A/n: A huge thank you to all my brilliant reviewers, as usual. I adore you all :D
And without further delay, onto chapter 8:
Part 8
After a brief blue screen, the pixels faded and the room returned. What the hell had just happened?
I turned to ask Altair, but when I looked over, he was gone.
"Altair?" I called aloud. Nothing. Oh, that's not good. My guide's gone and I have no idea what just happened.
I got up and opened the door. Malik was still at this desk, busy scribbling away at the book in front of him.
"Malik, have you seen Altair?" I asked.
He looked up, surprised. "He's right over there," he nodded to the courtyard.
I ran over to the door, and indeed, there he was. "Where did you go?" Altair asked.
"I was about to ask you the same thing? What happened?"
Altair looked thoughtful, "I think it was a time-skip. Were you still in the other room?"
"Yes! It was the strangest thing,"
"I guess the Animus doesn't recognise you, and so doesn't teleport you in the fast-forwards." He reasoned.
"…that's not good,"
"Don't worry; maybe it was just a one-off."
"Hey, are you two going to stand there chatting all day, or are you going to go spill some Templar blood?" Malik interrupted.
"We're on our way," Altair replied, moving towards the opening in the courtyard roof.
"And good riddance. Bloody talking all day like a bunch of jackals," I heard Malik mutter as I followed the assassin to the exit.
If I've learned anything in the past day (or 10 real-world minutes), it's that Malik and Altair's exchanges are far more interesting in person.
Altair bounded up the wall and onto the roof, waiting for me to follow. I struggled my way up but eventually made it. How did Altair have so much energy after all that running before?
"Come on, we've only got a few hours before Tailium leaves the Library and rejoins his guard. We'll have to strike before that happens, if we want any hope of doing this quickly and quietly," Altair instructed, setting off.
I didn't catch up with him again until we reached the top of the outer palace wall. The palace itself was more like a fortress, really. Luckily the library was supposed to be one of the outer buildings, so we didn't have to get past too many guards on the way.
I collapsed, exhausted, at Altair's feet.
"What are you doing? We don't have time for breaks!" Altair replied, annoyed.
"Sorry, not all of us are good at running about non-stop. I haven't had a real break since the top of that damn tower," I complained.
"What are you talking about? Didn't you rest at the Bureau?"
"No, I was only there for like 10 seconds before we fast-forwarded. Why, did you?"
"…yes, that's how it works."
"So you got a full night's sleep?"
"Of course."
"And why didn't it work for me?"
Altair shrugged. "Probably due to the same reason why you weren't teleported outside. You're not part of the game,"
I looked up at the giant window to my lounge room. My lazy cat had now moved from the couch to my vacated beanbag. Figures the first thing he does when I'm gone is take over. Probably didn't even try looking for me. Stupid, ungrateful cat. He can find someone else to feed him now.
"So are we going to do this, or not?" I asked.
"I was waiting for you,"
"Right,"
"There's no time to chat, we've got to sneak down into the courtyard below us. From there I want you to go and distract the guards," he instructed.
"Oh, so we're still going with the distracting thing? How exactly am I supposed to do that?" I asked.
He shrugged again. "I don't know. Use your womanly ways, ask for directions, dance a jig, I don't care. Just keep them occupied until I can take them out and sneak inside,"
"Hmm, dance a jig…do you think that will work?"
Altair rolled his eyes. "Just get going,"
"Fine, no need to get so bossy. Geeze, you're awful grumpy in the mornings," I muttered, climbing down the convenient ladder to the ground. I hid behind a tree and spotted the guards at the Library's main entrance. There were two of them, standing at attention and looking thoroughly bored.
Choosing a combination of ideas, I pulled my assassin's hood down and tried to fix my hair as best I could in the reflection of a shiny wall ornament. I didn't look as bad as I expected. And it was lucky I never went a day without putting on make-up, as time-consuming and seemingly pointless as it is, since I don't usually go anywhere. I'm just working my way though the collection I keep amassing every birthday and Christmas. I own so much eyeliner, I could stock about every emo band in the country.
I actually looked half-decent.
Happy with my appearance, I began stage two of my plan, and walked up to the guards. Yep, complicated shit, I know.
And thus began stage three.
"Hey there," I called, using my high-pitched, wispy voice I usually reserved for my job (serving customers…at a fast-food restaurant. They find it less threatening. What did you think I meant?), "I was wondering if you could give me directions to the bathhouse,"
The two men exchanged looks. I take it this wasn't normal for them.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Altair jump down from the wall. I would have to do better than this.
"You see, I just got back from a road trip, and I'm afraid I'm very dusty," I elaborated, trying to be as distractingly seductive as possible. Yeah, I'm not winning any academy awards here.
I tried tossing my hair. Nope. They just seemed confused, but at least I had their attention.
"I didn't realise they had any female scholars," one of the guards remarked.
"Yeah, I thought they only took men," the other agreed.
Oops, I probably should've done my research (not that I was given time to prepare, thanks a lot Altair). Was this still the time where women were treated like objects and forbidden to learn? Or even walk outside unaccompanied, for that matter? Shit, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.
"Where's your escort?" the guard on the left asked, confirming my suspicions,
"Um, he's parking the donkey," I improvised.
"What do you want?" The other guard asked.
"Directions. Geeze, weren't you two louts listening?" I saw Altair inch closer along the side of the building. I wouldn't have to wait much longer.
"Look, we don't have any bathhouses here," the left guard replied.
"Well that explains a lot," I muttered. He was just metres away.
"What did you say?"
"Do you know what time it is?" I asked instead. So close. Not much longer now.
"Where did your husband take the donkey? Perhaps we should find him for you," the guard on the right suggested. Were they trying to get rid of me?
"I dunno. Outside somewhere," I replied. Hurry up Altair!
"Maybe we should go look," the guard turned to walk to the side.
"No, wait!" I said quickly. Altair froze. He was just too far away to take them out without alerting someone if the guard turned and spotted him now.
Both guards looked at me expectantly.
I panicked and fell to the ground dramatically, sighing "Oh, the heat,"
I heard the guards rush over. All that time I had spent trying (and failing) to teach my dog to play dead had actually paid off.
I heard a set of muffled footsteps run up, and a surprised whelp. I opened my eyes to see Altair leap off the body of the freshly slain guard and quickly jump to the other. The guard didn't even know what hit - I mean, stabbed - him.
Another gruesome kill.
"Good thinking," Altair complemented me as he picked up the body of one of the fallen guards, "grab the other one,"
"What are you going?" I asked, picking up guard number one.
"Hiding the bodies so they don't attract more guards," he replied.
Ha, brilliant idea. It's a wonder they never let me do that in the game.
We dragged the bodies over to some thick bushes along the wall and made sure they were out of sight.
"Ok, now wait at the door. I need you to be look-out," Altair instructed as we walked back to the building.
"Alright, I can do that. What's the signal?" I asked.
"Signal?"
"Yeah, if someone's coming,"
"No signal, just run in and find me. I should be done quickly anyway, so this is just a precaution," he replied.
"Then where will you be? It's a pretty big building,"
"Tailium's private study is on the second floor, in the right wing. It's apparently got a huge pair of oak doors, so you shouldn't miss it. But if we're lucky, you won't have to worry about navigating it. And don't worry about patrolling guards. Only get me if anyone finds the bodies, or tries to attack you,"
I didn't like that last part. "Great,"
We reached the door and I took my position in the doorway. Altair brushed past me and disappeared into the darkness of the library. "Good luck," I quietly called after him.
The sound of his muffled boots disappeared, and I was alone.
A/n: I saw an Assassin's Creed novel in the store the other day. I think it's supposed to be based off the sequel. I was going to get it, but I had already spent my money on Xmas gifts. Ah well, next time. I don't think I'd read it until I've finished the game anyway. Might have too many spoilers.
ANYWAY, back to my story, to those reviewers who didn't sign in to review (and thus have prevented me from replying, as I like to reply to all of you), I'll just leave a few words for you here:
THANKS :D I'm so amazed that I haven't yet received a negative review, which either means you all love my work, or the people who don't just aren't bothering to tell me so. Either way, awesome :D
One or two of you have mentioned that Altair is a bit OOC, and I would probably agree that he's not quite spot on. The only excuse I can offer is "creative licence", but I guess that's no good since this is fanfiction. Ah well. I do the best I can. If it continues to be a problem, or gets to the point where it's just outright irritating, let me know.
Also, first person to point out Prates of the Caribbean reference gets a virtual cookie.
Review if you'd be so inclined, and see you all next chapter ;D
PS: Oh, and Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it. And for everyone else, Happy Whatever-Holiday-You-Celebrate. :D
