Author's Notes:
Part X is the character and organization profile sheets. I will add to it as I add characters, organizations, and other World Building stuff for my AU. This part is not vital to understand the story. It is a reference. It will help you figure out how I got the character you found in my AU. This AU is a blend of the Arrowverse and the DCU. Things are VASTLY different in this AU.
Part 03.O is "ONE" of the "THIRD" parts of the story. Initially, I was going to do three stories. One for each of the kids. BUT… My muse is not helping me. I may go back later. I have outlined them (roughly) so they are numbered 03.L and 03.T for Laurel and Thomas. But I can go on to 04 and know what happened in the stories. Sort of…
For Sah-him (Oliver) it was important for me to get specifics on his gift. The Ruya. (Part X for more details). Sah-him is off to the Demon's Venom for his additional six months of League training. This time he is without Aldire and Yad Alqadar. We also get to get his insight into his Soul Bond as well.
Remember, the League is different. Ra's al Ghul is different. I did quite a bit of World Building on the culture in the League. Some of that World Building is still happening as I write these stories. I am constantly updating Part X on the League.
2022/11/22: I updated this story with World Building stuff from later stories. Minor spelling and grammar. No plot changes.
2022/10/26: Initial post on Archive of our . [RoczaDeb].
"Normal," - is spoken in English.
=Normal,= is spoken in a foreign language. I will note which language is in the text. I.e., he said in Spanish.
-Normal- mental speech or telepathy. Used to converse with the Nexus.
Italics - thoughts
Underline - written. This is used for text messages, computer messages, signs, and paper notes.
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Chapter 1: Welcome to the Fort
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2013 JULY
LIMA, PERU
After the incredibly long flight from Nanda Parbat to Lima, Peru, Sah-him and Tayir Alfiniq didn't have long to take in their new surroundings. Hamsa had told them to change into civilian clothing not long after they boarded their flight. They changed League planes three times before their final flight to Lima, Peru. They flew for almost a full day.
"Come," Hamsa ordered the two of them one last time as he exited the airplane and made for the small private vehicle parked at the bottom of the stairs.
Sah-him was exhausted. He grabbed his bags and tiredly followed him down to the car. Tayir was right behind him. They threw their gear in the trunk of the vehicle and climbed in the back seat. Hamsa took the passenger side of the car.
"Welcome back, Hamsa," the driver greeted Hamsa.
"Thank you, Haraq," Hamsa returned the greeting. "Take us to the Fort. We will save the orientation of our newest members after a period of rest."
"Very well, Fasir," Haraq replied. He quietly started the car and drove into the night. Lima was still shrouded in darkness. It was well past midnight in this time zone. The street lights were the only thing still lighting up the night sky as the car sped towards its destination.
Haraq shuffled the tired Sah-him and Tayir down into the catacombs. He gave them a brief tour of the location of the restroom and their rooms. He told them that someone would be by the next day when they were needed. Until then, they were expected to rest.
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Sah-him slept late. He felt groggy from sleeping late. He panicked. He tried to remember what he missed. Then the memories flooded back. The long flight. The short naps on the planes. They collapse into an empty bed mat in a strange room.
Alone. I'm alone again. Sah-him sighed. No, not alone forever. Just for a bit. I can last a bit.
Sah-him got up and stretched out his muscles and then scanned his room. He didn't even look at his room the night before. It was mostly bare. The bed mat was in one corner. An empty shelf-unit was in one corner for his clothing and armor. Weapon stands stood next to it. Empty shelves lined the walls for gear and books. The back of the door had four hooks on it. There was no window. The walls and the floor were made of stone.
Small. Functional. Lonely. Sah-him thought with a sigh. He started to put his gear and clothing away in their proper places. Then he ventured to the restroom for his morning routine.
"Good, you are awake," Haraq found him in the restroom. "I have come to fetch you."
Sah-him nodded and followed Haraq. Haraq retrieved Tayir and then led them both to a large room lined with smaller rooms. He deposited them in one of the smaller rooms.
"You will both wait here," Haraq told them. "Hamsa will return shortly with your mentors." Then the man departed.
Sah-him let out a breath of air. "I feel like… I don't know… like training is starting all over again," he told Tayir.
Tayir nodded. "I know the feeling," he replied. "This is the part where we learn about our special skills. That is the part I am most afraid of learning," he said.
"Afraid?" Sah-him asked. "I don't know how to use my gift, but I've been trying already."
"Yeah," Tayir replied. "My skill… It killed my family. I killed my family… I think…"
"That… I can see how that would hurt," Sah-him replied. "But you need to learn to control it."
"I know," Tayir replied. "But I'm still afraid."
"Fear can be a good thing," Sah-him told him. "Use it. Become the Phoenix you are named after."
"That is a very insightful thing to say," Hamsa said as he entered the room with two other people. The man and woman were both wearing League uniforms. The man had purple piping on his shoulder pads. The woman had orange piping on her shoulder pads.
Both Sah-him and Tayir immediately stood erect in the presence of the Fasir of the Demon's Venom. Hamsa nodded to them both. "You may both relax. Today is your orientation into the Demon's Venom. It is not often that I receive two new members to be trained in special skills," Hamsa told them. "I have passed your training reports to the appropriate mentor. However, I will be showing you around the Fort." He gestured to the woman.
"I am Najwa," the woman introduced herself. "I am to train Tayir Alfiniq in the mystical arts of magic to become Barkih. After you complete your initial field training, you will be able to complete the skills needed to perform as a Barkih Apprentice in any branch of the League. But if you return to Venom for additional training under a Master Barkih, you will become a Barkih Journeyman Elite." She nodded to the man.
"I am Namla," the man introduced himself. "I am to train Sah-him in the sensing arts of Ruya to become Wuhy. After you complete your initial field training, you will be considered a Wuhy Journeyman Elite. You will be fully trained for any branch of the League."
"I am Tayir Alfiniq," Tayir said.
"I am Sah-him," Sah-him said softly.
"Good," Hamsa said. "Najwa and Namla will begin your specific apprenticeship instruction tomorrow. You will meet them in the meeting room outside of this room." When he received nods from the two new members. "You two are dismissed for today." Najwa and Namla left the room. "Now, come," Hamsa told the two remaining apprentices. "We will walk the rest of this tour."
Hamsa smiled as he slowly led the two of them outside the room back to the meeting room. "We will start here. This is the meeting room. This is where we will gather. Large groups of the Venom will meet here," Hamsa casually started to walk around the room. He pointed to the smaller rooms. "These smaller rooms are also meeting rooms. They are numbered to allow smaller groups to coordinate meetings with the Qas or other groups of hunters."
Hamsa led them out of the meeting room to the hallway. He led them down the hallway to the area reserved for the Qas. "This is our Sacred Place. Our Qas keep this place for us. We have three Qas here at the Demon's Venom. Qasisa Menna is the oldest of our Qas. Qasisa Narm is her second. Qas Amin is her third. The Qas maintain a copy of the full library for hunting. They have resources and computers to use in typing your reports. If you have any questions, the Qas can help you answer your questions. When you have completed a hunt, file a report with me and I will ensure it is added to the library maintained by the Qas."
"Over here," Hamsa led them to another common area. "Is our Dining Area. Every Shadow Warrior takes turns in rotation ensuring we are all fed. The only ones exempt from the rotation are those recovering from injury. Duties are security, cleaning, kitchen, and laundry. If you are in residence at the Fort, you are in rotation. As apprentices, you will not be tasked with security. You will be tasked with the other duties. Here," He pointed to a board just inside the common dining area, "Is where the schedule is posted for your assigned duty is posted. Check the schedule daily when you get your morning meal. You will report to the Demon Support personnel in charge of that section. They will direct your duties."
Hamsa stood to one side to allow them to check the schedule now since he knew that they did not eat your morning meal this morning.
"We are not on the schedule," Sah-him said after he checked.
"Correct," Hamsa replied. "You arrived last night after the schedule had been completed. You will be on tomorrow's schedule." He led them out of the common dining area and down the hallway to another common area.
"This is the Hallway that leads to the training areas, the armory, and the forge," Hamsa said as he led them down a side hall. This hall went for some distance. They finally could hear the clash of metal off the walls. Hamsa stopped in the hallway at a door. "This is one of the practice training areas," he said as they glanced inside.
They could see two Shadow Warriors sparring with blades. Hamsa turned to another doorway further down. "Here is our practice range," he told them. Inside he turned on a light switch to illuminate the range. Sah-him could see it was several enclosed archery ranges side by side with a short wall in between them. Each range had a small device that appeared to shoot rubber balls in it. The back of the room had a place to deposit the destroyed rubber balls.
"What do they do with the balls when they are destroyed?" Sah-him asked.
"They melt them into usable balls again," Hamsa replied.
"Cool," Tayir replied. "Recycling at its best."
Hamsa flipped the switch off and led them down to the end of the hallway. Near the end of the hallway were several doorways. Each one was marked with the symbol of a weapon. Hamsa opened the door with the symbol of a sword. "Each of these doors leads to a different armory. This is the selection of weapons that are currently available for your use. I expect you both to return to these rooms and select your preferred arms after your initial orientation," Hamsa told them. "These arms should be stored in your quarters where you are expected to maintain them. Supplies for maintaining them are kept within each armory."
"What happens to arms that become damaged during our training or a hunt?" Sah-him asked.
Hamsa smiled. He led them to the door at the end of the hall. "This is the forge," Hamsa told them. Two men were working in just leather pants and aprons in the hot atmosphere of the force. The furnace was blasting heat. The men were dropping iron into a melting pot on the coals of the forge. "Weapons that are damaged will be placed in this room for repair or to be melted down and reforged into new weapons," he told them. He then pointed out the area that held several broken and damaged swords at one side.
"What are they making?" Tayir asked. He was referring to the two men working at the forge.
"Most likely, they are making arrowheads," Hamsa replied. "We are always in need of arrowheads."
"Should we collect our arrows?" Sah-him asked.
"If you can, yes. But do not risk yourself or get spotted," Hamsa replied.
Hamsa led them back down the hallway to the last of the public areas before the private rooms. "These are the restrooms, which you were shown last night. Over here," he led them across the hallway, "Is the bathing room." He showed them the bathing room. It was very similar to the one at Nanda Parbat. It was smaller. The water was only about waist deep. It was also much warmer. It was a hot spring that had been cooled with ocean water.
"That hallway is where the residence rooms are located," Hamsa indicated to the hallways that stretched beyond the restroom and bathing room. "Go and collect your arms now and the supplies that you will be required to maintain them. Relocate them to your quarters. When you have completed that task, return to meeting room four where we began." With that, he turned and left them to collect their weapons.
"Alright," Sah-him replied. "We can do that task easily enough."
"Yeah," Tayir replied. "I just hope I remember where my room is located."
"I know where mine is," Sah-him replied. "Yours is next to mine."
"Good," Tayir replied. "I'll stick to you."
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Sah-him stored his arms in his room and felt more relaxed with at least three knives on his person once again. He still felt that his room was bare and empty. He didn't like waiting in the empty room. Instead, he waited for Tayir in the hallway and they walked back to the meeting rooms together.
They didn't have to wait for long in the small meeting room when Hamsa arrived with a short woman with white shoulder guards on her League uniform. Both apprentices shot erect.
"Fasir!" They greeted him.
"Apprentices," Hamsa replied. "This is Qasisa Narm. She will finish your orientation on the Fort for today. Report back to the main meeting room to your mentors after the morning meal."
"It will be done," they replied.
Hamsa nodded and left them with Qasisa Narm. "Greetings, Apprentices," Narm said warmly.
"Qasisa," they greeted in return, still standing erect.
"Please relax and sit," Narm replied. She sat in the lotus position herself and waited until both Sah-him and Tayir had seated themselves before she continued. "I want you both to feel comfortable coming to the Qas for any assistance. We are here for your spiritual and mental health. We provide assistance in your hunts and in your life as needed."
"Our life?" Tayir asked.
"Yes," Narm said with a warm smile. "You are both adjusting to a new life in the League. This is not an easy task. You both have unique skills. Skills that are not comfortable. Your mentors can assist you in adjusting, but you can seek additional guidance… if needed."
"Okay," Tayir replied.
"What are we doing now?" Sah-him asked.
"Now," Narm said with a smile. "We are going to cover a small bit of history." She adjusted herself to make herself even more comfortable. "We are currently located in Fortaleza Del Real Felipe. It is an old Fort used by the Spanish during colonial times. The League owns the properties the Fort sits on. It operates the Fort Museum on the upper levels, mostly as a front. Most of these levels do not connect to our League levels. The League entrances are further into the city and have tightly controlled security."
"Most of your fellow members of the Demon's Venom simply call this place The Fort. It is our regional headquarters for the Demon's Venom. You may use the League name within these walls. Anywhere else outside these walls consider it to be unsafe," Narm told them.
"Yes, Qasisa," they replied.
"Now," Narm said with a small smile. "For our bit of history. The Demon's Venom wasn't always headquartered at The Fort. Do either of you Apprentices know how Ra's al Ghul is chosen to lead the League?" she asked them.
"No, Qasisa," Sah-him replied. "I assume that the son or daughter of Ra's is chosen."
Narm chuckled. "Then you would be wrong, Apprentice…" she looked at him expectantly.
"Sah-him," he introduced himself.
"Tayir Alfiniq," Tayir also introduced himself.
Narm nodded. "Ra's al Ghul must select his Heir. Until he does, his children hold the place of Heir for the chosen Heir," Narm told them.
"Wouldn't this confuse the children of Ra's?" Sah-him asked. "They might think they were rightly due the position."
"It could," Narm agreed. "Except that the League Code is very strict about Ascension to Heir. You both know that the League has a singular purpose that is driven by the Source. The children of Ra's have been raised in the League. They know this purpose. It is their wish to help their father to fulfill his proper selection of Heir."
"Alright," Sah-him replied. "I am more used to selfish children than helpful ones."
"Your prior life?" Narm asked.
"Yes," Sah-him replied. "Entitled children with no understanding of the needs of the position of power their parents were placed in. They would demand things for no reason other than because they thought it was their due."
"That will help you to understand where their evil may come from," Narm replied. "But in this case, the Ra's al Ghul before our own had two viable candidates for Heir. Both were Fasir. One was the Fasir of the Demon's Venom and one was the Fasir of the Demon's Claw. Ra's felt that both men could make good Ra's. It was for this reason, he sought out his Wahy."
"His Wahy?" Sah-him asked. "My mentor used that word today."
"Yes," Narm replied. "Your gift… your skill is called Ruya, or the sight. Once you are trained you will become a Wuhy. An oracle."
"Wow," Tayir said in amazement. "I thought magic was pretty freaky."
"An oracle?" Sah-him asked. "I thought all I did was see ghosts?" he was starting to freak out.
"Sensing spirits is a part of your skill," Narm reassured him. "It makes you more effective as a hunter. But there is more to your gift. It is a part of you."
"Okay," Sah-him said, trying to calm himself down. "I can do this."
Narm waited a few moments and then continued her story. "Ra's consulted his Wahy. His Wahy told him to wait until the Solstice to seek the guidance of the Great Nexus. The vision that the Nexus provided directed Ra's to choose Husan as his Heir. Muzlin fled the League with his followers. When Husan renounced his name to Ascend to Ra's al Ghul, he directed that the Demon's Venom relocate to a new headquarters," Narm reflected on the history of the Demon's Venom.
"Since that time, the Demon's Venom has relocated our headquarters twice due to the evil mechanicians of Dahrk," Narm said with spite.
"This Dahrk is Muzlin?" Sah-him asked.
"Yes," Narm said. "Muzlin had some small gift of magic. Divination and illusion. Once Ra's al Ghul had made his choice, Muzlin knew he was marked for death. The League cannot have a split alliance. He chose to flee and turn to evil. He now leads an organization called HIVE. He actively works to oppose the League."
"But his gift of magic was small," Tayir started.
"He has since turned to dark magic… and death magic," Narm told him. "I think that the Wahy saw his path and told the Ra's that he would turn the League to evil as he has done with HIVE." She let them both sit in silence as they thought about what she had told them.
"There is a reason why this area of the world is the headquarters for the Demon's Venom," Narm told them. "Magic exists in all parts of the world. But THIS part of the world seems to have the worst evil sources in it that use magic. The Fasir has some theories about why that has come to be. But at this point, it is because the people are so spread out and the jungles block more modern methods of travel."
"Is there some truth that because modern people do not believe in magic it does not exist there?" Sah-him asked.
"No," Narm smiled gently at him. "The modern people have always been blind to magic. Often refusing to see the truth right before their eyes. They will double down on their science to explain magic when primitive people will just accept a cleansing ritual for their health."
"Most modern societies refuse to believe in magic, even as magic is ingrained into the very architecture of their cities," Narm told them. "Sah-him, you were American in your old life. You have heard of the Society of Free Masons, have you not?" she asked.
"I have," Sah-him replied. "Many of the Founding Fathers of the United States were members of the Free Masons."
"The Society of Free Masons would use cleansing rituals when building new buildings," Narm told him. "This is simple magic. Old magic. The kind of magic that does not take talent to use. Because of those rituals, those buildings stood longer than other buildings. This created a demand for the Free Masons."
"As I recall from my history classes," Sah-him told her. "The Free Masons did have some 'secret rituals' for higher order Masons in their Society."
"Likely, the origin of the rituals and spells used," Narm replied. She turned to Tayir. "Tayir, You were Egyptian in your old life. What do you know of the great pyramids of the Giza plateau?" she asked him.
"I only know what the scientists have told us in school," Tayir replied. "That they were tombs for the great kings of Egypt from long ago. But many have contested that finding. There is much controversy about the great pyramids right now."
"Do you have local legends and myths?" Narm asked. "Stories not told in the schools, but around fires at night by the elders?" She gave him a wry look.
"Yes," Tayir replied hesitantly. "They say that the Jinn built the pyramids for Hermes, Agathodaemon, and Enoch," he said quietly.
"Tayir," Narm said gently. "There is truth in myth and legend. The Jinn are real. They do not bother the people as much today as in days of old, but they exist."
"Then the whole story of Aladdin's lamp is true?" Sah-him asked astounded.
"No," Narm chided him. "That is a Disney fabrication of an old myth. The jinni is true. The jinni likely played a trick on Aladdin using a dirty old lamp… the boy was a thief after all. But it was not a love story."
"Oh," Sah-him sighed.
"The tales my people had of the Jinn were never good tales," Tayir told Sah-him. "The Jinn were often responsible for diseases and accidents of all kinds. They delighted in punishing humans for any harm that they perceive has been done to them, intentionally or not. They are best known for being treacherous and diabolical."
"That said," Narm replied. "There is a reason that the Jinn have largely left modern populations alone in your area of the world. The way your people migrate has changed. Instead of moving across their territories, you are more stationary. Your roads do not transverse their domains. In essence, you leave them alone."
"Oh," Tayir said.
"I think I understand," Sah-him said. "The United States was colonized by people who didn't care that people already lived here. The British came over, planted their flag, and said it was theirs. Then the British got upset when the Natives fought them over it. The Jinn are like the Native Americans. They are upset that your people showed up in their homes and claimed them."
"Because your people could not see the Jinn, they assumed they were not there," Narm added. "In modern times, the issue is resolved. Your people still do not see them. But they leave the Jinn alone."
"It is an old prejudice," Tayir replied. "I will work on it. My new life will have many such challenges."
"It will," Narm replied. "There are many less modern cultures located in this region of the world. I will be available for afternoons when you are not hunting with your mentors. During those times, we will cover the different cultures and languages in this region. I will ensure you have a strong basis in both Spanish and Portuguese. I will also make sure you both can read the mystical symbols needed in magic. Tayir, for your spell books. Sah-him, because some traps are magical."
"There are magical traps?" Sah-him asked.
Narm smiled. "Yes," she replied. "This continent is riddled with ruins that have all kinds of traps; mundane and magical. I will have those books for you to study tomorrow at Sacred Place. See me after you have finished with your mentors. You are released for now. Take the time to explore the facility. The evening meal is in one hour," Narm said as she slowly rose from her lotus position. "I will see you both tomorrow."
They both rose. "Good evening, Qasisa Narm," they said in farewell with a slight bow as she left. They followed her out of the room.
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STARLING CITY - LANCE HOME
Sara Lance stood by the car as her mother packed the last of her bags in the trunk. The loading van pulled out and headed down the road. Now I know I can't convince her to stay, Sara thought.
"I guess this is it," Sara said sullenly to her mother.
"I guess so," Dinah replied as she came around to Sara. "I know I can't convince your father to leave that awful department of his," she started. "But I was hoping to get you to come to Central City University."
"You know I can't, Mom," Sara replied. "I already explained why."
"That girl," Dinah said with vehemence. "She has no business in this family. She is best left behind with the rest of the bad memories."
"Mom," Sara whined. "I refused to abandon Thea. I love her. I will continue to support her every way I can."
"She isn't family!" Dinah spat. "She is just a reminder of THAT damn family!"
"No, she isn't!" Sara replied with equal vehemence. "She is a 12-year-old girl who LOST her father and her two brothers AND my sister. She is in pain. I am in pain. We need each other. I INTEND to be there for her. If you can't or won't, then leave."
"Humph," Dinah replied. "I won't stay where I am not wanted."
"Mom," Sara sighed. "It's not that we don't want you… It's that you don't want us. I am tired of you ignoring dad and me. So just GO. Live your life! Let us live ours. But THIS is OUR family. You choose not to be a part of it. Goodbye, Mom."
Dinah had a shocked look on her face for half a second before she schooled it behind the mask of a teacher. "Very well. Goodbye, Sara," Dinah said with dignity. Then she marched around to the driver's side of her car and climbed inside. She started the car and pulled away from the curb.
Sara watched her mother drive away. She sighed. Why do I feel like I will only see my mother again on my mother's terms? She is going to go to Central City, isn't she? Damn it!
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Endnotes:
Amin - truthful - Arabic. League name for Qas.
Barkih - mage - Arabic. League Title for a trained mage.
Hamsa - whisper - Arabic. League name for Fasir of the Demon's Venom.
Haraq - burn - Arabic. League name for 'Afdal.
Husan - sword - Arabic. League name for Ra's al Ghul before he ascended to the title.
Menna - favor, grace - Arabic. League name for Qasisa.
Muzlin - dark - Arabic. League name for Damien Darkh.
Najwa - secret, whisper - Arabic. League name for Barkih.
Namla - ant - Arabic. League name for Wahy.
Narm - soft, gentle - Arabic. League name for Qasisa.
Qas/Qasisa - priest/priestess - Arabic. League Title for the priests and priestesses.
Ruya - sight, vision - Arabic. League name for those with the Sensing gift.
Sah-him - arrow - Arabic. League name for Oliver Queen.
Tayir Alfiniq - phoenix - Arabic. League name for the trainee.
Wahy - oracle - Arabic. League Title for someone who has completed Ruya Training.
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