In a land scorched by fire, where the sky is dark, lit only by the fire burning beneath it in the lakes and streams of lava, there stands a pile of burnt out ruins of what may once have been a church on a rocky crag overlooking a sea of flames. Inside this structure the black silhouette of a bird rises from the ground, spreading its wings wide before shrinking back to its owner and her travel companions.
"Charming." Zatanna notes at the surroundings.
"You expected green fields and dandelions?" Jinx asks sarcastically. "What is this place anyway?"
"I suspect Trigon made this in memory of how his followers lured my mother in." Raven replies. "By extension, this was where I was conceived."
"So where do we go now?" Philipus asks.
"Outside for starters." Raven replies before walking towards the exit, one of the double doors fall over as she pushes against it. "Wonderful."
"You know, I always thought I would end up in a place like this?" Jinx notes at the barren plain before them. "Do you hear that?" She asks as a rumble begins in the distance.
"What is that?" Zatanna asks as she also picks up the sound. "An earthquake or a volcano?"
"Battle formations." Raven replies flatly as she pulls her hood and boots off. "Jason, I think it's time we change." She says over her shoulder before she transforms into her winged and horned shape, Philipus backs into the church with Jinx at the sight while Etrigan emerges as well. "A kindly old wizard decided to turn me into this a few days ago, it's not pretty, but the things down here respect it." Raven explains.
"As do I." Etrigan confirms as he emerges fully. "Fear not, I seek not harm you, this time." He says noticing Jinx and Philipus' expressions but smirks at them.
"And I thought I was the freakiest of your friends." Jinx adds.
"You still are, you have pink hair after all." Raven replies with a smirk.
"Hey!" Jinx pouts, slightly offended while Zatanna and Fate are gazing out over the wasteland.
"Hmm, nothing is coming this way." Fate notes as nothing is moving. "Where shall we go?" He asks as he turns towards Raven.
"Towards the demons I guess, they should be able to point us in the right direction." She replies, last time she was here she appeared in the middle of a troop of the fire demons Trigon brought with him to Earth.
"You don't know?" Zatanna asks, slightly in disbelief.
"Only been here twice and only for a few hours at most." Raven explains. "And the first time I was pretty much stuck here." She continues as she tests her wings, getting ready for takeoff, the other non-flyers step onto Fate's yellow disk before they take off.
"So are you like Raven?" Philipus asks Etrigan, who is taking up half the space.
"Nay, I and Jason Blood are separate beings, much to our mutual dislike." Etrigan grumbles.
"His name is Etrigan by the way." Raven adds from up ahead. "Fate, do you see anything?"
"No, but I sense a large gathering of demons up ahead, behind those hills." The man says while pointing at the terrain features in the distance.
"I see a welcome wagon." Philipus notes as what seems like a cloud rises from behind the hills and moves towards them.
"Better get ready if they don't recognize me." Raven cautions as she draws her sword, igniting her form, it was the only thing she had brought with her after being cautioned against bringing a god-forged armor, the sword could go because of Apollyon's presence.
As they close with the swarm, they can see that it consists of muscular brutes, all with the hallmarks of Trigon, red skin and four eyes. Like Raven they all have large bat-like wings that keep them afloat, they make an awful racket as they come closer with their screeches, growls and roars.
"Am I the only one who thinks we should be on the ground for this?" Jinx asks, letting her nervousness show in her voice.
"Nonsense, this is perfect." Etrigan says while licking his lips in anticipation of the prospect of the coming violence.
"CEASE!" Raven bellows suddenly, the leading members of the swarm suddenly take on almost frightened expressions before the bank to get out of the way of the group. "Keep going, they will follow." Raven says to the others, noticing Etrigan growing disappointed. "You will get your chance." She continues as they enter the swarm that changes course to trail behind them.
"I would relish the chance to test myself against them." Etrigan says as he eyes the brutes flying next to him.
"As we would relish tearing you apart!" The nearest one hisses.
"You there, enlighten me, where is the main fortress?" Raven asks, pointing out the one glaring at Etrigan.
"My Queen, the grand citadel was destroyed after the fall of the Master." The demon replies without daring to look at her.
"Take us there." Raven replies, getting an unseen nod from the demon as it turn to head in another direction. "The rest of you, scatter; tell all forces you find to amass at the citadel ruins!" The order is acted upon immediately and the swarm spreads, leaving them to follow the lone demon.
"That seemed easy enough for you?" Jinx notes.
"Think I may be leeching off Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Batman." Raven agrees, it wasn't like her to issue orders that firmly with a calm mind.
"I think that kind of charisma is what these things respect." Zatanna notes.
"Nay, tis the threat of annihilation that cow them." Etrigan chips in.
"Why do I have the feeling you know something about me; something that I don't?" Raven asks as she looks back at him.
"Perhaps." Etrigan smirks but says no more.
"We should coax the information from him, your highness." The demon says from up front, emitting a growl as stream of fire races over its head.
"Watch your tongue minion!" Etrigan growls.
"Charming pair." Zatanna notes to Fate.
"Quite, although I worry about Etrigans possible knowledge." The man replies.
"You aren't the only one." Raven says from up front as they leave the hills behind, giving way for a new scorched plain with mountains in the distance crowned by storm clouds.
The Batcave:
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice." Nightwing says to the people gathered in the Bat-cave, all having been teleported in. "You all know of the Founders current predicament?" He gets a host of silent nods.
"Ok, the good news is that a magical spell has been found to get them back, but don't let that pass on yet." He continues. "The problem is that several of the ingredients needed are hard to come by. Raven has secured the most difficult one, but two are still missing. This is where we come in, one of them is a hair from an ageless mortal, meaning a person who ages naturally but is hundreds of years old. I know of such a man, problem is that he is not friendly."
"So you want us to help shave him, who is it?" Huntress asks, internally feeling slightly humbled by being allowed into the Bat-cave.
She and Bruce share an uneasy relationship due to her methods and willingness to take lives if necessary, unknown to the majority of the League, she once actively hunted down the Sicilian mob responsible for the murder of her parents, stopping only at the last member, Madragora. She is however friendly with both Tim and Richard.
"Ra's al Ghul." Nightwing replies flatly as the image of the man appears over the center of the table. "Since I don't know how much you know about him Bushido, I will recap. This guy has lived for centuries due to Lazarus Pits, that heals and revives injuries and recently dead. He is an eco-terrorist, it is his firm belief mankind is slowly destroying the planet and he has on numerous times attempted to cull humanity's numbers with bombs, plagues and the like. And if he is spooked, he will have a deterrent ready, far from his actual location."
"Also he is the leader of the League of Assassins, highly skilled ninja's." Katana says having fought them before on several occasions.
"And we will have to fight them to get to Ra's." Nightwing continues. "I am asking for volunteers for this, because it is with our lives at stake and I know not all of you are as fond of the League as others."
"Question, what happens if we end up more than just harming them?" Huntress asks.
"Robin and I will not take any life, what you do is up to you, but I want everyone who is coming to be coming back breathing." Nightwing replies.
"This is not going to be League sanctioned." Katana says matter-of-factly.
"No, the League knows we are going to talk to Ra's and that is all." Nightwing replies. "So who is in?"
"I am!" Tim almost shouts in enthusiasm.
"I am honor bound to this." Bushido says as expected, Nightwing having mentioned Raven wanted him for this.
"As am I." Katana says, years ago, Batman had saved her from another ninja while she was still a novice, something she still felt she owed him for.
"I don't know, this is a bit out of my usual league." Huntress sighs. "I deal with thugs and mobsters, not ninja strongholds."
"Actually you have, several members of his League have been working as either hitmen or bodyguards to some of the mobsters you have been after." Nightwing adds as he slides a folder across the table to her. "Usually one of the reasons why the main men escape you."
"Hmm, then I guess I owe them for getting in the way." Huntress growls as she begins browsing the folder, containing both the names, photos and a note on when Huntress has run into them. "So where is he hiding?"
"The mountains of the Sinai Peninsula." Nightwing smirks as he brings up a map of the region, happy to have the ranged support.
The Eigth Pit:
"I guess this place used to be a lot bigger." Philipus notes at the surroundings; a tumbled down fortress of red-brown stones that could house a city on the inside it's outer wall, it's been built on the slopes of a mountain. While it obviously once had spires only the two lowest levels appear remain now.
"Wouldn't know." Raven replies as she looks around. "Not that it matters."
"So the rumors are true, the Gem has returned." A deep voice is heard before a large humanoid steps into view. It is one of the Emissary's kin, only visible difference is that his staff is crowned by a silver sphere rather than a fanged skull. The demon emerges from a darkened doorway leading into what was once the central keep by a flight of stairs. "And she has brought serfs." He chuckles as he regards the others.
"They are my advisors." Raven replies flatly, they had gone over this part in the tower and come up with this as a suitable foil till she had established herself. "Who are you?"
"I served as your father's archivist." The demon replies while meeting Raven's gaze, a first since they arrived.
"You must have been forgotten." Raven replies bluntly paying no heed to the difference in size between them, the demon just narrows his eyes at her. "Apollyon claims you are the weakest of his three brothers."
"In body perhaps… how do you know of my lost sibling?" He asks, Raven just draws her sword from her back, the demon is clearly stunned as it recognizes the face appearing in the blade. "It cannot be…"
"It can, brother. Show that wisdom you always claimed to possess, kneel before your ruler before you anger her." Apollyon says from his metal prison, the demon before her seem to change its disposition instantly and quickly lowers its head and kneels before her.
"Forgive me your highness, I meant no offense."
"It matters not." Raven replies flatly as something seems to catch her attention. "Ah, good point." She says to no one. "You served as Trigon's archivist, perhaps you know what several others seem to know about me, that I don't."
"I do your highness; the coronation."
"The what?" Raven asks.
"You mean Rae gets a crown?" Jinx interrupts, the huge demon just stares at her as if deciding whenever to ignore her or attack her.
"Harm her and you will suffer for it." Raven warns, drawing his attention back to her, meaning he returns to stare at the ground. "Answer the question."
"Yes, you must take up your father's crown. The ceremony will reveal your true potential." He says.
"You are neglecting something." Raven rumbles.
"The ceremony has a price, yes, an insignificant part of you; your humanity." He says as he looks up.
"Unacceptable." Raven's statement seems to surprise the demon.
"Your highness…."
"I will not trade a part of myself for power!" Raven says while eyeing him. "Hmm, as your brother says, you fail to see past the surface." She continues before changing back to her human form. "Look at me." She growls, getting him to look up. "What do you see?" The demon stares at her for a long minute, before lowering its head.
"The seed has been cowed… the line of Trigon, is dead." He says with a heavy hint of sentimentality. "Long live the Queen!" He gets up and roars to the skies. "What is thy command human?" He asks.
"That was unexpected." Shayera notes in the sudden change.
"He always was easily humbled." Apollyon adds, much to the surprise of the others.
"You can talk to us?" Diana asks.
"Obviously, I merely chose not to, Champion of my murderers." The demon replies.
"We want the corpse of a dragon, rumored to be hidden inside the citadel of the succubi, I have already tasked the winged ones to seek out all forces and have them come here." Raven replies. "Till then, enlighten us about their stronghold and what forces we will have available."
"Of course, follow me." The Archivist says before turning towards the door he emerged from. "Make way for the Queen!" He bellows as he enters, as the others follow behind him.
Unnoticed by them, a tall figure follows' them with her four eyes from the darkness of another doorway, the owner is confused, the words it heard was breaking into it, it must know what happened!
"This is a big library." Jinx says as she looks around the candle lit room.
"Stating the obvious?" Zatanna counters, as everything inside the huge room is made for beings of the Archivist's size, making them all feel small.
"I see some very dangerous tomes." Fate notes as he browses the books.
"Here, the cartography section." The Archivist says pointing at a lone bookrack. "And the map of Inferno." He continues as he retrieves a scroll from it before bringing it over to a circular table, which leaves most of the group staring into the planks due to the height. Fate hums something inaudible and the table legs lower's in response, so that it is suitable for them.
The map has been browned with age, but is still clearly showing the depictions that seem to move slightly on their own. The center of the map outlines the Greater Hell as a vast floating island sectioned off into regions, in its center is a dark spire named Pandemonium. The Lesser Hell's, as the map calls them, are depicted as smaller floating islands connected to the Greater Hell by chains or bridges.
The Eight Pit is depicted as being situated due east of Pandemonium, to the north is the frozen realm of Niffleheim and the Ice Citadel of Hel, to the south is a clouded region called Purgatory and to the west lies a realm called Duat. There are others, but to at least two of them the interest is the southeastern region, a floating rock called Tartarus. Slightly south of where Tartarus is tethered to the main island by chains is a small tower depicted with a name under it; Talazzarr.
"Talazzarr, where the temptresses dwell." The Archivist points out, with a clawed finger.
"Anything between us and there?" Zatanna asks.
"We know not, this realm destabilized after Trigon's fall, I suspect only the threat of unification through conflict deters the First Seated from attempting conquest. Only few seek battle outside our borders, Tharkmar the Bloodied is one such being, if fortunate, the Reavers may catch sight of him."
"Guess we have to wait till they get here." Raven sighs. "Do you know how divided this realm has become?"
"Many warlords have emerged, rallying their own supporters against each other. My brother assist's one such warband." The Archivist explains getting a nod from Raven, she had expected it, her father was not one to care for the possibility that he might one day be undone.
"Think I've met him." Raven says. "What of the Guardian?"
"He leads a large formation of Pyres. Your highness, if I may caution; by refusing to take up the crown, there will be some who will contest your authority even more so because of your present company." He says. In a dark corner four yellow eyes appear, unnoticed by all.
"I get Reavers are the guys with wings, but what is a Pyre and who are these people you keep talking about?" Jinx interrupts, feeling left out.
"Pyre's are the rank and file of our armies, they are numerous but not much else. The Guardian once guarded Trigon's treasure vault till he was passed by a mortal." The demon explains.
"Slade." Raven adds.
"The Emissary is my brother, alike in appearance, but while I store, he seeks to unify, Apollyon the Destroyer, the only of us to have a name outside of function, served as Trigon's personal champion and herald before he was lost."
"Till he decided to attempt topple Olympus with only Cerberus to help him." Raven adds again, as they are standing she has her back to a book rack, unnoticed by the group, the eyes have quietly moved from the corner to look down on Raven from the top of the book rack.
"Alas brother, you always were too confident." The Archivist lets on a small chuckle, getting a metallic grumble from the blade on Raven's back that sounds more like clattering.
"When can we expect the first arrivals?" Philipus asks.
"Depends, but a matter of hours should suffice."
"Have them gather outside the fortress, if any of them have a problem with me, let me know." Raven sighs, getting a nod from the Archivist. "Are you alone here?"
"No, there are others, but we only maintain a small garrison."
"Let them and everyone else know that, these are important to me, any harm that may befall them will have dire consequences. Is that understood?" Raven asks, meaning the group with her, getting another nod from the Archivist. "Good, pass it on." She continues to shoo him out of the door to do just that before shutting the door behind him.
"So, we just wait here?" Jinx asks.
"I doubt it is wise to walk alone in this place leisurely." Fate says as Raven browses one of the bookshelves before picking out a large book. "Those may not be safe to read." He mentions.
"Just a book." Raven shrugs before putting it down and opens it, almost instantly vile green slime bubbles out of the book in a hissing and foul foam, Raven looks at it in surprise for a second before slamming the book shut, oddly enough, the book returns immediately to its unassuming shape. "Ok, maybe I was wrong."
"Ok, what was in that book?" Zatanna asks, wondering what Raven found interesting about that one tome.
"I recognized the title as the same as the one I found Malchior in." Raven replies, looking a bit embarrassed.
"So any of you wanna go take a look around?" Jinx asks while feeling a bit amused by Raven's mishap.
"I'm up for it." Philipus ventures.
"Jason Blood also wishes to see more of this place." Etrigan grumbles revealing he didn't feel the same.
"Well, don't get lost and don't go alone." Zatanna says as the three exit by the door leaving her with Fate and Raven, who is returning the book to its place, still remaining undetected, the eyes disappear as well.
"Perhaps now would be a favorable time to practice your spell casting?" Fate asks.
"You know dark magic?" Raven asks.
"Think it's easier to ask what brands of magic he doesn't know." Zatanna notes with a smirk while Fate nods at Raven.
Somewhere in the Sinai Mountains:
"Can I ask why we are trying by the front door?" Huntress asks as the group disembarks the 'borrowed' Wayne Enterprises CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter that has touched down on the flat top on one of the mountains in the southern part of the Sinai peninsula.
"Because stealth here is pointless, this place will be crawling with scouts and cameras." Nightwing replies, they are all wearing thin black capes with hoods to shield them from the sun, it had been noted that Huntress might look like Batman from a distance if her hood was pulled over her face. "Beside, we want him to know we are coming."
"So how far are we from his base?" Katana asks.
"Two kilometers." Nightwing replies. "Better get going." He says before leading them on.
They walk in almost silence for 30 minutes, crawling down into the canyon where Nightwing told them Ra's base was at the other; as they walk they are mostly shaded by the rocks besides them, the area is still like an oven. They all have the feeling that they are being watched, but they neither hear nor see anyone or anything.
Which makes the sudden discovery all the more surprising; on a rock in the shade sits what they believe is a girl or young woman, dressing in mostly black armor and an equally black cloth mask that covers the top part of her head while letting her long white hair fall behind her, partially covering the two katanas strapped to her back. Nightwing's anger is squashed into a box when the girl notices them and swiftly turns her head, revealing her mask to be split into an orange half at the center. What has Nightwing's guts churning is that the mask is seemingly without an eye slit in the black half on her left, but a large white one clearly marking the place of the other, it brings back very unpleasant memories to him.
"Bout time someone showed up." The girl says as she gets up, the group just freezes. "What?"
"Did the Demon's Head send you?" Richard asks in Arabic, the girl just remains motionless; he tries again in Mandarin Chinese, which most of the League of Assassin had to speak. This time the girl knocks her head twice and twists an imaginary knob before replying.
"Speak English, or am I going to have to make myself understandable?" She says with one hand reaching for a sword.
"What are you doing here? Who are you?" Richard asks quickly with barely masked hostility in his voice.
"Easy Butch, some clown in a blue coat and a hat asked me to wait here." The girl replies without lowering her hand. "Name's Ravager. Who are you people?"
"She might be an ally?" Tim whispers to Nightwing.
"Not with that mask." Richard whispers back before taking off his hood. "Do you remember me?"
"Never seen you before." The girl replies flatly, Nightwing nods, fits with the other brainwashed from Jump City.
"What is the connection between you and Slade Wilson?" He continues.
"Never heard of him." She replies. "You still haven't answered my question."
"You are wearing his colors." Nightwing replies flatly. "And I happen to have a great many issued regarding Slade 'Deathstroke' Wilson." The girl stares at him for a few seconds before lowering her hand, appearing a little more relaxed.
"Then we have something in common." She growls.
"Why wear his armor then?" Nightwing asks as he begins moving forwards. "And what has he done to you?"
"It is all I have." He replies as they draw closer, letting Richard lead the way. "As for what he has done; this!" She says as she tears her mask off, revealing the black half of her mask covering for an empty eye socket. "And I am his damn daughter!" She almost yells while pointing at her wound, Nightwing just stares at her.
"How?" He asks as his hostility evaporates, behind him Huntress just stares as well, the girl was barely old enough to be out of school, she could have been one of her pupils.
"I found him, the father I had never known, the father I had hoped to know. I had heard the tales my mother told me about him, about the life he led, and I wanted in. And he agreed to do it, but he did something, fed me something, I can't remember everything that happened, but I failed him at some point and he disowned me, said I was anything like him. I wasn't thinking straight at all and I took a knife…to prove to him that we were the same…" She says while looking down at the ground for a few seconds, before she fixes Nightwing with a stare. "What is your beef with him?"
"Ever hear of the Teen Titans?" Bushido asks, getting her to shift her stare.
Author's Notes: As someone asked, yes there are many more skilled martial artists around the DCU, but Nightwing needs to balance his team, it needs to be able to survive and at the same time not appear threatening, since Ra's would just leave or use one of his deterrents.
For those who are asking about characters that haven't appeared yet. There are some that might appear further down the road and others that might appear in spirit rather than in person.