Chapter One

Malcolm Merlyn had kept the barely alive Oliver Queen alive as best as he could since he found him on the rocks halfway up the mountain. His body was broken and his soul beaten. Oliver Queen was a defeated man. Ra's Al Ghul had proven to be the superior fighter, though Malcom was impressed by how long Oliver lasted. If he had better training and more control over his anger then he would have had a better chance at defeating Ra's. But now Malcolm had two of his men carry the naked and dying body of Oliver Queen to the steaming, green liquid of the Lazarus Pit located in a cave not too far from the mountain where Oliver battle Ra's.

"Toss me in the liquid," he ordered then he stepped back into the shadows to watch.

It was well known that when a man or woman first exited a Lazarus Pit that they were insane with angry and violence. The insanity lasted for an indeterminate period of time depending upon the individual's level of angry. Malcolm assumed Oliver was an angry young man considering he spent his nights as the Arrow. Now Oliver, a young man he wished dead, would become his responsibility and his tool.

The men tossed Oliver into the steaming green liquid. He sunk beneath out of sight and remained out of sight for several long minutes. The two men stared at the Lazarus Pit and waited.

"I think he's dead," said one of the men.

"He was pretty much dead when we threw him in," said the other.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, the naked form of Oliver shot out of the liquid. He landed on his feet on the ground and glared at the two men. From his spot in the darkness Malcolm could see that Oliver was suffering from the insanity caused by the restoration of life from the Lazarus Pit. He had once gone through this madness himself after Oliver had nearly killed him. One had no control when the Lazarus Pit insanity overtook them.

With lithe fury and deadly grace Oliver attacked the men and killed them both in a matter of seconds. He looked around the cavern looking for someone else to kill when an arrow came out of the shadow and delivered a large dosage of horse tranquilizer into Oliver's bloodstream. In a matter of seconds, Oliver dropped unconscious to the ground. Malcolm stepped out of the shadow.

"I don't know who trained you before, Oliver, but it is my turn now," said Malcolm.

Arrow

Roy spent every night since Oliver left to face Ra's Al Ghul patrolling Oliver's city for him. He wasn't Arrow, he didn't wear green, and he wasn't as trained as Oliver, but he was Arsenal and did what Oliver taught him to do. On some nights Laurel Lance joined him in her Black Canary costume. Her skills were raw and she needed a lot more training and experience, but there was no way she could be stopped from patrolling the streets with him.

"Roy," came Felicity's voice into his earpiece.

In many ways Oliver's disappearance, his assumed death, hit her harder than it hit the rest of them. Everyone knew she loved Oliver and that he loved her, but everyone also knew that nothing had come of that love because of Oliver's stubbornness.

"Yes, Felicity," he responded.

"Diggle is on the way to wharf district. There is going to be a drug buy there. He'll need your backup," she told him.

"I'm on my way," he said.

Roy started up his motorcycle and sped off to backup Diggle. Felicity had two computers going, one showed any and all cameras from traffic cams to CCTV following Roy and Diggle and the other computer showed the GPS bleep of Roy and Diggle on a street map as they converged on one spot. She watched silently as Diggle and Roy converged on the drug deal. Instead of feeling relieved that her team was about to shut down a major drug buy, sadness enveloped her. She missed Oliver.

I love you.

Those were the last words he said to her the day he left to face Ra's Al Ghul. She never realized how painful those words could become. Tears started to burn at the edge of her eyes.

"Felicity, let Captain Lance know we have a pick up for him," the voice of John Diggle came over her headset.

"Okay, John," she said.

"Arsenal and I are headed back," he stated.

Another successful patrol ended without Oliver. His mission continued, even if he wasn't there. Those tears burned even hotter at the edge of eyes.

"I'll be here waiting for you," she said.

Arrow

Malcolm kept a retreat in near the mountains two hours outside of Starling City. The retreat resembled a Buddhist temple, a place for contemplation and quiet, but also a place for discipline and training. Wearing a Japanese style black Kesa robe, Malcolm gave orders to the monks not to bother him or his quest; he then made his way from the main building to a small quest house. He entered to be greeted by a young woman dressed in a black Shaolin style uniform.

"Mu Tan, how is our guest?" he asked.

"He sleeps, though I expect him to wake soon," she answered.

"Good," he smiled. "You left the Shaolin training uniform for him to wear?"

"Yes, master."

"Good," said Merlyn. "Bring tea to his room."

She disappeared towards the kitchen, as Malcolm slid the door aside and entered Oliver's room. It was a starkly decorated room with only one scroll painting of samurai and ninja adorning the wall. Folded near the futon that Oliver slept on was his training uniform. Malcolm made himself comfortable by sitting on the floor lotus position. He waited for Oliver to wake.

"No," screamed Oliver then he bolted upright into a seated position.

He looked around the room until his eyes rested on a smiling Malcolm Merlyn. If it wasn't for the fact that his body lacked energy and strength, he would have thrown himself at Merlyn.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"You are in one of my retreats. I brought you here after I saved your life," Malcolm stated.

"Saved my life?" questioned Oliver.

"Yes. Ra's Al Ghul had killed you and I brought you back to life. Think, Oliver, remember," prodded Malcolm.

Oliver remembered. He remembered the fight then the sword between his ribs and being kicked off the mountain. He remembered his defeat and death. A shiver went through his body.

"How am I alive?" asked Oliver.

"You live because I know some of the secrets of Ra's Al Ghul and I used them to bring you back from the precipice of death. And now I will train you to defeat Ra's," stated Malcolm.

"No, you will not," said Oliver through gritted teeth.

"Of course, I will," he laughed. "I'm your only chance to defeat Ra's. I watched your battle from afar. You fight with too much anger. To defeat Ra's Al Ghul you must be in complete control."

The door opened and Mu Tan entered carrying a small table with a pot of green tea and two cups on it. She set it down in front of Malcolm then left. He poured Oliver a cup of tea then he got up and brought it over to him. Reluctantly, Oliver took the tea. He smelled it then tasted it.

Malcolm sat back down.

"Drink up. It is a special herbal mix which will help in your regaining your strength," said Malcolm.

"I won't be your pawn to use against Ra's Al Ghul," said Oliver.

Malcolm sipped his tea then smiled.

"Yes, you will," he said. "Remember, Tea killed Sara."

Oliver closed his eyes. Why didn't Malcolm let him die? Why did he bring him back?

"Your death this time merely saved Tea and the city. I need you to defeat Ra's, so that my death sentence is cancelled," said Malcolm. "You have to fight him again in order to cancel my debt to the League and to preserve Tea's life."

"You bastard," growled Oliver.

"I wish to spend more time getting to know my daughter, Oliver. I can't do that if I'm dead," he said then smirked, "or if she's dead."

Malcolm stood up to leave.

"Mu Tan will bring you some food. Rest up today, regain your strength, because tomorrow you start training under my supervision," said Malcolm.