It was a regular day at Temple Hall.

As regular as it could be. For Richard Sonnac, anyway. As he cleared his desk to go home for the night, he couldn't help but notice a gathering around Dame Julia. He couldn't help but lean in inquisitively.

"... Unknown ship…"

"... Maybe Phoenician…"

"... Better to act quickly…"

He stopped there.

Phoenicians.

Off all the other secret organisations, that one made his blood boil the most.

Still, he also recognized that, for the moment, this wasn't his problem, so with a slight sigh, he made his way outside to go home. He didn't live far from Temple Hall, a few streets farther. Though not really by choice. It was either that or commuting from his family estate in the countryside which would be a hassle even with magically assisted means of transportation. This was far more efficient and he preferred walking, anyway.

That said, as he was walking home, he couldn't help but notice a peculiar feeling coming over him. He was being watched… and not by the usual suspects.

He looked up at the scaffolding of Darkside and he could have sworn he could see someone there, looking at him. But who or whatever it was, it was gone. For now. This put him on edge and when he should go left, he went right, into a lonesome, dark alley.

"Maybe not the best idea…" Richard muttered, turning around.

No one.

"I know you're there." Richard said under his breath. "Show yourself." He demanded a little louder. No answer. He raised his hand, ready to strike.

Nothing.

With that, Richard let out a sigh as he lowered his hand.

"For all I know this is all in my head…" He whispered before sighing. Things had been rather… hectic after the Orochi Tower incident. Enemies within and without… "I'm getting paranoid..." With that he wanted to make his way back home, but before he knew it, a far louder noise came from above him as a figure jumped on his back with enough momentum to slam him to the ground.

"What…?!" He managed as whoever was now on top of him twisted one of his arms behind his back and jammed a needle in his neck.

"Got you." His assailant said, his voice sounding familiar… Achingly so. However, he didn't have time to contemplate why as the world around him faded to black.

When he woke up again he immediately wanted to get up and run. This proved impossible as his arms were tied on whatever chair he was sitting on. Richard sighed in a frustrated manner, before inspecting his surroundings trying to figure out what was going on. The room he was in looked like a rusty cabin of a ship. This was as easy as two plus two.

"Phoenicians…" Richard almost snarled. They really went too far this time. Whatever their plan was. Abducting someone the likes of him?! The raw nerve! After that he had to take a deep breath. Anger wouldn't get him out of this situation… And after having calmed down somewhat, a more pressing question came to his mind.

Why?

Why would they abduct him? As some sort of hostage or political prisoner? On one hand that made the most sense. On the other… he wouldn't be surprised if the Old Guard would just leave him to rot. But why else would it be? What could they possibly gain from his capture? Information? Secrets? They were welcome to try. Keeping calm under duress was one of his calling cards and he doubted that even the Phoenicians would be able to change that.

He could hear footsteps approaching and he straightened himself as the door opened. They would not have the pleasure of seeing him in distress.

"Greetings." He said to the two people entering. Purple and masked. As predicted. "Is this the part where you explain what in Heaven's name is going on?"

"Keep quiet unless we ask you to." One of them said, aiming a gun at him.

"Now you're just being rude." Richard managed, but shut up as the barrel was placed against his forehead.

"Don't let him get to you. Annoying people by staying perfectly polite has always been one of his tactics." The other masked man said. Again, the voice sounded familiar...

"Even if that means a bullet to his brain?"

"Something tells me that will be counterproductive to whatever you need me for." Richard replied, just looking the masked man in the eyes.

"See?"

"Who are you to talk?" Richard hissed, getting annoyed by this man who claimed to know him.

"Oh, I'm one to talk, trust me." The man retorted, before he lifted his goggles and lowered the scarf, revealing a face that, despite not having seen it for years, Richard instantly recognized.

"Henry?" He said, aghast by the person now in front of him. His brother. His… presumed dead brother. "You're alive?" Henry didn't answer, just walked up to him silently and socked him in the jaw hard.

"If you're going to ask why I did that, you got another one coming." This struck harder than the blow itself. And that was currently forcing him to spit out blood. He felt dazed. Confused. Happy. Angry… So many emotions that it was hard to keep a clear head.

"How?" He eventually managed. "You… I was there, you… Died…"

"You wish. Though I admit, not for a lack of trying." Henry said, eyes flickering downward, making Richard take notice of his left leg, which was gleaming silver. "You left me to rot."

"I...I…" Richard tried, knowing what moment Henry was talking around. Ten years ago. "I didn't… They said that I couldn't do anything any more."

"And that moment was the perfect time to become an obedient little tin soldier."

"It's not what you think!" Richard shouted, only to be rewarded by another hit. And another. And another.

"Alright, that's enough." The other man said, stopping Henry. "We can't get anything out of him if you break his damn jaw."

"What do you want from me?" Richard managed to ask. "If you want to use me to get to the Templars, you will fail. We don't do hostage situations."

"This has nothing to do with the Templars. This has to do with YOU." Henry said. "More importantly, what you own." Before Richard had any chance to ask what he meant, Henry took something from his neck. A key.

"No." Richard almost immediately said. "And I don't understand why you would think this was a good idea either. You know what it can do. You were there!"

"We're not going to use it, we're going to make sure it won't be abused." Henry said.

"Well, unless someone pays the right price." His companion admitted.

"You're not helping, Frederick." Henry said.

"In any case, that isn't going to happen." Richard said resolutely.

"It wasn't a request." Henry said, taking his brother's collar and balling his fist again.

"You and I both know that violence won't get you anywhere." Richard told him, looking directly into his eyes. "So please. Stop this nonsense." There was a silence.

"Frederick, could you leave us alone?"

"Going for the personal approach, eh? Nice." Frederick said, leaving. With that, Henry let go of Richard's collar.

"Good. Now we can talk about this like rational…" Richard started, but was interrupted by another punch across the face.

"You lost that chance years ago." Henry said.

"Can I at least know what happened?"
"Why? You were there. You know what happened." Henry said, as Richard looked down. This was true… at least for the first part.

"They said there was nothing I could do. That you were going to die either way." Richard tried. "And what could I do? I was just a voice in your ear."

"You could've stayed… Even as a voice, you could have stayed…" Henry softly said. And for a moment the anger and resentment left his eyes. Only to be replaced by sadness and betrayal. This was for a second however. "But you didn't. You just tossed me aside." He hissed. "And the funniest part? They saved my life. The Phoenicians saved my life. Patched me up. Offered me a job." He smiled, remembering things fondly. "I'm an 'Acquirer'. I can get my hands on any artifact they point me to."

"So that's why we're here…" Richard said. "Can't you see they're using you?"

"As if the Templars were any different." Henry spat.

"At least we don't sell off dangerous artifacts to the highest bidder." Richard retaliated. "Again. You know how dangerous this book is. This can't be in the wrong hands."

"That's why we're taking it away from you." Henry said. "Templars are the most wrong hands I can think of to have this book."

"The answer remains 'No'." Richard said as Henry grabbed his collar again and hit him. "And you very well know this isn't going to change anything."

"I know. I just have ten years of pent up rage that I can finally spend." Henry answered, hitting Richard. And again.

And again.

This was the rest of the evening. However, eventually Henry left, slamming the door behind him. Richard just hunched over, trying to get himself together.

Alive…

Henry was alive.

This should fill him with joy. His brother… whom he taught died, still alive.

But the anger and hatred from Henry… On one hand, what did he expect? On the other, it broke his heart and made him remember that moment vividly. That moment where he made one of the worst decisions of his life…

'Alright, I'm in.'

Henry said over the radio as Richard made a note.

"Good. Now, you're into the lion's den, so it's better if you keep radio silence until you've reached your goal." Richard answered.

'Got it.' Henry answered before falling silent. With that, Richard leaned back, letting out a sigh. This was far from their first mission, but he was nervous. Henry never infiltrated Phoenician territory before. This could go so wrong.

He looked over his shoulder. One of the Masters was standing behind him. This didn't help his nervousness. They very rarely made themselves seen to someone as low in the ranks as him and his brother.

Of course, it was the plan to change this as soon as possible. Richard especially had high ambitions that he was determined to reach.

The fact that they had to start at the bottom as a mere reconnaissance unit did not seem to phase them. In fact, Henry had a knack for it. Richard on the other hand found his talent at working the background as a guide.

'Alright, I'm at the target location.' Henry's voice over the radio brought him out of his musings.

"R-right. Does it have any good place to hide the explosives?" He asked.

'What's got you all frazzled?' Henry asked. 'I thought you liked having this chance for a promotion.'

"Henry… not now." Richard said, letting more nervousness slide. "This is an important task."

'I know. Don't worry.' Henry told him calmly. 'We're going to show that there's still life left in the name 'Sonnac'.'

"Just be careful." Richard told him. "Are you ready to deliver our little 'gift'?"

'I am.' Henry said, as Richard could hear noises from the other side. A silence after that, before rushed footsteps could be heard.

"Henry? What is going on?"

'There are Phoenicians here.' Henry harshly whispered. 'I was told this place would be clear for at least a few more hours!'

"Alright, let's… stay calm." Richard said, both to himself and his brother. "We wouldn't be here if we didn't know how to handle this. Are they aware of your exact position?"

'Doesn't seem like it... '

"Good. We can make this work. Just stay quiet and…"

"Abort that transmission." Came from behind. The Master.

"S-sir?" Richard asked, not managing to hide his shock. Why would he stop talking to Henry in this crisis situation?

'Richard? What's going on?' Henry asked, clearly starting to grow fearful.

"This mission still has a chance to succeed if we detonate the charge right now." The master continued as Richard looked at him, aghast.

"I-I can't do that! He's my brother, I…" Richard tried.

'Brother…?' Henry asked.

"We will detonate those charges either way. Terminating the transmission will save you a lot of pain." The Master told him.

'Detonate?!' Henry now screeched through Richard's earphone. 'You're going to let me die here?!' Richard didn't answer. 'Richard? Richard don't do this? You can't do this!'

"Please reconsider…" Richard asked, no, begged the Master, who just looked at him with a gaze that told him that no, this was going to happen.

"As a Templar you should know that sacrifices have to be made. For the betterment of mankind." The Master said as Richard looked down, closing his eyes.

He obeyed.

"Forgive me… " With Henry's pleas still going, he took off the headphones and turned off the device, silencing his brother's voice.

"Detonate." The Master ordered someone else as Richard just buried his head into his hands. He barely felt the hand on his shoulder.

"You should be proud. Not many could make the sacrifice you just made." The Master told him. "You'll make it far with the Templars."

And he did. He had gotten very far. But always with the haunting feeling that the cost was too great. Even with Henry alive, that didn't take away what he did.

"I did what I had to." Richard whispered to himself multiple times for what seemed like hours, voice hoarse at the end. Maybe, eventually, he would believe it.

How long until the two men returned? Hours? The entire night? He didn't know and frankly, he didn't much care. That said, he was getting sore because he hadn't been able to move from the chair they bound him to. Henry walked up to him and forced Richard to look him in the eyes. Richard didn't say anything.

"Changed your mind?" Henry eventually asked.

"You know just as well as me that I can't give you this book." Richard said. "Even setting aside allegiances. It's dangerous."

"In that case, we will make you hand it over." Henry threatened.

"Go ahead." Richard spat. "By this point I doubt you can do anything worse to me. You think Templars are monsters to their own? You don't even know half of it."

"Now listen up you fucking…!"

"Alright. Easy." Frederick said, interjecting himself between the two brothers. "This obviously isn't the way to go. But don't worry, I have a backup plan that's unrestrained by personal feelings." He said, looking at Richard with a grin. "Alright, baldy. Either you give us that book…" With that he took Henry's arm and yanked the other man closer. Before Henry could protest, there was a gun against his head. "Or you're responsible for your brother's Death… twice."

"Oh you are SO dead once this mission is over." Henry hissed.

"Don't act so innocent yourself. You were completely fine with the plan to just off him once we got what we wanted." Frederick said.

"I wasn't going to shoot YOU!" Henry retaliated.

"See? This is what happens if you get in with bloody Phoenicians." Richard injected into the conversation.

"Shut up!" The two other men said simultaneously before Frederick cocked his gun.

"What's it going to be, baldy?" Frederick said. "Maybe there's a chance for redemption right here."

"This isn't going to work." Henry said. "You have no idea how far he'll be willing to go for his 'Sworn Duty'."

"Henry…" Richard tried.

"It's true, isn't it? Even now you're considering to let me die to protect that fucking book." Henry interrupted.

"I'm not!" Richard shouted now. "In fact I… concede." He said a lot softer, bowing his head. "You'll get the book. Just… please. Don't harm Henry." He continued.

"Told you it would work." Frederick said as Henry kept quiet, clearly not having expected his brother to do this.

"Just… untie me so I can give it to you." He said.

"You got it on you? Just how big is this book?"

"No. But I have a storage that I can access if I can make the right gestures with my hand." Richard explained. Frederick just looked at Henry.

"That's true. Loves to show it off, too." He answered. Frederick just sighed as he let go of Henry, went behind Richard and removed his bonds. As he straightened himself, he pointed to gun back at Henry.

"Ah. Ah. Ah. Don't think I won't do it if he tries anything funny." Frederick said.

"And don't think I won't make you pay for this later." Henry retaliated. Frederick just shrugged before looking at Richard, who slowly got up from the chair.

"Come on. We haven't got all day." Frederick insisted as Richard closed his eyes and opened a small rift towards a pocket dimension where he kept a lot of books. His own personal library.

Or so he said.

As Frederick almost hungrily looked at the rift, it wasn't a book that came out swiftly, but a large, sharp hook that embedded itself in his chest, making the look of greed turn into a look of abject shock.

"You really figured I would let you do this without retribution?" Richard whispered harshly, pulling at the chain at the end of the hook, retracting it from Frederick's body as it slumped down, dead. Henry just looked at him, aghast.

"After all that happened… you still used that book?!" He asked. Richard just wiped the blood off his face as the chain disappeared back into the rift. "You haven't changed a bit, haven't you? Victory above all else." He hissed.

"The salvation of humanity itself is at stake. We can't win this battle without making sacrifices." Richard tried. His brother was having none of it.

"Sacrifices? Is that what you keep telling yourself to sleep at night? That it's necessary?"

"I don't mean for it to sound easy. It never is… it tears me apart every time."

"Yet you keep going."

"Please… I don't wish for us to be enemies…" Richard tried.

"You should've thought of that before you tossed me away like a dirty rag when I was no longer of use to you." Henry hissed. Richard began to shake, closing his eyes holding his head. "Like a True Templar." This… caused something in Richard to snap. He stopped shaking, lowered his hands and opened his eyes. They were no longer showing the regret and desperation from before. They weren't showing much emotion at all. Just a coldness with maybe a hint of fury.

"Fine. You want to be a Phoenician? Then I will treat you like one." With that he raised his hands as the familiar hooked chains raised from black pools in the floor. "And I will not tolerate any Phoenicians on our doorstep." The chains went for Henry, who dodged nimbly before running away, slamming the door to the small room behind him. Richard didn't care as he raised a hand and the chains hooked themselves into the metal before ripping it clean out of its hinges. Richard exited calmly. He didn't feel like rushing. In fact, he didn't feel much. Just spots of wanting to get out of that place in between a massive angry void. He could vaguely remember masked Phoenicians trying to stop him. The chains, who were fully in control by now, made short work of them.

Most of them anyway.

"Stay away!" Henry said, backing away against a railing of the ship. Behind him was a steep drop with nothing but cold water.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Richard asked with calm fury. "For us to be enemies? Well, as you might have known, Templars don't offer mercy to enemies." He raised the chains. "I do not wish to do this, but you offer me no choice." With that the chains went to Henry, ready to tear him apart.

"No!" He shouted, raising his arms in futile defense.

However, they stopped mere inches away from him as Richard started to shake.

He couldn't do this.

Not again.

Henry took this hesitation to grab his arm and throw him overboard. He let it happen as he sank into the water. He didn't feel any motivation to try and swim. He didn't feel any motivation, period. Did that mean this was his end?

As things went black, he found he didn't much care if it was...

When he came to he was wet and sore and overall miserable. Well, more miserable than he was when he went under. He was laying at a riverbank of the Thames somewhere, surrounded by dirt and mud. He didn't care. For the longest while he just… laid there, staring upwards. Body and mind aching too much to do anything else. However, he eventually realized that they might miss him at Temple Hall and got up and made his way to Ealdwic, ignoring the glances and stares he received from looking like a soaked wreck.

This was how he arrived at the gates of Temple Court. He could see Dame Julia furiously discussing something with Shelley. He knew what.
"I don't mean to come off as presuming…" He said, walking over to them as their heads snapped to look at him. "But I have the feeling this is about me?" He managed a small smile.

"What in the Hell happened to you?" Shelley asked, some worry managing to break through her usual attitude.

"I was abducted… There might still be Phoenician activity around." He answered.

"Phoenicians? What did they want?" Dame Julia asked.

"A family heirloom of mine that has the potential to be very dangerous." Richard answered. "It didn't work."

"In any case, we should sweep the harbors. To have them close enough to abduct someone who works at Ealdwic is unacceptable." Dame Julia said, making a move to start doing just that. Richard stopped her, however.

"I recognized one of the abductors as Henry Sonnac. Previous Templar, now a Phoenician." He managed, looking away after that. He sounded tired. But then again, that's what he was. Tired, injured and currently on autopilot.

"Sonnac? Is he…?" Shelley asked.

"My brother." Richard cut her off. "Records of him should be still around. You can look into those for details."

"Go home." Dame Julia ordered, noticing his exhaustion. "Get some rest. Maybe see a Doctor."

"I'll be fine. They haven't done any worse than our own." He said, before getting up and leaving anyway, hardly noticing or caring for the glance the two women shared.

Back home he made a direct line for the bathroom. He felt sweaty and bloody, grimy and overall just craved a shower.

So he took one.

It didn't help. This was deeper than just surface dirt. It was hard to even look at himself in the mirror. And not just because of the swollen shut eye, busted lip and various bruises. Some days, that was almost mandatory. But at the moment, every time he saw himself he filled with anger and hatred and before he knew it, the mirror was cracked and his fist was bleeding.

After that he just sagged against the back wall, holding his head, trying to suppress tears.

A True Templar…

This was the truth. And he loathed how much he didn't want it to be.