"Father, you're here."
Shiller rose from his seat to greet him, shaking hands with Father Daniel, who looked up at the theater and remarked nostalgically, "I haven't been here in a long ti. I didn't expect to be invited here again."
Then, he followed Shiller to the first row of seats closest to the stage. Early arrivals seated there included Godfather Falcone, who just glanced at the priest and said, "Do you rember? In our ti, the lights here were brilliantly dazzling. My favorite opera then was 'La Traviata'."
"I still prefer 'Saint Louis'. Back then, both plays were incredibly successful, the theatre always packed. Tickets were impossible to get."
The three of them sat in the vacant old theatre. The decaying stage was covered in layers of dust, casting a deep maroon shadow over the curtain. The golden threads embroidered on it had lost their sheen. Even the string of bulbs lining the stage was mostly unlit.
"Still, I prefer today's play. What should we call it?" Shiller asked, turning to the other two. Falcone, cigar in hand, responded as the flickering firelight illuminated the smoke he exhaled, "'Easter', what do you think?"
"I think 'The Resurrection of the Clown' would be more fitting."
"Why? Clown? Are you referring to those from the circus? Indeed, circuses have perford at Gotham's Grand Opera House, but that was a long ti ago."
Shiller shook his head but didn't reply.
He said, "I invited you two here to hear your stories."
Falcone sighed. The old Godfather said, "Let Daniel explain it to you."
Falcone and Shiller both turned to look at Father Daniel sitting between them.
Father Daniel, grinnning, said, "I was once a mber of the Court of Owls, but that was a long ti ago."
Father Daniel's voice was tinged with nostalgia, "As I've said before, when I arrived on this land it teed with life. I was kind to everyone and gained so reputation among the mobs. Many were willing to do a favor."
"Then those little birds approached . They were not as powerful as they are today. They told they wished to share the secret of eternal life with . Intrigued, I joined them."
Father Daniel leaned against the back of the chair, slightly lifting his gaze towards the stage. The moonlight streaming through the windows above was exceptionally bright, paralleling the far reach of his voice.
"Back then, they didn't have any assassins. They were rely an assembly of the privileged. But then, they found sothing extraordinary in Gotham."
"It's Dionysium, right?"
"Yes, they discovered a mysterious underground water source in Gotham. It slled like Dionysium, intoxicating those who inhaled its aroma. Those who did, their wounds would heal and they seed to beco younger."
"Eternal life and immortality, such wonderful words. No one could resist such a temptation. So, the Court of Owls initiated a plan to excavate and decipher this water source's secret, to harness its power, and achieve true immortality."
"They called it 'The Source Project'."
"However, the plan didn't go as smooth as expected. The first explorers who drank that liquid went insane. Eventually, they decided to seek religious enlightennt to uncover the mystery. That's when they approached ."
"I knew from the start that they just wanted to use . But that's fine, I wanted to use them, too."
Father Daniel made the sign of the cross over his chest and said, "I believed I was obeying the Lord's will, letting His glory save this land. If conventional thods didn't work, we could try an alternative approach. The Lord would forgive ."
"They exploited a group of European nobles to help build a church above the water source. Then, the Court of Owls killed them."
"The mansion you live in now was left behind by them."
"So they didn't move away, they were murdered?"
"That's right. The Court of Owls claid they left, but in reality, none of those involved in the construction of the church survived to leave here. The Court of Owls wouldn't risk exposing the secret of immortality."
"So, I moved into the church, keeping vigil over it, watching as generations of Gothamites ca and went."
"You always take so long to get to the point." Falcone flicked his cigar and said, "This isn't a church sermon."
"Don't say that, Your Excellency. It's Easter; let's show so patience." Shiller gestured for him to continue. Father Daniel, smiling, nodded in agreent.
"Eventually, I unraveled part of Dionysium's secret and used it to gain special abilities."
"So, you noticed sothing different about the first ti I visited the church?"
Father Daniel shook his head and said, "Actually, my abilities aren't as impressive as you might think. Perhaps once they were, but now, I'm old. Without the church, without standing over the pool of Dionysium, I'm just a common, aging man."
"But that was the case at that ti. The first ti you ca to the church, in my slightly inebriated state, I noticed sothing different. That's why I suggested to Falcone that he ask you to solve the problem with his son."
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