Hey everyone, here is the chapter six of the Crimson Assassin, I want to thank everyone who has been reading, reviewing, favorite and followed the story it really means a lot to me. Anyways there are only five or six chapters left... the only problem is that apparently the ending is missing like I can't find it anywhere so that means I have to rewrite the entire ending to the story... Yeah happy fricking joy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mark Langston/Crimson, while Kraven Wilson/Nightstalker goes to Deadman68 and everyone else is own by DC Comics.
Fifteen Years Later- 2026
For fifteen years Mark had been in the pit. For fifteen years he had been planning his revenge against The Light, The League of Shadows, his former friends and mentor. His head snapped up at the crowd of people shouting. Figures wearing all black attire with red sashes came scaling down the walls of the pit until they reached the ground. Mark recognized the outfits right away. These people followed the orders of one person and one person only. He looked up again to see that exact person scaling down the wall last. It was Talia, the sister to Mark's lost love but also the daughter of the man who put him down here. As soon as Talia opened the door to Mark's cell he grabbed her by the throat then slammed her against the wall.
"You have one second to tell me why I shouldn't snap your neck," he growled with rage, Talia smiled then said,
"Because I'm the only one who was willing to help you escape this hell hole Mark"
He stared daggers at her then released her.
"I can't help you now, my father is already suspicious of me besides, I've changed since he put you down here and from the look of things you've changed as well" she looked him up and down.
Mark had indeed changed since that day. His dark hair had grown longer down to his shoulders; his face covered by a dark beard and his skin was very pale due to the loss of sunlight and the deadly edge to his voice hinted at the darkness his mind and soul now possessed.
"Why the hell are you here Talia? What's the real reason? To tell me that your son and his rogue group of warriors have finally stopped The Light? No? Did your 'beloved'? Or are you here to tell me that The Light is still alive and that Slade is still ALIVE? WHILE I ROT IN HERE AND YOU LET THEM STILL ROAM FREE? THEY KILLED NYSSA! YOUR SISTER!" he went quiet.
He turned away from her; he had gotten all of the anger out, for the moment.
"I haven't seen any sight of Slade since the day he betrayed you, despite hearing of some appearances in Gotham. Vandal Savage and The Light have disappeared as well" she replied.
He let out a growl before punching the wall in front of him.
"If you will let me finish I can tell you that Slade has appeared again but this is something different. He must be trying to atone for his past sins because he is helping a former Shadow Warrior's member, Red Crosshairs in the fight against Red's father." She finished.
Mark stared at her, he cared nothing for what she had told him, and he was going to kill Nightstalker. He was going to kill Slade. Then he was going to drive an arrow though both Ra's Al Ghul and Vandal Savage even if it meant he was going to die too.
Mark walked over to the bars of the cell. He wrapped his hands around the bars then began to squeeze hard.
"I've seen your son," she added.
This made him stop and turn back to face her.
"He will be fifteen come this October, he has your hair and Nyssa's eyes and smile" she said.
The anger in his eyes resided for now hearing the comforting news about his son. She held something out to him. He looked at it then took it and saw that it was a picture of his son. Talia was right. He did have Nyssa's smile.
"Keep that with you at all times because it is going to be the thing that gets you though everything until this ends, one way or another" she said calmly as she made her way out of his cell.
"I promise you Mark, someone will come and get you… I'm just sorry that it cannot be me who does it," she said.
He absently nodded his head staring at the picture of his son with tears beginning to form in his eyes. He looked up just as Talia and her guards left the pit.
Mark turned his attention back to the picture of his son and put it in his pocket. He took a few steps towards the spot in the cell he lays down at, but the door to his cell opened. He touched the pocket that held the picture of his son before turning around to see five guys standing in the doorway. Mark clenched his fists in anger. Two of the guys came running at him. He grabs one by the arm then twisted it hard snapping it in half before turning his attention to the second man who went for a punch. Mark caught the fist then like the first man he twisted the arm hard and wrapped his arms around the man's neck before snapping the neck killing him instantly. Two down, leaving three more, before Mark could attack the three men were cut down, he watched as their bodies fell to the ground in pieces before looking up to see Cheshire standing there holding his kitana.
He started making his way towards her but stops when she points his sword at his neck.
"I'm not here to fight you Mark, I'm here to get you the hell out of here actually" she said.
He narrowed his eyes at her not believing a word she as saying.
"If was here to kill you I would have done it by now" she said before tossing him his blade. He caught it with no effort. They left the cell then made their way towards the only entrance/exit to the pit. He watched as Cheshire let out a whistle and a rope came down. She stepped back for him to go up first, he stared at her for a second to see if she would try anything and when she didn't he grabbed the rope then started to climb. The sun hit him like a blinding laser of light the moment he reached the top of the pit. When he climbed out he placed his arm over his eyes to shade them from the burning, blinding rays of the sun before turning back towards the pit just as Jade reached the top.
Mark looked around at his surroundings. The pit was surrounded by nothing but desert. Jade came to his side,
"The nearest civilization is twenty clicks that way," she said pointing southwest which put the sun behind them.
He turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow,
"I have other things to take care of, my mistress asked me to get you out of the pit then send you on your way knowing you can take care of yourself easily" she replied.
He started to walk away only for her to stop him by grabbing his arm making him look at her. She handed him a bag. Mark took it and opened it. There was food, water and some other things to get him up to speed on everything he had missed news wise. He nodded his head then started walking leaving her standing there. Mark wasn't sure if he could trust Jade but something was telling him that she and Talia would be the only ones he might be able to trust in order to avenge Nyssa.
(!)
Mark stood outside the building that was being used as an inn and a bar. He shook his head then went inside. It was going to kill him to try and speak their native language having not use it for fifteen years. He walked to the counter to open his mouth when the man waved him off and said,
"No need my friend, a young woman told me that you'd be coming all though she did say it would be tomorrow and not tonight, but no matter, I will show you to your room"
Mark rolled his eyes and smirked, of course Talia would have things ready for him. Once they reached the room, Mark went inside and dumped the items of the contents in the bag on the bed. He grabbed the file that fell out and flipped it open.
There were pictures, string and tape. He grabbed the three pictures and the tape. He walked to the wall then taped the pictures onto the wall. Mark stared at the pictures before walking back to the bed. He saw a small hunting knife lying there so he picked it up. He still had his back to the wall. He closed his eyes and spun quickly on his heel throwing the knife at a random picture. He opened his eyes to see that it had hit one of three pictures. His eyes narrowed, the knife landed on the man who killed Nyssa and there was only one place he would be.
"Gotham," he muttered aloud.
A short but good chapter, I hoped you all feel the same.
P.S. While you guys wait for the next chapter, make sure you go and read The Batman by yours truly as it takes place in my own created Universe called Earth 60... you can find the story on my profile along with the order listing of the stories to read and timeline. Also make sure you follow the DC Universe Earth 60 Community so you are alerted to all the stories in that Universe.