Supremedalekdunn
The Dark Knight – Heir to the Demon – Prologue – Part 19
The remainder of my time with the League would be arguably some of the happiest years of my life, if only for one reason. It gave me purpose. Granted it was purpose for all the wrong reasons but I didn’t know any better at the time. I had no-one else, and I trusted them with my life. Talia, Ra’s, Nyssa….they were my family. Exactly as Ra’s had engineered. He could read me like a book, and he knew full well that family was the most important thing to me. Heck I’m still traumatised from having most my family thirty years later. That baggage isn’t going anywhere, no matter how much I try to separate it from myself.
In many ways it’s thanks to Ra’s that I’m also able to read people so well. Root out the liars from the honest men. Tell a thief from a rapist. See yourself in others. Talia always told me that what earned her father’s interest in me wasn’t my skill. Hell at first I had no skill at all, it was simply rage. A powerful tool in itself but useless without refinement. Ra’s knew that, and that’s why he agreed to take me on.
You always trust the ones that you see yourself in.
It’s thanks to his trust that I was able to learn the secrets only the inner circle every truly knew, and it’s thanks to those secrets that I was slowly but surely able to climb the ranks. It’s a tradition of the League, that before you can undertake the final trials you must be able to best your mentor in single combat. Of course, that would require me to best Ra’s in single combat.
A feat that no-one has achieved.
Fortunately, rather than force me to fight him, Ra’s had a simple alternative. Face three of his inner circle consecutively and win. There’s a reason no-one has ever dared to challenge a member of the inner circle. They’re arguably the most skilled fighters in the League after Ra’s himself and to this day no-one’s managed to best one of them. Never mind three.
Up until I entered the arena, I suspected that one of my opponents would be Ubu. He was without doubt the most loyal of the inner circle. It certainly caught me off guard to not see him in the arena. Instead I was able to make out Kirigi and Vial. Evidently Ra’s intended to push all aspects of my training to the test. Kirigi to test my reflexes and agility. Vial to test my sword work. The third figure….I didn’t recognise. Not that it was surprising though. Ra’s had a habit of keeping secrets from all but those that needed to know. A way of ensuring that no-one dared to usurp him. After all, when you’ve collected as much knowledge as Ra’s has, the last thing you want is to lose it forever.
In many regards, the first two fights were easy. In part because I’d made a point of studying both of their fighting styles. As you’d expect, Kirigi focused more on agility to deliver a single killing blow. Vial on the other hand refused to indulge in what he called such cowardice. Opting instead to use his advanced blade work in an attempt to disarm me, thus rendering me defenceless. Funnily enough, both of their styles proved to be the undoing of the other. Afterall, advanced blade work is useless if you can’t land a blow. Nor is close proximity agility if their blade work is able to keep you at bay.
It took me a good ten minutes to best Kirigi, in part because I couldn’t grab hold of him. Hard to believe he’s the one who has the nickname Silver Monkey give how he moves. Unfortunately for Vial, he only lasted two. Even then it was because I gave him a bit of sympathy and gave two more opportunities than I should have.
My last opponent is an entirely different story. He’s able to match me blow for blow. Every time I take a step forward, he pushes me two steps back. I’m fortunate on several occasions that my throat narrowly avoids the tip of his blade. Evidently Ra’s has told them not to not hold anything back. That’s both good news and bad news. Bad news in that he’s not going to pull his punches. Good news in that I don’t need to hold back either.
With that in mind, I quickly adjust my fighting style from maim to kill. Do I intend to kill him? Of course not. One of the League’s founding statutes is that we don’t kill our own. I intend to uphold that statute.
The first move is to disarm him. A member of the League is never truly harmless, but without a katana in his hand he’s far less lethal. Sadly, he knows the same tactics as shown by his own attempts to disarm me. Six times he attempts to grab the hilt of blade whilst we blade lock. The fifth time I only avoid him stealing my blade by kneeing him in his crotch. It’s undeniably petty, but desperation makes all dirty methods viable options.
When he dares to risk his sixth blade lock, I’m able to punish him for his mistake. Of course, he’s not the only one to make a mistake. I unintentionally provide him an opening as I make a grab for his blade, and he responds by kicking me in the chest. Mercifully, the risk pays off and as I fall backwards, I’m able to pry the blade from his grasp.
With both blades in my possession, the tide quickly turns in my favour. Desperately, he launches towards me in an attempt to claim one of the blades for himself. Big mistake. Before he has a chance to get close I deliver a two hit strike. One to his torso, leaving a large gash across the front of his body, and a second to his head forcing his helmet from his head.
Immediately, to stop an inevitable counter attack I close the distance and position his neck between both blades.
”Well done Bruce. You are ready to face the trials.”
”Thank you, Great One.”
I lower both of my blades before holstering my own and throwing my opponents to the floor. No finer way to declare victory than to disgrace the, by throwing their blade away like it’s nothing. Evidently my opponent knows exactly what I intended from the action as he begins to charge towards me before Ra’s impales him with a concealed dagger.
”Fa….Father…..why…..?”
”You have failed me Dusan. You knew all too well that this was your one opportunity to prove yourself worthy of being named my heir.”
To say it was shocking to learn Ra’s had a son all this time would be an understatement. When you then realised that he’d just killed his own son, you couldn’t help but be taken aback by it. Ra’s had always said that I was like the son he never had. Was that all lies created to make me a competitive challenger for his real son? Or was it all genuine?
It was arguably the first time since joining the League’s ranks that I began to question Ra’s and just what sort of a man he was. I’d idolised him. Hell I’d thought of him as a surrogate father. To know that he was so willing to withhold this information from me…..I couldn’t help but question everything. Did Talia know? Was that why Ra’s was so hesitant to train me personally?
Simply because I was intended to be a lamb to the slaughter for his own son?
”Bruce. I understand how this must look. But know this, after all that you’ve done. You, are my son. I’m honoured to be able to say such things.”
Still uncertain of what to make of the situation, I choose simply to agree and play the role of the devoted follower.
”I’m honoured that you’re pleased Great One.”
”Go forth Bruce. Prepare yourself. Your final trials await tomorrow. Complete them, and you shall claim your rightful place as heir to the demon.”
”What of him?”
I say nodding my head towards Dusan.
”He is weak. A failure. Like all those before him who have fallen, he fall victim to our key doctrine.”
”Purge the weak.”
Saying those words make me tremble, yet I don’t seem horrified that I just said them. What has me more horrified is to watch Ra’s kick up Dusan’s blade from the ground as he’s busy clutching his stab wound, unable to move. Is he really about to?
”Like all those who have come before you Dusan, claiming to be my own flesh and blood. You have disappointed me, and now you must pay for your false promises.”
”Father please no!”
”I am not your father! No child of mine could be so weak. Give yourself the honour of a warriors death, and stare me straight in the eye as you accept your fate.”
”PLEASE! FATHER! DON’T….DO THIS!”
Without saying a word, Ra’s slashes down and decapitates Dusan.
Neither Kirigi nor Vial say a word. Out of fear? Out of loyalty? It’s impossible to know. I think it’s out of disgust that I say nothing.
”Now go Bruce. Rest. Tomorrow you will fulfil your destiny and complete your ascension to be named my heir.”
”Yes, Great One.”
The Dark Knight – Heir to the Demon – Prologue – Part 19
The remainder of my time with the League would be arguably some of the happiest years of my life, if only for one reason. It gave me purpose. Granted it was purpose for all the wrong reasons but I didn’t know any better at the time. I had no-one else, and I trusted them with my life. Talia, Ra’s, Nyssa….they were my family. Exactly as Ra’s had engineered. He could read me like a book, and he knew full well that family was the most important thing to me. Heck I’m still traumatised from having most my family thirty years later. That baggage isn’t going anywhere, no matter how much I try to separate it from myself.
In many ways it’s thanks to Ra’s that I’m also able to read people so well. Root out the liars from the honest men. Tell a thief from a rapist. See yourself in others. Talia always told me that what earned her father’s interest in me wasn’t my skill. Hell at first I had no skill at all, it was simply rage. A powerful tool in itself but useless without refinement. Ra’s knew that, and that’s why he agreed to take me on.
You always trust the ones that you see yourself in.
It’s thanks to his trust that I was able to learn the secrets only the inner circle every truly knew, and it’s thanks to those secrets that I was slowly but surely able to climb the ranks. It’s a tradition of the League, that before you can undertake the final trials you must be able to best your mentor in single combat. Of course, that would require me to best Ra’s in single combat.
A feat that no-one has achieved.
Fortunately, rather than force me to fight him, Ra’s had a simple alternative. Face three of his inner circle consecutively and win. There’s a reason no-one has ever dared to challenge a member of the inner circle. They’re arguably the most skilled fighters in the League after Ra’s himself and to this day no-one’s managed to best one of them. Never mind three.
Up until I entered the arena, I suspected that one of my opponents would be Ubu. He was without doubt the most loyal of the inner circle. It certainly caught me off guard to not see him in the arena. Instead I was able to make out Kirigi and Vial. Evidently Ra’s intended to push all aspects of my training to the test. Kirigi to test my reflexes and agility. Vial to test my sword work. The third figure….I didn’t recognise. Not that it was surprising though. Ra’s had a habit of keeping secrets from all but those that needed to know. A way of ensuring that no-one dared to usurp him. After all, when you’ve collected as much knowledge as Ra’s has, the last thing you want is to lose it forever.
In many regards, the first two fights were easy. In part because I’d made a point of studying both of their fighting styles. As you’d expect, Kirigi focused more on agility to deliver a single killing blow. Vial on the other hand refused to indulge in what he called such cowardice. Opting instead to use his advanced blade work in an attempt to disarm me, thus rendering me defenceless. Funnily enough, both of their styles proved to be the undoing of the other. Afterall, advanced blade work is useless if you can’t land a blow. Nor is close proximity agility if their blade work is able to keep you at bay.
It took me a good ten minutes to best Kirigi, in part because I couldn’t grab hold of him. Hard to believe he’s the one who has the nickname Silver Monkey give how he moves. Unfortunately for Vial, he only lasted two. Even then it was because I gave him a bit of sympathy and gave two more opportunities than I should have.
My last opponent is an entirely different story. He’s able to match me blow for blow. Every time I take a step forward, he pushes me two steps back. I’m fortunate on several occasions that my throat narrowly avoids the tip of his blade. Evidently Ra’s has told them not to not hold anything back. That’s both good news and bad news. Bad news in that he’s not going to pull his punches. Good news in that I don’t need to hold back either.
With that in mind, I quickly adjust my fighting style from maim to kill. Do I intend to kill him? Of course not. One of the League’s founding statutes is that we don’t kill our own. I intend to uphold that statute.
The first move is to disarm him. A member of the League is never truly harmless, but without a katana in his hand he’s far less lethal. Sadly, he knows the same tactics as shown by his own attempts to disarm me. Six times he attempts to grab the hilt of blade whilst we blade lock. The fifth time I only avoid him stealing my blade by kneeing him in his crotch. It’s undeniably petty, but desperation makes all dirty methods viable options.
When he dares to risk his sixth blade lock, I’m able to punish him for his mistake. Of course, he’s not the only one to make a mistake. I unintentionally provide him an opening as I make a grab for his blade, and he responds by kicking me in the chest. Mercifully, the risk pays off and as I fall backwards, I’m able to pry the blade from his grasp.
With both blades in my possession, the tide quickly turns in my favour. Desperately, he launches towards me in an attempt to claim one of the blades for himself. Big mistake. Before he has a chance to get close I deliver a two hit strike. One to his torso, leaving a large gash across the front of his body, and a second to his head forcing his helmet from his head.
Immediately, to stop an inevitable counter attack I close the distance and position his neck between both blades.
”Well done Bruce. You are ready to face the trials.”
”Thank you, Great One.”
I lower both of my blades before holstering my own and throwing my opponents to the floor. No finer way to declare victory than to disgrace the, by throwing their blade away like it’s nothing. Evidently my opponent knows exactly what I intended from the action as he begins to charge towards me before Ra’s impales him with a concealed dagger.
”Fa….Father…..why…..?”
”You have failed me Dusan. You knew all too well that this was your one opportunity to prove yourself worthy of being named my heir.”
To say it was shocking to learn Ra’s had a son all this time would be an understatement. When you then realised that he’d just killed his own son, you couldn’t help but be taken aback by it. Ra’s had always said that I was like the son he never had. Was that all lies created to make me a competitive challenger for his real son? Or was it all genuine?
It was arguably the first time since joining the League’s ranks that I began to question Ra’s and just what sort of a man he was. I’d idolised him. Hell I’d thought of him as a surrogate father. To know that he was so willing to withhold this information from me…..I couldn’t help but question everything. Did Talia know? Was that why Ra’s was so hesitant to train me personally?
Simply because I was intended to be a lamb to the slaughter for his own son?
”Bruce. I understand how this must look. But know this, after all that you’ve done. You, are my son. I’m honoured to be able to say such things.”
Still uncertain of what to make of the situation, I choose simply to agree and play the role of the devoted follower.
”I’m honoured that you’re pleased Great One.”
”Go forth Bruce. Prepare yourself. Your final trials await tomorrow. Complete them, and you shall claim your rightful place as heir to the demon.”
”What of him?”
I say nodding my head towards Dusan.
”He is weak. A failure. Like all those before him who have fallen, he fall victim to our key doctrine.”
”Purge the weak.”
Saying those words make me tremble, yet I don’t seem horrified that I just said them. What has me more horrified is to watch Ra’s kick up Dusan’s blade from the ground as he’s busy clutching his stab wound, unable to move. Is he really about to?
”Like all those who have come before you Dusan, claiming to be my own flesh and blood. You have disappointed me, and now you must pay for your false promises.”
”Father please no!”
”I am not your father! No child of mine could be so weak. Give yourself the honour of a warriors death, and stare me straight in the eye as you accept your fate.”
”PLEASE! FATHER! DON’T….DO THIS!”
Without saying a word, Ra’s slashes down and decapitates Dusan.
Neither Kirigi nor Vial say a word. Out of fear? Out of loyalty? It’s impossible to know. I think it’s out of disgust that I say nothing.
”Now go Bruce. Rest. Tomorrow you will fulfil your destiny and complete your ascension to be named my heir.”
”Yes, Great One.”