Chapter Text
“Aren’t you too old for this, Matt ?”
This is what Foggy said to him a few months ago. Those words echo in his head every time he puts his suit back on. Everytime he straps the bandages around his fists. Everytime he puts that horned cowl on his head.
But Matt Murdock is Daredevil. He already tried to get rid of it. But it came back. It always does. This is not just an addiction, this is a part of him.
He already accepted that this suit will most likely bé his coffin. Not that he is searching to die. But this world keeps getting crazier every day. And even though time didn’t erode his soul, it did its job on his muscles. Luckily his senses are for the most part still intact. And that’s all he needs.
Opening his rooftop window, Matt escapes from his apartment.
Swinging through the streets for his usual patrol. He smells this fragrance of gunpowder mixed with those from local restaurants. This is the fragrance of Hell’s Kitchen. Where he was born, then born again. And probably where he’ll draw his final breath.
He parkoured through it so many times that he could travel across it even if he was a regular blind person. But after the smell, comes the second characteristic of the neighborhood, gunshots. It’s not hard for Daredevil to pinpoint their provenance. And it’s even easier for him to reach their location.
A few seconds later he’s on the scene. 4 heartbeats. And the smell of one corpse. Weird, he doesn’t feel anything else. No weapon delivery, no drugs. Just a plain murder. Matt is too late for the save. But it’s never too late for retribution.
Jumping from the roof he was standing on, Daredevil launches himself on lamp, spinning around it, he gains enough momentum to launch himself towards one of the goons. Propelling him into their car. Breathing goes slower, he’s out.
The heartbeats of the 3 remainings goes faster out of fear. But not as much as Daredevil anticipated. They knew he was coming. This is probably a set up. But he’ll think about that later.
The 3 guys rush towards him. Matt launches one of his billy club on the wall that bounces back from it right into one of the dude’s head. He then grabs one with the Hook from his club, pulling him towards himself, making him lose balance. Daredevil then rushes the last one standing. One hit in the knees, one in the chest, one in the face, then a spin kick and he his down for the count. Right as he finishes him, Daredevil backflips near the one that he made fall, the only one still conscious.
Pulling him back up, and slamming him into the wall, he’ll make him talk.
“Who sent you ?”
“I don’t know, he just sent us money and said we would have more if we followed your instructions”
No spike in his heartbeat, he’s telling the truth
Matt applies more pressure on him “What instructions ?”
“Kill a random hobo around 11 pm and wait for Daredevil to come…”
He’s telling the truth
Matt is thinking about another question before he stops right in his tracks. He hears a heartbeat. At least he thinks it’s a heartbeat. It is so weird, it feels as fast as a jackhammer but as silent as an electric car. Like if a dead man was full of energy.
He hears someone landing behind him, the owner of the uncanny heartbeat. From the sound they made, they must weigh around 165 lbs. Probably a muscular and fit young person.
Using his radar, Matt manages to get a picture of the person standing before him, he can’t get the details but they seem to look like… Daredevil. Or at least how Daredevil looked in his prime.
“So you’re the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, huh ? Well my boss was right, you seem strong. Even though I was expecting a bit more” says the weird figure. His voice feels… demonic
“Who are you ?” asks Daredevil
“Your replacement” answers the figure as he draws his weapon out of thin air. It looks like a giant billy club. And Matt can easily smell what it's composed of. It’s a weapon made of fire.
All those strange details paint a very clear picture in Matt's head. He’s facing a copycat, except this one seems to actually be the devil.
“I'm sure you have a lot to teach me, but I’d like to finish this quickly.”
As he finishes his words. The devil launches himself towards Matt, who manages to escape the hit. The guy is fast, really fast. And judging by the sound it made on the pavement, his weapon isn’t just for the show.
As his opponent was getting ready for another assault, Matt closes in. Such a big weapon won’t be practical in close quarters. But even though he can’t see it, his opponent smiles.
In a few seconds the giant fire lance turns into blazing billy clubs. Matt doesn’t notice the change until it’s too late. He’s too close to escape as his opponent stabs him with both weapons. No vital organs touched, but it hurts a lot.
As he tries to go for another hit, Matt parries his strike with his own club. Then both fighters start taking their shot at each other, each try being countered on both side. Matt launches a Billy Club on the ground, bouncing back into his opponent’s chin. Making him lose balance, Matt tries to reach in for the strike. But his opponent backflips, striking Matt in the jaw before turning his clubs back into a spear before piercing Matt in the side.
Lifting the top of his spear, he also lifts Daredevil off the ground. Spinning a bit, making Matt screams in agony before launching him in the nearest garbage dump, causing a very loud crash.
Matt struggles to find his breath back, he can barely move, and he’s losing blood, a lot of blood. His mind is racing. Who's that guy, how does he fight like him ? Is he really that strong or has Daredevil time passed ?
But before he can think of any answers, the devil comes to his side.
“Oh great, I managed to fight the right temperature so the flames wouldn't cauterize the wounds I just inflicted. Listen, my boss wanted me to finish you right now, but I’m more merciful than that. If you somehow manage to survive what I just did to you, then you’ll definitely deserve a second chance. And if you do get it, listen to my advice: never put this suit on again. Never swings across town again. Let Daredevil die and I will let you live. If you don’t…” he gets closer to Matt’s head “I WILL finish the job.”
And on those words, his heartbeat just disapears right as Matt hears a flame sound. Did he just… teleport ?
Doesn’t matter. Matt can’t move. And no one ever comes here at this hour. Daredevil made it very clear over the years that Hell’s Kitchen was his turf. And sadly the other Daredevil isn’t here to give him a hand.
So that’s how it ends then. Bleeding in an alleyway after taking a fight that he should’ve stepped out of. He laughs. The story sounds similar, feels almost poetic.
His heartbeat starts getting louder and louder, je doesn’t understand why, until he realizes. It's not his heart that he hears. It’s someone else’s, and the person closes in, fast.
He hears someone land before him. Light weight, the smell that comes of them is a perfume that is currently very popular with young girls.
“Crap, a kid” thinks Matt. A kid watch him is probably the last thing he wanted for his death.
He can feel their hand touching his neck, checking for a pulse. Those hands are soft, but hardened, surely by battle, this person is a fighter.
“Okay, still alive.” Says the mysterious person. The voice is feminine. Matt feels an accent. Mexican ? Puerto Rican ? Feels like a mix of both.
Her heartbeat is fast, yes, she seems stressed, but not afraid.
“I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m taking you to the Night Nurse. I’m gonna take some of the bandages you have on your fist. They’ll be more useful to stop the bleeding than covering your hands now” says the girl, trying to be as reassuring
Matt feels like he’s lifted off the ground. She must hold him on her back.
“Who are you ?” Asks Matt in one of his rare breaths
“The name's Araña, and I’m getting you out of here.”
TO BE CONTINUED