Demons

3. The Duel

Nyssa leads Sara to the place where her father and Oliver Queen once dueled all those years ago. It was where Nyssa witnessed Oliver get sliced and thrown off the cliff. Nyssa replays that moment in her mind, hoping to replicate such a dramatic finish in their duel.

Sara's heart is pounding. She realizes now how much of a mistake this is.

"The terms of this duel are simple," Nyssa starts. "The first to mortally wound the other is the victor. One may forfeit with the uttering of a safe word. My initiates have Lazarus water ready for when you lose."

"I don't want Lazarus water," Sara says. I would rather bleed out than rely on some cursed water to heal me. I'd rather die a noble death than live a cowardly one."

Nyssa ignores Sara's not-so-subtle blow to her ego. "As the challenger, I will give you the honor of choosing the safe word and choosing your weapon first."

"Alright. The safe word is 'Aunt'"

Sara watches to see if Nyssa reacts. That was the safe word they used to use  all those years ago for sex, sparring, and as a signal to stop displays of affection if someone was near. It was their inside joke.

Nyssa appears to be unfazed. "Choose your weapon," she says.

Sara is tempted to use a bo staff, but she knows that she needs to step up her game to beat this Lazarus Nyssa. Sara picks dual wield swords, instead.

Nyssa recalls her father and Oliver's dual. Oliver chose swords just like the ones Sara has. Her father chose not to start with a weapon and he still won. Nyssa is confident that she is strong enough to start with no weapon as well.

"What's your weapon?" Sara asks.

Nyssa ignores her and walks to the center. Her initiates follow and wait for a command.

"I am my choice of weapon," she says as she extends her arms for her initiates to take her robes.

"Ego alert," Sara mumbles to herself.

"I'll even give you the advantage by not receiving my next dosage."

Nyssa turns to her initiate who has a syringe in her hand. "Save it for after. This won't take long anyhow," she says as she turns back to Sara.

"Wait. You're injecting that shit?" Sara asks.

"I find it to me more effective to inject it straight into the bloodstream rather than soaking it in through the skin."

"Nyssa..." Sara says with sadness. "You're sick, Nyssa. Don't you hear yourself? You're an addict..."

"I am not an addict. 'Addict' is a word to use for someone who is overusing something harmful."

"Harmful? Nyssa, that stuff literally takes a part of your soul every time you use it. That seems very harmful if you ask me."

"A fine price to pay for immortality and power."

"That's not what you told me all those years ago. You valued the soul more than the body or the mind."

"Yes. I did. I was naive and foolish to think that. The body is the vessel in which the soul and mind reside. It is better to value the body above all. With the water, I will live hundreds of years."

"With your soul, you can live forever. The soul lives on after the death of the body. I would know. My body was dead for 3 whole months."

"But where? In limbo? In heaven or hell? I don't wish to be transported to a new dimension. I wish to stay here and reign."