Chapter 35

The Masked Templar

Not much had happened since I arrived at this place, all except for doing a little patrolling around the perimeter of the camp, keeping an eye on the prisoners. No one had assigned me on guard duty or anything, I was just getting a feel for where everything was: Entrances, exits, guards, guard towers, the barracks where they kept the prisoners, any possible infirmaries, everything. I rounded the prison a good ten to eleven times to make sure I had a fully detailed map of the place. Although it was risky, I made sure to also get a quick bird's eye view from on top of a barracks… That is, before I had to get down from the roof as fast as I could the moment one of the guards caught me.

"Twenty… Twenty barracks. Five infirmaries. A little over ten buildings. And nine watch towers," I thought as I looked around the prison, "prison is surrounded by barbed wire for the first line of defense and a wall for the second line of defense… And there's only one entrance."

I let out a sigh.

"Dammit, this is going to be a lot tougher than I thought," I thought, "I really am going to have to work my magic and see if I can gain the trust of some of the guardsmen… I know it won't be easy. But then again… Nothing ever is."

The day continued as normal, for some odd reason, none of the guardsmen even bothered to approach me, which I found quite odd. Usually whenever a new guy or new girl arrives they usually get swamped by the guys and gals who've been on the job for a long time.

I guess that rule just applies to Assassins and Templars maybe…? I don't know, I'm rambling again. Anyway… It was getting close to the evening, and roll call was taken to make sure that all the prisoners were present and accounted for. No one told me if the guards themselves had to be present during roll call and I didn't bother to ask, I simply joined so I could see if my sister was in the group.

I didn't really go up next to the officers as one of them was calling out the prisoner's names, but I did get close enough to hear the names he was calling. I could only guess that the names were put in alphabetical order by last name, because he seemed to be on "B" … maybe "C".

I wasn't sure how long the roll call had lasted… But if I had to guess it was about a little over five or ten minutes. As I was about to go take a quick walk for a bit or find a place to rest my legs, I heard the SS Officer stop talking and immediately start shouting something. I knew right then and there that was a bad sign.

"A prisoner's missing," I thought.

Soon, the rest of the officers started yelling for the guards. Not wanting to get myself noticed, I hid in the shadows while a small group quickly assembled in front of their superiors. The officer who gave the roll call barked out a series of orders to the men before him and they took off. The officer then turned towards the prisoners and pointed a finger, telling no one to move. I don't know why they would honestly bother to move, especially when they knew the guy could snap his fingers and they would all be shot dead.

"…Hmm… This prisoner going missing just might work to my advantage," I thought as I started to slowly make my way towards the prisoners.

I kept looking over at the officers every few seconds or so, to make sure that they didn't have their eyes set on me as I got closer and closer to the prisoners who stood out in the open crisp October air. One of the prisoners who saw me approach, started to shake violently with fear and began to whimper, like an abused dog. I stopped fast and looked down at the assault rifle in my hands, I looked over at the SS officers and then I looked back at the prisoners.

"W porządku (It's alright)," I said in a reassuring tone as I put my weapon down, "Nie mam zamiaru nikogo skrzywdzić (I'm not going to hurt anyone)."

Well that certainly caught the prisoner's attention, especially since I pulled my mask down so they could get a look at and see who was in this uniform. One by one, the prisoners started whispering my nickname.

"Srebrny Blade (Silver Blade)."

"Srebrny Blade (Silver Blade)."

"To Silver Blade (It's Silver Blade)."

"Srebrny Blade (Silver Blade)."

"Srebrny Blade jest tutaj (Silver Blade is here)."

I smiled, hearing them call me by that name, I felt like a living symbol to these good people. I quickly looked back at the officers and then I looked back at the prisoners.

"Słuchaj, nie mam zbyt wiele czasu, szukam młodej, polskiej dziewczyny. Miriam Liora (Listen, I don't have much time, I'm looking for a young woman, a Polish girl. Miriam Liora)," I said.

The prisoners all looked at each other and whispered amongst themselves. One of the prisoners, an older man, stepped up and spoke.

"You mean the girl who was taken by those men with the red cross?" he asked.

I nodded.

"We've been hearing rumors that she's been getting… Special treatment," said the man, "she gets better clothes and she gets full course meals."

I raised an eyebrow. Full course meals? Better clothes? This isn't like the SS Guard or the Templars to do.

"We thought that she might've been picked to be experimented on like the others-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… Experimented?" I asked, "what do you mean experimented?"

"Wir haben ihn geehrt (We got him sir)!" someone shouted.

I turned around fast and gasped, the guards found the prisoner. I only had seconds.

"What do you mean experimented?" I repeated to the man.

"Th-Those men with the red cross had some of the prisoners subjected to medical experiments, those who were selected were better fed and clothed," he said, "we don't know what kind of experiments they put the prisoners through; but all we know is that those people aren't seen for days… Weeks even."

"And Miriam wasn't selected to undergo those experiments?" I asked.

"No, but… Whenever she was given a full course meal, she would often share with the rest of us whenever the guards weren't looking," said the man, "she told me if she was caught sharing her meals with us that they would punish her to the most severe extent."

"Has it ever reached that point?" I asked, wanting to know as much details as possible.

I quickly looked back at the SS officers and the guards, who were busy dealing out the prisoner's punishment with a severe beating before looking back at the man.

"N-No… Well, it's only happened to her at least twice," said the man, "the first time they beat her until she was black and blue… The second time, they locked her up in the basement for three days before they pulled her out."

I started to feel my muscles tense up.

"What's weird though is after she got punished those two times, she was… Sent to the infirmary for special recovery," said the man.

There was a brief pause before the man spoke again.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you interested in that girl?" he asked.

I looked back at the SS officers and guards. They got finished punishing the prisoner.

"…Because she's my sister," I said as I walked away.

The evening carried on as the prisoners returned to their bunks, I of course was busy processing what the man had just told me. Miriam really was being used as bait. Full course meals, better clothing, full medical recovery from her punishments? The Nazis would never allow such treatment like this, not unless if someone was selected to undergo these… Medical experiments, whatever they were and whatever they entailed.

"The Templars were aware of the conditions these camps, they wanted the SS Guard to place Miriam over into their custody as a means of keeping her alive long enough for me to come and rescue her," I thought as I leaned against the wall of a building.

I looked over at the prison barracks and felt my heart get heavy, I could feel their pain, I knew that it was awful inside of those buildings. As much as I didn't want to, I had to go inside, I had to find out where my sister was. If she was resting in one of those bunks, then I knew that this mission was going to be easy. But if she was hiding out someplace else, then that meant I would really need to have to resort to calling on some inside help.

I made my way to the first prison barracks and looked around before setting down my rifle someplace dark and secluded, as to avoid anyone from noticing it wasn't in my hands… Or to put it simply… To avoid any suspicion from the guards. I walked inside of the barracks and froze. It was exactly how I thought it would be… The prisoners were all crammed inside of their respective bunks, I could hear a lot of them grunting and groaning as they tried to get comfortable. It made my heart bleed for them.

"I don't want to cause too much noise… Maybe if I can find just one…" I thought as I slowly moved through the dark.

I felt my Eagle Vision activate, allowing me to see all the prisoners around me as I moved from row to row, trying to find a someone to wake up, someone who wouldn't arouse the others. I searched for a good minute or two at least, until I found one prisoner, a young woman by the looks of it and approached her. I slowly reached forward and nudged her shoulder. The woman's eyes snapped open and she opened her mouth to let out a loud scream, but I covered it fast.

"W porządku. W porządku. Nie zamierzam cię skrzywdzić, jestem przyjacielem (It's alright. It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you, I'm a friend)," I said.

I shook my head, realizing that what I said not only sounded cliché, but also sounded not very believable.

"Jestem Srebrny Blade (I'm Silver Blade)," I said.

The woman calmed down and looked at me as I removed my hand from her mouth.

"S-S-Srenbry Blade (S-S-Silver Blade)?" she asked.

I nodded as I pulled my mask down, revealing my face. Judging by the sound of her voice, it was obvious that she was parched. It wasn't until I realized that I still had a canteen on me. The very same canteen I swiped from the soldier I killed. I took it off my person and gave it a quick shake, there was still a bit left. I handed the canteen to the woman, and she quickly took it, I watched as she unscrewed the cap and put the canteen to her lips, she started guzzling every drop.

"Łatwy ... Można wysłać go w niewłaściwy tchawicę jeśli pić go tak szybko (Easy... You might send it down the wrong windpipe if you drink it that fast)," I said.

The woman stopped for a moment and started to drink slower. She handed the canteen back over to me. I shook my head.

"Proszę wziąć (Please, take it)," I said, "trzeba go bardziej niż mnie (you need it more than me)."

The woman gave me a smile and drank the rest of the water a lot more slowly, finishing the canteen and handing it back to me.

"Słuchaj ... Szukam młodej kobiety ... A Girl ... Miriam Liora (Listen... I'm looking for a young woman... A girl... Miriam Liora)," I said in a soothing tone, "widziałeś ją? Czy ona jest tutaj (have you seen her? Is she here)?"

The woman shook her head.

"Gdzie ona jest (Where is she)?" I asked.

The woman looked at me, but said nothing.

"Proszę, ona jest moją siostrą (Please, she's my sister)," I pleaded.

The woman looked around before facing me again. She motioned for me to come closer, I obliged. The woman leaned in close and whispered something in my ear…

"Specjalna ... Guest Room (Special... Guest... Room) …" she said faintly.

I raised an eyebrow. I looked at the woman.

"Specjalny pokój? Co masz na myśli (Special guest room? What do you mean)?" I asked.

"Ja ... nie mogę powiedzieć zbyt wiele ... Muszę ... rest (I... I can't say too much... I need... Rest) …" she said as she slowly laid back down, "Dziękuję ... za wodę (thank you... For the water)."

I gave the woman a small smile and a nod as she fell asleep. I stood up, pulled my mask up, and slowly crept out of the barracks. A special guest room? What does that mean? Is there like a special room that's made inside one of the infirmaries to set my sister a part from the rest of the prisoners? Is there a special room in one of the barracks that the Templars made for her…? Could she be staying in a room made for one of the SS guard? Or one of the Templar officers?

I shook my head, fearing the thought of my sister having a room like either one of them… Or worse, having to share a room with one of them… I know that one of the SS guard would typically treat my sister like dirt; but the Templars… They're not so quick to pass judgment on a chance to put their hands on a fragile Polish girl like my older sister.

The very thought was enough to make me shiver as I opened the door and walked out of the barracks. As I closed the door behind me and started to go and find my rifle, I froze, hearing someone call out to me.

"Hey you! Templar!" barked a voice.

"Hell…" I thought.

I slowly turned and saw an SS Guardsman approach me.

"Dammit, I'm screwed," I thought.

"What are you doing over here new girl?" asked the guard, "I thought you would be with the rest of us."

Shit, I had to think fast, come up with something to throw him off or distract his ass.

"Uh… I was… I was checking to make sure that none of the prisoners were trying to escape," I said.

The guardsman looked at me for a moment.

"…Where's your rifle?" he asked.

"My rifle?" I asked.

"What have you got stones in your ears? Yes, your rifle," he muttered.

"Uh… Right, my rifle… It's uh… Uh… I have it uh…" I started to say.

The man cocked his head to the left.

"I have it… I have it…" I started to say.

There was no way out of this, I had to act.

"Gott verdammt (Goddammit)," I muttered.

I lunged forward, the guardsman was startled and started to raise his weapon, but I grabbed the barrel and drove my knee into his stomach, causing him to double over and groan in pain. Without losing momentum, I brought my fist up and it connected with his nose, causing him to cry out in pain, giving me time to grab him and pull him into the shadows; from there I pressed him against the wall and had my right hidden blade to his throat.

"Keine Respektlosigkeit, bub, aber wenn Sie so viel wie ein einziges Geräusch machen, werde ich Ihre Kehle schneiden (No disrespect, bub, but if you so much as make a single sound, I'll cut your throat)," I hissed.

The man's eyes widened, but he nodded nonetheless.

"Good," I said, "now, I don't know you, and if I don't know you then I don't like you. So, I'm just going to ask you a few questions. And if you're a good boy, I might let you walk away with… A bloody nose or a black eye to remember me by. Ich habs (Got it)?"

The man nodded.

"Good," I said, "now… I know that you're holding a girl here… A Polish girl who's also of German blood. Miriam Liora, where is she?"

"I-I-I-I don't know, I really don't know I just patrol the walls, I don't know anything about some girl named Miriam," he said in a fast pace, "I swear to god."

I frowned and retracted my blade. Without so much as a hint of hesitation, I clocked the guy in the jaw. He let out a pained yelp.

"Liars really piss me off," I hissed, "now, where is Miriam Liora."

"I don't know! I swea-"

I cut him off with a punch to his stomach. The man groaned and started to double over, but I pressed him against the wall again and pinned him against the barracks.

"Quiet… You'll wake the prisoners," I said.

The man gave me an affirmative nod.

"Now… Where is Miriam?" I asked firmly.

"I swear, I don't know," he said.

I groaned and rolled my eyes.

"Listen Hündin (bitch), I don't like it when I'm trying to interrogate a liar, and I especially hate it when someone wastes my fucking time," I said, "now you have one more chance to tell me what I need to know before I get angry."

The man started shaking, I got his attention.

"Now… Where is Miriam Liora?" I asked.

"…O-O-Okay look, I do know alright?" he asked, "b-b-but I can't tell you… He'll kill me."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Kill you?" I asked as my hidden blade shot out, "Hündin (bitch), if you don't tell me…"

I cover his mouth with my hand as I plunged my blade into his side. The man let out a pained groan, his knees started to buckle from underneath himself, which caused me to try to keep him standing up.

"…I'll kill you," I finished as I pulled out my blade and retracted it.

The man started panting heavily, tears started to roll down his face as he felt the sting of my blade go through his entire body.

"Now… Are you going to talk?" I asked, "because the next one's going right in your fucking knee."

The man gave me a quick nod, judging by the amount of air that kept hitting my hand, I could tell he was breathing hard, trying to shake off the pain.

"Where's Miriam?" I asked as I took my hand off his mouth.

"Sh… She's-"

"Wait…" I said as I put a finger to his lips, "actually I have a better question… What is this "special guest room"?"

The man's eyes widened again. He knew something.

"I-I…" he started to say.

"Welp, out comes the knee," I said as my blade shot out.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" begged the man, "I'll talk! I'll talk!"

My blade retracted.

"The special guest room is a little room that's located at one of the infirmaries…" said the man.

"Which infirmary?" I asked.

"Oh, come on, I don't know," he said.

My blade shot out again.

"B-But I-I-I-I might know someone that does know," he said as he motioned for me to lean in closer, "there's a Templar here, a Templar by the name of Barton Kasimir. He's often given duties by the warden to watch over the girl whenever the evening rolls around."

"What does he look like?" I asked as my blade retracted.

"Oh, you know, he's kind of about your height, average build, blonde hair, blue eyes and has a tattoo on the back of his neck," said the man.

I let him go.

"This would've been a lot easier on you if you had just given me the answer right away instead of pussy-footin' around like you're the fucking new guy," I said, "you're a member of the SS Guard… So, act like it."

The man just gave me a sheepish grin.

"Oh… And one last thing," I said.

The man started to panic.

"W-W-Wait, I gave you everything you needed to know!" he exclaimed, "please, don't kill me!"

"I'm not going to kill you," I said.

"W-Wait, wha-"

But he was cut off as I punched him in face, knocking him out. The man dropped to the ground with a hard thud.

"I don't want to blow my own cover," I said as I knelt and started to dress the stab wound I gave him.