I stirred awake shaking off the blindness in my eyes. I slowly sat back up from the table and got a good look back at the lab where I was studied. I was confused for a while, but when reality set back in, I let out an expressive sigh toward the two scientists who were studying the monitor.

Mira turned to me with a slight smile. "Good. You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Well, I'm a little… Wait, were you just relieved that I was awake? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Not important." Rion said. "Just answer the question, Dan. How are you feeling?"

"I feel like I got probed by a weird machine and forced to live through my great-great-grandpa's most traumatic moment in his life." I responded. "Did all that actually happen?"

"According to Arzon, yes." Mira said. "He was framed for his father's murder and chased out of his hometown. That was certainly the start of his journey into finding the… the thing."

I saw the uncertain look on her face when she almost let slip what she was looking for. It was the same look that the old man had. I clenched my teeth as I hopped up to my feet.

"Look, is someone going to tell me what I'm looking for or not?" I asked impatiently. "You people abducted me from the street, you're holding me here against my will, you basically threatened my life, you told me I'm part of this ancient society of killers, and you're making me relive the memories of my ancestor who just got his dad and friend murdered."

Rion sighed pinching between his eyes. "Look, kid, I got enough ranting when I told Dr. Tarrius that you needed periodical breaks."

"Real sad for you," I responded sarcastically, "But I'm at least owed an explanation!"

Rion and Mira exchanged looks before the latter gave in. "All right. Abstergo is on an expedition to find and secure an ancient relic, one that's older than most of recorded history. They call it the Apple."

"The Apple?" I asked. "What's so special about it?"

"We don't know." Rion said. "We don't have the clearance for that kind of knowledge. All we know is that according to our records, an assassin named Arzon uncovered it, and he's the only one who knows where it is. Obviously, we can't ask him right now, but with the Animus, we can look through his memories and see for ourselves. All we needed left was a direct descendent of his."

"And that's where I come in." I surmised. "Why didn't you just come to me and ask me to do this? It would've been a lot simpler than kidnapping me."

"We wanted to, but we were under orders from Dr. Tarrius." Rion said. "He's in charge of this project and he's taken a very personal investment into finding the Apple. He's also known for being impatient and untrusting, so he didn't want to risk you saying no if we just asked."

Just then, a buzzing sound came from Rion's desk. He walked on over and pressed a button on his intercom.

"Yes?"

"Dr. Rion, sorry to disturb you, but Dr. Tarrius is in the other room. He wants to talk to you."

"Speak of the devil." Rion sighed as he stood up. "Mira, why don't you check up on the boy while I get another earful from the boss?" He proceeded to leave the office while I spoke to his assistant.

"So how do you feel? Not emotionally, I mean." Mira said. "Any headache or nausea or impaired vision?"

"Impaired vision?" I asked in surprise. "Does that normally happen?"

"Only if you stay in the Animus for too long." Mira answered. "If left carelessly, you might go through the Bleeding Effect."

"The Bleeding Effect? That doesn't sound good."

"It's one of the biggest concerns with using the Animus for too long. Your mind will still be affected by the machine and you'll be left with a hallucination of events from the past unfolding before your eyes. It's a stage of deliriousness that may just drive you to madness. Soon enough, you won't be able to tell the difference between the present and the past anymore."

I gulped and sweated a bit from my forehead. "Well, so far, I'm doing pretty okay. I'm still seeing the present. Actually, if you don't mind, is it okay if I ask some questions about the past?"

"What do you need to know?"

"Well, I think I would like to know what happened to those people who wronged Arzon. Also, to the city. I think I'm in need of a history lesson."

"Hmm… You may just forget it anyway once you return to the Animus, but all right. Let's start with Azulon City. After Fire Lord Azulon went into power, he laid siege on the heavily-fortified city of Ashura and renamed it after himself as a show of strength. But it changed back into Ashura after Sozin's Comet passed."

"And what about the people? Daizo? Karak? Brills?"

"Well, Karak is the only one who supposedly didn't leave a mark on history. He was basically a ghost. But as for the others… Well, I guess we should start with Sheko Kin, the star witness of Governor Kuo's murder.

"Sheko Kin was born and raised in Azulon City. Her family was somewhere between the lower and middle class, but after the execution, she left the city with a massive fortune. Guess the Knights must have paid her off. She moved to Ba Sing Se and spent the rest of her days throwing parties in the Upper Ring.

"Next is the newly appointed Governor Brills. After he was given his new position, he declared indefinite martial law over Azulon City. Firebenders patrolling the streets. Heavy taxes to the citizens. Heavily-armed defenses along the city walls. It was a very trying time until a city-wide riot broke out. Brills was supposedly killed in the attack.

"Lastly, there was Daizo, the Chancellor of the Fire Nation, a man who has almost as much power as the Fire Lord and his family. No one knows his history before entering the world of politics, but he was always present at the Fire Lord's most memorable moments. During Sozin's Comet, he lead an army of firebenders to try and retake Azulon City. With their increased firebending abilities, they should have won. However, the citizens formed a militia and built a defense that lasted until the comet passed. Daizo was killed in battle and the firebenders retreated. Once they were gone, Azulon City was given back its original name and tore down its walls."

"Wait. So the chancellor, a politician, was leading an army to take Azulon City?" I asked. "Why was that city so important to him?"

"No one knows, but since he was apparently a Knight of Order, it must be something big. Maybe it has to do with the Apple, but I'm not entirely sure."

I let out a small breath of air. "So it's all connected? Does this mean that the Knights of Order were behind the Hundred-Year War after all? I thought it was just Fire Lord Sozin being ambitious."

"It is possible that the Knights of Order infiltrated the Fire Nation government under Sozin's reign and began whispering into his ear and influencing him. Still, there's nothing much we can learn now. So why don't you go rest up and we'll go again in the morning?"

I nodded and stood up from where I was sitting. That was when I heard a loud sound from the other room. It was mostly muffled, but I could tell that someone was yelling.

"Should I be concerned about that?" I asked nervously.

"Well, that's likely Tarrius getting mad. Believe me, he's a lot more bite than bark. If you want to listen in on the conversation, just stand on the chair in your room and press your ear to the wall. It's just the right spot to perfectly listen in on a conversation."

I wondered why Mira would just tell me, but I shrugged it off and headed to another room. Going through the doors, I saw a small bed for only one person. Across from it was a dresser with a chair next to it. On the last wall, there was a restroom where I could shower and relieve myself.

After seeing the chair, I decided to take Mira's advise and stand upon it. Once my place was secured, I softly pressed the side of my head on the wall and heard two men talking to each other, one more angrily than the other one.

"Excuses! That's all I keep hearing from you idiots! Pathetic excuses!"

"Dr. Tarrius, I promise you, we are doing everything we can."

"Are you? Because unless I'm mistaken, you're telling me that you need a few more days to find the Apple."

"Sir, we clearly overestimated the capabilities of the Animus."

"And I clearly overestimated your competence! Maybe you've forgotten just what's at stake! You know what's coming, and that boy is the only one who can give us everything we need."

"What's coming?" I mouthed with a mind full of questions.

"I know." Rion said with a voice full of nervousness. "But I promise you, sir, we are working nonstop on it. We just can't overtax it. Otherwise, we'll lose our one chance. We'll find our answer soon. I promise."

"Your 'promise' sounds more like an excuse." Tarrius responded. "You've got one week to find out where Arzon hid the Apple, or the event that's coming will be the least of your problems."

The silence that followed must have meant that the conversation was over. I got off of the chair and sat over to the bed.

"What's going on here?" I asked as I laid down on the bed. I didn't think I would sleep at all after what I just experienced, but I drifted off immediately.


The next day, I was woken up by Rion. He opened the door and limped right in. It took a second for me to sit back up.

"So are you ready?" he asked.

"Are you just being polite?" I responded.

"Maybe. Let's dive back in."

I sighed before getting dressed. I then followed him back into the lab where Mira waited for me. I closed my eyes, laid on the Animus, and let the machine put me to step. Time to return back into Arzon and continue his story.