Shadow

2.4 Adila al Ghul

A week after the New Year's fiasco, Batman sent them on a new mission. Around the country, assassins – sent by Lily's father – were killing rich – corrupt – leaders. She assumed they had wronged Ra's and this was his punishment.

Batman split the Team up and sent them to possible targets. M'gann, Aqualad, Robin, and Shadow took the Bioship and flew to their assignment. They were guarding the mansion of a wealthy man, Lily didn't bother to learn his name. M'gann and Aqualad patrolled the grounds while Shadow and Robin took the inside, splitting up to watch half of the huge house each.

"Still nothing," M'gann said over the mind link. It had been half an hour of waiting, and still, there were no assassins.

"Maybe this isn't the next target."

Just as Robin spoke, Shadow saw an assassin drop into the hall through a vent. More followed. "I think it is. I found three assassins."

She hid behind the wall out of the sight of the assassins. The rest of the team then reported they had found assassins as well. Aqualad gave them the order to take them down.

Lily turned the corner and aimed the arrow at one of their chests. They reacted instantly and charged at her with katanas. The arrows she shot were doing nothing, being sliced through as quickly as she shot them.

She pulled out an explosive arrow and shot it. Once the assassin hit it, it exploded, knocking him out.

"Adila al Ghul, you're father will be so please that we found you."

"I bet he'll be so disappointed to hear I got away."

"I doubt that will happen," he said with a smile. Lily ignored it and sent another explosive their way, knocking him out.

One more.

Lily turned around to the assassin running towards her from down the hall. She notched an explosive arrow and shot it, grabbing another as he slid to the floor, the arrow flying above his head. It hit the accent table and exploded it.

As the assassin stood up he used his katana to knock the arrow out of Lily's hand. She turned the bow, quickly using it as a make do shield as the katana sliced towards her. While she was distracted the assassin kicked her in the stomach. She hit the floor as the breath left her lungs and the bow fell from her hands. She scrambled to grab the bow before he slashed the katana down at her. Shadow rolled over, grabbing the bow in the process as the katana sliced her on her side.

She struggled to stand up as the assassin kicked her down again. She pushed the anxiety down as she knocked the katana away from herself. It was basically the only thing she could do since she couldn't get far enough away to use any arrows.

"Hey, I could use some help over here," she used the mindlink quickly before she could lose focus in the fight. She heard a reply in her mind but she ignored it as her bow finally broke from all the hits it took.

Oliver's going to have to design a better bow next time.

She threw the pieces of the bow the ground and readied herself to finish this fight without a weapon. There's no way this could go bad.

She was right, as it turns out even Black Canary's sparring lessons weren't much help against a katana.

Lily ducked to avoid being decapitated but was swiftly met with a kick to the chest. As she stumbled to the ground a sharp pain erupted from her stomach. Her mouth opened to scream but nothing came out. The pain got worse and she watched the katana being pulled out from her stomach.

Her knees collapsed from underneath her as she hit the ground. Everything around her muffled as the pain took over her.

I'm dying. I'm actually dying.

The thought ran through her mind as she watched the assassin bring a finger to his ear and say something. She tried to listen to what he said but before she could focus enough, he was gone.

Lily pulled herself up to lean on the wall, pressing a hand to her stomach, attempting to stop the flow of blood.

The rest of the team rambled on in her brain as she closed her eyes to block them out.

"Lily?" She forced herself to open her eyes to see Robin at the end of the hallway. She started to say something but was cut off by a coughing fit. She wiped the blood away from her lips as he ran over.

"It's really bad Dick," she whispered, tears escaping her eyes. He shook his head slowly, removing her hand from the wound.

"No... no it's fine. You're going to be fine. We just have to get to the Bioship and... and you'll be okay."

Lily stayed quiet, knowing he wasn't saying it for her. She listened to him talking to M'gann and Kaldur in the mindlink.

"I'm sorry." She didn't know why she said it. It was the only thing she could think of saying. "I'm so sorry."

Lily had never felt this tired in her life. She desperately wanted to close her eyes and sleep, but she knew why would happen.

I can't believe I'm going to die in a random rich dude's house. This is not how I pictured my death.

Dick was still talking through the mindlink, desperately trying to fix everything.

"Dick it's okay. We both know I'm not making it to the hospital." It felt awful admitting it, but it was the truth. She watched as he let out a deep breath as his body slumped.

"I know. I know." She wrapped her arm around him, pulling him in for a hug.

This was it. The end of Lily Queen. Of Shadow.

She was gone from the world forever.

The girl's eyes opened, finding herself surrounded by greenish water. Her legs kicked off the bottom automatically and she swam up to the surface as her lungs burned for air. When she reached the surface she gasped for air, her arms pulled her out of the water onto the rocky ground.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings noticing a group of people standing around the pool she had came from. She turned to the man with greying hair standing near her. "Who are you?"

She had a long list of questions she wanted to ask, but her brain felt so scrambled she could only say one.

"My name is Ra's al Ghul. You are my daughter, Adila."

Adila... Adila al Ghul

"Welcome home."

Published: 04/23/23