Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed


Desmond's POV

The world around me was swirling. It kept on going, and going, and going to the point where I thought it would never stop. It did, however; I fell from space itself and landed on the brownish, dusty, dirt-covered ground. I slowly stood up, careful not to trip over myself, and scanned my surroundings. The walls were as filthy as the floor, and in some places on the ground, there were large gaps that had thin beams going across. I've also noticed that instead of my usual hoodie and jeans, I was dressed in ancient Assassin garb, identical to Altair's. Speaking of Altair, where was he?

"There must be another way! This one need not die!" I heard someone say.

There was a dull sound of a blade going through a man's flesh. Well, I found Altair.

'Well done brother," another man (I'm going to assume it was Kadar) praised. "That was a clean kill. Fortune favors your blade."

"Not fortune," Altair denied. "Skill." I soon lost interest in their conversation. I already know what was going to happen. Altair dishonors the Brotherhood and get stabbed and all that shit.

"Desmond, over here," a Native voice grunted. I turned around to see Ezio and Connor, both dressed in ancient Assassin garb as well, hidden behind a corner. I hurried over to join them.

"What is he doing?" Ezio hissed angrily. "I thought he was a Master Assassin! And here he is, breaking everything I am working for!"

"Yeah, yeah, look! He's leaving!" I urged him. "We have to follow him."

We tracked Altair to a large room filled with beams and wooden stands.

"Look," Connor tried to grab my attention. "Down there."

I glanced below to see Altair strutting towards the Templars, with Malik and Kadar flanking him on both sides.

"Hold Templars," Altair ordered. "You are not the only ones with business here." A man who wore a cross on his chest turned around slowly.

"Ah, Assassin!" the man spoke. "That explains my missing man. What is it that you want?" Altair pretended to think for a moment.

"Blood." The Assassin sprung up into the air, hidden blade out, prepared to sink it through Robert de Sable's neck.

However, Altair finally met his match, because Robert caught both of his wrists and held them away from his neck.

"Ha! Foolish Assassin! Do you really think you are powerful? Hmmmmm, I will let you live this time, so you can send a message to your Brotherhood, and to your master. Tell them to prepare for the worst." With that, Robert threw Altair through the roof and right into... us.

"AH! Merda!" Ezio screamed as Altair crash into him.

"You broke the Creed," Connor told the guilty Assassin.

"Now is not the time, brother," he spat. "We need to escape!" He jumped onto several beams, scaled up a wall, and hopped through a large gap in a wall that leads to Jerusalem. I glanced at my fellow foreign Assassins, and followed him.

Once we were safely out of the Temple, Ezio glared at Altair with so much intensity that it made Altair flinch (It's actually really impressive). "You've dishonored the Brotherhood," the Italian accused. "You know that the punishment is death, yes?"

Altair turned his head away. "Yes, yes, I am well aware," he mumbled regretfully. "Perhaps this is what the goddess meant by failure."

I bit back a chuckle and left him in the dark. He needs to learn his lesson.

After long, painful, back breaking, nut-cracking hours of horse-riding, we finally arrived at the small village of Masyaf. A man dressed in darker Assassin robes greeted us at the entrance.

"Welcome, Altair!" he announced cheerfully. "I trust your mission was a success? Who are these people?" The man looked at us.

"That is none of your concern, Rauf," Altair grunted. "Is the master in?"

"Yes, yes. Buried in his books, I suspect."

"Then I will be on my way." Rauf nodded and stepped aside to allow us entry.

"Hmph, your master will kill you," Connor told him, smiling a little.

"I know. Now shut up," Altair snapped.

"How will you kill Templars now? You have already failed," Ezio informed.

"Altair," another Arabic-accented voice interrupted.

"Abbas," Altair addressed back.

"Where are the others? Or have you rode ahead to claim all the glory for yourself?" he taunted.

"I have come to see the master," Altair insisted, standing his ground to the Assassin that fights with words, not blades. Abbas narrowed his eyes and snapped his hideous gaze in our direction.

"Who are those people behind you? You're servants?" he sneered. I glared at him and grinded my teeth together. No wonder why Altair hates this guy so much. He's a dick.

"I have come to see the master," Altair repeated, voice dangerously low.

"My apologies go on ahead. No doubt you are eager to put your tongue to his boot." Ezio chuckled a bit, but then quickly disguised it has a cough when he received a harsh glare from the elder Assassin. Altair turned his attention back to Abbas.

"Another word and I'll put my blade to your throat," he snapped.

"There will be plenty of time for that later, brother," Abbas spat. Then he turned away to waste his time elsewhere.

"Pezzo di merda," Ezio muttered. I nodded in agreement. We headed through the entrance to the Masyaf castle and up one of the grand stair cases.

"Wait here," Altair stopped us. "I must face him alone."

"What? Don't want to be embarrassed in front of your brothers?" I teased. The Arab shot me a dirty look.

"You can still hear from here," he pointed out.

"Excuses," Connor muttered. If Altair heard that, he didn't show it, because he walked straight to the master's desk without hesitation; back straight and head held high.

"Safety and peace, Al Mualim," Altair greeted.

"Altair!" Al Mualim acknowledged. "I trust you brought back the treasure? Where are Malik and Kadar?"

"There were some... complications," the Master Assassin improvised. "Robert de Sable was not alone."

"Ah, but when does our work ever go as planned?" the Mentor reasoned. "It's our ability to adapt that makes us Assassins."

Altair shifted uncomfortably. "But this time, it was not enough," he admitted.

Al Mualim froze and narrowed his eyes at him. "What do you mean?" he seethed.

"I have failed you, master," Altair concluded.

"The treasure?"

"Lost to us."

"De Sable?"

"Escaped."

Al Mualim took a deep breath; trying to keep his cool. "I sent you," he began, "my best man, on the most important mission the brotherhood has received yet, and you come back to me with apologies and excuses?"

Altair tried to defend himself. "I did-"

"DO NOT SPEAK! Not another word!" Al Mualim finally lost his temper. "What of Malik and Kadar?"

"Dead," he mumbled solemnly. Al Mualim looked like he's ready to explode.

"You-"

"No!" came a voice from the other side of the twin staircase. I turned to see Malik running up to his master, holding one arm in the other. "I still live!" he declared. "But the same cannot be said for my brother. Because of you!" Malik pointed an accusing finger at Altair.

"There was nothing I could do!" Altair desperately defended. "Robert de Sable threw me from the roof. There was no way back!"

Malik shook his head in disbelief. "It was no accident. All of this could have been avoided. Your arrogance nearly cost us the treasure!"

Al Mualim picked his head up from his stressed pacing and leaned forward eagerly. "Nearly?" he asked.

Malik smirked. "I have recovered what your favorite could not." He motioned for one of the novices (who was holding it) to give him the treasure. Malik's face turned serious again. "I'm afraid that is not all I brought home."

As if on cue, a panicked novice rushed past me and stood before the master. "Mentor! Masyaf is under attack!" he gasped.

Al Mualim narrowed his eyes at the novice. "So Robert wants a fight. Very well, we shall give him one." He turned to Altair. "Go and defend Masyaf. We will continue our conversation later."

"Yes master," Altair obeyed. He then turned around and strutted to us. "Come," he said. "Masyaf needs us to protect her. Since you are all Assassins, I'm assuming you know how to fight?"

"Like a lioness defending her cubs," Ezio replied cheerfully.

"And I'm going to assume that's a good thing," Altair remarked. "Now move!"

We rushed out of the castle and into the village. As we entered, however, an exhausted Rauf came wheezing to us. "Altair!" he panted. "Thank Allah you're here!"

"Safety and peace, brother. What assistance do you require of me?" Altair patiently asked.

"We have gotten most of the villagers out. Most of them. There are still innocent people out there, getting brutally slaughtered by those... those atrocities!" Rauf glanced around warily, checking to see if there are any Templars sneaking around. "I need you to distract the rest while we evacuate the last civilians."

Altair nodded. "So be it."

"Safety and peace, brother," Rauf saluted before he stumbled back into the battlefield.

"Follow me!" the Arabic Assassin ordered us. So we did. We jumped off a few cliffs, climbed a few buildings, and jumped off those. And we repeated.

"There!" Altair pointed to two groups of Templars terrorizing a family of civilians.

"Connor! You come with me! Ezio, Desmond, take them out!" He gestured to the Templars on the right.

Ezio glanced back at me. "Are you ready, fratello?" Without giving me time to answer, he jumped from the roof and onto the nearest Templar.

I sighed. So impatient. I followed him down and easily struck down the remaining Templars with my hidden blade. They didn't have any guns in this period, so it only took a minute.

"You guys alright?" I asked after we disposed of the abominations.

"Fine," Connor replied. Ezio and I went to join up with him and Altair.

"Come on! We are not done yet!" Altair yelled.

So we continued to jump off cliff, climb a few building and jump off those.

"Fall back!" I heard a voice shout as soon as we reached the end of a bridge. A sea of Assassins followed after whilst being chased by Templars.

Connor, Ezio, and I rushed with the fleeing Assassins back to Masyaf Castle. There, we backed up Al Mualim, who was in a verbal debate with Robert de Sable.

"It is hopeless!" Robert shouted up to the master, who was standing on a balcony. "You are doomed!"

"My brothers do not fear death, Templar! They welcome it, and the rewards it brings!" Al Mualim replied.

"Good!" The Grandmaster of the Templars replied. "Because they shall have it."

'Hmmmm, we will show you what we can do." At that, the Mentor of the Assassins held his hand up to the sky.

"Look!" Ezio hisses. He pointed to the highest tower. I looked up. There was Altair, standing on the edge of a wooden raft-like thing sticking out of the tower. I watched as Altair performed a graceful jump, the Leap of Faith, and landed in a pile of hay on his back. I looked down to check on the Templars. Robert de Sable seemed oblivious.

"Still you refuse?" he chuckled. "Very well, bring forth the prisoner!" The Templars pushed forward a bound and blindfolded Assassin. Robert sheathed his sword and stared cruelly at us. "You have caused this!" he announced and he sunk his sword into the back of the Assassin.

"KADAR!" I heard Malik scream. Al Mualim held up a hand to silence him.

"Like I said, my men do not fear death." Malik glared at his master.

Suddenly, logs came rolling down the hill and onto the Templars. They screamed in pain as the logs quickly and tortuously crushed the life out of them. Some, however, managed to scramble away before the heavy logs reached them and escaped with de Sable leading them. The Assassins cheered at this victory. But Ezio, Connor, and I stayed silent. What is to become of Altair?

The Assassins left the tower they were standing on and tended to the civilians that were gathered at the entrance of the castle.

We stood awkwardly at the base of the stairs that lead up to the entrance.

"Altair!" Al Mualim bellowed. I looked up to see the mentioned Assassin bravely climb up the stairs to face his doom. I snorted. Rank and bravery is not going to help him now.

"You have done well," Al Mualim half praised. "Do you know why that is?" Altair stayed silent. "You listened!" the Mentor continued. "If you had done the same in Solomon's Temple, then we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"I did what I was asked," Altair quietly defended. "NO!" Al Mualim snapped. "You did as you pleased!" He took a deep breath. "Malik has told me about the arrogance you have displayed in the Temple. You have broken three simple tenets of our Creed. Three tenets that has kept us in line. Three Tenets that you seem to have forgotten! Must I remind you again?" He didn't wait for an answer. "First tenet; stay the blade-"

"From the flesh of an innocent, I know." Altair received a slap to the cheek. I stifled a laugh.

"And stay your tongue!" Al Mualim snapped. "If you truly understand this tenet, then why did you kill that old man? He was innocent. He did not need to die." He paused to collect himself. "Second tenet," he began. "Always hide in plain sight." The Master glowered at his pupil. "From what I heard, you chose to expose yourself! And finally," his glare darkened, "the worst of all your betrayals, never compromise the Brotherhood! All the people who have died today was lost because of you!" He exhaled. "I'm sorry, I truly am, but I cannot think of a better way to pay for your crimes." At that, two Assassins that were standing behind Altair seized his arms and pulled them behind his back. Altair struggled, of course, but to no avail.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"I cannot spare a traitor," Al Mualim said solemnly. He pulled out a beautiful, golden dagger from his cloak.

"I am not a traitor," Altair desperately muttered. Al Mualim chuckled in incredulity.

"I do not believe you," he said, before he plunged his dagger into Altair's guts.

The world began to feel dizzy, and my balance deteriorated.

"What is happening?" Connor probably muttered. I can't be sure, in fact, the only thing I CAN be sure I heard were Altair cries of pain before the world faded into cold, unforgiving, darkness.


A/N: So sorry for the late update! School started two weeks ago and I have already taken 5 quizzes and 2 tests (I aced them all). But I still need to adjust, so forgive me. Also, I know my stories need more vivid descriptions, so I'll work on that. Constructive Criticism is welcome! :D