Hello Everyone, I hope you are all enjoying the story so far!
In this chapter, just as Desmond thinks during the memories being played, you will be able to hear Lucy, Rebecca, and Shaun. Desmond's thoughts will be in Bold. Lucy's are Italicized. Rebecca's are Italicized and Underlined. And Shaun's are Bold and Underlined. To remember this easier, the men are in bold and the women are in italics The main characters (Desmond and Lucy) don't have underlines. Sorry if it's complicated, but in later chapters they'll have interesting conversations.
Well, I hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think in the reviews!
Bloodstain
Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad
The sound of a deep thud is heard as I leap down from the rooftop to the Assassin's Bureau. I slyly walk up to Malik. I look at my once loyal and best friend. Since we were children, Malik and I gravitated towards each other, training day and night to become the best assassin within our Creed. Malik was my only friend during the years. We and the other novices had similar training; however, Malik and I continuously advanced over the others. Al Mualim and many others told me from the day I began my training, that I was 'the one', with many speculating that I would lead the Creed once Al Mualim's time came to an end. It was because of this, that as I grew, my skill surpassed that of my peers and I was treated with more respect. All the other students were envious of this and loathed my presence, but not Malik. He was my only friend over the years training. As the years passed, Malik and I were both equal in rank, however, after I was stripped of my rank, I became novice, and Malik Rafiq, this all because of my actions in Solomon's temple under the streets of the city of Jerusalem. After the death of Malik's young brother, Kadar, there has been tension between he and I.
"Malik." I say as I step into the room where he draws his maps.
"Come to waste more of my time?" Malik says, his eyes not leaving the page.
"I found Talal. I will begin my mission."
"That is for me to decide." Malik's voice is full of bitterness.
"Very well, here is what I know," I inform Malik of all that I learned on the streets of Jerusalem. I am sure to inform him of everything that I heard or was told. Malik patiently listens with a blank expression. "Without his men, Talal will prove to be little challenge." I say ending everything that I have learned.
"Little challenge?" Malik asks with a laugh. "Listen to you, such arrogance."
"Are we finished?" I ask with bitterness. "Are you satisfied with what I've learned?"
"No, but it will have to do." Malik places the feather on the table. "Rest, prepare, cry in a corner, do whatever it is that you do before a mission. Only make sure you do it quietly."
I walk out of the room to give Malik his space. It is obvious he still does not favor my presence. Therefore, I lay down on the ground where rugs and pillow lay to help accompany my dreams. As I slowly drift into the realm of dreams. The image of the woman haunts my mind again. I see her in many ways. I see her atop a horse as black as jet. I see her in a sheer gown the dancers wear that expose their bodies. I see her take a Leap of Faith in Jerusalem. However, the most disturbing image of all, I see her lifeless bloody body lying at the feet of Al Mualim.
I awaken at the sight of seeing the woman dead. I look around and realize that it is time to strike down Talal. I lift myself to my feet and leave the Bureau without regarding Malik. I walk amongst the people of Jerusalem and hear the conversations that fill the air around me, but I do not listen. My mind is somewhere else. It is not thinking about how I will kill Talal as it should be, but it wonders my dream. Why would my dreams show me visions of the woman slain by Al Mualim? What correlation do her and the man have that he would see her from this world? She may know more than she should about the creed, but as far as I can concede, she is an innocent. To kill an innocent is a direct violation of our tenant. She cannot be a Templar, for she assisted me in killing one. I cannot imagine the Templars would sacrifice one of their own simply for me to have a fleeting interaction with her. What can the woman possibly do to feel the wrath of Al Mualim?
I banish my thoughts of the woman as soon as I reach Talal's warehouse. There are guards protecting the entrance to Talal's small community of followers. I take a glimpse of a ladder near the main entrance. I grab onto it and climb to the roof. Once on the roof, I kill one of Talal's guards, jump onto a beam, and then hurdle myself past the guards and into Talal's sanctuary. To my surprise, no man wields his blade to mine. No man's eyes meet mine. No man's words speak my name.
I reach an underground passage that may lead me to Talal. As I pass the doorway of the underground passage, a heavy door falls and traps me in the Slave Trader's playground.
I look up to see a man staring down at me with amusement. "What now slaver?" I ask in a stern tone.
"Do not call me that." He strikes back. "I only wish to help them, as I myself was helped."
"You do no kindness imprisoning them like this."
"Imprisoning them? I keep them safe. Preparing them for the journey that lies ahead."
"What journey? It is a life of servitude."
Talal laughs, finding the truth amusing. "You know nothing. It was folly to even bring you here, to think you might see or understand."
"I understand well enough. Show yourself!" As I yell, a doorway opens. I move towards the Slave Trader and see the pain, sorrow, and despair of Talal's many victims.
"Ah so you want to see the man who called you here?" Talal asks once I reach his location.
"You did not call me here! I came on my own."
Talal laughs again. "Did you? Who unbarred the door? Cleared the path? Did you once raise your blade against a single man of mine? No. All this I did for you." Talal is correct, but I came of my own free will. A small window opens and exposes a light that touches the ground. "Step into the light then, I will grant you one final favor." I step into the light and six men jump down to my level. "Now I have done all this for you. What is it you desire?"
"Come out here," I pull out my blade to fight the man I came here for. "Let us settle this with honor."
"Why must it always come to violence? It seems I cannot help you, for you do not wish to help yourself. And I cannot allow my work to be threatened. You leave me no choice," Talal signals his men with a careless toss of his hand, "you must die." The six men begin to attack. The words of those on the streets were not false; Talal's men are loyal and willing to fight until the death of their lives. Without much trouble, I kill all of his men. I climb a ladder that takes me to Talal's level. "Keep him away from me!" Talal cowers and climbs a ladder leaving his underground lair. I take the life of one more man, climb the ladder out and see Talal on a rooftop not far from the one I stand on. As I begin to approach my prey, he yells for help. I begin to chase the slaver as he leads me into the streets of Jerusalem.
The chase turns many heads of the crowd and attracts the unwanted attention of the guards. Now, not only do I have to chase a slaver, but also, I must flee from Jerusalem guards that care for neither side yet favor the money of the slaver's side.
I chase the slaver to the middle district of Jerusalem. I look back at the guards that lay chase behind and I wonder if my eyes fool me. What sorcery is this? All the guards that stood chase now lay dead on the ground, slowly disappearing as the distance from us grows. The simple citizens that I befriended would never involve themselves in such a matter. This is not the work of them, but another.
I pull aside the mystery of the dead guards and focus on my target ahead. Talal's pace has lessened and he grows weary. As I ready myself to pounce on my prey, someone descends from above and throws him to the ground. I look at Talal's attacker and see the outline of the woman.
Azalea? Guys, she's back!
Wait a second, she openly helped Altair with his Assassination?
Wow Lucy, how did you manage to cover that one up?
As the woman lifts her body from the fallen Talal, four men hold him down as I thrust my hidden blade into Talal.
"You've nowhere to run now. Share your secrets with me." I say holding the Slave Trader in his last seconds in this life.
"My part is played." Talal refuses to speak. "The Brotherhood is not so weak that my death will stop its work."
"What Brotherhood?" I ask inquiringly.
"Al Mualim is not the only one with designs upon the Holy Land. And that's all you'll have from me!"
"Then we are finished. Beg forgiveness from your God."
"He's long abandoned us. Long abandoned the men and women I took into my arms."
"What do you mean?" I wonder what experience strayed this man from his God.
"Beggars, whores, addicts, lepers: do they strike you as proper slaves? Unfit for even the most menial tasks? No, I took them not to sell, but to save, and yet you'd kill us all... for no other reason than it was asked of you."
"No!" I say in disbelief. "You profit from the war, from lives lost and broken." I explain as Al Mualim did to me.
"Yes, you would think that, ignorant as you are. Wall off your mind: they say it's what your kind do best. Do you see the irony in all this? No, not yet, it seems, but you will..." Talal's words trail as his body and spirit begin to leave this world. I watch as the Slave Trader gives into the hands of death, and when he draws his last breath, I brush the feather against his neck to allow his blood to stain it, for evidence of my completion of the task. Then, as reality sets in, the guards begin their chase.
I look around for the woman, but she is nowhere in sight. I do not have time to search for her, as the city's guards ascend on me. I leave the scene and the dead man where he lies and take my leave. It takes no time or effort for me to lose the guards and in seconds, I am in the presence of Malik, in the Assassin's Bureau.
"Altair, wonderful to see you return to us, and how fair the mission?" Malik says with delight.
"The deed is done. Talal is dead." I say taking out the feather and showing Malik the blood of Talal.
"Oh, I know, I know," Malik is oddly calm from his usual irritated demeanor. "In fact, the entire city knows!" He begins to yell now. "Have you forgotten the meaning of subtlety?"
"A skilled assassin ensures his skill is noticed by the many." I counteract.
"No, a skilled assassin takes control of his environment!" Malik scolds.
"We can argue the details all you like, Malik but the fact remains: I've accomplished the task set to me by Al Mualim."
"Go then. Return to the old man. Let us see with whom he sides."
"You and I are on the same side, Malik." I say in a pressed tone. Once, not long ago, Malik and I were inseparable. And now, Malik cannot have me in the same room, let alone praise me for accomplishing the mission set by our mentor.
I turn away from Malik to sleep then ride to Masyaf. However, when I turn around to leave Malik's study, I see someone whom I never wanted to see in the Assassin's Bureau.
"You," I utter in disbelief. "How did you find this place?" I ask wondering if my eyes deceive me.
"You are very careless." The woman says looking at me. "It was astonishingly easy to follow you without your notice to your hideout." She looks past me and now to Malik, who is not as concerned as I would expect him to be. "Tell me, Malik, how is it that one so tactless as he is allowed to kill such notable targets," she now locks her black eyes on me, "I thought your Creed has a hierarchy in play and didn't allow for a novice to run about so hastily." She hissed with a cynical smile on her lips.
My heart drops, and every amount of sense and rationality is twisted inside my mind. "Malik," I say looking back at the Rafiq. "You know this woman?" Malik simply responds with a sly smile that creeps up the right side of his face. "What is the meaning of this?" I say angrily at him, "Explain yourselves!" I demand.
"Such a temper this one has." The woman jokes. "How can you bear such disobedience?" The woman glances my way and glares at me. She still wears her black cloak, but her hood is pulled back a bit, exposing more of her face.
"Disobedience is but only a third of what you endure with this one." Malik says with no jest in his voice. "The rest is ignorance and selfishness." Malik speaks with malice.
"Enough of this!" I roar.
"Malik, you allow a novice to speak to you like this?" The woman asks.
"I am no novice!" I yell in frustration. "I am equal in skill to Malik!" Both Malik and the woman seem amused by my comment. "You think I bluff? Malik, who taught you everything you know? Who was your counterpart during duels? Who was your only accomplice when we held novice together?" I yell.
"And whose actions led to my brother's death?" Malik roars with anger. The woman watches absentmindedly as Malik explodes into rage. "Your skill means nothing if you run around with haste and disregard for those around you." Malik scolds. "You have always been so disobedient, and you have never taken other's lives into account!" Malik begins to fill with rage. "It is an attitude as such that leads to a short-lived life, but in your case, it leads to others unfortunate death."
"What would you have me do to end this quarrel, Malik?" I ask.
"Nothing you can do can bring Kadar back to me. Nothing I, nor anyone else can do to make you feel remorse for what you've done."
"Every wrong doer learns the right path, Malik." I say.
"Even the men you swore to kill?" The woman chimes in. I had practically forgotten her presence here. I know not what to say to the woman's comment. For if I were to say that some men cannot stray from their wrong doing, then Malik will instigate that I am not better than the men I kill.
"No." Malik says with deep thought. "You will never learn the path of righteousness. You will be forever constrained by your lack for other, that you will never learn to fight alongside others. You are a liability to the Creed; your ignorance and pride follow you to battle and your disregard for your brothers lead to their deaths. It is because of this, I will go to the Master, and I will tell him of this default. He will strip you of your rank and dismantle your position within the Creed."
I swallow hard, as I know that Malik has the ear of the Master. If he wills it, he can inform the Master that I have failed on my mission and I will be removed from the Creed permanently. "Please, Malik." I plead to him, "I will do whatever it takes to keep my standing within the Creed. Say but what needs to be done and I will see it to completion."
"You must prove that you are capable of working alongside a brother, respect that brother, and aid them in missions and sacrifice your arrogance and pride for their safety."
"Give but a name and I will see it done." I say in-between clenched teeth.
"Azalea," The name means nothing to me. Malik looks at the woman and she at him. "I want you to work alongside her in your missions to come, watch over her, and she will aid in the destruction of your targets."
"Have you gone mad?" I roar. "She is a woman. She is not a brother, what possibly could she know about the art of the kill?"
"Your ignorance precedes you, Altair. Do not judge one's skill until you have seen it in action before your very eyes."
"This woman is not capable of aiding me. She will hold me back from my missions. I have no time to watch over a weak woman. She is below a novice in my eyes." I spit and glare to the woman as her face stays cold as stone, but Malik takes offence to my words.
"Have you any idea who this woman is, Altair." Malik says, fuming with rage.
"A common street rat that doesn't know her place?" I guess with callous eyes.
"Let him think what he wants." The woman named Azalea says before Malik can scold. "If he wants to think I am a novice street rat, let his ignorance stand. Maybe when he learns the truth, he will realize the trouble it can cause."
That comment is concerning.
I took note of it. She is obviously important somehow. I just don't know how.
"I still refuse to have her as an onlooker to my assassinations. Al Mualim would not stand for this, and I stand only on the words and wishes of Al Mualim."
"You will do as I say, or I will bring word back to Masyaf of your treachery. You have already lost your rank to the Brotherhood once before. There will not be another opportunity for more treason." Malik says with hate in his voice. "If you wish me to speak highly of you to the Master and have your rank restored to you, then you will take this woman, and you will protect her in your mission since you failed to protect Kadar."
Malik speaks truth. If I do not do as he asks, he will tell the Brotherhood I betrayed him and our creed. It's my word against Malik's, he will win every time. I know that I owe Malik more for the death of his brother. So, if protecting this woman is what he wishes to gain back his trust, then so be it. "Very well," I say, "the woman can watch; however, she will not get involved, and if she gets in my way or tries to kill my target, I will end this silly task. Is that understood?"
"Very well," the woman says.
"Now Altair, go and ride to Masyaf, tell the old man of your triumph in Jerusalem, however, speak not of the woman and what she will do for you. Tell Al Mualim your next journey is to Damascus and from there Azalea will join you to begin your training. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Malik." I say begrudgingly.
"Good. Azalea will stay here until word of your departure from Masyaf. Then she will join you in your next mission. Safety and Peace."
With that, I leave Malik and the woman and journey to Masyaf. The ride to Masyaf is long but familiar. I know exactly when to blend, I know where every guard is stationed, and I know exactly how to take them out with one strike.
When I join my master in his study, I am given my next task. My next life to claim. I can feel the pulse of my blade as it grows impatient to draw blood.
I am to choose between Abu'l Nuqoud of Damascus and William of Montferrat in Acre. I decide that I do not wish to take on the silly task of protecting the woman that Malik has instructed of me. I care not to waste my time with their silly games. I tell the Master that I ride for Damascus first, hoping that he will give word to the Rafiq's of my movement, however, I will ride for Acre to keep the woman from my side and away from corrupting my missions.
I leave the Master and make way for Acre. I mount the first horse I see and travel towards Acre and not Damascus. The ride to Acre from Masyaf is a long one, approximately five days if treading quickly. For a large amount of my journey, I ride my horse to a fast gallop; pushing the steed to its limit, and when it's done, I find another, and so on. However, once I reach the Kingdom, I am warier of my actions and how the guards will respond with my every move. I am a known assassin, and with my recent assignment of killing these men in great power, the guards will be able to spot me with any move unacceptable in their eyes. I blend into the crowd. I make sure I have control of the horse and ride it as slow as I can. As far as the guards are concerned, I am a harmless nomad.
After I leave the Kingdom's boarders, I continue the pace of my horse to a slow and steady one. The swaying of the horse's frame as it moves rocks my weary body into the realm of dreams. I let myself go, for the path is long and there is no danger I will face that will not awaken me first. Images begin to form in my head as I fall into a light sleep. I watch myself run in the streets of Jerusalem, climbing and falling atop buildings I have grown to know all too well.
I begin to climb a church that I have many times before. In our younger years, Malik and I would race to the top of the structure. In recent years, I had perfected the quickest route to the top. In the dream, I take this route. I take hold of the cross when I hear a voice call my name. I begin to fall. I hear the voice again and recognize it as that of the woman's. Before I reach the ground to my death, I awaken to see that I am still on the road to Acre. I glance up to look at my path and see a figure on a horse not too far for me. The figure is cloaked mounted on a horse as black as jet. Without a thought, I place my hand on my sword and wait for the stranger to make his move.
"You do not sleep lightly. This is not a good trait for a man in your profession." The voice of the stranger belongs to the woman and her amusement towards my actions brings irritation my way. Her presence angers me. I chose Acre over Damascus so I would not have to see her, yet here she stands, in front of me and in my path.
"Why are you here?" I ask lowly.
"This is not the road to Damascus. Have you forgotten the way?"
"I have not." I respond venomously.
"Then why are your travels towards Acre?"
"You do not need to watch over me as if I were some child. I can handle the tasks given to me on my own."
"You're impulsive in your actions, ignorant and disrespectful of those around you, just as a child." she pulls the horse closer towards me. "Malik has asked me to—"
"Malik," I scoff with spite, "is not my master. He has no power over me or my movement."
"Your master has you set on a blind path, in which you neglect to question his intentions! Have you not asked him why he chose the men he did? Why their crimes surpass those of countless others?"
"You know nothing of Al Mualim!" I yell at her.
She laughs, "There you are again, so eager to draw assumption. Know with whom you speak to and their enemies before you speak." She says with less patience in her voice.
"How do you know Al Mualim then?"
"That is nothing for you to lay concern with." She pulls the reigns of her horse and turns to face the same path as I. "If you're so insistent on riding for Acre, then we shall ride together." I scowl at her as I kick my steed to a gallop and she follows.
The ride to Acre is taking longer than usual because the woman continues to stop for her horse's rest and feed. Each stop I take a different horse; however, she insists on keeping the same one. Resting the horse takes time away from our journey, which we will never finish if she doesn't replace the beast with another. The woman tells me to stay with the horses while she supplies herself with food for our journey. While I wait for her outside, I stare into the beast she finds too fit to abandon. The horse is no larger than any other, nor stronger, nor different in any way. Its hair is black as jet, just as the hair of the woman, and it's eyes are dark brown, almost black just like the woman's. The steed resembles the woman and as I stare onto it, it stares back at me with an intense glare that I choose to no longer match.
"We will make rest here tonight." She announces as she walks away from the merchant.
"We have already lost much time waiting for your beast to rest and feed. I will not lose another day to your nonsense."
"According to the merchant, the road to Acre is overlain with Templar guards. Your notoriety has risen due to your recent killings. We will stay here for a while until night falls and the road is safer to travel on."
"I have traveled that road many times. I can handle the guards that it holds."
"Did you not hear me? The merchant told me that the roads have twice the men you've seen due to your recent exploits. You will stay here with me for the day or—"
"Or you will tell Malik of my disobedience? How I fear the exchange we will have." I say with a laugh.
"Fine, go and get yourself killed. But where, might I ask, will that lead you on your quest to restore your honor and rank with your brotherhood?"
"I will meet with you again in Acre." I say as I take the sacks of food she bought and mount them on my new, well-rested horse. "When you and your beast finally arrive in Acre, you may join me. However, I fear you may not arrive in time to aid me in killing my target. What a shame it will be not to learn your mastery ways of killing." I say with sarcasm.
"Very well, Altair let your haste lead you into a most sudden death." She says taking the reins of her horse and leading it to the stables.
I mount the horse I have chosen for this journey and take my leave from the woman. Once I am back on the road to Acre, I find a great sense of freedom overcome me. No longer do I have to glance back and wonder if she has kept with my pace. No longer do I have to hear that her beast needs rest and feed. I can now ride at my own pace and ensure that I arrive in Acre in time to kill my target before he leaves the town.
It is not long in my journey until I find Templar guards in my path. I look from a distance to see but three guards. This is no challenge. I take a throwing knife and send it to one of the guards' throat. He falls from his horse and attracts the other's attention to me. When I am in their sights, they gallop towards me. A smile comes to my lips knowing how simple this will be. The guards begin to slow their pace and soon stop their pursuit towards me. I hear one shout out something to me about my turn to die. Suddenly an arrow impales my shoulder, and the horse rears me off and I fall to the ground. I watch as the horse runs off, leaving me stranded with what has now become over a dozen Templar guards. I take the arrow out of my shoulder and prepare for a fight. I unsheathe my sword and look around at the guards that have now formed a circle around me; surrounding me with their swords. I begin to doubt myself as I look around at these armed guards. I can take on six, seven, even eight on my own, but twelve with more coming can prove a challenge, even more so with my wounded shoulder. However, I will not give up the fight. These men came here to fight and I will make sure they get what they want.
I charge at my first victim; and with a simple thrust of my blade into his neck, he is dead. The others come for me soon after and I am swarmed with adversaries. I can feel the cuts and scrapes of their blades tearing my skin. The pain is far from dull but with all my strength, I fight them off. Soon, I begin to feel weak and the loss of blood takes my body down. There are still five guards left, and more coming from the horizon. The weakness overtakes me and I fall to my knees. The Templars laugh in triumph. One of the Templar men holds the tip of his sword to my chin. He lifts my face with his sword, forcing me to look upon his wrinkled face as he laughs with triumph. I look onto the man's face, wanting him to see the lack of fear in my eyes as he brings death my way. I swallow hard and embrace his final blow. I take in a breath and ready myself for death's embrace and the life that follows me after this one.
Holy shit, guys, Altair's dying.
Oh man, I can't watch!
He obviously doesn't die, you idiots. He hasn't had a child yet.
Suddenly, I hear a gurgle and when I look at the man who holds the blade to my chin, I see he has a throwing knife in his throat. The man staggers away from me, dropping his sword and frantically grabbing at his throat as he falls to his knees. The other men in the circle look jumbled and begin to scramble. I hear a horse rear. I look up to see a horse trample over some of the men advancing towards me. The rider of the horse stays on, slashing at the men with a sword as the horse runs by. The horse tramples the men, killing them, aiding the rider defeat his adversaries, instead of fearing and fleeing the fight, as I know these beasts to do. Within seconds, the rider and horse have killed what took me twice as long. The rider dismounts the horse, slaps its back, and points towards the horizon; telling it to run towards the horizon where the Templars march towards us. I watch as the horse gallops towards the men and tramples them before they come to us. As the rider comes towards me, removing the space between us, I recognize the rider as the woman.
She makes her way towards me as her horse kills more of our adversaries in the horizon. "Are you hurt?" She asks as she lowers to her knees to be at my height. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought there was concern in her voice.
"I'm fine." I look over at the horizon. "We should leave, before they reach us."
"They're taken care of." She touches my shoulder and I shove her hand away in pain. "You are hurt… where is your horse? We need to get you to safety."
"The damned beast ran off. I can walk. It's a simple flesh wound."
"One that can fester and end your life if unattended," She threatens. She rips a piece of fabric from her white tunic and wraps my shoulder. I tense my jaw in pain and her dark eyes look at me with worry. I stare down at her as she wraps my shoulder, her eyes keeping my mind from the pain. "We need to leave." She says looking away from me, bringing two fingers to her mouth letting out a loud whistle, calling the horse to us.
When the horse reaches us, she aids me in mounting it. I am weary and unable to move my body. Once she helps lifting me onto the horse's back I look down at her, then back at the group of men in the horizon approaching us. I look back down at her and tell her to hurry and get on the horse. She shakes her head and says, "No, we are too heavy for her together." She looks back at the group of men that advance towards her. I command her to get on the beast but she does not listen to me, and she is fixated on the approaching adversaries. She unsheathes a glistening golden sword and prepares herself for a battle. She looks back at me and gives me a sideways smile. She then hits the back of the horse, making it gallop away. I look back at her as the space between us grows. "What of you?" I yell as I gallop away.
"I'll meet with you again in Acre!" She yells back as I once said to her. I watch as the men advance towards her. She holds the sword up and prepares for the men to approach her. There are far too many men for her to take on by herself. I fear that she will not survive this battle; however, as much as I try to get the beast to turn around and help the woman, the beast does not listen to my commands and treks too quickly for me to jump without being injured greatly. So, I am forced to stay on and wait until I reach Acre and know that she is safe once again.