Tziporah's Creed

Tziporah

"No, wait! There must be another way! This one need not die."

Still your blade from the flesh of an innocent.

I hear the body fall to the ground and I know it is too late. Sigh. Altaïr.

Malik, Kadar and I went up to our fellow Assassin.

"An excellent kill. Fortune favors your blade," Kadar praises.

"Not fortune, Kadar, skill," I tell him. "Though used the wrong way."

Altaïr gives me one of his famous death glares and tells Kadar,"Watch a while longer and you might learn something."

"Learn how to disregard everything the masters taught us," I say. Another glare.

"And how would you have done it?"

"I wouldn't have drawn potential attention. I would have followed the Creed!"

"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. Understand these words. It matters not how we complete out task, only that it is done."

Malik stepped forward,"But that is not the way it-"

"My way is better."

I see Malik is holding back using his own blade to stab Altaïr. I don't blame him, the way that man has been getting into arguments on missions for the past while has been exhausting on our patience. I touch his shoulder and tell him to scout ahead. As he walks away he says to Altaïr,"Try not to dishonor us further."

I pull my hood lower on my face.

Kadar asks what our mission is, that Malik will not tell him.

"The masters believe the Templars have found something beneath the temple mound," I say.

"A treasure?"

"I do not know. All I know is that's it must be important if he wanted Altaïr and me on this trip."

I go and jump across the beams to Malik and lead the way up the ladder to see a Templar. I quickly put my hidden blade through the man's neck and set his body beside the column.

"There! That must be the Arch!" Kadar whispers.

"The Arch of the Coven?" Malik inquires.

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no such thing. It's just a story," Altaïr snaps.

"Then what is it?" Kadar asks. He crouches down. "Sh! Someone's coming!"

I hear a French accent that only lets me make out "before sunrise". The next sentence comes loud and clear and sets my blood to boiling:"The sooner we possess it, the sooner we can turn our attention to those jackals in Masyaf."

That son of a bitch Robert de Sable!

"Robert de Sable. His life is mine," Altaïr and I both say. We both give a glare to each other.

"No. We were told to only get the treasure and deal with Robert only if necessary." Malik scolds us like we're children. Then again we probably look like it with our fighting.

I stand with them when Altaïr says,"He stands between us and it. I'd say it's necessary."

"Discretion, Altaïr!" I say.

"You mean cowardice." Ouch. That actually hurt. Altaïr must have seen since he then said,"That man is our greatest enemy. Here we have a chance to get rid of him."

"You have already broken two tenants of our Creed. Now you would break the third," Malik nearly shouts. "Do not compromise the Brotherhood!"

"I am your superior. In both title and ability. You should know better than to question me." In a second Altaïr is on the floor with the Templars. I pull out my blade and the brothers do the same.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

"Hold Templars! You are not the only one with business here," says Altaïr.

The brothers and I joined Altaïr the Idiot.

"Assassins. Well, this explains my missing men. What do you want?"

"Blood."

"No, stop!" I warn Altaïr, but Robert headbutts him and has his arms in a tight grip.

"You know not in which the affairs you meddle, Assassin. I spare you only that you may return to your master and deliver and message: The Holy Land is lost to him and his. He should flee while he has the chance. Stay and all of you will die."

"Like hell," I growl.

Robert turns to me and smirks. "Ah, Tziporah. Pleasure to see you again." Altaïr tries to stab him with his hidden blade, but Robert's grip is too strong. "Even with your skills, girl, you are still very...mignon."

"Shut up!" I use one of my throwing knives. It drives into his arm. He yells and lets Altaïr go. But he pushes him through some rotting wood holdings, and they collapse, trapping Altaïr on the other side of a pile of fallen columns.

"Men! To arms! Kill the Assassins!" Robert commands. Battle cries are exchanged from both sides and the fighting begins. I easily take down three when I hear Kadar scream in pain. I turn to him.

"Kadar!' I yell. He falls to the ground. I kill his opponent, put back my blade and hold his head in my left hand and touch his cheek with the other. His eyes...oh God, he's going. Fast. "Kadar! Kadar listen to me!" His eyes meet my now teary ones. "You'll be alright I promise! Malik loves you, I love you too...brother." I'm half happy I can't see his face through my tears when I feel the life leave his body. I let out a sob or two when I hear silence and footsteps. I think it is Malik, but I know he couldn't take out Robert de Sable. I'm too weak with grief over a friend and comrade to fight Robert right now.

"Take me with you," I say. He jerks me up by the arm and drags me through the exit.

Malik

I felt terrible for leaving the battle. I should have stayed with my brother like Tziporah. His brother should have held him in his final moments. I see Robert de Sable walk toward Tziporah. I try to move but I stand so quickly, with my bleeding arm I know I can't make a fight. Let alone against Robert de Sable. Instead I pray and hope for the best turning towards Masyaf when something freezes my body.

"Take me with you."

I hope you all liked chapter 1~! I am doing point of views obviously in this story. So what do you think should happen between Robert and Tziporah? How should Altaïr feel. Suggestions are very welcome and I will give credit to the author who comes up with the idea in this area. Hope to hear from you soon!