Wow it's been a while. Work and getting ready for Otakon has taken up so much of my time it's hard to actually sit down and type. Regardless, Otakon is this weekend and after that I'll be saving up for my own laptop. I have not given up on this story, I always finish my stories even if it takes forever.

Thanks to my faithful readers for sticking with me.

Disclaimers: I own only the story not the characters involved or the games they are based in.

Traversing up the stairs they stuck close together. Alex leading the way and Desmond carrying Dana all the way while making wise cracks at one another. Desmond made a point to keep quiet about the Assassins and Abstergo for now. The poor woman had been through enough with out finding out that she was a pawn in a conspiracy that was as old as time. Alex keyed into Desmond's choice and opted to follow his lead in silence. All he wanted now was to get this over with and get out of this hell hole.

Reaching the top of the stairs Dana was back on her feet. In her condition it was lucky that she could walk so they tried not to press what little luck they had left. She stayed close to Alex as Desmond went a few paces ahead to check rooms before having them follow.

Surprisingly things seemed almost calm on this floor. A lack of blood and the few inmates still wondering around her quiet and ignored them. It was just as creepy as them screaming though. Going through the kitchen and into the canteen they kept their eyes and ears open for any trouble. The storm outside raged on, the thunder occasionally lighting the room guiding their way through the darkness.

They seemed to be in some kind of residential floor of the asylum. Maybe where the doctors lived to avoid the commute, it was over an hour drive up the mountain from the nearest town after all. Many of the doors were boarded up and the ones that they could get into were surprisingly well kept. The sudden normalcy of the area was off setting, after all the blood and panic the sudden quiet and peace just made it all the worse.

Regardless they pressed on.

In the rec room a man was bowed in prayer in front of a static tv. He muttered to himself with his tattered hands clasped in front of his face. Looking at the tv Desmond felt another head ache brewing, quickly shaking his head he moved on. Alex did the same but noticed that Dana was stuck staring at the black and white tv with a dazed expression. Giving her shoulder a shake she broke out of her trance, she looked at him confused for a moment before continuing on. With a glance back to the tv Alex rejoined both of them in the hall.

Room after room they kept finding the same thing again and again. An inmate bowed in prayer before their beds or the windows, completely ignoring they exist. The rooms were clean and void of blood.

"What kind of crap did Martin sell these guys to get this kind of devotion...?" Desmond muttered quietly. For now they were as safe as they could get, but he didn't want to find out what would happen should be make too loud a sound and disturb someones prayers.

"You'd be amazed of the kinds of things you'll believe when there is no hope left." Dana said just as quiet. The two men shared a worried look over top her head. As much as they wanted to talk to her about it they couldn't risk her having a breakdown in the middle of the hall. Once this was over Desmond knew the Assassins could help her. The doctors there were used to helping people deal with painful memories.

Of course though they found themselves stuck as they came to another blocked hall and more locked doors. All of the clutter and mess had Desmond internally swearing to keep his place clean if only to avoid the memories of the asylum. The filing cabinets, bed frame, and desk were wedged in tight to the walls. Short of taking an ax to it all they weren't going to make it any further as is.

"Over here." Alex called to them as he walked into another room. A praying man paid them no mind as they invaded his room and went to the broken window, a bloody bed under it. Alex poked his head out and saw another open window not too far off. The ledge was soaked and the thunder wasn't giving up either.

"I can't get out on that!" Dana proclaimed a bit loudly. Desmond looked out to check for himself. The concrete ledge was wet but the material was coarse. Just enough to catch on a foot or shoe so long as they were careful.

"Dana it' the only way forward." He explained and stood out on the ledge, the rain soaking into him almost instantly. Holding his hand out to her he coaxed her into taking it. " Just keep your back to the wall and go slow, We won't let you fall." He promised.

Dana clearly looked like she didn't believe him but with a small nudge from Alex she relented and took the assassins hand. Getting out into the rain was a small relief as it washed away a bit of the blood and dirt that clung to her clothes and skin. With Desmond leading and Alex close behind her she had a little confidence that shed be okay. It was still terrifying though.

A harsh loud clap of thunder shook the building and pulled a scream from her throat. In her panic she slipped off the edge.

Never before had Desmond quiet been so grateful for the bleeding effect from the Animus. Both Altair and Ezio's many years of teaching young assassins how to sneak in impossible places made it almost feel natural to drop off the ledge and catch Dana's wrist while at the same time grabbing the ledge and bracing his legs on the brick wall. Though if Dana was any heavier he was sure his hands would have slipped and they'd both be falling to a painful death.

As he pulled her back up Alex used his biomassed nails to dig into as much brick as he could so he could lean down and pull her the rest of the way up. She was taking panicked breaths and didn't hesitate to press against the wall. Desmond on the other hand kicked off the wall and caught the ledge of the window they'd been heading for. Panting a bit to catch his breath he helped both of them get into the room to calm down.

Dana clung to Alex for a bit as her shoulders shook from the harsh scare she got. He set her down on a nearby bed to collect herself. Desmond was already on his feet and gasped as Alex grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug. He'd almost lost the only two people he gave a damn about in the same instant. It was terrifying seeing Dana slip off and out of his grip then to see Desmond falling just as fast.

They didn't exchange words. After something like that what could one say. Especially given that it was likely to happen again at some point. Shaking off their shock and fears they got themselves together just enough to keep moving. Dana was still shaken but she kept moving along with them.

Unlike the previous halls this one was painted in blood. "God hates sickness", "God hates money", and "God always provides a way" lead them to the chapel. A man stood at the end of the hall with a candle in his hands, the wax slowly dripping down onto his skin and pooled between his blistered fingers. Even so he didn't so much as blink at the obvious pain.

"He waits for you." A familiar voice whispered.

"Hurry along." Another added.

Walking into the room they found the naked twins waiting for them, still very naked, but not hostile for once. They did nothing more than watch them as they walked into the chapel and quietly close the doors behind them. The sight they were greeted with was yet another image that would haunt them for many weeks to come.

The Chapel was mostly intact. The pews were pitched at an angle to view the service with ease. An inmate played an organ in the back ground with practiced ease. All around were inmates crying and praying. In the center of it all was a pier with Father Martin in the center. His arms were stretched out on a wooden cross and stabbed into the wood with thick nails. The pain was probably indescribable as his feet weren't even tapping against the pile of sticks and papers at the base. Even so the man smiled as he saw Desmond walk into the room.

"You have finally come my son. Escape from here will be yours after you bare witness." The old man rasped as he shifted painfully on the cross. "You will watch, record my death, my resurrection. And together we shall be free." He said as if he was in bliss. "You are no longer in any danger. I fixed the elevator. It will take you to freedom. We will, all of us, be free." Looking up to the ceiling he smiled.

"The Assassin Order raised you well my son." Martin turned his gaze down to Desmond who tensed but didn't move. "Abstergo has been so happy with the progress here. The Walrider was everything they could have dreamed but they were fools. They could never control a god such as the Walrider. May it cut them down for their blasphamy." Again he looked up before slightly turning his head towards his crying 'children'. "Now my son."

The one standing next to him nodded and knelled down. Touching the wood with the candle it went ablaze. In seconds the wood was burning in a brilliant light and yet so was Father Martin. He screamed as the flame over took his body, his robes most likely having been dowsed in fuel of some kind. The fire charred his skin and burned all it touched as the disciples cried and Martin screamed.

Desmond stood frozen as he watched the man burn. Alex held Dana to his chest in a futile attempt to hide the gruesome sight from her. She merely pressed her cheek to his jacket and watched the man slowly burn to death. Finally the screams stopped, Martins echos of pain ceased leaving only the sounds of the crying inmates and the crackling fire.

The smell of burnt flesh and rot made him feel stick to his stomach as Desmond looked away. Sitting on a pedestal in front of him was a small golden key. Picking it up quick he turned on his heel to leave. Rage setting in the pit of his stomach. He just couldn't understand how Abstergo could do something so horrible and see it as justified for the cause. The people who made their patients this way and what those patients had become were hardly what any could call human anymore.

"His heart gave out." Alex muttered as they walked away, Dana still pressed to his side with his arm around her. "The pain was too much... Damn this place." Desmond agreed all too much with his lover.

The twins opened the doors for them to leave and went in after them to cry as well. Heading back the way they came they found a previously locked door open, no doubt a last request from Father Martin for one of his children. Finally they made it to the elevator and finally they'd be free.

A cold chill went up Desmond spine and before he even understood why he shoved Alex and Dana to the floor. His actions saved them but in turn got him caught. Somehow Walker had found them again and pulled him off the floor by his back pack. Alex quickly got to his feet and pulled Dana to the elevator to avoid Walkers wrath.

"Not getting away this time little piggy." Walker laughed as he grabbed Desmond by his neck. Bringing up his other hand he savored the moment he'd been given as he grabbed Desmond's head. The assassin cried out as he felt the pull of his hand and the grip of his fingers. "Scream for me piggy." He howled in ecstasy as he kept pulling.

Desmond could feel the muscles in his neck stretched to the max. Being decapitated by a pig man was not how he planned to go out. From the corner of his eye he saw Alex trying to come over and help but Dana, in her fear and panic, refused to let him go. If Desmond died in Walkers hands nothing else would matter, he had the elevator key. Both Alex and Dana would be dead if he didn't act quick.

Kicking up his leg he kneed Walker in the jaw, a loud clap rang out as his teeth clunked together. The moment of vertigo was all Desmond needed to act. Grabbing at his own wrist he pulled the blade from it's holster on his brace. The blade cut into his fingers but it was exactly what he needed as he thrust it forward. Sadly he missed Walkers eye but he gouged into his cheek making just enough pain to get free of the violent grasp. Rolling onto his feet he stabbed Walker in the leg for good measure and toppled into the elevator.

Alex slammed the metal gate closed as Dana got the key from Desmond and set the elevator to move. Once they were in motion they watched as Walker howled in rage at them escaping all over again. Their decent quickly cut him off from view and Alex helped Desmond to his feet. He was gasping for breath and didn't hesitate to lean heavily against the living virus.

"So not going to fucking miss him..." Desmond laughed weakly as he slipped the bloody blade back into the broken holster. His hand was a bit cut up from it but not so bad that he wouldn't heal soon.

"I'm sorry Des... I tried to get to you." Alex sent a glare over to Dana who stayed in the corner shamefully. She'd prevented Desmond from getting any help regardless of how much Alex yelled and tried to get her hands off of him she didn't let him help.

"It's fine, I'm fine. Let's just get the fuck out of here."

The elevator slowly came to a stop on the first floor. The familiar shape of the reception desk and the large metal doors at the end of the room were a welcome sight. Sadly it wasn't to be. Dana cried as the elevator kicked back on and started to descend further. Desmond grit his teeth and let his head fall back against the wall while Alex punched the nearest surface, letting out every curse he knew in every language he knew it in.

"Guess it's not over yet..." Desmond sighed.

And there we have it. Sorry for any mistakes, half of this was typed on my phone and the other half was done when I could manage to snag a computer to work on.

As for the next Proto-Creed series:

I've got ten suggestions for this series and I love so many of them I wish I had the time to just do them all right off the bat. But a selection has to be picked. Picking the top three off the suggestions you all will have to vote one more time to help me make the final choice.

Uncharted
Amnesia
Cry of Fear

Amnesia was no shock really, that was a really favored one on the very first poll for Proto-Creed. Though I have to say my favorite off this is Uncharted. Mixing it up a little we could have something like I've written below. A quick write up of some drafts for what you could be voting for!

Very rough draft for Proto-Creed Uncharted: Deciding that sitting around and letting a war rage on in the shadows behind them Desmond and Alex finally decide to get into the action. Following in his ancestors footsteps Desmond traverses the land, avoiding Templars hunting down artifacts that might link to the first civilization. In the hopes to find and secure another apple our hero's team up with Nathan Drake. But what does this treasure hunter's ancestor's connection to the Assassins and Templars?

Very rough draft for Amnesia: Waking in a dust old stone castle Desmond shivered as he pushed off the ground. The taste of copper in his mouth forced him to cough up the foul tasting liquid. In his hand was an empty glass bottle and in the other was hand written note. Who was this Alexander and was he the same man as Alex? With his memories gone how far will our Assassin go to remember who he once was.

Very rough draft for Cry of fear: Waking alone in an alley his last thought was a car hitting him. Alex is gone and the city is crowded with monsters. Not a soul around. Who keeps sending him these messages? How does he get home? What the hell was going on?

Please message or review your votes! R&R