Everlasting Fear

chapter 22- Love Loss Pierced My Heart

Ra’s Al Ghul’s POV

The flames which I had spread out among the Gotham residents where soon dying down. This city was too resilient; they were no will to allow a change for the best. It was time to break the only figure that this city relied on, The Batman. My men surrounded me, it was time to march into battle with the cities most hated and feared, and there one and only saviour. The darkness of this dying city surrounded us, I owned the darkness and the shadows, and they would help me gain what was mine, and what was mine, was Ashleigh Clark. This was a broken city corrupted by the people who lived in the damp, and over looked corners of Gotham. These people seeped through the cracks in society, infecting people making them broken and damaged people, like the Scarecrow.

Ashleigh’s POV

My body ached, as our small army marched through the darkening streets. Ra’s Al Ghul’s plans had failed, this city had survived and thrived for my years without changing once, and it wasn’t going to change just for one man and his ideas. I wiped the back of my hand across my bloody dripping lips, as the cooling loose tarmac underneath out feet hissed, as we walked over it towards two dark figures. The bat blended into the dark shadows which where once again entering the city with force. The Red Hood smiled bloody towards me, I narrowed my eyes at him I wasn’t in the mood for flirting from anyone at the moment. “We need to get to Ra’s Al Ghul.” Boomed the scarecrow disturbingly dark voice from behind me, the batman stood forwards, his cowl slashed in places revealing sharp cheek bones, “your right but there’s more chance of him find us that we finding him.” suddenly the broken street lights above our heads began to spark with electricity raining light down on us, revealing an unwelcome guest, crawling out from the shadows. He didn’t speak, he stood there is dark green eyes blazing underneath the sparking lights. Soon a smirk slid slyly onto his lips, as he stepped into the street and towards me, “well, well, well. I must say that I’m pleased that Bane didn’t kill you.” His green eyes slid from my gaze and landed on the scarecrow who stood beside me his face slashed and bleeding dark blood much like the blood which covered his scythe. “But I cannot say the same for you, Scarecrow.” the scarecrow growled viciously causing more blood to pour from his broken lips. Ra’s gaze once again locked onto mine, with a passionate intensity which would never be matched by my own eyes, while gazing at this monster, “It’s over Ra’s, your men are dead, and Gotham is still standing tall.” Ra’s gaze slipped from mine as he turned around to face the Batman, “your right batman right now, all my men are dead, and Gotham is still standing. But it won’t be for long dark knight.” Suddenly Jason Todd lunged towards Ra’s but he wasn’t fazed, he slowly moved his head towards the moving form of the Red hood, only to grasp his throat and throw him into a glass shop window. He dusted his hand of the crime, and looked back towards the Bat, “Gotham will fall tonight, all because of you.” Ra’s Al Ghul grips a handle leading to a large cutlass, soon the blade was revealed, but suddenly I lunged forwards and gripped Ra’s hands which held the scimitar handle steady. Suddenly he pulled the rest of the blade out of the cutlass causing his armoured elbow to connect with my stomach causing my body to lean. I looked up at the huge form of Ra’s Al Ghul; suddenly his booted foot collided with my stomach causing me to be hurtled backwards. “Why do you protect these people? They didn’t protect you from Bane did they?” Ra’s Al Ghul began to walk towards me but suddenly a booted foot rammed into the side of Ra’s Al Ghul’s Face causing a sickening crack to ring out, he landed in the shards of broken glass. His cheek bone had splinted causing thick pieces of bone to jut out of his skin causing of ribbons of blood to pour from his face. I looked up to see the scarecrow offering his hand out to me; I grasped it tightly as I was healed upwards to my feet, much like Ra’s Al Ghul. He stood in the shadow of the window broken shop seething green eyes. His boots crunched against the thick glass beneath his feet, he touched two fingers to his broken cheek and chuckled deeply, he held his scimitar tightly but suddenly it was pushed backwards and was pulled back to reveal the tip covered in blood, “ambush was never your strong point was it Jason.” The bleeding form of Jason Todd clambered out of the broken shop, he fell forward onto the sharp and deadly shards of glass beneath him, he tried to raise his bleeding body, but Ra’s placed his booted foot onto his back and pushed him back to the ground. Jason groaned as Ra’s pushed his dying body harder into the broken glass floor, “Can you bare to see your apprentice die once again Bruce Wayne?” the Batman stepped out from the shadows, and pulled away his dark serious cowl to reveal the bruised and battered face of millionaire Bruce Wayne, “Don’t do it Ra’s, let him go.” Suddenly Jason screamed out in pain, my breath came out hard and fast as I watched a man who had saved me from Ra’s Al Ghul once before. “What will I get in return Mr Wayne? I’m sure you wouldn’t give away the woman you love, just to save your protégé.” I lowered myself to the ground and clutched a shard of glass which sliced open the palm of my hand.

Scarecrow’s POV

I gripped Ashleigh’s waist keeping her close to me, as Bruce Wayne tried to trade her for Jason Todd. “I can’t do that Ra’s as she isn’t mine.” His green eyes flickered, as he turned his head to look down at Ashleigh with a greed filled gaze, he lifted his foot from the dying boy on the ground and began to walk towards her. I swiftly stepped In front of the woman I loved, blocking Ra’s Al Ghul from her, “You dare touch her, and I swear you’ll be begging for death when I’m finished with you.” I growled as I stood as a barrier between Ashleigh and Ra’s Al Ghul, suddenly the monster in front of me chuckled, “don’t flatter yourself Scarecrow I could have killed you by now, but that’s not my intention.” suddenly a boot my hammered into my side of my skull causing warm blood to cascade down the side of my face and my whole world to sway. I wasn’t going to let him get Ashleigh. But suddenly a fist connected with my already broken jaw, causing my body to collapse into the villains behind me, and causing Ashleigh to be pulled forwards by the mad man in front of me. “Let her go!” Bruce Wayne screamed with rage, I was quickly raised back to my feet by Two Face who stood next to me, his pistols bullet less and his coin gripped in the palm of his fist. Jason Todd lay motionless next to Ashleigh struggling form, but soon she was also motionless, as Ra’s Al Ghul raised his scimitar up to her throat. “If one of you even tries to move towards me, I will kill her.” I knew he wasn’t lying, he would kill her and he would bring her back to life. Ra’s Al Ghul pressed the blade harder into her neck causing a thin line of blood to appear across it, her breathing slowed until you could barely see her chest rise and fall. I could once again feel a tightening pain in my chest, which was all too familiar as I looked at the woman I loved in the arms of death. “Nobody approach her, please.” I choked out in pain, everyone stepped backwards away from Ashleigh and Ra’s Al Ghul. I felt the hot sting of tears as they carved their way through my slashed skin. Ra’s Al Ghul smirked darkly, “Wise move Scarecrow.” Ashleigh eyes pleaded with mine as slowly Ra’s Al Ghul began to retreat into the shadows of Gotham City, “nobody follow them for Ashleigh sake.” I spoke with trembling lips as pain rocked my body as Ashleigh disappeared with Ra’s Al Ghul into the underworld he owned. I collapsed onto my knees as sobs shook my body, as that all too familiar feeling of love loss pierced my heart with a knife.