Arrow: Crucible

Spring 2029

LIAN YU

William awoke to the birds chirping and the sun glaring inside his plane of a home.

The woods of Lian Yu had been peaceful in the mornings with birds chirping and the breeze of the wind and the occasional sun.

William groggily got up from the makeshift bed inside the damaged plane from Slade that William made into his home five years earlier.

Walking to an coffee maker that he designed himself using tools he found grabbing fresh water he found the day prior beginning to make coffee walked over to an hanger door as an closet grabbing an green shirt and jeans.

He looked at the newspaper article about what had happened five years ago with The Flash and his botched rescue attempt thinking.

"Why did I survive when Barry and Diggle didn't William?". He thought to himself. "If I hadn't let Reverse Flash get to me Barry and Diggle would still be here!". "Now Iris and her children will grow up without an father!". He said in his head "It was all my fault!".

Ding

The coffee maker was done. William left the picture and poured himself an cup of joe and left the plane walking into the Lian Yu sunrise.

Before leaving he grabbed an arrow for protection.

William sat in an chair he put on an rock overlooking the ocean it had been the same rock where his father stood the day he was rescued and returned home.

Now like father like son William called Lian Yu home.

Occasionally William would run laps around the woods or do chin ups on an branch or archery skills.

An figure approached William slowly as he was sipping his coffee looking at the sky on the horizon.

William turned and jumped off his chair grabbing his bow and arrow and pointed at the figure.

"WOAH! I'm not here to hurt you!". the figure said to William.

William put down his bow and saw the figure that was near him. Someone his father knew back then.

Slade Wilson.

"You must be William...". Slade said to William who was shocked at the sight.

"Slade Wilson?". William asked him.

"The one and only kid". He said to him.

Slade Wilson in the years that passed his hair was graying but he was still the same person Oliver mentored and then fought against under an influence of an drug.

"What are doing here?". William asked Slade who sat down on the rock near his chair. "I was in the island Kid just looking around". Slade said to him "Your Oliver's son I know that". Slade said to him. "Well... I.... was really sorry to hear about your father and Felicity". Slade said somberly to William as he sighed heavily sitting down. "Thanks Mr. Wilson". he sadly said overlooking the beach. "What brought you to Lian Yu kid?". Slade said to him.

William gulped for an moment as Slade went on his knees to comfort him as he was on the verge of tears.

LATER

Slade and William were sitting around an campfire that night. "It was all my fault.. Slade". William sniffed "If I had gotten to Mr. Allen sooner he would still be here and to Diggle too". he said to Slade who nodded. "How long have you been feeling this way kid?.". Slade asked him sighing heavily about the events of 2024 and about Oliver.

"Five years now....". William wiped his eyes. "doesn't matter... I'll get over it". saying to Slade. "Kid... You have to forgive yourself from everything that happened with Barry and your dad.". Slade offered words of forgiveness to William "I know this sound's crazy and all but you have to step up and take responsibility for all the things that happened". Slade said to William making him sigh. "Your father and I were once allies but then something happened to me". Slade said shaking his head remembering about Oliver and his time on the island.