I do not own Arrow.
Later that night, Oliver was in a nearby café, buying himself a coffee as he sat down but then he noticed something. The customers and passerby were leaving one by one, leaving the street almost abandoned, save for Oliver and the baristas, who were watching him like a hawk about to snatch its prey. Was it the League approaching him with the offer? So soon? This seemed similar to them but… something seemed more off than Oliver had anticipated. Next thing Oliver knew, a knife shot the cup of coffee from his hand. Oliver looked to the small balcony above him to see a man in a black hood with a quiver of arrows, a sheathed sword and a bow strapped to his back and a belt of knives and shurikens across his chest. His attire was similar to the League, yet it wasn't him.
"So you are the one who has challenged Ra's and survived? I'm unimpressed. You don't deserve to be the next Demon's Head." The man said.
Talia had mentioned that Ra's would approach Oliver with an offer and Oliver immediately realized that whoever this was, he didn't want Oliver to take his place.
Oliver ran down the street and took a turn to an alley as the man in the hood followed him by jumping on the balconies, rafters and pipes above and Oliver rolled to dodge an arrow that scratched his jacket before he kicked the door open in an alley and entered an abandoned apartment complex.
The hooded man entered the complex to see the maze of corridors and faint lights blinking as he notched an arrow.
"Where are you?" The man asked.
"What do you want from me?" Oliver asked, his voice echoing in the darkness.
"You survived the battle with my father." The man said as he paced down the lobby. "I am Dusan al Ghul. Son of Ra's al Ghul."
"So you want to kill me because I defied your father and lived? Well, come get me!" Oliver yelled as Dusan saw the form of Oliver's shadow covering him on the floor.
Dusan whirled around and fired an arrow but Oliver dodged and disappeared around the corner. Dusan fired a grapnel arrow and quickly ascended above, while throwing a knife but Oliver jumped down to the lower level and disappeared in the shadows, barely dodging the knife. One thing Oliver had to give this one, he was as good as Nyssa or Talia. If Oliver was going to beat him, he needed to catch him off-guard.
"Even your sisters and father are better than this! Is this the best you've got?" Oliver asked.
"I may have been rejected because I'm not worthy… but an outsider is less worthy to live and face the Demon's Head!" Dusan yelled as he followed the source of the voice.
Dusan notched and fired three arrows but Oliver jumped away as one of the arrows scratched him across his jacket. Dusan followed him but as he turned across the corner, Oliver disappeared from his sight, much to Dusan's surprise before he heard squeaking and turned to see Oliver swinging on a utility cable around as he kicked Dusan, who fell over the railing as he fell on a platform several feet above the lobby and Oliver jumped down and picked a metallic pipe as a staff weapon.
Dusan and Oliver exchanged fierce glares with their eyes narrowed before Dusan pulled out his sword and attacked but Oliver parried with the pipe. His skills had improved with Talia, so he didn't struggle with Dusan but one thing he had to admit, Dusan was fast and a skilled fighter, while Nyssa, Talia and Ra's skills with the sword seemed superior in comparison, still, it was like fighting Slade all over again. Sparks flied as metal hit metal and Oliver pivoted back before Dusan could cut his head off and landed few hits with the staff, making Dusan stumble back as he fell off the platform but Dusan fired a grapnel arrow and swung around. Oliver picked a ripped off utility cable and jumped down, swinging around before he rammed into Dusan as they fell down to the lobby, grunting, while the support cables of the platform began to give, causing for the platform to pivot as they lost their weapons.
They both got up and scrambled up to their feet despite the pain. Dusan attacked again with his sword but Oliver dodged and knocked the sword off his hand before they began trading blows and Dusan elbowed Oliver in the chest and slammed his head onto Oliver's face, dazing him before Oliver felt a foot on his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him as Oliver coughed, stumbling back but he managed to rip the mask off Dusan. One thing Oliver had to give him, he was as good as Nyssa, Talia and Malcolm, if not better. That was when Oliver saw Dusan's face, he was white-haired and had pale skin, albino pale.
"I was rejected because I'm different." Dusan said disdainfully towards Oliver. "But that doesn't make an outsider like you any more worthy."
"I don't want—"
"It matters not! It's already been done!" Dusan yelled as they began trading blows but Oliver had the advantage that Dusan was blinded by rage and jealousy, so his attacks were being sloppy and predictable. Oliver dodged and blocked, when he heard an arrow flying and Dusan coughed and gagged, blood filling his mouth, much to Oliver's shock.
Dusan fell on his knees and glared at Oliver, an arrow protruding from his chest before he collapsed to the floor and Oliver looked up to see Sarab, lowering his bow.
"Maseo?" Oliver asked.
"A rival can't be tolerated. Come with me." Sarab said in a tone that made it clear it was an order, not a request, making Oliver wonder what was going on.
Apologies that this chapter was shorter but I felt like it would be better to divide this into two parts.
In comics, Dusan al Ghul was Ra's son who had been rejected by Ra's due to being an albino but he worked himself up in the ranks of the League of Assassins as a loyal soldier before Ra's eventually took over his body. He would be played by Paul Bettany here, given his role as an albino in Da Vinci Code. He was a rather minor character, so, sorry, if his death felt rather anticlimactic.
