Master Bruce said:
It was a quick ten seconds as Ras struck his sword at Nightwings.
The duel had started earlier than expected,but regardless,Nightwing was doing exceptionally well.
Nightwing shot his arm up,forcing the blade of Ras' sword off his own.
Ra's lunged,again,only this time he went for Nightwing himself.
This was a surprise,as Ra's seemed to avoid hurting Nightwing,since he probably wanted Nightwing alive,if he was going to be Ra's sucessor.
Then again,there was Nyssa.....
The anger was getting to Ra's,and Dick didnt exactly know whether that was good or bad.
Instead of defending himself with his sword,Nightwing dodged the blade,and tripped Ras.If anything,it would buy him some time.
As Ra's fell,Nightwing ran to the nearest wall,and jumping off of it,sent a flying kick to Ra's chest.
Ra's slashed at Nightwings arm,leaving a bloody wound.Not that it was bad.....but it was noticable.
Nightwing was determined to pay him back for it,and over the next few minutes,the two would be dueling all over the room.
Nightwing and Ras were both angry,and tired at the same time,but that didnt stop them.
As the duel went on,Nightwing noticed Ra's wasnt using any of his old moves.
As Robin,Dick had witnessed a duel between Ras and Batman,and studied his moves.......for reference.
But it seemed that wasnt going to help him.
"Why...Arent.....You.....Putting....Any....EFFORT Into...It?"
Nightwing managed to utter this as they were dueling,even though it was hard to say,considering they were both fighting.
Ra's swiped at Nightwings head,and he dodged.
This was his chance.
Gripping the blade tightly,Nightwing spun,and sent a cut to Ra's arm.
Before they could fight once more,Ras began screaming in pain,as if Nightwings cut did anything harmful.
Thats when Nightwing noticed that Ras' arm was.......desinigrating.
Not only that,but it was turning into dust.
"What the f.."
Before Nightwing could address the situation,he was tackled by five or six ninjas.
Ra's held his arm,and stood,still obviously in pain.
"TAKE HIM BACK TO HIS CELL!!!!"
The ninjas dragged Nightwing out of the throne room,and threw him back into his cell.....literally.
What the hell just happened?!?!?
First,Ra's kidnaps him from Gotham,then threatens Gotham,then challenges him to a duel.....and now THIS?
It,quite frankly,didnt make any sense to Dick.
From Ra's new moves,to his arm turning to dust.......this was all very strange.
Finding nothing else to do,Nightwing layed down,and prepared to go to sleep.Its not as if there was anything else he could do....
He'd tried escaping......4 times,and he failed.
He tried contacting Batman,which also failed.
He'd tried getting his weapons back.....which,of course,failed.
Come on,Grayson....think of something.You were trained by BATMAN,for godssake,you can surely escape from a prison cell.Im sure HE could.....
He was thinking all of this to himself....and he began pondering how Batman would get out of a situation like this.
Before he could find a solution,The cell door began to open.
He sat up,expecting an angered Ra's....but instead.....got Ubu.
"What do you want?Have you come to manhandle me into ANOTHER cell?"
Ubus face seemed worried.This was actually the first time Dick had ever seen that kind of expression from him.
"Theres something the master has been keeping from you."
Nightwings eyebrow raised.
This was certainly going to be interesting.......
OOC:Almost to the end.....just a few more posts to go.
And sorry about the short duel,but it was important that I move the story along......considering theres still some more to do.
Nightwing was taken into the throne room once more.....by request.
Ras looked at him.
"Ah,The Detective.You Think You Had Won The Duel,Didnt you?"
Nightwing just stood,silent.
"Well?"
"Stop calling me Detective."
Ras stared at him.
"We've been over this....You dont have a choice in the matter."
"I WOULDNT have a choice.......If Gotham was really in danger."
Ras raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"You never put a bomb under the Clocktower.You nver had access to one.You did this to test me.To see if I truly could be your successor......RAS successor.You were bluffing this whole time."
Ras stood.
"Very Good,Detec..."
"Dont call me that."
Ras frowned.
"I may not have a bomb at my disposal in Gotham City,but you forget......I have hundreds of thousands of ninjas at my disposal."
"Thats the other thing I wanted to mention."
Nightwing stepped closer.
"....You dont."
"What?"
"Ra's Al Ghul was a man that lived for over 600 years.While his actions were....questionable.....He did have a certain code of honor.He led his legue of shadows as a true leader,even if he was evil."
"What is your point?"
Nightwing stepped even closer.
"Your NOT Ras Al Ghul."
Ras raised another eyebrow.
"Dont act surprised.It was a matter of putting the clues together.The way you acted,these tests,you killed Nyssa,you took me instead of Batman.......This wasnt Ras Al Ghul."
Nightwing looked Ras right in the eye.
"The Real.....TRUE Ras Al Ghul would've actually made a bomb,taken it to Gotham,hid it under the Clocktower,and taken BATMAN....not me.Because Batman was one of a kind.He was the only one worty of Ras throne.Ras wouldnt've just handed it over to the next person in line......thats where you failed."
Ras eyes widened slightly.Nightwing smiled.
"The real clue was when I cut your arm.It turned to dust.If Ras WAS alive,he would've been completley restored by the Lazurus Pit.But not you...."
Nightwing smirked.
"...
Clayface."
Ras/Clayface looked up at him.And instead of getting mad...He smiled.
"Very good,Nightwing.Very..........VERY Good."
Ras body slowly melted,into Clayfaces true form.He was exposed for the monster he truly was.
"Give it up,Clayface.Its over........I won."
"HAHAHAHAHA....You think so?!?!?!?Well,Birdy Boy,YOUR WRONG.You see,You've only learned......HALF....Of The truth."
Nightwing raised an eyebrow.
"You see....Im not ALL of Clayface.Im only about a fourth of em......The rest a me is still in Gotham."
"Why?Why take over Ra's Al Ghuls empire?Why kidnap ME?"
Clayface smiled.
"Because I needed to make the performance believable.I studied up on The Demons Head once I came up with this BRILLIANT sceme."
"Brilliance is hardly a word I'd associate with you..."
"Laugh it up,Wing.Even YOU were surprised when you heard about it from Ubu."
Nightwings eyes widened.
"You knew about that?"
"Of course.You see,I have these little bits of clay residue all over the castle....watching....listening.....to anything and everything that goes on in here.By the way...I LOVED your little pathetic attempts at calling Batman.You seem to forget we're about 200,000 miles from Gotham City,give or take...."
"That still doesnt explain why you kidnapped me."
"I did it because Batman would be less of a threat to me.He,for sure,would make his way through The League Of Shadows.....and then to me.But you,however,I didnt expect.So,I kidannped you with this ole offer,and then sent you through a bunch of these tests.....Hoping to kill you in the process,but I must say....You did better than I expected."
"Why Ras Al Ghul?What was so special about him?"
"What're you,nuts?Money and power.Ra's Al Ghul controls a friggin ARMY of ninjas,and hes got a fortune that could rival Bruce Waynes....."
Clayface looked at Nightwing,with an evil smile.
"....Or should I say,Batman's?"
Nightwings eyes widnened.
"How did y..."
"When I took on this role,I got more than Ras Al Ghuls empire.......I got his secrets.Oh,and I know alot more than that.I know about Tim Drake,Barbara Gordon,Jean Paul Valley.....and Dick Grayson."
Nightwing frowned.
"So....You know everything,basically.Right?"
"Yep.And,to boot,I get to keep all that....AND the money."
"Not If I Stop You."
Nightwing lunged forward as Clayface started to form a weapon for his hand.
The final test was about to start.
OOC

ne more post,and I should be on my way back to Gotham....