And so begins another story by yours truly.

This is actually a three-way crossover, incorporating the TV show, "Life with Derek", with the game series, "Assassin's Creed" and the anime, "Familiar of Zero". Prior knowledge of any of these three titles are not required.

June 18, 2012; forests of Quebec, Canada…

Rapid footfalls echoed through the forest as a hooded figures ran through the wilderness with five equally hooded men in tow. Behind them chased fifteen bloodthirsty men brandishing guns and swords.

The Assassin's were betrayed by someone they'd considered one of their own, and now Abstergo security forces had descended upon the ill equipped camp with an army one hundred strong. Men, women, and even children fought valiantly against the brutes, but they were outnumbered ten to one. Apprentices scattered through forests, escorting the children and elderly to safety. Among these apprentices was young Edwin Venturi, an Italian-Canadian descendent of the Assassins of old. He had short black curly hair and dark brown eyes. And, like many apprentices like him, he wore a white hooded sweatshirt and black trousers and shoes.

As he ran, Edwin thought of the blended family he left behind: of his father, brother and sister, and, of course, of Lizzie. They were all gone now, lost to the hands of the enemy. He bit his lips hard as the memories flooded into him.

Lizzie, my love…

Suddenly, a bullet ricocheted off some rocks and jerked him out of his thoughts. He gritted his teeth and barreled through the forest. Then, the trees gave way to a muddy cliff, a bend in the road leading to safety. They'd just turned the corner when a bullet found its mark in Edwin's left shoulder, burying itself deep in his muscles.

"Argh!" Edwin cried out as he was hit. He slipped on the muddy path and tumbled to the ground.

"Ed!" cried a young girl.

She and the others stopped and came back for him.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" said the assassin. Ed glanced up to see their pursuers advancing at an alarming pace.

Well shit.

Gritting his teeth, he scrambled to his feet, ready for a fight.

"Conan!" He shouted, "Take the kids to the safe house! I'll fend them off here! Go!"

One of the hooded children, a Japanese boy with glasses nodded. "Follow me!" he said to the other children and ran on ahead, a browned-haired girl at his heels.

Ed upholstered his pistol and popped off several rounds dropping a few assailants dropped as they ran. Then, when his firearm was spent, he discarded the weapon and pulled out his trusty tomhawk. With a flick of the wrist, the Assassin activated his single hidden blade and charged into his attackers, tearing them apart with his dual weapons. The assassin deflected a bayonet thrust at him before whirling around and slicing the attacker's neck with his blade. Then, he raised his axe and cut down another assailant, embedding the weapon in his skull. Edwin leaped into the air, twisting a man's neck with his feet before their combined weight sent them tumbling to the ground. Quickly, Ed rolled to his feet, before almost running into a man with a saber.

Clang! The sound of metal clashing metal resounded through the forest as he only barely managed to block the sword with his hidden blade. Edwin gritted his teeth. Try as he might, he couldn't push the Templar off, and the pain in his shoulder wasn't helping any. He was losing the battle.

The templar snarled. "Get off me!"

With all his might, the mercenary shoved the assassin off his feet. Edwin grunted as he landed, tumbling uncontrollably down the steep slope towards a ravine. Down to the ravine he slid, his tomahawk digging into the dirt, trying to find something to hold on. Suddenly, his tomahawk found purchase—Just as his body shot off the cliff.

Edwin winced as his bruised body slammed against the dirt wall, his hands cold and sweaty. Below him an eight story drop awaited its next victim. Dazed and in serious pain, Edwin struggled for his life, his sweaty hand slipping from his lifeline.

Cold laughter reached his ear. The assassin looked up to see the remaining thugs standing above him. Their leader crouched down, jeering at him.

"End of the line," he sneered, "Assassin!"

Edwin's eyes widened: the Templar raised his sword, ready to deliver the final blow.

Suddenly, something big and bright appeared below Edwin, and the Templar dropped his saber, trying to shield himself from its intense brightness. At that moment, Ed's tomahawk slipped from its anchor, and Ed tumbled helplessly into the strange object, below.

Thousands of light years away in a distant planet, trouble was brewing in Romalia, the capital of the Holy Empire on the continent, Halkeginia. Agents of their enemy, King Joseph of Galia, had raided the palace for a magical relic. And now, they faced a young mage named Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière and her familiar Saito Hiraga.

It was at that very moment that another young woman stood at attention in an adjacent courtyard, listening to an older man as a pupil would in front of her master. She had straw-colored hair that reached her shoulders and dazzling blue eyes. All her features indicated that she was human, except for the pointy ears. She was dressed in a white blouse and black skirt and leggings, and wrapped around her shoulders was a purple cloak, floating in the breeze. The man looked close to be in his fifties and had marks of an aged warrior. A blue robe covered much of his body and only his dark shoes showed at the bottom.

"Summoning a servant isn't a difficult spell," the old man telling the young woman, "Focus your mind, and call on your yet unknown familiar within your heart."

The young woman nodded in affirmation. Then, she raised what seemed to be a wand and closed her eyes.

"My name is Tiffania Westwood, pentagon of the five elemental powers," she chanted, "heed my summoning and bring forth my familiar."

A huge green-blue orb appeared above her, its brightness lighting up the entire area.

Tiffania Westwood and her companion, Professor Cobert, watched as a shadow appeared in the orb above them. The shadow grew bigger and bigger until it literally fell out into their world.

Edwin Venturi landed with a thud, on what appeared to be stone paving. He was barely awake, and saw only blurry images of people standing around him. Their voices were muffled and incomprehensible. Whether it was friend or foe, he did not know or cared; It wasn't long before darkness overcame him.