CHAPTER 1

It had all been his fault. Now, Roy was gone and the Arrow in which he gave his life to was dead. Oliver was lost and even though Felicity said that he was the man that she believes in, he did not know what to do next. He decided to come home to the loft to think this over and check in on Thea to tell her that Roy is alive and is gone for the meantime until he could find a way to clear Roy's name from the police.

He turned the knob and opened the door of the loft and instantly saw shattered glass from the kitchen area. His heart was racing because he was nervous. He wished that what he thought was not what happened and that Malcolm's warning about someone dying that was close to him was not true.

He turned around and saw Thea, lying on the white carpet and through a glass table that was near their fireplace. Oliver rushed towards her in a frenzied state and immediately checked on her pulse. It was still there, but it was very faint. He called 911 to go get help using his smartphone.

"Stay with me, Speedy!" he said as he frantically performed CPR on a non-moving, and almost lifeless Thea. He could not stand to lose someone from his family again. The thought of losing his last family member would kill him. As with all the things in his life, he blamed himself. If he was not stubborn and just accepted Ra's offer, Thea would not have been in this situation in the first place.

A few minutes later and the paramedics arrived. Oliver moved away from Thea to allow the paramedics to do their job and bring her to the nearest hospital. He was shedding tears and was pacing back and forth in a state of panic, fear and probably loss. Once Thea was placed in a gurney, he followed the paramedics onto the ambulance.

It was not a long trip, but for Oliver, it seemed like ages. He was once again sitting there and unable to do anything. He was helpless and he hated being helpless. He always wants to do something to help the people that he cared about, but, right here and now, all he can do is wait and trust in Thea's strength and fortitude to return to him and his friends.

As soon as they reached the hospital and Thea was placed on an actual hospital bed, she flat lined. The hospital tried to revive her but it was to no avail. Thea Queen is dead. As the doctors pronounced it, Oliver Queen was devastated. Once again he failed someone that he cared for deeply. He could not believe it, he did not want to believe it. All he knew was that he needed air and time to think of a way to save her sister's life. He was determined not to lose his sister to his crusade after losing both of his parents.

As he went outside in the darkness and moved away from the hospital, a man appeared. This man he knew a long time ago but was a stranger to him now.

"You can still save her, Oliver. Ascend to the calling of Ra's Al Ghul and you can return your sister back to life." Maseo said as he stepped out of the shadows.

Oliver remembered the Lazarus Pits in which Maseo was describing. He saw its healing effects when Ra's Al Ghul was making a very compelling pitch to him to take his place. Oliver stood there, quietly, but his mind was going a hundred miles a minute. Was he willing to save Thea's life at the risk of his soul? Would he really be able to live with himself knowing that Thea was dead because of his own stubbornness? He took his time as a million questions flooded through his brain. After letting it stew for a while and all answers pointing to one thing, he looked at Maseo and said,

"Yes. I accept the call to become Ra's Al Ghul." Oliver said with determination in his face but defeat and sadness in his eyes.

"My master would be pleased." Maseo replied without any kind of emotion.

"Let me get my affairs in order and I will meet you and Ra's Al Ghul at Nanda Parbat." Oliver told Maseo.

"Yes, of course, Warith Al Ghul." Maseo now said, but with a different tone. It was a tone of deference and respect, as if Maseo served as his slave or disciple.

"Warith Al Ghul?" Oliver inquired.

"It means Heir to the Demon." he said before slinking back into the shadows of this fateful and starless night.