A.N.: It has been a while, but...
Dun dun dun duuuun. Last chapter.
Now, for those who wonder what happened to Robert and his guard after Malik and Altair made their escape – here it is. Raheem gets his time to shine too. I really didn't think I'd be using him this much in this story. Really, I am against fan-made characters, but Raheem grew on me in a way, and I started to like him so much I might even approve of him as my official fan made AC character. He's pretty sweet and since his character got some development and spotlight, I would hate to see him go to waste.
I am also working on an actual cover for this story, so I might actually need to design Raheem, which is what I worry about the most. I don't want to screw him up with my bad design skills.
But anyway, without further ado, let us continue with the third and also the last (and shorter than the rest) chapter of this story.
3. Hope that Dies Last
Malik's head jerked up at the sudden smash of pottery in the living quarters. He held his breath and listened. A silent curse followed.
"Are you certain this is the place? There is no one here."
"No, this certainly is the place. I followed them all the way here. They entered through the roof."
Malik cursed under his breath. Robert's guards. When did they follow them?
He gently shook Raheem's shoulder. The boy blinked up at him, still half asleep.
"Master Malik… what…"
Malik quickly put a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet and shook his head. He pointed towards the hidden entrance. Raheem held his breath as well and listened.
"I have watched the place until you gathered reinforcements like you have ordered me to, Master Robert. Five more Assassins came in the afternoon, but they also left in the evening. There was no other movement. The boy, the dai and the master assassin are still inside."
Malik handed Raheem a dagger and gestured to him to stay back. The boy nodded and did as he was told. Malik pulled out his own knife.
"Stay hidden. And stick to the shadows."
Malik braced himself. He knew it was just a matter of time before Robert's guards find the passage. And true enough…
"Well, well."
The tip of the sword moved the tapestry aside. Malik's hand gripped the hilt of the blade tighter. Ten guards walked in, led by Robert. Malik stayed close to the ground and moved with the shadows. Any stupid move could cost them all their lives. He knew well enough that the room was too dark for Robert to see them in the shadows. However moonlight was falling through the only window, straight on Altair's face. He muttered something in his sleep and turned to his side. Malik clenched his teeth when Robert slowly walked to the sleeping assassin.
"Master assassin himself."
Robert's fingers slowly stroked Altair's cheek. Malik tried to tell himself to stay calm, but in reality he felt his blood boil. He silently hissed under his breath.
"Don't you touch him, don't you dare touch him…"
"Search the room. I would like to have a little chat with him in the meantime."
Malik signalled Raheem to stay back and to fight only if he needed to protect himself. He slowly crouched to the nearest guard, waiting for the right opportunity. He only needed to keep their attention away from the boy. He believed Altair could fight back if he needed to – nothing ever got past the master assassin and Malik was certain Altair also knew about the dagger he placed underneath his pillow. He would never leave him completely unprotected.
Robert smirked and wrapped his fingers tight around Altair's neck.
"I will enjoy this."
With full force he pinned his head down to bed. Altair immediately woke up and glanced at Robert.
"You're awake. Good."
Altair tried to push himself up. Robert merely gave another smirk and pushed him back down.
"Do not attempt to resist me, boy. I have you exactly where I want you."
Malik stopped behind the guard's back, still waiting for the opportunity to strike.
Come on, Altair…
"Did you really think you and your friends could get away from me so easily?"
Robert pushed Altair's head back, to leave his throat open. The assassin fought back, but Robert's grip kept him pinned down. Altair's right hand seemingly helplessly slipped under the pillow. Robert slowly leaned close to him and Altair's full body shivered as he whispered.
"That's it, boy. Just give up. The less you resist, the less painful it will be."
In a split-second all hell broke loose. Malik jumped up and drove his dagger through the oblivious guard's neck. Before the other nine could gather their wits he took down three more. The remaining six took defensive stances with their swords on the ready. Robert hissed.
"Stop him, damn it! He's just a cripple!"
Malik laughed as they charged. Many people have made the same mistake before. Crippled, yes. But the guards kept forgetting that he was still a crippled assassin. Two more fell under his blade. But even Malik knew there were way too many. Altair might have been able to defeat them himself. Might have. Finally he felt a blade touch his throat and someone twisted his arm, forcing him to drop the dagger and letting it rattle on the stone floor.
But before the Templars managed to compose themselves from the first blow, Altair pulled the dagger from underneath the pillow, turned around and tried to stab Robert. This time, however, the Templar grandmaster was ready. He caught his wrist and twisted him with enough force to make Altair drop the blade.
Robert's eyes slowly scanned them both.
"Well, well. Wonders never cease."
He turned to one of his remaining guards.
"Come here and tie up his hands. I want him completely powerless."
Altair's teeth clenched as he felt the guard pulling his hands on his back and tying them up so tight that the ropes bruised his wrists. Robert picked up his lost dagger, stood up, pulled the master assassin to his feet, buried his hand into his hair and forcefully tilted his head back to expose his throat.
"Let me see, which one of you to kill first…"
Altair shivered and gave it his all to break free as he felt the Templar's breath on his neck. His survival instinct was already kicking in. But the only thing he achieved was Robert tightening his grip and pulling his head further back. He gave a soft laugh and his lips gently brushed the assassin's throat.
"Resistance is futile, boy. It won't do you any good."
Malik jumped up, but multiple pairs of hands pushed him back down on his knees.
"Keep your dirty hands off him!"
Robert glanced back to him.
"Yes, I could do that, but…"
He placed the blade to Altair's throat and slowly ran it up all the way to his chin. He could feel the assassin's body tense up in anticipation of death.
"It is much more fun watching him squirm."
"Stop it…"
Altair tried to break free once more as Robert slowly applied the pressure, slowly piercing his skin.
"Stop it!"
"Malik, don't!"
Malik jumped up. Altair screamed. It all happened too fast. Robert gave his order to the guards.
"Get him. But don't kill him yet."
A blade pierced through his side, and the dai collapsed. He knew pain only seemed this unbearable. They made sure that the wound was not fatal. They wanted him to live a while longer. Altair tried to break free again to rush to his friend's side, but a knife on his throat reminded him that he would be of no use to Malik dead. He could only watch Malik lean on his arm, trying to pull himself back to his feet.
"Again."
"Stop it!"
This time sword slammed down and pierced through his shoulder. Malik didn't get up again. Altair would have broken down and fell to his knees sobbing, if it weren't for Robert forcing him to keep standing and watching his closest friend suffer.
"Tell me… how does it feel, watching your friends die? How does it feel, knowing that they are counting on you and there is absolutely nothing you can do to save them?"
Altair felt tears slowly trickling down his cheeks.
'Calm down, control your emotions. You're an assassin. You can't afford letting your emotions take hold.'
"You couldn't save them back at the Temple, and you can't save him now. Finish him."
Malik turned his head. He could already see the guard lifting his sword. That was it, then. Robert will break Altair by killing him in front of his eyes. He slowly closed his eyes, expecting death.
All of the sudden panic broke out again. Malik opened his eyes to see what was going on.
Raheem was clinging to the guard with all his might, stabbing the dagger in his shoulder. The guard was giving his all to shake him off, but the boy was holding on to the hilt like his life depended on it. Finally the guard managed to shake him off by throwing the novice over his shoulder and sending him flying. The boy's body hit the ground hard with a sickening crack. He winced, wrapping his arm around him and letting out a weak sob. The guard removed the dagger from his shoulder and got the sword ready.
"You know… it is about time you lot stop popping out of holes like little rats you are."
Robert slammed his fist into Altair's ribs, causing him to wince and knocked him down with a well-aimed blow with the hilt of the dagger to the back of his neck.
"Stay down. I'll deal with you later."
He pulled out his own sword and walked to the boy, who pulled himself to a sitting position, staring back at Robert with a defiant look. Robert slowly lifted his chin with the tip of his sword.
"This little game of hide and seek is starting to bore me, so let us finish it. Let us finish off this little rats' nest."
Malik finally dragged himself up on his knees.
"Stop it… let him go, he is just a boy…"
His fingers wrapped around the tip of the dagger the guard dropped after Raheem had stabbed him. Just before Robert turned to look back at him he slipped it behind his back and pushed it into Altair's hand. The assassin got the message. Malik was just trying to buy them time. This was not over yet. Ignoring the pain, he managed to push the blade between the ropes.
"And children are the most dangerous of creatures, are they not, Malik? You lot know all about this. It is far safer for me to finish him off when he is still just a helpless boy than to let him grow up into a full-fledged Assassin."
Malik's teeth clenched.
"I know you are here for me and Altair, leave him out of this."
"Ah…"
Robert smirked.
"Just that simple, is it? You've grown fond of him. He reminds you of him, does he not?"
Altair glanced back to Robert. There was still time. Until Robert took the time to gloat about his victory, nothing was yet lost. He slowly and patiently kept moving the blade, slowly but surely tearing through the ropes holding his hands tied on his back. Up, down. Up, down. He could feel the binds loosening, cut by cut.
"But nothing has changed, has it? Half a year, and you will not be able to save him either. You are just as pathetically weak as you were back then in the Temple. I killed Kadar in front of you back then. Now, I will kill this little brat, and there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop me."
Malik sent a worried glance to Altair.
'What are you doing you novice, hurry up…'
To his surprise, Altair was already gone. Only a split-second later, Robert was crying out with a dagger hilt-deep in his side. Altair pulled the dagger out just in time, as the four remaining guards charged at him. Altair turned back to face them and the look in his eyes alone made them stop in their tracks. One by one they fell, and Altair turned back to Robert without a word. The Templar grandmaster had realized he had lost control of the situation and started his retreat.
"This isn't over, heretic! I'll be back with an army, you can't stop me!"
Before he could make three full steps Altair pinned him down, with a dagger to his throat. Robert smirked.
"What can you do? Even if you kill me now, it will never fix your mistakes."
Altair's teeth clenched. He stabbed the dagger into Robert's left shoulder and tore his arm apart by its full length.
"This is for Malik, who you have taken his arm and career away from…"
He lifted his arm and stabbed Robert's chest multiple times.
"This is for Kadar, lying dead below Solomon's Temple…"
Robert was long dead, but Altair didn't stop. Malik slowly got up to his feet. He felt Raheem cling to his arm and bury his face into his robes. He had never seen Altair like this.
"This is for all the pain you've caused them both…"
Altair literally tore Robert's face apart. Malik walked over to him.
"And this… this is for…"
"That's enough, novice!"
Before Altair could stab again, Malik's hand wrapped tight around his wrist. For a couple of seconds Altair tried to pull it free. All of the weight pressing down on him, all the pain he felt, all the hatred welling up inside him, he wanted to let it all go and crash down on Robert's dead body.
"Malik, let go!"
"Altair, stop!"
Before Altair knew it Malik swirled him around and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"It's over… Altair, it's over, he's gone."
Altair finally dropped the knife and let it rattle on the ground.
"He's gone…"
"Yes, Altair. He's gone."
"I see… that's good…"
Malik gently rubbed his back.
"Everything will be fine, Altair…"
Altair shivered and clung to him, buried his face into Malik's shoulder and cried. All the weight of the past months was suddenly lifted from his shoulders and he felt as light as a feather.
"Malik, Malik I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I would've gone to the other world and brought him back to you if I could… If I could trade my life in exchange for his, I gladly would… I know… I know how much you miss him and it's all my fault… I know I can never right the wrongs I've done, I know I should have been the one to suffer in your place… if I had known the damage my arrogance would've caused, I would never have…"
"I know, Altair…"
Malik gently buried his hand in Altair's hair and pulled him closer. Altair kept holding on to him.
"Had I known what my words spoken in a fit of anger would've caused, I would never have said any of those things. When you came to me, asking for my forgiveness… I simply wasn't ready. You have gone past your pride, but I just couldn't leave it behind. I've longed to see him, even if just for a fleeting moment for such a long time, I have forgotten to love the living. I have forgotten what was important to me. How much your welfare means to me, how much you mean to me. Had I known my words would make you walk straight into Robert's arms, hoping you would make amends by giving up your life to him – and no, Altair, do not look at me like that, I know exactly what you were trying to do – had I known what you would've done I would've thought before I spoke. And maybe, had I thought back then, I would've seen the man behind the façade, begging for a hand to hold, pleading for some words of kindness. We've both done mistakes, Altair. There's nothing we can do to fix those mistakes. The only thing we can do is to let go of the past, and just… just live with it, right?"
Altair sobbed again and hugged his brother tight.
"Yes… Let's live with it…"
Malik gently patted his head.
"Silly novice…"
Altair laughed through the tears. Malik managed a smile and got up. He pulled Altair to his feet and walked back to the bureau to tend to Raheem's wounds as well as his own.
-10 years later-
"Make sure it does not go to your head, novice!"
"Of course, master Malik."
"And don't you dare forget everything I have taught you."
"I understand, master."
"And above all…"
Raheem looked up at his mentor. Malik gently laid his hand on top of his head. For a while they looked at each other, a bond of mentor and student evident between them.
"Above all, be careful. Do not die on me. Promise me that."
Raheem sadly smiled.
"This promise I cannot make, master Malik."
"I know. I know you can't."
Malik sighed.
"You are a master assassin now, little brother. I put faith in your abilities. Altair is counting on you too. Do your best."
Raheem gave a last respectful bow, turned and ran to his two companions. Malik could not keep himself from seeing Kadar in him. He turned to return to the keep, when he noticed the grandmaster gracefully walk down the slope to join him.
"You've come to say goodbye, brother?"
"Yes…"
Malik watched the three young Assassins jump on their horses' backs and ride off towards Damascus.
"Have no worries. He is not as arrogant as someone I used to know."
"No, he is not."
Malik smiled in response.
"It was such a long time ago."
"Yes. Seems like forever."
Malik slowly walked away towards the keep's entrance.
"Do not lose yourself in memories, grandmaster Altair. You have some paperwork to do."
"I know, I know…"
Altair laughed and leaned on the wooden fence to watch the sunset. He'll return to his paperwork, he promised. He'll return to his paperwork, but before he does he wanted to say goodbye to the boy himself.
Unintentionally, Kadar's smiling face came to mind.
-The End-
A.N.: Well, this is it. My first AC fanfic.
First of all, I would like to thank to you all for all your amazing support. I was so glad to see so many supportive comments, and I am so glad so many people enjoyed reading this. I've got so many people writing that this brought them to tears, and if it touched you, then I'm really glad.
Even though Altair turned out slightly out of character, I still enjoyed writing this. For a first attempt, I'd say that this is overall good. Not super bad, not super good, just good. I'm looking forward to writing more of AC, and I hope you guys will enjoy as well.
Cya
-Jody14