Rain pelted the streets of Gotham City, each drop a crystalline reminder of the city's perpetual gloom. The night sky was a murky expanse, clouds heavy and brooding, obscuring the moon and stars. Neon lights from seedy bars and flickering street lamps reflected off the wet pavement, casting eerie, distorted glows that danced in the puddles. The air was thick with the scent of wet concrete and the faint, acrid aroma of smoke from distant chimneys — And the thunder rumbled ominously, a low growl that seemed to reverberate through the very bones of the city, while sporadic flashes of lightning illuminated the gothic architecture of crumbling buildings and towering skyscrapers.

Through the deluge, the city's denizens moved like phantoms. Hunched figures, faces hidden beneath umbrellas and hoods, hurried along sidewalks, seeking shelter from the relentless downpour. The rain-muted sounds of life — The distant wail of a siren, the faint hum of traffic — mingled with the rhythmic splashing of water.