Chapter 2: Indoctrination

TIBET, NANDA PARBAT – LEAGUE CITADEL, ISOLATION ROOM: 1 JAN 2013

SAH-HIM (OLIVER)

The first night in the cell, Sah-him explored it. He found nothing. It was all stone. A bucket was in one corner. A small water pitcher and a small bowl of gruel were positioned by the door. Nothing else. It was silent. There was no light.

It took him some time, but he eventually thought he was going insane. Every moment in his life passed before his eyes. Every moment he had ever thought about doing something wrong. Cheating on some tests. Telling a lie. Getting his dad to frown. It was all played back in technicolor. All his flaws… to the backdrop of silence and darkness.

It was some relief that the door opened and Sikiyn beckoned him out. He gave him two sticks he called escrima sticks. They looked just like the ones Slade was teaching him to fight with. Then he proceeded to beat the hell out of him with them. What little he had learned from Slade he used, but it wasn't nearly enough. Beaten and bruised, Sikiyn took him back to his cell and locked him back into the silence and the dark… contemplating how much of a failure he was in life.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

TIBET, NANDA PARBAT – LEAGUE CITADEL, ISOLATION ROOM: 7 JAN 2013

ALDIRE (LAUREL)

The first week was brutal. She was always cold. It was dark and hard in the cell. She never found a comfortable position on the stone, but she felt faster with the escrima sticks. She had fewer bruises each training session.

As her bruises healed, her nightmares came back. She decided to use her new skills on her demons. She attacked Ivo with the escrima sticks and left him bruised and bloody on the floor. She spat on his broken face in her dreams. Her nightmares were less after that. She was learning to fight. She would not be defenseless against another monster like Ivo.

The isolation was hard. She was sure that is why she was always cold. She needed the comfort of warm bodies next to her. To reassure her that this was real. That she was real. That Ivo was dead. That she was learning to replace evil with death. She wanted Oliver and Thomas. No. Sah-him and Alqadar. She needed them. They were her lifeline. Her sanity.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

TIBET, NANDA PARBAT – LEAGUE CITADEL, ISOLATION ROOM: 14 JAN 2013

YAD ALQADAR (THOMAS)

Two weeks had passed. Yad Alqadar was feeling fairly secure in the routine. Yes, he was alone in his cell, but he was getting better at the training. Then everything changed. He was taken to a room instead of the training field. He was locked into manacles and hung from the ceiling with his feet barely able to touch the floor.

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional," Sikiyn said. "Repeat."

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional," Alqadar repeated dutifully.

Then Sikiyn started to beat him with the escrima sticks while he hung in the chains. "Repeat," Sikiyn said again.

Alqadar winced as he was hit over and over again. "Pain… is… inevitable… Suffering… is… optional… Pain… is inevitable… Suffering…is… optional," Alqadar repeated as he was being beaten.

Alqadar didn't know for how long Sikiyn continued to beat him, but he repeated the phrase for as long as he was being struck. Eventually, Sikiyn let him down and led him back to his cell. Alqadar continued to repeat the phrase even as he lay down in the dark.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

TIBET, NANDA PARBAT – LEAGUE CITADEL, ISOLATION ROOM: 21 JAN 2013

SAH-HIM (OLIVER)

They stopped leaving the cell dark. I have torches in here now. I'm just not allowed to sleep. I am learning Kenpo instead of escrima. I have a new set of bruises. My uniform is constantly soaking wet from being woken by a bucket of water.

Kenpo was no less brutal than escrima. Especially when you consider that I am now being beaten with a two-handed stick rather than a one-handed stick, but the lessons are similar. I have gotten faster. I can defend myself from most of the attacks Sikiyn has thrown at me. I am getting better at anticipating his attacks. My bruises are less.

I miss the others. I can almost feel them close to me. I need them like I need air.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

TIBET, NANDA PARBAT – LEAGUE CITADEL, TRAINING FIELD: 28 JAN 2013

ALDIRE (LAUREL)

We didn't spend as long learning Kenpo as we did escrima, but that was because this last week, we traded in the Kenpo practice swords for real swords. I can tell you that there are no comparisons. The real ones feel different enough that after you get the basics, you need to use the real thing.

I am feeling much more confident using the sword than I was when I started Kenpo two weeks ago. My strength and endurance have improved. My speed and reflexes have improved. I am doing better. I know I will only get better with more training and practice.

Aldire and Sikiyn had been practicing for twenty minutes when three men approached. Two of them were wearing League uniforms. The third was in rags, bound, and forced to his knees.

"Sikiyn, we are sorry to interrupt, but this evil one has broken the perimeter," one of the League men stated.

Sikiyn turned to her. "Aldire, you may replace his evil with death," he said easily.

"Of course, Teacher," Aldire replied. She only had eyes for the form of Ivo before her. Her anger and rage rose, but she would not be limited by it.

Ivo looked up at her and sneered. "Laurel, there is no way you have the guts to kill me. You no-good whore. You were a crappy fuck. I should have given you to the crew," he snarled at her.

Her eyes flashed as he attempted to goad her. She efficiently slashed his throat. Then she stabbed his chest and pulled out her sword, before stabbing him a second time in the groin. His body slowly collapsed as she pulled out her sword the second time.

"Well done, Aldire," Sikiyn replied in approval.

Aldire blinked and Ivo was gone. In his place was a different man. Different body type. Different race. The man was still bound and in the same clothes, but he looked nothing like Ivo. She looked over at Sikiyn in confusion.

"Over the last week, a drug has been introduced to your food and water. It allows you to see parts of your past life. Some people see friends. Some see enemies. What did you see?" Sikiyn asked.

"I saw an evil man. One long dead," Aldire replied in quiet contemplation. She decided that it helped her to feel less helpless. She had slayed her demon of Ivo when given the chance. She would not be helpless again.

"Then your response was appropriate," Sikiyn replied. "Come. I will take you to your new room. Your time of indoctrination is over," he told her.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

TIBET, NANDA PARBAT – LEAGUE CITADEL, TRAINING FIELD: 28 JAN 2013

YAD ALQADAR (THOMAS)

Alqadar liked swords. He moved better with the swords than he had with the Kenpo practice sticks. Though the escrima sticks had their advantages, Alqadar could easily see them being used to practicing short sword techniques instead. He was already extrapolating using two short swords like escrima sticks. He was a natural with swords. With only one week, Sikiyn dramatically increased the pace of the sword work.

It seemed that Alqadar and Sikiyn had barely started their practice round when they were interrupted by the approach of three men. Two in League uniforms and one bound.

"Sikiyn, we are sorry to interrupt, but this evil one has broken the perimeter," one of the League men stated.

Sikiyn turned to her. "Alqadar, you may replace his evil with death," he said easily.

"As you wish, Sikiyn," Alqadar replied. He could only see his father in the bound man.

Malcolm looked haughtily at Alqadar, an arrogant sneer on his face. "Is this what you have been doing with yourself? Playing dead and pretending to be a medieval knight? Seriously, you're a Merlyn. Have some damn pride," he snarled at him. "You can't even play dead properly. You are a complete and utter failure. You are a waste of my time and fortune."

Alqadar had enough of his father's spiteful hate-filled words. His rage at his father rose, but he refused to bow down to the threats. My father broke the rules. No one is allowed to live for breaking the perimeter. No one. "This man broke the perimeter? He was trespassing. His life is forfeit," Alqadar stated for verification.

"It is, Alqadar," the League man replied.

"Oh, just do it, Tommy," Malcolm taunted. "The wait is getting tedious."

Alqadar snarled and stabbed Malcolm in the chest. He pulled out his sword and thrust it back in again. Malcolm's head fell forward and his body slumped. Alqadar pulled out his sword and Malcolm fell to the ground. Alqadar was breathing heavily.

"Well done, Alqadar," Sikiyn replied.

Alqadar blinked and Malcolm was gone. A Hindi-looking man was in his place. Alqadar's eyes widened as he stared at the body in shock. I killed a man. I would have killed my father. Is this who I am now?

"Over the last week, a drug has been introduced to your food and water. It allows you to see parts of your past life. Some people see friends. Some see enemies. What did you see?" Sikiyn asked.

"My father. Malcolm Merlyn. He was taunting me. He told me to kill him," Alqadar replied in shock.

"Then your inquiry to the guards was correct. His life would have been forfeit," Sikiyn replied. "Come. I will take you to your new room. Your time of indoctrination is over," he told him.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

TIBET, NANDA PARBAT – LEAGUE CITADEL, TRAINING FIELD: 28 JAN 2013

SAH-HIM (OLIVER)

Adapting to any and every weapon that the League was trying to teach him seemed to be the goal. Sah-him threw himself into learning anything and everything about every weapon and type of weapon that they could throw at him. He adapted techniques from one type of weapon to another type of weapon and throw his current teacher off.

That gave Sah-him the chance to bruise the old warrior back for the many times he had worn his teacher's bruises. They were far from even, but one or two, here and there, made a difference to Sah-him. He felt accomplished.

This practice was barely started when they were interrupted by three men. Two wore a League uniform and one man was bound.

"Sikiyn, we are sorry to interrupt, but this evil one has broken the perimeter," one of the League men stated.

Sikiyn turned to her. "Sah-him, you may replace his evil with death," he said easily.

"Are you sure he is real, Sikiyn?" Sah-him asked. The last time he had seen Fyers, he was dead and half a world away.

"He is real enough, Sah-him," Sikiyn replied cryptically.

"Mr. Queen, I see that you were able to make it off that miserable little island," Fyers told him with his calculating face. "I am surprised to find you here."

"As I am you," Sah-him replied. "I guess I will have to make sure you are dead this time. You two may want to step away from him." He told the two League men holding Fyers.

They took large steps away from him. Sah-him braced his arm and slashed at the neck of Fyers. It wasn't a clean cut. The blade caught on his vertebrae, but Fyers choked and dropped to his knees. Sah-him pulled his blade back and slashed the neck from the other side. This time freeing the head. The head rolled away from the body as it fell to the ground. Sah-him nodded in satisfaction.

"Well done, Sah-him," Sikiyn replied.

Sah-him turned to him and nodded then looked back. Fyers was gone. In his place was a different man. He looked noting like Fyers. He turned back to Sikiyn in confusion.

"Over the last week, a drug has been introduced to your food and water. It allows you to see parts of your past life. Some people see friends. Some see enemies. What did you see?" Sikiyn asked.

"I saw an evil man. One I had already killed," Sah-him replied in contemplation.

"Then your response was appropriate," Sikiyn replied. "Come. I will take you to your new room. Your time of indoctrination is over," he told him.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~

USA, WA, STARLING CITY – QUEEN MANOR, MOIRA'S ROOM: 28 FEB 2013

"Mom," Thea asked as she crept into the darkened master bedroom in the manor. "Are you in here?" she asked slightly louder.

"I'm not feeling well, Thea," Moira replied quietly in the dark.

If Moira was being honest, she was depressed. Her anger at Malcolm had fled, but then the holidays had come. Sara had tried to put on a brave face for Thea. She had forced Quentin and Moira to partake in some of the holiday celebrations. Small though they were, but with them brought a wealth of happier memories of her husband and her boys.

Since the holidays, Moira was barely able to eat. Sleep never came. She had no energy to do anything. Everything she did felt slow and hard. She had no interest in doing anything. She neglected her position at Queen Consolidated and let Walter fill in for her. She could hear his concern for her wellbeing. Both of them, Walter and Ned, had kept her up to date with daily calls.

"Are you sure mom?" Thea asked anxiously. "I can call the doctor if you're sick. I was hoping you could come to my archery tournament, but…"

"I don't think I can make it, Thea. Perhaps, Sara can go," Moira suggested.

"Yeah," Thea replied sadly. "She said she would. She doesn't have to miss any classes or anything."

"She is such a good friend," Moira replied. "I'm glad you have her."

"I… Get better, Mom," Thea said instead. "Get better."

Moira smiled blandly at Thea before she closed her eyes.

Thea sighed in sadness. I'm losing my mom too. It's just not fair.

~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~