Chapter One
Erin tossed and turned among the unfamiliar sheets. This bedroom was large and sterile white, there were way too many places to hide a camera. She didn't trust these Templars as far as she could throw them; she thought her master a fool for letting them walk into this den of vipers.
Her door clicked open and a figure stooped in; her breathing didn't hitch as they came closer. She smelled her master before she winked her eyes open at him. He always smelled like old spice, it gave him away wherever he went. Her fingers loosened from the knife tucked shyly beneath her pillow.
"Up." Her uncle Abram commanded, nudging her. He knew she wasn't asleep.
"What's wrong?" She asked, now noticing the dark glint in his eyes.
"I've sent the others away, we have to get you down to the Apple." He prodded, handing her a large bag. "Put this gear on and don't question me for once Erin. This is important." He twisted his hands in his beard as he turned around to give her some privacy.
"Uncle Abram what's going on?" She asked quietly.
"We didn't really come here to negotiate." He whispered so only she could hear, just in case there were other ears listening. "We came to steal back the Apple of Eden that your great grandfather lost before he died."
"Don't say it like he's just my relative. He's yours too." She quipped, he said nothing as she buttoned on the last button. "What the fuck am I wearing?" She asked sharply.
"You have your mother's blood." Abram smiled at her. "I should never have brought you here, so close to them. Now I'm glad I did."
"Uncle I'm confused please tell me where we're going."
"I went to take back the Apple Erin, the Apple!" He looked so relieved for a moment before his face went dark. "Before I could take it, it spoke to me. The Templars have combined two artifacts to create a portal into the past, but they do not realize Juno is keeping it open. They've sent Gregory and Jeremy to kill Connor so he can't procreate. Desmond would never have been born to die in the place of the world. They want to be the ones to lead humanity out of the ashes. We must not let them."
"What does that have to do with me?" She demanded.
"Juno chose you my dear. You are of your mother's blood. Without the Templar's piece of Eden, only you possess another that is compatible." Abram looked down at her with so much fatherly love and proudness that she felt her eyes well up in horror as it dawned on her she would never see him again.
She looked down at the ring that was her mother's, it had the family crest burned into the metal atop. Even now, it hummed with energy; Erin was good with energy. She had been attuned to this ring and the small power it held since the day her Uncle had given it to her after her mother died.
"Don't forget these." He shoved weapons into her hands; her dagger and sword. "You'll need them."
"Since when have I ever needed melee weapons?" She asked quietly.
"Since you started chasing Templars into the past." He told her blandly, gripping her arm and pulling her towards the door. "Let's go."
He pulled her into the hallway and she followed at a regular pace behind him. The templars really knew how to go overboard when it came to anything money can buy. This all had to be a dream, but she kept pinching herself and she wasn't dreaming.
They got to the last door, where two guards stood tall. Erin had two hidden blades on her person, and as she came closer to speak with them her hands whipped out and took them both at the same time. She hid the bodies in the darkness of the hallway but knew they would soon be discovered.
"Hurry." Abram pushed her onwards.
At the end of the hallway there was a lit room. The box in the middle of the room was humming with energy. Her heart halted in her chest when she heard boots stomping behind them already.
Her uncle squeezed her briefly before pushing her towards the box. "Remember all I've taught you little lamb. I love you with all my life, so don't let it go to waste." He kissed her on the forehead and turned towards the hallway as the first soldier ran through. He sliced the man's throat in half and he was dead before he hit the ground.
"Go!" Her uncle shouted.
Erin raced for the box, not knowing what to do. Her ring started to burn as she shoved the lid off the box and grabbed the sphere sitting within. A numb went through her whole body and she felt herself fading away into light. It was painful.
She turned just in time to watch her Uncle fall. Blood spilled from his throat and Erin looked down the barrel of a semi auto before the noise of it deafened her.
"Uncle!" She screamed, reaching for him too late.
Darkness surrounded her on all sides as she floated listlessly. Erin shook her head and made herself open her eyes. "Am I dead?"
You are in the Nexus child. A voice whispered into her ear. Erin jumped in surprise as a woman appeared in her vision. She was tall and dark haired with pale skin. She looked too perfect, to ragged, to well designed. Her white outfit was strikingly different to the dark background of this Nexus place.
"Where did my Uncle go?" She finally found her voice enough to ask.
He sacrificed his life to ensure you would complete this mission. In death we honor him, we grieve once our mission is complete. The woman did not look sorrowful in the slightest.
Anger seeped through the cracks of Erin's composure. "Send me back now! I have to help him!"
You my dear, have to help Connor. Without you all life will be lost. Juno took Erin's hand into hers. It was cold to the touch, like ice. Do not let his sacrifice be for nothing. A hot head like your ancestors indeed.
Erin shivered. "I still don't understand, why me?"
You are an Assassin are you not? Born to serve the light or die trying?
"Yes…"
Your blood is that of a long line, Erin Fotia. Your heritage comes from Hephaestus himself; as does the gift he possessed long ago. It is buried deep within you, but will need a push to show itself.
"A push…?" Erin asked, then her skull split into two. She was sure her scream could be heard from every dimension. The pain was overbearing, nothing like she had ever experienced before. Her palms were sweating, she was going to throw up her insides until there was nothing else under her ribcage left.
Anger at Juno poured into her; her uncle was dead and now she was being tortured. Just as quickly as the pain came, it ended. Juno was looking at her expectantly.
If you do not use this power to your advantage, you will die. She warned.
"Power?" She asked uncertainly.
You will be able to use it once you're free from my Nexus. You must follow the Templars into the past and make sure they die before they change anything they shouldn't. They will try to impact the future if they cannot kill Connor. Be wary time traveler, and on your way. Juno waved her hand over Erin's head and everything went black.
XXX
Blinding light waited for her on the other side as she blinked her eyes open. Whispers hovered over her and quieted when she stirred. There were about four little faces looking down at her with wide eyes, as if they had just seen her appear out of thin air… and they most certainly may have.
When she sat up they all backed away fast. "Where am I?" She asked, rubbing her head. They all screamed in fear and ran away. "Hey! I wasn't asking for your lunch money was I?"
"Look at this Greg." A voice said behind her.
Erin whipped around and pulled her weapons free. The two men were dressed like her, at least they were trying to fit in.
"Well well, what a fine snatch they sent along with us aye." Greg smiled and Eira shivered as she recognized him. He had had his eyes all over her during the first meeting of 'peace.' As before she did not fidget, only standing her guard and snarling though her teeth. This was the mother fucker that had just pulled her away from her life so she could dance around in the past with sticks and stones chasing him.
He looked shocked when she lunged and punched him once, twice, thrice, the last hit putting him on his ass and bloodying his lip. He spit up blood yet had the guts to laugh, Erin could hear the other in the snow behind her; time slowed as she whipped around hearing his bowstring tang as he let go. His arrow missed her and narrowly missed his comrade.
Erin knocked his bow from his hands and they shared blows back and forth, she retreated one step with every swing. There was a huge wall looming behind her, Erin prepared to use it as she pushed off and landed a hard punch right in Gregory's jaw. He went down again, taking a knee with a growl.
A foot collided with her stomach, knocking the wind from her lungs. Again and again until she couldn't do anything but wheeze. There was a rib broken somewhere in there. A hand grabbed her collar and picked her up, dragging her feet in the snow. She was losing consciousness when they threw her down coughing up blood.
Women were screaming in fear, children too. Erin watched helplessly as the two Templars rounded up the Natives of the village and stuffed them all into one long house. When they were done barring the door, they stood her up and dragged her closer.
This was Connor's village. The Iroquois. A proud people. There were no men in the village, only women, children, and elders. Fury drew a long line down her neck and into her blood.
"They thought they could outsmart us?" Gregory jived into her ear.
"We expected Juno not to give up without a fight." Jeremy hissed. "You would think they would send more than a single fucking woman to stop us though."
They laughed for a moment, Erin growled profanities at them as they pulled a log from the fire.
"Any last words for them?" Jeremy asked with a smile. Erin screamed as loud as she could as he tossed it on top of the house. "What's wrong then? We don't want them to get cold do we?"
Rage boiled under Erin's skin, she felt the rope around her wrists melt as something strange took a hold of her chest. Energy poured from her body, she could feel the power coming from the ring. Her blood boiled harder as Jeremy backed up in fear. Something in her eyes gave him the pause that ended his life. She wrapped a hand around his throat and watched his flesh melt under her touch.
"You think it's ok to just murder children to prove a point." Her voice was not her own, everything about her hummed with energy.
The noises coming out of Jeremy's mouth finally sputtered out, Erin turned towards his cowardly comrade.
Gregory had scrambled away from her, but she was faster than he thought. She jumped onto his back and grabbed one side of his face before he threw her off. Erin had to kill him, she had to.
Screams from behind her gave her pause as she was ripped from her murderous stupor. The longhouse was about to collapse on the Iroquois' women and children. She turned, watching Gregory slip through her grasp as she whipped around instead of chasing them.
Erin sprinted for the door and used her hands to burn through the wood holding the door in place. The people poured out, and no sooner had the last woman stumbled free did the burning longhouse collapse. It sent a huge black cloud up into the air to hang over the village. Before Erin even knew where she really was, somebody whacked her hard on the head and she was out cold.
XXX
Wow guys, it's been a while. For those of you who were reading this when I took it down, I am sorry. I had to start fresh don't ask me why. So let's see what angle I can come at it this time. I'm excited to be back on here; let's see if you guys like it. :)