Issue 7
The Betrayer
The fierce jungle sun is directly above them by the time the stench of the skinned aliens is left behind. The somber mood of the scene does not fade as easily. Robin isn't sure what weighs more heavily on the Batman's mind: the death of his former mentor, or the grisly display in the clearing. Or perhaps he's just being Batman.
The Dark Knight keeps both eyes on the trail ahead, but his mind drifts back. Back to the ring of mutilated corpses hanging from the trees. Back to the grave that he, Oliver, and Slade had dug that morning. And back even further to his final mission with the man who had trained him the ways of the League, the last time he would go by the name Al-Sabh, the Shadow. The Black Ninja.
The spring rains were falling outside the temple in Nanda Parbat. Al-Sabh circled warily, his curved shamshir held in a low guard. He couldn't help smiling as he watched Talia, daughter of the Demon, flourishing her sword opposite him.
She chuckled, arching her weapon back over her head. "Pay attention, Al-Sabh. Its about to get interesting."
"One can only hope." His sword leapt forward, slicing through the air in a sweeping cut.
Talia was the greatest swordsman in the League, second only to Ra's himself. As such, she made the perfect sparring partner for his successor. She nimbly sidestepped his attack, dropping low and driving her sword up in a counterstrike. Al-Sabh parried, his many lessons with Ra's and Talia paying off.
Talia laughed, a hint of mischief playing in her eyes. "Well done. How about this, though?"
She danced forward, her sword twirling in deadly arcs around her. And when she closed the gap between them, her attack was in earnest. Back and forth across the temple floor, this way and that in ever faster and deadlier motions, the two champions battled. Every skill, every trick of the Assassins, every secret technique Ra's al Ghul had passed on after 900 years came into play. Al-Sabh was the stronger fighter, Talia was just a little bit faster.
Ultimately it was a move Al-Sabh should have seen coming that was his downfall. He moves to parry an attack. Too late, he realizes the attack was only a feint. An almost imperceptible movement, a flick of Talia's wrist, and he feels her blade graze his cheek. His own weapon was turned the other way, Talia's came to rest next to his throat. the playful fire in her eyes turned to laughter.
Al-Sabh stood back and wiped the blood from his cheek. "Perhaps we should use blunted weapons."
"Perhaps you should improve your skill."
Further banter was cut short by the arrival of David Cain, the Master Assassin. He chuckled. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
"Oh no," Talia replied coyly. "Al-Sabh finished sooner than he thought he would."
Cain didn't even bother to hide his amused smile. "Well, if he no longer amuses you, perhaps he would like to join his brothers and I on a crucial mission."
Talia waved dismissively for them to leave. Then, returning her sword to her sheath, she turned and strode from the room. Al-Sabh, the Black Ninja, picked up his own weapon and faced Cain.
The laughter faded from the Master Assassin's face. "We've learned of a mystical artifact, a weapon that traps the souls of its victims. Ra's al Ghul wants to study it."
"Where is this weapon?"
Cain smiled. "My favorite place on Earth. Japan."
The mission was relatively simple. The weapon had belonged to the Yamashiro family, and was housed in their family shrine. Through the generations, it had been passed down from father to son, until the last wielder of the weapon had fathered twins. When the boys came of age, the weapon was given to Maseo. His brother Takeo, feeling cheated, had vowed revenge, and so he had gone to the League for help. Ra's would retrieve the weapon, but Al-Sabh knew it was unlikely he would just hand it over to Takeo. The fool was betraying his flesh and blood for nothing.
David Cain, Al-Sabh, Oliver Queen, and Deathstroke arrived at the shrine that night. A marriage ceremony was underway, and everyone in the compound was caught up in the festivities. Al-Sabh and Deathstroke were tasked with covering the exit, while Cain and the archer infiltrated the shrine itself.
But why was it taking them so long?
Peeking through the gate, Al-Sabh saw the shrine doors suddenly burst open. An attendant, shot through the chest, fell into the courtyard. A moment later, Queen and Cain emerged.
"We're looking for a special sword. Where is the Soultaker?"
Sword in hand, Al-Sabh barred the gate, Deathstroke at his side. A family tried to escape, but found their way blocked. Al-Sabh recognized Yamashiro Maseo and his wife Tatsu from the file Cain had given him.
Again the question, as Cain pressed the muzzle of his weapon to the head of the bride: "Where is the Soultaker?"
Seeing Cain's threat, Maseo became enraged, drawing his sword. Al-Sabh recognized it as the Soultaker from the description Takeo had given. He stepped forward, placing his own sword against the blade of Maseo.
Cain's laughter. "Well, I think we've found it. Do you boys plan on fighting, or just standing there?"
So they fought. It was Maseo who struck first. Al-Sabh saw it in his eyes before he even raised his sword. Then there was the clash of steel. Maseo was a great swordsman, but still a child next to the training of Ra's al Ghul. And so, Al-Sabh had gone easy on him. This had only infuriated Yamashiro's proud warrior spirit. Finally his rage grew, until he lashed out with such fury that he drove his opponent back in spite of Al-Sabh's superior skill.
Al-Sabh felt his foot slip suddenly on the smooth stones of the courtyard. He dropped to one knee. Now, genuinely endangered, his instincts took over even before he knew what he was doing. All it took was one fluid motion, a simple twist, and the threat was eliminated.
The warm blood flowed over his hands, he heard the screaming of the man's wife. He looked at her in horror, and saw the boy struggling in her arms. The body of Maseo dropped to the ground. The entire courtyard was silent, save for the wailing of the wife and child. Al-Sabh looked at the boy. In agony, he saw himself. Alone in an alley, the blood of his parents pooling around his feet, their bodies still warm on the pavement. He had vowed that night never to take a life.
And yet, there he was. He looked down at the bloodied sword in his hand. This was the prize the Assassins sought: a family's legacy, a father's blood. And the weeping of an orphaned son. Robbed of his father just as he had been. Robbed by his hand.
Batman remembers what happened in the following days only vaguely. He had fled Nanda Parbat, taking the cursed sword with him. He had abandoned his place as the next Ra's al Ghul, forsaken his brothers, even forgotten his feelings for Talia – whatever those feelings were. Somehow he found his way to the stronghold of Lady Shiva, a former ally of Ra's but now his deadliest rival. He had stayed with her for a time, learning under her. And when he had left to return home, he had entrusted the Soultaker to her, to safeguard until Akio came of age.
He glances at the sword now, worn in the red sash of the samurai woman. Even with her mask, he had recognized Tatsu the moment he had seen her. Obviously, the other Assassins had not, but none of them had looked into her eyes as she watched her husband fall. He had tried for years, but he could never forget her face. Despite her mask, Batman can see she has changed significantly since he had last seen her. With a twinge of regret, he wonders what second tragedy had driven her to wield the Soultaker in her son's place.
That's when he recalls the little glances Green Arrow had been casting at her since they joined the group. Perhaps he did know her, at least as Katana. Whether he had recognized her as Yamashiro Tatsu and simply chose to keep it to himself, Batman can't say. Now a question presents itself: if Katana and Green Arrow met after his own defection from the League, does Katana recognize them as the Assassins responsible for the attack?
As Katana and Batman relive the past, Bane listens to the sounds of the jungle. Something is off. He motions to the archer, who is guarding the back of the line as usual.
Green Arrow reaches for his quiver, only to grimace as he remembers its empty. He brings his rifle to his shoulder instead.
The entire group stops, instinctively crouching and scanning the trees around them. There's a rustling to their left.
Green Arrow spots something. He darts into the jungle.
"Queen!" Batman snaps. Pushing branches aside, he leaps in after the impulsive archer.
Green Arrow stops, crouching down and creeping forward slowly, following the bit of blue cloth he can see between the ferns. It stops, turning one way then the other. Green Arrow listens; he can just barely hear Batman sneaking along behind him. The blue cloth doesn't budge.
Green Arrow pounces.
He slams shoulder-first into someone. They both roll over in a tangle of arms and legs. The creature shrieks something. Green Arrow can't understand it, but he recognizes it as speech. He stands up and pulls the alien to his feet, leveling his rifle at his chest.
The alien, a diminutive fellow with pale orange skin and insect eyes, throws up both hands and says something else. It sounds like another language.
Batman bursts through the greenery and stands next to the Green Arrow. "What the hell?"
The alien extends a hand with a calming gesture. With his other hand, he reaches up and taps a device on his ear. He speaks again, this time in a third language. Another press of the button: another language. Twice more, and then:
"My name is Kanjar Ro. Who are you guys supposed to be?"
Batman and Green Arrow stare at each other, then back at Kanjar Ro. And finally Green Arrow answers. "We're from Earth. We were brought here, and we don't know how to get home."
The alien stares at them a moment, puzzled. He adjusts a dial on the device, then gestures for them to speak again.
This time, Batman replies. "We're trying to avoid the hunters. Predators? Do you know what I'm saying?"
Kanjar Ro nods vigorously. "Oh, yes, I understand. The Yautja."
"The what?"
"Yautja. Predators. They prove their skills by hunting the most dangerous of other species. Very dangerous. Everyone hates their guts, but nobody do anything about it. They beat the Engineers thousands of years ago. Even the Apokolipsians don't mess with them now."
"Hold on. Apokolips I'm aware of. Who are the Engineers?"
The alien waves his hands. "Everyone know Engineers. Geneticists. They seed Earth galaxy, Andromeda galaxy, Pegasus galaxy. Created Wraith, Kiande Amedha, Yautja, humans, Parademons – all the parasites." Again he nods vigorously. "Predators hunt here, but they not kill me yet. I've been here for weeks."
At this point, the rest of the group emerges from the foliage, Deathstroke leading the way. Kanjar Ro shrieks something the device doesn't translate and leaps back.
"Its alright," Green Arrow assures him. "They're with us. How have you survived here so long?"
Kanjar Ro grins. "Find somewhere to hide. Stay alive."
Deathstroke regards the alien suspiciously. Crossing his arms, he says gruffly. "We're heading for that mountain over there."
Kanjar Ro's bug eyes follow the pointing finger. When he sees the mountain through the trees, he shrieks again. "No, no, terrible idea! Don't climb that mountain!"
"Why not?" Katana asks.
Kanjar Ro leans in close to Green Arrow and practically whispers his reply. "Yautja. Predators." He points to the mountaintop. "They come from up there."
"Where else can we go?" Bane demands.
Kanjar Ro darts back, staring up in terror at the giant, who's easily twice his height. He turns back to Green Arrow. "Not on the mountain. But under it…"
"What do you mean?"
Batman turns suddenly. "Quiet! Listen."
A hush falls over the group. Kanjar's bug eyes dart from side to side, his head swiveling almost completely around. Then they hear it.
In the distance, the roaring of the hellhounds.
"No time!" Kanjar shrieks. "Follow me!"
Before anyone can protest, he disappears into the greenery. Green Arrow shrugs and runs after him. With the snarling and howling getting louder behind them, the others see no other options. And so, they race after the alien, deeper into the jungle, but still in the direction of the mountain.
The terrain rises rapidly under their running feet. Before long, they are struggling uphill, still zig-zagging around the trees.
"Over here!" Kanjar Ro calls out. He waves them over, then disappears into a dark hole hidden behind a fern. The others stop short, looking down into the tunnel. Behind them, the hellhounds are getting closer, and a new sound joins the din.
Over the beasts' howling, they hear the shrill call of a whistle. The Predators themselves have joined the chase this time.
Closing ranks, the team descends into the tunnel. It angles steeply downward for a few paces, and then levels off. By the time they reach level footing, they are wrapped in complete darkness. In the lead, Green Arrow feels along the rough tunnel wall. He can hear the others shuffling along after him. A moment later, a glowstick lights up.
Green Arrow turns to see Batman holding the glowstick aloft, scanning the walls of the tunnel around them. Turning again, Green Arrow gazes forward. And he realizes their alien guide is nowhere to be seen. He moves forward cautiously.
"Kanjar Ro, where are you?"
No sound comes back to him, except for the echo of his own voice bouncing off the walls of a large cavern directly ahead.