Shadow

Chapter 1; Sacrifice Page 8-9, Part 1

Nanda Parbat

Days passed and Qaramzi el Zal successfully infiltrated Nanda Parbat after capturing a member of the League, extracting his memories via the mind melding ritual Peter Hale taught him and he mastered and perfected over the years, before killing him and assumed his role.

No one suspected anything amiss and because the League of Assassins was so old school, Qaramzi el Zal didn't have to worry about being caught sneaking around by surveillance cameras, something that made acquiring intelligence easier.

It didn't hurt that he had access to any League member there to mind meld with to get a clearer picture of everything, and took advantage of the opportunity every chance he got.

By the end of the week he was given, Qaramzi el Zal was well informed about the League of Assassins, Nanda Parbat, Ra's al Ghul and Nyssa al Ghul, Dusan's half sister, although he didn't dare go near her because Ra's al Ghul had eyes on her twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week.

Talking about Ra's al Ghul, Qaramzi el Zal was currently standing at attention with his 'fellow' League members in the Lazarus Pool room while Malcolm informed Nyssa that he was leaving Nanda Parbat for a few days and essentially leaving her in charge, an interesting decision considering their relationship.

It told Qaramzi el Zal much about Malcolm's character, his willingness to use whatever and whoever was at his disposal, and just as well showed that Nyssa took her oaths very seriously, to the point that even the man she promised vengeance against to his face entrusted her with leading his organization in his absence.

At the moment, however, Qaramzi el Zal watched as Nyssa tried to attack Malcolm and found herself on the floor, spitting out blood, courtesy of Ra's al Ghul.

"Get up. I have work to do. The League of Assassins needs you here until I return." Malcolm instructed.

"And if I refuse?" Nyssa questioned, defiant even on her knees.

"You won't." Malcolm replied, before he left the room with Nyssa still on the floor.

Nyssa watched as Malcolm left, wishing she could slit his throat open right then and there without being killed. When he disappeared from her line of sight and moved to stand up she noticed a pair of brown eyes looking at her with a look she didn't understand.

Those eyes belonged to one of the present League members in the room, individuals who were the highest ranking after Ra's al Ghul and Nyssa, hence their presence.

"Leave, and close the door behind you." Nyssa instructed, and they followed her instruction wordlessly. "Except you. (She pointed at Qaramzi el Zal and he stayed) Who are you?"

"أنا من تريدني أن أكون. *I am who you want me to be*" Qaramzi el Zal answered in Arabic, and maintained eye contact with Nyssa, right before he blatantly checked her out.

"Are you mocking me?" Nyssa questioned, not amused.

"It would be foolish of me to mock you, especially when you're the second most powerful person in the League and I have a mission to see through." Qaramzi el Zal replied.

"Then why did you just ogle me? And what is your name?" Nyssa followed up.

"Considering Al Sah-him didn't ogle you enough; I thought that you would appreciate..." Qaramzi el Zal responded but didn't get to finish because Nyssa moved to slap him across the face but he caught her arm and quickly pulled her into a hug which she fought against and just when she was about to drive a knee between his legs, he whispered.

"Sorry, the walls might have ears and I need to speak with you. Just play along." He said, and she paused a moment, long enough to indicate for him to continue although she subtly reached for her dagger. "I don't understand why Al Sah-him didn't choose you to be Ra's al Ghul in his place.

Or at the very least release and spare you from kneeling at your enemy's feet. An enemy he should have killed instead of rewarded with his beautiful-Ow."

Qaramzi el Zal received a knee between his legs when he said beautiful and squeezed Nyssa's buttocks.

"Don't touch me." She warned in a dangerous whisper, and though her reaction was genuine she used it to get a better access to her dagger, which she now had in hand, and get a better view of the door.

"Come on, I'm trying to help you out here." Qaramzi el Zal bemoaned.

"By touching me without my permission?" Nyssa questioned, wondering why she was even entertaining him.

"You don't want me to touch you?" Qaramzi el Zal inquired, rather innocently. "OK, then. I guess you don't want to hear what I have to tell you, because there's no way I'm going to say it out loud and guarantee my death all to help you when you clearly don't want my help with your revenge."

With that, he moved to break the hug but at the last second Nyssa reluctantly pulled him back into it, annoyed and uncomfortable.

"Speak." She said.

Qaramzi el Zal smiled as he was pulled back into the hug and happily returned the hug.

"So, you want me to touch you now?" He asked, pleased with himself until he felt something pointy run down his spine and froze.

"لا تضيع وقتي. *Do not waste my time*" Nyssa told Qaramzi el Zal, having had enough.

"Alright, beautiful and cunning warrioress." He said, and began to caress Nyssa's back before he felt the pressure of the pointy object increase but didn't stop. "The deeper you drive that dagger into my back the lower my hands will go, and if you bury it into my back, I'll die a happy man in your warm embrace."

A frustrated and flustered Nyssa really considered just killing the frustrating man but he seemed to believe the information he had was valuable enough to risk what he was doing. His confidence and boldness frustrated her more than anything.