Chapter Two:

Alone in a Brotherhood

2012

Pain has been something that I've had to deal with for my entire life. Eight-hundred twenty-six years, to be precise. I've had to watch the people I'd come to love die, whether it be of old age, or a death as an Assassin.

But having to watch somebody die in front of my eyes and being able to do nothing about it… that was a new kind of pain, and it was one that I hoped would leave me, hopefully quicker than the ringing in my ears.

I could hear voices that I couldn't place. I was constantly trying to connect them and recognize them, but it seemed like too much effort. My head was killing me, and I kept having to close my eyes, or else the colours that were drilling into my retinas would probably explode my eyes. Not that I was exactly sure, but I was being cautious.

Not like it'd help.

My name is Suna Ibn La'Ahad. Most commonly known as "Samantha Warner" these days. More than eight-hundred years ago, I became Altair Ibn La'Ahad's adoptive daughter, and an Assassin, fighting for the freedom of humanity against the Templar Order, who sought to enslave it.

I trained with Altair for ten years before he introduced me to the Apple of Eden. It preserved my life, and now I am tied to that Piece of Eden, and I'm affected by all of the Pieces. I live as long as the Apple lives. Or maybe, if it is destroyed, I will actually age.

1193

Training had become something that took me over. All of the Assassin Apprentices in Masyaf—save for myself—were born into the Brotherhood. I wasn't. A few months ago, Altair recruited me for reasons that escaped me. In Masyaf, I was a bit of an outcast, but I didn't mind. I had never gotten along with children my own age, even when I lived in Damascus. I preferred to speak with adults, and so (as I was a courier in Damascus) I also became a pretty good haggler. The merchants of Masyaf seemed entertained every time I came to buy something with money I'd earned doing odd jobs around the village.

When it became apparent to Altair that Mohammad and I didn't get along, we were separated and trained in different grounds. Sure, there was still the occasional fight, but it wasn't anything serious.

At the end of the year, the Assassins got together and celebrated a year well done. In truth, I'd never seen anything like it. The usually serious expressions on everyone's faces were replaced by smiles as they drank and played games. It was… strange. Seeing the Assassins celebrate as if there were no more Templars around made me wonder how people could go through an entire year without being as carefree as they were now.

I went down to the training ring and saw that many of the Apprentices were challenging Altair to duels, each one of them picking the way they fought the Grandmaster. I watched in awe as he bested each of them gracefully. And then the Master Assassins went into the ring and fought him. Though they gave him more of a challenge, Altair disarmed them and defeated them.

I think that was when Malik snuck up on me. "Your mouth is open," he remarked with a rare smile.

I quickly shut it. "No it's not."

"Well, it was." Malik grabbed the tip of my hood and took it off of my head. "You shouldn't wear your hood so much. Altair has worn a hood since he came into this world, and now he's paler than an Englishman."

"I heard that, Malik," Altair said from the arena. "I guess I match my wife then."

"Yes, you do have a woman's stubbornness!"

Altair laughed. "That was dry! Are you losing your touch in your old age?"

The two quarrelled for a while longer before the Apprentices demanded another round with the Grandmaster. Excusing himself, he went to fight them off once more. I studied the way Altair moved so I would know how. I didn't ever learn by word of mouth—I always learned by doing or examining someone who was doing what I wanted to do.

It also gave me much grief whenever I was learning with other Assassins.

2012

"Ugh… My head…" I groaned quietly as my hand rubbed my head gently. "No more binge drinking. I swear…"

"That'd probably explain why you're so screwed-up. Too much binge drinking."

"It was Bill's idea…" I muttered to the voice, and then realized whose it was. "S-Shaun?"

"Unfortunately." My eyes focused, and there stood Shaun. He had a darker sweater on than usual, but other than that he was totally the same. "You were out for a few days there. Thought you were going to end up like Desmond, actually."

He lent a hand and helped me out of the Animus. "Desmond? What do you mean?"

"Desmond's in a bit of a coma right now," Shaun explained. "I'm not entirely sure what happened, actually. I was talking for one second, then Desmond touched the Apple, and I saw him and Lucy lying on the ground, and Lucy's blood was pooled around them…" Shaun rubbed his eyes. "And then we—Rebecca and I—saw you. You were lying on the ground, your head was bleeding, and you were mumbling something in Arabic. That's when Bill came." Shaun frowned. "Actually, didn't you just mention something about Bill…?"

"Long story," I said. "Is Lucy okay? Where is she?"

Shaun suddenly looked sad. "She's… not here anymore, Sam. Lucy's… dead."

My hand found the armrest of the Animus to support myself. God, no… Lucy…

"I went to her funeral," Shaun said. "I was the only one who did, because Bill was here with Rebecca, who was monitoring Desmond's brain signals, and then she was looking after you as well."

That pain in my heart made me want to scream, but I knew I couldn't. I was too much in shock. "Shaun, where's the Apple?"

"Bill's got it," Shaun told me, jabbing a thumb in the direction of a hallway. "He's examining it right now."

I started down the hallway at a pace I was pretty sure wouldn't make me want to stop because my head hurt so damn much. I opened the double-doors ahead of me and saw Desmond in the Animus, with Rebecca typing away at a computer and William Miles examining the Apple of Eden.

I strode up to the old man and quickly snatched the Apple away. "This thing is dangerous! No one who doesn't have the proper DNA should be toying with it!" I found a tiny chest that seemed to fit with the Apple and placed it inside, then felt a hand on my shoulder. I glared at Bill, who was glaring back.

"You should be a bit more grateful to us, Samantha," he said. "We saved your life."

"I wouldn't have died anyway," I replied icily. "There really was no point, Bill."

Bill released my shoulder, smirking. "I guess I forgot about that part."

"Try not to, next time." I narrowed my eyes. "If there even is a next time."

"Sam!" Rebecca got up and hugged me tightly, an embrace which I returned. "I thought you were gonna follow Desmond! I was worried!"

"Pfft. Me? C'mon, I bleed a bit and you guys're running around like headless chickens!" I held Rebecca at arms length and did my best to smile. A pathetic attempt, really. "I'm sorry about Lucy, Rebecca. I know you guys were close."

Rebecca nodded slowly. "Y-Yeah… Well, I guess we lose Assassins all the time…"

"But not usually so close." I playfully punched her shoulder. "Let's just do our best. For Lucy."

Rebecca smiled and we locked fists. "Hell yeah. For Lucy."