He wakes up, and at first it's like nothing even happened. The room is exactly the same as the one he's used to seeing, and so for a second, he doesn't realize what's missing. And then he remembers. The apple- after everything that's happened, the apple is gone.
Altair mumbles a curse, because he's been having a really bad couple of days, and this is exactly what he does not need right now. But it only takes a minute to see that no, there's nowhere the apple could have fallen or rolled, that it's just gone. Which is going to be difficult to explain.
But he doesn't have much time to think about it because there are so many other things to worry about. The order is in chaos, and the dead and injured have not even been fully counted yet. There are things to do, and somehow Altair is the one left doing them. He doesn't have more than a moment to himself until a few hours after sunset. No one quite makes the decision that it's time to stop for the day, there's just a moment when he looks around and realizes that all is quiet- for now.
He's down by the training ring, not for any particular reason, just because he finds himself with a restless itch to be outside, and this is the first place he comes to. He's only been there a few minutes, though, before he realizes there's someone walking up behind him. He feels them more than hears them, and turns to see Malik walking down the path.
"Safety and peace," Altair greets him, but for once Malik doesn't bother to reply.
"Busy day," he says instead.
"You have no idea," Altair answers. He feels like he hasn't slept in a week, an the longest rest he's had lately was after Desmond's body passed out in Lucy's trunk.
"Want to talk about it?"
"No," Altair says. There's no way he can share what he's seen with anyone and not sound insane.
"Good," says Malik. "I didn't come here to listen to you whine."
"Always good talking to you, Malik," Altair says.
"What do you plan to do with the apple?" Malik says, and Altair sighs.
"Nothing," he says. He can't lie to Malik, not after Al Mualim's betrayal. A few weeks ago, he would have laughed to think that Malik would be the one person at Masyaf he felt he could trust. But the world is a strange place. "I lost it."
"Already?" Malik demands. "Altair, you've had it for one day."
Altair doesn't mention that it was already gone when he woke up. There's a difference between being honest and presenting himself as a target for Malik's sharp tongue. "I have no idea where it's gone," he admits. "But I will find it."
"You'll find it," Malik repeats. "How do you expect to track it down when you couldn't even keep your eyes on it for a single day?"
"I'm still figuring it all out," Altair says. "But-" and he stops, because something's happening. He holds up his hands, and can't stop himself from staring as though he's never seen them before. His arms- all of his skin, for that matter, is gently glowing, pulsing with a soft golden light.
As he watches, the light grows brighter, resolving into lines that crisscross his body in a pattern that looks disturbingly familiar.
"The apple..." he says, and trails off. Malik is equally speechless, so after a long pause Altair tries again. "I think it has more secrets than we assumed."
"It's... merged with you," Malik says.
"Or something else." Altair doesn't feel safe making any assumptions right now. It's true that the patterns forming under his skin are the same as the ones he remembers seeing on the apple earlier, but his world- which used to be so solid under his feet- has been tilted so far sideways he doesn't know which way is up anymore. And every time he thinks he's starting to understand what's going on, another mystery presents itself.
The light begins to fade, and Altair looks over at Malik. In that look, there is understanding- not of the apple, but of each other. He knows that neither of them will rest until they understand what's going on. And he knows the time for secrets has passed. By the time the light has gone completely, retreating back into his body (waiting, Altair thinks), he is deep into the true story of what he's been through during the last few days.
-/-
And I thought this was going to be a short/simple story... but no seriously guys I have no idea what's going on here. Fun times.