Wind rushed past the ears of the fleeing assassin, the shouts and calls of his pursuers fell on deaf ears as he ran. He deftly crossed a gap, rolling as he landed on the significantly lower roof. He chanced a look over his shoulder as he was crossing another gap, to see how close the guardsmen had gotten to him.

Without warning he slammed into another body with vigorous force, canceling out the others movement. The two fell to the ground and the robed assassin cursed his luck. Altaїr hit the ground hard and immediately rolled to his feet while the smaller bodied person scrambled to theirs. Neither paused to give the other a second glance and they were off, attempting to find a suitable hiding place. Altaїr dove into a pile of hay as the sounds of guards came closer.

"He can't possibly be gone." One of the guards said. The other snorted and came dangerously close to the hay pile that Altaїr was hiding in. There was a clatter and the guards shifted their attention towards the sound.

"Was that the other?" A guard asked, looking around in confusion.

"I believe so. This means they couldn't have gotten far. Fan out, find them both!" The main guard shouted.

A round of conformation was heard from the remaining guards and Altaїr cursed the smaller person with a string of colorful words. He dove out of his hiding spot and into an immediate sprint. He had to get somewhere safe as the guards redoubled their efforts. Altaїr turned sharply to his left and swiftly moved up the wall, finding foot holes where no other would. He pulled himself onto the roof easily and blinked as he came face to face with a child.

"You!" The young boy squeaked out fearfully, pointing an accusing finger at the assassin. Altaїr glared at the child and stood up, taking to the roofs quickly. He heard the soft padding of footfalls as the child fell in behind him, the boy was quiet but not quite enough. With a growl Altaїr quickened his pace attempting to lose the guards coming after him quickly as well as the child.

"Please." The boy begged, his breath ragged as he attempted to take in deep breaths while running for his life.

The two rounded a corner and broke the line of sight between them and their pursuers. Altaїr was impressed that the boy was keeping pace, but he wouldn't be able to lose the guards if the child kept following him like a lost pup. Making a split second decision to save them both Altaїr dove into a rooftop garden and grabbed the child once he was within reach.

Knowing better than to scream the boy remained silent as he was swept into safety, the only noise heard being the soft tinkling of the child's lone earring. Altaїr clasped his fingers around the offending object roughly, but not with enough force to tear it from the child's ear. They were silent as the ever heavy footfalls of the men chasing them grew closer then eventually farther away. They remained in the roof top garden until they were sure of safety.

Eventually the child began shaking in Altaїr's arm. With a soft, but terrifying growl, Altaїr turned the boy to look at him, a firm grasp still on the feather shaped earring the child wore hanging from his right ear. The master assassin frowned, looking at the boy's face intently. The boy looked like he could be no older than twelve or so, and the child's eyes, though frightened, and watering, were cunning and wary, well attuned to the lifestyle around him. Altaїr found himself slightly disappointed that he had to kill the child.

"Wait!" The boy hissed softly, the threat of screaming running evident in his voice. Tightening his grip on the child's earring, Altaїr wrenched the boy forward.

"You knowing of my existence here in the city is a threat to my brotherhood and I. Explain to me why I should not kill you now?" Altaїr demanded, adding pressure to the boys already aching ear. With a wince the child began to say so many things at once.

"Master assassin, I know I'm a threat and it would only be right for me to die after all, but I would like to strike a deal." The child said quickly. Altaїr rose an eyebrow at the bold statement, to be willing to bargain for your life when staring death in the face was an interesting feat, that or a foolish one.

"What do you have to offer me?" Altair asked, skeptical that the poor looking child could provide anything worthwhile. The boy's stormy grey eyes flicked over the assassin's hooded face, he swallowed nervously and flicked a throwing knife out of his pocket. He squealed as Altaїr's blade quickly found its way to the flesh of the child's neck.

"All I have is this, it's not the best but this wasn't what I was referring too. I was actually hoping for a run." The child admitted softly. Altaїr looked at him with scrutiny, he lessened the presser of the blade on the boy's neck, and the boy took it as a sign of interest and continued earnestly.

"You take targets down, gathering information, and striking hard and fast, but you enjoy the hunt." The child guessed. Altaїr was intrigued by the way the boy handled himself, gambling with his life wearing a frightened yet knowing facade. It was something that few were able to do, and those who did gamble thought they had something to live for. So why did this boy deserve to continue on?

"All I'm asking is for you to let me run. If I survive until sunrise you'll let me live. If I am caught, I will accept my fate." The child finished, looking at Altaїr in question, hope spreading through his tiny figure. Altaїr thought about it for a moment, confident that the boy wouldn't last the night against him.

"And if you're caught by the guards?" Altaїr questioned him in turn. The boy blinked slowly and smiled confidently.

"They'll come after you as well, the guards are variable players. This game is between us." The child finished. Altaїr searched the boy's face once more. He removed his blade from the child's neck but kept up an even gaze. Reaching up slowly, Altaїr grasped the throwing knife and pulled it from the boy's grasp with deliberate slowness. The blade gleamed as he pulled on it, leaving the sheath with the child.

"Run." Altaїr commanded, releasing the boy's earring. The child sprung to his feet and took off, without a second thought. The assassin sat back and watched the fabric fall back into place as the child fled. He was exited to hunt the boy down, but if the two of them left too quickly the soldiers would find something seriously suspicious. Altaїr shook his head and left the roof top garden. He surveyed his surroundings quickly before running after the child. The assassin had to admit that the boy was fast, a good match for his own speed.

Altaїr turned sharply as he heard a pot shatter, he crouched on the roof, leaning over the building slightly to see the boy's rustic hair disappear through the crowd. The assassin smirked as he dropped from the roof silently hitting the ground. He weaved through the bustling people, following the chatter about a running child. Turning another corner he stared at the brick wall blocking his path in a taunting manner. Altaїr wrinkled his nose and stared at the shabby obstacle in front of him. He was going to begin to climb it, when he heard the telltale signs of someone slipping on the pavement.

Altaїr spun around to look at the frightened face of the boy looking back at him. Simultaneously the two began to move. The boy scrambled away his bare feet pounding on the pavement underneath him. Altaїr kept pace easily slowly gaining on the child. The two ran through the crowded streets, avoiding the people with ease as the darted around.

The boy tumbled through a merchant's stall and Altaїr followed suite. Suddenly the boy was gone, Altaїr slowed searching the streets for any sign of the boy only to find none. Their game continued like this until the late hours of the night. The master Assassin would catch sight of the boy only for when he came close to grabbing the child, the boy would disappear without warning.

Finally Altaїr was able to corner the boy in an alleyway. The child searched the tall wall in front of him for any sign that it could be climb, but it was to no avail. The wall was smooth fairly cleaned and with no foot holds.

The boy spun turned around to look at Altaїr, the man standing between him and his freedom. Knowing that he was doomed the child sank to his knees and trembled in fear. Altaїr advanced on the child slowly, watching as the boy's face fell into despair.

"You did well." Altaїr commented, coming to a stop mere feet from the boy's wilting body.

"I didn't do well enough." The child said, his head hung low. Altaїr watched the boy with pity, he lifted his arm and the child squeezed his eyes shut. The throwing knife the boy presented him earlier poised to strike out at the child, a fitting end, death by your own weapon.

With a flick of his wrist the knife was sent flying, there was a soft thud as the knife met it's mark and everything was silent. Slowly the child cracked open an eye and cautiously looked around. He was surprised to find his cheek sliced open and his earring pinned to the wall by the throwing knife.

"You made it." Altaїr informed him. The child blinked slowly and craned his neck as far as it would go without tearing out his earring. He watched in amazement as the sun began to peek over the horizon spreading thin streams of pink and orange across the sky.

"I made it." The child said in wonder. Altaїr nodded and crouched down in front of the boy, he reached out and grabbed the blade, pulling it from the wall swiftly.

"Tell me, boy, what is your name?" Altair asked, the boy blinked at him slowly and simply stared.

"My name." The child echoed, monotonously. Altaїr was amused at the child's blank fast, though he would never show it.

"You do have a name, correct?" Altaїr asked. The boy nodded his head vigorously and snapped a serious look at the assassin.

"Yes, my name is Tavení." The child snapped out quickly. Altaїr nodded and stood, Tavení simply watched him as he began to walk away. Altaїr looked back over his shoulder and gave Tavení a pointed look.

"Are you coming?" Was all he asked.


Yeah! Assassin's creed fanfic! I have played the entire game or series yet so please bear with me... Yep so, enjoy. I don't own any of it. (by the way, if I did i probably would have played it by now.)

-GigaRox