Translation from french to english of my Assassin's Creed!Cherik AU! Translation by the lovely TFE (on Ao3) 3 a big thank you to this adorable human being for the surprise!
Chapter 1: The Beginning
London, 1734
" Mercy ! "
A word. A last word exhaled in a last breath. A last statement before a thick scarlet liquid spreads over the white and immaculate linen, exalting the pattern with a passionate tint. A body that is slowy falling on the floor, accompanied in its fall by its persecutor, as noises of light footsteps are quickly moving away. The smell of blood permeates the place. One is prononcing some last words in a foreign dialect, the other is bleeding to death, helpless.
Darkness rises, swallowing everything in its way.
Silence.
Nothingness.
" … "
Dublin, 1733
" … "
" ...ik "
" ..erik... "
A distant voice, soft and welcoming, gifted with melodious tone.
It is calling me, urging me to join it, tempting me.
" Erik... "
I want to hear it one more time ; it is so warm, so pleasant to the ears. Once more...
" Erik ! "
Erik eventually opened his eyes, revealing two steely pupils blinded by the outside's luminosity. Instinctively, he used his hand to shield his sight from the sun's beams. He looked up towards the person who just woke him up, definitely distancing himself from the lovely voice that he had heard in his dreams. There stood a man ; watchful gaze, imposing stature, giving off an animalistic, wild, feeling.
What a picture he must made to him ; sat down against a tree as he had been basking in a moment of well-deserved rest. Moreover dressed in such a particular outfit, a tunic made of grey wool adorned with gold and ivory, accompanied by a crimson belt decorated with a strange symbol, the tails of the clothing falling on mid-calf ; the bottom consisted of a trouser made of the same fabric of his elegant coat with the only difference of its colour being black, his left wrist was adorned with a gauntlet embellished with details made of silver, and at his left, a sword lied in its sheath.
" Logan," began Erik, " I hope that you possess a good reason for waking me up.
- You will rest later, Shaw's guards are assaulting the city, we have to evacuate the civils !
- What about the other assassins ?
- Already gone to defend the city, we are confronting the enemy but their troops are way bigger than ours.
- Is Shaw here ? " asked Erik.
" No, although his right-hand man is.
- Excellent. Protect the Apple of Eden at whatever cost, evacuate the rest of the inhabitants then gather our brothers and sisters in arms and escape through the underground of the public place located under the statue !
- And you ? What will you do ?
- Me ? I will eliminate the rats. "
As soon as he finished his sentence he pulled his hood on, dissimulating his face, and began to run towards the ramparts. His dress and cape floating graciously behind him, he seemed to fly, his movements smooth and of an unmatched agility as he jumped from roof to roof and gained height with a disconcerting ease. He was soon at the top and witnessed with dread the situation ; an army formed of thousand of soldiers attacked the city, canons and other weapons of destruction ready to make-fire. From where he was standing he could also catch sight of Logan and other Assassins evacuate innocent citizens from the battlefield, discreetly eliminating everything in their way with their blades.
His sharp gaze allowed him to easily identify his target ; Emma Frost was standing aside her army, shielded by about ten guards heavily armed. Perfect. He took advantage of a flaw in his enemy's vigilance and jumped graciously from his platform, landing below in a sturdy cart of straw. No one noticed him. He waited for a few moments, making sure that he had not been spotted by the guards, then stepped out of his hiding place and took place behind the escort, dissimulated by an imposing rock. It would not be easy to get closer to Lady Frost without engaging fight with the guards so he grabbed a stone and threw it some meters away from his location, the noise alerting the escort.
As five guards went to see the origin of the noise Erik triggered two smoke bombs, plunging the entire group in a thick fog of which he made the most by eliminating the remaining guards without too many difficulties. He then slided behind Emma, sealed her lips with the palm of his hand, stifling any scream, and pulled her behind the rock, shielded from the guards. When he withdrew his hand he noticed the smirk that twisted his enemy's face. She seemed amused at the situation, confident, as if the victory and the blood shed delighted her. Wavy platinum blonde doll that she was, dressed in a white and provocative outfit which let the insolent and immaculate cape billow in the wind and reveal a red cross.
" Well, to what do I deserve this delicate attention, Assassin ?" snickered Emma.
" You know very well. Tell me where they are ! " threatened Erik.
" Oh, are you talking about your parents ? Don't worry about it, they are in a great cell, where they can eat once a day." she explained. " But it doesn't matter as their cell will soon be free again.
- What do you mean ?
- Master Shaw sentenced them to be burned alive on the public place.
- You damn…
- You are going to join them soon enough." she answered impudently. " Guards ! "
Erik, alert, heard the heavy footsteps of the guards drawing dangerously closer so he triggered his blade's mecanism and buried the sharp metal in the flesh of the Templar. He waited for a few seconds then pulled it out of the body of his victim who fell on the floor, her white outfit now stained with scarlet. The Assassin retracted his blade then took flight before being noticed, blending perfectly in the crowd, as dictated by the Creed.
―――――
The Templars had doubled their activites lastly, seeking actively a piece of Eden : the Apple. Precious and old relic made of gilding, tarnished by time. They were nonetheless only a piece of a deadly puzzle, other pieces existed and, in the wrong hands, they could cause the destruction of free will. The people would found themselves deprived of their freedom and would become puppets. Even if Assassins and Templars both wished the progress of humanity, the Assassins believed in a progressive evolution. Which explained why they were the protectors of the Pieces of Eden. To protect the artefacts and thus preserving the freedoom and the choices of mankind.
―――――
The citizens had found refuge in the nearest city big enough to welcome them, escorted by the Assassins. A part of the city had been burned to ashes by the army of the Templars. The injured were taken care of by volunteers given the task of dressing their wounds ; some were lamenting the disappearance of a relative, others were thanking their god for their spared lives. Erik had joined his brothers and sisters of arms, establishing a surveillance perimeter all around the city.
As he got ready to leave Logan came to his side, putting a kind hand on his shoulder.
" May you find serenity and happiness my friend. You deserve it.
- I have to find my parents and free them. This bastard of Shaw is going to execute them in a few days.
- Go ahead, we are enough to counter should they attack us.
- Thank you my brother.
- And, Erik...
- Yes ?
- They have the Apple.
- How ?
- They killed many of our men, especially those who were looking after it. Our Assassins fought to their last breath but it wasn't enough.
- I am going to take it back and I will kill Shaw with my own hands.
- Accomplish your mission, Assassin.
- For the Creed.
- For the Creed. "
Erik jumped from a wooden overhang, his arms and his entire body outstreched in the void, the air sliding against his silhouette without any noise. He dived head first in the cold water that protected the city, towards his fate, ready to fight. He knew that tracking Shaw would not be easy, he would have to eliminate many important pieces before he could reach him. And he would sacrifice himself if necessary.
―――――
It took nearly three days to the Assassin to join London, the ship he had boarded to join the english soil had spent 24 hours on the sea and for the remainder of the trip he had clandestinely infiltrated carts of farmers and marchants. He was now at the threshold of the city, his hood removed, keeping an attentive ear to the loud discussions all around him. He had to gather informations, needed to know where to begin his search. And what better way to do so than go to an inn where he would certainly find what he sought with the advantage of a temporary accommodation.
He found one nearby, the facade had lived through the years, wore out by time and the whims of Mother Nature, light draughts filtering in some places through multiple cracks. The wooden floor was equally old, some boards lacked, to the danger of anyone not careful enough. Nonetheless a comforting and welcoming atmosphere emerged from the place, probably thanks to the sweet scent of good cooking added to the golden and warm light provided by the numerous candles and lamps.
Erik walked to the front desk where a woman of great corpulence greeted him. Her straw-coloured hair were damaged for the most part and parted in strands by grease at the top of her head. Her clothes had clearly been reprised at numerous places, most likely because of a lack of money that did not allow her to buy a new wardrobe. The lady, seemingly forty of years, offered him a warm and honest smile that immediately put at ease the irish traveller.
Erik rented a room, more in case of necessity than anything ; he would not really sleep, way too busy with his mission to even think about satisfying his own basic needs. He had not brought any of his belongings, swearing to stay only a few days in London, the time to free his parents, find Shaw, kill him, and take back the Apple of Eden from the hands of the Templars.
A little later in the evening, the Assassin had begun his investigation. Leaning on the bar where he was drinking, his senses awoken, his eyes roamed the room at a crazy speed, scanning every detail with his sharp sight. Every sound came distinctly to his ears, from where he was he had an overview of the doings of everyone.
Swallowing a sip of beer, Erik stared at a man dressed in a long black trenchcoat accompagnied by a grey jacket. A top hat was resting on a table loaded with glasses of alcohol and empty pints of beer. To his side stood two men, quite inebriated, their gazes hooded by alcohol. They were talking and laughing loudly, gathering the entire room attention, which allowed the Assassin to notice the really interesting conversation going on between the three men. He focused on it.
The execution would take place tomorrow evening, Shaw as well as the nobles families won to his cause would be present. The leader of the Templar Order would assist in person to the event. The opportunity was golden. He would kill two birds with one stone ; save his parents and deal with the vermine. But before anything else he had to get the Apple of Eden back, at whatever cost.
One of the three man stood up and got out of the bar for a minute in order to breath something other than tobacco's smell and alcohol's vapours. He was filling his lungs with fresh air and looking at the light of the moon as, in the darkness of the night, a shadow crept behind him. Before he could react, he found himself plastered against the cold and cracked wall, his head hitting violently the facade of the inn. Erik hold him firmly, an arm stuck under his throat, as the other revealed the sharp metal of his blade, pointed towards the man.
" Where are Jakob and Edie Lehnsherr kept prisonners ? Speak ! " asked brutally the Assassin.
" They... They are locked in the Tower of London waiting for their execution !
- When will it take place ?
- It's sheduled for tomorrow, at 2 pm.
- And who will be there ? " carried on Erik, shaking the man who seemed to have lost his tongue. " Answer me or I will find a way more painful way to make you talk !
- Some noble families including the Frosts, the McFassys, the Xavier-Markos and the Grand Master of the Templar Order, Sebastian Shaw, as well as all of his followers and adepts. Please don't kill me.
- Thanks for all those informations but, you see, I can't leave vermine of your kind stymie my plans. May you find peace in the other world. "
The Irish slid his arm under the throat of his victim and put a palm against his mouth as his bladed one thrusted silently in the flesh of the man, his scream of pain thus stifled by Erik's hand. He dropped off the unmoving body on the floor, closing its eyelids a knee put on the floor, then let out a sigh.
He had heard of the Xavier-Marko's family before, they were a rich british family mainly living in London in an impressive manor. On one side there were Kurt and Cain Marko, two individuals impossibly haugty and narcissistic that considered that they deserved the world, two Templars that used their important wealth to provide weapons to the entire Order.
On the other side were Charles Xavier, son of the late Sharon Xavier who also formerly was at the service of the Order, and adopted brother of Raven Darkholme. At the death of their mother, the two kids had been taken care of by Kurt, who was rumoured to hate them. Under the threat of physical violence, they had learnt to live with those two odious individuals and had allied, by coercion and obligation, to the cause of the Templars. Since then they served their Order with dignity.
" Shaw got himself some faithful dogs."
Stepping aside from his thoughts, he decided to go to his room and to, should it take him the whole night, reflect on a plan. He would save his parents and kill Shaw.