My name is Thea Queen.

After being stranded for five years on an hellish island, my brother finally found his way back home. Until about 2 years ago, when I lost him again.

Now, I have picked up the fight from where he left off. All of it, with only one goal. To honor his memory.

Using the list of names left behind by our father, I bring down those who are poisoning our city...in hopes that one day, I'll bring his killer to justice.

But to do so, I can't be the billionaire spoiled partygirl I once was. I have to forge myself into a weapon.

I have to become someone else. I have to be...something...else...


THE FINAL TEST

Origins-2


Author's notes:-

My apologies for the long delay. I have been busy with well..life and stuff.

Also, my chapters are long, so, it takes a lot of time to write, edit, re-edit and then some more to make sure that it's rewarding.

This is one of my favorite chapters so far (right up there with chapters 2, 4 and 8) and hopefully, the wait was worth it.

Enjoy!


Malcolm

"Remember. I'm just here to observe," I almost whispered, perched alongside the roof wall with her.

"Or point at my mistakes.." she hit back with a glare too sharp to not see, even in this darkness.

"Daughter, focus. And if you think I just point at your mistakes, then as my student, it is your task, nay duty, to make sure that you just don't make one.."

"Yeah. Yeah...why not?"

'She's too snarky to be an assassin,' my only thought.

"Remember your moves and trust your instincts. In the field, skill doesn't matter as much as your gut does. It says you bend, then, you better bend. It says you-"

"I won't ever forget your valuable lessons. Now, can I get to work?" her voice breaking through to interrupt me.

I held her arm with my right hand and turned her with force to face me.

"Listen-" I said, squeezing her arm some more in the process.

"This isn't a joke. So, you better treat this seriously..."

She shrugged my hand off her, rubbing it for relief.

"Ouch!" she reacted mockingly and looked straight at me in disbelief.

"I may have held tighter than required...I apologi-"

"I am taking this seriously," she cut me off again. This time in anger.

"Yeah, then, why did you wear your brother's suit?" my eyes looking at the blackish-green suit which, despite my reluctance, was hidden nicely in the darkness with little to no light on the roof or in the alley down below.

How I used to hate that suit...she'll never know.

"Because, I'm doing it for him, dumbo," her voice firm. "Plus, wearing this..it gives me confidence."

I couldn't help but smile at the words.

"If you need a piece of clothing to gain confidence, then, maybe you're not as ready as I thought you were.."

"Malcolm...Do you need to over-analyse everything? Why can't I just focus on the task at hand and honor my brother at the same time?"

Oliver Queen. Messing with my life even after being dead for almost two years now.

Groaning, I asked, "I thought we agreed that you'd be calling me dad now?" hurt at her name-calling.

"Well, first of all, we didn't. Secondly, even if we did, not in the field!

Besides, if you want me to call you that, then you have to play the part as well.

Because right now, you're being less like a dad, who apologized and promised to change his ways and actually has been more nice lately and more like an former League of Assassin's asshole who's angry that his 'student' is not listening to him when she perfectly is."

Well, she is my daughter.

"Very well, daughter. Then, let's focus on the task."

"Thankyou!" she quietly obliged.

"Care to repeat the takedown?" I asked.

"A member of the new Vertigo clan is in that club. He's scheduled to meet with an interested party in ten minutes down in the street to show him some samples. And we're supposed to take them both down."

"Good. Now, head down.." my eyes corresponding with my words.

"Gladly.." she said and jumped, landing right on her two feet without a moment's fumble.

It's been so great passing my teachings to her. And how she has adapted.

She has learnt what took me 3 years basically in 6 months. She has my blood.

My daughter.

I just wish Tommy had listened to me too...But that's a thought for another day.

"I'm in position," I hear her voice.

Now, let's hope she doesn't fail.

Thea

Ooh, look at me. I'm the Dark Archer.

They call me 'The Magician'...blah blah blah.

It's been hell. Literal hell, learning from him.

One and half hours in the gym for muscle enhancement. Three, learning and practicing the moves set in stone by the League. And then, the final two hours, trying to fight him and make him use his second hand which he kept behind his back just to show me my place in the art.

And then, the verbal torture. "You'll die like your brother. You disappoint me. You can't be my daughter. I wish you were not born.."

Huh! At least he has toned that down a bit in the last 2 months.

But as they say, harder the task, sweeter the reward.

His single word of applause, and my day was made. Because that meant an absolute and genuine step forward.

I have trained for so long. Almost 6 months now. He says this is the final test.

I know that's a lie. But at least, then, maybe we'll begin digging into the Deathstroke game. Even if it's just the surface. Because that, right there, is the endgame.

It's all gonna be worth in the end. At least, I hope that it is.

The first of the two targets came out of the club with a chain hanging loosely from his wrist, tied to a bag.

His phone rang and he was mumbling some inaudible words, when a car drove up into the alley.

The two men shook hands and the first gave the key to the second to open the briefcase. Probably as a gesture of goodwill.

Satisfied with the contents, the latter began walking back to his car for the money.

That's my que.

When both are satisfied and so, a bit complacent.

After all, you never expect an attack when you're just about home.

I launched an arrow targeted at the leg of the first. Amidst his loud screams, a special tranq arrow struck in the neck of the second, before either of them even knew what happened.

Easy, peasy.

I drew my bow again.

"Shut up!" That made his shrieks stop.

"Archer? I've acquired the goods.." I called him out in my ear-piece.

"Good. Now, finish them," he commanded.

"Wh..what?" I could only mumble that in reply.

"I said, kill them both..."

I'd actually heard that right.

"This wasn't what we agreed on. We have to get info from this one. That's why, we didn't tranq him. Why in hell are you doing this?"

"In the field, anything can happen, daughter. You want to kill Slade Wilson. You think he'll be your first and only kill? Nope. He'll have to be your 10th or even your 100th if you are to get even close to him."

"I won't do it.." I quickly replied, loosening my grip on the string a bit.

"I am not a killer.."

"Oliver survived me because he killed. I always knew in my every fight with him, that it was either him or me. When you deny yourself the ultimate edge you can have, your opponent then is freed. His legs will move faster. His hands will co-ordinate better.

Because now he knows that at worst, he'll get punched really hard in the face. But not anything lethal. And as long as he's not afraid to die, he'll get hit more, sure but he sure as hell, will have some more breathing room.

Your brother understood this. At least for some time. And when Oliver adopted your moral conscience, you know what happened? He died.

So, Thea, let me ask you this: you wanna die like him or avenge him?"

He was right. To an extent. But back then, I had a misguided sense of code I used to follow.

"Please, please...let me go," the gang member said...begged.

"Why should I?" I demanded, considering Malcolm's advice in my mind at the very same moment.

"I have a wife and a daughter. Just like you. Please."

"Then, why do illegal business? Why do drugs? Why risk it all, if you care about them so much?" my grip wanting to let the arrow "slip" so damn much.

"I'm sorry. I..I..I'll change my ways. Please, you have to believe me. Please.." he kept at it until his eyes began showering.

"DA, I can't do it. He's just a small thug. Death is too much for this."

"Alright," came the reply.

"Whaat?" I asked in disbelief.

"I said, alright. Ask him to give up his boss and then let the SCPD deal with him."

Imagine my shock. Malcolm Merlyn...and mercy?

"Give me the name of your boss. And I'll just let the SCPD have you. Deal?"

"Deal.." he mustered up the courage.

The moment I drew back my bow and let him have a breather, he became more composed.

"So? What you waiting for?" I asked him.

"This," he said, as the second goon came running behind my back and as I punched him in the face, the first gangster's hand grabbed me from behind by my neck, choking me with force.

I kicked the other gangster right in the face to knock him out again but a back kick to the toe of the other didn't work as he kept pushing at me.

"D-A...Ar-cher..." I kept begging for Malcolm.

"This is your fight," I heard soon after.

The man kept grunting and put in all the force he had.

My face had soon developed a pink tinge, as I was later told, as I tried to muster some strength.

"Pleas.." I begged him this time.

I was about to make my only move by pushing him backwards to the wall behind us before I heard him spoke.

"There is no mercy in this business, babe," he finally spoke as I felt a metal piece touching the bottom half of my back.

His hands had a sort of a glove with three metallic spikes welded onto the top, like a claw.

Without changing his position, he positioned the claw at my chest as Malcolm finally landed in front of us to save his daughter, if not necessarily his student.

"Let her go," he said, his face fully covered.

"No way.." the goon replied as the claw tore through the upper clothing of the Arrow's suit.

"Liste-" was all what Malcolmcould say before the man realised his only exit plan.

He pierced through the clothing and my skin as fiercely as he could in one sharp, cold turn.

As I fell to my knees with my head banging in the concrete thereafter, Malcolm had two choices: let him go or let me go.

But Malcolm Merlyn, The Dark Archer had some other ideas.

Malcolm

'She never listens...'

That was my only thought as I held her in my arms, with her bleeding to the point of no end.

Her clothing was torn and fully soaked in blood. I tried to put pressure on the wound by covering it but it wouldn't stop.

'What would I say to Moira?'

Another wild thought cropped right into my mind.

"My daughter.." I whispered to her with a tear in my eye as I planted a kiss on her forehead.

And just then, I heard him running.

"You.." I mumbled under my breath.

I threw a knife right across the alley, so that, it landed right at the centre of his heart.

But what did that matter? She was still going to die. And no one can save her.

Except me. But then what about Ra's...?

No. No. No...But if she's not alive, then what's the point of it all?

She's my only family.

And just then, she said softly with blood coming out of her mouth, "dad..."

How could I not then?

I immediately opened the bag I made her always carry. Inside it, a box.

The box carried the last of the waters.

The waters of the Lazarus.

I swore not to use it until the day Ra's al Ghul acquired the knowledge that I was alive and came for me.

But, I would give anything for..her.

Even my own life.

The vile had almost 200 ml of the magical waters.

I began chanting the ancient ritual as I pushed her suit up to see the wound.

The vapors reached straight for her as the waters landed on the wound.

I had very little medicine. So, it had to hit her just right.

And it did.

She inhaled the mist.

The mist too had magical properties. It'll improve the air circulation inside her.

And within minutes, her eyes opened and I breathed a little easier.

"Thea? You...alright? Huh? My daughter?" I asked quietly as one of my tears landed on her cheeks.

She smiled at it. At me. And finally, she gathered some strength to sit up and carry out what was the most unexpected act I had ever experienced in my entire life.

She hugged me.

"What did you do?" she said with a tear as well.

"This may not make sense...But there's this magical water pit somewhere out there whose waters can heal practically anything. I used the last I had on you. Maybe except for these last few drops..."

She broke the hug and looked for her assailant.

"I killed him," I told her.

She proceeded to look me right in the eye. Her eyes ruthless. Without any fear...anymore.

Her eyes shifted to the second gangster.

He was barely conscious and all this while, had been trying at a snail's pace to crawl out of there.

She reached to his place and then held him by his hair, raising him to her knees.

"You were right..dad," she said as she looked at me.

"The final test. It wasn't about stealth or me being alone in the field.

It was about my first kill", she said as she snapped the neck of the person with her bare hands.

"Now, Deathstroke," she commanded.

"Now, Deathstroke," I smiled.

Present Day

"What the fuck I was doing here?", I asked myself as I nervously banged my feet against the floor, for like forever.

A sturdy yet familiar looking woman came up to my seat, forcing me to look up.

"She doesn't wanna talk to you, princess. So you better order and leave. ASAP," she said.

"Oh, come on," I replied, standing up and forcing her out of my way.

"Hey!" she kept shouting at me, trying to stop me.

But I made my way to the back of the restaurant.

She was standing right in front of me, facing the other side, though. But her long, lustrous black hair moved for just long enough to see me standing there.

"What are you doing here, miss?" she asked.

"You know my name," I told her.

"Yeah. But, you don't know mine. You could've though, if you had stayed."

"Oh, come on. I was..I had a call and it was urgent. Besides.." I paused, prompting her to look at me.

Getting weak in the legs...but okay.

"Besides?" her voice asking me for something. Anything.

"Besides, I left my number. You could've called, too."

"Oh, right. But for what? For asking your orders? A burger and a smoothie...?"

"Fries?" I chuckled but regretted it immediately as I said it.

Her eyes stared right into my soul; certainly not pleased with my comment.

"I was kidding. But why would you even say so? Listen- I just..I.." I stopped. She probably felt the stutter in my voice. As I couldn't meet her eyes any longer.

She moved towards me and before I knew, she was holding my hand.

"You just-?"

"I..I.I don't have many friends. I considered you one. Still do. I had a..call. I really had to go. I just..don't know what else can I say here.."

I never looked up to see her react to my confession.

"Zara.." she finally said.

I looked up to see her smile.

"The name's Zara."

"Okay..." I said, mustering up a smile, totally forgetting the purpose of this visit.

"So, you free for that cocoa tonight?" she looked to me gleefully.

"About that.." I said letting go of her hand.

"I was..actually here to say goodbye."

"You what now?" she looked shooked.

"I..Actually, my mom's company is sending me to Russia, for some family business. It's not exactly safe there at the moment but my personal presence is required. So, who knows? 50-50? Eh, maybe this will be it?" my poor attempt at hiding the plan.

"You said, Russia, right?"

"Yeah?" I said, my head moving in agreement.

"Which flight?"

"Oh, Queen Consolidated - our family company - has a private jet. Trust me, I may have have exaggerated a bit on the safety thing. I'll be fine."

"You going to have enough safety, then?"

Loving the concern, by the way.

"Yeah. In fact, I am going alone with my security. Half the plane's gonna be empty."

"Oh.." her expression becoming weird.

"What?" I looked to her as she looked at me with a crooked face.

"Can I come along?" her words.

"With me?"

"Yup."

"To Russia?"

"Yup."

"On our private plane...alone?"

"Yup," she said nodding her head along with her words.

Oh, crap.


Author's notes:-

(1) I'm really enjoying writing Thea/Z. I love the chemistry and I hope you guys do as well? Z is only going to become an even more important character going forward. So, there...

(2) It's gonna take me some time to finalize the rough draft of Chapter-10. Currently titled "Secrets", it's gonna have some interesting conversations with Thea/Z and with Moira.

So, while I'm not giving any fixed date, do follow the story for an e-mail notification for the same.


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