Joining The Creed

Part 2: A New Day

I awoke with my hands tied behind my back, there wasn't anything I could do. I didn't know how I got there. And then I remembered, all of it, back to when everything started. You may have realized by know there was something going on. The thing you don't know is that I was the meaning of it.

Before:

I was horsing around one day. Like I always do, when something caught my eye. I was in the park that day and somebody was standing on the other side of the playground. I stared at them, not knowing what to do, I jumped out of the swing I was sitting on and yelled at them.

"Hey! Are you gonna stand there and watch me all day, like a stalker, or leave? Cause you're creeping me out," I said. "Asshole." I turned away from him and said that under my breathe.

I only wish I had been more careful with my choice of words. Because when I turned back around he was standing right in front of me with a knife in his hand. And he said something that I'll never forget, even if I live to see ninety.

"I think you're a little bit disrespectful, boy...and another thing you need to watch your back around these parts. Never turn away from a stranger. For me I'm a Templar, so if you've got something else to say...Say it!"

He said it in a hushed voice, as if he didn't want anybody to hear it but me and him. It really creeped me out though, and that's another reason why I want to kill the Templars. Because of the fear they cast over the land.

After:

The Assassins walked in and relieved me of my position, which was very awkward. The position was awkward, not the moment, but still yet, they relieved me and took me to the waterfall area. This was all deep underground and I knew nobody could hear me if I screamed. So, it was better to just accept the fate I was given. I could hear talking in the background, it was the man before.

"Alerio, you know what happens between the Brotherhood and your family. We can't take it easy on your son."

"I know, but can you at least give them a test, to see if they are worthy of our training?"

"Alerio…They are Templars. We cannot do it, if we do and they escape, we could die from your mistake."

"Come on, they're boys, do you really think they could possibly know how to do that?"

I knew this was either life or...death. And quite frankly, I didn't wish to die at such a young age. So I spoke up.

"Uh...excuse me? I have nothing to do with the Templars. I don't even agree with their ways. At least give us a chance to show you how much we worship the Creed."

The man whom wore the black Creed jacket, which clearly showed he knew his way around. Because the black jackets originated as pirates and was taught that way, so I knew he was some sort of sailor. Anyways, he told me this-

"Look, if you really do worship our kind, then the test we give you will prove it. If you fail, then you die. Do you accept?"

I looked at the man, "I accept."

"Well, that's the first step, of the test, the acceptance. You prove to us that you have the courage that you will follow our orders and that you shall obey me."

Alerio filled in and said, "You display courage, Evan, continue."

"Your next test is, if you have the strength to kill a Templar."

Alerio seemed surprised by this, "Aetius, he is a boy, you cannot expect him to-"

He didn't have time to finish his sentence, I cut him off-

"No! Alerio, sir. I want to kill a Templar. Do you have a prisoner of some sort?"

Aetius, the man in the black jacket said, "Boys! Release this child, at once." They let go of my arms and backed away fast. "Now go get one of the Templars from the dungeon. Now!"

Alerio, spoke out-

"Aetius! No! He's a boy! Do not do this!"

"Silence Alerio! The boy has chosen this man's fate."

"Yes, sir."

They brung out a man. He was tall, had a shaggy beard, and brown boots on. He was at least in his mid 30's. This man looked a lot older than what he really was though. I have a really good perspective and argument when it comes to predicting what they're like, and how old they are.

Anyhow, this man was a Templar. He had a tattoo of the Templar symbol on his left arm, and a Templar symbol necklace. He had on one more piece of clothing...A rag over his genital area. So that you couldn't see what was hiding between his legs.

Aetius, the sailor, trained Assassin handed me a knife.

he told me this, "It's his life or yours."

I knew that he spoke the truth, and I wanted the Templar to know what happens when you kill innocents, and destroy villages. He must pay. But, I gave him one chance to tell me his final words.

"Anything to say before I make you pay for what you've done in the past?"

"Only a few. One is, once you thrust that blade into me and kill me...your innocence is over. Two, you can never change the past. Three, our ancestors did that to others, not us. So if you have the guts to end a man's life, forever...Then that's fine and dandy to me."

I didn't notice at first, but I knew this man. It was the one from the park, before all of this happened. A rage came over me that I've never felt before. A rage that made you feel no pain, made you feel no guilt. I pulled the blade into the air.

"I've the guts of a warrior! And you and your kind shall pay for what they've done!"

The blade falls, and sure enough it goes right into his head. The Templar was gone.

There was a moment of silence in that cave. I never noticed Toby standing in the corner watching what I did, but now I did. He had watched his best friend kill someone, out of a personal vengeance. Not for justice, a personal vengeance. The revenge was sweet. Toby didn't think so as much.

"Jesus Christ man, you must have been pissed."

Alerio went to correct his son by not saying that word and that it was forbidden. But Aetius had different plans. He gave Alerio a look, and he seemed to stand down at the glance of it.

The look didn't seem intimidating to me, but maybe it was something about being in the Creed. I don't know. However, Toby looked at Aetius-

"I suppose it's my turn?"

Alerio didn't want blood spilt on his son's hands before he died, so he stood up for himself.-

"No, Aetius! This is not the first time my family has come into this sort of thing. I won't let my son kill the other Templar!"

"Alerio! You do as I say! Not as what you think you should do, and with that said, your son does what I say too! You no longer choose what is best for him. I do!"

That must have sent off a nerve or something in Alerio, because he unsheathed his hidden blade. Aethius did the same. They ran towards each other blades at their sides. The battle was on when Alerio jumped and kicked Aetius in the chest. He did a complete backflip and landed on his feet. He ran at him again, but this time succeeded in the blade transfer. The blade cut through Alerio's shoulder.

"Dad!" screamed Toby.

I looked at him and he knew he couldn't do nothing to save his father. Meanwhile, the battle raged on, and Aetius kicked Alerio in the back, causing him to fall to his stomach. Toby was heartbroken. He had seen his father fall, this was a time that Toby knew who the Alpha was. You did not disobey Aethius, or you would fall as well.

"Uhg, what happened?"

Aethius turned to see his fallen comrade struggling, in need of help. He simply walks over to him and pushes him back down with the heel of his boot.

"Alerio, my friend, you chose to disobey me yet again. And if this nonsense doesn't stop...I will end you right in front of everybody. Even your son. Do you understand me?"

Alerio, barely able to speak says, "Yes, sir."

"Very well! Assassins grab the other Templar, bring him here now!"

The men rushed away and within a few seconds they were back with the other one. They placed him with his back turned to his partner, who now lay in a pool of blood behind him.

Toby stepped forward. "Sir, I'm ready to perform my duties as an Assassin."

"I like your courage and respect, you are unlike your father."

Aethius handed Toby the knife. Toby looked the Templar in the eyes while he did it, like a stone-cold killer would. That Templar sure got the message to never mess with the Creed ever again. But shortly after the message was sent Toby slammed the knife down into the man's skull.

Toby had no feelings at that point. I could tell that he felt the same way as I when I did my duty.

"Very nice job boys, the test is almost over. Only one more unit to cover."

I knew what it was before he even told us, and I got the same feeling that Toby did too.

"The leap of faith, is one of the most important part of an Assassin's career. If you do this incorrectly, you will surely be dead. I will start you off with a dangerous one...One hundred feet above you is a wooden post sticking out of the wall about, oh I say, 4 feet. You jump off that into the haystack below you and you will be recruited."

Toby and I looked at each other and figured we had put our fate into God's hands before, why not again.

When Toby and I got to the top of the jumping point, we knew there was no turning back. I would go first. I balanced my way to the end of the post. I stayed there for a couple of seconds, praying I didn't die, then I jumped.

The next thing I knew, I was back on the ground where everything was safe. I looked up and seen Toby up there now. He stood on the edge of the post like I did. He had his eyes closed. He jumped after the next couple of seconds. He spread his arms like wings and did a frontflip to where he would land on his back. SMACK! I got worried for a second, then Toby jumped up out of the hay pile.

"Wow! What a rush!"

I heard a groan come from the corner and looked to find Toby's father, Alerio curled up into a ball. The blood from his shoulder was leaking out now. I could tell nobody was to help him, but I didn't let him set there and suffer, I couldn't. I grabbed some gunpowder from a shelf and walked over to him.

"What are you doing to him?" Toby said.

"Just patching him up."

Luckily, it wasn't a very deep wound or the gunpowder wouldn't have sealed it up. But like I said luckily, it wasn't deep. Toby came over to check on his dad and to make sure everything was alright. Sure enough it was. I helped the wound heal, and saved a life, but yet ending one anyways.

"To your barracks boys!" yelled Aetius.

"Yes sir!" Toby and I said simultaneously.

We rushed of to the room all the way down the hall and to the left. That is where we found a bunk-bed, fresh training clothes and our very own hidden blades. I ran straight for the hidden blade that layed on my side.

"Do not touch that yet!" screamed Aetius. "In time I will teach you how to wield that thing. But for now you sleep. I will wake you in the morning when it is time to train. If you need anything during the night, or time you are here you come to the guards or me. My room is right across the hall from yours. I will see you in the morning and goodnight."

I looked at Toby. "Well bro, how do you like that did three things today that Assassins do almost on a day-to-day basis.

"How did you feel when you killed that Templar?"

"Well, Toby, I felt anger, rage, whatever you wanna call it."

"Yeah, me too. I don't think I can explain it."

"Well then, don't. Go to sleep and maybe you'll find the words you're looking for in the morning."

"Okay."

We both climbed into our bunks and settled in when Toby said, "Tomorrow is a new day, and today will be the past. All the things in the universe could happen tomorrow, and we'd never know until then. So when you feel pain, Evan, just know that it'll be over soon enough."

Words of a wise-man right there. I'd never heard Toby talk that way before, and it was weird, but the words were wise.