THE LAZARUS PIT

TALIA

"Please hurry." She says, to the pilots. Talia al Ghul walks to the back of the jet where Bruce Wayne lays unconscious on a Morphine drip.

"Mistress…his back is broken…He may never walk again."

"He will walk again!"

"And what of your father?"

"Enough!" The healer backs away, "I will deal with my father." She kneels down beside his bed and strokes Bruce's face. "Be strong my love for the both of us."

NANDA PARBAT, TIBET

The Private Plane lands at an airport and then Talia's group travels by horse and cart to the mountain fortress of Shadows. Home of the League of Shadows. The League has existed for Three hundred years and has been ruled for three hundred years by Ra's al Ghul. As she brings him up the steps her father Ra's is waiting.

"Why did you bring him here?"

"He fought the unnatural creature Bane and lost. Please father."

"You still want this man to rule at your side?"

"I do."

He sighs, "Bring him in…We shall se if he is truly worthy."

Bruce wakes up, "Where am I?"

"The Temple of Shadows…Nanda Parbat my love."

"Talia."

"I can't feel my legs…."

"Greetings Detective…I am Ra's al Ghul. The demon's head and leader of the League of Shadows…My daughter bought you here to heal, but only one who is at death's door may enter the Lazarus Pit…In order to be whole you must die and agree to be my heir."

"Your heir?"

"Long ago bandits attacked my village…I swore revenge…I found the Lazarus Pit and the strength to avenge my people…Then I founded the League…Only one who has faced me in combat and kills me can become the demon's head."

"All I want is revenge on Bane."

"Do you wish to be whole again?"

"I do."

"Are you ready to die?"

"I died a long time ago."

"So be it…" He takes a ceremonial dagger and stabs Bruce in the chest. Then they prepare Bruce's body, for the pit.

BRUCE

They lower Bruce's lifeless body into the green liquid. It bubbles and smokes while he is submerged. "Bruce."

"Father!"

"Bruce!"

"Mother!"

"We're proud of you son…You've done all you can do. Let go son."

Part of him wants to let go, but he cannot. There is so much more to do. "I am sorry Father, Mother…I must stay."

"If you stay son…Then live…Truly live. Find love build a family."

"I have a family. I have Alfred, Barbara, Dick, and all my friends. I am happy."

They pull Bruce from the pool and his eyes open. Later Bruce is in a room he had been given. Getting dressed. His back is healed and all his old injuries and pains are gone. He has the body of a hundred sixteen, year old teens. "How do you feel my love?" Talia asks from behind.

"Like I can do anything."

She walks up behind him and rubs his bare shoulders, "I have missed your strong arms."

He turns to face her, "Why did you help me?"

"I love you…Do you feel anything for me?"

He kisses her and starts removing her clothes. They make love, "Come with me."

She looks at him, "You are heir to the demon my love. We will marry and together we will rid this world of the evil that infests it."

Bruce sits up, "By killing?"

"Your code will not allow you to kill. Then take the power to order others to do that which you cannot."

Bruce gets up and dresses in League robes. He eats with Talia, Nyssa, and Ra's. Over the next few days he trains with them as well and learns many things from the League. "The time has come Detective…" Ra's says, "You must face me in single combat to the death…If you are truly worthy then you will take my place…My army will become your army."

A masked man brings forth two swords on a silk pillow. Bruce choses a blade and then Ra's the other blade. "Begin!" Ubu yells.

Bruce is faster and stronger than he ever was in his life. Ra's matches his speed and strength, so their fight comes down to skill and technique. They incorporate kicks and punches into their sword strikes. Ra's draws first blood by slashing Bruce across the chest. The pain is there, but his ability to ignore pain is amplified.

Bruce strikes left and arcs his sword as he does a spin kick. He kicks Ra's in the face and manages to stab him in the shoulder. "Well done Detective…No man has ever cut in me the trial of death."

After a few more feints, thrusts, parries, and strikes Ra's disarms Batman. "Beloved!" Talia screams.

Ra's swings his sword, but Batman claps his hands together and stops the sword. He pushes the blade to the side and elbows Ra's in the face. Then he drop-toe-holds the three hundred, year old man and takes his sword. "Finally…End me Detective and take your rightful place." He says closing his eyes.

He raises the sword, Nyssa and Talia exchange looks. Then Bruce stabs the blade into the floor. "No!"

"COWARD! You are unworthy of the mantle demon's head! You are unworthy of my daughter!"

"Perhaps…Once I almost killed the man who killed my parents…I almost became what you are now…It is a line I will not cross." Bruce turns his back and Ra's snatches up his sword and leaps at Bruce. Bruce spins around stepping into Ra's and gut punches him with all his might; down Ra's goes.

"Stay back!" Talia commands to Ninjas. "He has the Lazarus pit flowing through his body…He would waste through all of you."

When Ra's moves, Bruce kicks the sword from his hand, head butts him and breaks his leg. "I am leaving…" He holds his hand out to Talia, "Come with me." She turns her back to him. "Talia."

"You've made your choice. Go!"

"I will always love you Talia." He leaves the temple of Shadows.

RA'S

They prepare his body for the Lazarus Pit. "Bruce Wayne has made himself an enemy of the League…He must die."

"You would kill the father of my unborn child?" She says touching her stomach.

"You carry the future my daughter…But Bruce Wayne must die." She nods, then Nyssa stabs Ra's in the chest.

BRUCE

"Alfred its me." As soon as Bruce gets back to civilization he calls Alfred and tells him everything.

"Shall I send the Jet for you Master Wayne?"

"No…I need to descend into hell first…To beat my enemy I must understand my enemy."