Shadow

My Name, is Scott McCall

Ashkiri Temple

Qaramzi el Zal gasped, shocked. It had been a while, a long time, actually, since he was wounded. Bruce Wayne came close but came short. Now, however, Qaramzi el Zal had a sword in his side and it seemed like Dusan intended to push it through to the other side.

Qaramzi el Zal acted quickly to prevent that from happening by taking Sensei's sword before he could use it to inflict a wound as well and buried it half a centimeter below Dusan's diaphragm then pulled out the swords from Dusan, who fell to his knees, and Sensei, then from his side wound, which healed immediately, before he threw them out of arms reach, to their confusion.

That is until Qaramzi el Zal's brown iris glowed red and ten claws protracted from where fingernails would be, tearing his heavy duty gloves.

"You are no longer Qaramzi el Zal. You are now Shadow,الظل (Elzal), Leader of the Guild of Shadows. شكرا لك، الظل. *Thank you, Shadow.*" Dusan al Ghul declared, proud of his successor.

"You fought well and did what no one has been able to do in a while. You earned your deaths and I grant you your permanent retirements. Your legacy will live on. العثور على السلام في الآخرة. *Find peace in the Hereafter.*" The new Shadow said, voice steady even as he was about to kill two of three people he was closest to in this world.

A nod was all that Sensei gave and with last words said and gestures given, Shadow buried his clawed hands into Dusan and Sensei's abdomen and began to take their pain, and when there was no pain left he went for their life forces until he took them as well and was met with all the power the Lazarus Pool gave them over the years, Sensei's being more vast.

Enchantress watched from the altar dedicated to her and her brother Incubus' snow leopard forms, well kind of, and saw Shadow's eyes glow a brighter red as he killed Dusan al Ghul and Sensei and the bright red lasted a few more moments after their bodies fell.

Behind Enchantress, stood high-ranking members of the Guild of Shadows, teleported there by Enchantress after Sensei left the alter and so they witnessed what happened and were about to bear witness to their new leader's first speech, and he was aware of them.

As the new power settled down within him, Shadow kept his eyes on Dusan and Sensei's bodies and with Qaramzi el Zal no more...

"My name, is Scott McCall. My title, is Shadow, Leader of the Guild of Shadows and you'll address me by my title and keep my name to yourselves as you did my predecessor's. You, are my Shadows. And together, we will make this world a better place.

Remember these words, for they are your code to live and die by; We Protect Those Who Cannot Protect Themselves." Scott McCall introduced himself, then raised his head towards the alter, eyes glowing red.

Everyone, including Enchantress who went last, kneeled with their heads bowed, acknowledging their new leader with full submission and respect.
—
Flashback

"Don't stop them, lead them."

Palmer Technologies

"I think I'm getting a hang of this hero thing." Thea said, just returning from stopping a human trafficking deal with her team. "It's such a rush!"

"You were a little too aggressive, don't you think, Speedy?" Ray asked.

"Red Arrow. Call me Red Arrow." Thea corrected, not for the first time. "And I wasn't..."

"You were a little too aggressive, Thea. Oliver was as well when he was starting out. But you have to learn self-control." John said, and Thea acknowledged him before he looked at everyone. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. I have a wife and daughter to get home to."

"Say 'hi' to little Sara for me." Laurel requested, and got a nod before John left. "Well, I'm leaving as well. I have a case to build."

"And I have a suit to improve." Ray said, moving over to his work station.

"Thank God there's nothing I have to do." Thea happily stated, and left with Laurel.

Ashkiri Temple

After high-ranking Shadows left to spread the word and confirm that a new Shadow had risen after defeating and killing both Dusan al Ghul and Sensei in battle, Enchantress approached Scott McCall.

"Shadow." She greeted him.

"You didn't call me Master for a change." Scott said.

"You said to address you by your title." Enchantress replied, and looked at Dusan and Sensei's bodies. "Are you going to bury them yourself or..."

"They asked that I cremate their bodies and scatter their ashes and that's what I'll do. Then there are things I need to do here before I leave." Scott responded.

"Before you leave?"

"Malcolm left Nanda Parbat alone and I want to know where he went. I wish for you to teleport me to his location in a few days." Scott said, walking over to the Lazarus Pool.

"May I join you? It gets awfully boring here." Enchantress requested, joining Scott at the Pool.

"Don't you have a city full of people who worship you?"

"Not all of them worship me and those who do are a far cry from my subjects from a time before my sleep. They are Ashkiri only by name." Enchantress responded, looking up at the altar. "It took some time for me to accept but the Age of Gods and Goddesses has passed.

This world doesn't need us to guide it anymore, at least not directly and as closely as before. We have faded into legends and myths and I find myself at peace with that. For the first time in my long life, I have no desire to move on to another world and begin the cycle.

Instead, I want to see this vision you have for the Guild of Shadows."

Silence reigned for a few moments before Scott carried out Dusan and Sensei's wishes, without giving an answer, then he spent the next few days tying up anything Dusan left unfinished, fortunately there were very few things since Dusan made sure that his transition into Shadow would be smooth.

After almost a week, Scott granted Enchantress her request and she teleported them to their destination which happened to be Corto Maltese.