Chapter Twenty-Eight:

The Keeper

1225

Sef,

I received your last letter only a few short hours ago. It sounds like your wife and children are keeping you very busy! Give them a kiss from all of us in Mongolia, will you?

I agree with you; it is getting tiring. Eight years ago, I thought that simply the journey was long, but I have corrected myself; this war with Genghis Khan is taking its toll on us. Altair was detected by a soldier of Khan last night, and raised a silent alarm. Now, unless we strike tonight, we will lose the chance we have waited eight years for.

I am worried though. Altair blames himself for this mistake. It was not his fault. It was simply age making itself known. Qulan saved Altair, so you must make sure to send Qulan a "thank-you" that I will pass on to him, hopefully through your next letter.

We all miss you, Sef. Hopefully, it will not be long before our reunion. I long to be home again by the sea in Masyaf, but I fear how long it will take.

I am sorry that this letter is short, for not much has transpired. I will let you know of what happens with Genghis Khan, whether it be in the form of a letter or a tale of our deaths. I remain hopeful, though. We have a force to be reckoned with here in Mongolia, and Qulan has proven himself to be a formidable leader. With Altair here, the Assassins are in high spirits.

I look forward to seeing you again, little brother. Tell Malik not to be too hard on any new recruits. Altair, Maria, Darim and I miss you all very much. Stay safe until our return.

Your sister,

Suna

I leaned back in my chair and sighed. I read the letter over and over again until I knew I had written it correctly, then put it in an envelope and got a messenger to take it. Had it really been eight years since I saw Sef? And twenty more since I had last seen Ahdara in person? How time flew like the wind; swift, fast, and sure.

I had been so preoccupied training Assassins, carrying out missions, and giving orders that I rarely got a moment to myself. It was dark outside, and the candle on my desk flickered as the wick got smaller. I probably hadn't even looked in a mirror in years. I feared I would not be able to recognize myself if I had, lined with wrinkles as I probably would be.

I rubbed my eyes with my thumb and forefinger. The tiredness had set in. The weariness of a long day, but I knew I would not—could not—sleep. The thought of the battle ahead forced my eyes to stay wide open. I knew I needed rest though, so I laid down on my bed and shut my eyes, listening to the sounds of preparations for battle outside my tent.

Someone entered just as I had started to doze off. I squinted to see who it was. Darim quickly came over to my bed, his face now holding eight years' worth of scars. Not many of them were noticeable, but the ones on his hands were. His hairline had receded slightly as well, and wrinkles were appearing on his face.

"Suna, what do you think of the battle to come?" he asked.

I propped myself on my elbows. "I think of it just like any other battle."

"I don't like it." Darim sat on my bed. "I have a bad feeling."

"I would call you insane if you didn't."

Darim smiled half-heartedly. "Well, why are you so calm then?"

"Because I'm so tired." I smiled at him. "Would you mind?"

"Oh, of course." He stood up. "Well, however this goes, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be in the fray of the fighting this time. I'll fall back to take out soldiers from a distance after a while, but I want to see what you go through."

I nodded and lay back down on the bed. Darim left quietly, making sure to shut the tent's flaps on the way out. I lowered my hood and rubbed my eyes, and then ran a hand through my hair. I wouldn't be surprised if I found silver in it, because of all the stress I had been going through with training. And because I am only a year away from forty…

I was tired, but I knew I wasn't ready to sleep, so I decided to go to the waterfall that the Assassins usually used to get clean. I put on some simple clothing, throwing my robes over my shoulder so I could wash them as well, grabbed some soaps, and strolled out of the camp. It wasn't a long walk—I just got lost. I usually didn't head out to the waterfall, preferring the privacy of my own tent and drawing a bath, but I wanted to try my luck.

After half an hour, I reached the waterfall. Placing everything by the pool of water furthest from the falls, I hurried to clean up before any Assassins happened to get a sudden urge to clean up as well. What could I say? I was a very private person.

Not like anyone cared much, considering I heard voices coming. I groaned. Hopefully, they'd recognize my clothes and go off, since a lot of the Assassins knew about my preferences.

"Maria, I want to keep them out of this, as well as you, but they are adults now. They've grown up." Altair's voice was firm, but gentle. I was surprised that it was them, to be honest. They rarely left the privacy of their tent, for whatever reason.

"They may be grown up, but they are still our children. If they were hurt…" Maria shook her head. "I don't want them to be in the battle. I want us all to be home, to have dinner together and to be joyful." Maria sighed. "I miss Sef, Altair."

"As do I. But he has been sending us letters and Malik is watching over for him. For now, I am content with that."

I found a nook in the waterfall and went past it. The wall of water separated me from Altair and Maria. "Grandmaster? Mother?"

Altair paused, but looked around with his eyes. He couldn't see me. "Suna?"

"I'm cleaning."

Maria smiled and chuckled. "Oh please, Suna. We've seen you naked before."

"When I was a child!" I snapped.

To my horror, Maria and Altair stripped down and came into the water with me. I think I was close to drowning myself.

"Do you mind?"

Altair laughed. "We'll stay over here."

"My clothes are over there!"

"Do you want me to bring them to you?"

"No!"

I knew they enjoyed making life difficult for me. Like when Darim, Sef and I used to make fun of them and play on Maria's temper, they knew how to annoy us to no end.

Maria scoffed at Altair. "Altair! She's a woman! She needs another woman to bring her clothes to her!"

See?

"For God sakes! Just throw me my clothes!"

"But they'll get wet!"

"I'm past the point of caring."

Maria shook her head. "There's no point to that. Altair and I will just be in here for a while longer, and then you will have your privacy."

I frowned and pursed my lips. I heard them both laugh at me, and then they resumed whispering to each other, this time so I would not hear. I sat in the nook behind the water and waited patiently to hear them leave. I crossed my arms and continued to wait, listening to the sounds of the water.

Finally, they left, but without a word. I thought it strange, so I waited a while longer before I poked my head out to the other side, out of the nook. When I was satisfied that they had left, I hurried to the other side of the pool and grabbed my towel, wrapping it around my body quickly. I stooped to pick up my shirt when Maria and Altair (both fully clothed) leapt out of the bushes. Their intent was to scare me. It worked well.

I screeched like a girl and slipped on a wet rock, right back into the pool of water. My shirt drifted in the air for a moment before it settled in the water above my face. I rose up and didn't even bother pulling the shirt off my face: I didn't want them to see how scarlet my face was.

Maria and Altair were laughing at me. Probably at the way I'd reacted, actually. I tried my best never to act to foolishly in front of anyone, so I believed it was something that they finally, after so many years with me, got to see.

My fists clenched under the water. I debated drowning myself again, but thought better of it.

"You're sixty years old, Altair!" I growled. "Act your age!"

"You're nearly forty, and you still act like you're seventeen," Altair pointed-out when his laughter died down. "Sometimes I think you haven't changed a bit."

My shoulders slumped. Maria reached her hand out to me (I could see through the wet white fabric of the shirt), in order to help me from the water. When I didn't accept it, she held out another towel.

"I brought another," she said, "just-in-case."

Thankfully, Maria was always prepared.

Maria got Altair to look away while I ungracefully clambered out of the pool and grabbed the extra towel. He was only allowed to look after I'd wrapped that towel around myself.

"Girl," Maria said chidingly, "you can take that shirt off your face now."

I bit my lip. "But I am embarrassed."

"Nonsense. We're your parents."

I grabbed the rest of my clothes and my robes, and then stalked off. "I'm getting changed."

Maria shrugged simply and then joined her husband. They both headed back to camp while I found a place to change. After drying my shirt and cleaning my robes (and drying them as well), I put my robes on, pulled my hood over my face, tucked my towels and clothes under my arm and returned to the camp. When I laid down on my bed for a second time, I welcomed sleep.

It felt like I was asleep for only a few moments before Darim came into my tent. In truth, from the daylight that streamed through the flaps, it had been several hours.

"The horn!" Darim exclaimed. "We have already engaged Khan's forces!"

I leapt out of my bed and put my weapons quickly in their respective places before Darim and I shot out of my tent. Screams and cries filled the air as we ran. Some of Khan's forces had already entered the camp, but the Assassins were holding them back.

"Follow me!" I ordered some distraught Assassins. They weren't sure what to do. They were young, and had never been in a battle before. "To the cliffs!"

The Mongolians followed Darim and me to the best viewpoint on the cliffs and drew their bows. A battalion of Khan's soldiers hadn't seen us yet, but were advancing on the cliffs.

"Fire!" I roared.

In unison, the Assassins fired three arrows from their bows each, and each one struck true. I ordered Darim and the other Assassins to continue their barrage while I tried to find Altair or Qulan. I leapt off of the cliff into a haystack and sprinted towards the brunt of the battle, ducking, dodging, leaping, and stabbing as much as possible without slowing myself.

I eventually found myself back-to-back with Altair. "Why was the attack so sudden?"

"I do not know!" Altair parried a blow from a soldier and then stabbed him through the skull. "He must have known of our plans!"

"We cannot let him escape!"

Altair nodded. "Hurry! You go ahead!"

"But—!"

"Qulan is picking-off anyone who looks like a threat to me! I will be fine, Suna! You must go!"

I nodded and fought my way from Altair to Genghis Khan's tent on the far side of the valley. I had been wounded, but only a little. A small cut on my arm barely counted for it.

I burst into it, but Genghis' horse immediately trampled me. I rolled to reduce the damage and quickly got to my feet and ran as fast as I could after the tyrant. He raised a glowing sword above his head and sliced anyone who got in his way, but it slowed his progress considerably.

I used one of his soldiers to propel me into the back of his horse. Getting my balance on its haunches, I activated my hidden blade and drove it towards Genghis' neck. The warlord manuevered his body out of the way of my blade, and just as he was about to bring his sword down on me his horse, felled by Qulan's arrow, buckled forward and tossed us both from its back. I got up dizzily, just as Genghis did. He threw me a bitter look and raised his sword above his head.

It was golden, and had the same strange symbols as the Apple. I had no doubt that this was the Sword of Eden.

"Assassin!" Genghis cried. "You wish to die so badly? Then die by my blade!"

I drew my sword as I tore my gaze from the Piece of Eden. My ears were ringing viciously in my head, but I wouldn't let that distract me.

Khan attacked with everything he had, and with the power of his sword behind him, it was hard for me to fight back. I parried and dodged, looking for an opening in his defences. Eventually, Khan had pushed my back against a cliff. He stabbed at my stomach, but I evaded and he only managed to scratch it. The pain was unlike anything I had ever felt before; it felt like my insides were ripping out of my body. Was this what it felt like when Altair touched the Apple? No, or else he probably would have dropped it into the sea.

Without missing a beat, Khan used his free hand to shove me against the cliff. I cried out in pain as my wound jarred, but I managed to move my head out of the way of Khan's stab. Instead, he stabbed through my hood and nearly ripped it in half, but the Sword was embedded in the rock. He couldn't remove it. I kicked Genghis in the stomach to keep him away from it and tore more of my hood off in the process. It hung lazily on my back, held on only by a thread.

Genghis glared at me and then looked to the Sword, but then he fell back as a crossbow bolt slammed into his forehead. He hit the ground with a thump! and did not rise again.

I panted breathlessly and looked up. Darim stood on the cliff and waved at me, his crossbow in hand. Darim did it! He killed Genghis Khan!

I smiled up at him and waved as well, but regretted it. My wound, inflicted by the sword, opened up more and started spilling more blood. I gritted my teeth, knelt on the ground, and held it, as if I could make the pain go away. I looked at the Sword, embedded in the rock, and cringed. Its glow nearly blinded me. As if it would help, I brought my ripped hood over my face, but it hung at an awkward angle. I stood up, using my reserves of strength, and walked over to the Sword, unaware of the battle going on around me. I was fixated on that sword; it, somehow, called to me.

I placed my bloody, fingerless gloves over the golden hilt and pulled it forcefully from the rocks. Its glow lessened slightly as I stared at it, but then its luminosity returned, far more forceful than before.

"You have done well," a voice said, clearer than the day. "And now, I ask that you listen to me."

The Sword pulled me away from the cliff-face and dragged me towards a canyon. Everyone on the battlefield ignored me. I couldn't get away from the Sword! I fought hard against it, but it was quickly overpowering me.

"There is a land far from this one, to the West. This is where we placed the greatest of our secrets."

What are you doing? I screamed in my head as the canyon loomed closer. Release me!

"Find it to stop the end. Eve must be found."

Release me!

"You must find Eve! Help Desmond to find her! Aid the Prophet, so that Desmond knows his duty, and his destiny!"

The canyon was too close to me. I could look down and see the water below. My hands trembled as the sword pulled me closer and closer.

"You must be strong enough to help them! You are the only one!" "Suna!" I heard Altair's voice cut through the one in my head. "Suna!"

"RELEASE ME!" I shouted. Everything in my heart—every feeling, emotion, thought—was poured into those words. I am not under your control!

"Find the Prophet! Find Desmond! Find Eve!"

"I AM NOT UNDER YOUR CONTROL!" I roared and tossed the Sword into the canyon.

I didn't bother to watch it fall into the sea. I fell on my knees and panted heavily, as if a great weight had been lifted from my chest. However, I was burning up, and my wound was still bleeding. Usually, something like that would heal, but it wasn't. Was it because of the Sword?

Altair was quickly by my side as my knees had lost their strength as well. He gently laid me on the grass and slid a hand under my hood to feel my forehead.

"Suna… Dear God, Suna…!" Altair scooped me into his arms and sprinted away from the canyon. My eyes opened and closed, and with each opening the scene before me changed. Battlefield, camp, the inside of a tent… bodies were everywhere.

Altair laid me down on a bed. I coughed violently, and when I brought my hand from my mouth I saw there was fresh blood. I was coughing blood, I was bleeding, my head was ringing, and I felt boiling hot and freezing cold at the same time… What was happening?

My eyes closed again. Visions behind my eyes shot forward, to fast for me to register, but slow enough for me to see faces. Smiling faces, saddened faces, faces of joy, triumph, sorrow and regret.

And then my eyes opened, but only just. Maria had a sewing needle in her hands. She was hastily mending the wound in my stomach.

"Bring me a sheet," Maria ordered an Assassin. "And a bucket of water. We need to move fast to get her temperature down."

The Assassin nodded and exited the tent. Maria broke the thread, finished with my stitching, and put a hand on my cheek.

"Be all right," she muttered. "You can get through this, Suna. You've been through worse."

My breathing was ragged and coming out in hurried gasps. If I could have replied, I would have.

Altair entered the tent. "How is she?" he asked.

"Struggling," she replied after a moment's hesitation.

Altair shook his head and sat at the desk beside the bed. "How?"

"I do not know. It must have something to do with the Sword…" Maria shook her head. "Altair, what are we going to do?"

I closed my eyes again, unwillingly. I dreamed of Sef. It was a horrible dream. A man walked into his room in the keep and killed him. I did not get a good look at him, but it gave me a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I jerked awake and shot up in the bed, my heart hammering violently in my chest. The pain in my stomach didn't register at all, but the pain in my head did.

I threw my legs over the bed and shakily stood up. I used the wall of the tent to move towards the desk. It definitely wasn't my tent—I knew it was Maria's and Altair's. I stopped at the desk and put a hand on the chair. My eyes were trying to focus, but they failed repeatedly. That voice was still in my head, but I was unsure of what it had said. Nothing it had said made any sense!

The tent flap opened. I looked to it and saw Darim, a stupefied look plastered on his face.

"A painting lasts longer," I told him sarcastically.

In only a few short steps, Darim had me in an embrace. "Suna! I was so worried…!"

I hugged him back. "Very good shot, by the way. Good thing you didn't miss."

Darim held me at arm's length and studied me. "Your hood… It's a wreck!"

"I know…" I muttered distastefully. "No thanks to Khan…"

Darim grinned and pulled my hood off of my face. For a second, he just stared at me, and then his brow furrowed.

"What?" I asked.

In a daze, Darim turned me around. Above the desk was a mirror, and it was obviously new, since I had never seen it in the Grandmaster's tent before. Darim stood behind me, his brow still furrowed in confusion. But I looked hard, and noticed what Darim had saw.

I had prayed that I would die of old age. I had wished for it so badly, since I could not die by a blade. Yet, there I was. I looked like Darim's younger sister. I still looked seventeen. Eight years ago, I had figured that age would come soon and show itself, but now… For eight years, I'd been to preoccupied that I didn't even look or pay attention to anything that would show my reflection, and my hood had always been upon my head.

"Oh God…" I finally muttered.

Darim hugged me from behind and wiped away a tear that had escaped me. I hadn't even noticed it. "Don't worry, Suna. It will be all right."

I wasn't sure if I could believe him. Regardless, I pulled away from Darim and sat on my bed, then tugged my ruined hood over my face.

Darim knelt beside me and kissed my forehead affectionately. "Sister… do not worry. Please."

I would need to speak to Altair. I would need to speak to him and ask what would happen. I needed to know.

But then, holding my brother's hand, I just wanted to die.