I do not own Arrow.


Oliver had been accompanied by Sarab and other people into a plane in a nearby airfield and anytime Oliver would ask question, the only answer he got was that he was going to meet Ra's al Ghul in Nanda Parbat and Oliver already suspected why. Talia had already told him about the prophecy, so it was likely Ra's was going to offer Oliver to become his successor but seeing that it was pointless to ask anything else, there had been silence in the plane before Sarab turned to Oliver.

"You killed my brother." Sarab said, not angrily or sadly, just in a matter-of-fact tone.

Oliver looked into his old friend's eyes, feeling the same guilt he had felt, when failing to save Akio as he nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry, Maseo. But he gave me no other choice left."

"I don't blame you for what's happened." Sarab said with the kind look he used to have, when Oliver was his family. "My brother… he always liked to pick up fights. He'd get in over his head and I always had to be the one to step in and finish it for both of us. And that apparently hasn't changed."

"He blamed me for what happened to your family." Oliver said as he looked at Sarab in sympathy. "I tried… we all tried… but it's not our fault that it wasn't enough. In the end, Shrieve was to blame. And Waller too."

Sarab took the words into consideration. "That doesn't change the fact that my son died on my watch. The day my son died… that's when Maseo Yamashiro died."

Oliver sighed as he looked at his old friend sadly. He understood how he was feeling… but he wondered whether Maseo could still come back from this.


Back in the lair under Verdant, Felicity was at the computer, when Roy, Slade and Thea entered, making Felicity uncomfortable at seeing Slade. Normally, Felicity would have a remark towards Slade but seeing the urgency in their eyes made her hold back all remarks, realizing this was important.

"Has Ollie been down here?" Thea asked.

"He left few hours ago. Why?" Felicity asked, when Diggle went downstairs.

"Lyla called me. His old friend, Maseo, killed Amanda Waller. I tried to call Oliver but he's not answering my calls." Diggle said, making Felicity immediately alert as she got to work and typed away on the computer.

"I'm pinging his cell. Last known location, Starling Airfield." Felicity said.

"If he was going anywhere, he'd tell us." Roy said.

"Unless he wasn't given a choice. Check the surveillance feed." Slade ordered.

Usually, Felicity wouldn't listen to Slade of all people but she was too worried about Oliver to have any grudge towards Slade as she continued typing and saw Oliver being accompanied to a plane by members of the League.

"Oh, no." Felicity whispered.

"That's not good, is it?" Thea swallowed.

"Can you track them?" Diggle asked as Felicity typed away.

"The trajectory says they're heading to… Himalayas. Can't get an approximate location, though…" Felicity trailed off.

"They're taking him to Nanda Parbat."

Everyone whirled around at hearing the new voice, with an accent similar to Nyssa's as they saw a brown-haired woman in black leather suit, with a quiver of arrows and a bow strapped to her back and a sword strapped to her belt enter the lair.

"We seriously need to change the locks here." Felicity muttered.

"Who are you?" Diggle demanded.

"My name is Talia al Ghul. I'm the one who saved Oliver after his duel with my father and one of his teachers." Talia revealed as they all stared in shock. "There is much you don't know and I'm here to enlighten all of you."


After landing, Oliver in shackles had been accompanied through the gates into Nanda Parbat, the home of the League of Assassins before Sarab and the assassins dragged him into the throne room, where Oliver was on his knees, facing Ra's, while noticing Nyssa few feet away at the wall, observing.

"If you're going to kill me, go ahead. But spare my sister's life. The only crime she's guilty of is being Malcolm Merlyn's daughter. She doesn't deserve to die for his sins. I will beg for it." Oliver said lowly.

Ra's drew his sword and aimed the tip at Oliver's throat for a moment. "You have shown tremendous strength, fortitude, power." He lowered his sword. "No, Mr. Queen, I don't want to kill you. I want you to take my place. I want you to become the next Ra's al Ghul."

Oliver suspected this would happen, considering what Talia had told him, but still, he didn't expect the offer to come under these circumstances, leaving him surprised. Oliver took a glance at Nyssa, who looked even more stunned, but Sarab showed no reaction, meaning he had already known. Still, he stared up at Ra's, wondering what exactly was he offering, when one of the assassins approached him from behind and unshackled him.

"'Ra's' is a title greater than any one man." Ra's said before he said something in a language Oliver didn't understand. "Wing ta lao wo chey."

Oliver got up to his feet, massaging his wrists from the pressure of the shackles as he eyed Ra's in suspicion. "Am I supposed to understand what that means?"

"No. It's from a dialect no longer spoken. Said to me by a man whose place I took. Contemplating the same offer. And what it means is, 'A tale to be told begins thus.'" Ra's explained.


Back in Starling City in the lair, Diggle, Felicity, Roy and Thea just stared in shock at what they had heard. Slade had already heard the story from Oliver but hearing it from someone else, especially Ra's daughter, was a different matter altogether.

"So, what? Ra's took Oliver because of this… prophecy?" Felicity asked incredulously.

"'Ra's al Ghul' means 'The Demon's Head'. It's a title in the League of Assassins as its leader. I know of at least two others before my father. Each successor chosen by the prophecy. 'The man that doesn't perish at the blade of Ra's al Ghul will become Ra's al Ghul.'" Talia explained. "I may have helped nurse Oliver to health but he survived because of his will to live. And my father has decided to choose him as his successor."

Everyone stared in shock at the revelation.

"That's… that's insane." Roy said after a moment what everyone was thinking.

"I don't believe what I'm hearing." Felicity said as she lowered her head, holding it, having enough of it. First Slade, now this?

"What makes Ra's think that the kid will accept his offer?" Slade questioned and Talia laughed in amusement.

"What makes you think that my father will give him a choice in that matter?"


In Nanda Parbat, Oliver, Sarab and Ra's were walking down one of the halls as they saw the assassins spar with their swords before Ra's commanded them to stop in Arabic and the assassins stopped and got in rows, except for one of the assassins, who was on his knees during the sparring match and Ra's approached him with a sword to his neck and gestured for him to get up on his feet.

"Don't let your footing betray you. Let your power come not from the strength of your attack but the ground that holds your feet." Ra's ordered before he handed the assassin a sword.

Ra's assassins uncuffed Oliver as Ra's accompanied Oliver down the fortress as Oliver saw the assassins spar with swords before Ra's yelled an order in Arabic, causing for the assassins to stop as Ra's instructed them before he turned to Oliver again as they walked down the corridor as Oliver followed him. "All men seek guidance. A purpose. The means to live without pain. Those who journey here have given such an exchange for their fealty." He explained as the assassins resumed their sparring match.

"You mean they have to kill for you." Oliver said in disgust.

They stopped, when Ra's turned to Oliver. "No, Mr. Queen, they have to die for me."


Ra's accompanied Oliver into the dining room as they sat down at the grand table, its length almost the same as the room, with Ra's at the head of the table. "Is all of this supposed to impress me?"

"No. To inform you." Ra's corrected. "Surely men have branded you a murderer, a torturer but see, I would never shame you with such bluntness. Because I see it in your eyes." He said and Oliver turned to him. "The struggle you have with your dual identity. Oliver Queen and the Arrow. Neither giving you what you crave."

"But becoming Ra's al Ghul will?" Oliver asked, his tone making clear how ridiculous the idea was to him.

"Oliver Queen is a man destined to be alone." Ra's said. "He fights a crusade with friends and allies who aren't any more protected from death than he is. Their loyalty to you goes only so far."

"You don't know me." Oliver protested.

"But I know the Arrow. Al Sah-him." Ra's stated. "You'll never be anything more than a vigilante for those, whose lives you save at the risk of your own. And the city will turn on you and your closest allies in the police department will call you a criminal. You will be scorned and hunted and then killed. Dying as your began your crusade. Alone."

Ra's was tasting the grape from the table as Oliver considered the Demon's Head's words. Even though he knew Ra's was only trying to get into his head, his words reminded Oliver of his failed attempts to save Tommy, Akio and others and the recent lack of loyalty and the discord in his team wasn't helping matters either. The offer was tempting, but Oliver knew far too well from Talia it would come with a price of his home being destroyed.

"Why me? Why not your children? Your son tried to kill me." Oliver pointed out.

"My son was imperfect. And there was no healing him. He was hardly fitting to be a leader of the League of Assassins." Ra's said and Oliver remembered Dusan's albino skin. "And you have bested my son and daughter before. You surpass them in every way and I know that Talia has trained you in our ways. A worthy successor."


Ra's accompanied Oliver to another chamber, where Oliver saw a pool of water that had emerald color, just like the one Oliver had seen Talia bathe in as it hit him. The Lazarus pit, the one Ra's was using to prolong his life.

"It was Herodotus who first wrote of these waters." Ra's said as he put his hand into the water. "And Ponce de Leon traveled the Earth in search for them. And their discovery by al Kadir is chronicled in Quran. And they have permitted me to live way beyond my time." He stepped down as he approached Oliver. "You don't seem too fazed by what I've told you."

"I've seen things that have helped me to believe that this world is a much bigger place than people realize." Oliver said.

"And as I told you on the mountain, boy, man can only evade death for so long." Ra's reminded as he turned to the Lazarus pit before turning to Oliver. "And these waters' powers are losing their effect on me. My time is almost over but my legacy won't be just ash and bones. It will be history."

"And you think that I'll help you secure that legacy?" Oliver asked incredulously.

"You survived my sword." Ra's reminded. "I know that Talia, my other daughter, saved you on the mountain and I can sense that you were healed by the waters of the pit but it was because of the force of your own will that you are still alive. And what better heir to immortality than someone who has already claimed victory over death?"

"I didn't defy death just to become an instrument of it." Oliver protested.

"We are justice. Isn't that what you've dedicated your life to? Then why confine your crusade to a single city, when I can give you a whole world to save?" Ra's pointed out.

"By executing anyone who stands in my way?" Oliver scoffed as Ra's passed by him.

"You would command resources you cannot even fathom. Numbers greater than any army… and more loyal." Ra's stated as Oliver turned to him. "Now, if you wish for them to renounce killing as you did, thy will be done."

Oliver scoffed. "I doubt that. It's called 'The League of Assassins' for a reason."

"The League's reasons would be your own. You would be Ra's al Ghul." Ra's pointed out.

"And what if I say 'No'?" Oliver questioned.

At the snap of Ra's fingers, Sarab entered.

"Then you are free to leave. All debts forgiven and all blood oaths waived. Your sister would no longer be hunted by our laws. Sarab is going to accompany you back home." Ra's said.

Oliver knew it wouldn't be that simple as he took one more look at the pit. But he decided to take the win… for now. But still, they needed to prepare, when Ra's would retaliate, once Oliver refused. Oliver turned to Ra's and nodded politely before leaving and walking past Sarab before he left the room.

"My liege, if I may speak my mind…" Sarab requested and Ra's nodded. "Oliver is stubborn. I doubt he'll accept your offer, no matter how compelling you make it."

"He will accept… one way or another." Ra's said, smirking before he looked into Sarab's eyes. "I have another task for you."


"I really hate this. Feeling powerless to do anything." Felicity muttered, with the satellite scan not showing anything.

"I could reach out to my old contacts from A.S.I.S." Slade offered.

"No need for that."

They turned to see Oliver walk down the stairs as Thea and Felicity rushed to him, hugging him.

"We really need to stop meeting like this." Felicity said as they pulled away.

"I got ambushed by Ra's son." Oliver explained. "He didn't like that I was going to…"

"…get the offer from the leader of Evil Incorporated?" Felicity asked sarcastically and Oliver looked at her in surprise.

"How do you—"

"Did you know that your friend Maseo killed Amanda Waller?" Diggle asked and Oliver looked surprised. "Lyla said that he was sending you a message about the prophecy."

"And your old teacher came here for an unexpected visit. Told us a lot of interesting things. Like about the prophecy that you will become the next Ra's al Ghul because you survived his sword." Slade explained.

"You're not actually considering this, are you?" Roy asked.

"What makes you think I'd actually want to? Even if I was going to accept, the price is too high, one I'm not willing to pay." Oliver said, to their relief. "But Ra's al Ghul doesn't take 'No' for an answer. He's going to force me into accepting one way or another. We have to be ready for when he retaliates."

Everyone nodded, wondering what was Ra's going to do to convince Oliver to accept.


Back in Nanda Parbat, Ra's was pacing in the chamber with the Lazarus Pit, when Nyssa entered, angered. "Father!" She yelled as Ra's turned to her. "Is it true? Have you selected Oliver Queen as your heir? Him over your own daughter?"

"He survived my sword." Ra's said and Nyssa scoffed in disbelief, turning away before she glared at him.

"Sara… you're punishing my love for her. At least do me the courtesy of admitting it, you never approved!" Nyssa said.

"I never approved of you allowing weakness into your life and even in death, your devotion to her pollutes your judgement!" Ra's said.

Nyssa attempted to strike him with her sword but he grabbed the blade without wincing in pain and threw the sword on the floor.

"I will not stand here to watch you hand over my legacy to an outsider." Nyssa said in Arabic.

"Then don't." Ra's replied in kind.

The coldness of his words struck Nyssa hard as the realization hit her in an instant. He was disowning her and she was being cast out of her home. Angry, she walked off, but Ra's paid her no further mind as he approached the Pit and plunged his hand into the water before pulling away and observed as the wound began to heal, but this time it was taking a bit longer than usual, making Ra's realize that the effects of the Lazarus Pit on him were weakening with each usage. He didn't have much time left.


In another part of Starling City, a group of thugs were playing pool in their hideout, when one of them collapsed on the table with an arrow in his back. The remaining thugs looked up to see an archer in green hood fire more arrows, shooting down more thugs as their guns went off, firing wildly but missing the archer until the last thug fell down and scrambled on his feet, running for his life.

Sarab sighed heavily under the hood. Oliver was going to have to accept, one way or another.


This and next chapter is still going to follow canon and Stand with Ward and Queen's story but after that I'm going to go down a more original route.