Chapter 21: The Workshop
Elsa walked forward into The Workshop. It was like nothing she had never seen before. It looked like a First Civilisation Temple. The room was lit in a blue light which came from the floor and these huge rectangular pillars that reached up to the halfway point of the room. There were strange lines and symbols all over them. The lines formed all kinds of geometric patterns such as hexagons and some strange shapes. There were solid pathways that lead into different directions. This was clearly only the entrance room.
Elsa looked left and right. She didn't know which direction to choose but if she had to choose one, she would pick the middle one. Hans would have probably gone straight through, wouldn't he?
"What is this place?" Jack asked as he stared around the room.
"It's the Workshop alright," Ragnar said.
"Who built it?" Jack said. "I don't think any human could have."
"No human did," Elsa said. "It was built by the First Civilisation – the people who came before."
"First what now?" Jack asked.
"A race highly advanced people," Elsa explained. "They created things like The Piece of Eden and us."
"Us?" Jack asked. "Us as in the human race?"
"Indeed," Elsa said still gazing around. "This place – it remind me of the temples I've been in."
"Me too," Ragnar said.
Over time, Elsa and Ragnar had come across some First Civilisation buildings. All over Europe, there are Temples (otherwise known as vaults) that Elsa and Ragnar had been inside. Some of which she entered with her father. The temples were dead – as in there was no information they could get from them or any First Civilisation technology they could use against the Templars.
Elsa looked over at Jack. He was still struggling with the whole thing. Elsa didn't blame him. When she first heard about it all, it took her a moment to fathom it all. Jack went over to examine some kind of pedestal with a sphere attached to the top of it. Strange blue lights travelled across the lines in the ground, up the pedestal and towards the sphere before heading back down.
"Let's keep moving," Elsa said. "We need to find Hans and Anna."
"Don't forget about The Piece of Eden," Ragnar reminded her. "Jack and I will go that way," Ragnar pointed to open door on the left hand side of the room.
"I'll go forward then," Elsa said.
They all nodded before going their separate ways.
Anna followed Hans from the Entrance room (that's what he called it) into large, much larger than Anna could have imagine, room. The room itself was circular and dropped quite suddenly. The only way to get to the centre of the room was by going across this bridge to what looked like a strange device. Anna didn't really know how to describe it. It had all kinds of strange things attached to it. It looked like some strange machine. Behind this strange machine was a waterfall. Anna couldn't understand how a waterfall could be down here but she decided not to question it. The waterfall ran until it found a pool of water at the bottom of the room. The room didn't have those strange lines and symbols like in the previous room. It just looked like it was made out of stone.
"Welcome to The Workshop," Hans said extending his arms out.
"Woah," Anna said taking a step forward and gazing around the room. Little torches hung in the room and seemed to never to run out of fuel.
Hans encouraged Anna to follow him until they came to the centre of the room. They had crossed the bridge and came to the funny looking machine. Anna stared at it. She couldn't make heads or tails out of it and she couldn't find the words to describe it. It was made out of these weird rectangular shapes with knobs and levers over it. There was also this pedestal behind it with some kind of circular shape cut onto of the top. Something was meant to go there. Had it been that strange device that Hans had used to open the door?
"What is this?" Anna asked.
"This little device here," Hans said, "is the thing that makes the Workshop like it is. You can make any weapon that has ever existed from this machine. What my plan is to make First Civilisation technology to help show the world the errors they have made in time. I plan to rectify that and make mankind greater than it could ever be."
Anna was impressed. Hans was the kind of guy that she wished most men would end up like. He actually wanted to change the world he lived in; he wanted to make a different. Most men wouldn't dare to dream and let alone to try and achieve those dreams.
"Anna," Hans said in a delicate tone.
"Yes?" Anna asked him.
"When we enter this new world, would you be by my side?" he asked her. "To help me shape this new world into something even better than what it could ever accomplish?"
"Of course," Anna's breath had been taken away from her. Hans wanted her help. She couldn't believe. Not only was she going to be marrying this great man but he wanted her to help him.
"There is one thing I need to tell you," Hans' voice changed and Anna knew that what he was about to say couldn't be easy.
"Yes?" Anna prompted him.
"This cannot be easy to hear," Hans said. "It involves your sister."
"What about my sister?" Anna's mind jumped to Elsa. What could she have to do with this? As far as she knew Elsa had wanted to keep as little conversation that involved her and Hans to the bare minimum. Elsa tolerated Hans for Anna's sake which Anna was grateful of. Although, Anna didn't know why Elsa hated Hans so much. Anna always put it down to competition between her family's business and Hans' family business. The Westergaard family's business was always at ends with The Winters' family's business. It had just been something that Anna had always accepted. When Anna got engaged to Hans, her family took it pretty well as it would unify their businesses together.
"Well," Hans seemed to be having trouble choosing his words carefully, "your sister, Elsa, I hate to say this but she is not in favour of this."
"Of what?" Anna's voice sounded shocked. She knew that Elsa wasn't in favour of her wedding to Hans but Anna always thought that was because Anna had only known Hans for a short period of time. Elsa believed that one could not possibly know a person unless they take a great deal amount of time to get to know that person. Anna argued that it was redundant because it was true love which Elsa asked what she knew about true love. Anna retaliated with saying that Elsa knew nothing about love, only shutting people out. Anna did regret those words but she still stood by them. Now Hans was telling her that Elsa was against creating this new world? But how could Elsa know this?
"You see," Hans said, "your sister is a part of a group that wishes to stop me and my fellow men and to keep the world in this darkened state."
"This is ridiculous," Anna half-expected Hans to start laughing and say it was all a joke. Why would Elsa deliberately try and stop a new world from emerging? No, this must all be some kind of cruel joke. Elsa wouldn't do something like that.
Anna didn't even get a chance to continue as suddenly Hans' guards started to shout out. They had spotted someone in the shadows. A figure wearing a dark blue coat and hood emerged. Anna recognised this person instantly. It was that intruder in her house. Why this person here – of all places? Anna then realised that this person must have followed them here. But why? Anna didn't know.
Anna watched as the hooded person fought the guards that were around. It was about five to one, in favour of the guards. The hooded person dodged both of their attacks and then struck the first guard down with what looked like some small concealed blade. One of the guards tried to lunge at the hooded person but the hooded person simply rolled and dodged the attack. The hooded person then slid underneath the guard and pulled his leg up which caused the guard to collapse onto the ground. The hooded person then slammed that same concealed weapon that was used before into that guard. The guard let out a scream of pain. That was two guards down, Anna thought. This person was good.
The other three guards looked prepared for the hooded person's attacks. The hooded person drew out a sword and looked prepared. One guard attacked the hooded person with his sword but the hooded person simply threw up their sword and blocked the attack. The hooded person then kicked the guard and the guard collapsed onto the ground. The hooded person tried to attack but was prevented by another guard. The two of them engaged in quite the sword fight. It got even worse for the hooded person when the other two guards joined in. One of the guards tried to attack from behind but the hooded person blocked from behind and then punched the guard and he collapsed. The hooded person slammed their sword into the guard's chest and blood poured out. The other two guards attacked but the hooded person blocked their onslaught of attacks. The good part of it was the guards managed to block the hooded person's attacks too and managed to get a few hits in themselves. One guard was careless though. When that guard attacked, the hooded person dodged it and then the hooded person's sword went right through the guard. The hooded person then finished the guard in quite the brutal way. After extracting the sword out, the sword was then used to slice the guard's neck open, killing him instantly.
That only now left one guard and that guard looked determined to finish off the hooded person. Anna looked over at Hans. He looked angry at what was going on. Anna could understand that. His entire operation had just come to a standstill because one person had managed to interrupt. Come on, Anna thought as she tried to egg on the remaining guard but she didn't have high hopes for him. Basing off what had happened to the last four guards, the ending might not be in their favour. The guard tried to attack but the hooded person dodged it quite easily but luckily her attack was also blocked. The hooded person jumped backwards twice to avoid attacks from the guard and the guard did that same thing to avoid the same thing. So far it was pretty much a stalemate at this point. But then, of course, something happened that changed all that. The hooded person managed to strike the guard as the guard hadn't been quick enough to dodge. The hooded person not only managed attack once but twice. The sword slammed into the guard quite fiercely leaving the guard vulnerable for a final finishing move from the hooded person which is what happened. The hooded person used their sword to slice through the guard's throat just like what happened with the previous guard. The last guard collapsed on the ground – dead, just like he fellow guards. Anna couldn't help but be impressed. This person had managed to take out five highly trained guards without any help whatsoever.
Then Anna's impressed state turned to a fearful one. The hooded person was approaching them as they stood there. There was no way out. They were trapped. The hooded person stopped in front of them but didn't do anything. Anna could feel the hooded person's eyes on her before they flickered over to Hans. Hans wasn't happy about this. He was beyond anger and frustration. Then a positively evil smile came over his face. The smile was then directed at the hooded person.
"Well hello my dear Elsa," he said in a clear and charming manner.
Elsa? The word echoed through Anna's brain. Her eyes landed on the hooded person. Could this person who she had just seen kill five men with ease be really her kind and graceful sister? It couldn't be possible. It just couldn't. Anna's brain rejected this fact.
The hooded person sheathed the sword that was still clutched in their hand. The hooded person's eyes turned to over to Anna before a hand went up and lowered the hood. As the hood fell, Anna got the shock of her life.
Standing before her, was none other than her sister Elsa.
Elsa stared at her sister and at Hans. It had taken her a while to get to this point. She had snuck through the tunnels (assassinated some guards on the way by sneaking up behind them and using her hidden blade on them) before finding the room she was currently standing in. She had been very impressed the room itself. It was more than what she could ever imagine it could be. However she did get ambushed by some guards. One guard she had missed had chased her and raised the alarm which led to every guard that was in the room with Anna and Hans to attack her. It also did the one thing that Elsa didn't want. It alerted Hans and Anna that she was there.
When the guards were defeated, Elsa approached Hans and Anna. It seemed to be the only thing she could do. It would give her the opportunity to take down Hans – she just wished she didn't have to do it in front of Anna. Anna would be crushed. Better to be told what happened rather than witness it first-hand. Hans looked angry. Well, Elsa had just gate crashed his little party, so she could see why. Hans then suddenly got a smile that sent shivers down her spine. She didn't like the look that Hans was giving her.
"Well hello my dear Elsa," Hans said in a clear and charming manner.
Elsa felt like someone had just thrown a bucket of ice cold water over her. So, Hans did know who she was. She felt like it had been inventible that he would find out. She had hoped that Hans wouldn't reveal this little fact in front of her sister who was now gaping at her. There was the most shocked expression on her face. Elsa could also see a hurt expression coming into her sister's eyes.
Elsa then slowly reached up and lowered her hood.
Anna stared at her sister. Her sister was that hooded person? But how could this be? This couldn't be real. This had to be a dream – no scratch that, a nightmare. If that hooded figure was in fact her sister, then she had just witness her own sister killing five men and other people. But that wasn't it. The hooded figure was also the strange and mysterious E figure who had broken into Hans' safe and stolen documents. E had also killed men that day. E and Elsa was the same person.
"Elsa?" Anna said in a weak voice. "You…you…" Anna's voice trailed away.
"I can explain," Elsa said.
"She's a monster," Hans said. He drew his sword and Elsa flinched.
"Anna listen to me," Elsa was talking fast now. "Hans is not the man you think he is. He is planning something terrible."
"What?" Anna was momentarily thrown off track.
"She's lying," Hans said. "Think about it, she lied to you about being a member of the Assassin Order."
"Assassin Order?" Anna asked.
"A group of people who receive contracts to kill people," Hans explained.
"Well that is partly true," Elsa said. "Anna we only kill people who are a threat to the world. Hans is one of these people. He's a Templar!"
"You mean those people who lived over a thousand years ago and participated in the Holy Wars?" Anna was sceptical. She was now sure that Elsa had just used that name from one of her history books.
"Anna I know this sounds crazy," Elsa said.
"I don't know…if I believe you," Anna finished. She had no idea who was now telling the truth but she was in two minds. Everything she knew had just been turned on its head. Up was now down, left was right and right was left. However there was some deep feeling inside her that was saying that Elsa may not be entirely wrong. Anna didn't know where this feeling was coming from though especially after it was revealed that Elsa was a secret killer.
"Your sister is trouble," Hans said. "She is a problem that needs to be solved."
Hans then lunged at Elsa while brandishing his sword. Elsa leapt backwards to avoid the attack. Anna gasped at the surprise of what had just happened. Elsa drew her own sword and suddenly a fight took place. The clanking of the metal against metal was the only sound that could be heard. Anna flinched at every hit. She was scared. This was a side that she had never seen from either of her sister of fiancée. They seemed to be pretty evenly matched. Neither of them were giving the other an inch. They both had a look that had the killer instinct. They were both aiming to kill. Anna didn't exactly want either of them to die. She just wanted things to be explained.
The battle then seemed to go on for a while. Both of them didn't seem to be able to get a leg up on the other. Well that all changed when Hans tried to do a final blow to Elsa. Elsa then blocked that attack with her sword. She then kicked at Hans' gut which caused him to fall down and drop his sword. Elsa then slammed her sword into Hans' shoulder. Hans gasped in pain and collapsed onto the ground. Blood poured out of Hans' wounds and onto the ground. It spread everywhere. Elsa started to pant a little. Anna's hands found Hans' dropped sword. Elsa turned around to find that the sword was right at her throat. Elsa looked quite uneasy at the change in situation.
"Anna," Elsa said in a calm voice. "Please…"
"What is going on?" Anna was terrified. She had just witnessed her sister either kill or nearly kill her fiancée after killing some guards.
"I am not going to fight you Anna," Elsa said. She then unclipped her sword belt and threw it onto the ground. She then pulled out a pistol and that joined the sword on the ground. Elsa then unclipped something attached to her gloves and threw them onto the ground. Anna wondered why Elsa was doing this but maybe Elsa didn't want to show anything threatening. She wanted to come off as Anna's sister that she knew.
"Elsa," Anna felt tears coming to her eyes. "What is going on?"
"The Templars are real," Elsa said. "They want to use this machine to create weapons that will destroy the world. They want to create a world where they are in charge. They do want to make the world in what they believe is a better place but this will not be a world that we can live in. I am an Assassin Anna. I do not deny that but I am not the bad guy here. Hans is the bad guy."
"I don't know," Anna said. She looked deep into her sister's eyes. What if Elsa was telling the truth? Elsa had never lied to her. Sure, she kept secrets but then everyone did. Elsa never did tell Anna about being an Assassin but then again Anna had never asked about it. Was that lying then? If Elsa had just never told Anna because she had never asked, was that lying? Anna felt her heart beat louder and louder. If Elsa had been telling the truth then Anna had been lied to by Hans; the man she trusted above all us, the man she had been prepared to marry. Anna didn't know what to believe. Everything just seemed to be too much for her right now. She wasn't sure who to believe. They both seemed sure that the other was lying but Anna wasn't as sure. The only thing that Anna knew was that one person that she trusted the most in this world had lied to her and betrayed her trust and made he feel like a foolish girl. Somehow, Anna hoped it wasn't Elsa. They were sisters; grown up together. Elsa was all that Anna had left of their family. If she was the enemy in this situation, Anna wouldn't know what she would do.
"I-" Elsa started but she stopped.
Hans had gotten to his feet, picked up Elsa's dropped sword and jammed it into Elsa's chest. Blood poured from Elsa's chest and onto the ground. Elsa stumbled backwards. Her hands were clutching her chest – trying to stop the blood from pouring even faster than it was. Hans then kicked Elsa over the edge of bridge they were standing on. Anna's scream travelled around the room. A loud splash could be heard as Elsa plummeted into the water below. Anna quickly headed over to the edge and saw Elsa wasn't surfacing. The water turned a deep crimson red. Anna felt tears come to her eyes. Had her sister been killed right before her eyes?
"Don't shed tears," Hans said. "She was an Assassin. She was only standing in our way."
"You didn't have to do that," Anna said. Something then caught her eyes. Bubbles were still forming in the water. Elsa was still alive down there but for how long, Anna didn't know. She had to get down there as soon as possible to save Elsa and quickly.
"Yes, I did," Hans hadn't seemed to notice what Anna had noticed. "She was the enemy Anna."
"No she isn't," Anna's hands were trying to find something and they soon found what they were looking for. Elsa had been sincere when she had talked to her. Anna could see truth in all her looks. Anna's hands came across Hans' dropped sword. If Elsa was right then Anna had been a fool. She had been a fool to believe that Hans was telling the truth. She picked it up. She had never done this before but she knew what she had to do. Anna got her feet. She was shaking. She didn't know if she could stay still. Hans then turned around.
"Anna?" he said.
But he didn't get much further than that. Anna didn't know why but she drove the sword into Hans. Hans' face turned to surprise and shock as the sword jutted into him. Hans then collapsed onto the ground. He was dead. Anna felt herself shake even more as she saw what she had done. She had killed a man, in cold blood. How could she have done this? But she had to stop Hans. Elsa had been right. Hans had been lying to her. Elsa may have lied to her about being an Assassin but Anna could see that she had been telling the truth about this. Anna couldn't see how Elsa would lie about this. Anna may have acted a bit irrationally but she didn't know what had come over her. Her hand had found the sword and she had used it to kill Hans. Anna didn't think she will be able to sleep for a while now.
Anna then turned around and looked down below. The bloody water was now getting mixed with the clean water being brought in by the waterfall.
It was time to save Elsa.
Anna then looked around to see if there was a way down. She was rewarded with a small staircase. She gathered up Elsa's things and Anna hurried over to the staircase. She walked down it, taking the steps two at a time. She came to a small area that overlooked the water. Anna dropped all the things she was carrying, took off some unnecessary layers and shoes and began to wade into the water. The water got deeper as she went and soon she was swimming. Anna could swim reasonably well. She and Elsa had lessons when they were younger. They went reasonably well. Anna then dived down. She could see Elsa at the bottom.
Anna dived down and grabbed Elsa. She was quite heavy but Anna somehow managed to get her to the surface. Anna could feel herself running out of oxygen but she forced herself to continue. If she didn't, both of them would die right here and Anna wasn't about to let that happen. When Anna broke the surface, the cool air whipped across Anna's face. She breathed in the air, refilling her lungs, for a moment before she continued swimming across the pond. Anna then dragged Elsa through the water until they came to that little area which Anna had left all her stuff. It took a great amount of energy to pull Elsa onto the platform but it somehow got achieved.
Elsa was unconscious. There was a large wound in her chest where Hans had stabbed her. Blood was still pouring out of it. She had already lost a lot of blood. Anna took one of her jackets that she had discarded to get into the water and pressed it against Elsa's wound. She didn't know what else she could do. Anna noticed that Elsa wasn't breathing. Anna started to cry and shake uncontrollably. Elsa could be dead or dying and Anna wasn't doing anything. Anna had an idea on what she could do.
Anna then placed her hands on her sister's chest and started to press hard. Anna started doing chest compressions. It was the only way Anna knew that could save Elsa.
"Come on Elsa," Anna said. "Please breathe, please."
Elsa was the only family that Anna had left. Anna wouldn't know what would happen if Elsa died in her arms. Anna wouldn't be able to live with herself.
"Please," Anna said not holding back her tears.
A/N: Wow, so much happening in this chapter. What's going to happen next with Elsa and Anna? What's going to happen to Jack and Ragnar? Will they gather the Piece of Eden? Anyway, stupid uni starts up tomorrow. Who knows when I'll be able to update, hopefully quite soon. I hope that everyone enjoyed it. Please review =)
Reviews:
M.A: Well here's another surprise for you.
ElsaTheSnowQueen2: I think you might be right about that.
minerbuilder: All versions I went through but I decided on this one. Hope you enjoyed it.
archbaldmatth1: On Pitch Black, wait and see. On weapons, you can assume they're using the weapons from the games. Not really going to name the weapons though as I forget.