Fan Fiction: Crossovers
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  Batman and Ra's al Ghul locked eyes. For a moment they stood several feet apart in silent motionlessness as they stared at each other. Ra's spoke, "Detective, again I give you my admiration. I am surprised that you have made it this far. For a man who has only lived one lifetime you are truly remarkable." Ra's waited for a reply but Batman said nothing. Ra's spoke again, "You are simply delaying the inevitable, detective. I have let you escape with your life in our past encounters due to my daughter's affinity towards you. Now that I have nearly attained my goal I will not extend you that courtesy." Ra's again waited for a reply but Batman remained silent. Ra's voice grew to a fevered pitch, "I will reach Shambala! Even if you defeat me, you do have the fortitude to slay me. Eventually you will grow old while I will remain young and vigorous! You will wither and die while I will live forever! Who will oppose me then detective?! Who?!" Batman's only response was to shift his body into a defensive stance. Ra's regained his composure and spoke in a mild tone, "I see. I have always thought that the fate of mankind should be decided in personal combat. You see yourself as a hero, but it is I who shall bring the earth back to a peaceful coexistence with mankind. I am the hero detective. You are an idealistic fool."

  "You're no hero Ra's," Batman replied, "You're a coward. You've been having me fight your battles for you all along. You sent Zorro after me, and let me battle the giant. Where was your grandiose sense of the honor of personal combat then?" Ra's laughed and said, "Zorro was but a nuisance unworthy of my personal attention. His only purpose was to draw you into my grand play. As for the giant, I was aware that simply defeating him in combat would be insufficient. Whoever bested him also needed to show mercy towards him. I knew that such an act would be against my nature. You on the other hand would stop at no lengths to save a life. Even if the person's life you were saving had just tried to destroy you. Whether you defeated the giant or not was irrelevant. I only needed you to engage him long enough for me to slip by the guards of the inner portal. But alas the time for discussion is over. Let me prove to you my skill as a warrior." Ra's shifted his body into a fighting stance.

  For a moment they both held their stances. They looked like two statues facing each other. After a long moment, Ra's threw a left jab at Batman's head. Batman brushed the strike aside with his left forearm and threw a right jab back at Ra's. Ra's deflected the blow in kind. Batman quickly followed with a left jab. Ra's ducked under the blow and fired an uppercut at Batman's chin. Batman pulled his head back and stepped back, dodging Ra's fist. He then hit Ra's in the abdomen with a snap kick doubling him over. As Ra's was bent over, Batman brought his right leg crashing across Ra's face with a windmill kick. Stepping forward, Batman struck Ra's with a right jab and followed it with a left jab. Each blow sent Ra's head snapping backwards. Batman threw another snap kick at Ra's midsection. Ra's managed to twist around the blow and catch Batman's leg. Holding the Dark Knight's leg, Ra's hit Batman's jaw with a thunderous roundhouse punch.

  Still holding on to Batman's leg, Ra's pulled his arm back to deliver a second roundhouse. As Ra's threw his punch, Batman brought his forearm across his body to deflect the blow from his face. He then shifted his forearm and sent his elbow smashing into Ra's cheek. Ra's head turned sideways as the elbow struck him, causing him to drop Batman's leg. Batman threw a right sidekick at Ra's. Ra's crossed his arms in X shape bringing them up to block Batman's kick. As Ra's blocked the kick, he stepped forward and swept Batman's other leg. Batman fell to the ground rolling onto his hip. Ra's stood above Batman. Batman quickly brought his leg sweeping around Ra's legs into the back of his knees. The move forced Ra's knees to buckle causing him to land in a kneeling position next to Batman. From the ground, Batman struck Ra's with a right uppercut to the jaw. Ra's jaw snapped shut, lacerating his tongue. Batman rolled onto his side and hit Ra's with a roundhouse punch to the ribs. Ra's entire body trembled at the force of the blow. Ra's steadied himself and sent a right jab across Batman's face. Ra's then rolled backwards putting some distance between himself and Batman. From a tunnel above, a dark figure watched the battle.

  The two warriors rose to their feet. Ra's turned his head and spit a mouthful of blood into the abyss. Again, the two warriors held their defensive stances in motionless perfection, each waiting for the other to make his move. Batman stepped forward directing a roundhouse kick at Ra's head. Ra's threw his arm out to block the blow, twisted his body, and sent a side kick at Batman. Batman pushed the kick aside and threw his heel at Ra's in a hook kick. Ra's ducked under the blow and launched at snap kick at Batman's midsection. Throwing his left hand down, Batman blocked Ra's kick. He then stepped forward landing a right jab into Ra's face. Batman brought his left fist around in a roundhouse punch. As Ra's lifted his right arm to block the punch, Batman used his right hand to hit Ra's in the nose with back fist strike. Ra's staggered backwards from the blow. Ra's glared at Batman in anger as blood poured from his mouth and nose. He shouted, "You shall not keep me from destiny!"

  Ra's charged throwing punches and kicks at Batman. Batman managed to block each strike but Ra's was slowly forcing him backwards towards the portal. Ra's threw a roundhouse punch that Batman managed to catch. Holding onto Ra's arm with his left hand, he grabbed Ra's by the lapels with his right hand. He then pulled his back leg towards himself and sent Ra's flipping into the air. As Ra's was in the air, the talisman flew off his neck and towards the portal. Ra's came crashing down on his stomach. Ra's pulled his head up from the ground to see the talisman fall into the portal. There was a blinding flash of white light and then the portal was gone. In its place was a stone wall. Ra's stood and screamed, "NOOOOOOO! The Talisman of Cortez was the last key to Shambala! It is lost to me forever!"

  Batman looked at his adversary, "It's over Ra's."

  Ra's was staring at where the portal once was when a he heard a loud scream from above him. "DEATH TO THE DEMON!" He turned his head over his shoulder to see Zorro jumping at him with his machete raised above his head. Zorro came crashing down into Ra's driving his machete through Ra's shoulder blade and out of his chest. To Batman, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. As the blade emerged from Ra's chest, his head titled sideways and his eyes rolled towards Batman. The force of Zorro's blow knocked both himself and Ra's off the bridge and into the dark abyss. Drawing a tethered batarang from his belt Batman threw it at the two men, trying to catch them. The batarang fell inches short of wrapping around Ra's leg. He watched as the two men disappeared into the darkness.

  Batman turned and began to walk back out of the tunnel.