Masyaf, 1191 A.D.

I was sitting on the ledge of my house and enjoying the warm sun rays on my tanned skin when Malik approached me with an excited and at the same time somehow serious expression.

"You won't believe what mission Al-Mualim has given us today!" he said with a mildly suppressed. I raised an eyebrow in response.

"Tomorrow, Kadar, Altaïr and I will infiltrate Solomon's Temple, and get whatever it is inside that place. Before you say anything, no I don't know what we are going after exactly." He always knew what questions were on my mind.

"I'm more curious about the intent of this mission, brother. What would the Grand Master want from inside that place? I can think of no other reasons besides stopping the Templars from getting their filthy hands on it. From what I've read in the dusty scrolls in Masyaf's Great Library, the origins of the artefact remain unknown, although it was established that its location is in an ancient Jerusalem Vault, deep beneath the Solomon's Temple." He seemed to ponder a bit on my words. My thirst for knowledge pushed me to read every single document we had in our grasp but not without asking permission from Al-Mualim a countless amount of times. He keeps reminding me to handle the parchments with great care, and I am smart enough to heed his words. I would never be able to destroy an important piece of our history, even if I wanted to…

"If you have read about that place, do you happen to know any secret entrances or passages to help us get there quickly and quietly?" His words snapped me out of my thoughts. I nodded.

"There's a large cave system beneath the Temple with more than a dozen passages and dead-ends. Unfortunately, we do not have a map of it, but I know that the entrance should be in one of the abandoned quartz mines west of Jerusalem."

"Hmm, I should be able to lead us quickly through the tunnels, if you say it's abandoned." I slightly shook my head at this.

"Don't expect it to be that way, Mal. You know such places can hold anything and anyone inside them. Best try to avoid any confrontation if you happen to see someone other than a Templar or a bandit in there, and please pass that onto Altaïr as well, for I believe we both know that he will kill anyone to reach the goal." He looked into my eyes with a serious and heavy gaze and then nodded once to show the acknowledgement of my words.

"Now, onto another matter...Why is Kadar going with you two? He is still a novice!" I raised my voice a bit. Malik looked uncomfortable.

"Al-Mualim said that this mission was to be his graduation ceremony so that he could finally become an assassin just like us!" he answered without hesitation. The frown on my face was becoming more visible every second that passed."But I am still worried, that something will go wrong in there, even with Altaïr's help."

I stared ahead of me for a few long moments before finally sighing. "I worry about him too, you know? He is our little brother, who is sometimes so naive that it makes me want to smile despite it all. I wouldn't be able to bear hearing about his death if that were to happen." I paused. "Promise me something though…"

"Of course, sister."

"Don't let him out of your sight, and protect him at all costs!" I firmly told him. He solemnly nodded in response and left me to my own thoughts.

I hope everything will go well in the Vault, because if it doesn't, Al-Mualim will have their heads for such a major failure. Altaïr better hold his fiery temper or so help me, Allah…

A few hours later...

Just as I was finishing training novices, Altaïr approached me with an unreadable expression. He gained my attention with a hand motion.

"Come with me," he said coldly. I gave him a single nod. Over the years he changed from a shy and reserved little boy into a cold, prideful, and arrogant man, though it never bothered me that much before. We would spend our nights together in the nearby caves, speaking about everything and nothing at the same time. I was amazed by how he was so open with me about his feelings, but it all changed when he fell in love with Adha, the Chalice. Her death consumed him with hatred, and he hunted down and killed all those responsible for her demise. I tried to console him but he wouldn't even let me near him, instead preferring to be left alone with a sword and a training dummy. That accident alone left a huge rift between us, for I knew that he would never be the same man again, a man whose heart was torn out from his chest. Malik comforted me as best he could, but his efforts alone were not enough, and thus I became much colder towards the only real friend I ever had. Whenever we were asked to spar in front of others to show them some useful techniques, we would remain completely silent, doing only what we were told to do. After that, we each went our own separate ways. It wasn't easy to see him walk away from me in silence. It still isn't, but now that he is being sent on an important mission to secure an artifact that we - the assassins - know nothing about, makes me worry for his life, even though I know that he is more than capable of holding his own against the Templars, who will be undoubtedly waiting for his group to come over and take it. I sincerely hope that all of them will return alive and well, though it's highly unlikely in my opinion.

Reaching the door of Altaïr's room, I gently knocked on it three times. I heard some shuffling in the room and a faint 'Come in'. I opened the door and stepped inside. It looked just like any other assassin's room, except there were some eagle feathers lying on the windowsill. He was standing in the far corner with his clothed back turned to me.

"Why are you not sleeping, Altaïr? You are going to leave Masyaf with my brothers in the early hours of the morning. Try to get some sleep. You will need it." I calmly told him. He seemed to have ignored my words, for he remained silent, though I knew he heard me loud and clear. I stood there quietly for a few moments before he finally addressed me.

"Why have really come here?" he asked me coldly. I sighed.

"I won't lie to you, I am worried about what will happen in Solomon's Temple."

"Why are you worried? I am a Master Assassin. I can take care of myself."

"I know. I meant that...there are surely going to be some Templars inside, and not the usual grunts but elite members of their Order. If you suddenly opt rush head in and fight them all, you will most likely get yourself injured, or worse, get Malik and Kadar injured." His face remained expressionless, but his voice showed the growing anger within him

"Do not doubt my skills! I am not a novice!"

"Of course you are not! I am only saying that you should be careful in there because I…" I couldn't finish the sentence.

"Because you what?!"

"Because one day your arrogance and pride will get you killed, Altaïr!" I shouted at him because I was frustrated with his own angry responses to my words. He sneered at me and stepped closer. Getting closer to my face he said "I do not need your concern or friendship! Worry about somebody else!" His words hit me like a hammer to my gut. Tears started to gather in the corners of my eyes but I refused to let them fall. I headed towards the door but before I left I told him:

"Your pride will be your downfall! Don't come running to me if Al-Mualim decides to have your head if you happen to fail the mission!" With that, I left his room. I didn't want the conversation between us to get so heated, but I just couldn't help it. He broke my heart once more...