II

His daughter did it. She brought him the Reaper of Redcoats. Only the man he saw before him differed from the one in Ra's memory. This man was not a warrior, he was even better, an assassin. And all of what made him dangerous before seemed to be even more pronounced now. He was bigger, stronger. His walk even more controlled, a sign of further training. No doubt time served to temper his strengths. Yet, as Karr once said, 'the more things change, the more they stay the same.'

"You're wearing the same outfit from your colonial days, Lukas? I hope you at least washed it."

"What do you want, Ra's?" Lukas growled as soon as they were alone. It seems time didn't temper his ability to forgive. The glare he was leveling from across the desk was one that could paralyze a lesser man.

"Come, Lukas, we are associates, are we not? Why the hostility?"

"You were the tool of my enemies. That doesn't exactly make us friends."

"But, what better way is there to know a man than to cross blades, or in your case claws, with him? In fact, I think we shared a certain camaraderie."

"Answer the question, Ra's. I only came out of respect for you. That respect is dwindling with each second you dawdle."

Sighing at his abrasiveness, Ra's agreed. "I want you to join my organization."

"I know that," Lukas snarled, "Why? What plans do you have?"

"My plans are only to help guide the world to a better future. I've recently joined a group, one dedicated to leading humanity to evolve. They're called the Light. I can get you into them," he tempted, "if you join the League of Shadows and become my heir."

"Why should I care about joining either of these groups, Ra's?"

"Because my fellow immortal, you and I both know you didn't take part in every war America has had because you enjoy killing. We have similar dreams, Lukas, that's why we respect each other. I'm offering you a real, tangible way to make a difference. To help the world more in a year than you have the past two hundred. Are you telling me you're not interested?"

"I'm interested," Lukas admitted, "What's the price?"

"To be my heir, earn the shadow's loyalty and agree to marry my daughter. To join the Light, that will be harder." He paused for a moment, trying to make the news more potable. "Vandal Savage is the leader. You know of his hate for you. Even so," He added, "If you show your loyalty to the League and myself, I'm sure he'll ignore your past conflicts and accept your membership. So, what is your decision?"

It was a while before Lukas responded, yet he did, "I need to take care of some loose ends, but yeah, I agree to be your heir," he said.

Smiling like the cat that got the canary, Ra's entreated him to hurry with his business, but not to take too long. The world was changing, with or without him.

It wasn't even a moment after he left, though, that Ra's received another visitor, his daughter.

"He agreed?" She asked.

"Yes, my dear. He is going to be your new beloved."

"But what about Belo- what about Bruce?" She panicked.

"What about him, Talia? He rejected my offer, many times. He rejected me, and he rejected you. Now, since I care for you, Daughter, I'll give you one more chance to get him to join us. But, after that, I want you to give up your petty infatuation with him and get Lukas to love you. He's already accepted my offer. I won't have you ruining it because you want to behave like a lovesick puppy."

"Why is this man so important, Father? What makes him better than Bruce?"

"You admire the Bat because of his resolve, as do I, but you haven't seen the ruthless determination of that man. Lukas isn't dangerous because of his powers, or his mind, it's because he won't stop to get what he wants no matter what stands in his way. During the American Revolution, Lukas was my enemy and Vandal Savage was my ally. Savage and I had both had prior scuffles with the young Lukas, but neither of us could finish it because of other business. That is, until he attracted the higher-up's attention. The British sent us to stop him from assassinating any more of their leaders, and so we went, Savage the unkillable and me the untouchable. We found Lukas at a campsite, leaning over a fire pit, where we thought we caught him unaware. We were wrong. As soon as we entered the clearing, in seconds, the place clapped and got engulfed in smoke. I of course retreated, with my sight, smell and hearing impeded, I was at a disadvantage. Savage didn't. I don't know everything about their fight, but when the smoke cleared, I saw Savage on his knees with three bloody gashes on his face, and where his skin should have been, I saw molten metal. Lukas, though, was looking down at Savage, holding his throat with one hand, and on the other, he had three claws popping out from the back, all dripping with melted metal. This man, Talia, placed molten metal on his body, onto his bones, to hurt Savage. And I'll never forget what he said to Savage either. He asked him if Savage believed in god. Savage denied him an answer, trying to maintain some dignity. It was only after several punches from Lukas to his gashes that he replied no. Lukas put his claws right on Savage's forehead and said, 'If you don't believe in God, believe in me! Stay out of my war! If I see you again, you won't need a reminder of what happens when you cross me, you'll be that reminder!' Lukas isn't a man, Talia, he's a predator. I will give you a chance to tempt Bruce to our side, but we both know what his decision is going to be. Now go, follow your heart, but be back in time to welcome Lukas to his new family."

Talia didn't respond, and Ra's didn't ask her to, she merely exited the room. But she got his message. She understood Bruce lost his chance. Ra's found the heir he spent years looking for. Bruce might have been who he settled for, but to him, Talia was always destined to be Lukas's. His legacy was finally coming together and there was nothing anybody could do that would ruin it.