14. those whose teeth are swords
and whose jaws are set with knives
to devour the poor from the earth
and the needy from among mankind.
15. The leech has two daughters.
'Give! Give!' they cry.
16. "There are three things that are never satisfied,
four that never say, 'Enough!':
the grave, the barren womb,
land, which is never satisfied with water,
and fire, which never says, 'Enough!'
Proverbs 30:14-16
When he sleeps, he doesn't dream. They both don't dream. Kinda like when you try real hard, even think about it but it just doesn't work. He remembers though. His brain remembers and he just revives the whole thing. Lucy wanted to give it a medical term and she went for ironic, so it's now called the Bleeding Effect. It's when bits and pieces of lives long gone, people now dead or part of history keep coming back, like some old film on repeat. Funny how he always managed to get involved with people you read about in books today and no one seems to find him.
But that's also because he doesn't want anyone to find him. If you squint hard enough though, you will. Just squint a bit.
He doesn't feel the freezing cold around him, or the bag or the metal. At this precise moment, his brain decided it's time for some quality mind fuck, because, hey, dood, it's been some time (like when he started spewing Italian and little ten year old Lucy just stared at him like he'd grown an extra head.) He feels sand under his bare feet, the cool wind of the night ruffling the cloths he's wearing because some time ago, he's given up the black robes he used to wear, the white that spoke of a high rank. He misses them so much, but like he could go back to that. He misses the sun as well.
Sometimes he thinks he'll just stand outside his place and just let the sun touch him.
Like Adha.
Instead of his whites and black, he wears nothing but dirty rags because they get messy anyway. Hey, you remember that one time, back in the day when-
"D-Down there Master?"
A young man stares at the eldest. Some of his superiors are also here, but he feels like they won't be helping either him or his cousin.
"You are being trialed with treason. Do you not think this is far better than a public execution? Would you rather take that path and dishonor us?"
The novice looked into the eyes of his Grandmaster and wondered if there was something else to this trial. He bit his lip and looked down into the mouth of the cave, deep and dark. He'd of it before, whispered in fear by the people of Masyaf. There were rumors that a beast laid there, a demon, dormant until its next victim was thrown to it.
"Master, forgive my nerve, but how does walking through this cave help us prove that we are not betraying the order?"
The novice's eyes widened. How could Amjad, only one year his senior be so bold? Didn't he understand they were in serious trouble? His cousin kept glaring at their Master who merely smirked, the lone flap of his left sleeve flying desperately at his side. The other Master assassins merely stared at them, said nothing. He gave a gulp.
"I have my own suspicions, but I fear I might be wrong. Inside this cane lies something which will clear my thoughts easily."
Khalid, in his assassin grays was given a torch as their Master pointed inside with his lone hand.
"All you must do, is meet us at the end and all suspicions shall be cleared. It sounds much more pleasing than the execution, does it not?"
His cousin glared as the sand was blown between them, making the horses neigh with impatience. He took the torch, the flame billowing and made his way to the cave's entrance, though he muttered something as he passed his cousin.
"Khalid."
He turned. Master A-Sayf watched him for a few seconds and smirked.
"May Allah have you in His grace."
He nodded, although it felt like he was being made fun of and ran after his cousin.
"Who does he think he is?"
Khalid is bored out of his mind. They keep going down until the sunlight no longer shines through the opening. He can't help but think of it as the mouth of a monster, open maws ready to devour them both.
"There are enemies to fight and he sends us to-to some cave like children!"
"He merely wishes to confirm that we are innocent, Amjad."
"That is what angers me the most! Thinking we had anything with the leak in Jerusalem!"
The youngest only sighs as his relative keeps grumbling and snapping about the injustice of it all. He himself thinks this is rather tame. Back when Master Al-Mualim was still alive he'd heard the Master himself would kill you.
"But I have to wonder... Why us? We were merely there at the same time, do you perhaps believe that we were-"
His head suddenly snapped up and they both stopped on their respective actions.
"Did you hear that?"
They were both silent, the senses they had been trained to hone to perfection trying to find the noise again. It had sounded like the slip of skin against stone. Khalid wished he had his weapons but they had both been stripped of them. It had been the only condition.
"It was probably the wind, nothing else we should probably-"
What they should probably do was cut off with a yell as they found a man slumped against a wall. Khalid smirked at his eldest cousin as he gripped his clothes, panicky and quick-breathed.
"Is that your conscious?"
"Very amusing."
"It is, isn't it?"
Now they both started. The body (apparently), rose on shaky legs. He was a mess to see. What they could see of him was the bony things he called hands, each finger long and spindly, the ends finishing in blackened, falling nails. Of his face, they could only discern sunken cheekbones and a long, sharp nose. At times, Khalid have swore he saw the man's eyes, shinning a bright gold under his layers of torn rags, but with such terrible lighting...
"What are two children doing in a place such as this?"
Amjad scoffed. "We are not children, in case you cannot see. And I should ask you the same question! Are you part of the trial?"
The stranger's head leaned to the side, the rags making a soft hissing noise, but his face was still covered.
"Trial? This is my home. May I ask why you are intruding it?"
Amjad decided it was best of him to talk instead of his cousin. He looked ready to break one of the tenets.
"Master A-Sayf has sent us here as part of a trial. Do you know him?"
The stranger's head rose in response and he nodded, shuffling towards them.
"We are… companions, though it has been some time since I last saw of him. How does he fare? Has his temper changed at all?"
The younger smiled. This person wasn't harmful, not to mention he was an innocent, so they could not harm him. If he knew of Master A-Sayf, then he probably knew of the trial as well, so speaking to him was safe, or so he presumed.
"He is as fiery as before Master Ibn-la Ahad left us."
"I see."
The stranger began staggering away from them, shaking and almost tripping. Poor man. He must be weak with malnourishment. His forearms and sunken cheeks were a testament to it.
"I suppose you would like to pass the whole cave alive, yes?"
They both perked up, Khalid stopping his ranting.
"You know the way old man?"
"In darkness and in light."
"Then guide us."
The stranger chuckled, the sound resonating around the cavern's walls.
"Why? Merely because you order me to? Under what right?"
"Please." The younger interrupted before his cousin began barreling insults. "We would appreciate if you could help us. If we can offer anything for you in exchange, we shall give it to you."
The ragged man seemed to think and he showed his hand. The torch was given to him and he chuckled again.
"You cannot give it to me, not yet. But soon, I will have what I need and you shall obtain what you want."
He made his way towards a hole in the cavern and swiftly left the small chamber. Both cousins stared at each other quizzically.
"Are you coming or shall I go?"
They followed.
"If I may ask, what is your name?"
They're making their way through the cave and Khalid is grateful for his guidance. It's nothing but a large, dark maze and he has no doubt that without this man's help, they would be forever lost in its cavernous depths.
"Altair."
They both start. "Master Altair?"
"No." He chuckles, the rags moving as he shakes his head. "Only Altair. I believe we have the same name. How strange, no?"
"Indeed, strange."
Khalid glares at Amjad who shrugs. Always disrespectful, even with elders.
"You remind me of someone." The elder says, easily jumping up to a higher rock and they both stare. That's... impossible isn't it? "Are you coming?"
They both try to do the same thing but give up. After they maneuver and hurry by his side, he continuous talking.
"This young man held no respect for anyone, believed himself to be the best out of many. Childish and irresponsible. He caused pain to someone dear to him because of his pride."
"Then he was a fool?"
"Like yourself, yes."
The younger chuckled under his breath as the eldest fumed.
"Now, enough of that. Tell me, what is this trial of yours?"
"There have been some leaking of information in Jerusalem. At the time, both myself and my cousin where there and Master A-Sayf believes one of us to be a traitor."
The man stopped and hummed.
"Those are serious accusations."
Amjad snorted. "Seriously un-funded. He merely though it to be us because we are still Informants. I wished to change from branch but Master A-Sayf insists I am not the right candidate to become an assassin. What does he know? He is too old and one handed!"
"Amjad!"
"It is true! And you know it!"
"Regardless of what is or is not true, we must adhere to what the Master dictates! If this allows us to be free from suspicion, then so be it! I sincerely believed we would be killed!"
"There was no reason for the accusation to begin with! We were found near the body of one of our own and they immediately cry 'Traitor'!"
"But the Jerusalem bureau was almost compromised afterwards! What if whoever arrived before myself or you killed our brother for the information? Or to silence him even!"
"Now you are speaking like Master A-Sayf! You are calling me a traitor!"
"I am doing no such thing! Please understand!"
The ragged man observed as they bickered, the younger defending A-Sayf and the elder bad mouthing him. The golden eyes glared at the elder. He could hear his heart, loud and thunderous. They haven't noticed that he has stopped in a large open space of the cave, the sound of running water far away. Or that he places the torch in a hoop in the wall and turns to them.
"Regardless of what may have or not have happened, what is or is not true, you must remember the Order's maxim. Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Now settle down, we are close to the exit."
Both perked up and stared at each other confused. This was it? Well that was disappointing. Maybe the Master knew they were both innocent? Although, Khalid was a bit confused. This man knew of their Creed? Then perhaps he had once been an assassin?
"But before we continue, I must ask. You are Amjad, correct?"
His cousin glared and nodded.
"Tell me, what did the Templars promise to you in return?"
They both became dead silent.
"What?"
"The Templars. Our enemies. A higher rank perhaps? Maybe a recognition of your abilities? The rise of rank you were denied?"
"What are you saying you old fool! You believe me to be-!"
"The traitor? Yes. Tell me, do you know what an Alukah is?"
"A what?"
Khalid blinked, feeling a sudden sense of dread. The man's eyes... they, they were gold, and they were shinning in the darkness, like an animal's.
"It's a demon is it not?" He answered through the knot in his throat. "My grandfather would tell me stories about them. They were once human, but became monsters who feed on the flesh of the dead and the blood of the living."
The man nodded. "Yes, that is true, but well, nothing is true... Alright then. Let us begin the trial now shall we?"
"You are the trial?" Amjad was staring incredulously at this old man. "This is nonsense! You are making an assumption out of-"
He suddenly snapped his mouth shut and stared as the shawl covering the stranger's face was finally lowered. Khalid felt every muscle in his body freeze, trembling from head to foot at what was underneath. Besides him, Amjad screamed.
He was...
By Allah, his face...
He couldn't properly explain. The words seemed insignificant to what he saw, and to place an assassin in such level of terror is no easy feat. The flesh that should be covering his cheeks was gone, almost ripped out, for there were strips of flesh still desperately holding it together. His teeth were nothing but sharp fangs, each and every single one of them, and you could see them all because his jaw was so open. And those eyes... Gold and shinning, even with the torch light barely lighting them.
They shone. They were not human. It could not be human.
They were hungry, no, ravenous.
He wanted to run, to scream, anything but he couldn't he couldn't!
Amjad could. He ran away, screaming at the top of his lungs and Khalid merely watched. The thing (it couldn't be human, it couldn't) moved too quickly and was upon his cousin, grabbing him by the neck and easily raising him. All he did was watch as Amjad struggled, choking, eyes pleading. He should move. He should help. Why couldn't he move!
"So tell me. What did they promise?" It hissed, tongue flicking out to lick sharp teeth. "Was it worth it?"
They both gagged. The stench from the creature reminded him of the carcass of a horse he'd seen when he was a child. It reeked, invaded the senses and became corrosive, festering. He could still envision the protruding ribs, the flies above it. It began to bring the elder closer to him with that enormous smile, saliva running down its chin and finally Khalid screamed. The young novice would speak to no one of the incident after the beast was done. The only thing he could say was that it devoured his cousin, alive and screaming, ripping skin and flesh and organs like papyrus. Even the bones were consumed.
He was now on the floor, still trembling, staring at this creature as it rose from the remains of his cousin and when it turned, he couldn't help but stare. It was no longer emaciated, and the skin on his face was back and his mouth and the rags were covered in blood. He now understood why they were such a dark color of brown. His eyes still shone gold, but he looked far healthier, far younger.
And he recognized him.
"M-Master Ibn-la Ahad..."
It (not human, not human) stalked towards him and he finally reacted, tried to run away but its hold was firm and he was raised, the old (how did he look so young?) Master smirking.
"Speak of this and you shall be next."
And then he was soaring through the air as the Master easily through him over a high rock formation, down to the water covered slide and away from the monster and off to freedom.
Khalid shakily walked towards his Master, his assassin grays smeared with mud and blood. There was no one but the one armed man who looked at him with no surprise. He feel on his knees in front of him, body trembling.
"So I was right. How is Altair?"
The novice merely stared at him, breathing hard. Until he showed the Master the content of his bowels on the floor.
"I see. What you have seen, you can tell no one, understood? If you do, I'm afraid he'll follow you and he will not stop until he has consumed you."
The novice shook but nodded, wiping his mouth, the desert wind making feel feverish. Malik walked towards the two horses waiting for them, followed by the still trembling novice.
"W-What was..."
"Nothing." Malik cut out.
The novice kept staring at him with shock and turned to look at the cave. He could have sworn he saw someone walk back in.
"But... you told us he was..."
"Gone. He is, in a manner of speaking. And as I said before, I shall appreciate it if you keep silent."
"But why was he in that state! I do not understand! He was weak and then he looked perfectly-"
Khadil went silent as Malik turned.
"P-pardon me, Master. I'll speak to no one of this."
"Good. No one will believe you either way."
The window was wide open, letting the air breeze in smoothly as Malik finished the last of the written work. He wasn't overly fond of it. It reminded him too much of his time as a Dai and that was something he did not like to recall. He heard a soft rustling and sighed, not taking his eyes from the paper.
"You were too harsh. He won't even speak."
The ex-Rafiq glared at the man sitting placidly in the window.
"My apologies. But if I hadn't done that, he would have spoken, wouldn't he?"
The glare seemed to intensify and he approached the man with an amused smirk.
"That is not the point, Altair."
"Then what is the point?"
"The point, Altair, is that
you are not listening to me."
Desmond blinked. Shaun glared.
"What?"
"Yes, exactly, what were you doing? I'm aware I'm handsome but you can't stare at me like that all the time. I hope you were not imagining our next 'encounter' because if you were, I assure you there won't be a next."
Desmond blinked again and rubbed his eyes, giving a little grumble. The Brit sighed. He'd have these little episodes some times. Just stop and stare. Then he'd blink himself awake and blurt something he didn't understand and then shrug it off like it was nothing. It worried him because as they spent more time together, they seemed to happen more often.
"Are you alright, pet?"
"I have a nickname now?"
"Don't dodge the question. Yes or no will do."
The DS he had been playing with was closed and he shrugged, cracking his neck as Shaun winced. He stood up, stretching a bit while the glasses were taken off and cleaned.
"I'm still waiting."
"I'm ok, mom."
"Hilarious of you, really. First time I try to show a semblance of concern and the first thing you do is slap it off with sarcasm. I'm never showing any sort of affection for you, ever again."
There was a chuckle and Desmond sat down besides him again, the couch so old and worn but too comfortable to throw away (and plus, they were too bloody expensive). There was something wrong because he leaned his head on Shaun's shoulder and closed his eyes again, one arm snaking behind the other and holding his waist loosely.
"Just... something I remembered. I've been a little out of whack, had an argument with Lucy. But I'm ok."
The parkourist kissed the historian's shoulder with a wide smirk.
"Because I have you~"
"Oh don't you bloody start."
Desmond laughed.
"Malik?"
"Yes, Altair."
"Why did you not end me? That time when I... well, before I became this."
"I thought of it."
"And?"
"It is not important. Regardless, if it was necessary, I would have done it. But you have turned out to be a rather good enemy-eater."
"That is not amusing."
"It is for me. You owe it to me."
"I owe you too much."
"And it matters not. Now leave me. I, unlike you, need to rest."
"Malik, one last thing, before you sleep."
"What now?"
"If I... Have you ever considered being... like me?"
"... It happened to you for a reason. But I do not know what your change entails. If I followed, what of Maria? My wife and children? What of the Order?"
Desmond watched Shaun sleep. Ha, he felt like Edward Cullen now. Creepo. Except he'd been kinda sorta asked to stay instead of standing outside his window and stared in (yeah, he could see the stalker potential in it. Huh? You wanna know why kinda sorta? Well, the thing was, he'd had this sort of banter about him playing Pokemon and Shaun calling him immature an maybe dropped hints about being 'teached' to be a little older. Sly? Who him?)
You know how he's always spouting these corny lines? All these 'I love you's left and right? Well, see, back in the day, he didn't say it enough. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice (Cristina).
And in a way, when he was with Shaun, it hurt, in some weird good way. He'd see little shadows of people that were dead now, people he'd loved, people he'd cared for. This little instances were he got mad, he could see Malik. When he became excited over some new history thing he learned, he would be reminded of an inventor he'd known, and his scorn/playful teasing would bring Cristina or Maria to mind. Those moments when he was gentle, rare and in between as they were, would bring Adha to his mind.
It would hurt, but just like them, Shaun was unique in his own right, so it was ok. It hurt, sure, but hell if the good things in life aren't a pain in the ass (he's got centuries worth of experience to back that one up.)
He glares at the window and wished he could stay longer but hell, he's not about to become some crispy Desmond plate just because he didn't head out early. .Maybe he'll stay just a few more minutes. He slipped his arms around Shaun and smirked when he cuddled closer. Ha, guy's a total closet cuddler. He hoped this turned out ok. He liked this too much. The silence, the warm nights like these, even the bickering. He wanted them to last forever.
They could be.
No, no. He was not doing that. He'd done it once and look how Sixteen turned out. And Adha. Even now, they image still burned clearly in his mind, and that was an accomplishment because some of his memories were kinda rusty. Hey, you try to remember over eight hundred years worth of memories, see if it's so easy. Not to mention the human brain wasn't all that good to begin with memories, so nyah.
Gold eyes close, just for a little bit, because he can't really sleep, just go into his coma thing, or whatever it's called and because he just wants to hear Shaun's heartbeat. It's nice and constant and he feels lulled by it, instead of the usual eattearshattergivegivedrink horrid mess he always thinks. For now, he's content with what he has; the future can go fuck itself for all he cares. Everyone for that matter. Yeah! Fuck them all! With burning lemons! He chuckled quietly. He was playing too much Portal 2. He should tease Shaun tomorrow about it and call him Wheatly. He nuzzled the Brit and felt him nuzzle back, mumble under his breath about 'wankers' and he felt the warmth in his chest and he felt so fucking corny, but to hell with it.
A human being only lives so much and he's going to take as much as Shaun gives him until U 2 h h d W 4 g a X M g Z 2 9 p b m c g d G 8 g Z G l l I G l u I G V 4 Y W N 0 b H k g O C B t b 2 5 0 a H M s I D I 4 I G R h e X M s I D E 1 I G h v d X J z L C A 1 O S B t a W 5 1 d G V z I G F u Z C A z M i B z Z W N v b m R z Base64
18. There are three things that are too amazing for me,
four that I do not understand:
19. the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a young woman.
Proverbs 30:18-19