Hey guys, sorry about the delay on this story. Life has a funny way to slowing things down sometimes. But I'm still working on this one, so don't worry! Got another flashback chapter, one that turned out quite a bit longer than I originally planned so I'm putting it out on it's own. We'll be back to the regular 2034 part of the story next time.
BREAk-BREAK
The Himalayas
March 24th, 2032
Ra's al Ghul worked feverishly to light a fire in the back of the mountain cave while his daughter, Talia, stood watch at the cave's hidden entrance. The former head of the League of Shadows hadn't had to use this particular cave in nearly 400 years, not since Darhk staged his coup, but being a cautious man by nature he'd made sure to have men stock many of the mountain caves with survival necessities since that event, replacing the supplies every decade or so. He was pleased to see the last stock of wood, replenished probably before his second daughter, Nyssa, fled the League, was still dry. When the small log began to smoke from the friction his mind ran back through the drastic turn of events over the last 12 hours.
The morning had begun much the same as it had over the last three hundred and seventy five years of his current reign in Nanda Parbat, with the soldiers of the League of Shadows honing their skills against one another, the rhythmic sound of their training providing the backdrop to his morning meal. Finishing off his tea, he found his usual place on the floor and began his morning meditation. After several minutes of breathing exercises the sound of his men training changed, ever so subtly. Almost instantly he could tell that something was amiss. He quickly grabbed both his robe and sword, swinging open his chamber door to make his way toward the training ground. Flinging the heavy black fur robe to brace for the cold, he found his daughter had joined him, leaving her own quarters due to the sound of conflict in her home.
The two ran down the halls in silence, the sound of swords clashing and now men screaming growing louder with each step. Ra's nodded to his daughter as they reached the ancient wooden doors to the training ground. Talia followed his lead, taking the door on the right. Pushing with all their might the duo managed to open the heavy wooden doors, but just as they did so, the sounds of battle died down. When their eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness of the mountain morning they found the proving ground soaked with blood and littered with the bodies of several of their men, their throats, stomachs and limbs, sliced cleanly, clearly the work of skilled warriors. Surveying the carnage Ra's eyes settled on the remaining two dozen swordsmen of his elite guard, each unmoving, facing him with their swords drawn.
Grabbing the hilt of his own sword as he spoke, he was incensed by what he saw. "What is the meaning of this? Who killed your brothers?"
"I did, grandfather."
Ra's looked around, trying to pinpoint the familiar voice of his grandson. "Damien. Why you have your returned to Nanda Parbat, knowing you will not leave here alive?" Unable to locate the boy, Ra's continued to try to draw him out. "You're father, the Detective, would be most upset with your taking a life again, something I believe you vowed never to do again." Ra's smiled, sensing Damien dropping down from the ramparts before he actually saw him. The immortal assassin had hoped that bringing up the boy's dead father would provide an opening, and he was not disappointed. Turning to face his opponent Ra's made note that the boy was wearing the League's assassin attire, albeit with red instead of the traditional black. But that did little to lessen the immortal warrior's confidence. "Coming out into the open was a foolish mistake, boy."
Damien didn't move a muscle when he landed, staring straight ahead at the man who taught him to kill all those years ago. "No, grandfather, the mistake is yours. You assume too much, as usual." Damien looked to the left, where Talia was standing. "Hello mother."
"My son." Talia voice wavered ever so slightly before she steadied herself. "Why have you returned?"
"Is it not obvious? I'm here to fulfill my destiny, but not as you and grandfather planned. Today I take command of the League of Shadows."
Ra's drew his sword. "Only over my dead body. Men, I command you to attack this petulant child and to bring me his head." When his soldiers remained motionless he was shocked, but refused to let Damien see that emotion cross his face.
"Your men follow me now grandfather. And if I ordered them to, both you would be dead within minutes."
The rage and frustration Ra's had tried to suppress came bubbling to the surface at that moment as he rushed at Damien. But in his rage, Ra's had underestimated how much his grandson had grown as a warrior since their last encounter. The younger fighter easily spun away from the wild, sweeping sword arc and moved in to strike Ra's solar plexus with two quick blows, taking the older man's sword when his hands relaxed from the shock of the strikes.
Trying to regain his breath, Ra's knew he was beaten. He looked dejectedly up at the men he had commanded for years to ask a single question. "Why?"
The tip of his own sword pressing against his throat was the only answer he got. He followed the pressure, slowly rising to his feet, just like Damien wanted. In that moment Ra's fully appreciated how much Damien took after his father, his frame much more imposing than when the two had last shared the same space. With a flick of Damien's wrist the sword was off his throat.
"Your mistake grandfather, was following the lead of a madman, something even your most elite guards opposed. Vandal Savage was never going to share power with you."
Ra's snapped back at his grandson. "My men have never complained, never once waivered in the face of my orders."
Damien shook his head, not surprised by the old man's answer. "Perhaps if they were not under threat of death for speaking against you they might have told you what they thought of your plan, or Savage's plan, as it were. For all your talk about how my father's method of leadership would fail to effect lasting change, at least he allowed those beneath him to speak their minds. Yet another thing I'm glad to have had the chance to learn when you excommunicated me all those years ago."
Talia cautiously stepped forward, hand still on her sword hilt. "Your father was a great man, my son. I grieved when told of his death. While I had not spoken to him in some time before then, I know he would not want you to kill your only living family."
"And I won't." At Damien's words Ra's let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, but he had little time to process as Damien continued speaking to his mother. "You will take grandfather, and you will run. You will never return to Nanda Parbat, nor will you take any action against the League of Shadows, myself, or Grayson, should you cross paths with him in your exile. Failure to follow these rules will result in your deaths by my hand."
Ra's minded snapped back to the present as the log caught fire. He quickly began adding kindling and within moments had a roaring fire going. After warming his hands for a moment he called out to his daughter. "Talia, come sit by the fire. I will take the next watch."
Only the wind replied, lightly whistling through the mouth of the cave. Quickly fashioning a torch from the bottom of his robe, Ra's made his way toward the cave entrance, hoping his daughter simply couldn't hear his call. Rounding the final turn to hidden entrance in the side of the mountain he dropped the torch at the sight of his daughter impaled an arrow, lying motionless in the snow as her blood stained the ground around her. He barely heard the second arrow pierce the air before it found his own heart. As he slumped to the ground he could feel the darkness clawing at him as he fought to stay alive. His perseverance was rewarded as his attacker soon emerged from the shadows cast by his discarded torch. His other daughter, Nyssa, long exiled from the League for her misguided adventures with Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance, walked slowly through the snow, bow still drawn and aimed at his chest.
He fought through the blood rising in his throat. "Daughter."
The mountain wind blew Nyssa long black hair back, allowing her father to see the mix of anger and sorrow in her eyes. "Goodbye, Father."
Ra's al Ghul, the Demon's Head, was dead before her second arrow drove into his throat.
Nyssa stood silently in the gently falling snow, looking over the dead bodies of her sister and her father for several minutes, memories of the time she spent with them playing out in her mind. The sound of a footfall in the snow, barely imperceptible, brought her back to the present. Collapsing her bow, she called out to the shadows. "Nephew, if you're going to follow me, you'll have to work harder to remain hidden.
"If I had been hiding, you wouldn't have heard me." Damien stepped into the dying light of the torch, taking in the scene, speaking to his aunt without turning to face her. "I am truly sorry you had to handle this alone. I should have been the one to do it."
Showing just how much the years had changed him, he didn't flinch when Nyssa put a hand on his left shoulder. "You made a promise to Bruce. Keeping your word is not something to apologize for."
"It's not like I haven't killed anyone since making that vow. This morning, seven men fell on my sword."
"Richard and I were monitoring your camera feed. You offered a peaceful solution, and they attacked you. Self-defense is one thing, Damien, but this," Nyssa gestured to the bodies of her family. "is something else entirely."
"Grayson should not have asked you to help. He knew where this would lead."
Nyssa turned her nephew around. "Yes, he did. You both are far too much like Bruce in that way. When your brother reached out, I was simply glad to hear my nephew was still alive. I knew as soon as he told what he was planning that Talia and my father would have to die. While he never said he condoned the action, Richard understood that such a burden should not fall on your shoulders. You may no longer be the killer Ra's made you into, but I am. And I always will be. And before this battle is over, Richard and his heroes will be glad I'm on their side."
The two stood in silence until Damien picked up the torch. "Are you're assassin's willing to follow?"
Nyssa nodded. "They are as eager as I am to see our houses unify after so long apart. And following the Son of the Bat, no doubt, will certainly ease the transition." Nyssa sensed the younger man bristle at the title. "If this is going to work, Damien, you will need to own that title. Bruce, despite being an enemy, commanded the respect of both the Assassins and the Shadows, through not only his not inconsiderable skill in battle, but his steadfast determination and resolve as well. You would do well to emulate your father in this way."
"Being like my father is the only goal I have, Nyssa. I only hope that one day I can truly say I have done so."