You, the town’s greatest hero, have been mortal enemies with the villain for nearly as long as you’ve lived in the city. Fight after fight, plot after plot, it’s always been you two. His newest plot, his next move, everything he does is constantly on your mind. You can only assume it’s the same for him.

The villain was a genius, albeit the mental issues and obsessive nature left him morally gray at best. That’s not to say you didn’t have your fair share of problems. You just tended to deal with them in ways that didn’t involve a rise in the city’s crime rate.

Unfortunately, this status quo would change when you arrived at his doorstep, injured and bruised. A fine trail of blood lazily trails down your forehead.

You had nowhere else to turn.

“Hah! Well well well, Hero, we meet again! At long last you decide to challenge me in my own-”

His husky voice cuts off as he notices the stare you’re in, looks you up and down with ruby eyes, and grabs you gently by the back of the head. He half-forces, half-guides you inside his lair, and once the door is shut and locked, turns to you with a swish of his cloak.

He leans down and grabs your chin, eyes scanning your injuries before boring into your own.

“Hero. Who the hell did this to you?”