Voices carried themselves throughout the streets of Damascus like the wind carried birds. Many merchants yelled about fine wares, good bargains, and unique objects. Many people talked simply about their daily lives. Many soldiers walked the streets. Then a scream pierced through the air, breaking my concentration. 'Dammit…' I thought, looking down below me. Four soldiers had surrounded a middle-aged woman, and were accusing her of thievery. "I hate you…" I say to no one in particular, other than myself and my creed, before jumping down, my white cloak flowing around me as the air picked it up. Two men looked up at me a second too late, and both had throwing daggers embedded in their necks. The other two had stopped harassing the woman, who then ran off, sobbing slightly.

"Looks like you don't want to live anymore child. Just close your eyes so that it will be easier for you." One said, drawing his sword. The other picked a spear off of his shoulder, and pointed it right at my neck. They know what I am. I can tell by their eyes. Both are shaking with courage and hope. Hope to have killed one of the infamous Assassin Order. It would be very prestigious for them. I flashed out of these thoughts as the sword-wielding man tried to slash at me. I twisted my body so that I was looking sideways at them then the sword flew harmlessly to my right, and hit the ground. I scowled at them.

"Untrained soldiers are a waste." I say, confusing them. The spear-man takes a jab at me, but I duck, and grab the polearm from his hands, and throw it away. The swordsman was about to come back at me after regaining his balance, but I stuck my hand out right when he came within range.

The cold hiss of a blade exiting its container rang through the air as Virtue pierced into the man's face, killing him on impact. The other man looked on in fear as I wipe the swordsman's blood onto his own garments. The Spear-wielder then ran, screaming for help from other guards. I sigh, letting an aggravated noise come from me as citizens ran away from the battle scene. I flick my fifth finger, and Virtue slides back into its mechanism.

Turning around, I quickly scan the wall in front of me, and soon figure out the quickest and most effective route to climb up it. I sprint forwards, and begin to scale the wall, grabbing onto little cracks and windowsills as I do so. Once at the top, I feel slightly lighter. I realize that I just dropped all of my throwing knives while I climbed. Dammit! I forgot to close my pouch again. Master Altair will be very disappointed. My eyes widen as I look at the sun. 'Dammit…' That seems to be my word of the day.

/-\\\\\\\\\ (Third Person, Masyaf)

Altair looked up at the returning assassin, before looking back to the carrier pigeon's message. "You were late because of saving a woman? That is excusable. Losing all of your knives however, is not. You're being sent to Acre to pick up your new knives anyways. And your personal daggers. Can't forget about those, now can we?" Grand Master Altair said, before standing and looking at the somewhat shorter than him assassin. "Yes sir." The male spoke in a voice that suggested having just finished puberty.

The male stepped forward as if to say something, but hesitated. "Speak, Zephyr." Altair said, looking into the younger males eyes. "Two subjects that I need to address. The first, being my namesake, the second being Maria." Altair seemed to stumble for a moment at the second subject, but nodded.

"Sometimes I feel the wind before it comes. Sometimes it aids me. What do I do to fully harness it?" Zephyr said, waving his hand back and forth right before an unnatural breeze rolled through. "Zephyr…You are a special case. I don't know why the Orb of Gales chose you. I cannot help you. Let it come naturally."

Zephyr nodded, and pulled his own hood down, revealing grey eyes and black, matted hair. "Maria says she will be here in two days with your son." Zephyr says in a hushed tone. Altair nodded, and bowed. "You're the only one I can trust with matters such as this. Thank you so much." Zephyr grimaced slightly. "Don't bow to me Grand Master. I know some of our brothers are not truly brothers. They fall into the illusion of power and greed, fools as they may be, they are doing what they think is best."

The teen turned, and jumped to the lower story. Altair sighed. "Zephyr, true control means total peace with your own emotions. Are you ready for that?"

/-\\\\\\\\\ (Zephyr's POV)

I exited the Assassin's Stronghold, and walked down into the town of Masyaf, looking around the peaceful town. I felt the wind go by me gently, but my hair stayed still due to my hood. I think idly about how I'm the only assassin that doesn't shave their heads, before walking towards the front of the village. I nod to the guards around, them nodding back. We are all comrades here. Every one of us has fought alongside one another against the Templars.

My body then got considerably heavier, and I felt two arms wrap around my neck as a small amount of force pushed into my back. "What now Zearhok?" I ask my little friend, who got off of me and smirked. "I got you! I'm better than you!" He said, doing a small dance. A nearby guard chuckled. "No Zearhok, you're still learning. But you are getting better. I have to go to Acre. You can't come this time; I'm just getting some weapons." I explain to the twelve year old that walked beside me.

"That's not fair. I want to go and finally get my Virtue." The boy said. I chuckled, and say "You'll be getting yours within the week. Then you can come help me out, alright?" He nods at me, before running off and climbing a nearby building. I look to the exit, and smirk, running over to it, and soon jumping onto my black mare named Nightwind. Nightwind neighed and kicked once before speeding off towards the path to Acre.

/-\\\\\\\\\ (Third Person, Acre Assassin Hideout)

Zephyr jumped down into the Bureau, landing softly on the balls of his feet. He looked around, his grey eyes scanning for anyone in the room. None were here, but he could hear the Rafiq's breathing through the doorway. Zephyr stepped towards it, and entered the room. The Rafiq looked up, and nodded at him, before speaking a greeting. "Greetings, brother Zephyr. Has the wind brought you here on a whim, or are you here for your arsenal?" The man asked, looking at Zephyr's empty knife pouch.

The younger nodded, and laid the pouch out, and put his old daggers. "Thank you Rafiq. I don't know what I would do without my long-daggers." He nods in thanks as the Rafiq gives Zephyr his new weapons.

Then a scream rang out in the air. It was a female – Presumably below twenty years old from the sound of her voice – and she was in trouble. The Rafiq looked over to where Zephyr was just standing. The younger male was already gone.

/-\\\\\\\\\ (Zephyr's POV)

I jumped off of the Assassin's Bureau roof, and down to the ground, rolling on impact to lessen the force on my body. My eyes roll upwards and I look straight towards the guards grabbing the girl. She can't even be my age - maybe a year younger. I shake those thoughts off, and run towards the guards. One of their hands is travelling much lower than a guard's should when apprehending a woman.

I growl in a feral manner, and lunge at the first two with my brand new dual daggers, before spinning and cutting the next one twice. One in the neck, and the other in the stomach. Instant death for all three then occurred. The last three stared at me angrily, before yelling out and charging, one wielding a broadsword. I wince. I hate those things. I dodge out of the way of a spear, and throw a knife into the man's throat, killing him instantly. Then it happened, like it always does when I fight broadswords.

A long gash came across my back, not deep enough to permanently damage anything, but enough to be bleeding. I stop, and fall, feeling my control being lost. My eyes feel like a cold wind is running through them from my head. The last this I see is the guards' terrified faces.

When I woke, I sat up straight, alarmed. I looked to my right, and then my left. I'm in a bed in a small room. It looks like an inn. Then I notice her. It's the girl from earlier. She's sleeping in a nearby chair, and is curled up in a ball, shivering slightly. I get up and out of the bed, and look over to her. Her face is innocent and bright enough to still be a child, but her body says otherwise. She looks to be a couple inches shorter than me, and possibly a year younger. She's wearing loose sleeping pants, and a slightly loose shirt. It's not enough to keep her warm in the cold night. I place a hand around her back, and one under her knees, before lifting her up into the air. She is as light as a feather to me because of all my training.

I move over to the bed, and lay her down gently, so as to not wake her. She's snoring gently, and her expression displays a picture of peace. I pull the large quilt over her, and her eyes open wide. "You…" She jumps up and wraps her arms around my neck. I stumble back into the chair that she had formerly resided in.

My training never prepared me for this. The amount of emotions that she is pouring out overwhelms me, and against my better judgment, I wrap my arms around her, and pat her back, still not knowing what to say. She is crying, and soaking my torso, which was only covered with the thin white robe I wear.

Minutes later, she seems to be calming down. She pulls back, and goes to sit on the bed across from me. I am still seated in slight shock. No one had ever hugged me like that. No one had hugged me in years. And never like that.

I focus back on her. She's smiling at me, her bright blue eyes are shimmering, and her light brown hair is slightly disheveled, and reaches her mid-back. I raise an eyebrow, and she smiles brighter. "Thanks for helping me…again…" I think that she means that I was putting her back into the bed. "I never expected to see you again." She said. I do a double-take. She's seen me before? "What are you talking about?" I ask.

Her smile drops a notch, and her eyes soften their eagerness. "Oh…You were in a hurry back then…The first time you saved me…You've saved me twice, you know?" She tells me, with some kind of hope in her voice.

I look at her, and wonder. "How did you know it was me if you didn't see my face?" I ask, genuinely curious. She smiles, and points at my eyes. "I could never forget your eyes. One is bright grey, one is dark grey. I knew that if I ever saw you again, I could repay you. I treated your wound." She says, gesturing to my torso.

I pull my robe off, and look at the wrappings that travel around my chest consecutively with the gash on my back. "Thank you." I nod, and pull my robe back on. She blushes for some reason, and I shrug it off. "Well, I really must be off. Thank you for the bed and wound treatment." I say, but she gets up and grabs my arm as I'm about to leave.

I look back at her shimmering eyes. "Will…Will I see you again?" She asks. Her tone and face prevent me from speaking anything but the word "Yes…" She smiles softly. "What is your name? Mine is Mist." She says to me, letting go of my arm. I nod and say "Zephyr." She nods, and smiles. "Appropriate. You seem to come and go like the wind…And whatever you did to that last guard." She says, smiling, and going back to her bed. "Thank you Zephyr. Goodbye. Don't forget that you said we would see each other again."

With that, I was off. I jumped out of the inn's window, and into the streets of Acre. Mist…Such a different name…