
"Chrysalis! Now!" the assassin ordered. The changeling queen tried to hit Batman with her magic, but the Dark Knight deflected each shot while he walked forward. He grabbed Chrysalis by the throat and snarled in her face, terrifying her and getting rid of her overconfident attitude from just a moment ago.
"W-What a-are you!?" she asked in fear.
Batman punched Chrysalis and grabbed the crystal from her possession, "I am vengeance!" he began, throwing her depowered, weakened body on the floor.
"I am the night!"
The Dark Knight used the crystal's power and the Element of Truth's power in order to warp away the changeling army and heal everypony that was an ally lying around him. He walked to the still weakened Chrysalis and kicked her down, announcing once more declaration for all to hear.
"I AM BATMAN!"
Kicking Chrysalis down and unconscious, Batman faced the ponies, "You're all safe. It's over." he announced, the ponies looking at his new form in aew and confusion. Celestia and Luna woke up to see that everything was clear and that Batman was standing next to the defeated changeling queen and no army in sight,
"How are you alive?!" asked Twilight in disbelief.
Dash gushed, "That was so cool!"
"I know right?" Spike agreed.
"Batman? What happened?" asked Luna.
"It's over. The army is gone and Chrysalis... Speaking of which." the detective saw that Ra's Al Ghul picked up his sword to battle once more, but Batman unarmed him and held him down. His other hand holding the Warp Crystal that brought them into this mess in the first place, "I'm leaving now."
"Aw! But we never got to congratulate you!" whined Pinkie.
"I don't need thanks." he said. "Take care, you're all going to need to. I won't be back for a while. Not until I get some thigns sorted out on my world."
"Good luck, Batman!"
"Yeah, stay cool!"
"We'll be waiting!"
A thin smile on his face, Batman used the crystal's power and warped him and Ra's back to Earth where they can leave this past adventure behind them.