Author's Note: Guys I'm baaaaack! Like I said in the previous chapter, there are references to Desmond and the other Assassins. Once again, I do not own Assassin's Creed or any of the characters created by Ubisoft. I only own my own characters. Once more, some of the names have been changed to protect their privacy. And finally, this contains strong language and violence! Now, that that's over, on with the story!
Chapter 2: The Phantom Blade
I awoke from my slumber when I felt someone was shaking my shoulders aggressively. "Fucking stop!" I yelled. However, the yell was somewhat ruined as my face was pushed into my pillow so the command was muffled. Nonetheless, the shaking stopped. I sat up and yawned, stretching my arms above my head. I opened my eyes and looked at Dan. It was he who had awakened me from my sleep. "What do you want?" I snapped, though accidentally. After all, I had just been woken up from my sleep.
"I'm in," Dan said excitedly. In his hands was a hidden blade, I noticed.
"Ah," I said. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and looked at Dan. "Congratulations," I said, patting him on his back. I checked the time. I had only slept for around an hour. "Have you been trained yet?" I asked. Dan shook his head.
"I'm meant to start in five minutes," he said, a huge grin on his face. "I'm gonna go now so I'll talk to you later. Thanks Suraj for this." I smiled and nodded to him. I checked my watch. It was 04:30pm. I had time to speak to Emi. I left my room and swiped a can of red bull from the kitchen of the Bureau before going to see the leader. I knocked on the Bureau Leader's door before entering.
"Ah, Suraj. What can I do for you?" asked the leader. He motioned for me to sit down opposite his desk. He seemed to be filling out some papers. I sipped my drink as I collected my thoughts. Then, I spoke.
"Do you know where Emi is?" I tapped my fingertip against the can as the leader put down his pen and wrung his hands together, thinking.
"I believe that she is in the back garden, by the fountain." I nodded.
"And her mother?" I asked, continuing to tap the can.
"Asleep. She has been accepted. Right now, she needs to gather her strength and rest," the leader said. "Suraj, I have just had a new shipment of hidden blades. They are called the Phantom Blades. They were mainly used in the French Revolution. Arno Dorian used one himself. Would you like one?" I nodded and accepted the new blade. There seemed to be a small crossbow underneath the gauntlet. "This can be used as a normal hidden blade too. But, you can fire the blade itself with the crossbow to hit ranged targets. They should come in handy."
"Thank you very much," I said. I took off my regular hidden blade from my left arm and strapped the new gauntlet to my left arm. I looked over it. It looked good. "What do I do with this one?" I asked, holding up my former blade.
"Whatever you wish," the leader said. I nodded and thanked him once more. I didn't give it to him, as I am sure he would have suspected that anyone would have done. Instead, I left the room, clutching my old hidden blade. I made my way to the back garden, emptying the can's contents into my mouth. I threw the can into the nearby bin, and it went in straight away. There were dummies in the back garden too, so I could practice with the newly acquired Phantom Blade. I was fairly certain that I was the only one with a Phantom Blade currently, but I was sure that would change once I gave my feedback about the weapon. That is, if the Phantom Blade was worth the time and effort. I opened the sliding door that lead to the back garden and easily located the fountain. Emi was sitting on the bottom part of the fountain, swirling her fingertips in the pool of water being held back by the brick. I moved forwards and sat next to her, not saying a word, waiting for her to talk when she was ready. I noticed that Dan was training on one of the dummies with another Assassin from the Bureau.
"Thank you for what you've done today," Emi said, still swirling her fingertips in the clear water. "I know I've said that earlier, but I wanted to say it again."
"No problem," I replied. "I would imagine that it's hard to find that your own father is the enemy and even harder to end that life. I mean, he's your dad." I looked at Emi, who lifted her head and looked into my eyes. "I'm glad that you didn't do it."
She gave me a puzzled look. "What do you mean, you're glad?" I looked down at my Timberland boots.
"I'm glad that it was me," I said. "Not because I wanted to, just so that you didn't have to." I looked again into her eyes. "I've got something for you," I stated. "Here." I passed my old hidden blade to her and looked at my reflection in the water behind me.
"Why are you giving this to me?" she asked.
"I don't need it any more. I've got a new one." I showed her the new blade and she asked me to demonstrate. I wanted to try out the new weapon myself so I agreed. I picked a target - the target Dan was working on - and lifted my arm, my palm facing the sky. I pressed the button underneath the little crossbow and the blade itself went flying through the air. It landed in the dummy's stomach. Dan turned to look at me, and I smiled widely. It was a good weapon, but you needed precision and it could only be used in dire times.
"I don't know what to say," she said. I turned back to Emi.
"You don't have to say anything," I replied. "I know that you're thankful." We talked a little more and occasionally watched Dan train. As the sun started to set over the horizon, we stood up from the place we had been sitting on the fountain. I stretched and Emi yawned. "You're tired. It's been a long day," I said. "Get some rest." Emi smiled and went into the building where she was staying.
"I need to take a trip," I muttered to myself.
"What do you need to take a trip for?" asked Dan, who popped up out of nowhere. I wasn't fazed and I didn't jump unlike most people. After all, I was an Assassin.
"I'm taking a trip to meet someone. I do have a mission after all," I replied. I walked into my room and changed my clothes. After that, I unlocked the smartphone and contacted my cousin. "Hi, is he here today?" I asked when the line picked up.
"Yes, why?" the voice asked.
"I need to see him. It's important," I said quietly. "Let's go tomorrow." I put the phone down and lay on my bed, falling asleep quickly.
Me and my cousin walked up to my other cousin's house. We knocked on the door and it opened. Thankfully, I had changed my clothes and slipped out of my robes into a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie. It would be weird if I turned up in my Assassin's robes. I had my normal hidden blade underneath my hoodie on my arm and I had taken off the newly acquired Phantom Blade. I had left my tomahawk, gun and Phantom Blade in my room back at the Bureau. I hid my Assassin pendant underneath my hoodie and t-shirt. My Templar cousin was in this house. It was time I had a word with him. I felt in my pocket for the device that would make my voice deeper so people didn't know it was me.
I sat down on the sofa and attempted to make a conversation. "So, this war with Juno's getting worse, huh?" I asked.
"Yeah and it's only a matter of time until the Assassins that are still alive fight against her and the Templars," my cousin replied.
"Where's Eirun?" I asked. "I need to talk to him." There was no point sugar coating it. All of my family knew what I was doing. They all knew that Eirun was a Templar. The only thing was, Eirun didn't know I was an Assassin. I'd prefer to keep it that way.
"Upstairs," my cousin replied, taking out his phone. "Are you gonna do it?"
"If he doesn't change his mind. I won't have to do anything if he returns to us and proves he's loyal."
"He doesn't know what you are?"
"No," I said. "And I want it kept that way. Some of you have just joined, but know that I am higher in rank and I've had more training. You tell him, this-" I unsheathed my blade. "-goes through your throat too. And I won't hesitate to do it." I picked myself up and checked my watch. 2:30pm. Yesterday was the day I had given Emi my old hidden blade. I pressed the button on my device and put my hood up. Quietly, I slipped out the room and up the stairs. I crept into his room and stood at the door. "Eirun Aulak, you have failed this Brotherhood!" I said. My voice boomed in a deep way. He was sitting on the bed, on his laptop.
"Assassin!" he hissed. Something was wrong. He was wearing clothes like he was going out and he had a gun by his side. "Did you think that I wouldn't guess you were coming? I may be a Templar, but I'm not stupid, unlike the others." He placed his laptop to the side and picked up the gun.
"You are a traitor," I said simply.
"Perhaps, but I'll be alive," he sneered. He aimed the gun and shot at me. I dodged out the way and rolled back into the hallway. I stayed where I was, crouched down. The doors downstairs opened and I heard the sound of running feet.
"Stay back!" I yelled to them. "Don't get involved." I crept slowly back into the room. It was empty. The window was wide open. "Shit!" I cursed. I ran onto the bed and out the window. Quickly, I climbed up the wall and onto the roof. I scanned the area. There he was! My own cousin, Eirun Aulak, Templar was running down the street. I ran to the end of the roof and jumped down in a skilled way. The front door quickly opened. "Stay inside!" I yelled in my deep voice. Without notice, I took off after him, jumping over cars and parkouring everywhere just to catch up with him.
Eirun continued to shoot at me and I dodged and chased after him. "Return to the Brotherhood or die!" I yelled. I knew his choice anyway. He wouldn't return to us. I was to kill him, my own cousin. I pushed aside my feelings and my face hardened. I was an Assassin. It was my job to kill the Templars. I picked up speed and ran behind him. "You can't do anything! Surrender and you live!"
"Fuck you!" Eirun yelled. "I'd rather die than join you! I am practically a God in the Order. I am Juno's right hand man!"
"Then you will die!" I jumped and tackled him to the ground, knocking the gun out of his hand. He pushed me off of him and tried to reach for the handgun. I pulled him back and he kicked me in the stomach. He cut my wind off and crawled to the gun. With my last ounce of strength, I jumped and pushed the gun farther from his hand. Eirun growled in frustration and threw a punch at my face. I blocked and punched his nose. I rolled off him and stood, crouching in my position. Eirun stood too. I unsheathed my blade. Eirun pulled out a dagger from his boot.
"Come and get me Assassin," he sneered. I ran to him and rammed him against the nearby fence. Eirun threw a right hook at my face. I ducked and slugged him in the stomach, as payback for him kicking me in the stomach.
"Oof," he said, covering his arms with his stomach. Eirun kicked me in the knees and I dropped onto my knees. Regaining his wind and breath, Eirun slashed at me with the dagger. I ducked and rolled onto my back. Eirun jumped and I used my legs to throw him behind me. I rolled and stood up, once again unsheathing my blade. "Why do you fight?!"
"Because no one else will!" I yelled. Blood was seeping from his nose. Eirun ran at me and slashed my face, cutting my cheek with the dagger. I hissed in pain and stabbed my right arm which contained the blade. It went through his clothes and pierced his arm. I didn't want to hurt him and I was thankful that I missed a vein. But, I was going to have to hurt him one way...
"Argh!" Eirun yelled, dropping the dagger and falling to his knees. With his other hand, he covered the wound. I sheathed my blade and walked up to him. Eirun looked up at me. "Who... are you...?" He was going to die now so I was going to show him who I truly was. I took off my hood and showed him who I was and turned off my device.
"What... Suraj? Why are you an Assassin?!" He exclaimed, shocked.
"My father was an Assassin so was my whole family," I explained. "You were training to be an Assassin remember? You double-crossed us. Turned into the enemy. We could have done missions together."
"I know your family were Assassins..." he trailed off. He had piqued my curiosity now. "I..."
"What did you do?" I asked, scared that I already knew the answer. I suddenly grew angry. I grabbed his collar and pushed my face into his. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
"I killed your family, indirectly," he muttered. "I ratted them out to the other Templars."
"YOU!" I yelled, furious. "YOU'RE THE REASON WHY I'M DOING THIS! IF MY FAMILY WASN'T DEAD, I WOULDN'T NEED TO RUN AROUND THE WORLD, KILLING EVERY TEMPLAR I SEE. YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!" I breathed deeply, processing what I was going to say.
"I'm sorry okay!" Eirun replied.
"Sorry... doesn't... cut it..." I pulled my hood up again and unsheathed my blade. Without notice, I struck. My blade went through his neck. I let go of him and pushed him to the ground. A memory of my father telling me that you should respect the dead came to mind.
"Good!" said my father as I successfully completed an air assassination. "You're well on your way to becoming a true Assassin, my boy." He walked towards me and offers his hand. I grasp it tightly and my father pulls me up. "I'm proud of you son," he said, pulling me into a rough hug.
"Thanks, Dad." I returned the hug.
"Now, son, I have something to tell you." He turned and looked at the dummy that I had just assassinated. "When you kill a Templar, or anyone for that matter, you respect the dead. Long ago, Ezio Auditore killed a Templar and he didn't show respect to the Templar's corpse. His uncle told him to always respect the dead. Then he closed the Templar's eyes and said, "Requiescant in pace." This means "Rest In Peace" in Italian. Always show respect to the dead by saying something meaningful."
This time, I didn't pay my respects. Eirun didn't deserve it after what he did. I began walking away and turned my head to the body of my cousin. Blood pooled from his neck. "May you rot in hell you bastard." I walked back to my cousin's house and opened the front door. I took off my hood but my eyes were dark.
"Did you do it?" asked my cousin.
"Yes and I left him in the middle of the road," I said, unsheathing and sheathing my blade.
"In the middle of the road?!" exclaimed my cousin. "Are you kidding me? He's your cousin."
"No, he isn't. Not after what I just found out." Before anyone could say anything, I left the house and started my way to the Assassin Bureau. I needed to talk to someone.
Author's Note: And that's the end of this chapter! Sorry that it took me so long to write this, school and things got in the way. Anyway, that's Chapter 2 complete. You guys know what to do: Review! Next chapter, some progress between Emi and Suraj. Also, I'm going to be referencing Arno and Shay into this as well, considering they were legends. That's all for now. See you next chapter!