Later that day

The once busy market streets of Corona's east side were now mostly empty. Only a few people remained and they were mostly stall keepers and were dismantling them and taking what they had had on sale today back to their houses or putting onto waiting carts for them to take home and leave for tomorrow. Some were talking as they put their things away, others remained quiet as they hurried to pack up and head home. High above the city, the now orange coloured sun was beginning to set towards the distant sea to the west in the direction of Venice. Far off to the east, the sky was starting to turn slightly dark from where the night was beginning to encroach over the world. Soon it would do, but not fully as the thousands of stars would fill the air like a lamp to keep the world in light until the sun returned.

In the market streets, Eugene and Altair stood in alleyway, facing each other with their backs resting against the walls of the buildings, waiting patiently for the signal from Rapunzel and Pascal. Eugene glanced out of the alleyway down the street to see if there was any sign of Geoffrey or his two guards. There was not. He sighed nervously and moved back behind the corner into the alleyway.

"Don't look so nervous," Altair reassured him in an almost toneless.

"I can't help but feel nothing but nervous," Eugene replied. His feet began to tap the ground lightly. Anyone looking at him now would just think he was making up some random musical tone to pass the time but Altair knew he was doing it because he was nervous. He just wanted it to be over and done with because waiting here to catch, and probably even kill, someone who was armed and knew how to fight was really nerve-racking.

"Never let it get to you too strongly," Altair said to him. "And don't try and forcefully calm yourself down .It only makes it worse,"

Eugene gave him a puzzled look. "Seriously, where do you learn all this?" he asked him.

"Mostly from my master," he replied. He shifted a little as he leant against the wall, putting himself in a more comfortable position. "He is one of those people who uses words to a good effect, and he does it very well,"

Eugene gave a slight laugh. "You could end up being like him," he commented.

Altair stifled a laugh. "Sometimes that does sound very good, others not very," he muttered lowly.

Silence fell between them for a moment as a cool breeze swept over them. The sun continued to set further to the west, meaning the end of the day was gradually approaching.

"So what does your Creed actually do, Altair?" Eugene asked him, though whether out of curiosity or just something to talk about was unclear to tell.

Altair coughed. "I cannot tell you everything, Eugene," he replied. "It would go against the Creed of my group, but…" he paused for a moment, wondering slightly if this was right. Then again, why would it not be? After all, Eugene and Rapunzel were helping him. "…if you want to know, and to put a long explanation short, we fight for peace in the Holy Lands against the Templars,"

Eugene nodded slightly, taking that in. "And has it ever worked?" he asked.

Altair shook his head slightly. "I wish it did," he answered lowly. "But as long as this war between the Crusaders and the Saracens goes on, it never will work, but…that does not stop us from trying,"

"You guys must be really dedicated to be stuck to something like that,"

Altair nodded. "We are. It is not something we enjoy, but if it means to bring peace and stability, then it must be done. I mean, why else would I be here. Getting Robert's lieutenant will ultimately bring peace to the Holy Lands,"

"Why exactly are you after him though? I mean; what exactly has he done to make you guys want to kill him?"

"I can't tell you that,"

"Oh, okay,"

Silence filled the air between them once again, only to be penetrated when Eugene resumed tapping his feet on the ground, though they were a little calmer than before. He had decided to take Altair's advice and calm down, though not too forcefully, just gradually thinking of other things and not about this mission.

Altair heaved a little sigh of frustration. "Come on, Geoffrey," he growled to himself. "Show yourself!"

Meanwhile, further down the market

On the rooftop of a nearby house that was across from the church at the end of the market, and next to a small path that led from the square the church was in to one of the courtyards, Rapunzel lay on the wooden top, keeping an eye out for any three soldiers dressed in white, a small pebble next to her. Pascal was on the lookout as well, sitting on the edge of the roof, surveying the paths below like some kind of guard would do on a castle wall or tower. Near them was a small chimney that had several bricks sticking out of the sides of it, having been damaged a while ago in a storm.

It had been about twenty minutes since the group had come out here to wait for Geoffrey and they had not seen him. Hopefully, he was just late, but she did begin to think that either he had decided not to come out here tonight now or they had missed him, though she did debate he would decide not to come out here. As she had heard Harry talking to those two soldiers earlier on, they were to be assigned to protect him and he did not sound like it would be cancelled or postponed or whatever.

Their plan to catch Geoffrey was for her and Pascal to keep a look out for him and when they saw him, she would throw the pebble to where they were, or in the part of the street they were near, basically anywhere where Eugene and Altair could see it. They would then corner him and, after getting rid of his guards, would try and get him to talk about what he knew about Robert's lieutenant and about this tenth Templar, and also what he was planning to do with Rapunzel. Hopefully, though, by then the market would be empty so they could interrogate him without the fear of being seen by any of the guards or any other Crusaders that might wonder into the market unexpectedly.

"You see anything, Pascal?" she whispered to her chameleon friend, who was sitting by the edge of the roof a few feet from her, looking up and down the path that led to the courtyard from the square.

He shook his head and replied with a squeak. She sighed and surveyed the path below her, seeing a man laden with fruit drag his cart back towards his house, having made a good deal of money today.

At least someone's having good luck Rapunzel mentally said to herself.

As she looked up and down the path, she heard a slight grunt from near the church and, looking up, she saw it was a large glass stand case with what looked to be small objects shaped like horses in them. It came to a halt near the edge of the square and a tall man walked past them to quickly check the door on the front of it was closed properly. It was Vladimir. What was he doing out here anyway with that stand?

Oh wait! Rapunzel mentally hit herself. Idiot, he's doing his unicorn stand thing she reminded herself.

Behind her, Pascal turned his head left and right again to see if there was any sign of their target, but still, there was nothing. The streets were virtually empty of anyone that looked promising. He sighed and laid down on the roof, looking over at Rapunzel. Were they possibly even wasting their time being here? After all, they had been waiting for a while and he had not come. What if they had missed him? If they had, then they could always wait until tomorrow to get him aga-

"Right, It's just round the corner,"

Upon hearing the voice, Pascal turned his head left, looking towards the courtyard. For a moment there was no one there, making him think he had imagined the voice. Then, three figures came out from behind the side of the building. All of them were wearing white uniforms and had their hands on their swords. He shot to his feet. It was them, the Crusaders! They were here! He recognized Geoffrey behind the two soldiers in front of him.

Quickly, he crawled over to Rapunzel and squeaked at her, drawing her attention.

"What is it, Pascal?" she asked.

He pointed with his tail towards the street below and then rose up on his hind legs and began to mimic the walk of a man, placing his hand on his side to mimic the Crusaders grabbing their swords. Rapunzel went wide-eyed, realising what he meant.

"Alright, where's the pebble?" she asked frantically as she searched for it, keeping low and quiet so as not to attract the attention of the Crusaders.

She found it, grabbed it and crawled a little further down the roof back in the direction of where Altair and Eugene were before siting up and, with all her might, throwing it in their direction, praying mentally that it would land in the alleyway or at least near them.

At the alleyway

Altair heaved another heavy sigh and stepped forward a little out of the alleyway and looked in front and behind him for any sign of a man, or three men, in white clothing. Again, for about the tenth time, there was nothing! He cursed under his breath and withdrew back into the alleyway.

"We will wait for a few minutes," he said to Eugene. "If they do not come by then, we'll go and find Rapunzel and-"

A tap from outside the alleyway drew their attention and the two saw it was the pebble Rapunzel had said she would throw as a signal. That meant they were coming.

"Alright, get down," Altair said to Eugene, who nodded and couched down alongside him, now waiting like lions hiding in the savannah grass for the perfect moment to strike at their deer prey, only this time they were not lions and their prey was not deer, but other men who they needed important information from.

Across the alleyway, a little further up the market, a man was busy taking apart his stall after emptying the boxes of pottery onto a cart, ready for him to take back to his house and prepare them for tomorrow's market day. He took off the multi-coloured drapery attached to the roof of the stall and walked over to the cart to put it in a box. He was completely unaware of what was about to happen.

Coming up the market street, Geoffrey and his two guards walked. They had looks of disappointment on their faces as they had arrived here later than they had expected. There were almost no stalls left out, save for the one that was being packed away a few metres in front of them.

"Bloody Hell!" Geoffrey growled. "I wanted ta 'ave a look around!"

"Why didn't we leave earlier then?" one of his guards asked.

"I was tired," he replied sternly. He sighed. "Well, may as well see what that guy's got to offer on his stall," he nodded over towards the man in the cart.

"But, sir, I think he's packing away," the other guard told him.

"Well, he can wait, can' he," Geoffrey replied. "Now c'mon, not waiting 'ere for tomorrow,"

He led his men over towards the cart and the stall. As they walked past the alleyway, Altair nodded at Eugene and stood up, but then Eugene suddenly stopped him.

"Wait, Altair, what about me?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" he answered, confused.

"I need a weapon as well,"

"Oh, of course," Altair looked down at his belt and took out his shorter blade knife and handed it to Eugene. "Make good use of it," and he walked off out of the alleyway before Eugene could reply.

"What good if this going to be against their swords?" he muttered to himself as he walked out of the alleyway after Altair.

The two approached the Crusader men from behind, readying their weapons. As they approached, however, one of Geoffrey's guards heard footfalls behind him and looked over his shoulder and saw the two men approaching them, weapons at the ready.

"OI!" he yelled, causing Geoffrey and the other guard to wheel round to face them and the man on the cart to look up from where he was.

"What the…wha's goin' on 'ere!" Geoffrey demanded angrily.

"You won't be going any further with your plans, Crusader," Altair said defiantly, taking out his sword. The two guards and Geoffrey took out their swords as well, ready for a fight if that was what these two were offering them. "We know that you have been meeting with Robert De Sable's lieutenant,"

"Yeah, and your plan to take Rapunzel," Eugene added.

"Whose Rapunzel?" one of the guards asked.

"The princess you idiots!" Geoffrey told them. "And why would we wan' her? Also, who the blo-" he stopped when a sudden realisation hit him upon seeing Altair. The look on his face quickly changed from anger to fear and shock. "Y-your…y-you're the…assassin!" he gasped, pointing at Altair. "You're the one who killed my man in the streets yesterday!"

"Yes, and it was done to help in stopping you from continuing this war in the Holy Lands and for taking a powerful gift for yourself," Altair replied, taking a step towards him. "Your scheme ends here, Crusader. No longer will you and the Templars cause death and destruction in the Holy Lands and your hope of taking a healing incarnation is finished along with you,"

If Geoffrey had not been scared, he would have realised what Altair meant by healing incarnation, but seeing Altair as the assassin and with his weapon out to kill him made his mind only revert to one emotion; full blown fear. This put only one thing on his mind: run!

"Get them!" he shouted to his guards, who lunged forward, swinging their weapons. Eugene and Altair responded in kind.

Altair raised his sword and hit the Crusader guards' one. Both used all their might to try and push the other one back, but their equal strength got them nowhere, so Altair quickly swung his sword back and jumped back at the same time, dodging another swing from the Crusader. Just as his enemy was raising his weapon, though, Altair swung his sword at him and hit the Crusaders', knocking it out of his hands and sending it flying through the air towards the cart. The man yelled out and dived out of the way onto the ground, narrowly missing the bladed weapon as it drove deep into the wood and stuck got up and ran off as quickly as he could. Altair quickly finished off his move with a kick to the stomach, sending the Crusader backwards into the stall. Geoffrey dove out of the way as his guard landed with a crash, breaking through the wood. The wooden pillars and the roof of the stall fell onto him, knocking him out cold.

Eugene, meanwhile, had managed to stop the sword of the other Crusader guard but he was met with a punch to the stomach, winding him and sending him down on his knees. The Crusader guard swung his weapon at him, but he managed to roll sideways out of the way and got up and swung his blade with all his might at the guard, who stopped him with his sword. Both began pushing each other as hard as they could in an effort to knock the weapon out of the other's hand or push the other over but, like with Altair and the other Crusader guard, their strength was equal. The Crusader growled and grabbed hold of Eugene's neck with his other hand and began to clutch it tightly, trying to choke him. Eugene gasped for breath and the Crusader cackled.

"Say goodbye, berk!" he said with glee, ready to kill this enemy.

But just as he was about to strike, a crash from behind drew his attention. Seeing his chance, Eugene kicked the man in the stomach, causing his eyes to grow so wide it looked as if they were going to pop out of his head and his breathing became gasps as he reacted to the blow and keeled forward, releasing his grip on Eugene's neck, onto the ground, the pain from his stomach flaring up and down his body.

Thank you, Maximus Eugene thought with relief.

Geoffrey got up, staring with shock at the two. Altair and Eugene stepped towards him, Altair raising his weapon. Fear gripped Geoffrey as if an invisible, giant hand was clutching him tightly. He stepped back a few paces but was stopped by the wall of the building behind him. Sweat began to run down his forehead and his heart was beating so much against his chest that it felt as if it was going to break out of it.

"Tell us what you know!" Altair demanded as he approached him. "What do you know about Robert's lieutenant? Why are you working with him and why are you planning on taking this incarnation?"

Geoffrey stuttered and looked around frantically for a way out. The only way out was further down the market towards the church, but these two would stop him. He had no way to get out!

Then, as if coming as a blessing to his pleas, a groan from the guard lying on the stall attracted Altair and Eugene's attention and as they turned to see what the noise was, Geoffrey saw his chance and took off down the road.

"Hey!" Eugene shouted when he heard him running and looked to see him gone. "Altair, he's making a run for it!"

"We mustn't let him get away," he replied and they ran off after Geoffrey.

Watching all this from the rooftop nearby was Rapunzel. Upon seeing him run, she frantically began to look around the rooftop for a way down onto the street or something to throw at Geoffrey to try and slow him down, but there was nothing she could use and there was no way down. Oh, this was hope less. He was going to get away!

Pascal, who was on her shoulder, suddenly prodded her on the cheek and pointed over to the broken chimney. Rapunzel's eyes lit up like a star.

"Pascal, you're a genius!" she exclaimed, relieved, and rushed over to the chimney.

The bricks were not very loose and she had to pull really hard to get one out. When she did, she rushed back over the edge of the roof just as Geoffrey was entering the part of the market she was at, Eugene and Altair hot on his heels.

"OI, come back!" she looked up the street to see the two guards running after Altair and Eugene, threatening them if they were to catch Geoffrey. She had to help them. She brought back her hand and, when Geoffrey had passed into the square with Altair and Eugene chasing after him, she threw the brick with all her might at the stall with the glass case just as the guards were near it.

SMASH! The guards screeched to a halt as the brick flew past them. The stone object broke right through the front of the case and caused it to collapse and fall onto the ground, breaking all of the unicorns inside and spraying bits of glass.

"Who the Hell threw that?" one of the guards asked, furious someone had tried to hit them with a brick.

"Up there!" the other said, pointing up at the roof where Rapunzel was. The other guard looked and saw her and glared, but then gave a slight chuckle.

"Well, we've got a prize on our hands," he said to his friend as they began to walk towards the building where Rapunzel was.

"WHAT THE!"

the two men wheeled round and went wide-eyed with shock and fear when they saw a large man with a Viking hat, coat with no sleeves, large trousers and a muscular body standing in a doorway. It was Vladimir. He had gone to the toilet in there and had come out only to see his unicorn collection smashed to pieces on the ground. He looked down with wide-eyes at the remains of the case and then up at the guards. His face instantly changed from a look of shock to anger, going a kind of purple colour like a beetroot. His eye twitched and his hands clenched into fists and his teeth gritted tightly to the point where they would most likely break and a look of concentration set across his face.

"YOU BROKE MY UNICORNS!" he yelled.

The Crusaders looked at each other and, in a cartoonish way, decided it was best to go and ran up the path that led to the courtyard as fast as their legs would carry them, Vladimir hot on their heels.

Up on the roof, Pascal gave thumbs up to Rapunzel as if to say: "Nice one,"

"Thanks, Pascal," she replied.

"G-go away!" the two looked over at the church to see Geoffrey backed up against the wall of the building, his sword out, but against Altair and Eugene, and one of the two being a skilled assassin, was not going an easy fight to win.

"You may as well give up, Geoffrey," Altair said, his blade at the ready. "Tell us what you know about Robert's lieutenant!" he demanded.

Geoffrey, though still scared, tried to glare at him. "My-my guards'll stop ya!" he warned, looking behind them. Altair and Eugene looked over their shoulders but all three saw they gone.

"Not very loyal," Eugene commented, chuckling.

Then, just as he went to turn his head back around to face Geoffrey, he yelled and dived backwards as a sword swung down towards him. Altair reacted almost simultaneously, swinging his sword at Geoffrey's, hitting it and knocking it sideways. Geoffrey swung again, but missed Altair as he dodged it by jumping backwards. Eugene got up and picked up the short blade he had dropped when he had dodged Geoffrey's attack and watched as he fought Altair, trying to see if he could intervene and help his friend.

Geoffrey swung his sword up at Altair again, who blocked it by raising his own and causing the two to collide. Both pushed as hard as they could against each other, their teeth gritted together as if they had been stuck with superglue, their faces set on looks of concentration and anger as they tried to force the other one to back down.

"I'll kill ya, filthy assassin!" he hissed at Altair.

"Not before I get you, Geoffrey," he replied.

Geoffrey growled and swung a punch at Altair with his hand, hitting him in the stomach. Altair yelled out and keeled forward, dropping his sword. Geoffrey pushed him back and raised his sword, ready to bring it down and kill him.

"No!" Eugene shouted.

He rushed forward and launched himself at Geoffrey, pinning him to the ground and causing him to drop his sword. Eugene held him down with one hand, but before he could go any further, Geoffrey punched Eugene in the face and threw him off him and grabbed his sword, adrenaline flowing through his veins like a river as he rose up to strike down at Eugene. Across the square, Rapunzel's eyes went wide with fright upon seeing her lover about to be killed.

"EUGENE!" she screamed, her voice filled with terror.

Altair looked up and saw his friend in danger. His instincts to save him kicked in instantly and he rushed forward, bringing out his hidden blade. However, Rapunzel's scream attracted the attention of Geoffrey, who saw Altair coming towards him and he blocked his attack by swing his sword at him, which Altair dodged by rolling sideways. He shot up from the ground and held his position, his blade at the ready. Both stared at each other with deadly eyes, waiting to see who would make the next move so they could exploit a weakness and kill the other.

Eugene, however, as he sat up saw Geoffrey with his back to him, completely unaware of him. Seeing his chance, he grabbed his blade and threw it at him with a grunt. Geoffrey heard him and turned his head around, only to be hit in the head by the handle of the blade.

"OW!" he yelled as it hit him in the eye.

Altair saw his chance and rushed forward and, with one swing, drove his hidden blade into his chest. All of the air was forced out of Geoffrey and for a moment, he could not breath as he stared ahead, gasping a little. He felt no pain from the impact point of the blade but he felt nothing within his limbs as well. It was as if his entire body had gone numb. His now empty and death filled eyes met Altair's firm and killer filled ones. For a moment, he managed to stay upright, his body going slightly rigid. Then, he fall backwards onto the ground with a thud, dropping his weapon next to him.

"Whoa!" Eugene said as he got up from the ground, clearly shocked at what Altair had just done. "I didn't think you'd kill him,"

"I didn't have a choice," he replied as he knelt down next to Geoffrey and placed a hand behind his head to hold it up.

Geoffrey coughed weakly, his life slowly slipping away from him. He looked up at Altair, seeing his eyes were now calm and warm as if reassuring him he would be alright.

"Rest now," Altair said to him gently. "You are at peace,"

Geoffrey coughed again. "W-why did you…d-d-do this?" he rasped weakly. "Why di-d you t-t-try and….kill me?"

"You were working with someone who brings war to the Holy Lands," Altair replied. "I have to put an end to it, but I need to know who he is,"

"And you want me to…to tell ya?" Geoffrey asked. Altair nodded and he chuckled weakly, only for it to end with another light cough. "I…I can' do that… 'e'll kill all me men. 'E'll find ou' how you know him if I told ya,"

"Then why did you try and take Rapunzel?" Eugene asked him, his voice slightly more demanding than Altair's, as he knelt down next to him. "He was the healing incarnation and you and this lieutenant agreed you would have her! Why did you want to take her?"

Upon hearing these words, however, Geoffrey looked a little shocked. "W-what?" he asked. "T-the princess? I-I didn' know she….was the 'ealing…in-incarnation,"

Altair looked up at Eugene with slightly wide-eyes and then back at Geoffrey. "What do you mean you did not know? He had promised you the incarnation,"

"Yeah, bu' he didn' say what it was," Geoffrey told them weakly, having to stop to cough again as he began to feel a flaring pain sweep up and down his body from his chest. "He…he jus' said…I'll give it ta ya. It was…ta help ge' rid of…the illnesses in…London an' York and all other places. We would 'ave ended the plagues in London! B-but I swear I didn' know it was…the princess!" he coughed again, groaning slightly from the pain flaring out from his chest.

Eugene looked up at Altair with wide-eyes, Altair replying in kind. What? He had been given the incarnation as a gift to help rid of illnesses in London, but he didn't know it was Rapunzel? Something was definitely going on here, something very strange.

"We'll have to find out somewhere else about Robert's lieutenant," Altair muttered to Eugene.

Geoffrey chuckled weakly, having overheard him. "G-good luck with that, assa…assassin!" he gasped. "E'll find a way ta get at ya, jus' you wait," his voice began to drop to barely a whisper and his eyelids began to close. "Jus' you wait,"

With a final exhale, his eyes closed and his head cocked backwards. Altair felt the coldness run almost simultaneously from his body to his fingers. He was dead. Gently, he placed Geoffrey's body on the ground and stood up with Eugene.

"Can't believe that," Eugene said. "All this time, he had been lied to about Rapunzel,"

Altair heaved a heavy sigh of frustration. "Now we will have to find out about Robert's lieutenant somewhere else," he said.

"Guys, are you okay?" they heard Rapunzel ask. They looked over towards the building she had been on and saw her running towards them, Pascal on her shoulder. "I saw what happened. Are you hurt?" she asked worryingly, seeing if she could help in any way.

"No, we're fine, Rapunzel," Eugene replied, embracing her.

"I was so worried, I thought he was going to kill you," she said.

"Don't worry, I had Altair here to help," he nodded towards Altair. "Thanks," he said.

"It's fine," he replied, looking down at Geoffrey's body. "We will just have to try and find Robert's lieutenant somewhere else now," he said disapprovingly.

"That's only if he decides to stay," Rapunzel pointed out to him, a hint of concern in her voice. "He might leave now,"

Altair looked up at her and then back down at Geoffrey's body, thoughts of the worst possible scenario of this mission filling his mind. What if Rapunzel was right? What if he decided this death of Geoffrey would leave him afraid for his own and cause him to leave? If that happened, then they were surely to fail in this mission.

Shouting from further up the market drew the three's attention. Altair and Eugene realised what it was. The man from the cart earlier had fled and he was probably coming back with guards after telling them what had happened.

"We best go," Eugene said.

Altair nodded and the three ran across the square towards the path that led towards the courtyard, hoping to would evade the guards.