Shadow Of The Nightshade

Going to Gotham.

Nanda Parbat
{Shadow}
24/12/2006

Sometimes training seemed to be a bore, especially when my sparring partner always ended up being the same petty person and I didn't have the right to scar her pretty skin. I almost smiled at the thought of a begging Talia... Almost.

Without needing to look I caught the punch she aimed at my face. There was once a time that I was careless and twisted her wrist because I reacted late, and it got me a broken nose then three weeks of punishment. That isn't happening again. I sniffed as I lowered my arm to block the kick that was heading for my side and took a small step back.

When I saw her eyes move above my head and I stilled, arms falling to my sides as I slowly turned around, not caring to move away from her next attack as I bowed and greeted the man that stood before me. 'Master.' The word left my lips just as I saw a shadow move from the corner of my eye and got the air knocked out of me as I landed on the floor. I tried not to wince in pain as my back throbbed and my lungs wheezed pitifully.

'You will be going to Gotham.' Ra's Al Ghul said-ordering me as he impassively watched me fall then turned to his precious daughter. 'I see that training is going well.'

'Yes Father.' She dropped her stance and greeted the "demon head" while I blinked back the black dots that crowded my spinning vision.

Inadvertently a groan escaped my lips as I slowly picked myself up, the ache from both old and new scars tossing me into a pit of refreshed agony. Just great! I gritted my teeth and stood uneasily on both feet. I'm sure I'm bleeding again.

Letting out a cough, Ra's Al Ghul remembered my existence once again. 'Tomorrow is Christmas-your tenth year birthday-you will be staying with our close associate.' He ended his sentence and clasped his hands behind his back, turning around and strutting to the exit with unsurpassed grace. Meanwhile, I on the other hand was struggling to stay upright. I am not jealous... Maybe I envied the way he carried himself, but I would not dare to try and envision myself being him. A merciless leader of killers.

'I expect you to be ready to leave in the next four hours.' Talia told me in a bored tone, jogging after her father and leaving the mess of a training room behind for me to clean up.

It's good to be alone once in a while. I picked up a previously discarded sword from the floor, inspecting it for fractures as I muled over her words. A close associate... Gotham?

'Why there?' Out of frustration the words left me before I could stop them. Swiveling around hastily, my eyes searched the room only to find that it was completely empty. I had almost forgotten that I was alone. But I'd be dead if anyone caught me talking. Sulking, I bent over to collect the many weapons around me, making sure to separate those that were broken.

My eyes swept the room again as I examined the damage done to it-most of it done by me. The damage I could have done to my master's daughter if I had not held back. I almost laughed, but I didn't. I was an assassin and I was going to be the best. Laughing was not allowed, and there would be no joy in killing.