PART III
Nanda Parbat is cold.
Cold and empty. All the people here are silent, unfeeling. Only Nyssa shows any form of emotion, and her range is limited to icy arrogance, pride in her station, but not too much. Too much would be unbecoming of the Heir to the Demon.
They all hate this unfamiliar place. Lian Yu may have been hell, but it was still recognizable, a reluctant home. But beggars cannot be choosers, and they have been saved by the League of Assassins, and it will be the Demon's Head that will decide their fate.
They are allowed two days before their audience. They eat. They rest. They clean.
They mourn.
"Mine fault." Kara mutters despondently, her head buried into Oliver's chest. Kal-El is fast asleep in Barry's arms, who is currently leaning against Oliver's side. They are all huddled together next to the burning fire in their collective room, the full weight of their loss finally dawning on them.
"No." Oliver disagreed firmly. "You had no idea that would happen Kara. None of us did. And regardless, had it not been for you, we'd all be dead."
"But…Slade…"
"Slade would be here," Barry did not deny, "but only him. The rest of us would be dead." he reaffirmed to her. Kara did not look convinced, but argued no further.
A knock on the door, and then –
"It is time."
He is powerful.
His blade flashed in arcs, weaving through each blow. His body twisted and turned, no wasted movement, each step with a purpose. One by one, each assailant fell against his might; all, collectively or individually, unable to measure up to his strength.
The makeshift family watched this display with rapture, captivated by the pure skill exhibited by the greatest assassin in the world: The Demon's Head.
Ra's al Ghul.
His piercing gaze swept over them, taking in their ragged appearances and haggard faces. Barry stood at one side, anxious and nervous. Kara stood on the other, keeping little Kal-El close to her chest. Oliver stood at the center, scared but determined.
"And what do you have to offer me? Why should allow you into the service of the Demon's Head?"
Oliver, the leader in the wake of Slade's death, looked towards Kara. She nodded back, realizing the severity of the situation, and stepped forward. Then, with a deep breath, she jumped.
Gravity eluded her.
Gasps were heard. Even Nyssa, standing by her father, could not help but stare. Only Ra's looked composed, observing Kara's floating with a critical eye. Then, he turned towards Oliver, silently demanding an explanation.
"She and Kal-El," he gestured to the toddler in Kara's arms, "are aliens. Barry and I found them after their ship crash-landed on the island you discovered us on."
"I see." Ra's gave a small downward tilt of acknowledgement. "And what of your male companion?"
"He's a genius," Oliver automatically responded, reflexively grabbing Barry's arm. "Brilliant. He excels in every form of academics, particularly science. He is also a skilled medic. I'm sure you can find use for him."
Murmurs broke out at that from the attending assassins. Medics were rare within the League, as only fitting in an organization where taking life was the primary method of operation. Preserving it, however? Those who had the will and skill to preserve life generally did not seek to enter a service where they would have to take it.
Ra's made a soft hum of approval, and then narrowed his eyes at Oliver. "And you?"
Oliver took a deep sigh, and met the eyes of the Demon's Head. "Nothing but my loyalty. If that is enough for you, I will dedicate my life to your service, and to the League. If not, then I will allow you to kill me, here and now. My only wish is that my family live."
Ra's observed him the longest. For a moment, they all could have sworn that the corners of his lips had twitched. It was gone, however, like the wind.
The Demon's Head gave a short nod.
"And live they shall. And so, shall you."
They train.
Kal-El is given to the priestess, and reared on a rotational schedule. He is frequently visited by his adoptive family whenever they can find the time. He is by far the easiest off.
Kara is studied, poked and prodded, by League-affiliated scientists. They take Barry's hypothesis about the source of her powers and test it – and find it to be true. They used this newfound knowledge to develop a bracelet that emitted red solar radiation, which she must wear during normal training hours. She was only allowed to take it off during her extracurricular training.
Extracurricular training was a League mandate by the current Ra's al Ghul during the early twentieth century in response to the rapid changes the outside world was going through. Each recruit was required to develop their skills in a field outside of standard hand-to-hand combat and weaponry to better aid the League in their holy mission. Kara's extracurricular training was the development of her powers. Along with learning to control her flight, strength, and heat vision, she used her time to discover any new powers she had. So far, she had learned she was invulnerable to bullets and most other metal projectiles, had super breath that could freeze objects, and had super senses, allowing her to hear things from long distances. Kara felt that she was only scratching the surface of what she was capable of.
Besides training her powers, Kara focused on her skills on a combatant, that she would not reliant on them should they ever be deactivated, and/or she was forced to face a combatant of equal strength (no matter how unlikely it was). The League did not take things for granted, after all. She was apprenticed under Nyssa, one of the few other females in the League, and taught to use her body's natural flexibility and smaller form to her advantage. During this time, Kara found that she had an aptitude for swords, and kept one at her side constantly.
Barry's focus was more of an academic nature. He was put under the tutelage of several of the League's most prominent scholars and scientists, soaking up information like a sponge. Everyday his mind was swirling with some new material to study or another problem that needed to be solved. He was also called often to deal with some injury that someone had received, either during training or a mission, leaving his days full. Barry was well-acquainted with the other recruits as a result, and oftentimes found himself the go-between for recruits and full members of the League. When people needed a favor or someone to talk to, they went to him.
While not quite as talented in physical combat skills as his male companion, he also exceled in his physical training, with his speed increasing exponentially, until there was no one faster at drawing a weapon and striking a person down than him. His preferred weapons were small daggers and knives, and he had no less than five on his body at any given time.
However, despite the massive workloads Barry and Kara had to endure, it was Oliver who by far and away trained the hardest. He was the most expendable and he knew it. To compensate, he completely dedicated himself to training his body to its absolute peak, spending hours after official training sessions were over perfecting katas and other techniques. His devotion was only matched by his sheer talent; no one, not even Nyssa or the deliberately forgotten Talia, could compare to his combat intuition. Even Ra's was left impressed by his abilities, and more than once he would stop by one of Oliver's solitary training sessions to observe him. His skill with a bow and a quiver of arrows was unparalleled, so it was only fitting that Oliver became attached to his League one in quick fashion.
As for his extracurricular training, Oliver tried many things before it was found that he had a gift for languages. Once this was discovered, Oliver was soon tutored by many members of the League, each a different ethnicity, for their respective language. All League recruits were required to know English and Arabic, but Oliver had to learn not only the latter, but also Mandarin, Japanese, Russian, Spanish – basically every known language in the world, along with their dialects. It was a daunting task, but Oliver tackled it with enthusiasm, happy to know that his value had increased, making it unlikely that he would be killed when graduation came should his skill not be satisfactory enough for admission into the League, and thus leave Barry, Kara, and Kal-El behind.
This continued for two years, until The Day came.
They kneel.
He speaks.
"You have all proven yourselves worthy of the title assassin, of undertaking our holy mission. Your former lives are now forfeit, and you will be renamed, in service to the Demon's Head. You may choose your own name, or I shall name you."
"You move, and they do not see you. Your existence is non-existence. For this, you are a "Phantom". I name you…Saraab."
The former Kara Zor-El bowed her head in submission.
"Your movements are quick and barely unseen. Your strikes, abrupt but effective. For this, you are "The Lightning". I name you…Al Sa'iqa."
Barry Allen was dead, and Al Sa'iqa nodded his thanks.
"Your mastery of the bow is unparalleled, far greater than even the League has ever seen in its long existence. For this, you are "The Arrow". I name you…Al Sah-him."
Al Sah-him kneeled before the Demon's Head, and silently pledged his service.
Mission after mission, the years passed by.
While their primary training was technically done, Al Sah-him, Al Sa'iqa, and Saraab all continued to hone their skills in addition to performing missions for the League. In between their tasks, they were given supplementary training in many different fields, including art and dance (to Saraab's enjoyment), literature, computer programming, sports, acting – anything that could help an assassin blend in with modern society. Theatricality is deception after all, and not all theatricality had to be blatantly obvious (though that too had its own benefits). Languages also became a focus: Saraab finally became fluent in English and had also learned Arabic and Mandarin, and was working on French. Al Sa'iqa had mastered all of those and was now working on Russian, while Al Sah-him had learned so many languages that he immediately adopted the native language of every person he talked to on instinct.
A year after they were officially inducted into the League, Kal-El turned five and was finally old enough to start his own training. He was tested to see if he had any of his powers yet – the only ones that revealed themselves were super strength and (much to his adoptive family's relief) invulnerability. His training was balanced by his education, where he learned reading, writing, basic math, and basic science.
Other than this, the only noticeable major development in their lives was their closeness with the Heir to the Demon, Nyssa. Being Saraab's primary trainer prior to her induction, and one of the few females within the League, the two naturally gravitated towards each other. Through that, Nyssa became familiar with Kal-El, and she was his most frequent visitor after his three primary caretakers. She also formed a bond with Al Sa'iqa, due to the latter constantly patching her up after the rare injury.
Oddly enough, though, the person Nyssa found herself closest to was Al Sah-him. It was unconventional, at first, how their acquaintance formed – Nyssa found most of her sparring partners inadequate, and sought out Al Sah-him instead. He proved to be a worthy opponent, one constantly improving at a pace that surpassed even her own. She found herself continuously seeking him out to test herself against his prodigious skill. This mutual respect soon laid the foundation for friendship: Nyssa felt comfortable enough to banter, then converse with him. It was Al Sah-him she confessed her innermost thoughts to, and Al Sah-him, having matured from the spoiled child he was, was an able and understanding listener.
There were rumors about their closeness, of course. Al Sah-him was a handsome man, after all, and Nyssa al Ghul was a beautiful woman. It was also well-known that Al Sah-him was heavily favored by Ra's – he had personal training sessions with the man often, the amount only second to what Nyssa received. Some speculated that Al Sah-him was angling himself to take the Demon Ring for himself, and legitimize his rule by marrying the Daughter of the Demon.
The rumors were dashed after one foolish interloper, in the heat of the moment, accused Al Sah-him of such trickery and treachery. Al Sah-him cut the man down immediately, and loudly proclaimed his loyalty to the current Demon's Head and his daughter. After that, such thoughts and speculation were kept in the darkest corners of Nanda Parbat. No one wished to anger the greatest warrior in the League after Ra's himself.
These days continued routinely, until, seven years after they were rescued from Lian Yu, the impossible happened.
Al Sa'iqa spent his nights watching the stars, observing them for any peculiarities. After meeting Saraab, Astronomy hardly seemed like the least interesting subject in the world – on the contrary, it was relaxing, observing the ebony sky, writing down notes and wondering about what other worlds were out there.
But tonight, something felt…off.
Before he could figure out what was garnering this feeling for him, a flash of yellowish-white appeared above. Al Sa'iqa saw it, but before he could move, darkness greeted him.
He woke up in the League infirmary, surrounded by Al Sah-him, Saraab, and Kal-El. Off to the side, he could see an attendant scurrying out the door, and a minute later, returning with Nyssa al Ghul herself.
No point in beating around the bush. "How long was I out?"
"Three weeks." Al Sah-him replied emotionlessly. But Al Sa'iqa had known him long enough to hear the relief in his voice.
Saraab spoke next. "You were struck by lightning, Al Sa'iqa." She told him gently.
Al Sa'iqa's brow furrowed. "I was? Then I should be dead." He claimed.
"When we found you, we thought you were." Nyssa said. "We would have mistakenly entombed you, had Saraab not heard your heartbeat, which was going so fast that only she could feel and hear it. After that, I ordered the League's best to figure out what was wrong with you. You would've been out longer, had someone," at this, she leveled a knowing stare at Kal-El, whose cheeks tinted pink, "not…acquired…water from the Lazarus Pit."
"The Lazarus Pit?" Al Sa'iqa demanded. He, more than anyone, knew of the effects of the Pit. He was one of the many put aside to study its waters. While no one could determine what was it about the Pit that allowed it to heal people from such severe wounds, they were able to determine potential side effects, including rage, bloodlust, etc. Al Sa'iqa, as one of the League's top medics, made it well-known his belief that the Pit's usage be limited for only the direst of circumstances.
"Not too much," Kal-El assured him hurriedly, his boyish voice echoing within the silent chamber. "Just a little bit."
"Regardless," Nyssa intoned. "You have awoken. We will have to inform our father of this development. Are you suffering any other ailments?" Nyssa framed it as curiosity, but it was obvious she was worried. She knew better than to show it, however, even among the few she could call friends. The attendant was still in the room, after all, and it was often those who faded into the background that stirred up the worst gossip.
"None. Which is worrying." Al Sa'iqa responded, observing his arms and chest. At everyone's questioning looks, he continued his explanation. "I have been unconscious, in a coma, for three weeks. My body should be weaker than it is right now, my muscles haven't atrophied at all – I feel well enough to resume my duties right now if our Master so desired. Either the water from the Pit worked a little too well, or something else is at play, judging by the fact that only Saraab could hear my heartbeat. I…" but any words he had left disappeared.
The world slowed, ever so briefly. His arm, which he had lifted for everyone to see, had begun to vibrate.
It was only because of their familiarity with Saraab and Kal-El that no one panicked outright.
"You." Al Sah-him pointed at the attendant. "Get our Master here. Now."
Al Sa'iqa's name was no longer metaphor.
Once they determined what powers he had, Al Sa'iqa, with Ra's blessing, immediately commissioned a frictionless fabric to be used in creation of a new uniform. He spent the next two months familiarizing himself with his powers, determining how fast he could run.
He was faster than Saraab, much to everyone's disbelief. He could run on water, up the side of buildings. He could even generate electricity, by running around in a circle fast enough to generate a current and throwing it at a target. He truly was "The Lightning". Combined with his not inconsiderate skill in combat and free-running, he was a force to be reckoned with, almost on par with Saraab.
But as wonderful as it was, Al Sa'iqa could feel something else nagging at him from the back of his mind. Something oddly familiar. It was only when another member of the League commented on how he left in a flash of yellow did it finally dawn on him.
It was night. The survivors of Lian Yu were away from Nanda Parbat, from its prying eyes and ears. Kal-El was with them, asleep in a sleeping bag. The others were all sitting around a campfire, speaking in whispers as to not wake him.
"My mother." Al Sa'iqa said. Al Sah-him and Saraab needed no explanation.
"She was killed by a man in a yellow suit, who appeared in a storm of yellow and red. You don't think…?" Saraab trailed off.
"There can be no other explanation." Al Sa'iqa stated firmly. Al Sah-him adopted a thinking pose.
"If that is true," He posited, "Then how did he get similar powers to you fifteen years ago? You only received them now, and if intelligence is correct, it was because of the Particle Accelerator Explosion three months ago."
His logic was sound, but even he sounded doubtful. All their instincts were on edge – everything was connected somehow. They could not figure out why.
"I do not know." Al Sa'iqa replied, closing his eyes and squeezing his fists. "But it is the biggest lead I have. I cannot ignore it." he sighed deeply. "My heart is divided. I can no longer remain with the League."
Such blasphemous thoughts would have received scorn had his companions been anyone else. But these were two people who went through hell with him, who had slept, ate, and trained with him. Had bled with him. Had cried with him.
These were two people that would die for him. And two people he would happily die for. If anyone could understand, it would be them.
"You are not the only one."
Heads snapped up. Both Al Sa'iqa and Saraab stared incredulously at Al Sah-him.
"There are rumblings, in Starling City. Rumblings that I cannot ignore. I must return." he spoke tiredly. "My blood…I cannot abandon them to whatever will happen there."
Al Sa'iqa nodded understandingly. It was blood, after all, that called him back to Central City.
Saraab looked at them both contemplatively. Then, coming to a decision, she said, "Then I shall leave with you. I and Kal-El."
They both looked to her.
"Our loyalty is to you. You took us in and asked for nothing in return. You protected us, comforted us, cared for us. You are our family. If you both wish to leave, then I will leave with you. And besides," she looked towards the sleeping child. "the League…is no place for a child. This is not the life my blood wished for Kal-El…or for me. They would wish for us to live, to truly live, and we cannot do this as members of the League."
"Then we are in agreement?" Al Sah-him asked. His companions nodded. "Very well. When we return to Nanda Parbat, we will request an audience with the Demon's Head, and ask for release from our vows."
"And if he disagrees?" Al Sa'iqa inquired.
"Then let us hope we do not have to kill too many in our escape."
"I knew this day would come."
It was only from years of ingrained training that all three did not jump up in surprise, each kneeling on one knee, heads bowed, in front of their master. Ra's was not facing them. He was considering his reflection in the Lazarus Pit, as if the bubbling waters held all the secrets of the world. Perhaps they did.
"From the very beginning, I knew that you three would not remain with the League for life. Whether it be your loyalty to each other, or for the lingering affection you had for your blood, something would call for you to leave. I could see it in your eyes." The Demon's Head explained. "But I still accepted you into our sacred order, because I knew that you would prove yourselves to be useful, valuable, during your time here. I knew that you would dedicate yourselves to our mission."
"Normally I would deny your request. But you three – you all could have this left this place any time you wanted, and none of the League, not even myself, would have been able to stop you. The fact that you came here first speaks of your character, of your honor." he continued.
Then, with a flourish, he turned and surveyed all three kneeling assassins, and nodded his head.
"I will release you from your vows, and acknowledge you as our eternal allies," he intoned, "on two conditions. First condition: You continue to uphold the League's values after your departure. You continue our holy mission, of cleansing this world of evil, through whatever means you deem necessary."
"As you wish." All three replied, heads still bowed.
"Second condition: You complete one last mission for me." At that, they raised their eyes, and met the gaze of their master.
"You must destroy the League's greatest enemy. You must destroy…H.I.V.E."
The timeline has been shifted so what would be Season 1 of emThe Flash/em and Season 1 of emSupergirl/em will occur at approximately the same time as Season 1 of emArrow/em. I cut down Barry's coma to three weeks so that way he could have a better handle of his powers and for plot purposes. It's necessary for their return to modern civilization.