Chapter Twenty:

The Crusaders

2012

There was a knock at my door as I geared-up for Denver. "Sara? Can we talk?"

I bit my lip. If I didn't face it now, then I'd have to face it later. "Come in."

I reluctantly smiled as I realized that this was the first time Walter had ever asked to come in, instead of constantly barging in and almost catching me naked. Walter closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a time, just watching me.

"What?" I asked.

"Did you get to this time like me?"

I shook my head. "No. My way was different."

"How so?" Walter persisted.

"Do you remember the last time I visited you? Before you… died?"

Walter nodded. "You hadn't changed a bit." I looked at him, almost as if I could will him to figure it out for himself. The expression on his face changed as he came to do so. "Oh."

I nodded. "I haven't changed in more than eight-hundred years."

"… That's a long time." Walter's brow furrowed. "But… what about your family? You told me about them once!"

"They were dead even when I knew you in 1746. My biological sister was killed, as was my foster-brother and foster-mother. The rest just… died. I outlived them all."

The next thing I knew, Walter's arms were around me and pressing me against him. He sat on the bed, bringing me with him, and rested his forehead against mine. Did I really see tears on his face?

"Sara… I'm so sorry."

"What're you apologizing for? What's done is done."

He gently shook his head, his black hair rubbing against my brown. "No. That day… The day you left… I should have been stronger. There I was, letting you go, because I knew you would leave even if I tried to stop you. I debated following you to help, but… I didn't. It's my fault."

"No it's not—!"

"Yes it is! It doesn't matter if you were really going to be okay, because I needed to see you survive with my own eyes!" He was quiet for a time. "After, about six months after you disappeared, I enlisted in the army and became a Knight for his Majesty. After I met my… wife… I came across James, who was wearing robes similar to the ones you'd worn. He told me everything, from what you and he did, to why. And he told me who that woman was. When I woke up today, I saw that woman, Diana. I only thought of how she had taken you from me, and then I looked over, and I saw you. At the time, your hood was up, and I couldn't see your face, but your voice was so familiar, and I only thought of protecting you…"

My eyes flickered to his hands, where the blood was still flowing beneath the bandages where he'd stopped Diana from cutting me up. Walter's head left mine and he quickly started to rub away his tears.

"Look at me… I'm a right big mess…" He smiled as best he could, and then continued. "But then, after Diana tossed you out of this gigantic flying machine and you landed back inside of it, I saw your face and all that blood and—!" He deliberately cut himself off. I waited patiently, unable to form words of my own. "And I saw your eyes. And I remembered the night we met, and I knew it was you."

I was quiet as I thought of what I would say. My heart was hammering in my chest uncontrollably as I put my words together, piece by piece.

"Let me tell you a story," I told him finally. "Believe-it-or-not, it starts in 1193, in Damascus, Syria. In that city, there was a little girl, fending for herself, until a fateful day that a man in a white hood with a silver blade in his hand saved her life. The girl was wounded, and nearly broken in spirit, but that man helped her to regain her will, and taught her how to defend herself. He also gave her a family; something that had eluded her for years, and a mission to keep her going. That man's name was Altair Ibn La'Ahad, and he was the Grandmaster of the Assassins of the Levant…"

1217

"Ready?"

Sef was practically hopping up and down in anticipation, like he used to when we were younger. Darim looked ahead coldly, his eyes fixated on our goal. My hands clenched and unclenched as I loosened up, but my heart was calm, as usual.

"Go!"

Sef shot forward past Darim and me. I couldn't believe how fast he was! Then again, it had been a long time since we raced.

I started to pump my legs and go faster, as fast as I could. I followed Sef as he climbed a building and hopped beside the main square, and then I went in a completely different direction. Sef continued to sprint up to the keep, whereas I climbed and leaped off of a roof, right where Sef was running. He deftly jumped over me as I landed, but it looked like he was already tired. He and I sprinted to the ladder, which I beat him to. He started to climb the tower, without the use of a ladder, and he was gaining on me. I put in one last effort as I scaled the second ladder in the tower, and then I ran to a ramp and leapt off.

The Leap of Faith allowed me a moment to myself to think, where I would only feel that rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. Sef wasn't coming with us, despite how great an Assassin he was. I believed that Altair didn't want to bring him, not because Sef had family of his own, but he wanted at least one of his family to stay alive if we failed. I wasn't sure if Sef fully understood that.

I came back from my thoughts and hit the haystack perfectly, landing in the soft (but often sharp) bed. I looked up to see Sef and Darim halfway down, battling each other to hit the haystacks first. Darim was the eventual winner, mostly because Sef had over-exerted himself too early and made a sloppy Leap of Faith. Sef popped out of the haystack, out of breath, but managed to come sit by me.

"Who's old now?" I asked with a smirk.

Sef shot me a look and tried to catch his breath. Darim smiled and came over to us as well, then sat down with his feet dangling over the edge of the cliff.

"I thought you were going to beat me for a moment, little brother," Darim said. "But Suna wins again. What a surprise."

"If you didn't want me to race you, you wouldn't have goaded me into it."

"No, I suppose not." Darim patted his brother on the back. "Well, what if we raced again when we get back? It's not like we're never going to have fun like this ever again."

Sef nodded and smiled. "By then, I'll have surpassed you both!"

I grinned. "We'll see, little brother. We'll see."

"Someone's at the gates!" an Assassins yelled down at us. "There are two men at the gates!"

I looked at Sef and Darim, both of them looking at me, and then stood up and hurried across the cliffs using the tightly drawn ropes that Altair had once used when he defended Masyaf from Robert de Sable.

By the time Darim, Sef and I reached the from gates, Altair was there. Malik was tailing closely behind us, and I was sure Maria would be around somewhere.

At the gate were, in fact, two men. One was smaller than the other, and he was wearing very light chainmail, along with a few pieces of clothing that looked like they had been worn too often. He had eyes that darted around, as if in fear, and he was fiddling with his hands.

The other man was about the average size, with brown hair and sharp grey eyes. He wore chainmail as well, but underneath his plate armour and his tunic, which bore a red cross on his breast. He had only one weapon—a sword, which looked considerably old.

"Who goes?" Malik asked.

The man with the sharp eyes regarded us plainly. "Robert DeQuincy," he responded evenly. "I came here in hopes to rest for a while."

Altair stepped forward. "You're with the Crusades?"

"Yes," Robert said. "I came all the way from England."

"Jerusalem is back that way. Why all the travelling just for rest?" Altair asked. His tone, however, seemed to be a chiding one. "Unless you didn't go to Jerusalem?"

Robert was quiet for only a moment. "I didn't. I walked right past the battle and continued to walk. And then I heard of a stronghold where I can claim some sanctuary, and I came here. I am no coward, if that's what you're thinking. I just didn't want to kill someone without a blade in their hand… again."

At that, Altair held out a hand for the Crusader. "You are welcome here, but I will be leaving in a few days' time. By then, you should be re-supplied and ready to leave as well. I am not inclined to leave you here while I am gone."

"I can understand that," Robert replied, and clasped Altair's hand in his. "Your name, sir?"

"Altair Ibn La'Ahad," the Grandmaster replied. "And who is that man behind you?"

"Squibs," Robert said. "He's my Squire."

The two men released hands, but they walked together up to the keep. I kept an eye on Squibs, because he looked like he wanted to do something drastic. I was sure that being around so many people with so many weapons was near-nauseating for him, especially since he didn't know us.

"Maria!" Altair called when we reached the keep. "We have a guest!"

"But we're about to leave!" Maria called down from their room in the Master's Tower. "And I have been packing!"

"He is only staying a few days, and no longer than us!"

I heard the door to the Master's Tower echo as Maria closed the door and started to come down the stairs. Altair led Robert into the main hold, and the two were quietly conversing. What about? I wasn't exactly sure.

Altair, all of a sudden, smiled as if he remembered something. "Oh, Robert, these are my children," he said as he gestured to my brothers and I. "Let me introduce my daughter, Suna, and my sons, Darim and Sef."

Robert bowed. "A pleasure."

Maria slammed the door open and placed her hands on the railing at the stairs. "Husband," she said quietly (and whenever she called Altair that, it meant that she was very, very angry), "would you mind telling me where my sword is?"

"I have no idea, Maria," Altair replied with a shrug. "Is it back upstairs?"

"I am sure that I left it right here."

Altair raised an eyebrow. "We will find it later. We have a guest, remember?"

"Of course I do." Maria elegantly walked down the stairs and approached Robert. "Nice to meet you…?"

"Robert DeQuincy," he replied. "And your name?"

She smiled. "Ah, you're English? Well, my name is Maria Ibn La'Ahad, formerly Thorpe."

Robert's eyes widened slightly. "Thorpe? Maria Thorpe? I thought you'd died with Robert de Sable!"

"Lots of England thinks that," Maria replied. "I don't mind it."

Robert looked at Altair. "What's the meaning of this?"

"What do you mean?" Altair asked.

My left hand touched the grip of my sword automatically. If anyone noticed, they did not voice it.

"Little more than twenty-six years ago, I was promised Maria Thorpe's hand in marriage," Robert said. "As soon as she returned to England, I was to marry her. Her husband—or, ex-husband—Lord Peter Hallaton annulled their marriage as she left for the Crusades under Robert de Sable. I was promised to her in order for her family to regain their lost honour."

The entire room went silent, but it was Sef who finally broke the silence.

"Awkward," he said, loud enough for us all to hear.

1512

I sped ahead of Ezio as we walked the path up to the keep. There were many memories—too many, but I did like to see that the Templars had abandoned it since Leandros' death. Ezio was still explaining to Sofia about the Assassins, their fight, and their enemies. He was also explaining the relevance of the fortress.

"So, this man… Altair, was it? He helped your Order?"

"Where his predecessors built the base, he perfected it." Ezio gently took Sofia's elbow and helped her to climb. I couldn't blame her if she was tired; it was a long way. "He helped the Assassins to become strong, and realized the folly of keeping such a fortress. It was not a symbol of the power of the Assassins, but a sign of ignorance to the ways we strive for. We work in the dark, to serve the light."

"And so this place was abandoned?"

"No. The Mongols struck, and the Assassins evacuated." I could feel Ezio's gaze on me. "No one is sure what Altair hid in his library, but now we have the Keys, and we will find out. Niccolo Polo hid them, and we have brought them together."

The great Masyaf fortress looked as it always had been. When Ezio and I were here previously, I hadn't had the time to study it. Frankly, it was hard to look at. Even though the training ring in the courtyard was barely visible, what with the wood around it rotting still and the stones covered with dead weeds, it brought back many memories.

I remembered where the library was, so I lead the way. I stopped in front of the door and waited for Sofia and Ezio, who were still deep in conversation. Ezio examined the door and put a hand on the cold door.

"There are so many holes…" Ezio murmured.

"And only five Keys," Sofia said.

I walked up to the door as well and studied it. From the brown-gold I saw in Ezio's eyes, I knew he was using his Eagle Vision or "Eagle Sense" as he liked to call it now. It reminded me of when Altair had taught me to use my own latent abilities to help in my missions.

"The Eagle," I told them. "Look—each of these are spaced-out. They're constellations. The Eagle is among them. Put the Keys in the correct places on the Eagle."

"Ah, of course!" Sofia exclaimed. "Poco Sofia, you are correct! Altair is the name of a star in the Eagle constellation, and his name means, 'The Flying One'. It seems only natural."

With his Eagle Sense, Ezio placed each Key into a slot. Soon, the door opened with a thunderous sound. Ezio took Sofia's hands and looked at her.

"You had better come back," Sofia said.

Ezio nodded. "I shall. I promise."

I was hesitant to enter, but I followed Ezio. The door slammed behind us, creating an echo that hurt my ears. Ezio saw my distress and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Do not worry, amico," he said quietly. "You were here once, si?"

I nodded. "Many years ago, I would come here to read. We also held meetings, of a sort. Altair would lead them, being the Grandmaster, and the Master Assassins would listen and give opinions when needed."

"So you attended many of these things?" Ezio grabbed a single torch off of the wall and proceeded to light the others as we travelled deeper.

"Si. I was invited to every one, though I did not always go." I bit my lip. "For obvious reasons."

Ezio finished lighting the last of the torches. He placed the torch he held onto a hook as we continued into the chamber. It was a circular room, filled with bookshelves, but no books. Altair had given them to Darim, last I'd heard, and my brother brought them all to Alexandria.

I nearly tripped, but Ezio caught me. I smiled and laughed. "Even when I lived here, I always forgot that step."

Ezio smiled as well, but I could see there were other things on his mind. He released me, and we continued. We were in the centre of a circle of chairs, each the same size as the other. I looked to the left of the chair facing us, remembering that that was where I sat beside Altair.

Come to think of it, I thought with squinted eyes, the figure in the centre chair looks like…

I gasped. Ezio saw it too. My heart felt like it had slid right out of my body. I couldn't stop the tears that came.

Altair.