The church bells echoed amongst town square, chiming over the crowed that inhabited the area. Yelling and hissing as the be-heading commenced. Her beating heart thumped louder than the drums that issued the beginning of her end. As one man stepped closer to the shimmering blade, another man fell. Blood pooling on the floorboards as the man's lifeless body was taken to the carts. Where all the other corpses lay as the black hear ted men continued their blood bath.
He made a promise to protect her with his life. She vowed to do the same. Now she bowed her head, hands tied, cloak covering her face, stepping closer as another man fell. He said he'll be here to stop this, to stop the end of their deaths. Now she see's that her life is at risk. The enemy of her ally nowhere to be seen. Not in sight as she walked over the blood stained floor boards. A few more steps and her heart fell into her stomach. Fear dwelling as she tried to grasp a bit of hope on him. He has to be here. He has to.
The blade was being hoisted back up the top of the mast. Her life on the line as the soldiers took her closer to the end. The crowd's echoes jolted to a stop as murmurs began. Gasping as a soldier fell with a thump. A knife embedded on his throat. She turned to have a look at the crowd when she found him. Red rose petals fell from a woman's basket as he emerged from the crowd. Fear cascading over them as they moved back from the mysterious man that killed the soldier. He didn't abandon her; he made his promise just like he said.
A few more attacked, but with the skills of an assassin he held them off. She released a relieved sigh that she did not know she had. Her fear replaced by hope quickly. The soldier that held her captive moved towards the assassin, leaving her alone on the platform with the chief in command. Each soldier fell to the ground like rain drops, blood staining the floor with the crowd in shock. It brought the assassin closer to the chief in command as he unsheathed a blade from his wrist. Lunging it on the man's neck as he too fell. The crowd cried with fear, only she relaxed with the realization that he kept his promise.
The assassin turned around to face her, the prisoner, and his face hidden from the hood he wore. Only his lips shown as they curled up in a smirk. She looked down at her hands, motioning him to cut them off. His smirk vanished as soon as he sliced the rope that held her hands captive.
"Arno" She greeted, massaging her wrists.
The crowed looked at the pair, not knowing what to make of these sudden events. The crowd's ignorance of two hidden creeds stood right in front of them. An assassin and a Templar standing side by side, but for what purpose? The crowd wouldn't know that both plan for something far greater that their enemies would keep them at bay. They couldn't inspect further when more soldiers came from the oblivion. Moving the crowed back, the soldiers surrounded the assassin and the Templar. The pair analyzing their next move. The assassin took a sword laying next to his feet as he handed it to her.
"Elise," he said, "We don't have much time."
She quickly grabbed the sword from his hands, taking blissful movements as a skilled Templar. Her coordination as skilled as any other assassin. Arno and Elise stood side by side, aware of their moves as their enemies came close.
"Then we should make the most of it." Elise implied, she heard Arno chuckled as the soldiers moved cautiously towards them.
"I'll stand with you." He said, swords in hand and with little outcome of coming out of this mess alive.
"Together." Elise breathed, looking into his brown eyes, assuring him every step of the way to come out alive. The future is an odd thing, much less destiny. With enough courage and skill Arno and Elise fought. Protecting one another from harm.
By now there was not a man or woman in sight to see the battle. There seems to be more blood from the soldiers than there were of cuts and bruises of the pair. Acting on with the strength and remorse. None can compare with the etiquette they have. Only nothing lasts forever, as they faded into despair.
She heard Arno groan in pain as a gagging cut crossed his arm. She quickly went on to help him, taking the soldier off balance as she sliced his throat. Arno nodded his head in appreciation when they stood side by side, attacking their enemies for as long as they can put out. Evidently the flame always fades with the wind. Her muscles tensed the more she used the sword for protection.
With a simple calling, Arno whistled seconds later, darts flying in an odd direction. Taking the soldiers off balance as the darts stuck on their skin. No longer did she have to put up with the soldiers, huffing from exhaustion she furrowed her eyebrows at Arno. Elise puzzled by the sudden turn of events. He looked up at the rooftops just up yonder. She followed his gaze, meeting a few more assassins gliding down to the building. Elise placed the sword back on the holster.
"You could have done that earlier." She admitted, weary with exhaustion. However Arno did not bat a sweat, looking like if he is ready for his next opponent. Always one with a backup plan, never backing down from a fight, she thought. When the assassins landed on the streets, Arno embraced them with open arms. Shacking their hands in gratitude as Elise analyzed his brotherhood with the four strangers.
"We got what we came here for." an assassin said out of breath.
"Come, we should go before more of them follow." another said.
If these assassins were with Arno, Elise saw no problem following. Arno guided her along the path they took. Through narrow paths and foul streets. The clouds turned an awful gray color. Elise noticed as she pulled up her hood, tiny rain droplets began to fall as they ran in silence. They took her in unfamiliar paths the more they distanced themselves from the center of the city. Everything was beginning to look different. The streets were that of the poorer districts.
She understood well that to hide in plain sight was to stay in the most unexpected places to be. Elise didn't complain, the apartments looked filthy from the outside. Not a soldier or civilians would think twice of going in. Upon entering it was like waking up in a daze. It was clean with enough room to walk in. The Assassins secured the place before paying attention to their new addition.
"What is your name Madame?" The green hooded man asked.
"Elise, Elise de la Serre." She replied.
From here it was the beginning of a promising route to freedom for the people and the unity of the rivalries.