Gotham's Story
Talia nods at your decision. Ra's al Ghul is her father, but you have won her heart and mind. Together, the two of you develop a plan to end his life.
The Lazarus Pits. Being as advanced in the League as the two of you are, you both are well aware of Ra's' secret source of eternal life. The mystical pits he has placed all over the world in order to maintain his dominion for centuries. While they provide a renewal of youth for him, Ra's is bound to their power and the madness that follows. He is kept under close guard when he uses the pit, for his mind is lost a short time after his baptismal. Today he has brought four, including the large man known as Ubu. From your vantage point, you can almost see the surprise on the men's faces as they see the wreck of the pool. You destroyed the Lazarus Pit hours ago in anticipation of this moment.
You see three of the guards fall; a signal that Talia has fired her darts. As expected, Ra's and Ubu have developed an immunity to the poison that she had chosen. You choose this moment to descend. You are in full armor, black as night, and the wings of your cape flap like a beast out of hell as you hit the floor. Light shines from the razor-sharp 'ears' of your cowl and you activate the button in your glove that allows for a soft, red glow to come from your eyes.
Ubu is not even briefly intimidated and rushes you even before you touch the ground. He is too slow. Years of training and study allow you to move in your armor like lightening. You fire your hand forward and pin Ubu with his own arm while his weapon clatters to the ground. Ubu attempts to struggle free, so you break his arm before knocking him unconscious. Jerking to an offensive stance, you face Ra's.
He weilds a sword with a golden hilt in his hands. His eyes are filled with rage, but his face is already showing the age and weariness that comes from Lazarus Pit withdrawl. You draw your own sword and advance. Fighting like you've never fought before, your blades send sparks around the stones of the cave. Even weathered by withdrawl, your opponent is nearly impossible to defend against, but you hold your own. Then you realize Ra's' mistake: his golden sword. You change your attack to heavy blows and strokes, wearing down the metal until you see nicks, dents and bends in the metal. It finally comes enough out of balance to slip out of his hands and he is left without a weapon.
"Finish it, then," he spits out. He holds his arms out and you can see his bare chest rise and fall with effort.
"I'm putting an end to you, Ra's," you declare, while lowering your sword. "But I won't kill you if I don't have to."
"Then you are a fool!" Like lightning he rushes to break your neck.
But your sword is quicker. With his dying breaths, he whispers to you in a tone of ritual instead of anger, "Hail, to the new Demon's Head." Then he slumps as life leaves him.
Talia joins you in from of her father's body. A look of mourning acceptance shrouds her face, so you keep silent and begin to consider your next steps.
***
Later, you sit in the study of the late Ra's al Ghul. Both you and Talia have been rifling through paperwork the past three hours in order to learn the secrets of leading the League. There were some things that Ra's kept only to himself.
"My love," Talia says, handing you a stack of newer, whiter, sheets of paper. "It seems my father has- had a bit of an obsession with your home country. These are his plans for a cleanse of Gotham. Ironically, he named you as his leading general in these plans."
You take the papers and skim through them, using the speed-reading technique that Ra's taught you. It is very detailed, almost to the man, and involves massive destruction and lives lost. But his paln would seem to put Gotham on a clean- if diminished- slate, free of crime.
"Bruce, what shall we do with this?"
The Lazarus Pits. Being as advanced in the League as the two of you are, you both are well aware of Ra's' secret source of eternal life. The mystical pits he has placed all over the world in order to maintain his dominion for centuries. While they provide a renewal of youth for him, Ra's is bound to their power and the madness that follows. He is kept under close guard when he uses the pit, for his mind is lost a short time after his baptismal. Today he has brought four, including the large man known as Ubu. From your vantage point, you can almost see the surprise on the men's faces as they see the wreck of the pool. You destroyed the Lazarus Pit hours ago in anticipation of this moment.
You see three of the guards fall; a signal that Talia has fired her darts. As expected, Ra's and Ubu have developed an immunity to the poison that she had chosen. You choose this moment to descend. You are in full armor, black as night, and the wings of your cape flap like a beast out of hell as you hit the floor. Light shines from the razor-sharp 'ears' of your cowl and you activate the button in your glove that allows for a soft, red glow to come from your eyes.
Ubu is not even briefly intimidated and rushes you even before you touch the ground. He is too slow. Years of training and study allow you to move in your armor like lightening. You fire your hand forward and pin Ubu with his own arm while his weapon clatters to the ground. Ubu attempts to struggle free, so you break his arm before knocking him unconscious. Jerking to an offensive stance, you face Ra's.
He weilds a sword with a golden hilt in his hands. His eyes are filled with rage, but his face is already showing the age and weariness that comes from Lazarus Pit withdrawl. You draw your own sword and advance. Fighting like you've never fought before, your blades send sparks around the stones of the cave. Even weathered by withdrawl, your opponent is nearly impossible to defend against, but you hold your own. Then you realize Ra's' mistake: his golden sword. You change your attack to heavy blows and strokes, wearing down the metal until you see nicks, dents and bends in the metal. It finally comes enough out of balance to slip out of his hands and he is left without a weapon.
"Finish it, then," he spits out. He holds his arms out and you can see his bare chest rise and fall with effort.
"I'm putting an end to you, Ra's," you declare, while lowering your sword. "But I won't kill you if I don't have to."
"Then you are a fool!" Like lightning he rushes to break your neck.
But your sword is quicker. With his dying breaths, he whispers to you in a tone of ritual instead of anger, "Hail, to the new Demon's Head." Then he slumps as life leaves him.
Talia joins you in from of her father's body. A look of mourning acceptance shrouds her face, so you keep silent and begin to consider your next steps.
***
Later, you sit in the study of the late Ra's al Ghul. Both you and Talia have been rifling through paperwork the past three hours in order to learn the secrets of leading the League. There were some things that Ra's kept only to himself.
"My love," Talia says, handing you a stack of newer, whiter, sheets of paper. "It seems my father has- had a bit of an obsession with your home country. These are his plans for a cleanse of Gotham. Ironically, he named you as his leading general in these plans."
You take the papers and skim through them, using the speed-reading technique that Ra's taught you. It is very detailed, almost to the man, and involves massive destruction and lives lost. But his paln would seem to put Gotham on a clean- if diminished- slate, free of crime.
"Bruce, what shall we do with this?"