Bilah
AN: ok this is a batman fic Idea I have, the batman part of things comes later. It based in the idea that Ra's al ghul never died and continues his work, everyone suspects he's dead of course back in Gotham. But no one knows. This is the story of Ariana Goldman (later Bilah which means blade in Indonesian).
Chapter 1: Fear's Origin
A lot of times, people try to forget the past. But I say, it's our past that makes us who we are today. My past contains memories of my old life and my darkest memories. The moments before I was reborn to who I am today.
I went by Ariana back then...
I had quite the adventurous childhood if one were to describe it. My parents were archeologists and worked as head historians for the city museum back home. Quite the big deal. So they got the privilege of getting to go on paid expeditions all across the globe.
When I was old enough, they let me come with them, I was 16 that day. That was the day I left this life behind.
That year we headed to Tibet. They kept raving about all the sacred religious sites all over the country we were going to see.
They were working on a new exhibit focusing on areas around India. We began in a small cluster of run down towns and villages near the Himalayas. They constantly made sure I was behind them, even insisting I hold their hands through the seedy parts of town.
"Dad, honestly I'm fine." I whined as he gripped my hand.
" I know, but these areas are fully of smugglers, thieves, every kind of criminal. Some can be just innocent and doing what it takes to survive. But that could involve hurting others in the process." My father reminded me for the twelfth time these past two miles.
I sighed. I'm 16, shouldn't I be home partying while they're away like a normal teenager? I didn't even know. I somehow got it into my head that it could be fun seeing some place other than the dreary streets of Gotham.
The crime just never stops at home. So dad's speech is pretty useless since he basically described what home is like daily. Drug lords, mafia types, and the strangely reoccurring theme of psychopaths with goals to meet set against the city were everyday headlines.
The police might as well not even be operating be as a quarter of them secretly work for criminal groups. They bring some bad guys in but the trials are always a tie between either actual justice or convenient victory.
I shook my thoughts of the bad times back home and refocused on our wonderful Tibetan adventure. We had reached some farm villages and plains approaching the mountains.
"Now apparently there are some sacred areas near and on the mountains. Ready for some mountain climbing Ariana?" My mother chirped as she snapped some photos and marked her wrinkled map.
I rolled my eyes and looked ahead and to my surroundings. I saw a group of men pulling a woman out of a home as well as a man. We were yards away. My parents had taught me Tibetan language before we went on the trip to prepare for whatever reason. So, I understood the men.
" Where's the payment?" One yelled as he held a blade to the man's throat.
" I don't have it yet! Please just-"
"Pay! Or she dies!" The the other man shouted as he placed a blade on the wife's neck. She was crying and speaking in gibberish.
"Dad?" I whispered.
We stood in motionless horror.
" I told you. The others who paid for the shipment haven't given me the money yet!" The man pleaded.
The one with the knife to the man nodded to the other and he killed the wife without hesitation.
I couldn't help but scream. The drug smugglers turned in our direction. They ran towards us. My dad shoved me to get me to move and start running. "Ariana RUN!"
I ran as hard as I could but since I was so afraid, my legs turned to jelly and I was too weak to keep up. I reached my hand out as if to grab my father's hand. I fell to the wet mud.
"Daddy!" I screeched.
He and my mother turned. They rushed and pulled me up.
"Ariana, you mustn't let your fear control you, we have to keep going sweetheart." My father said as we kept running through the narrow village streets. The crowds didn't give a second glance. Crime must be as much a part of life as farming for these people.
We stopped dead in our tracks as one of the smugglers appeared in front of us at the end of the street. We turned the other way only to find the other, we were trapped.
"Please, we don't want any trouble." My father explained, his voice calm.
I gripped his shirt sleeve. The smugglers examined us.
"Give us all of your money!" One shouted.
My father nodded and pulled his wallet out of his pants pocket. The man snatched it just as my father had it out if his pocket.
"Now on your knees, all of you!" The other behind us ordered. "Hands in the air!"
We did as they said. I was trembling and crying silently. My eyes grew wide as the man in front of us pulled out his blood stained knife. I froze completely. I've always had a fear if knives, above all else. Just the image of a slow slice across skin made me shiver in fear. My heartbeat clouded my ear drums.
The man stepped close to us. He kneeled to the ground, in front of my father.
" I'm sorry, my friend," he chuckled darkly, " You and your family happened to be at the wrong place in the wrong time."
And before my father could raise a fist to stop him, the smuggler sliced his throat. I watched as very real blood spilled down my father's chest and he fell. I couldn't move, or even scream.
"Richard!" My mother cried in agony.
The man behind us came up then and killed her.
I was hyperventilating. I was frozen in fear. My fears were becoming a reality. The man crouched in front of me.
" My poor dear, Let this be a lesson to you." He said as he brought his blade to my cheek. " Don't meddle in other people's business!" He growled as he slashed across my cheek. I screamed in pain. I shook violently as I realized it was my own blood I saw dripping to my hands that had fallen to my lap.
" Now, if only you hadn't have screamed," the man said as he seemed to crush my jaw in his hand as he forced me to look to him, " Your parents may still be alive. I won't kill you, as I said, let this be a lesson to you."
With that the smugglers walked away. Leaving me with my parent's bodies. I looked to their glassy open eyes, stating into nothing.
"Mom, Dad?" I cried. " We have to to go see the sacred sites now, remember? Let's go, Wake up!"
I knew the obvious, I wasn't stupid. But in this situation, I couldn't not hope it was all in my head. That they would grab my hand as we headed through the pathways telling me to focus on the fun and discovery head as they would remind me every time I zoned out from the trip.
I sobbed and couldn't move. I shook then hundreds if times. Thinking maybe they would move as if I was waking them up from a nap. I was feeling light headed. I brought a pale, shaking hand to my cheek to realize I was still bleeding.
I whipped my head around to find the source of soft footsteps I heard come up behind me. There was a man, probably my father's age, and he looked American. He had short hair and a small mustache and beard. He kneeled down to the ground next to me.
"Do not be frightened, child. I am not going to harm you like they did." He said in english with a soft, kind voice.
" Who are you?" I asked.
" I am Ra's al ghul. Come on, you may come stay with me if you like. Don't worry I won't hurt you." He replied, holding a hand out to me.
"But my, my parents."
"They're souls are in a peaceful place now. I'll have them come with us, they can be properly buried in the mountains, where I live."
I noticed the two men behind him that looked like ninjas in old movies I would watch with my dad, only real.
I looked back to the man, Ra's al ghul, before me. I felt in my mind and heart that he wanted to help me, he didn't look like he was lying.
I nodded and took his hand. He pulled me into his arms and carried me towards the snowy mountains.