Intoxicating Desires | T. Al Ghul ✔

[50]

Flames licked their way through the ancient fort as Talia and her troop charged in. Deathstroke had changed course and attacked Nanda Parbat right after the attack at Cape Town, proving Ra's Al Ghul's suspicion right that he had in fact been laying out a massive trap.

Talia no longer had options. It was a war of survival and she couldn't save every person she wanted to.

Some sacrifices had to be made.

Her eyes were on the lookout for her son who she couldn't see anywhere and it worried her. She caught sight of Jason battling ferociously, cutting the robot soldiers down left and right. But Damian and Ra's were both not to be seen.

As she battled her way through to the Throne Room, hoping Ra's would be there, a flash of orange and black cut her path.

Deathstroke.

The man responsible for all that massive destruction.

"Fancy seeing you here, Madam Al Ghul," he had the audacity to taunt her right then and her sword slashed through the air, unable to strike him as he had effectively dodged the blow.

"I will make you rue your existence," she threatened, refusing to back down and their swords clashed together.

"Just like I am making you rue the day you made a deal with me?" He chuckled, deflecting her angry blows, "indeed."

The ground shook underneath their feet as the two fought to death it seemed. Talia was capable enough to stand her ground against the feared mercenary and Deathstroke could see that if they continued as such, the fight would only end with a death.

So he decided to change course as he added, "why so furious, Madam? I am only doing what you asked me to. I am helping you become the Demon Head."

"No! You are ruining everything! And I will not let you."

"Funny how you think I am the one ruining your plan but the person you should be wary of is your own son," he withdrew his sword, letting Talia's katana strike against his armor with a loud clang, "in all the time you will waste spewing your hatred out on me, he will put his Grandfather in the Pit and revive him."

"What?"

His sword clashed against hers, catching her off guard, "I keep my word. I killed your father for you but your son came in the way. Now you have only two options, either save your father or your rank. Because if word got out that you had made a deal with me, Ra's Al Ghul will not spare you."

Her jaw clenched knowing that he was right. She was in a situation that demanded a hefty sacrifice and Deathstroke had intentionally put her in that place.

"The choice is yours, Madam. Keep your end of the bargain when the time comes," he retrieved his sword and swept a bow before vanishing into a puff of smoke emitted from the grenade he had thrown at her feet.

Talia rushed down to the cave underneath the fort where the Lazarus Pit was located and true enough, she found Damian struggling to heave his grandfather to the pit.

"Damian!" She called out and he stopped, looking up at her with hope in his eyes.

"Ummi, come. Grandfather needs our help," he remarked, not leaving the limp body of what once used to be the Demon Head.

Ra's Al Ghul's body was charred black and he was almost unrecognizable. It was evident that he had suffered terribly and as she bent down to check, there was no faint throbbing of his pulse.

He was dead; struck through the heart and if the rumors were true, that meant he would not be able to come back even if they put him into the pit.

It was alarming that Deathstroke had heard that rumor too. But there was still a chance that he might get resurrected if the rumor wasn't true.