Unmei Force Solitary Legends: The Creed of Fate
Sequence 09: Towards A New Fate
Part 1: Lee's Last Stand
Everything was set. Haytham and Lucine were placed within Fort George, and Connor and Mizo had a platoon of ships, piloted by Riccard and his platoon, as they were waiting for Connor and Mizo to light the signal fire, as the two of them were down in the underground tunnels of New York, led by Stephane, who had done his best to assist them on their endeavour, as they were led by the same French man who led the troops back at Monmouth.
"This tunnel will take you into the military district." The French officer, named Lafayette, said.
"And the platoon has arrived at their destination?" Connor asked back.
"They await only your signal, and then the strike shall begin in earnest." Lafayette answered.
"And we will be there as well!" Stephane declared, raising his cleaver up. "I wish you both well. Today is the day when the Templars will be banished from this city!"
"We will make sure of that." Koyomi responded back, before the two of them continued down the tunnel, as they exited through a empty well, as Koyomi took out a guard who was nearby with her bow, before he could turn to see them.
"Let's move… And keep an eye out for Haytham and Lucine… Just because they are acting the part, doesn't mean that they will hold much back." Koyomi told Connor. "If we are to play our deceit well, we need to make a proper struggle."
Connor nodded as they took to the rooftops, and began to move towards the signal fire tower, killing any guards silently before others could notice. They soon climbed up the tower, where Mizo dropped the torch into the fire, signalling the ships to begin their assault.
Riccard saw it and nodded. "Alright boys, they got the fire lit! OPEN FIRE!"
As they performed their Leap of Faith into a cart of hay, the cannon barrage rang around them. As Connor got out first, he was hit by a nearby cannon-shot, which caused him to be blasted away, as Koyomi was also knocked out of the cart as well. However, while Koyomi was merely shaken by the attack, Connor was left in a much worse state, as his senses were ringing, and his footing was unsteady.
"Ratonhnhaken-ton!" Koyomi exclaimed, as she scrambled to help Connor up. "Are you still alright? You've been struck hard by the force of that cannon-shot!"
"I… I'll live… we have… to continue the mission…" Connor said, having no energy to drop to his native tongue, acting merely on instinct as he began to walk towards where Haytham and Lucina were, as they hid themselves to 'ambush' the two.
As Koyomi escorted Connor across the field, she then looked around for Charles.
"Charles, you wretch! Show yourself! It is over for you! Your fort is in shambles, and your men scattered!" Koyomi bellowed out. "You cannot escape us, even if Connor may be dazed!"
"Unfortunately for you. Charles is gone." Said a voice from behind Koyomi and Connor, as they turned to see Haytham and Lucina. "And you two will be in no condition to search for them."
Haytham and Lucina charged as an unarmed clash began between both sides, as Connor's swings were quick, but some were rather wild and easy for Haytham to counter, however, Connor also had counters of his own, as he used the objects nearby to bait Haytham and use them to bloody Haytham a little, enough to make the fight genuine. Haytham even brought out his sword, and Connor his hatchet at one point. As for Koyomi and Lucina, no effort were spared from either of them, as they landed shattering blows against each other with their fists, and when it came to the katana and the Falchion, neither blade was yielding to the other.
The battle was reaching a climactic point, when a cannon shot blew through the wall of the Fort, further worsening Connor, but this time doing a number on Koyomi, as Lucina and Haytham appeared to be recovering well from the daze.
"Ngh… Surrender now… and we'll let you live…" Connor said as he was trying to get his footing.
"Brave words from those who are about to die." Haytham mocked, as he and Lucina continued to get up.
"Neither of you fare better." Koyomi stated, as she pounced on Lucina, as they tumbled towards the hole in the fort wall, progressing to the fake-out deaths. "I will not show mercy for long, I am not bound to parental love like Connor is… Only hate for your Templars for what you did to our people!"
"Ha! Even when your kind appears to triumph…" Lucina mocked, as she now had hold of Koyomi, being on top of her, and choking her. "We will always come back. And do you know why? Because we were built on a REALIZATION. We don't need to change the world like your kind so desires to do, we want the world to be just as it is. Consider my words when you head to your graves."
Lucina made the move to stab Koyomi, when Koyomi kicked her, as Haytham heard the kick, turning around to see Lucina flying out of the hole in the fort, screaming in fear to sell the act.
"Lucine!" Haytham yelled, running towards the hole and looking down, before Connor ran up and drop kicked Haytham, as he also pulled off the convincing yell, plummeting to the waters below.
"Goodbye, father." Connor said in his native language, as he helped Koyomi to her feet, as they began to make their way out of the fort.
"Finally, the Grandmaster falls, as does his only loyal guardian." Koyomi stated, intentionally loud for anyone nearby to hear. "The day is ours... It matters not whether Haytham sold his life to save Charles Lee… His days are numbered."
Meanwhile, Velouria was rowing towards the spot, soon finding Haytham and Lucina surfacing, as Aerith spotted them.
"I see them! Looks like the plan worked!" Aerith said with a smile as they approached Haytham and Lucina, as they helped both of them on to the rowboat.
"Well, that was even more realistic than expected. If Charles doesn't rouse to that, I don't know what he will rouse to." Haytham said with a smirk. "Lucine and I have done our part… now it's their turn."
"Well, just make sure you don't get yourself in another mess until then. After this is all over… How about we take a nice drink at the Green Dragon Tavern? Been years since we last gathered there, and Catherine was a good woman to us through all of these years here. She'd be glad for our gang to be back together." Velouria smirked back. "By the way, you're invited too, Lucine. Consider it a welcome toast for you."
"I'll take you up on that." Haytham said with a smirk.
"And I'll gladly come as well." Lucina said.
Now, all was on Connor and Koyomi now… the final push to end Charles Lee.
Part 2: Laid to Rest
The scene opens to Connor and Koyomi having returned to the Homestead with everyone, Haytham and Lucina included, as Connor and Koyomi are soon seen trimming hair and having war paint before them.
"The plan to root out Charles Lee, thanks to my father's cunning and wit, has worked to perfection. It has come quite the time later, but Charles Lee now holds a funeral, supposed to be in the honour of my Father and Lucine. This is our golden opportunity to finally bring down Charles Lee. Kanemik:zo and I know what we must do. We have grown closer, and stronger in our bond of love ever since we started this relationship a few years ago… perhaps when this is all over, she and I can finally settle down and take a break for a time… but now is not the time to dwell on a peaceful future. Now is the time to finish off the Templars. Now is the time, to assassinate Charles Lee." Connor said, as he had finished cutting his hair, and applying some face paint to his face. Koyomi did the same thing, merely trimming her hair shorter instead of cutting away most of it.
"Let us go, Ratonhnhake-ton…" Koyomi told Connor. "Today… Charles Lee will die the death that the fates have handed to him, and we shall be the ones to execute it."
Connor nodded at Koyomi, soon sharing a kiss with her, before they rose from the table and walked off, heading to New York for Charles Lee's funeral service for Haytham and Lucine.
New York, 1782:
"We gather today to remember a man of peerless vision, and his loyal maiden." Charles Lee declared, standing before a crowd of people. "Those who sought to change the world. And change the world Haytham did. Look around. Even now the British prepare to retreat, their spirits broken, their forces splintered. The Patriot leadership shall soon follow, either into our service or into the ground. And then, my friends, all of this will finally be ours!"
Connor and Koyomi blended into the ground, with hoods up, as they slowly approached Charles, as he continued his speech.
"We have Haytham and Lucine to thank for all of this." Charles continued. "All those others who sacrificed for our cause. But Haytham was not content merely to save the people of America. No- he sought to save those sworn to our destruction. He sought to save the Assassins! Aye, it seems a mad thing, now. And it cost him both his life and Lucine's. The Assassins are a cruel and terrible coven. They speak only the language of death. Too late they learned the truth of this, murdered by his own son and the witch who aided him. He gave his life as he lived it, in a service to a dream we all share. And so we must fight on! We will vanquish our enemies. We will spread our word! And in time, my brothers and sisters, in time, we will have our New World!"
As Koyomi and Connor were about to ready their weapons, they were suddenly grabbed by mercenaries mixed into the crowd, as they restrained them, marching them forward to Charles, who glared at them, although they defiantly glared back, earning them a butt-stock to their knees, causing them to kneel down, as Charles pulled out the pendant that Haytham gave him.
"He sent me away… That day at Fort George. He feared for my safety. I should have stayed. He said there was no danger." Charles declared.
"Save us your empty words, Charles Lee." Koyomi snarled back. "He died protecting you, a man undeserving of his guidance. You knew that your time was coming, so you made these preparations. For the first time, Charles Lee made a plan worth remarking."
In response to Koyomi's words, the mercenary beside her smacked her across the face with the stock of the flint-lock, bruising it, as Charles glared down at Koyomi and Connor.
"I will kill you both, Connor and Mizo. This, I swear. Not here, though. Not today." Charles snarled. "No… First… First I'll destroy all you hold dear. I'll burn that homestead of yours to the ground, and roast the severed heads of your precious 'founding fathers' in its flames. And when I've finished with them, all the rest will burn as well. Your merry band of Assassins, the human refuse that lives on your lands, especially that ragtag group of Riccard's! Your village and its people. All of it, gone!"
"...You can try, Charles. But as with all your schemes, this too will end in failure." Connor calmly stated back. "Even if you do end us today, it will only drive Riccard further. He is preparing, as we speak, to kill you himself, if you do manage to end us today. Face it, Charles Lee, you are a failure as a Templar, and your death is fate itself."
Charles snapped with anger, as he personally decked Connor across the face several times, until his face was red with blood. After he was done, he immediately gestured for the mercenaries holding Koyomi to lift her up.
"Then if you think that I'm destined to fail… Then I'll give you a first taste of the despair I'll throw you right into." Charles stated, before he pulled out his flint-lock, and fired two shots right into Koyomi, as they struck through her chest and abdomen, not instantly fatal, but crippling, as it caused blood to leak from her. "Watch as your partner dies bleeding on the ground like the rat she is."
"NO!" Connor exclaimed, as he tried to wriggle himself out of the mercenary's grip, as he was stopped when he was hit by a rifle stock, knocking him unconscious.
"Get him elsewhere. He will wait, and he will watch." Charles stated, not even sparing a glance to Koyomi at all. "And then, when he's seen all his life's work brought to ruin… Only then will I allow him to die."
As time passed, Connor found himself being awakened by the feeling of being beaten across the face by one of Charles's mercenaries.
"Oh, I hope that wasn't a tooth-" The mercenary mocked, before he was silenced by Connor's Hidden Blade going through the mercenary's throat. Connor quickly made work of the mercenaries around him, before he then rushed over to the mercenaries still in the cemetery, as he began slashing and cutting them down with fury in his eyes.
He soon got where Charles was going from a dying mercenary, before turning to see Koyomi, as he rushed over to her, his mood changing from rage to sorrow.
"Kanemik:zo… Kanemik:zo…!" Connor said as he soon propped her up in his arms.
Koyomi was unresponsive, as Connor hefted her to a safe place.
"...I'll return for you soon." Connor told the unconscious Koyomi. "Until then… please do not go with the spirits... I cannot bear your death…"
Connor then quickly rushed towards the harbour, as he rode horseback there, before he then found Charles Lee talking with the harbour-master, as he saw Connor, before shoving the man away.
What ensued was a chase through the entire harbour, as Charles had his men try to impede or injure Connor, although Connor was far too determined in his current state, evading everything in his way, as if he was the wind itself. Eventually the chase led them into a burning ship, with explosive cargo, as they rushed around the hull of the ship, until they reached the top deck.
As the two stepped onto it, it collapsed under their feet, as the pieces of timber fell onto them. Connor was unfortunate, as he was injured severely by a piece of wood digging through his shoulder, and also buried under heavy pieces of timber, while Charles was unharmed,
Charles then walked over, as Connor knocked some of the pieces of wood weighing him down weakly.
"Why do you persist…? You put us down. We rise again. You end one plot, we forge another. You try so hard… but it always ends the same." Charles stated. "Those who know you think you mad and this is why… Even those men you sought to save, have turned their backs on you. And yet you fight, you resist. Why?"
"Because no one else will… and I won't die until vengeance is mine." Koyomi stated, as it made Charles jump and turn, as if he'd seen a ghost.
"You…!? But I…!" Charles said in shock.
"You made the mistake of underestimating a native." Koyomi remarked, before she pulled out a stolen flint-lock, as Charles reached for his, as they fired their shots, with Charles's shot knocking Koyomi onto the ground, while Koyomi's shot struck Charles in the abdomen, bleeding him out as well, as he began to make his way out of the ship.
Koyomi then looked towards Connor, who turned to her.
"Kane… mikzo…" Connor stated, before he then fell unconscious from the pain.
Koyomi then slowly inched herself up, resting her back against the ship's wall, before she then hacked up some blood.
"Fuck… this hurts…" Koyomi coughed. "I suppose that this is what dying feels like… Can't be worse than what I felt when Raditz beat me hard before… I'm still alive… but only for so long… I need to get out… and finish this, before I really die for real."
Koyomi then slowly stumbled out of the ship, as time passed for Connor, until he was found by Haytham and Lucina, who quickly roused him awake.
"Son. Son! Wake up!" Haytham called out, as Connor groaned for a while, as he slowly sat up.
"...Charles Lee… Mizo…" Connor stated. "She… She was still alive… And she managed to cripple Charles… We need to finish the job…"
"We know. Riccard brought us here via the Aquila, and we know exactly where Lee is going to go. We have horses ready in the Frontier when we arrive there via the Aquila. We haven't a moment to lose, son!" Haytham said, getting Connor on his feet.
"Lead on, Father." Connor said, having got enough strength back to run after Haytham and Lucina.
The scene soon changed to the Tavern on the Frontier, as Koyomi dismounted the horse she was riding, or… well, fell off, was more accurate, as she slowly got to her feet, looking towards the Tavern Charles was in. She slowly began to make her way to it, as rain drops slowly began to fall. Meanwhile, Connor, Haytham, Lucina, Raditz and the others were making their way to said Tavern via horseback as well, hoping to save Koyomi.
Koyomi soon walked in, seeing Charles sitting down over at a table in the corner, with a window nearby. He had a bottle of whiskey in front of him, with two glasses, one in front of him, one in an empty chair, which Koyomi had a feeling was meant for her.
Koyomi slowly made her way to the chair, as she eased herself in, gently brushing the blood off her wounds that were staining her robes, as Charles poured the whiskey into the glasses, and then shoving her glass to her. Koyomi hesitated for a moment, as if suspecting Charles might have poisoned the whiskey, only to be proven wrong, when Charles drank his first, without any problems. She downed her glass, as it burned down her throat and stomach, causing her to wince, although it didn't stop her from keeping her eyes on Charles.
Charles then leaned back, as if he was accepting his fate, as Koyomi took her chance, as she thrust her Hidden Blade right through his heart, causing him to die with a silent expression of pain, while she also snatched the pendant from him, as he slumped onto the table. Koyomi barely managed a weak grin of triumph, before she pushed herself off the table, and stumbled out of the tavern, before her strength gave out, and she collapsed face-first onto the wet ground, barely kept conscious by the rain-drops soaking her body and face. As well as the sound of hooves on the ground, as she looked that way, to see Connor leaping off his horse, as he ran to her, with a look of concern and heartbreak on his face.
"Kanemik:zo!" Connor yelled as he knelt to her, propping her up in his arms. "Kanemik:zo… please… you cannot die on me… I cannot bear it…"
"Raton...hnhake...ton…" Koyomi barely managed to utter. "I can barely feel my body now… I can hear them… the spirits… Your mother… and those who perished in the fires… They are calling for me to close my eyes and let go… But… I can't… Not yet… I haven't… I can't die… unless it's in the arms of my beloved… Let me see… the light of the new day… before I slip away…"
Connor nodded solemnly, as he carried Koyomi in a bridal carry, as the two of them rushed onto the horse, as they galloped back to the Aquila. Connor quickly brought Koyomi over, as Faulkner saw the bloodied Koyomi.
"My lord… Is that…" Faulkner stated, before seeing Connor's grieving expression. "I won't interrupt you both. I suppose that she has grown attached to the ship. The Spirit Wind would die nowhere else, but on the ship she stands upon. A true maiden of the seas…"
Connor slowly moved Koyomi to the bow, as the both of them sat along the bow, as Haytham took hold of the ship, sailing towards the Homestead. Koyomi slowly turned to Connor.
"Ratonhnhake-ton…" Koyomi stated. "We both know that I am not long for this world in this state. No miracle will bring me back from this… But I can at least use what remains of my life to spend it making a final declaration of love to you."
"Kane:mikzo… You're on the Aquila now. Right now, we're sailing for the Homestead. I know that it might be too much… But if you could just hold on… Then perhaps you'll be-" Connor stated, before he was silenced by Koyomi's finger pressing on his lips.
"I know… I cannot guarantee it… But I'll hold on as long as I can…" Koyomi stated. "I'm starting to remember our past together… from the day we first met, as playmates. You liked to play hunter-and-prey with us… With Kanen'to-kon and all the other children… you hunted so well… yet as prey, it was always easy to find you, especially by me." Koyomi added, bringing a smile and weak chuckle to Connor's face.
"Look…" Connor stated, as he pointed at the sun-rise in the distance. "The sun is rising, the light of the spirits and ancestors is shining upon us... Her warmth shrouds us all... Isn't it beautiful?"
"...It… It really is." Koyomi admitted, before she then slowly leaned her head against Connor's shoulder. "Ratonhnhake:ton… I know that this might hurt you for a long time… but let my last moments… and your last memory of me… be a kiss of passion and love to soar into the heavens, and make the spirits and ancestors proud of our bond."
Connor was silent, before he then gently caressed Koyomi's head, as the two exchanged a powerful kiss of love, as Connor welled up his emotions, to stop himself from breaking away and ruining the kiss, before the two of them separated.
"...Thank you, Ratohnhake:ton… for… for everything… Ah… The spirits… I cannot hold on anymore… Kanenhti:to… I'll be with you soon, to watch over your son." Koyomi said, before seeing the Homestead coming into view. "Ah… the Homestead… it's… so beautiful in the sunrise… My final request… bury me… near Master Achilles… and the pendant I hold… even deeper, under my own grave, and Ratohnhake:ton… never… never… lose… hope…"
Koyomi then slowly let herself go, as she slumped against Connor's shoulder, with a smile on her lips, passing away peacefully. Connor slowly checked her pulse, verifying that she was indeed gone from the world, as he let his head fall, as he silently wept for Koyomi, keeping her head against his shoulder, until they reached the Homestead's port.
Once the ship was docked, Haytham walked up to see that Koyomi was dead, as he placed a hand on Connor's shoulder.
"...I'm sorry…" Haytham said. "Lucine and I should have helped more… we should have-"
"Father… there was nothing you could have done." Connor solemnly said. "...Mizo wishes for her burial place to be beside the old man…"
"...I'll prepare the grave…" Haytham stated with a grim tone, as he left the group.
The funeral service was soon to be held, as everyone was present, even Connor, as Koyomi's coffin was adorned in the same flag Achilles' had been.
"Friends, families, members of the Homestead… we gather here today to remember not just another one given to the spirits… but one who made us what we are, a thriving and bustling community, United under one goal." Father Timothy began. "We have lost someone of incredible importance to us… Mizo. The maiden warrior, the maiden saviour, the Spirit Wind of the North. She lays here to rest beside the man who taught her everything, her Master, Achilles. As we gather here today, we all remember the fond memories we have with Mizo… we all remember her kindness, her courage, her compassion… her bravery. We didn't lose just a mere maiden today, my friends. We lost a hero. May God grant her her rightful place in the heavens, not as a mere angel, but as a Valkyrie for wars against the devil himself. It is what she would want to be purposed for."
As the service closed, and everyone tossed in their flowers, Connor once again tossed in a feather… but it was the Bald Eagle feather that she gave him a long time ago.
"I was given this gift by you before… And now I'll return it back to you." Connor answered back. "It is the only proper gift I have for you, that I can truly remember you by."
Connor then pulled out the pendant that Koyomi entrusted him, before he then slipped it on the side of the coffin itself. "And with this… the Templars will no longer trouble these lands." He stated, before he then walked away, comforted by his father and the rest of the Assassins group.
Sequence 09 COMPLETE
FULL SYNCHRONIZATION