Summary: Barbara has reached her breaking point and Ra's is oh so very close to successfully completing his plan. Barbara's role in Ra's plan in finally revealed to the horror of Bruce and Dick. Will they be able to stop Ra's from calling on ancient powers to bring on forbidden life, or will Barbara be lost forever? Only time will tell . . .
Chapter 9: Dreams and Memories
Paris, France
Bruce barged into the safe house they had been using the past few days in Paris. He marched straight up the stairs and in the front door of their apartment. Once inside, he made his way straight to Thalia's room and threw open the door. Thalia jumped at the sound of the door crashing into the wall and gathered the sheets around as if they would protect her from Bruce's rage.
"What do you know about the Lazarus Pits?" demanded Bruce.
Dick watched in shock as Bruce grabbed Thalia by the wrist and pulled her out of the bed. She stumbled and fell onto the ground, the sheets still clutched in her grasp.
"What is going on? Why do you want to know about the Lazarus Pits? Father has been using them for ages, you know that", she said in a frightened voice.
"What did he want the fear gas for Thalia", growled an enraged Bruce.
Thalia swallowed hard, "What fear gas? Father never said anything to me about this fear gas. I already told you, he was keeping me in the dark about his plans. He knew I was against his wishes to use an innocent to pursue his own evil plans, so he didn't tell me anything!"
Bruce grabbed Thalia and pulled her to her feet, "He didn't tell you, but you knew . . . you know what he's planning. You found out and that's why you came to me, that's why you're helping us".
Dick watched intently as Thalia crumbled onto the bed, sobbing into her hands. Her body shook with every sob and she shook her head desperately.
"I tried to stop it from happening. When I found out, it was so horrible. I knew then that my father . . . he's not my father anymore. He's turned into a monster. He cares for no one and believes in nothing anymore. He no longer seeks the world he once thought he could make. All he wants now is to cause grief and pain. All he seeks is vengeance from a world that did not understand him . . . he seeks vengeance from you", she whispered.
Bruce sat down next to her and placed an arm around her, "You're not him Thalia. You still have a chance to make some good with you life. Your father has long lost that chance . . . he is lost down the path he chose for himself. That doesn't mean you have to follow him. I know that you are not like him, you have good in you Thalia".
"I've committed so many crimes in my loyalty to my father. I just thought that I would never be able to redeem myself from them".
"You've saved me and helped me time and time again to stop your father. He is your father, so of course you feel you must be loyal to him. But, don't allow him to control your life and your decisions. Don't let him win Thalia".
Thalia smiled at him, "Thank you beloved. Thank you for letting me finally see what I must do. I need to accept that my father is no longer the man I loved so dearly. He must be stopped".
Dick decided to cut in, "Will you help us?"
Thalia looked at the young man and nodded, "Yes, I will help you".
"So what can you tell us about these Lazarus Pits?"
"The Lazarus Pits are a natural phenomenon used by my father to regenerate his body. The substance found in the pits is a chemical blend of unknown composition, seemingly originating from somewhere within the Earth's crust. The chemicals can rejuvenate the sick and the dying. For some unknown reason, the substance only bubbles to the surface at certain key points around the globe. Over the years, father has slowly located all of the Lazarus Pits and destroyed each and every one of them after using it. According to him, he has destroyed them all, save one", explained Thalia.
"Where is it?" asked Bruce.
Thalia stared at the window, "Deep in the heart of Romania".
- - - - - -
It was dark. It was always so dark. Where was the light? I couldn't remember where I was, what day it was, and it was getting harder and harder to remember anything. Soon, I would not remember who I was. And then Ra's al Ghul would have his way with me. He would put into action whatever evil plan it was he had in mind. I had held on as long as I could. I had tried to keep Dick clear in my mind, something I could hold on to. It was this that had helped me stay sane this long. But, I was falling apart and the time was near for a complete breakdown.
I saw Robin's face before me, he was smiling at me. Then a flash passed and this time he was angry, yelling at me from a distance. I could feel tears on my face as I screamed at him to stop. Another flash and I was on a rooftop, fighting the Joker's henchmen. Bullets were streaming through the air and I dove out of their way, rolling across the floor and out of harm's way. I heard Batman's voice yelling at me to get out of the way, and something hit me hard and the wind was knocked out of me. Soon, I was falling . . . falling forever. Yet another flash, Batman and Robin were at each other's throats, they were fighting and I was trying to stop them. I was begging them to stop, my face bright with tears. But, they pushed me away and continued their assault on each other. I screamed as a watched them fall over the edge of the building. I dropped to my knees and watched them fall . . . falling into the darkness.
"Please . . . please stop", I moaned.
I was huddled in the middle of my cell, hugging my knees and rocking back and forth. I was shaking uncontrollably and my hair was damp with sweat. I could no longer control the dreams or thoughts creeping into my mind. They were coming to me even when I was awake now. The end was finally here. I could not separate dream from reality. It was as if I was a part of the dreams now or they were a part of me. Horrible scenes kept flashing before my eyes. I just wanted it all to stop and go away.
Ra's al Ghul watched as the pathetic figure of the once strong and defiant young woman, crumbled to the floor and shuddered without stopping. An evil smile crept onto his lips. It was time. She was broken and soon his plans would be in full motion.
"Ubu", he called.
Ubu materialized before him, "Yes, my lord?"
"Make preparations for the ceremony; it is time", said Ra's as he stood up from his large armchair.
"Right away my lord", Ubu replied as he quickly left the room.
- - - - - -
Paris, France
"What else can you tell us about your father's plans?" asked Bruce.
Thalia frowned, "He has many faithful servants. Servants who are more than willing to die for him".
"Like that guy that trashed Bab's place?" asked Dick.
Thalia glanced at Dick before answering, "That is Ubu, my father's most faithful and most skilled servant. He is an especially dangerous fighter, he left the League of Assassins to serve my father".
"League of Assassins?" inquired Dick.
"The League of Assassins is an organization of criminals which Ra's used to be head of. Only the most dangerous and skilled assassins can join the league. The League's original purpose was to fight injustice in the world, but the League lacked compassion and began killing as they wished, without true justice. They adopted a new policy that whoever did not fulfill a mission would in turn become a target of the League. Now they are called upon by other criminal organizations when they cannot eliminate a target. Ra's lost control of the League many years ago, but now it is unknown who leads the organization", explained Bruce.
"Father abandoned them when they refused to follow through with his plans. Once he could no longer control them, he left them to fend for themselves. He still had some moral left back them and didn't want to be involved with senseless murder", added Thalia.
Dick raised an eyebrow, "So what does the League have to do with your father's plan?"
Thalia sighed, "A few of the League's original members left with my father, Ubu included. They are his most trusted servants. They are also the most dangerous and deadly, having been instructed in the ancient ways of the ninja. They have also been taught ancient Arabic ways of fighting. They will be difficult to overpower if we are to attack the compound in Romania".
Bruce took out a large map of Romania and placed it on the desk by the bed, "Where is the compound located?"
Thalia did not even look at the map, "Castle Dracula".
"That's impossible", stated Dick, "That's an important tourist landmark. There is no way Ra's can be hiding there".
Thalia smiled, "That is what father wants you to think. Most people believe Count Dracula's castle to be in Brasov. According to legend, Castle Bran is said to have been the home to the evil that was Dracula. But the legend is wrong. My father found the true home of Dracula. It is much deeper in the Transylvanian Alps . . . far from any civilization. Deep in the heart of the mountains and the forest. There lies the true Castle Dracula, and my father's compound".
Dick stifled a laugh, "You're kidding right? Castle Dracula? As in Count Dracula's house? Count Dracula, the vampire? Tell me this is a joke . . . "
Bruce simply stared at the map, his eyes narrowed and his lips pushed into a thin line.
"We should leave as soon as possible", said Bruce sternly.
Thalia nodded, "We should leave at once. Time is a luxury we do not have".
- - - - - -
Transylvania, Romania
It had taken less than 12 hours for Bruce to arrange for transportation to Romania and arrive there safely. Luckily, Bruce had thought to keep the Batplane close by just in case. It was a good thing too, because their destination was isolated from any major cities. There was a small town about a hundred miles away near the base of the mountains. The only bad news was that the Batplane could only take them so far, before they would have to make the rest of the journey on foot.
The group had made it up into the Transylvanian Alps successfully and were following the path pointed out to them by Thalia, who had been coming to this place every since she was a child. It was the pride of Ra's collection of homes, not because it was the largest and most luxurious, but because of the history behind it that only he and his daughter knew. As far as it was known, the true home of Vlad Dracula was Bran Castle in Brasov. But Ra's had known the truth for many years. How did he know this? It was quite simple. Ra's had been alive in the 1400s and had known and lived the legend of Dracula. Many people had taken great pains to cover up the truth about what had happened, only to have it replaced with a legend that was notorious for its mystery.
It had been several hours of steadily hiking up the mountainside, when it happened. A huge blizzard hit the group, making it impossible to see or move any farther. They set up a tent to wait out the storm with a large fire inside.
"We don't have time for this blizzard", growled Dick.
Bruce took out some food from his pack, "We don't have a choice, we can't hike around outside in that weather".
"Each minute we waste in here is one minute less we have to save Barbara!" hissed Dick.
"We're no good to her if we're frozen outside", pointed out Bruce.
It was Thalia who placed a hand on Dick's shoulder, "Don't worry, we shall get to her".
Dick sighed, "I hope you're right".
- - - - - -
Castle Dracula
It was time. Ra's picked up the large black book off his desk. He fingered it gently before putting it under his arm and walking out of the room. That book had a long history with Ra's. It went back thousands of years; back to when Ra's had first discovered the Lazarus Pits.
- -: Flashback :- -
Ra's al Ghul. It was Arabic for the demon's head. It suited him. He had been born into an Arabic tribe, nomads who traveled their ancestor's lands year after year. It was his interest in science that had taken him away from the life he knew. It was the only way he would be able to satisfy his curiosities about the world he lived in. So he left his life as a nomad to travel to the city, where he could pursue his interest in knowledge. Many years passed and he had become a respected physician in the community. He had met the most beautiful and intelligent woman he had ever seen. Her name was Sora and he loved her with all of his heart and soul. Ra's had discovered the secret of the Lazarus Pits not long after he had married Sora. He found it outside the city limits, in the desert. He had used his knowledge of the Pit's powers to save their dying prince. But, the price to pay for the Pit's gift was one's sanity. The prince emerged from the Pit insane and he had killed Sora with his bare hands, much to Ra's dismay.
Sora's death drove Ra's to the brink of insanity. He roamed the lands aimlessly for weeks, without any sense or purpose in life. Weeks turned to months and soon he found himself in the lands of Ancient Egypt. He visited the temples of their gods and prayed for his wife. It was the first and last time Ra's al Ghul prayed for anything. His wife was dead and praying would not bring her back. He viewed that day as one of weakness, something that would never happen again. He only had one purpose now, to fight against all injustice in the world. That and to somehow find a way to bring Sora back to him. It was then that his quest as the demon's head began. It was around that time he had heard of the Book of the Dead. A book that was thought to be unholy because of what it could do . . . it contained the incantations that could bring a dead body back to life. But it was too well protected for him to attempt to retrieve it. But he could be patient. He had the Pits to give him all the time in the world.
- -: End Flashback :- -
He had been patient. He had waited for several centuries and now it was time. He would bring Sora back to him and they would have an heir. An heir that would become the greatest ruler the world had seen. It was time and the girl was ready for the ceremony. Ra's smiled as he walked down the hall.
It had been a complete coincidence that the underground pool in the dungeons of Castle Dracula was in fact a Lazarus Pit. Ra's had been surprised himself to discover it. But then again he should have expected nothing less from his good friend, Vlad Dracula. Had it not been for Dracula's curse, he would have achieved a great many things. Ra's had been saddened to hear of his friend's misfortune. After the massacres that had occurred in Transylvania and throughout Romania, there had few people left who knew the truth. And now Ra's was truly the only one left who knew about the truth to the Dracula legend.
Ubu had prepared everything as instructed. There were fires blazing around the Pit along with several of Ra's faithful men standing guard at posts around the room. A lush Persian rug had been placed at the side of the Lazarus Pit, ready for the ceremony to begin. Ra's lowered himself to his knees and placed the Book of the Dead on a golden stand before him. It had taken him much effort to find this book. He had used all his strength and resources to find it hidden deep in the heart of what had been Ancient Egypt. It had been hidden in Hamunaptra, City of the Dead, so that it would never be opened nor read. Inside the statue of Anubis had been where Ra's had finally found it.
Ra's turned to Ubu, "Bring the girl".
Ubu bowed and left the room.
Ra's then instructed many of the guards to gather in a circle around the Pit. They all kneel and begin to chant in a foreign tongue. Ra's kneels in front of the book again and ever so gently opens the book made of black stone. An eerie wind flows through the room, sending shivers down everyone's spines. But they have come too far to give up now . . . they were so close. Ra's begins to flip through the pages, until he finds the page where the needed incantations are found.
Ubu carries in an unconscious Barbara and places her on a golden altar before Ra's. Ra's nods to Ubu, who joins the circle of men around the Pit and begins to chant along with them.
- - - - - -
I groaned as I slowly open my eyes. I gasp at the sudden realization that there are flames dancing before me only inches away. But experience told me to lie still until I had assessed the situation. My eyes expertly scanned the room, taking in all the sites and sounds going on. I saw Ra's men kneeled around me in a large circle, chanting in some unknown language to me. And next to me, Ra's was busy studying a big black book, unaware that I had woken up.
Ra's al Ghul stood up and finally began chanting the incantations from the book. I shut my eyes tight so he would not see that I was awake. After a few moments, I open them a crack to see that Ra's had turned to his men to continue the chant. I look around frantically, trying to find an escape, anything to get out of that place. My eyes catch a large pool of water nearby, which was beginning to bubble. I struggle against the ropes that hold my feet and hands tight.
As Ra's continues to read from the Book of the Dead, the liquid inside the Lazarus Pit begins to swirl and a mist begins to fill the room. The bubbling inside the Pit becomes more intense, and it turns a dark gray. He turns to look at the altar and sees that I am awake and struggling against my bonds. He walks forwards towards me and leans towards me until his lips are brushing against my ear.
"Prepare to fulfill your destiny my dear. Too long has my love been kept away, and you shall be the answer to my quest to release her".
My eyes widened as I saw the mist suddenly start to swirl along with the water over the pool of water. The mist began to rise and creep slowly towards me. I struggled harder, my breath turning short and uneven. My heart was beating so fast . . . I was starting to panic. The mist was upon me now, licking at my skin. My body had gone cold and I was shivering uncontrollably. A very strange sensation came over me as I felt myself being freed of my bonds. I stood up slowly on uncertain feet.
Then it was like I was being hit by a linebacker as flashes came before my eyes. Flashes of things I didn't know, things that had happened a long time ago. The force of the memories was so strong that I was sent flying into the air and slammed against a wall. These images kept swarming in my brain. I tried to fight them, knowing that they weren't mine. I had to keep my senses about me, but it was so hard. I was already so weak.
The memories invading my mind were soon joined by my own nightmares, and it was more than I could bear. I rolled up into a fetal position on the hard stone floor. Tears began streaming down my face. I was loosing the battle. I could see Dick's face now . . . he was saying goodbye to me. Where was he going? Then he was flying across the Gotham rooftops, except I wasn't by his side. He had left me behind. I could see my small figure standing all alone on a rooftop as he moved farther and farther away from me. And then he was gone . . .
That was when everything went black.
- - - - - -
TBC . . .
After some technical difficulties, I am back on track and ready to finish this story. I must admit that I love giving you guys these cliffhangers, but it makes the story more exciting! Anyways please let me know your thoughts. READ AND REVIEW!
- Lady Artemis -