Chapter X: White Feathers Part 2
It was done. Tamir, also known as the Black Merchant, had successfully died by his hand and in doing so, he had put the entire city on alert.
Grunting after a hard landing, Altair ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He jumped, dived, rolled, and repeated the process more than a dozen times over the sea of rooftops that spread all over Damascus. Any of the rooftop archers that were unfortunate to cross his path were swiftly cut down by hidden blade to the throat or a throwing knife to the back. The city guards that patrolled the city streets below were thrown into a complete frenzy as they scuttled through every shallow corridor and searched behind every corner with their weapons raised, clearly determined to find the white hooded individual who had murdered one of the city's best weapon dealers. It seemed they were more than determined if the way they also kicked the doors of numerous houses down was any indication. A shame they never realized that Altair had never been one for travel whenever making a hasty escape.
He was successfully able to find a secluded roof garden far enough away from any of the highly populated districts and waited patiently for a few hours before the city's alarm bells were finally silenced. The sun had long since receded into the horizon, causing the night sky to sweep across the entire city and creating the perfect cover for his getaway. With a grunt he swiftly exited the garden and made his way towards the Assassin Bureau.
It took him some time before he was finally able to locate the Order's symbol on the roof of a building. Using the provided ladder, he slid down and took a few moments to catch his breath and quench his thirst using the nearby water fountain before making his way towards the Rafiq's stall.
Just as he thought, the portly looking man was hunched over on his desk with his face deep in his book and didn't notice the other Assassin's presence until he cleared his throat, making the man jump in surprise.
"Altair! Allah, don't scare me like that!" The man yelled with a hand to chest as he attempted to calm his racing heart. "Where in the world have you been? The entire city has turned to chaos and when you never returned I thought the worst! I was this close to writing the Master about your unfortunate demise!" He held up his hand and pinch a small amount of air for emphasis.
"Apologies, Rafiq." Altair grunted. "The guards were very persistent in their search for me." He walked over to the man and dug into one of his satchels, pulling out a white feather stained with dried blood. "However I was still able to accomplish my mission." There was the faintest bit of pride in his voice as he re-pocketed the feather.
"So it seems," The Rafiq nodded, impressed with the Novice's handiwork. "Well then, you should probably return to Masyaf and inform Al Mualim of your success. However, seeing as how it's the middle of the night I will graciously allow you to stay in one of the rooms until morning."
"Many thanks, brother." Altair gave the Bureau leader an appreciative nod before settling himself in one of the spare beds. He disarmed himself of his weapons and bags but didn't bother to remove his robes. With a long drawn out sigh, he let his hooded head hit the pillow before drifting off into the realm of sleep.
"Safety and Peace on your travels, Altair." The Bureau leader smiled at the silent Assassin as he gave him a farewell wave.
"You as well." With his weapons strapped securely to his person, he gave the Rafiq a polite nod before walking towards the door. However just as he was about to make his exit a sudden thought popped into his head, causing him to halt mid-step in the middle of the doorway.
"Rafiq…" Altair asked hesitantly with his back still facing towards the man. The Bureau leader looked up from his book and raised a curious eyebrow at the Assassin. After a few moments of tense silence, Altair eventually gave in. "Do many slaves find their way into Damascus?"
The Rafiq tilted his head in confusion. "Slaves?" he asked slowly, wanting to know if he heard the young man correctly. Why in the world did Altair want to know about that? Receiving another nod from the man, the Rafiq continued. "Well, there has been a slight increase in the market but certainly nothing more than the usual batch. Why?" The older man's eyebrows shot up in shock. "Don't tell me you're actually thinking of owning one for yourself, Altair! It goes against everything our Creed stands for!"
"Peace, Rafiq." Altair turned back towards the man and raised a hand in a placating gesture. "I am, indeed, looking for a slave but not for the reasons you are thinking. "Seeing the man's confused look, Altair sighed and decided to give him the full story. "While I was riding for Damascus, I came into contact with a woman who told me that her younger sister was captured by slavers. I promised that I would help find her when I wasn't occupied with the Templars. I simply wanted to know if you've seen or heard of any women who may have been brought into the city as slaves."
"I see," While the Rafiq was deeply relived that Altair would not be tarnishing the tenants of their Creed any further, he was also shocked that the young man was actually taking the time to help someone in need. Since when did Altair voluntarily help someone without being ordered to? "And do you happen to know what this mysterious woman looks like?"
"Pale white skin like the Europeans, about a foot shorter than me, dark brown eyes," he gave a slight pause before continuing. "And white hair."
"Oh, so she's elderly then?"
"No, she's actually a few years younger than me."
"What?" The Rafiq asked stunned. "I'm afraid that's not possible Altair. How can she have white hair if she's young?"
"I do not know." Altair said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I only know that there is a high possibility that she's been taken to Jerusalem, which is where I'll be heading after I speak to Al Mualim. However I would greatly appreciate any help you might have to offer. If she somehow finds her way here, send me a message and I will return here as soon as I can."
Rafiq thought it over for a few moments before nodding. "Very well, Altair. I shall have our spies search through the city for any slaves matching the description and will let you know the minute I find anything."
"Once again, you have my thanks." Altair gave the man a bow, something he rarely did to anyone other than Al Mualim. "I would also greatly appreciate it if you didn't inform Al Mualim of any of this. I'd much rather keep this private and he already has enough to worry about with the Templars."
"Very well. My lips shall remain sealed." The man drew a line across his lips for emphasis.
Altair gave him one last grateful nod before taking his leave. It would be a long ride back to Masyaf, even longer still to Jerusalem. The sooner he dealt with the Templar slaver, the sooner he could continue to fulfil his promise.
"You've done well, Altair. I am confident that this is but the first of many successes." Al Mualim said as he stared at the young man with pride in his eyes.
"Tamir spoke as if he knew you well." Altair replied simply. Though he couldn't help but feel lighter on his feet under his mentor's praise. "He implied my work had a larger meaning."
"Significance comes not from a single act but the context within which it is performed." The Assassin master advised sagely. "The consequence is born of it."
"Then is there more I need to know?" Altair asked.
The old man sighed. "Altair your greatest failure was born of knowing too much. If I choose to withhold information, it is only to ensure you do not make the same mistake a second time."
"I see." Altair replied with a bit of disappointment in his voice.
"No you don't," Al Mualim said sternly. He got up out of his chair and walked towards the pigeon cage that was on the bookcase near his desk. "And it will remain this way until you've learned your lesson. Still you have performed competently, and as such I restore a rank and will return a piece of your equipment." He gestured to the dagger that lay on the table. Altair took the weapon and strapped it to his back. "Go now, either to Acre or Jerusalem. There are men in both cities who require your attention. The Bureau leaders can tell you more on what needs to be done."
He opened the cage and stepped back as two pigeons flew through the open window overlooking the training grounds and into the air. Al Mualim said nothing more as he looked out the window with his arms crossed and back facing towards Altair. Taking the old man's silence as his que to leave, Altair turned and left the castle. With his destination set in his mind, he made his way out of the village, mounted his horse and rode out for Jerusalem. Hopefully he would be able to pick up some leads on Yukino's location, and he knew just the slaver who could provide him the answers.
However as he rode for the Holy City, he couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of anxiousness at the upcoming meeting with the one person who would no doubt be less than pleased to see him.
It was time to pay Malik a visit.
The city of Jerusalem was rife with temples, mosques, churches, and various other places of worship, therefore it attracted worshippers from all over the Holy Land to come and pay their prayers and respects to the Lord Almighty. Not only that, but it was also a major trading hub for both merchants and the soldiers of Saladin's army. Because it was a location of such great importance to the people of the Holy Land, Saladin had seen to it that the city was guarded fiercely at all times against the invading Crusaders. Therefor no person who looked even remotely European would be seen anywhere within the city's walls, lest they suffer a painful and agonizing death at the hands of the guards.
Which is why it was seen as the worst place possible for a young girl with white skin to be brought in. Especially as a slave. Altair would need to search the city thoroughly from top to bottom if wanted to have any hopes of finding her alive.
But first, he had an old friend to meet.
Knowing that the conversation he was about to have wasn't going to be the least bit pleasant, Altair steeled himself as he entered the Jerusalem Bureau. He hadn't seen Malik since the attack on Masyaf but he knew that the former Assassin's hatred of him hadn't lessened in the least. Ever since the death of his younger brother, Malik had taken it upon himself to separate himself as far away from the Order as possible. Since he could no longer perform the duties of a regular Assassin due to his injury, Al Mualim had been kind enough to give him the title of Rafiq for the Assassin Bureau in Jerusalem. Though there was no doubt in his mind that Malik saw this as an act of pity and took it as more of an insult than a mere kind gesture. He never liked being pitied by anyone and certainly didn't like being given things he didn't earn for himself.
The first thing he noticed about Malik was, of course, the empty sleeve that hung lazily on his left side. A painful reminder for both of the former friends of just how much he had lost and how Altair was responsible for all of it. The second thing he noticed was how pale and ragged the man looked. He obviously hadn't been outside in who knows how long and wasn't making much of an effort in taking care of himself. The bureau also looked a little worse for wear. Some books and scrolls lay discarded on the floor while the wall had a few chips in it. Several cobwebs could also be seen in the ceiling corners.
Deciding to make his presence known, Altair cleared his throat. "Safety and Peace, Malik." He said.
The former Assassin snapped his head up and immediately narrowed his eyes at Altair. "Your presence here deprives me of both," he growled as he snapped his book shut. "What do you want?"
Altair got straight to the point. "Al Mualim has asked-"
"Asked that you perform some menial task in an effort to redeem yourself." Malik interrupted while his glare's intensity increased. "So be out with it."
"I'm hunting a slaver by the name of Telal." Altair ignored the man's seething words. "Tell me what you can about him and his motives."
"It is your duty to locate and assassinate the man, Altair." Malik scoffed. "Not mine."
"You would do well to assist me, Malik." Altair said with some heat leaking into his words. "His death benefits the entire land."
"Oh?" Malik asked with a mocking tone. "Do you deny his death benefits you as well?"
"Such things do not concern you." Altair said with a growl of his own. His patience with Malik was quickly wearing thin.
"Your actions very much concern me!" Malik yelled as he gestured to the stump that was once his arm.
"Then don't help me. I'll find him myself." Fed up with the man's attitude, Altair turned to leave the bureau but an annoyed sigh from Malik stopped him in his tracks.
"Wait, wait." Malik said as he gestured Altair back with a wave of his hand. "It won't due having you stumble about the city like a blind man. Better you know where to begin your search."
Seeing that he was finally able to get somewhere, Altair leaned in with rapt attention. "I'm listening."
"I can think of three places," Malik placed his hand on his chin. "South of here in the markets that line the borders between the Muslim and Jewish districts, to the North near the Mosque of this district, and the Eastern front of Saint Anne's Church."
Altair nodded in satisfaction. "Is that everything?"
"It's enough to get you started." Malik replied with annoyance before turning around and picking his way through a bookshelf. "And more than you deserve," he muttered to himself.
Altair heard him but knew better than to provoke him any further. With one last look towards his former friend, the Assassin silently made his exit and began his pursuit of both the Templar and the slave girl.
It had been a long and difficult process but Altair's search had eventually lead him to a warehouse located to the North of the Bureau inside one of the poorer districts of the city. It was an ordinary looking building that didn't stick out in the least. That, along with the fact that the city guards generally tended to avoid these types of areas made it the perfect location for holding dozens of slaves. Ordinary citizens could walk right on by and never know that people were being held against their will just a few feet away. Unfortunately for Telal, his little business was about to be shut down permanently as Altair readied his blade to end the wretched slaver's life.
At least, that would've been the case had someone not suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him into a nearby alley.
Altair's instincts went into overdrive as his hidden blade sprung out of his wrist. Cocking his fist back, he was prepared to plunge it through into the throat of the one who dared to touch him-
"Hiya, Alty!"
-until he was met with a very familiar mop of white hair connected to a grinning face. The person in his sights gave him a hearty wave along with a sly wink.
"Sorano?!" Altair exclaimed in shock and outrage. Gritting his teeth he walked up and proceeded to grab her by the shoulders before slamming her against the wall. "Why are you here?" he asked with a hard voice.
"To find my sister obviously," she said as if she were stating a simple fact. Seeing that his glare hadn't lessened, she rolled her eyes. "I was able to track her down to this specific warehouse and just so happened to see you heading in the same direction. So I figured, why don't we just go in together?"
"No," he told her sternly. "I told you that I would find a way to contact you as soon as I found her. You shouldn't even be here. Leave." The Assassin shoved her in the opposite direction and continued towards the warehouse but didn't make far before a hand tightly grasped his shoulder.
"Like hell!" Before he knew it, Altair found himself spun around and pressed up against the same wall. Sorano's blue eyes narrowed dangerously as she glared up into his hooded face. "You listen to me, Robin Hood; if you think I'm just going to stand out here and wait while my sister is being held like some caged animal then you've got another thing coming! I'm going in there whether you want me to or not! You can't possibly understand the-"
"No! It is you who does not understand!" Reaching his wits end, Altair smacked the woman's hands off his shoulders and got right into her face. "The men who hold your sister are not like the bandits you so easily slaughtered before! They are trained and ruthless soldiers who will not hesitate to kill you where you stand should you get in their way! You may be skilled with a sword but even you cannot hope to match a full squadron of soldiers on your own! And I certainly cannot protect you and fight them all at once!" Altair raised his hand and poked her chest. "Believe me when I tell you that if you go in there: You. Will. Die."
She swatted his hand away and let out a harsh laugh. "You're sorely mistaken if you think I need protecting. Believe me when I say that you haven't even begun to see what I can really do." Walking away from the stunned Assassin, she spoke up. "I'm going to get my sister back with or without your help. Makes no difference to me."
Feeling a vein about to pop, Altair let out an agitated sigh before quickly catching up to the woman and grabbing her arm. "If we're doing this then we do it my way," he told her. She raised an eyebrow at him. "We go in, find your sister if she is there, and then you leave. I still have to kill the man responsible for her kidnapping along with many others. So the moment we find her, you take her and run. Do I make myself clear?" his grip tightened on her arm as a warning.
Sticking her tongue out, she gave him a mock salute. "Aye aye, Captain."
He wasn't the least bit satisfied with her response but nevertheless he released her arm and the two made their way towards the warehouse. As they got closer, Altair could faintly see a door that was left slightly ajar. Pulling out his sword, he gestured for Sorano to move behind him before putting his hand on the door and slowly pushing it open. To Sorano's horror and Altair's grim expectations, they were immediately met with the sight of people being held in cages inside of a large and spacious room with the only source of light being an open window located near the ceiling. Seeing as the two new arrivals weren't guards, the captives immediately began crying and pleading with the duo to release them. Seeing a key nowhere in sight, Altair immediately began using the razor edge of his sword to swiftly cut the rusted locks off. Opening the cages, Altair ignored their sobbing gratitude and gestured for them to run, which none of them hesitated to do so.
"Yukino!" Sorano yelled as she searched through the cages for her sister. "Yukino! Are you here?!"
"Sorano!"
The feminine scream made them both freeze in place. Altair didn't have time to react before Sorano suddenly disappeared into the next room. "Yukino!" She screeched.
"Sorano! Dammit!" he cursed as he followed after the distraught woman. He came into an even larger room with a cobblestone floor and a nearby ladder that lead up to the second floor. Looking around, he instantly spotted Sorano tightly embracing a younger girl whose hair was just as wait as hers though it was fairly shorter. Walking up to them, he saw that she was dressed in slave rags and was covered in a few bruises and cuts but otherwise looked relatively unharmed. The cage that was holding her looked to have been ripped open from the outside.
Altair said nothing as the sisters cried into each other's shoulders and held onto each other so tight that it looked as if no force in the world was capable of separating them. As heartwarming as it was to see Sorano finally reunited with her sister, he knew that now wasn't the time for a happy reunion. Unfortunately he never got the chance to give the sister their opportunity to escape as a huge metal gate sealed the doorway and blocked off their escape. Their situation only worsened from their when half a dozen guards came pouring into the second floor with their swords drawn.
A loud clap echoed throughout the warehouse as a man with slicked back hair and a bow strapped to his back came into view. A smug smile was on his face as he looked down at the trio from above.
"And to think that my brothers had such a hard time finding you when all it took was one girl to lure you in like a fish!"
Altair scowled up at the man. "So you have us surrounded. What now, slaver?"
"Do not call me that!" the Templar, Telal, snapped as he glared at the Assassin. "I only wished to help them! At least I did until you foolishly released them back into the cold and unforgiving streets!"
"You did no kindness in imprisoning them like this!" Altair couldn't believe the nonsense coming out of the man's mouth. Did he seriously think that he was helping people by locking them up like criminals?
"Imprisoning them?!" he asked incredulously. "I kept them safe! I was preparing them for the journey that lies ahead!"
"What journey?! It is a life of servitude!"
Telal let out a mocking laugh. "You know noth-ARGH!"
Altair didn't know what happened. One second Telal was laughing and then the next there was a sword deeply embedded into his chest. He could only stare as the man came toppling forward before falling and hitting the ground with a sickening crack.
"Sorano!" He heard Yukino shout and turned around only to see Sorano standing beside him with her hands clenched at her sides. There was a murderous expression on her face as she stared at the Templar's bleeding corpse. He also noted that the sword that had been strapped to her side was now missing.
He connected two and two together and stared at the older sister with open mouthed shock.
"Enjoy your journey to hell, fuckface!" Sorano screamed before raising her hands towards the guards on the second floor. "And the rest of you can go burn with him!" There was a shift in the warehouse's temperature and Altair was pretty sure he was hallucinating because in a single instant her hands had ignited with pure fire.
He never got the chance to comprehend what he was seeing before the entire warehouse was engulfed in flames.
Malik groaned annoyance as he heard the padding of footsteps behind him.
"Well it's about ti-WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALLAH HAPPENED TO YOU?!"
The one armed man gaped with wide eyes as Altair, along with two young women with white hair of all things made their way into the bureau. However what shocked Malik to his core was the state Altair was currently in. The man's white robes were almost completely singed and tainted with black soot. Burn marks littered some of his exposed skin while wisps of smoke came out of his hair, which was also slightly burnt.
Altair said nothing. Keeping a perfectly blank face, he guided the two sisters over to a nearby table before striding up to Malik and placing a scorched feather coated with blood on his desk. Malik could only stare at the man's back as he opened the door to a nearby bedroom before gently closing it behind him.
The resounding 'click' may as well have been as loud as broken glass with how silent the room was.
Slowly rotating his gaze over towards the two women, Malik couldn't find the strength to form any words as they simply stared right back at him.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Malik could only sigh before slamming his head down on the table.
"Why do these things always happen to me?"
"Layla Hassan?"
"What the hell?! Who are you?!"
"My name is William Miles."
"William Miles? As in the leader of the Assassins?"
"Not the 'leader' per se, but I do play a large role in keeping the Order alive."
"So what? You here to kill me?"
"No, actually. I'm here to do the exact opposite. I want you to join us."
"What?! Why the hell would I do that?!"
"Because as far as I'm concerned, Abstergo has no further use for you. That should've been made blatantly clear when they not only killed your friend but tried to kill you as well."
"And I should believe that you guys are any different? What's stopping you from killing me?"
"We're different because we don't kill people for being useless. Plus we're not the ones who are trying to take over the world. What they did to Deanna Geary? They've done the same to thousands of others and will continue to do so until there's no one else standing in their way. Unfortunately it doesn't stop there. There is a lot more going on than just the war between the Assassins and Templars. Things that you wouldn't even begin to believe."
"Really? Like what?"
"That's not something we can discuss now. I need an answer. Will you join us?"
"Fuck it. Fine, I'm in."
"Excellent. I have an extraction chopper arriving to pick us up in about an hour. We'll be heading to London."
"London? Why London?"
"We have a few more colleagues we need to pick up."