Sometimes I have to ask myself, what's the point? I've lost everything, my friends, family, I was alone for two years. Maybe survival was just so burned into my brain that I didn't know how to stop. Or maybe I was afraid to die? I knew how I would die, and I can't say I was okay with it. I saw my parents die, my brother and sister, my best friend, my first love, and I knew I would go out like they all did. Infected, murdered, or ripped to shreds.
I remember having a group, a home in a small quarantined area. Mom would tell me stories when I was a kid, about our legacy, what my ancestors did. The Kenways, the history of two of the Assassin's greatest. To me, both orders were long dead, but I guess they still wanted to beat the dead horse for as long as they could. I had never even seen a templar before, well, until today.
I was scavenging an old Abstergo building, hoping for med kits and scrap for explosives. It was strange to be inside the empty shell of what was once the enemy, but it really didn't matter in the end. It was all about survival, and Abstergo was bound to have left behind plenty of supplies somewhere. You just had to know where to look and maybe possess eagle vision.
Climbing up the old elevator shaft, I reached the fifteenth floor of the building, looking around for anything I could use. It could also be a safe place to make camp. Slipping into my second sight, I grinned when I saw a door glow gold, there were supplies there. Just in case, I got my gun out, ready for someone to be inside. It was unlikely, but you could never be too sure.
Cautiously, I swing open the door, spotting no one inside. Keeping my gun out, I walked in and began to grab what I needed. Ammo, med kits, food, arrows, even a machete that was stored in here. It had been a while since my bag felt as heavy as it did, and it was a great feeling. Soon, I couldn't carry anymore, and left the little supply closet to find a place to camp. Suddenly, a noise to my left startled me and I aimed my gun at the noise.
A man stood there, gun aimed at me. What was surprising, however, was the Templar insignia he had sewn onto his shirt. 'Are kidding me?' I thought angrily. Neither of us moved, and neither of us lowered our weapons. If he was angry about me taking the supplies, he would have to rip them from my cold dead body.
"Assassin." He sneered. He was one of those Templars still caught up in a dead war.
"Listen buddy, these supplies are mine. Finders keepers, capiche?" I challenged, but he didn't seem to care about them.
"Don't lie to me, assassin. You want the piece of Eden." What? I can't believe he thought any still existed.
"Yeah and I also want a unicorn that kills infected." I fummed, looking for exit points. I was not dying here. "Alright, I am going to leave, you can have the piece of Eden, and I get the supplies-" I was cut off when he ran for me. I fired twice, one hitting him in the shoulder and the other missing, but he still tackled me.
My gun slid out of my reach and this lunatic tried to strangle me. Using my hidden blade, I slashed his face, forcing him to let me go as he pressed his hands to his wound. Bucking him off, I ran over and grabbed my gun. He recovered quickly, jumping up and swung at me, though I was quick enough to duck. Upper cutting him, I knocked the Templar off balance, then kicking his legs from underneath him. Something fell from his coat pocket, but I paid no mind as I pick up my leg, putting all my weight and strength into it, and stopping down on his face.
"Fucker." I spat, holstering my gun. Catching my breath, something glinted in the light, catching my eye. Curious, I walked over and kneeled down to where it was. I was shocked. "Holy shit… he was telling the truth."
Sitting before me was a piece of Eden, an apple, right there. They still existed. Carefully, I picked it up, a little afraid something might happen, but, nothing did. Putting it in my bag, I wondered what else the Templar had on him. I mean, a piece of Eden? That was practically a gold mine. I wonder if it could help against infected? Imagine how many infected we could get rid of with this thing, maybe even find a cure! Oh man, now I was sounding like the old folk in the Brotherhood.
Kneeling beside the dead Templar, I began to search his pockets. I was a little disappointed when I came up empty handed, but then I noticed something in his hand.
"Okay, let's see what you've got." I said to myself. Opening his hand, I immediately regret my decision as his thumb released the trigger. "Shit!" He had a detonator. The building began to shake as the floors below blew up, fire shooting up the elevator shaft. I was knocked back on my ass from the tremors, and scrambled to get up again. The building was going to collapse and I had no way out. Suddenly, everything began to tilt sideways. Scattered furniture slid towards the windows and I struggled to stay balanced. Soon, I fell, landing hard on the windows that luckily didn't break on impact, but I think I spoke too soon. A shelf from the supply room fell down towards me, and I rolled out of the way, eyes wide with fear. The glass gave way as the shelf barreled through it, and I barely managed to snag my hook blade onto the frame to keep from falling to my death, holding on with the hook and my hand, cutting my fingers in the process.
"No no no!" I screamed. Was this how I'd die? I suddenly remember the apple, and used one hand to reach behind me and grab it. With the apple in hand, I tried to make it do something, anything. "Come on you shit!" The building was in a freefall, and for a moment, I was weightless, until the top of the building smashed into the one beside it, and I was jolted off. Falling had always been such an odd feeling, but when ever I did fall, it was into a bush or pile of leaves. I didn't have any of those. This was my end.
Time seemed to slow, the apple in my bloodied hands feeling heavier, hotter. Light seemed to surround me, just for a moment. It was warm, like sitting beside a fire at night. When it faded away, the apple was gone, and all I could see was sky. For a second, I thought I heard a voice. 'Welcome home, Piper Kenway.' Then, I landed. I had landed in a tree, hitting branch after branch on my way down. Bark and twigs cut my face and body, my bones aching with each hit. I groaned in pain as I finally fell from the tree, landing harshly on solid ground. My vision was foggy, and there was a persistent ringing in my ears. As Everything began to fade to black, I saw a shadow move towards me, and then, darkness.