Chapter 19: The New League and the Pen
The shadows in Starling City had deepened, and a new, ancient threat had emerged. Ra's al Ghul. The Demon's Head. The leader of the League of Assassins. Arrow S03E09: "The Climb." Adam knew this was Oliver's ultimate test, a confrontation that would push him to his absolute limits. And he was going to be there, armed with his wit and his trusty Pen of Creation.
The team's first direct confrontation with Ra's was, predictably, a disaster. Oliver, for all his training, was outmatched. Ra's was a whirlwind of lethal precision, his movements fluid and deadly. Adam watched from a safe distance, his heart pounding.
"Okay, Adam, this is bad. Really bad. Ra's al Ghul is not messing around. Oliver's about to get his butt handed to him on a silver platter. Time for a little creative intervention. And by 'creative,' I mean 'drawing something ridiculous that will hopefully distract a centuries-old assassin'."
Oliver was on the defensive, barely parrying Ra's's relentless attacks. He was bleeding, exhausted, and clearly out of his depth. Adam quickly pulled out his Pen of Creation.
"System, I need a distraction. Something that will make Ra's al Ghul pause. Something that will give Oliver a crucial second to escape. Make it look like a very convincing, very dangerous booby trap," Adam whispered, his fingers flying across the Pen's interface.
[PEN OF CREATION USED. COST: 50 NON-PLP (DETAILED, LIFE-LIKE IMAGE).]
"Fifty LP for a fake booby trap? That's a small price to pay for Oliver's life. Plus, it'll be hilarious to watch Ra's fall for it. The Demon's Head, outsmarted by a drawing. Classic."
He quickly sketched a detailed, life-like image on a nearby pillar: a pressure plate, connected to a series of tripwires, leading to what appeared to be a cluster of highly unstable explosives. It looked incredibly real, almost three-dimensional.
Ra's al Ghul, mid-strike, suddenly paused. His eyes, sharp and calculating, flickered to the pillar. He saw the intricate network of wires, the ominous pressure plate, the glint of what appeared to be C4. He was a master strategist, and he wouldn't fall for a simple trap. But this... this looked genuinely dangerous. He hesitated, his movements slowing, his analytical mind assessing the perceived threat.
That second of hesitation was all Oliver needed. He seized the opportunity, rolling away, creating distance between himself and the lethal assassin.
Ra's, realizing he had been tricked, let out a low growl of frustration. He looked at the pillar, then at Adam, who was now casually putting his Pen away, a look of innocent bewilderment on his face.
"What... what was that?" Oliver gasped, clutching his side.
"Just a little... architectural anomaly, Oliver," Adam said, shrugging. "Sometimes, buildings just decide to sprout booby traps. It's a Starling City thing. Very common. You should really get that checked out."
Ra's, seeing Oliver escape, decided to retreat, disappearing into the shadows. He had been outsmarted, not by strength or skill, but by a trick. A very, very clever trick.
Oliver (POV): He had no idea what Adam had done. One moment, Ra's was about to end him, the next, the ancient assassin was distracted by something on the wall. Adam was a chaos agent, a walking, talking enigma. He didn't understand him, he didn't trust him, but he couldn't deny that Adam had just saved his life. Again. It was infuriating.
Back in the Arrowcave, Oliver was still shaken, but alive. He looked at Adam, a new, grudging respect in his eyes. "You distracted him. How?"
"Trade secret, Oliver. Involves a lot of imagination and a little bit of magic," Adam said, winking. "Let's just say I have a knack for making things appear out of thin air. Especially when it involves saving your perpetually endangered life."
[MISSION COMPLETE: THE CLIMB. REWARD: 300 NON-PLP.]
"Three hundred LP for outsmarting Ra's al Ghul with a drawing? This System is truly amazing. I'm basically a professional trickster, but with superpowers. And a really good pen."
Adam grinned. He had faced down one of the most dangerous men in the world, and he had done it with a pen and a healthy dose of sarcasm. Oliver was alive, the city was safe (for now), and Adam's LP balance was looking healthier than ever. Life was good. And gloriously chaotic.
System Status After Chapter: Non-PLP: 600. PLP: 5.
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