The desert was boiled in the merciless rays of the midday sun. The mountain side town of Masyaf was no exception. The town built on the slanted terrain probably had it worst despite the surrounding foliage. The activity of the bustling town plus the sun beating down on the earth relentlessly was unbearable to those who weren't used to it.
The usual comotion of the town was interupted by the loud town bells pealing through the air. To most it might seem like a church bell or a chime to signal the middle of the day, but to any citizen to was a warning, the town alert issued by the guards.
Anyone running anywhere during the town alert was considered extremely suspicious. Heck, anyone running anywhere without the town bells blaring where considered suspicious. It was simply the way things worked in Masyaf.
The sight of a hooded man garbed in white robes running from guards roused a fairly different thought. Especially when said hooded man was riding a horse carrying something wrapped in cloth roughly the size of a man's head. That would definitely attract suspiscion of a different kind.
He was a fairly young assassin, obviously not very high in rank, perhaps maybe even a trainee. That, however didn't stop the guards from chasing him. The few guards on horses as well were easily gaining on the boy almost close enough to bring him down.
Suddenly the kid's horse snapped to the right down a less crowded street. The guards, stopping momentarily, followed with relative ease getting ever nearer. The assassin yanked backwards on the reins, causing his horse to start skidding into a brick wall which he, the clever trainee that he was, launched himself over using the horse's momentum to propell himself. And by the time the guards got over the wall in pursuit, the hooded man was gone.
I'm not sure when I woke up but eventually I was aware of the sun shining through the shutters of my windows and the birds singing outside. I groaned and turned the other way to shove my face into my pillow in an attempt to block out the strong golden rays of morning.
I curled myself up into a ball and tried to return to the precious land of sleep... That is until I remembered what day it was. The mere thought had me springing out of bed and practically flying across the room to the calendar. March 14th, 2012. The day of the school play, and I was the star.
Adrenaline spiked in my system as a mixture of excitement and fear hit me in a wave of realization. It was a play the drama club had written, and even though I'm not a part of the club, when I auditioned my performance was apparently enough to land me the leading female role.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror backstage. I was wearing an old fashioned violet dress, with a corset, ribbons and don't forget the frilly skirt!
"Places, places!" The drama teacher whispered to everyone, making more adrenaline course through my veins. Everyone got ready and I walked into my own designated spot. As the curtains opened and the light from the back of the auditorium became to bright to bear, I lost all senses, feeling, sight, hearing... Being.
I was jerked awake by the highpitched wailing of my alarm clock. I lifted my face off of... my keyboard? I probably fell asleep working again. Oh well. I reached for my alarm clock... which wasn't blaring.
It hadn't even gone off this morning. It wasn't even morning anymore. I opened the computer's date; five o'clock in the afternoon, April 27th 2005.
"Crap!" I shouted and flopped down onto my bed, "I'm so dead!"
My college teachers are going to kill me!
Just then I noticed that the alarm was still blaring... Only it was my cellphone. I flipped it open and answered, "Hello?"
I nearly dropped the device at the loud reply of, "I NEED YOUR HELP!"
"So tell me again... Why am I wearing this?" I hid my face with my hands and pulled my short black hair over my eyes. I was standing in my friend's room for some unknown reason wearing a rediculous outfit.
"Just follow my lead!" my best friend, Maria, sang.
I growled but did as she said, looking at the atrocity I wore as clothes. My outfit looked like it came straight from a djini's lamp. Complete with harem pants and an airy long sleeved top.
As I followed her the door opened revealing a flash of white and it was almost as if I was just pulled out of my body. I literally felt nothing.
I waited, perched on the edge of a rooftop, ready to strike. In the dark night that it was the lights from the street festival below did little to brighten the above setting I resided in. There was someone I was assigned to kill, and I was determined to do it undetected, as it was one of my first missions alone.
I found a quiet alley and dropped down and made my way into the streets. Already I had located him and come up with a plan, and the festival was just a stroke of luck as it would assist my duty. I quickly loaded a poison dart into my hidden pistol and caught sight of my target... turning away from this street.
Merda.
How did I make such a mistake? I scaled the wall, slipping twice in my scramble to follow the target. When I got to the roof, I caught sight of him.
"Stop!" Spotted. Not exactly how I imagined these my my third solo mission.
The archer aimed his crossbow on me but I had little time to dwell on this because my prey was about to vanish into a building. I couldn't dispatch him in there.
I readied my hidden blade and pounced. Halfway to my destination a white light errupted in my vision. What was this feeling? Empty, nothingness... Is this what death felt like?
A one armed man watched as the three strange lights faded, each in three separate locations within the city. Almost a straight line to the edge of town. He then turned his gaze to those that were sent to retrieve the mysterious objects; three highly skilled assassins with one more to lead them, the best of the best.
He tried to place where the lights had landed, but couldn't quite remember. Those four had a sizable challenge ahead of them.
His train of thought derailed as he recalled the events in the past hour.
"What now?"
A/N: First chapter is up! I tried to give a preview and of the character without giving any names.