Headstrong
At first it was pain that had overtaken her and then darkness, but after hours of Malik carefully watching her and tending to her wounds, she had finally awaken and found herself upon a pile of soft pillows, partially undressed and a blanket covering her half way down. She was but in her pants, boots, breast bindings, and bandages wrapped around her stomach and arm. When her vision cleared she found herself to be in the shadow of a man standing above her. She was not accustomed to waking up in the presence of a shadow as she suddenly gasped in fear. Panic could be seen in her eyes as she wildly looked about, forgetting at the moment of what was going on. Altair quickly dropped to her level and threw back his hood so he did not come off so intimidating as he quickly placed a hand just under her side to keep her from scooting back and he used his other hand to cup her face to calm her down. She grasped onto his arms, shaken and nervous.
"It's alright. No harm will come to you. I've had Malik watch over you while I was away. However, he seems to be gone at the moment. I don't know where he has gone off to."
The name finally rang a bell in her mind as her memories came back to her.
"Altair…" she muttered his name as a rare innocent smile creased lightly across his face.
"Are you feeling alright?" She felt at ease now under his touch.
"Yes, thanks to Malik no doubt. His hospitality has always been very kind to me."
Altair seemed a little confused, "You two have met before?"
"Yes. On occasion Jedidiah would send me on missions to take down targets that were in Jerusalem and I would visit him. So we are for the most part acquainted."
Altair drew back his hands as he rested his arms upon his thighs. Fiorenza slowly sat up wincing a little from the soreness of her stomach and the tightness of her arm. The wounds were healing, but any strong movements would rip the wounds back open.
"How long was I knocked out? Wh…W-What has been going on?"
"Everything you have tried to warn us has been confirmed by Robert de Sable." He explained.
"Is he dead?" She asked.
"Yes." He replied. "He is dead, and just as you stated as well as your brother, Al Mualim used to be a Templar, just as your brother had feared. As of now I'm going to set back out to Masyaf at once and confront him. Now that I know you are safe and sound, I can now leave you here for now. I will return as soon as I can." He said as he got up to leave.
"You're not leaving without me." Fiorenza retorted as she forcibly stood up, stiff and partially in pain.
"It would be unwise for you to come with me and you would be put in harm's way…"
"…I am not a child Altair." She interrupted sternly as she began to put her assassin robes back on.
"This heavily involves my clan and it is vital that I join you to get to the bottom of this so that I may report back to him. I will not stand idly by and simply wait for your return. I promise I will not get in your way. In fact, I can help you."
Altair was not pleased with her defiance, but he didn't have time to try to convince her to stay and he certainly wasn't going to try to physically restrain her from going, possibly further injuring her. So he simply bit his tongue and waited for her to dress and once she was done, they left for Masyaf. When they had finally arrived back at Masyaf, nothing was of its right place. Most of the city was empty and there were random citizens walking about and chanting gibberish sayings. There was a man nearby that approached them when they entered into the city.
"What happened here? Where is everyone?" Altair asked the man, concerned. The man replied in an almost drone type of state of mind.
"Gone to see the master."
"Was it the Templars? Did they attack again?" Altair asked.
"They walk the path."
"What path?! What are you talking about?"
"Towards the light."
Fiorenza shook her head. "Something is wrong with him Altair. I sense emptiness from him."
Altair became further frustrated. "Speak sense!"
"There is only what the master shows us. This…is the truth." The man continued to drabble.
"You've lost your mind." Altair snapped.
"You too will walk the path or you will perish. So the master commands."
"It was Al Mualim wasn't it? What's he done to you?" He asked, assuming he was the man behind all this.
"Praise be to the master! For he has led us to the light!" The man chanted robotically.
"Come on Altair, this is getting us nowhere." Fiorenza urged.
"Agreed. We will press onward." He stated as they continued up the small hill to the headquarters, but when they had made it half way, they were greeted with a welcoming party. Altair protectively put an arm out in front of Fiorenza as he wielded his sword, but she came out from his arm as she withdrew her own.
"Wasn't it you who pointed out that I was a very well trained assassin? I don't need chivalrous protection. Just make sure you have my back and I will make sure I have yours."
Altair cocked an eyebrow as this was the very first time he would fight alongside a female assassin let alone did he know they even existed. This intrigued him greatly. The armed assassin men that stood before them stayed silent as they didn't inherently make a move. Altair and Fiorenza slowly approached them as they let them walk by, but the minute they tried to get through the second group they suddenly attacked, pitting Altair and Fiorenza back to back.
"It looks like we have no choice but to fight them." She said, blocking the attack of one-armed guard.
"My own brethren…"
"…you don't have to kill them Altair. There are parts of the human body that are susceptible and weak to injury. Just hit those areas and they'll initially be fine. The Achilles heel, the back of the knee, or just knock them unconscious with a heavy blow."
"I am fully aware of that," He stated in response as he blocked an oncoming slash, knocked the sword out of the guards hand and knocked the wind out of the man with a punch to the gut as he fell to the ground.
They were both equally as busy with the guards attacking them all at once, but being back to back helped them from getting hit from behind, however that didn't necessarily guarantee their blind sides were covered. Fiorenza was holding off a guard that was attacking her from her left, but one came at her right side and grabbed her and pulled her down and held her there and the man that attacked her front, raised his sword to jab down upon her, but before he could make another move, the sight of metal came piercing through his chest from his back as he was quickly knocked to the ground, Altair coming out from behind him. Altair gave a swift kick to the man on top of Fiorenza as he quickly helped her up.
"What was that about chivalrous protection?"
Before she could answer, she quickly jabbed her sword forward as she pierced through the side of a man that suddenly came up behind Altair and he fell swiftly to the ground.
"You were saying?" She replied with a smile as they quickly took down the rest of the small group of men.
"It's time to end this madness." She stated as they ran up the rest of the way to the hill, but just at the bottom of a cliff flying daggers that landed at their feet stopped their path. And as they looked up top at the cliff, there they saw Malik with a group of men.
"Altair, Fiorenza, up here!" He yelled as the two looked at each other, nodded, and then ran up the hill to meet up with Malik.
"You picked a fine time to arrive," Altair said.
"So it seems," Malik replied.
"And to think you had left me alone," Fiorenza bantered with a smile.
"Don't worry. I made sure you were okay before I left."
"Guard yourself well friend. Al Mualim has betrayed us as feared."
"Yes, betrayed the Templars as well," Malik added.
"How do you know?" Altair asked.
"After we spoke, I returned to the ruins of Solomon's temple. Robert had kept a journal, filled its pages with revelations. What I had read broke my heart, but it also opened my eyes. You were right Fiorenza and Altair. All along our master has used us! We were not meant to save the holy land, but to deliver it to him. He must be stopped!"
"Be careful Malik. What he has done to the others he will do to us given the chance. You must stay far from him."
"What would you propose? My blade arm is still strong and my men remain my own. It would be a mistake not to use us."
"Do not underestimate the artifact he holds. It's blinded over a hundred men alone in this city and as strong willed as we are, it's not worth the risk of losing valuable allies." Fiorenza retorted.
"She's right, but if you must do something then distract these trawls. Assault the fortress from behind. If you can draw their attention away from me, I might reach Al Mualim with Fiorenza's help."
"I will do as you ask." Malik replied.
"The men we faced…" Altair continued, "…their minds are not their own. If you can avoid killing them…"
"…yes. Though he has betrayed the tenants of the creed that does not mean we must as well. I'll do what I can."
"It's all I ask. Safety and peace my friend."
"The presence of you and Fiorenza will deliver us both." Fiorenza embraced Malik before he left.
"Be careful." Malik was taken by surprise, but then he smiled at her as he embraced her back.
"You as well, Fio."
The final moment had come as Altair and Fiorenza ran up the remainder of the hill that leads to the headquarters. However, they were met by a large group of innocent bystanders from the city, but none of them were attacking luckily.
"There are so many innocents. I must be careful not to harm them."
"Altair wait," She said as she tugged on his arm. "I'm going to take an alternate path through the building. There's a hidden back way I learned about the last time I was here and I'm going to be hiding there to see if I can't get a surprise attack on him while he's focused on you. Also if you happen to get in trouble, I'll be able to cover your back."
Altair nodded in agreement as they went separate ways and he ran out into the garden area behind the building. The minute Altair had set foot on the garden grounds however some strange force that he could not explain suddenly overtook his body as he lost control and he was levitated off the ground and spun around.
"No! What's happening?!" He yelled as Al Mualim appeared at the top of the balcony.
"So, the student returns!" He belted.
"I've never been one to run." Altair retorted.
"Never been one to listen either!" Al Mualim said.
"I still live because of it!"
Al Mualim shook his head and stared at his former student whom was dangling in the air.
"What will I do with you?" He asked.
Altair glared back like death was in his eyes as his tone lowered and hardened. "Let me go."
"Oh, Altair; I feel the hatred in your voice, feel its heat. Let you go? Well that would be unwise."
"Why are you doing this?" Altair asked. Al Mualim smiled as he gazed upon the piece of Eden in his hand.
"I've found proof…"
"…proof of what?" Altair interrupted.
"That nothing is true and everything is permitted. Come, destroy the betrayer! Send him from his world!"
Suddenly a group of warriors surrounded Altair as he was let go from his mystical holding, but these were not just any group of warriors. They were all the targets Altair had assassinated, even Robert de Sable who he had just killed today, stood before him and ready to attack. Altair was shocked to see these men before him. It was like staring at a ghost, but he had no time to stand and question what he was seeing. He knew he was clear in his mind so he had no doubt to assume these images were coming from the device that Al Mualim was holding in his hand. Such a large group was unfair against one man, even a man like Altair, but he was not alone. As one of the men tried to attack him, suddenly the man fell to the ground as the apparition disappeared and all that was left was an arrow lying upon the ground. And then without warning, another one of the apparitions were hit with an arrow as he too fell to the ground and disappeared, leaving but the arrow behind as one by one the other apparitions fell to the ground. It was not luck that fell upon Altair, but an ally in the shadows. Fiorenza had found a well-placed location as she fired off her arrows from afar to hit the targets into fatal areas of the body. Not only was she trained as an assassin, but also in the mastery of archery. A dagger was faster, but a bow and arrow gave longer distance to work with.
Al Mualim watched in disgust. He did not understand what was going on.
"What is the meaning of this?!" He yelled as he took his device and took over Altair's body once more.
"Ah! Face me or are you afraid?!" Altair yelled back, trying to draw Al Mualim's attention on him and not of Fiorenza's whereabouts.
"I have stood before a thousand men, all of them superior to you, and all of them dead, by my hand! I am not afraid."
Altair goaded in reply, "Prove it."
"What could I possibly fear? Look at the power I command? But before I do…" he paused in sentence as he shot his gaze in the outward right location of the gardens as he simply raised his hand and squeezed his palm as a small yelp could be heard from afar. And within a moment a figure being levitated and dragged from the shadows, surrounded in a golden aura like Altair, was revealed.
"Did you think me fool to your presence girl?" Al Mualim stated bluntly as Fiorenza was drawn closer. "So, I was correct to assume that you weren't dead." Fiorenza struggled and like Altair, she could not regain control of her body as she was levitated in front of Al Mualim.
"You…you knew?"
"Yes, child. The only reason I did not attack you when you were hidden in the shadows was so that I could make an example of you; an example to Altair to show what happens to those who betray their masters."
The minute his words were spoken, Altair became enraged. He knew what Al Mualim would do to her. Every muscle in his body, every ligament and joint strained as he tried desperately to break free, but he could not.
"Let her go!" He belted, but Al Mualim paid no attention to Altair's plight as he kept his gaze upon Fiorenza.
"It is such a shame that someone with your skills and abilities must be put down. Woman or not, you are as strong willed as Altair and so I have no choice but to kill you, but not yet. In fact this poses as quite an interesting predicament. Two of the top assassins of both clans are here before me. One would wonder if in a battle, which of the two would win."
Fiorenza gasped slightly as she had a pretty good feeling of what was going to happen next.
"Will it be my best student? Or will it be the little sister of Jedidiah?" His question stained the air as Al Mualim suddenly disappeared into thin air and Altair's body was let go once again, but Fiorenza's began to thrash about as she too was let go, but she began to clutch her head as she became confused and bewildered.
"No, stay out of my head! No! Please!" She cried out, but within moments her mind was not her own. She stood in place silently for a moment, as she did not make a move.
"Fiorenza?" Altair called her name, but she did not respond and then she looked up and gazed at him. It was as if the life in her eyes was taken like some soulless vessel. She then wielded her sword and did not hesitate to come at Altair like a cobra striking a mongoose. Altair naturally dodged, but her movements were so quick, he found it near impossible to retaliate back, but he also did not want to hurt her knowing he had previously injured her.
"Fiorenza it's me, Altair! You've got to wake up from this madness!"
She did not respond as she kept coming at Altair with swift upper, side, and lower sword slashes, blocking his attacks, countering his counters as metal clashed and sparks flew. He dropped his sword so he could catch her blade between his palms like she did during their first battle. He was quick to learn new moves. She struggled to get the sword from him.
"Fiorenza! Please, you must wake up from his control! You're stronger than this!"
Still there was no response and seeing as she could not retrieve her sword, she quickly let go and simultaneously pulled a dagger from her shoulder's holster and flung it at Altair as it quickly jabbed him just below the collarbone. He grunted heavily as he gritted his teeth and was quick to pull the dagger out of his shoulder, but that was all the distraction Fiorenza needed to move in for the kill, but despite her training and years of experience, Altair started long before she as he was trained well in hand to hand combat. When she had tried to pounce upon him with her dagger disengaged, he took his right arm and hit the edge of her forearm at an angle, giving his hand an opportunity to grab at her bicep. He then pulled her downward as his knee contacted heavily into her stomach, ripping opening her still newly given wound from earlier in the day. She gagged as spit flew from her mouth and then with a fiery vengeance he thrust her to the ground as she impacted onto her back as he came down upon her, but she too was trained well; both being top of their clans.
She stuck her foot up as it was planted against Altair's stomach as she kicked upward and he was launched into the air and shot backwards behind her as he landed upon his back. And then with swift movements she was up on her feet as she came down upon Altair, but held his neck to choke him and just as she was going to jab him in the heart with her dagger, she stopped midway as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"No!" She yelled as she struggled to restrain her dagger from coming down all the way.
"NO!" She yelled again as she let go of Altair and stood upon her feet as she clutched her head once more.
"I…REFUSE!" Al Mualim's voice echoed in her head, "Kill him. Kill Altair! I command you to!"
She fell upon her knees as Altair stood a few feet away, watching her in agony. "I can't! Ala please, AH!"
"Fiorenza?" Altair called her name once more as she shot her gaze at him.
"Altair, please, you have to end this! I…I-I can't hold it for much longer!"
"But…" he started.
"…PLEASE!" She cried.
Injuring her the first time was bad enough, but now he would have to do it right again. Blood was already seeping through her clothes from her first wound as it had reopened, but now he would have to injure her in front of Al Mualim and if he didn't kill her, Al Mualim would, but maybe if there was enough blood on her clothes it would convince Al Mualim she was dead.
