Searching the castle was not as easy as they thought it would be, but Altair and Eugene were determined not to give up. They had searched almost the entire ground floor for Rapunzel and/or Al Mualim, but had found neither of the two. Eugene began to grow worried as they finished searching the last room of the ground floor, still having found nothing of Rapunzel or Pascal or Al Mualim.

"Damn!" Eugene growled, both with anger and worry in his voice, as they walked out into the corridor that led to a T intersection at the end to their right.

"Don't worry, Eugene, we'll find them," Altair reassured him.

"What if we don't?" Eugene pointed out. "What if he's left the castle by now? Like…I dunno, slipped out with Rapunzel and taken off?"

Altair shook his head. "There's no way he could do that," he told him. "My master is an old man. Plus, if he could do that, Maximus would have alerted us,"

THUD! Eugene had been about to reply when the noise drew his and Altair's attention down the corridor to a large set of wooden doors that were wide open. One of them had blown against the stone wall outside. The back courtyard! They had not searched that yet.

"C'mon," Eugene said to Altair running down the corridor towards the courtyard entrance; Altair followed.

When they reached it, they found themselves on a kind of stone platform with two sets of steps going down either side of them to a large circular floor with another of the sun engravings on the ground, lined out perfectly and in line with white pebbles and stones pushed into the ground. Two half circular walls were placed on the courtyard's sides, one on each, and both had a kind of raised ground to them. The one on the left side of the courtyard had a large silver piano on it; the other was filled with wooden crates stacked high to be taken to the storage building nearby. At the opposite end of the courtyard was a small fountain with a tiny carved out pathway for a small flow of water to run from it down over the edge of a small artificially raised section of ground to a small pool about fifteen feet below the edge of the cliff on a lower ground that had also been artificially created. Another set of stairs at either end of the artificially raised ground led down to the lower ground. Beyond the pool were several stone pillars that held a kind of wall to them. They were placed on the edge of a stone floor that overlooked a large sheer cliff that dropped down about one hundred feet to the sea below.

The two walked down the steps into the courtyard, taking in the scene around them with unease. They knew very well that Al Mualim was here somewhere and that he could surprise them at any moment. Altair kept his hand on his sword. Eugene kept his on the dagger on his belt, both ready to use them if need be.

As they walked down into the courtyard, scenes of reminiscence began to filter through Eugene's mind. This place…this courtyard had been where he, Rapunzel, Pascal, Maximus and the entire kingdom had had the party following Rapunzel's return to Corona. He smiled to himself at these happy thoughts, remembering that day when he had danced with Rapunzel, hidden the crown she had from her and then kissed him. It…it was such a great moment for him and her. If only it had lasted forever.

"Are you alright, Eugene?" Altair asked him, snapping him back into reality.

Eugene shook his head a few times, blinking. "Y-yeah, yeah. I'm fine," he replied. "Sorry, just lost it for a moment there,"

Altair let out a single laugh as they walked across the courtyard. "Best not show that in front of my master. He doesn't like i-"

He paused and froze where he was, holding out his hand, stopping Eugene where he was, which made him nervous.

"What is it?" he asked anxiously.

"Something's not right," Altair replied, moving his hand off Eugene and grabbing the handle of his sword. "Move carefully and slowly," he whispered to Eugene as if he wanted to make sure they were not being overheard.

The two began to move slowly across the courtyard, their eyes scanning every part of it as if expecting something to happen. Their hands gripped their weapons tighter, so much that they actually began to shake a little because they were gripping them so hard. They knew something was not right and feared very much that at any moment Al Mualim would appear and attack them, especially with what he had at his disposal with the 'treasure' that had been uncovered in Solomon's Temple at Jerusalem.

All of a sudden, Altair stopped Eugene again, grabbing his shoulder, making him jump slightly.

"What is it?" Eugene whispered.

"I think he's near," Altair replied. He paused for a second and scanned the courtyard in front of them with his eyes as if he was a deer on the savannah looking out for a lion it had just heard nearby. He grabbed his sword. "Get your weapon re-"

Suddenly; an orange light enveloped itself around him and Eugene. For a split second, the two felt a flaring pain almost akin to as if they had been set on fire sweep through them as the light overwhelmed, making them both cry out. Then, as if done so by a divine power, they were turned around against their own will so they were facing the castle. From there, they both noticed a balcony sticking out over the top of the entrance to the courtyard about forty feet above the ground. The opening into the castle from the balcony was concealed by large curtains.

Then, the curtains were pushed aside and an old man stepped out from inside the castle onto the balcony. It was Al Mualim. In his hand was the treasure that Malik had brought back to him from Solomon's Temple and it was glowing a bright orange colour exactly the same as the one that was enveloped around Eugene and Altair.

"So the student returns," he boomed to Altair. His eyes fell on Eugene and he let out a single laugh. "And he brings the criminal back with him," he remarked to Eugene and chuckled to himself. "I am Al Mualim, the leader of the Creed, Mr Rider," he greeted in a loud and confident voice. "I must it is a surprise to see you here in the flesh from what I saw on the wanted posters on my way here. Though, as I recall, the nose was a little bigger,"

Eugene rolled his eyes. "Why doesn't surprise me," he mumbled.

Al Mualim cackled. "Oh, come now. Don't be like that. Plus, It's rude not to introduce yourself,"

He held the object up and it glowed a brighter orange colour, almost the colour of sunlight. Eugene cried out and, as if he was being pushed by some invisible force, he felt his upper body be forced down into a kind of bow. It hurt as if someone was striking him with a sledgehammer. He wanted it to stop!

Finally, and thankfully, it did after a few seconds as Al Mualim lowered the object and Eugene was forced back to standing upright again. He then looked down at Altair with a gaze that showed overconfidence in It's features. It was as if the power he was gaining with this thing in his hand was overtaking his mind so much that it made him cease to feel any other emotion or feeling other than hysterical glee.

"I am surprised to see you back here, Altair," Al Mualim said to him.

"I've never been one to run!" Altair growled back.

Al Mualim 'humphed' at Altair's words. "True, but you've never been one to listen either. I can almost remember the beginning of the last few weeks, boy! When you brought me nothing but excuses and failure from your mission to achieve this!" he held up the object to prove his point.

Altair gritted his teeth in anger. "I still live because of it," he said.

Al Mualim 'humphed' again. "True. But what shall I do with you two now?" he asked himself, pacing up and down the balcony as if he was some kind of leader or businessman planning something new, his eyes not leaving them.

"What have you done with Rapunzel?" Eugene demanded angrily. "Where is she?"

"Oh don't worry about her, boy!" Al Mualim snapped, annoyed at having been disturbed by Eugene but also pleasurably as well at hearing the anger in his voice. "She's right here,"

A grunt emanated from behind Al Mualim and the curtains were pushed aside to reveal Rapunzel moving out towards the balcony, stopping at the edge next to Al Mualim. She was also surrounded by this orange light and she struggled to break free from it, but it was completely useless. Pascal was on her shoulder and seemed to be stuck to it. He squeaked furiously as he tried to free himself, but it too was hopeless. This power Al Mualim had over them was just too strong.

"Rapunzel!" Eugene exclaimed fearfully, his eyes filled with petrifying thoughts. "Let her go!" Eugene demanded.

Al Mualim cackled madly. "Oh, I don't think so," he replied. "I must say, Altair, you have done well in doing one thing right here. You showed me the incarnation and I thank you very much for it," he looked at Rapunzel and she was forced over to him by some invisible power he held over her. "She will be very useful to us back at home in Masyaf," he said in a low, but loud enough admiring voice.

Eugene gritted his teeth. Oh, he wanted to get up there and pound that old man back to…wherever it was he came from, but the problem was this light was stopping him and even if he broke out, who was to say that something was not waiting for him the corridor that led up to the balcony.

"Now, as I was saying," Al Mualim continued, forcing Rapunzel back away from him and looking back down at the two men in the courtyard. "What should I do with you two?"

"Let us go!" Altair growled.

The old man chuckled. "Oh, Altair. I hear the hatred in your voice," he said in a kind of mocking manner. "I feel It's heat. But, as much as I do admire you, I will not let you two go. Now doing that would be very unwise,"

Yeah, because I'll hit you until you're out cold! Eugene thought menacingly.

"Why are you doing this?" Altair asked Al Mualim.

He replied by looking admiringly at the object in his hand, seduced completely by It's power. That very seductiveness lingered in his eyes.

"I found proof," he replied.

"Proof of what?" Altair pressed on, determined to know what he was talking about.

"That nothing is true," Al Mualim continued, looking down at them. "And that everything is permitted!" He held up the object as if to prove his point. "You should have learnt at least that by now Altair. But no matter," he pointed down at them with his other hand. "Come. Destroy them!" he commanded.

As soon as he uttered the command, the orange lights around Eugene and Altair disappeared. However, at the same time, nine orange lights rose up from the ground as if they were flames from Hell itself trying to break through to the surface. They formed a circle around the two men and grew to the height of a man. From above on the balcony, Rapunzel and Pascal watched with wide-eyes, fearing what this could be, but Al Mualim grinned a small grin, knowing perfectly well what this was.

Out of each of the lights came a man, some dressed in Muslim clothing, others in Crusader, but all people Altair knew very well.

Going clockwise, the first of the nine men to step out of the lights was a tall Syrian man with an auburn brown coloured turban, which had a tint of yellow around it, on his head. A brown moustache filled the gap of skin between his lip and large nose. He was wearing a large tunic that was the colour of rust and a pair of grey trousers that dangled off his legs. Around his waist was a belt and on his feet a pair of dark yellow shoes. He was probably in his middle/late thirties. In his hand was a small blade akin to the one Eugene had in his hand. His name was Tamir, a former black market merchant from Damascus and the first to have died by Altair's hand.

The second was another tall Arabic man with short black hair and a small beard around the bottom of his chin and a tiny trail of hair going up the sides of his face to what looked like the shaved remnants of sideburns. He was wearing a dark grey tunic which had yellow stripes going down the front and back of it, being partially blocked out by some kind of large belt he had around his abdomen, and white leggings that covered his shoes. He looked to be in his late twenties. Around his forearms near his hands were two vambraces akin to what Altair had on his hand with the hidden blade. He had a short sword in his hand but around his back was a quiver filled with arrows, though, thankfully, he did not have a bow on him. His name was Talal, a former slave trader in Jerusalem and the second to have died by Altair's hand.

The third was an elderly Crusader man in his late fifties, early sixties. He had a bald forehead with grey hair around the sides and back. He was wearing a black robe uniform with a bloodied apron and had brown boots on his feet. Around his neck was a small necklace of the Cross and around his abdomen was a belt with a duffel bag attached to it. In his hand was a normal sword. His name was a Garnier de Naplouse, a former doctor in Acre and the third to have died by Altair's hand.

The fourth was a large man who looked to be in his late forties with a pockmarked face, possibly the sign of severe acne. On his head was a large white turban decorated with a feather pinned by a jewel. He was wearing velvet robes with yellow patterns, olive coloured loose trousers and pointed yellow shoes. He had a large curved sword in his hand. His name was Abu'l Nuqoud, a former merchant king in Damascus and the number of his light indicated where he was in the nine when Altair had killed him.

The fifth was a short man, probably about up to Eugene's shoulder height, with short black hair and a shaved back and side of the head. He was wearing a Crusader soldier's uniform with a style exactly the same as the flag of England on the front of it. A large belt was tied around his waist and he had thick brown soldier boots on. He was about middle/late thirty odd and in his hand was a large sword as well. His name was William, or William of Montferrat as he would usually be known as, and had been stationed in the fortress of Acre until Altair put an end to him.

The sixth was another Arabic man with a thick black beard and sideburns and moustache. On his head was a white turban that covered much of his head, being about the same size as the one Abu'l was wearing. He had large dark blue robes on, almost akin to a kind of eastern dress, and brown boots stuck out from underneath it. He was about middle fifties looking and had a large curved sword in his hand as well. His name was Majd Addin, the former tyrant ruler of Jerusalem who enjoyed killing until Altair ended his reign of terror.

The seventh was another Arabic man who looked to be in his late thirties/early forties. He had a kind of black and red coloured set of robes on, red in the middle and black above and below it, and had a kind of black head covering similar to a Muslim woman's hijab. A large belt was tied around his waist with a kind of small pocket attached to the side. Huge, thick brown boots erected down from under the robes. In his hand was a large curved sword as well. His name was Jubair al Hakim, the former chief scholar of Damascus who burned the scriptures they had in the city until Altair ended his quest to destroy all the scriptures he deemed 'wrong' and 'unsuitable'.

The eighth was a Crusader man who had short blonde hair and a short moustache under his nose. He looked to be in middle thirties and was dressed in a Crusader uniform with a large Teutonic cross on the right of the torso part of the uniform. A brown belt was around his waist and he had large brown boots on his feet at the bottom of his black trousers. A quiver was on his back with a few arrows inside, though, like Talal, he did not have a bow to fire them from. On his hands were black gloves and armour plating around his arms and shoulders. His name was Sibrand, the former leader of the Knights Teutonic force in the Holy Lands until his role as leader ended abruptly due to Altair's actions in Acre.

The ninth and last man was the one who Altair had told Eugene and Rapunzel about and why he had come here. It was a tall bald headed man of about thirty, maybe a little older, with a heavy build and dressed in thick silver armour with a kind of similar coloured cloak lying below him. It was Robert de Sable. He had his weapon out as well, a deathly glare lingering in his eyes as if he had well and truly come back from the dead and was now seeking revenge for what Altair had done to him.

Eugene gulped. "These friends of yours?" he asked Altair, worry echoing in his voice.

He shook his head, his eyes growing wide as the nine men surrounding them glared deeply with pure hatred at them, wanting to kill them. "No, these are the other Templar that I killed. He's brought them, or at least their spirits, back and now they're obeying him," he nodded up at Al Mualim, who cackled loudly, throwing back his head.

"And I don't think they're gonna be in a forgiving mood," Eugene said, whipping out his shorter blade, though he knew his skill with it was going to be useless against nine of these men.

Al Mualim chuckled and pointed down at the two with his hand as if he was a commander ordering his troops forward, which he was in a way, but rather than command an army of people who were in their own state of mind, these soldiers surrounding Altair and Eugene were under his total control.

"Now, destroy them!" he commanded.

Rapunzel gasped. "Eugene! Altair!" she exclaimed fearfully.

One thing was for sure now: it was about to turn deadly.