Pre-Chapter Note: This story has a TV Tropes page now! The link is in the first chapter of the AO3 version, if you're wondering where.
In other news, all of Laurel's five years away from Starling for this story have been completed and betaed. They'll be posted using the usual schedule to give each chapter the chance to breathe, and so I can have time to work on other stories. One particular story, a new one, is also a Lauriver Alt-Season 5 AU that I've been planning out for the last couple of weeks. It's already finished planning, all that's left is actually writing it out, so I'm going to start on that one next. I'll tell all of you when I'm ready to begin posting it.
North China Sea
The Demon, Laurel learned, was also known as the League of Assassins.
That little revelation came when Shado paled drastically upon learning their savior's name. "You are the daughter of Ra's al Ghul? His heir?" she had asked, trembling. Never before had Laurel seen so much fear in her eyes, not even on the Amazo, when Slade's madness had reached a fever pitch and threatened to literally choke the life out of her.
"I am," Nyssa confirmed imperiously. Her own eyes were alight with curiosity. "You have heard of us?"
"My father learned his skills in archery from a former member of the League," Shado revealed, audibly swallowing. "He passed on those skills to me."
"I see."
She didn't say anything more than that. Instead, she turned to leave. Laurel, still more confused than ever, tried to stop her. "Wait! Where are you taking us?"
Nyssa turned back, but only for a brief moment. "To Nanda Parbat. The Demon has saved your life. Now it is time for you to pay back that debt."
With that final word, she was gone, the door closing behind her.
Shado explained everything after that, keeping her voice low out of fear of being overheard. At least, everything she knew. Nyssa was the daughter of Ra's al Ghul, the leader of a secret society of warriors known as the League of Assassins. The League was founded thousand of years ago with a singular purpose — to be the arbiters of justice, and rid the world of evil through the most primordial form of justice there was: death. Very few people knew of them, and those that did usually only knew them through rumors and whispers, legend and myth.
"So they're vigilantes, basically," Laurel summed up.
"That's the kindest way to describe them," Shado told her, still shivering. "The League is a cult, Laurel. A cult of murderers. They train their members through pain and torture, before sending them off on missions to kill whoever they deem to be evil that the normal authorities cannot touch. Warlords, mercenaries, criminals, politicians, businessmen—if they cannot face society's justice, then they will face the League's justice. And whenever a society becomes too decadent and corrupt, they conduct a purge to wipe it out. The Black Plague, the Burning of London, the Sack of Rome — the League had a hand in all of them, and many more."
Laurel's stomach turned as she listened to Shado's explanation. She had seen some very strange things during her time on Lian Yu, including seeing one of her best friends be revived from death from a experimental super soldier drug, but this… this was unreal. Even though she knew Shado wasn't lying to her, Laurel still had a hard time believing her words. It was like a more lethal version of those crazy illuminati theories, except this time it was real. "And your father told you all of this?"
Her friend nodded. "My father was taught by a former member of the League. Talia al Ghul. Nyssa's older sister. She… didn't leave the League on good terms, which is why I didn't mention it when Nyssa and her men were here. I didn't know how they would react to me being the daughter of one of her students, even though I've never met Talia once in my life."
That made sense. Laurel made a mental note to never mention it either. The last thing she wanted to do was endanger Shado's life thanks to a thoughtless slip of the tongue. "And what about their leader? Ra's al Ghul? What kind of name is that, by the way?"
"It's Arabic for 'The Demon's Head'."
Really? Laurel had to hold back a snort, only for her amusement to fade at the sight of Shado's expression. If anything, her friend's fear had only increased. Ra's al Ghul, it seemed, was no laughing matter.
"He's one of the deadliest warriors on the planet, perhaps the deadliest, on par with the likes of Lady Shiva. Rumors even say he was one of Shiva's teachers." The older woman inhaled a shuddering breath. "And according to what's been said, he's led the League for over thousands of years."
"What? That can't be right." Thousands of years? No one lived that long. "That's impossible, Shado."
"Perhaps so. But with the League, you can never be too sure." She shuffled closer to her friend, clinging to Laurel as if she were a lifeline. "We're going into the lion's den, Laurel. And with a debt to pay as well. And I'm afraid of just what kind of price they'll exact on us for saving our lives."
There was a sense of finality to her voice that startled Laurel. It was the first time she had ever seen Shado so completely and utterly terrified. From Fyers to Ivo to Slade, Shado had been afraid, yes, but she had always been able to control it, to not let it rule her and instead use it to drive her. That was one of the things Laurel had admired most about her and sought to emulate.
But now, all of that drive and resolve was gone. The woman Laurel considered her best friend and sister in all but blood was a quivering shell of her former self, drowning in dread of awaited for them. And that made Laurel afraid as well.
Not for the first time, she wondered if it would've been kinder for them to die on that ship.
The voyage lasted another week or so. Laurel and Shado, weak from the sinking of the Amazo, could do little more than stay in their room as Nyssa had her men slowly nursed them back to health. They were given food and water, along with softer material for bedding and some books to help pass the time. When they were stronger, they were allowed to walk outside to the deck and do some light exercise.
Eventually, they made landfall in some kind of hidden port, near the Himalayas. They were given new clothing to help keep them warm as the group traveled up a secret trail through the mountains. And then, they made it to Nanda Parbat.
Carved into the mountain, the ancient citadel was imposing and deceptively small. It was only when they got inside did they realize how big it was. There were an endless number of corridors, populated by thousands of assassins, each garbed in the same armor that Nyssa's men wore. They could see warriors dueling with swords, practicing archery, meditating, and in some cases even torturing prisoners. Laurel, a survivor of torture herself, could barely make herself watch for one moment before looking away.
The two former castaways were guided to a new room and instructed not to leave there. As they were not at full health, it was decided that their audience with the Demon's Head could wait. The man wanted to see them at their strongest before he could make a decision on their fates. "You don't think…" Laurel trailed off. She didn't say the rest, but it was obvious what she was thinking.
Shado shrugged, pale and glum. "It makes sense. The League saved our lives, so our lives now belong to them."
This caused her friend to frown. Laurel reached forward to take Shado's hand, and clenched it tight. "Hey, it's going to be okay. Whatever happens, we'll get through it together, like we always do. Right?"
"…right." It was clear Shado wasn't completely convinced, but she still gave Laurel a small semblance of a smile, so Laurel counted that as a win.
Finally, the day came. Nyssa arrived to their room instead of one of her men or the priestesses, and silently beckoned them. Not needing an explanation, the two women followed her once more through the corridors. The trip seemed to take forever, until finally they arrived at their destination: a wide open space, almost like a meeting hall. Towards the back of it was a small bubbling pool of green liquid. "The main atrium," Nyssa answered their unvoiced question.
In the center of this atrium, there was a battle going on. Four assassins were fighting together in concert, using swift, fierce movements to attack as one. And their opponent, the middle-aged man that stood in the center of the fray, fended them off effortlessly, seemingly predicting every attack they made before they could make it.
Not even Slade had such masterful swordsmanship. Laurel found herself mesmerized as the man cut down his four attackers with ease. Four new assassins took their places, and within minutes, he took them down as well, before finally sheathing his blade and turning to them.
On his own, he would be an unassuming man of average height and a moderately-sized build. But adorned in ornate robes and armor, he was foreboding. He had some jewelry, the most prominent being the ring adorned on his right hand. His most striking feature, however, was his eyes.
There was no real emotion to them. None of Fyers's arrogance or Ivo's smug attitude or even Slade's madness. A sense of self-assuredness, an understanding of the world, but depthless in a way that made it impossible to discern his mood. And as his gaze settled on her, Laurel had never so small and insignificant in her entire life.
There was no question about it. This man was Ra's al Ghul.
"Are you impressed?" He asked them, voice deep but powerful.
Silently, both women nodded.
Satisfied, he eyed them both closely, even taking a moment to circle them. Laurel tried her best to keep herself calm, but it was hard knowing who this man was. One misstep, and she would be dead before she knew it, her body tossed God knows where and leaving Shado all alone in this place. And that's if they didn't kill Shado right after her.
Ra's hummed. "You are both warriors, though you are more experienced than your companion," he noted, nodding towards Shado. "You are both wondering what the price you will have to pay for your lives, I am certain. Well, the answer to that question is simple: you now owe your allegiance to the Demon. You must swear yourselves to the League."
"Should you accept, you will be trained in our ways and work towards our main objective of ridding the world of evil through death. Should you refuse, you will be killed here and now." His eyes narrowed. "Be warned: life in the League is not for the weak and faint of heart. If you believe you will not be able to survive here, then better a quick death now than the pain that awaits you on the road ahead."
Ominous words. As always, Laurel looked towards Shado, who looked back towards her, holding a silent conversation. The American absentmindedly grabbed at her neck, where her Canary necklace still hung around her throat. Miraculously, it had managed to survive the sinking of the Amazo with her, and even now served as a source of comfort. A reminder of what was waiting for her back home.
She didn't want to join the League. She didn't want to be an assassin and allow more of the darkness that had pervaded her life ever since the Gambit consume her. But she also wanted to live, and to hopefully, one day, go home. To one day see her family, and Ollie and Tommy and everyone else she still so deeply missed. To figure out what it was that haunted Robert Queen so much as he spent his last days on that life raft with Laurel, before finally blowing his brains out so she could live.
And there was only one way to do that, no matter how much she wished otherwise.
She turned back to Ra's, and spoke her answer. "I accept."
"As do I," Shado followed soon after.
"Very well," Ra's said, giving a single nod. "Once you enter the League, your former lives are forfeit, and you must take on new names. I shall decide them for you."
He zeroed in on the medallion hanging from Laurel's neck. "You shall be Taer Al-Aswad. 'Black Bird' in your native tongue," he decided. He then turned to Shado, tilting his head, before nodding once more. "And you shall be Qalnaswa. 'Hood' or 'Cap'."
Taer Al-Aswad. Qalnaswa. It would take time for her time to learn those names. But Laurel didn't have much of a choice in the matter. That much, Ra's had made clear.
"Nyssa will take you back to your room. Tomorrow, you shall begin training." With that, he dismissed them. Taer Al-Aswad, formerly Dinah Laurel Lance, found herself drawn away by Nyssa and guided back to her room. She chanced a single glance backward, before disappearing back into the corridors.
Starling City
Several months after the departure of the Adachis, Oliver found himself falling into a routine as he began his next attempt at attending college. Since he was actually serious about school this time and had been regularly attending therapy for over a year now, his grades were fine and he was on track to graduate thus far. That could change in the future, of course, but Oliver wasn't going to let it if he could help it.
Whenever he wasn't studying and attending class, he split his time between interning down at QC with Walter and spending time with his friends and family. The former had been done with reluctance at first, prompted by a suggestion from his mother. However, Oliver had come to enjoy his mentorship with Walter, far more so than whatever his father had forced him to visit the company and tried to impose the responsibility of taking over QC.
It's not that Oliver was against taking over the company at the time. He was just rather ambivalent at the idea, considering it something to be dealt with far off in the future, something he didn't have to prepare for now. The fact that his father had wanted him to run the company his way certainly didn't help. All that had done was rattle his nerves and bring out that innate adolescent rebellion.
But things were different with Walter. Walter was a far more patient and understanding teacher. He let Oliver make his own choices for certain problems and explain his own reasoning behind them. He then either agreed with Oliver's choices or disagreed, and explain his own reasoning behind his choice, using it as a teaching opportunity. He encouraged Oliver to keep an open mind and listen to different viewpoints, and formulate his own opinions. "Your father was a stupendous businessman, Oliver," Walter had told him. "But his way isn't the only way to conduct business. The only way you are going to find success is by finding your own way. So don't be afraid to speak up you mind when you feel that something can be done another way."
Oliver wasn't the only one with a full schedule — Sara was busier than ever thanks to starting her final year of college (and it was odd to realize his younger friend was going to be graduating before him). In between volunteer work, classes, and studying from numerous exams in preparation for attending medical school, Oliver was lucky if he saw her once a week. Even Thea didn't have as much time for him anymore, thanks to having finally started her first year of high school.
The only person in his immediate social circle that had remained the same was Tommy, who was as dedicated to living the rich bachelor life as ever. Content to coast off his trust fund, Tommy spent his days either sleeping or covering for his friends when their schedules got too much, and his nights partying like tomorrow. Despite all that, however, he remained strong emotional support for all of them, a stalwart figure for them to lean on. Oliver knew that if there was anyone that he could always count on, it was Tommy.
Which was why Oliver and Sara had made the time to work together to plan Tommy's upcoming twenty-fifth birthday party. It was their way of showing their appreciation for their friend, as well as serving as a suitable distraction and break from their own responsibilities. Tommy had tried to protest, of course, but neither of them wanted to hear of it.
The celebrations were going to be in two parts. The first part, which would take place in the day, would be a special lunch with all his favorite foods at the Queen Mansion with Tommy's closest loved ones: them, and their respective families. Sara had tentatively brought up the idea of inviting Malcolm as well, only for Oliver to immediately shoot it down. While the man had been kind enough to allow them to use the Merlyn Mansion for the second half of the celebrations, the reality was that his relationship with Tommy had been broken for almost two decades, ever since he had abandoned his son for two years in the wake of Aunt Rebecca's death and came back a cold bastard. All he would do was bring the mood down, Oliver had claimed, and Sara could not find it in herself to disagree.
After the lunch concluded, they would spend the following hours before the second half of the celebrations opening gifts and playing games like charades in the living room. Once it was time, Oliver and Sara would drive Tommy over to his family mansion where a wild house party would be awaiting him, the kind of scene Tommy enjoyed most. They would party their hearts out for the rest of the night.
"Well, not the entire night, at least," Sara noted, clicking her pen against her check. "We'll need to be sober after all to handle clean up."
"Not to mention whatever else happens at the party," Oliver grumbled. There was always something happening at these kinds of parties, and especially when it came to one of Tommy's. Everyone loved going to one of Tommy's shindigs, including those of much shadier motives. They would have to hire some good security for this—maybe Blackhawk?
Sara shrugged. "Which is why I have my Dad on speed dial. He knows to always be on guard whenever one of these happens."
Before Oliver could respond to that, an alarm on his phone sounded. He picked it up, giving a fond sigh when he saw what the alarm was for, before putting the device back into his pocket. "We'll need to pick this up later. I need to pick Thea up from school." Thea was attending her first year at Berlanti Preparatory for the Gifted, the most prestigious private academy in the city and the alma mater of her brother and his friends. She was still getting used to her new surroundings, so Oliver had promised to pick her up everyday until she made some friends.
"Tell her I said hi!" His friend called out to him as he rushed to the door, only briefly stopping to pick up his jacket from the rack.
"Will do!"
Berlanti Prep hadn't changed much from when Oliver had been a student there. A large campus, much nicer and ornate than the surrounding buildings, an immaculate lawn, and almost a hundred teenagers in fancy uniforms spilling out of the door as they tried to escape the confines of the building. Oliver ignored the looks being shot his way as he waited patiently by his car for his little sister. After a few minutes, he spotted Thea amongst the crowd, giggling with two girls her age, a blonde and a brunette.
"Thea!" he called out to his sister.
Thea perked up when she heard her name, spotting Oliver immediately. She quickly rushed to him, her two friends at her heels. "Ollie!"
"Who are your friends?" Oliver asked with a kind smile.
"This is Margo Harrington and Emily Van Kell. We share history and math class together," the younger Queen introduced to him. The brunette was Margo, and the blonde was Emily.
Oliver nodded. "It's nice to meet you both," he said politely. "I'm Oliver, Thea's brother. I'm glad to see my younger sister has made some friends."
The two girls giggled, blushing. "It's nice to meet you too, Oliver," Margo said, fluttering her eyelashes. Oliver dutifully ignored it; she wouldn't be the first young girl to develop a hopeless crush on him, she wouldn't be the last.
"Same," Emily added, twirling a lock of her hair.
After exchanging goodbyes, Oliver helped his sister into the passenger seat before heading to the driver's side. He gave Thea's friends one final wave before sliding in, and a few minutes later they were on the road, traversing the maze that was Starling City's streets. "So, how's party planning going?" Thea prodded her brother once they were at a red light.
"Good," Oliver confirmed. "Sara and I got Mr. Merlyn to agree to let us use the Merlyn Mansion for the party. Now we're in the process of writing up the invitations list."
"Oh." Thea blinked, then adopted a hopeful expression. "Can my friends and I go? I promise we'll behave."
Oh boy. "No, Thea," Oliver told her, sighing. "You're too young. There's going to be a lot of adult entertainment and we'll be serving alcohol. You're underage."
"But Ol-lie," his baby sister whined. "You attended these kinds of parties at my age all the time."
"Yeah, and I did it behind mom and dad's backs, and they were not happy when they found out."
She snorted upon hearing that. "They barely punished you for it."
"And that was a mistake," Oliver claimed, to her surprise. "Thea, I don't want you to turn out like me. I flunked out of multiple Ivy Leagues and blew off too many of my responsibilities. I took everything for granted — our parents, the family fortune, my friends, even Laurel." His heart ached when he said Laurel's name. Even thought it was almost three years since her passing, the pain still remained, if a little more dull than it used to be.
"Look at what happened, Thea. Dad died, and Laurel died. I was suddenly the man of the house, and completely unprepared to deal with it."
Thea pursed her lips, her mood now somber. "You're doing fine now, though."
"Maybe. But I still have a lot of regrets. I don't want that for you, Speedy. You need to be better than me."
"Which means not going to any wild house parties," his sister noted with a sigh, put out.
Oliver gave her an amused smile. "Yes. If you want a party with your friends, then you can have one when it's your birthday. One with non-alcoholic beverages and teenage-friendly entertainment." His expression turned firm. "But you're not going to Tommy's. Alright?"
"Alright," came the sullen reply.
Satisfied, Oliver turned back to the front of the curse, and pressed down on the gas.
Slow start to this year, but that's because it's going to take a bit to pick up. Laurel and Shado arrive in Nanda Parbat and agree to join the League, which means they need to go through a training period. That's going to be fun.
Meanwhile, Oliver and Sara are planning Tommy's birthday party while Thea enters high school. Everyone's growing up (except Tommy, but that's to be expected).
Please note that Laurel's storyline is not happening concurrently with what's happening in Starling. The storylines are happening in the same general year, but that's it. Otherwise they're happening at their own paces.
Next Chapter: Laurel and Shado begin training with the League.