Chapter 7: Mohawk River
Mohawk tribe Bonfire dance song: Chant by Phil Thornton
Review Replies
Yeeter of ligma: Shin's eagle vision is so overpowered and the Wendigos chasing them, was one of the best chapters so far.
ThermalsniperN7: Wendigos won't be the only cryptids that appear in this story.
Dragon Emperor0: Nor the only supernatural beings to show up either. And you're right, Shin's Eagle Vision is OPAF. That's the point.
-Joshua's apartment, present day-
Joshua slowly woke up again to another pretty good morning, when he got another memory flash via Bleeding Effect as he opened his eyes.
It was of Shin, raising and playing with a baby Liberty and a small pup that looked like a Wolfdog. It was small, brief too. But it definitely left him with an impression.
He went about his morning like he usually did as he wondered what to make of it. Kali and Trevor were playing with each other while River watched as he chilled out on the couch.
"Does it make me wonder if having a dog would be a good thing for the hideout. Guard wise that is…" The young man noted as he started making pancakes, and other such breakfast goodies, when he felt two slender arms wrap around his waist and two pillowy mounds pressed against his back.
"That does sound like a good idea. Care to share how you got it?" Ororo whispered into his ear, her nude form pressed against him.
"Still thinking about it…" The man shrugged as he turned to his girlfriend and kissed her. "Good morning." He smiled.
"Are you feeling better after that unexpected fright from yesterday's session?" She asked, pulling back from him.
"Yeah. I think I got it out of my system." The man nodded as he tended to the pancakes. "I just hope there aren't any more unexpected cryptid surprises like that." He added.
"Me too." The woman nodded as they started eating their breakfast.
(Later)
-New York Brotherhood HQ, New Sanctuary-
"Gotta admit, the Sanctuary is looking better every day we finish working on it." Joshua noted as he finished helping Mael get his things set up in the Sanctuary after moving them from the cabin.
The group had decided to move the Animus 3.0 and the rest of their gear into the newly renovated Sanctuary, saving the cabin as a secondary warehouse and retreat for smaller operations.
"Yeah, and less of an agitation to my nose." Calvin nodded as he looked around, feeling pretty pleased with how clean the old HQ was now after three centuries.
"Definitely a good set of digs for new potential members of our new Brotherhood." Ororo added.
"And it means I can bring in some of my friends from university for tech support." Sarah chimed in, setting up said tech.
"Say, not a bad idea. I could even recruit some of my classics enthusiast friends too. Could be helpful." Mael nodded as he finished setting up his work station at one of the desks. "Of course an electric kettle for tea and food storage is a definite must, I'm sure." He added.
"Oh yeah. That's a given." Joshua nodded as he helped Ororo set up her workspace. "And we can see what other secrets this place has too." He added.
"And there." The Platinum blonde said as she finished setting up the Animus and computers. "Alright, Josh, you're all set." She told him.
"Alright, let's see what my bloodline has for us this time." The subject in question mused as he sat in the high tech chair and braced himself.
Animus Active
Searching for relevant memory clusters
Sequence 4: Mohawk River.
Memories Available: 4
Memory 1: Chant
Synchronize with selected memory?
[Yes/No]
[Yes]
Synchronizing…
-Oklahoma, 1859-
The scene reopened to the same forest from before as Shin, Jaren, and their new companion Ravi:nhiòte–or Raven–rode on their horses to a settlement that the Native girl called home. As they got closer, they could see smoke rising in the distance, indicating a settlement was close.
"We're almost there." Raven told the two Assassins.
"So what can you tell us about your tribe?" Shin asked as he rode next to her. "Word is the Mohawks are pretty close with the Brotherhood–or at least, so I'm told." He added.
"That's more or less the case." The girl nodded. "Ever since one of our own joined them, we've been allies of the Brotherhood. I think you know the one that joined you as Connor Kenway." She added.
"Did you know him?" The boy asked.
"I did. He was my grandfather, after all." Raven nodded.
"Your grandfather?" Jaren questioned as he caught up to them. "Connor had three kids, who's your parent?" The marshal questioned.
"My mother is Io:nhiòte, Connor's youngest daughter." Raven replied as the tribe came into view.
"Sounds like I'm not the only one who has quite a lineage to live up to." Shin noted.
"That so?" The girl asked as they rode into the current settlement.
The place was a fairly fortified place with a log wall that was reinforced by stone and what looked to be sod and concrete–possibly Roman style with how easy it would be for them to get the necessary pumice–and was populated by either TP tents, small but sturdy movable huts, or even straight up cabins.
There was also a corral where the horses of the camp as well, which they turned towards.
In addition, the two could see young boys practicing archery, spear throwing, or shooting, while women were weaving baskets, working on foraging, making food, clothing and medicine, or simply taking care of their children.
Lastly though, they could see the tribal elders speaking amongst themselves with a woman who seemed to be in her thirties, and shamans telling stories to younger children or chanting as dances were going on.
Shin had a smile on his face as he looked around, feeling a sense of peace overtake him. Liberty felt it, too, since she felt brave enough to look around curiously at the tribe.
Jaren meanwhile, seemed to be a bit wary as some of the men–specifically the warriors–weren't exactly giving him the best looks, probably because of his marshal badge.
"Ah, Ravi:nhiòte. You've returned from your hunt, and you brought two people with you." An elderly woman said as she approached the three.
"Hello, Tiny Mouse." The girl said as they arrived at the corral and dismounted their horses. "These two are visiting from the capital, they're from the Brotherhood." She added, gesturing to the two gunslingers.
"I see. Welcome to our tribe." Tiny Mouse said in a welcoming tone.
"Thank you, ma'am." Shin nodded politely, Liberty letting out a happy chirp. This made the elderly woman look at the eaglet and smile warmly at her.
"We accidentally happened across a pair of Wendigos on our way to our destination. It was… as terrifying as the Algonquin people told of." Jaren stated, shivering at the chilling experience.
"I am sorry you had that unfortunate experience." The tribal woman nodded sympathetically.
"Unfortunately, one of them got away." Raven sighed as she checked her bow. "So we'll need to keep up our guard." She added.
"Which means we need to tell your tribe leaders as soon as we can." Jaren nodded, checking Last Word as well.
"Yes. Come with me to the chief so you can inform her as well." Tiny Mouse nodded before the group headed for the chief.
"Her?" Shin questioned.
"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Raven said as they approached the elders they saw earlier who were talking to the same woman. "My mother is the Chief." She added.
"... That would've been good to know." The young gunslinger said flatly. It didn't take long for them to find their way to Raven's mother, though she was busy talking with someone else.
"Mother." The girl said as she walked up to the group, allowing the woman to take a pause from the clearly draining conversation she was in.
"Thank you for your council, Elders. I'll be sure to keep it in mind." Io:nhiòte said as she faced her daughter. "Ravi:nhiòte, thank Aniu you're safe. How was your hunt? Successful I hope?" She asked with a sigh of relief.
"Partially. One of them was an elder and it got away." Raven replied with an agitated sigh as she remembered what had happened.
"This is to be expected, those are crafty creatures." The woman told her before noticing the two Assassins. "What are a marshal and his deputy doing here?" She questioned.
"We had the misfortune of encountering the Wendigo in question, and we feel drained from it." Jaren replied.
"And so you need a place to recover. This is understandable." Io:nhiòte nodded in understanding. "But do understand that you can't simply laze about here during your stay." She added sternly.
"We'll find ways to help out around here. If we don't, then one of us'll go stir crazy." Shin joked, trying to ease the tension, which must've worked if the chuckles he got were anything to go by.
"Good then." The woman nodded as Jaren decided to go check on the horses and Shin decided to and set Liberty down so he could feed her. "An Eagle? How did you come across it?" She questioned as the boy fed the raptor some baby rats–specifically pinkies.
"Her nest was being attacked by poachers. The rest of her family was killed before we reached them, so I decided to adopt her." Shin replied with a sigh as Liberty ate her food without a care in the world.
"The poachers were dealt with, I hope?" The chief asked, her fists clenched in anger at the mere notion of attacking an Eagle nest.
"Oh yeah. They're dead." The younger Assassin nodded as he rubbed the eaglet's head gently. "Who's a little symbol of freedom? You are, yes you are!" He cooed to the little fledgling as she kept gorging herself happily.
"Hey Shin, I was wondering if you'd–Aw, so that's what was in your jacket." Raven said as she noticed the bird while approaching the two.
"Yeah. She's adorable on principle." Shin grinned, which made Raven laugh. "What's up?" He asked.
"I'm about to go hunting for something to eat for everyone, wanna come with?" She asked.
"Sure. Maybe I can learn a thing or two out here in the process." Shin nodded as he gave Liberty to Io:nhiòte. "Mind watching her?" He asked.
"Of course." She nodded as she took the fledgling, who chirped.
Sequence 7 Memory 1: Chant complete
Memory Synchronized.
Memory 2: The Eagle and the Wolfdog
Start Memory?
[Yes/No]
[Yes]
…
Incoming Transmission.
Pausing Synchronization…
"What's going on?" Joshua asked as his screen became pixelated.
"There are some puzzles here that need to be solved by you. They shouldn't be too hard, hopefully." Sarah replied.
"Uploading them to the Animus now." Calvin said as the transmission started.
"Hello? Is this thing working? Fuck. Well, if you're listening to this. This is Desmond Miles." A voice said, causing everyone to react with shock.
"No fucking way! Desmond?! That's who the DM calling card stands for?" Calvin gasped after hearing his cousin's voice.
"Apparently so. Let's see what he has to say here." Mael commented.
"I've uncovered something massive in regards to the Precursors–the Isu–during my time in the Gray box. I've compiled it into twenty one encrypted file fragments." Desmond continued. "Minerva, Juno, Jupiter, Mercury, they're not the only Isu tribes. I found out what happened to one of them–find it, hopefully you can make sense of it. This is Desmond, signing off." He added as the transmission ended, and the puzzle started.
"Okay, let's see what I can get from this…" Joshua muttered as he got to work on the puzzle. It was a simple one that had him twisting rings to reconstruct a picture.
Prompt: This Native American chief is famous for the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
"That looks like a picture of the Hunkpapa Lakota chief Sitting Bull." Mael noted. "Or at least pieces of it. Let me get a reference picture…" He added, uploading said picture.
"Thanks. That should help." Joshua nodded as he continued working. "Got it. Passcode: 20227788." He added, entering it in, causing an image of a technological looking key in the shape of a Feather–right as a video started playing.
It showed two Isu, one of which looked like a form of Quetzalcoatl, which meant the other had to be his sister, Quetzalpetlatl. Both stood before some kind of elixir that no one could identify visually. Both of them then drank from it before the video ended.
"You guys saw that too, right?" Joshua asked with a stunned voice.
"So this is what inspired the Aztec myth." Mael noted. "Those two weren't brother and sister at all. In fact, it looked like they were in wedding clothes." He added.
"So the myth of drunken incest was really just an Isu wedding that was sent through millennia of mythological telephone…" Calvin surmised.
"Someone probably misinterpreted it as incest somewhere down the line." Ororo added.
"Let me get the second file." Sarah said as she started uploading the next one.
"Found the second one? Good. Keep going." Desmond's voice said as the file opened.
This particular puzzle had a different plan in mind. Specifically, he had to look for something in a picture.
Prompt: These have one similarity. PICK it out.
The options included: Adam and Eve in Eden. The last supper. Johnny Appleseed. Plato talking with Socrates. Hippolyta and the race. The birth of Aphrodite. And lastly the Judgment of Paris.
"Okay, what am I gonna be looking for in all of these…?" The bespectacled man muttered as he looked through each picture for something they all had in common.
After a few minutes of mental debate, he noticed that the most common theme amongst the majority of the pictures was apples. Picking these out, an image of five Apples of Eden appeared–surrounding a sort of advanced key that almost looked like a feather!
"This image… Could it be a hint as to how the Last Feather of Quetzalcoatl was created?!" Ororo gasped as she looked at the image on the screen.
"Or how it functions. Hold on, here comes another video." Calvin said as the next video played.
It was of the two Isu walking hand and hand to a machine that looked like an Animus, before lying down in it as the Feather was placed on the controls and activated.
"What could this mean?" Sarah questioned as the transmission ended.
"I'm not sure. But it could mean that these two aren't as dead as we thought." Mael commented.
"Was that the last one?" Joshua asked.
"Yeah, we'll keep an eye out for any more." Ororo nodded as they loaded him back inside the program.
Resuming Memory…
-Oklahoma, 1859-
In the forest, Shin and Raven walk on their way out of the village to do their hunting, forgoing any horse travel to not scare any animals.
As they went, they made sure their steps were light and looked out for any twigs that might give their positions away if stepped on. Suddenly, they heard the telltale sound of an elk nearby.
"I think we found our food." Shin whispered to his hunting partner, who nodded.
"Come on. Let's go find it." She replied quietly before they started making their way to their prey.
Deciding to try and get up high, Shin decided to Freerun up the trees above the elk, swinging on the branches of one just above it.
Getting a good position ready, he held up his rifle and aimed right for the area inside the animal's flank–looking through its flesh to its ribcage with his Eagle Vision.
"Rack 'em up." He smirked as he fired two shots at the walking lump of venison, making it drop instantly.
"Nice work. A little loud, but still." Raven commented as Shin leapt down from his branch. It wasn't that high up, so it wasn't a big deal. "Come on, let's get this back to camp before the sun goes down." She added, before stopping as both of them heard an animal yelp in the distance.
"What the-? One of us should probably check that out." Shin stated as he looked in the direction of the noise.
"Think you can make it back on your own if you decide to check what caused that?" Raven asked.
"Yeah. I can handle myself." The gunslinger nodded.
"Sure. I'll see you then." The girl nodded, before she handed him a Tomahawk. One that had a head in the shape of the Brotherhood's A.
"Thanks." The young Assassin told her before he started freerunning his way to where the noise came from. As he got closer, he could hear what sounded like distressed whines. When he finally arrived, he saw what looked like a wolf cub caught in a trap.
The cub looked at Shin with a fearful look, thinking he was here to kill it. The young Assassin looked at the trap the cub was in, and without a second thought, walked to it before kneeling down and opening it, setting the cub free. Said animal's look became one of surprise as it got clear of the trap and looked at the human that saved it.
"Here you go, pal." Shin said as he took one of his handkerchiefs and wrapped on the pup's paw, and then gave him some smoked sausage he had on him.
The pup eagerly ate the food and took the water from the canteen offered to him by his savior. As this was going on, Shin quickly took notice of the pup's appearance.
For one, he was abnormally large for a pup that was probably only a month or even half that in age, and had less pointed ears, they even seemed droopy almost. Additionally his head reminded Shin of dogs rather than wolves, like a great pyrenees or a Labrador.
This was compounded by the fact that it had white and almost yellow fur like the two breeds, and a pair of brown eyes.
With these observations in mind, a realization hit him, he was looking at a Wolfdog.
"Poor fella, you must've gotten left behind for one reason or another." Shin sighed sadly as the pup finished his meal before looking up at his human savior. "This trap was meant for a Bobcat, it probably lured you in by mistake." He added as he helped the creature up.
Right at that instant, the pup went on high alert, and then the whole forest started going quiet, until no sound could be heard. You could have heard a pin drop.
Seconds later, a loud and very inhuman scream echoed through the air, causing Shin to tense up as he looked around warily along with his Wolfdog pup.
"Yeah, that is definitely our cue to leave…!" He whispered before he started running for the camp. He didn't feel like sticking around in case that scream came from another Wendigo, thank you very much!
(Later)
Shin arrived back at camp with his Wolfdog companion in his arms, completely out of breath due to running like a bat out of hell.
"Made it…!" He panted in relief as he set the pup down, Jaren running over to him–noticing how pale he was.
"What happened to you?" He asked as he looked his deputy over.
"I found this Wolfdog pup in a Bobcat trap out in the woods after killing an elk. When I got him free, I heard what I think may have been a Wendigo scream, so I ran all the way back here since I didn't feel like putting up with that mess." Shin replied, panting heavily as he tried to calm his heart. It was at this point Raven walked up to him and spotted his Wolfdog pup.
"Is this little fella who you found in the woods?" She asked as she kneeled down to inspect him. "Better get him to some healers so he can get patched up." She added.
"Right…" He nodded as he finally caught himself. "There was also a possible Wendigo somewhere out there, so be careful next time you go out." He added as he drank some water from his canteen.
"Probably the same one from earlier, those things do have a tendency to hold a grudge." Raven nodded as she took the pup in her arms. "Come on, little guy. Let's get you healed up." The girl smiled as the three went to the healers.
Memory 2: Eagle and the Wolfdog
Synced.
Continue to next memory?
[Yes/No]
[Yes]
Memory 3: Visions
Synchronizing…
-Oklahoma, that night-
That night, the elk that Shin shot and killed was swiftly dressed and portioned out into primals of meat for those in charge of cooking to prepare, along with a bear, a few rabbits, and several fish.
It was indeed a lot of food, but it was definitely welcome with the fruit and other cultivated goods that they had on hand.
Right now though, Shin was busy feeding Liberty again and giving both her and the Wolfdog pup–whom he decided to call Fenrir–water. Said pup took his time gnawing one of the Elk legs.
While this was going on, a bonfire raged as food was passed around, the shamans chanting or playing flutes while others danced while dressed in animal skins.
Shin wasn't weirded out by this, though. He'd seen it many times before with his Algonquin neighbors, so he understood its importance and what it was about. Raven sat next to him as the shamans did their work.
"You seem used to this." She noted.
"I saw it with some other tribes, so I understand the purpose of this ritual." Shin replied.
"Really? That's interesting." The girl nodded as Io:nhiòte approached them, handing them some food after doing the same with Jaren.
"Jaren tells me that you were initiated as an Assassin a year ago." The woman said. "Is Bowery still the Brotherhood's mentor?" She questioned, sitting next to them.
"He is. He's doing a good job from my perspective." Shin nodded.
"Good to hear." The chief nodded as the ritual continued. "It's nice to know that the Brotherhood is still doing wonderfully under his care." She added with a smile.
Shin was silent for a moment as Fenrir continued gnawing on his bone and Liberty ate and drank, before something occurred to him.
"If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you or one of your siblings the Mentor? Didn't your dad start the Brotherhood back up?" He asked.
"He did, but at the time my brother and sister were not trained to become Assassins, I was. I was far too young, so my father instead groomed his older pupil, Bowery, to become the next Mentor." Io:nhiòte explained.
"So it was more a matter of who was more experienced. Am I understanding that correctly?" The young Assassin asked, and got a nod in return. "That actually makes sense, when I think about it." He mused.
"That being said, I believe being the 'Mentor' of my own little Brotherhood suits me just fine." The woman said as she deployed her own hidden blade and turned it into a side position.
"... I really need to look up some upgrades when I get back to DC." The boy mused.
"What did you have to do for your initiation, exactly?" Raven asked.
"I had to drink an elixir that made me have visions. Ones that I couldn't make sense of, specifically." The young gunslinger replied. Raven and her mother shared a look as they took that information in.
"So, that's what they've been using…" Her mother sighed. "Oh Leroy. What're you doing?" She sighed.
"Is there something I should know?" The young gunslinger asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The elixir you drank? It's an herbal concoction used in the South American Brotherhood, which was adopted by the French Brotherhood as well." She explained. "It's a concoction called Ayahuasca. It causes hallucinations." She added.
"I figured something was up with that." Shin muttered before looking at them. "Is there a way for me to even try to make sense of the hallucinations I had when I drank it?" He asked.
"That would depend on what you saw." Raven replied.
Shin took a moment to recall his memories and gather his thoughts, and recounted what he'd seen when he drank the concoction from beginning to end.
The two tribal women had looks of shock, though Io:nhiòte seemed the most surprised.
"That's… More detailed than it should be." The girl stated, still shocked.
"How do you mean?" The gunslinger questioned.
"What she means is that if your hallucinations were that detailed, then it was more than just that." The old woman stated. "We have a way to help you make sense of it, should you wish to undergo this method." She added, making her offer.
"What is it?" The boy asked as he ate more of his food, taking a quick swig from his flask of whiskey.
"There's a ritual the young men of our tribe undertake to become warriors. The visions they experience help them learn things, so it could help you figure out what your previous hallucinations mean if they were actually visions." Raven explained.
"What will I have to do?" The Assassin questioned.
"You must stay in a cave for several days and meditate. Once you've made sense of your previous visions, then you will be allowed to exit that cave." The middle aged chief explained. "Those who had visions before usually become a shaman, though given your profession, you will be exempt from this." She added.
"Hopefully it'll help you figure out what you need to do." Raven nodded. Shin sat and listened for a minute or two, looking down at Fenrir and Liberty.
"Yeah. I hope so too." He nodded, petting his animal companions.
(The next day)
Shin sighed as he went inside a cave that Io:nhiòte led him to the following morning, only bringing some supplies, his weapons and the Tomahawk that Raven gave him.
"Let's hope this works." The gunslinger said to himself as he made his way into the cavern. It was an interesting place, to be sure. It looked like a naturally occurring optical illusion that would confuse other people with weak minds and make them dizzy. If it weren't for gravity, one wouldn't be able to tell which way was up.
At least, that's how it looked in certain areas of it. Deciding to Freerun, Shin vaulted from stalactites to stalagmites until he reached an open area where he could sit down.
Getting into a cross legged seated position, he pulled out his father's rosary and did a quick prayer–before starting to meditate. This continued for several hours, and nothing happened. So he decided to get up.
As he did this, Joshua, through Shin, saw another one of Desmond's glyphs. This one being in the shape of a simple cave drawing of a mammoth.
"Another glyph. Record that for later." Mael instructed.
"On it." Sarah replied, recording the glyph.
Back in the simulation, Shin continued meditating for several more days, until he finally had a vision.
It was of four things:
1. Five golden and glowing orbs, which looked like the Apples of Eden that he read about in the Sanctuary, from the writings of Altair Ibn La'ahad and Ezio Auditore. They were surrounded by an emerald Feather-like key with veins of gold. (A key that the Modern day crew thought looked like the Key of Vector Sigma)
These things were likely what was in the golden city he saw, which could have been connected to the vision of that winged serpent.
2. A canyon where the two figures of light and dark were revealed. The figure of light was still obscure–but Shin could tell that he held the Last Word. And the dark figure was Dredgen Yor, his weapon–Thorn–still as sick as ever. This meant that someone using Last Word was going to get gunned down, but he didn't know where–or when.
3. Next was a war zone, an actual war zone. A vision that showed the country torn in half by fire, brimstone and gunpowder–a Civil War. And looming above it all–was a gang of five hooded figures, led by a man, carrying a staff of Eden.
4. Last, was the true identity of the bat-like apparition. It was Camazotz, a bat that had been adorned with golden ornaments. It was in some kind of city with buildings of gold, and he could see it glaring at a lone figure that stood before it with an air of defiance. A figure, gripping the Last Word–its barrel blazing gold like a thousand suns.
Shin gasped as he came to his senses, shaking his head as he was finally able to think straight, listening to the chatter of the bats that were all around him as he gathered his thoughts… Until the cave became quiet–too quiet.
In the silence, a cold wind suddenly blew through the cave, causing frost to form around the walls and icicles on the ceiling, whistling through the emptiness until–an all too familiar cry rang out in echoes.
'Oh fuck me!' Shin cursed as he got to his feet and whipped out his pistols as a familiar figure skulked into view. The elder Wendigo looked at him with nothing but utter hatred and hunger as he stood across the cave from him.
"Shit, how am I gonna beat this thing? I don't have anything silver." The boy cursed, before his eyes caught a glimpse of what looked like a silver vein right across from where the beast was standing. "Perfect." He said as he took out one of his smoke bombs and waited for the creature to charge him, before hurling it to cover his escape and parkoured over to the silver vein.
The symbol of greed and famine looked around, trying to figure out where its prey had gone in the smoke before it heard footsteps to its left right as Shin reached the vein. It let out another cry and charged, ready to feast on yet another morsel.
Acting quick, Shin shot a piece of silver free, one that was in the shape of a jagged makeshift knife, before pointing his pistols at the beast and shooting its kneecaps out–causing it to fall to the ground, kicking up the snow that accumulated from its arrival.
The beast tried to get up, but the pain in its legs was too great. And so, it was forced to crawl towards Shin, who grabbed the piece of silver and made sure to grab it by one of its antlers and force it to look him in the eye. Without so much as a whisper, the Assassin stabbed the cannibalistic monster in the head, killing it instantly. Its flesh disintegrated in frost, but its skull remained as proof of Shin's victory.
"That's for all the people you ate, you bastard." He grunted before he packed up his supplies and left the cave, stabbed Wendigo skull in hand.
Memory 3: Visions
Synchronized
Memory 4: Deus Vult
Synchronize Memory?
[Yes/No]
[No]
"Why'd you stop?" Calvin asked as Joshua pulled out.
"I need a second." The bespectacled man sighed. "Let's try doing that puzzle." He amended.
"Alright. Give me a moment to set it up for you." Sarah replied before the puzzle appeared.
"The Isu are a lot like us humans. I can see that now." Desmond's voice said again. "They laugh, they cry, they love–and even hate. Makes you wonder how it all went wrong for them, huh?" He added as the puzzle started.
This time, it was of famous times throughout history that centered around the concepts Desmond brought up.
Like the very first Thanksgiving for example. A painting of it was shown and Joshua had to find the Piece of Eden that was hidden in it with infrared–and he found it in the coat pocket of Captain Miles Standish.
The next image was of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette with their children. The piece of Eden for this one was hidden under the hat of one of the children.
The third and final image was of Joseph betrayed by his brothers. The piece of Eden there was in the pocket of Joseph's coat of many colors.
After that, Joshua had gotten the code for the file.
The clip that was shown was of the two Isu letting out pained yells as they held hands, and some sort of genetic memory material was being pumped into a pair of small tanks beside the advanced looking Animus.
The modern crew couldn't make out what exactly was in the tanks' contents, but some faint lighting did reveal some silhouettes. After that, the video ended.
"Hooold it. Does this mean what I think it means? Quetzalcoatl and Quetzalpetlatl cloned themselves to escape the apocalypse like the Norse Isu did?" Sarah questioned, recalling what Basim had said to Shaun and Rebecca weeks earlier, which they heard about.
"It could be. This is Precursor tech, so there's bound to be more to this than we're seeing currently." Ororo stated.
"Think this'll be a good time to stop?" Joshua asked.
"Well, we have one more memory to go. Unless you feel like the bleeding effect is really kicking in." Calvin said idly, amending the last part.
"We should probably end it here before it starts kicking in more than it already is." Joshua replied.
"Wait, what?" Ororo asked, doing a double take.
"I'll explain when I'm out." The man told her.
Synchronization Paused.
Sequence 7 Memory 4: Deus Vult
-Hold-
Saving Progress…
Saved.
Ejecting Subject…
-American Brotherhood Sanctuary, Present Day-
Joshua sighed as he sat back up, his head aching a bit as he took some medication and water. "Ugh, it feels like it's gonna get more irritating." He groaned, the 'flavor' of the medication making him blanch.
"What was that you said about the bleeding effect kicking in more than it already is?" Ororo asked with a hand on her hip.
"You remember that idea I had of us getting a dog for the hideout? Yeah, I got that from a memory of Shin playing with Fenrir." Joshua explained. "I'm not sure if it's getting worse or not, but I'd like to avoid taking any chances." He added.
"I've had memory flashes like that before." Calvin told him. "Trust me, it'll pass." He added, drinking a glass of warm tea that Mael fixed.
"Meantime, why not enjoy some tea to calm your nerves?" The taller man suggested as he poured a glass for himself, Ororo, Sarah and then Joshua.
"I'll take that offer." The second tallest of the group nodded as he accepted his glass. One sip was all it took for him to know it was the good kind of tea. "Can't believe that Shin actually managed to kill a Wendigo like that. He was really lucky that silver vein was there." He remarked.
"Wouldn't say lucky, there's a reason why so many people went west for gold and silver." Sarah noted, taking a sip of her tea.
"What's lucky is that his gun was able to break off that piece instead of just ricocheting." Calvin chimed in.
"Fair enough." Joshua shrugged.
"What I'm wondering about is the full extent of what Quetzalcoatl and Quetzalpetlatl were doing. What was in those tanks?" Ororo wondered as she sat next to her lover.
"That's a mystery for us to find out, I suppose." Mael shrugged.
"Yeah…" Joshua nodded as he drank more of his tea. Though his gaze drifted to his girlfriend and he couldn't help but wonder what drew him to her. Other than her looks and wonderful personality, that is.
(Later)
Sighing, Joshua walked out of the cave leaving the Sanctuary with Ororo hugging him close to her, her head on his shoulder.
"Hey, Ororo?" The man said as they made their way back to the cabin where their cars were.
"Yes?" The ebony skinned woman responded.
"Why were we so drawn to each other?" He wondered. His girlfriend frowned for a moment before replying.
"I don't know. When I first saw you, it felt like you were magnetically drawing me to you." She said. "I… I don't know how to explain it." She added.
Joshua wasn't exactly completely satisfied with this answer from his lover, but it was a good one, at least.
"Yeah." He smiled, taking her hand into his as the cabin came into view. "Me too." He added as they kept walking.
To be continued…
ThermalsniperN7: Well would ya look at that. Shin offed his Wendigo stalker.
Dragon Emperor0: And found himself a dog too, that's useful. The Truth stuff on the other hand… I was getting some Valhalla vibes there.
ThermalsniperN7: Something tells me that when the contents of those tanks get revealed, two somebody's lives are gonna get irreversibly changed. Not a surprise with Precursor stuff, there.
Dragon Emperor0: Though I do wonder how those Apples of Eden and the Feather play into all this… Anyway, see you guys next time.