A/N: I know its a short chapter, bu I couldn't resist. Anyway, let me know what you think!
Jerusalem
Present Day
Bassam and Alya slipped silently across the rooftops, literally flying in the direction of the largest battle. The streets echoed with the sounds of fighting; Guardians fought with Assassins and city guards, as they were easily mistaken for the attacking enemy. Black smoke billowed across the cloudless sky, giving the air an acrid smell; buildings as old as the city itself burned as the maddened Assassins destroyed anything in their path. Screams filled the streets as civilians and warriors fled and fought in the madness. Innocents were slaughtered, guards were butchered, and still the Assassins fought. Like an animal mad with rabies, their fury and insanity knew no bounds. Anyone in their path was a target. Anything in their way was demolished.
Skidding to the edge of the arched entrance to the marketplace, Alya and Bassam used their momentum to drop over the edge of the roof, grasping and landing neatly on the beams that ran above the many stalls and shops. Bounding lightly from beam to beam, they ran quickly through the cathedral-like halls, heading for large battle in the center of the market.
Dust from the fighting swirled in the air as they came to the large open-air courtyard that served as the market's hub. Both Alya and Bassam stopped on the last beam, cloaked in the shadows of the curving hall above them. Each quickly cataloged the scene, taking in everything they could before they headed into battle.
"There." Bassam flicked his hand toward a Guardian desperately trying to fend off three Assassins at once.
Not bothering to respond, Alya simply flung herself into space, kicking her feet above her head and around, flying through the air on her back. The world seemed to slow as the wind roared in her ears, her heartbeat pounding in her chest. She felt, rather than saw her feet connect with the market stall and flexed her knees, absorbing the impact and pushing off at the same time. Time resumed its normal pace then, as she spun through her back flip and landed, crouched, in a whirlwind of dust.
Rolling under the sword strike of an Assassin, she came up kicking; her feet connected solidly with the man's stomach and he doubled over with a snarl, his eyes meeting hers. Alya gasped in shock and pain, falling hard to the ground. Reality seemed to disappear and she tried desperately to move away, but his searing gaze held her.
His eyes were glowing, red and bloodshot, clearly insane and drunk with power. They burned into her mind and she couldn't look away, even to defend herself. Her whole body radiated with pain as he held her gaze with a horrible power she had never felt before.
The Assassin straightened, holding his stomach where she had kicked him, his eyes always locked on hers. Alya struggled to breathe as he stepped to her, his power becoming stronger the closer he came. She heard him open his hidden blade, but did not see it; the edges of her vision went black with pain, his glowing eyes the center of her world.
Bassam jumped less than a second after Alya, his leap taking him farther. He landed hard behind the market stall, his sword drawn and ready. Easily blocking the strike of a clearly panicked city guard, he ducked in close and jerked the man up by his collar.
"Run away from here!" he hissed, his face inches from the guard's. The man yelped as Bassam sidestepped three fighters, jerking him roughly along. "This is not your fight! Do you understand?!" Bassam shook him until the man nodded and then released him, shoving him toward the archway. Spinning in a circle, he glanced around for Alya, hoping that she had already reached the outnumbered Guardians. His eyes widened when he finally saw her.
Immediately charging forward, he could hardly register what he was seeing. An Assassin stood above her, his eyes literally glowing red in the darkness of his hood. Alya's hood had fallen back, and she stared at the Assassin as if in a trance; her face was pale and unnatural black streaks crept outwards like horrible vines from the corners of her eyes. The man reached forward and grabbed her by the throat, his hidden blade raised high above his head, poised for the kill.
"No!" Bassam roared, slamming into the man just as his blade came down. There was a loud crack as the man's spine broke from the force of the impact; as Bassam hit the ground on top of the now-dead specter, the only thing he could see was Alya. She seemed to move in slow motion as she toppled almost gently backwards, head thrown back, mouth open, eyes wide and unseeing, with those horrible black streaks pulsing and leaking blood like tears down her cheeks. She landed in a crumpled heap, her eyes never closing, staring straight into the midday sun.