~ Chapter 38 ~
* Bruce's P.O.V *
I saw him standing before the green waters of a small pond that had occupied half of the underground cave we were now in. The edges of his robe like jacket were swaying with the slight breeze coming through from the small opening near the top of the cave. He had his back to me but I know that he senses my presence. He's one of the only people that I can't sneak up on.
"Detective.." He spoke.
"Ra's." I replied.
"Have you finally come to your senses and accepted my offer? Have you finally came back to where you belong?" He asked quizzically while still staring at the moon through the small opening.
"I'm here for the trials." I replied.
He then turned around and walked towards me with his hands behind his back. He stopped a few inches away from my face and straightened his posture.
"Well good. I wasn't going to speak with you unless you've agreed to." He said.
"Are you sure that you're finally up for this? Once you're in there's no going back, Detective." He spoke.
"I'm ready." He stared at me for a few seconds trying to read if I'd truly meant my request.
"Very well. Come this way, Detective." He turned around and walked towards the left side of the cave.
He reached a part of the wall that was filled with engravings as he pushed on some letters in certain words before a part in the wall slightly cracked open. He pushed the rocks apart and a smaller compartment appeared. He unlocked the small door and a chalice appeared. He got the chalice out and it was filled with a silver-ish liquid
" Drink Detective. If you truly wish to be an assassin and try the demon trials. I can't promise your survival but you show great potential. After all, you were trained by myself." He handed me the chalice.
I look down at the liquid as I took the chalice from his hands. It doesn't matter what I thought of what I was about to do. I had to protect Gotham from Joker's threat. I had to save him and myself. I had Eva. She would never speak to me if I hurt her like that. I can let him be another reason for her heart breaking.
I brought the chalice up to my lips and drank the liquid down.
* Eva's P.O.V *
Jack was with his men all day. He was suspicious of Bruce. He was trying to ensure a back up plan. I had decided to take a nap and I was curled up with my face to the wall on a little sheet I'd laid down in my 'corner'. I honestly don't remember the last time Jack slept. I can't believe how calm he is being. You know, other than the consistent yelling in my face and snapping at me. He's acting like nothing's wrong, like he's just waiting for a package of something he just ordered online not his only chance at surviving.
I just can't read him sometimes. Seeing his face has my heart pumping but whenever I see this new look that he has in his eyes I just feel like something died within me. Like my soul was being pulled out of my stomach. I felt my eyes get heavy and I decided to give actually sleeping for once a shot. I let sleep take over but that probably wasn't my best idea.
That was when the nightmares took over. All the pain and the adrenaline pumped back into me. My chest was heaving as I let out a few screams before snapping my eyes back open. I sat up and rested my hands behind me. I tried to take my breath as I felt the sweat pool at my lower back and drip from my face and chest. I felt my throat tighten and I few tears formed in my eyes. My eyes then snapped towards the door as someone opened it.
"I heard screaming." It was Jack. He was in his shirt and suspenders but he still layered his paint on everyday. I was thankful for that though. God knows if I saw how bad he probably looked now I would lose my mind.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"N-no." I said as I bit my lip to stop it from quivering.
I arched my back forward, moving my hands to my knees.
I stared at the floor for a few minutes as I rested my chin on my knees. I saw Jack's shoes moving towards me but I didn't budge. He squatted down next to me and I turned to face him.
"What's going on with you?" He asked. His face was inches away from mine.
"I'm fine. It's just umm nightmares ? Yeah, I shouldn't have tried sleeping." I replied as I looked back at my feet.
I could feel him staring at the side of my face for a few seconds before he spoke.
"Hey." He said in a nasally tone as he crooked his head to the side.
"Talk to me." He put his hands on my chin and gentle moved my face back to him.
"I'm fine, I can handle it. You have enough to worry about, you don't have to worry about me as well. Im just- I don't know. I mean you're..I'm just afraid of losing you." I stuttered as I rambled on and the cause of that was that I got lost in that look he had in his eyes again. This time there was a twinkle of compassion however.
The more I stared into his eyes the more I felt my lips start to quiver as the tears threatened more and more to fall from my eyes. The more he stared back at me the more I felt his face soften.
"That's really stupid you know?!" He spoke and I felt confused at first.
"Why would you lose me? I'm not going anywhere. You're very weird at times, did you know that?" He said not changing the expression on his face as he inched a bit closer.
"Mhmm. You're right." I nodded my head and bit my lip again trying to blur out my face as the tears slipped from my eyes.
"I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't realise I was screaming." I laughed awkwardly as I spoke in a low tone.
He didn't say anything. He just sat there. Inches away from my face with his poker face on. He was so close and I was just aching to throw myself into his arm. Have him tell me everything is okay, but I couldn't.
"So..yeah. You can..I can go in another room if I'm too loud..if it bothers you. I won't be trying to sleep again most probably but yeah..I mean if you need to be alone as well that's fine, I can stay downstairs and-"
"Eva stop rambling." He cut me off.
"What?"
"Stop talking doll." He repeated.
"Okay, I'm sorry." I said as I shut up and stared back at him. I couldn't though. Holding his gaze was breaking me. I couldn't meet his eyes. I felt my shoulders shake the more I stared into them. I finally let my teeth slid and slip from my lips as I let myself cry. My whole body started shaking and I tried really hard to stop but I just couldn't. I brought both of my arms up to my eyes, frequently trying to wipe away all the tears but new ones kept coming. I couldn't stop shaking. After that I gave up and brought my arms back down as I silently cried.
"Jesus Christ." Jack mumbled under his breath but I didn't catch what he said.
His lips were on mine the moment my hands left my face. They were surprisingly soft and at first I didn't know what was happening until he brought he palm to my cheek. I slowly moved my lips against his before he pulled away but kept his forehead to mine. My tears stopped. I opened my eyes and his were closed. He clenched and unclenched his jaw for a few seconds before inhaling. He then opened his eyes and removed his forehead off of mine as he stared off to the side avoiding my eye contact.
"I've gotta go." He said as he shifted his weight to his other leg and let go of my cheek, seeming to have forgotten his hand there.
With that, he stood up as I watched his shoes leave my view and heard the soft clink of the door as he shut it behind him.
* Bruce's P.O.V *
After drinking from the chalice I saw a bright light before my vision went out then came back to me. I was at a different place though. I was in a vibrant field between two mountains. Ra's told me not to touch anything and just follow his orders. We walked through the field and men started to appear between a few of the trees. Villagers, they looked like to me. We finally came to a clearing and some of his assassins began to appear. He had me fight them off. At first it was just two then four others came and now there were nine of them. I managed to beat them all and then Ra's guided me to a village.
He told to me leave something of mine here. That I could either sell it, trade it, or just hand it off to someone. I looked around the market place until I came across a little boy. He was sitting between two booths. I walked over to him and he had his arms around himself. I automatically unhinged my cap and wrapped it around him. He looked up at me, confused at my action and I gave him a small smile. He smiled back and I headed out of the market place and back to Ra's.
He later took me to a mountain and that we had to climb. It felt like ages but I wasn't about to give up. Once we were up there was about 14 assassins. All filed in a row. Each took their turn charging at me and I took down each one of them. We then stood near a tree trunk were the chalice was placed. Ra's patted me on the back and encouraged me to drink out of it again.
And once again my vision blurred before blacking out again. I woke up on the floor back at his cave before I stood up again.
"Congratulations Detective. You've made it through." He said.
"You are now, officially, a part of the League of Assassins."
"Thank you." And I'm sorry for what I'm about to do Ra's, I said to myself.
I put my hand out for him to shake and when he did I snapped his wrist, breaking it. After that, I pulled him towards me and punched him, succeeding in knocking him out. I brought a syringe out of my utility belt and extracted a blood sample from him before grappling out of the opening in the ceiling.
Now all I had to do was head back to Freeze.
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Hi guys!!!!!!!
I'm back and boy oh boy have I missed this!
I'm forever yours from now on.
So terribly sorry for the long wait but life was screwing me over :P
Also! Next chapter is the last for this book!!
I will be uploading it in a few hours!!
I'll probably start the new sequel and it's first chapter tomorrow because I still have to do the poster.
But let me just warn you guys! Shit is about to go down in the next chapter (and the following chapters of the new book).
This next book is gonna be a whirl wind I tell you.
I hope you guys enjoy it and enjoy this chapter !
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Much love xxx