Chapter Five:

The Road to Masyaf

1511

I snuck up behind the guard and covered his mouth, then stabbed my hidden blade into his back. I dragged him away, trying my best not to drop him and get the floor bloody. When the body was hidden, I grabbed my satchel and lifted it onto my left shoulder, then continued into the village not far from Masyaf.

"It really has changed…" I said absently. "A few more miles. Nothing I can't handle."

I rounded a corner and saw a bald man with armour like the Byzantines. You could just tell from the look that he was Turkish. He was ordering his men around angrily, as if they'd failed or done something not according to his plan. I waited in the shadows for a time before a guard came running to him.

"Leandros!" the guard gasped. "The Assassin… Ezio Auditore! He's heading to Masyaf!"

Leandros walked fast towards a carriage and jumped inside. The guards clambered on top and started to drive. Carefully, I timed my jump and grabbed hold of the back of the carriage.

Brings back memories, I thought with a smile. Didn't I hitch a ride when I was going to see Ezio for the very first time? Ah, how time flies.

The carriage was slowing, so I dived off and hid behind a rock. The guards seemed to notice the shift in the carriage, but they were too focused on Leandros.

"Hand me that bow!" Leandros ordered.

A guard gave him a bow and he fired an arrow. I heard a grunt, just as Leandros handed the bow back to the Byzantine guard. Leandros approached the cliff, and his guards followed. I knew who Leandros was looking at.

"Hey! Over here!" a guard yelled, just as Ezio began his fight.

I sprinted out of cover and into the fray, unleashing my hidden blades on my enemies. Unfortunately, my satchel was stabbed, and someone pulled on it. I hit the ground, taken off-balance, and was surrounded instantly.

Leandros was standing over me. "Two Assassins!" he said, as if he was gleeful (but his face didn't show it). "This day gets better and better! The Mentor of the Assassin Order, Ezio Auditore! And now, this… girl."

The guards grabbed my weapons and tied ropes around my wrists tightly. Then they took my hidden blades from me. Damn. They've learned from a few centuries, I thought with a frown.

"Take this one to the dungeons! When you capture Ezio Auditore, put them together. I am sure they will want to spend their last moments with each other."

Leandros, you're a sick bastard.

1205

A whole year since Chara died… I rested my head against the cool stone wall in my room. How time flies.

I heard a knock at my door. I answered, and allowed Sef to come in. "Yes? What is it?"

Sef hugged me around my waist. He was still a bit small. "I am sorry, Suna. I wish there was something I could do."

I smiled and rested a hand on top of Sef's head. "Do not worry about me, brother. How did you even know about today?"

"Father told me," Sef replied. "I just didn't want to say nothing."

"I thank you, Sef. What say we get something to eat in the market today?"

Sef nodded. "That sounds fun!"

I waked beside Sef after grabbing my coin purse and headed to the village with him. He always loved the markets, and spent most of his time there, like myself. Sef chose some breads that he wanted, and I haggled with the vendor for a while before we settled on a decent price. I handed Sef the bread and bought one for myself, then we sat on a bench together and enjoyed our snack.

"What's it like?" Sef asked suddenly.

I looked at him curiously. "What is what like?"

"Being an older sibling."

I smiled and ruffled Sef's hair. "It is a gift that I know better than to squander. But do not worry, Sef; being a younger sibling is a gift as well."

"Really?"

"Really."

My attention turned from Sef to the main gates of the village, where some excited shouting had started. From the cheers, it looked like a brawl.

Sef sighed. "Again? This is the fourth time!"

"What do you mean?" I asked my brother.

Sef gestured to the gates. "This man comes to the village and starts fights, claiming to be stronger than Assassins. Yet, each time father comes down from the keep to see what is going on, he runs away, and we can never find him!"

I frowned and popped the last of my bread into my mouth. "Sef, stay here. I'm going to see what I can do."

Sef wanted to complain, but I didn't stay to listen. I hurried to the crowd, where a makeshift ring had formed. Inside of the ring was a man in his early thirties, who was punching a few of the older Apprentices.

"What is going on here?" I snapped impatiently.

The Assassins stopped immediately. "Master! W-We were just—!"

"Brawling," I finished for them. "You were brawling. I have eyes. I can see. I am just curious as to why."

The man held up a fist. "A Master Assassin? Then you will probably be more worthy to fight than these idiots!"

"I do not enjoy it when the Assassins are being insulted, friend," I said. "I will not stand for it. I accept your challenge."

The three Assassins left the ring, leaving only me and the man. I raised my fists and circled him, as he did me. As soon as we heard an eagle sing, we ran at each other. Fists flying, we were both an even match, though he managed to hit my gut a few times, I got him in the face just as many. I grabbed his wrist and spun it, but he knew what was coming and brought his foot up. I managed to block with my other arm, but now we were deadlocked. He quickly threw out his remaining leg and tripped me, but he fell in the process. My hood fell off as I fell, and my head slammed against the gravel. I ignored the pain, but I was not quick enough to get up. The man was on top of me, holding my hands to the ground. He smiled in triumph, but it faded as he focused on my face.

"Ada?" he gasped.

I brought my leg up and kicked him in the back of the head. He rolled over me, and I took that chance to get up. I felt blood start to fall from the back of my head, but I still tried to ignore it.

"Get up and fight!" I ordered.

The man was staring at me, and was about to say something when the crowd quickly dissipated, making way for Altair.

"What is the meaning of this?" Altair shouted.

The man got to his feet, but it seemed my kick had dazed him. Two Assassins were on him immediately, and had ropes tied around his wrists within the next minute.

"A fight," I told him as the three Assassins who had previously fought the man hung their heads. "To defend the honour of the Assassins."

Altair looked at me, but said nothing. His gaze turned to the stranger. "Are you the one who has been picking fights with my Order?"

The man frowned, but straightened. "I am," he said.

"Why pick a fight with us?" Altair asked.

"To show that you Assassins aren't real warriors. That anyone can defeat you. But I did not expect…" We all looked at the stranger intently, and he was staring at me again. "I see now that this person standing before me is not the person I knew. It was simply a shock to see a face so similar to hers."

"And who was this person?" one of the previously brawling Assassins asked.

"Ada," the man answered. "My sister, Ada Akhir an-Nahr."

The next thing I knew, Malik was beside me. "But… the Akhir an-Nahr family betrayed the Assassin Order years ago, and joined the Templars!"

"The Order betrayed us!" the stranger snapped. "And now, we are reduced to nothing! Our heirs gone, my sister dead, and her children killed in cold blood! This would not have happened, had the Assassins not killed my grandfather!"

Malik looked at me, but his question was directed to the stranger. "Who were Ada's children?"

I didn't want to hear the answer, but I knew I had to.

"Chara Akhir an-Nahr, and another unnamed daughter."

Altair frowned. "And you are?"

He raised his head proudly. "I am A'hd, of the Akhir an-Nahr family. I have come to show you all what strength my family has!"

2012

"So, when will I be able to leave?" the boy asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe when we get the information we want."

I heard him sigh. "I don't remember much. I just have a few names in my head." He leaned against the door. "I am not even sure which one is mine. I think whatever those people did to me—Abstergo, did you say?—they really did something with my head."

"What're the names you remember?"

He was quiet for a moment. "The only one that comes to mind right now is… Mason."

I slid my hand through the hatch. "Nice to meet you, Mason. I'm Sam."

He took my hand and shook it gently. "Likewise. So, we're on a first-name basis now?"

"Don't make me say that you can only call me 'Miss Warner'."

"Oh, I wouldn't mind. Under the right circumstances, of course."

Rebecca called me, so I released Mason's hand and said good-bye. But I couldn't help but feel a little better than I had a few hours ago. I guess it was just nice to have someone around who didn't know about my "condition".

Time would tell.