Artifact of the Gods
They hid their traveling packs in one of the empty stalls within the ghost town in case they required a hasty escape from their enemies at the outpost, concealing their precious belongings under crates because robbers could always be about. Amon assured that none traveled there since it was their territory but the scouts would keep an eye out since the Raj thieves had fallen into an alliance with the Templars. Vivian had decided to shed her robes for the gray assassin trousers in her pack and a tunic that matched Amon's because skirts were a definite no for sudden running or kicking away an enemy. The trio had waited in the underground safe house for a few hours until it was time to unveil their plan, Vivian and Altaïr snoring away together in one corner of a room while Malik tried his hardest not to become deaf by their sounds. Even Amon had to wonder what the two had endured to make such unbearable inhuman sounds.
When time came to ready themselves, Vivian stuck to the two assassins like a lost puppy because being in one battle didn't give her enough experience to ensure she'd see tomorrow. She tried not to appear clingy as she followed their footsteps down the corridor, stopping whenever they did, but Altaïr's trained hearing picked up her shoddy mimicking. He put an end to it by feigning another step forward, halting before his left foot lifted and amusement crossed his hooded face when she bumped into him from behind- falling straight into the trap.
She uttered a sheepish squeak and tried to regain her composure, taking sudden interest with a random crate and he excused himself from Malik and Amon. The thief would be leading the way inside the pyramid since the discovered chambers were known to the city's residents and superstitions kept most from delving deeper into the sacred chambers. That, and the numerous traps that were said to be in place also steered most looters away. Malik and the thief carried on with their conversation about life in Giza and Jerusalem (Altaïr was adamant he didn't give away Masyaf as their base of operations) since the two had become acquainted over their fondness of the pipe and protecting their people. Unfortunately, Altaïr had a horrible time fitting in since he found planning heroic deeds was the only topic he socialized about and had stomped off to sleep next to his number one admirer. He found a little solace with the time traveler when she enlightened him with knowledge about the universe they lived in, matching his recent entry of a hand drawn solar system. Afraid to creating any shifts in his future, Vivian refused to speak about his upcoming inventions and discoveries until he'd already written each down with a decent comprehension of the topic. She was already pushing the laws of time and physics by merely being there so without scientific answers to explain her existence, she'd keep mum about his codex.
Altaïr approached Vivian as she fiddled with the pockets of her trousers, mumbling inaudibly under her breath in a mixture of worry and mild irritation. He opened one of the rear leather pouches sewn to his belt and retrieved a bundle of copper wiring to hand it to Vivian, her green eyes blinking with confusion to the item between her fingers. He motioned untangling the round bundle since his civilian companion knew nothing about the weapons of his profession (except the popular hidden blade) and explained simply, "Use it to choke your enemies, force it against the center of their throat where the windpipe is or where their throat is exposed and strangle them with all of your strength. I know you don't want to take anyone's life, Vivian, but you have been thrust in a position where you will need to do this for both your own life and our cause."
"I'm not very strong" she murmured softly since lifting her packs and rowing were her only forms of strength training, leaving the tough stuff to the guys who knew what to do with it. She rolled the cold metal bundle between her hands, not ready to become a mafia boss that choked people and uttered a memorable catchphrase afterwards.
He kneeled down to lift the left leg of his trousers, revealing a sheathed knife that was strapped to his lower leg and concealed by his brown boots. Vivian's mouth popped open to the unbelievable arsenal the man carried and wondered what else he was hiding under that outfit. Her gutter mind decided to head down a lecherous road with that thought and the tips of her ears turned pink but thankfully, her loose hair covered them. This was not the time to think of an Altaïr swimsuit calendar. He handed her the sheathed knife and neatly tucked the end of his pants back into his boots, standing up to encourage, "Normally, I wouldn't trust you with any weapon but if anyone manages to sneak around you or trap you, don't hesitate to use this in close combat only. It is for your protection only so don't try to launch yourself at a Templar in the distance or divert their attention from me- I can protect myself more than you could ever achieve."
"I know that, I'm not a Sue with ridiculous abilities" she snapped sarcastically because she wasn't that crazy to place herself in mortal danger and tucked the sheathed knife inside her robes. The leather sheath was still warm with his body heat as she pressed it against her sternum, tucking it into the tight bandages serving as her archaic bra (it was her best friend in the world nowadays). She could see his brow furrow under his pointed hood to her random comment and she coughed awkwardly to state, "I mean, I'll follow your lead and if anyone does get near- I'll yell 'stranger danger' at the top of my lungs."
Altaïr didn't get the joke. . . and it killed her not to draw a single laugh or frown from him. At least then, she'd know whether he loved or hated it.
"Hopefully, our next location won't require us to head into old and dank architecture" Altaïr remarked dryly since the safe house was already unnerving him with its dim lighting and small spaces, wondering if the pyramid would be the same. Assassins were ready to tame all environments but open spaces were his delight as it provided ample room for maneuverability and escape from enemies.
Vivian burst his bubble for an easier location when she answered hesitantly, "Actually. . .Lake Victoria will have us taking the Nile to its source so we'll be on water for a long while, probably crossing the lake back and forth once we're there."
. . . Were those ancient beings trying to break his sanity with their outlandish piece locations?
The afternoon had come to an end as the cool wind of the evening began to envelop the ancient city but the pyramid of Khufu was not empty as law commanded. Templars had been stationed around the outer perimeter of the grand pyramid but Altaïr had disposed of them quickly with his hidden blade before hiding their bodies in nearby crates due to the lack of hay. There were four horses and three camels stationed on the right side as transportation for the Templars but Altaïr left them where they were since he didn't want to set the animals free. They could come in handy for his group as getaway steeds and the poor creatures could end up running off into the harsh desert, away from the city. Their small group had remained huddled against a conveniently placed wagon that hid their presence and whenever Altaïr faced more than one scout, Amon jumped in to divert their attention to make it easier. Being a thief, he'd already learned stealth and agility to free himself out of a bind.
Eliminating the Templars scouting the outside gained them immediate entrance and Amon began to lead them towards the bottom of the pyramid. Vivian was certain this pyramid had something to do with the piece of Eden or maybe one of the temples of sanctuary Minerva had spoken of to protect humankind. Why else would it be on the map Altaïr had seen? If they'd decided to place decoys, then their trip would be for nothing and the unbearable mosquito bites she had would haunt her for weeks.
"I have no issue seeing in the dark but I need you to carry a torch to light the way for the others" Altaïr informed Amon since he was their guide extraordinaire for the trip and Vivian pulled out a prepared unlit torch from a small knapsack. She'd left her traveling packs back in the ghost town but wasn't going to head into danger empty-handed, equipping emergency items in case accidents happened. Being a packrat in nature, she'd never hesitate on carrying something of use.
The quartet ascended the limestone stairs as the gentle breeze struck them, all of them focused on the task at hand . . .except for Vivian. She'd stuck behind Altaïr as he and Amon took the front but her eyes were glued on the ancient architecture underneath her. How could her mind not be giddy over this? She'd only seen breathtaking images and read entries about this marvel but to walk upon it. . .there were no words. Her silent study of the limestone steps and the smooth pyramid came to an abrupt end when Altaïr's voice spoke over the imposed silence, "Vivian, don't make me tie your waist with a rope to my belt."
She blanched to his impenetrable awesomeness because he certainly wasn't looking her way at all (keeping his gaze directly at the front) and felt like a scolded child for becoming distracted, muttering flatly, "I'm not cattle. You freak me out when you go all Sherlock Holmes on me."
Vivian refused to glance down due to the lack of railing and wasn't about to have acute vertigo at the fifty plus feet of height as they reached the entrance. The wind hadn't picked up very much as daylight still shone over the horizon but it was quite a sight to gaze at the fading city of Giza. They were incredibly smaller than their current population in her time but the archaic time gave it a peaceful and beautiful aura from their height. They entered the dark passage that would lead them down towards the King's chamber but Vivian's history on its creation helped Altaïr decide that the lowest levels would be their best bet. After all, the queen's chamber still held tiny manmade passages that had yet to be opened.
Amon didn't need to light up his torch by hand as glass candle lanterns laid on the limestone floor to light their way as Altaïr took the lead, using his eagle vision to detect enemies hidden within the dimly lit corridors. Any traps of the past that kept away robbers had been disarmed by their enemies as they trudged their way through, the group detecting no sign of any Egyptian guards as they headed further in. They had no trouble traversing the long passages that slanted upwards that would lead them to the Queen's chambers first as they walked the same path of ancient Egyptians and the pharaoh himself during the golden years. Vivian found herself in disbelief and awe as a student, her hands gingerly touching inscriptions on the tall walls to outline their beautiful hieroglyphs as she tried to imagine the artist or scribe who had left their mark in time. Altaïr spelled danger to anyone associated with him but he'd brought her to places she'd never have visited in her own realm and found solace in that to replace the melancholy of missing home. There wasn't a day she didn't think of it and hoped to find answers with this mission.
The Templars weren't even aware of their presence as the lit lanterns served as Altaïr's advantage, giving their enemies a false sense of security as the one-way tunnel certified death. He made quick work of any Templars guarding the corridors for trespassers, Altaïr's hidden blade cutting off any yells for help as death was instantaneous. They were stationed far apart to the point that quick sounds or low demands didn't travel, echoes dying off before reaching the next guard and by then, it was too late. Amon had to admire the man's skill as his stealth was impeccable, putting most of his thieves to shame and counted himself lucky for not becoming his enemy.
"Man, you could fart in here and nobody would know" Vivian murmured out of the blue and it caused all of the men to stare at her random statement. She shrunk immediately underneath their candlelit gazes as her soft voice pierced the silent corridor and she quipped hastily with reddening ears, "I mean, let's continue."
The cozy corridors that ascended eventually opened up to reveal the Queen's Chambers, her resting place less elaborate than the pharaoh but it had been pillaged bare by tomb robbers like any other. It caused the hairs on Vivian's warm skin to rise on end as time froze in the interior of the pyramid, giving her a small sense of peace since it appeared quite similar to the one in her time. She smiled faintly at the prodding questions her youngest sister would've had but followed her companions because she depended on them. Altaïr, however, was in business mode as his vision had become engulfed in glowing signs that didn't match the hieroglyphs carved into the walls. They were randomly strewn at the entrance of the Queen's chambers on certain limestone blocks while a few were next to the shafts that were too tiny for a human to climb into but reminded himself to stick to this chamber. There had been none throughout the entire journey there and if there were no signs further along, this would be his main site of investigation.
There were two men stationed inside, one at the exit where it led towards the Grand Gallery while another circled the area of the room. For a master like Altaïr, it only took perfect accuracy with a throwing knife to eliminate the first and when the latter looked back with alarm, the assassin pounced. Vivian was almost tempted to throw out the eagle comparison and replace his animal counterpart as either a fox or a cheetah; the man was cunning and fast on his feet. Once the men were dead, Altaïr kept their troop moving back the way they came to the ascending passageway to take the next route and Vivian bit her lower lip with disillusion that she couldn't linger to study the ancient chamber.
Amon led the way to the next area and if Vivian could paint their entire trip to clearing out the men inside, it would be a puppeteer's theater with the three smiling male puppets hacking their way up a papier-mâché pyramid while an androgynous one waved a stick from behind while upbeat banjo music played in the background. Nonetheless, they managed to find the Grand Gallery that led to the King's Chamber and that's where they found their hoard of enemies as they were arguing whether their discovery unearthed a piece of Eden or something else entirely.
All four hugged the cold limestone wall as they slowly inched closer to hear what the argument was about. Apparently, all wasn't peachy in evil Templar land. All the men wore the same gray clothing and armor but one wore a red sash across his chest, pinpointing him as the head honcho as everybody else listened to him. He stood next the pharaoh's tomb as uninteresting items laid around the chamber but there were cloth sacks around the area with loot that told Vivian it was worth peeking into. Altaïr listened to them carefully while watching them with his eagle vision, a small smirk of accomplishment tugging at his lips when he noticed a familiar glowing item in the man's hands.
"If it was a piece of Eden, it would've reacted!" the man roared acidly as he waved the item over their heads for emphasis. Vivian released a sigh of relief because activating an item wouldn't bode well for her and the others since only Altaïr was immune to its effects. The man offered no respect for the dead when he slammed his fist against the limestone tomb and ordered briskly, "Keep searching for anything inside the other chamber!"
"Sir, what if we're merely not using it correctly? After all, only a Grand Master would know and Horal wants all items found given to him" one of the men suggested since they were lucky to find anything after months of searching. Of course, he wasn't looking for a quick death for insubordination and quickly added in helpfully, "Any power we find can be used against our enemies, especially now that we're infiltrating Saladin's lands."
Man, all these AC Spaniard villains shame my maternal homeland, Vivian thought sardonically and wondered if Ubisoft would pop in with a Spaniard villain for dear ol' Desmond. She really hoped she'd be home in time for the new AC game to figure out what became of Altaïr's life and Ezio's.
"We already have that taken care of, Grand Master Horal will broker peace with whoever is left standing in this crusade and playing the passive role will allow us to begin seizing these lands from the inside" their leader scoffed simply as their plans had already begun to be detailed by their newest Grand Master. Altaïr didn't like the sound of this and Amon was ready to destroy all of the men inside at the thought of his lands becoming a part of this secretive sect. Vivian and Malik hoped the men had large enough egos that they'd hand over details that could be used as 'red sash' guy kept talking, "Where De Sable wanted to frighten our enemies by conquering their lands and storming their fortresses, Horal will take the subtle approach with manipulation and destruction through kindness. It isn't hard to outsmart the minds of these oafish creatures-"
The rest of his words were cut off as Altaïr launched his attack, striking the uncovered back of the knees where armor failed to protect with his knives and two men went down instantly. Vivian smiled from her spot against the wall because hitting that popliteal artery would cause severe hemorrhaging, giving herself a high five for peering into her father's old college books while growing up and giving Altaïr the handy tip.
"Assassins!" the head honcho of the group declared with malice as the white billowing robes brought one single thought to mind and unleashed his team against the quartet. Metal swords unsheathed as they ran towards them, ready to butcher them like animals to keep the significant find for themselves. Amon threw his handy smoke bombs into the chamber to blind their enemies, lifting a finely woven scarf around his neck over his lower face to keep the smoke from being inhaled as the fibers served to filter the particles. His new allies had been given one as well to keep their lungs free of the constricting powder and Vivian yanked Altaïr by the belt to ensure he did the same rather than throw himself into the fray without it. She might've earned a quick grumble but he wouldn't be coughing out a lung like the other guys as they yelled out malicious words about assassins this and assassins that, irritating her ears as the yells echoed.
"You people say that so much it's lost meaning!" Vivian admonished loudly as she scuttled behind the men to let them fight and slash their way to the end of the chamber, holding her walking stick between cold clammy hands. How was she not supposed to feel fear when facing possible death in a cramped corridor? The three men formed a barricade at the entrance to keep the Templars from piling into the corridor, killing any that treaded near and Vivian used her walking stick to jab a few in the midsection to throw them off balance. It was the most she could do but kept an eye down the corridor for any unusual shadows because if back up arrived, they couldn't risk becoming wedged in a small area with two enemies on both sides.
Adrenaline pumped in her bloodstream as she watched the fight between good and evil, her eyes drawn to each of her companions fighting style. Amon used daggers to fight at close range since thieves were meant to be quick on their feet while Malik used his hidden blade only, kicking and incapacitating his enemies. Since the width of the corridor gave little space for maneuvering, Altaïr stayed at the front of the group with his sword to hack anything that dared to bypass him. Vivian muffled a yelp when she saw a man's arm sever in half and she wouldn't describe the real life gruesomeness of seeing a dagger slash a man's throat open. Her shoulders shuddered as she stayed back to guard them, pondering with pity, You guys picked the lousiest job in this era. At least a manure salesman job would keep you alive.
When the crowd thinned, Altaïr left the two men to deal with the stragglers and headed towards the leader since he trusted them to take care of it. Vivian added her own helpful hand by throwing pocket sand into their eyes, blinding the men immediately as they yelped painfully to the gritty substance scratching their poor corneas. He hadn't gotten information from the last captain at the Cairo village and tackled the armored man before he could strike him with his sword. The two men clashed against the ransacked tomb of the pharaoh, the Templar's armored head butting against Altaïr's in an attempt to become free. Vivian struck a Templar across the jaw with the end of her stick to keep him at bay, knocking him into Amon's direction and called out to the assassin as she'd seen the counterattack, "The nose, Altaïr!"
One thing Altaïr hadn't told Malik about their reconciliation at the inn days ago was that Vivian had given him a load full of handy tips on street fighting after watching too many action films. He returned the action to the Templar but slammed his forehead against his nose, breaking it instantly with the force. It worked wonders as crimson blood seeped down the man's lips but the Templar reached for his closest dagger at hand, the trademark roundel of their order, ready to slice the assassin's throat open. Altaïr quickly grasped his wrist to apply pressure with his thumb to drop the weapon but the man kicked him in the stomach, strong enough to cause his hold to falter. The assassin, however, wasn't about to keel over to a tyrannical foe that left him breathless from a strike and punched the man across his bleeding face to tackle him against the stone sarcophagus once more. Amon, Malik, and Vivian gathered behind him as the remaining forces had been dealt with, their enemies dead corpses strewn around the chamber as blood bathed the limestone floor.
"You will not be spilling your order into this region!" Amon shouted fiercely at the armored man because he wanted to throttle him as much as Altaïr was at the current moment. He had never been a man of politics but this was a covert power struggle that threatened the lives of civilians, especially if their government would be infiltrated by these impostors.
The Templar had the audacity to laugh as he was heavily outnumbered and used his weight to push himself off the tomb, glaring at a scowling Altaïr as he declared coldly, "You fight for these creatures that thrive on selfish impulses. They create war and death all around them-"
"They have the right to choose what they want to be, we will not be your slaves" Altaïr snapped harshly because although he was immune to the effects of the pieces, his friends were not and he didn't want to see them as puppets for the Templars. He'd already witnessed it firsthand with his brotherhood and wasn't looking for a repeat, brandishing his sword against the Templar to end the fight once and for all. The metal sword glinted against the glow of the lanterns as he pointed it at the Templar's bearded face, stating bluntly, "You can disguise yourselves all you want but I know what you are- what you represent to humankind!"
The man gazed at the weapon apathetically, his lips thinning as he stated with a cold haughty edge, "I will not leave here with my life but I will die gladly knowing you have no information to go on. Reinforcements will be arriving within this pyramid soon and already, forces are heading for Giza to begin eliminating troublemakers. The thieves will be first and while you struggle to figure out this object, they will destroy you all."
Altaïr moved forward to strike the man with the sword but the Templar surprised them all by using the dagger in his hand to cut his own jugular, blood pouring immediately from the severe wound. Vivian yelped in horror to the gruesome sight since she'd never imagined human being doing such and dropped her walking stick immediately. Blood poured down the wound without halt as the man gasped hoarsely with the briefest display of a smirk, "I will not give you the honor of killing me."
Altaïr rushed forward with a frustrated growl to cover the Templar's wound with his hands to prolong his life, kneeling alongside the dying man, and demanded roughly, "What do you gain in spreading to Africa, you cowardly. . .damn it!"
He wasn't the type of man to lose his cool easily but the Templars were planning their spread further into the continent than he first anticipated and if they were willing to die like this, their numbers weren't small. He removed his hands from the man's laceration, crimson blood dripping from all of his fingers as the natural pressure from the vessels kept pouring blood out of the wound. Malik stepped forward to hand him a handkerchief so he could wipe his hands clean since they were going to use weapons against reinforcements and slippery hands could mean the difference between life and death.
Vivian laid a hand on his right shoulder, her fingertips already feeling the tense muscles underneath and she murmured softly with encouragement, "You don't need him for answers, we'll figure it out together- even if it takes all night."
"Malik, Amon, keep an eye on the entrance" Altaïr ordered quickly to retrieve the item that the Templars had found before reinforcements arrived because they were sitting ducks inside the chamber. He pulled Vivian's left sleeve to bring her along, her feet stumbling behind him since she didn't expect the yank and he spoke quietly, "Search their pockets and bags for anything suspicious, only you and I can tell what these things look like."
"But if anything activates, I'm throwing it your way" she stated nervously because she didn't want to come in contact with those items, their untapped power dangerous in unskilled hands. Only he knew how to wield that power and hoped that she didn't find it, fearful of what it could do. . .but still searched through the pockets of the dead.
Altaïr threw aside sacks of ransacked items around him that held nothing but his vision lit up with an object that glowed yellow from within one of the pockets of the dead Templar leader at his feet. He reached down to fiddle through the man's outer robes until his fingers gripped the metal object, pulling it out from the inside lining of a tunic that the leader placed over his armor. It was a circular golden object, resembling a large coin with a hole in its center; never had he seen anything like it. When his fingers touched the object, the metal was as cold as any other but as he held it, it gradually became warm. He'd felt that sensation before and just as he suspected, the object lit up just as any other piece of Eden. Lines of molten gold outlined the key-like object in similarity to the Apple but something was off. . .
Altaïr felt a difference of power between the two creations he'd come in contact with as he tuned into the object with his sight to observe it closely. There were no elegant lines that exuded light from whatever power source it contained or the sleek shiny metal, merely geometric shapes in an arranged order that possessed a weaker power than the pieces. He didn't know what to make of it since his team believed they'd be led to a piece of Eden but his thoughts were cut short when angry voices filled the passageways. Malik's voice quickly warned the two with a low hiss to hold their element of surprise together, "Reinforcements!"
Pocketing the item into his leather pocket, he ran to the front to investigate and pinpointed three figures rushing towards them with brandished swords. Really, he must've been fighting amateurs because enclosed spaces required the use of shields to protect you from incoming barrages of arrows. He grasped his cross bow to fire it into the one leading the group, causing a few to stumble as the man dropped dead from the force at their feet. Hell broke loose as reinforcements arrived and his group was stuck inside a dead end with no escape route in sight and only the dead inside.
Malik's sword stabbed a Templar's chest that wandered too close, breaking through the armor as he kicked another away while Amon drove his daggers into the enemy's back. He assumed that most of the private funding for the Templar order remained back in the warring areas of the Crusades where good fortified armor was needed whereas Giza was peaceful and required light armor. Altaïr drove his hidden blade into the spine of another that tumbled over the piling dead as Vivian distracted their attention to expose their weak spots with her walking stick. Her handy pocket sand helped tremendously, keeping it at close range to prevent any blowback to her partners and her walking stick jammed a few in the eyes or crotch to cause brief pain.
Just as they decimated most of the numbers to gain the advantage, a cloud of smoke obscured everything and they sought cover from the concealed enemy for a pocket of air to breathe. The clouded misty view distorted everything and plunged the battlefield into dangerous water for them. Vivian felt something brush by her left side, a quick tug causing her to yelp with fright and she fell to the ground in an attempt to dodge any weapon or strikes whereas. She used her weapon to keep anyone that dared to wander close at bay by jabbing the air, hoping she'd keep her life intact to see another day. Altaïr punched someone when he felt a sharp yank on one of his leather pockets because he wasn't going to fear cowards hiding behind veils of smoke. Instantly, he remembered that spot was where he'd stashed the artifact and his eyes widened when he used his right hand to check it himself. . .only to find his pouch gone- ripped away entirely! They'd stolen the item!
Placing himself in danger for the coveted piece, he stabbed and slashed his way through the cloudy veil to eliminate his enemies. Using his eagle vision was a blessing because it prevented any accidental friendly fire because striking Amon, Malik, or Vivian would not bode well for them. Amon relied on his sense of hearing after years of training to fight in such an environment and Altaïr passed by him without a problem, leaving Vivian alone when he spotted her on the floor and perfectly fine. He stuck to Malik's side since his friend was at one arm disadvantage since fighting in smoky fields was a new one for them as assassins.
When the cloud cleared somewhat, revealing the pile of their dead enemies, Vivian cried out worriedly to the others, "Someone stole my pack!"
Malik noticed that the sealed sacks that had been strewn around the chamber by the Templars were also gone, leading him to inform, "So are the bags."
"The Raj thieves, they're taking everything inside here either for themselves or another group of Templars" Amon informed the group as he held a dead man dressed in similar garb to his gray and brown but the colors were black and olive green, throwing the corpse on the floor with a disapproving shake of the head. Did they really think they could sneak up on a master thief? It was a pity and shame that they'd turned a blind eye to their country in favor of men that offered power but he would not be weak like them. The previous bags that had been stacked throughout the room were gone, most likely filled with loot they'd pillaged from pyramid. European archaeologists had yet to arrive so it would be a while before they realized everything was picked clean and only the dead remained inside. Amon pocketed daggers from the fallen thieves, wiping blood off against their gray clothing as he called out urgently to Altaïr, "You must hurry or you will lose them."
Altaïr withdrew his throwing knives from the dead Templars, the motion echoing a wet thud from the pulling force, and he scowled towards the empty hallway to order his friends, "Let's go!"
"Go on, I need to loot these bad boys and study the chambers" Vivian grinned giddily since the area was deemed safe now and more than likely, she'd get in the way of the professional assassins. She wasn't a Sue with phenomenal powers; just a simple woman with a wooden stick for a friend and her skills came in handy for deduction or distraction. Vivian kneeled down to begin her foraging of the Templars pockets to find any coin for use and random loot that she could trade at the outpost. If RPG games had taught her anything during campaigns, it was loot, loot, and loot corpses. Also, she would slow down the assassins and assured her friends with a convincing smile, "Amon can stay with me to find loot and I'll try to find more information for you, Altaïr."
Altaïr nodded agreeably since the danger would be with those men if they were heading for the Templars and if trouble did arise inside, he was sure Amon would get her out of it. Nonetheless, he pointed to the thief with a stern tightlipped expression because he'd promised Vivian her safety and ordered simply, "Keep her safe."
Malik and Altaïr ran in the same direction they'd entered, turning swiftly at every changing corridor that held a dead body every few meters and found themselves lucky when they found no resistance. Killing Templars was hard work and after facing three waves of enemies, the assassins were happy to find nobody waiting to ambush them. When sunlight poured into the first corridor that led to the entrance, Altaïr hastened his run to greet the sun because there were a few minutes in his run that he'd assumed they were lost but not anymore. The two practically flew down stairway toward the ground with fluid grace that would have normal people falling or breaking a leg but somehow, their assassin training made them infallible. It's why Vivian let them do their thing; she would've broken her injured ankle by the time they found the entrance or fallen down the stairs to roll like that colossal boulder in Indiana Jones. The outside of the pyramid was clear of all the threats or any backup from the Templars and none seemed to be approaching to hinder their chase.
Their devious suspects had fled on brown horses as they headed for the tourist outpost and Malik could see their outlines in the distance despite the heat waves emitting over the dry desert, leading him to point out quickly, "They're looking to blend back with the civilians."
"We have the leftover horses from the Templars, we're not giving up the chase" Altaïr ordered sharply because he'd catch up to them somehow, failure wasn't an option. There was no way on Earth he'd allow the ancient creation to fall into the wrong hands. He untied the reigns of two brown horses from the wooden post and handed one to his friend, stating grimly with unyielding resolve, "We have to get them, Malik."
"You mean, you found. . .?" Malik asked quickly with surprise as he hopped onto the horse with his handy dexterity and moved the reins to get the mare moving towards the outpost. Altaïr simply nodded stiffly and both men headed back to the outpost with the utmost haste, hoping their horses could shorten the gap between them and their enemies. Otherwise, everything they fought for would crumble between their fingers.
The men followed the indented sand roads alongside the outskirts of the tourist hub in an attempt to cut the thieves away from help but each dispersed on a different route to confuse them. However, it paid off to have two men on lookout and catching a single thief would suffice to find their stolen goods. Altaïr spotted one of them walking the streets between a trading wagon containing carpets and a group of playing children, trying to keep inconspicuous by blending in but his eagle vision rendered it useless. Using the calling system that all assassins learned to communicate, he made a sharp but short whistle to alert Malik he was close and a pigeon's call to state he was going into hiding. Sure, nearby people stared at him awkwardly but he simply excused himself and stated he had the oddest coughs that day. Blending into a group of robed scholars that carried bundles of papers under their arms, he took a straggler's position as Malik purposely flushed out the perpetrator by calling them out. Alerted that he'd been found, the man hastened his pace ahead of Malik right to where Altaïr awaited him within the scholar's group. The maneuver was an exact copy of the hunting tactics of killer whales, flush out the enemy and pounce with an ally waiting in the shadows. Before the thief knew what had happened, Altaïr had ripped him out from the crowd in one swift movement and dragged him behind a pile of crates in a shadowed area.
Altaïr slammed the shorter man against the side of an empty wagon, his eyes narrowed with warning as he demanded sharply, "Give me what you stole from us!"
"The Raj never give up their catch, you were too slow" the man taunted him with a malicious smirk, unaware to the dangerous assassin in his midst. Altaïr hated the arrogant air of these men, their demeanors different than Amon's guild that only stole what they needed to survive and nothing else. Malik ignored the scuffle between the two as he played the lookout, blocking the two from sight by standing beside a group of stacked crates. He appreciated the helpfulness of randomly stacked crates more than haystacks; they didn't smell and you could hide inside just the same.
Altaïr punched the man in the gut to force an answer because if enemies refused to answer an assassin, they were allowed to use excessive force and he was in the worst mood after losing what he'd sought for weeks. He'd endured nasty vomiting over the Nile, being chased by wild animals, and a jabbering historian-in-training so he was getting his answers today. He grasped the front of the thief's brown tunic to slam him against the wagon and threatened frigidly with a low hiss, "Tell me or I will cut off your limbs and leave you in the desert to let you choose whether to starve or eat them to survive."
Vivian's suspense and criminal tales around the campfire did strike him with ideas to psychologically trap enemies who were cowards into revealing the truth. He would have to ask her for tips when they traveled again because if it made his interrogations easier, why not utilize them?
"I don't have it, I dispersed it to my brothers when I came into the city" the man laughed between the bouts of pain striking his midsection from the punching and Altaïr grasped the man's left arm to twist it behind him. He raised it higher with each passing second as the unnatural strain slowly began to dislocate the humerus from its socket joint. The man refused to divulge anything on their whereabouts and Altaïr didn't hesitate to rip the man's arm out of its joint, pulling it to the highest angle possible and twisted it to the side sharply to break it completely away. The man screamed to the unbearable pain as the ligaments bridging the bones burned and Malik quickly feigned concern by shouting that someone fell during their crate stacking in the back, concealing the true nature of their job behind him. People didn't pay attention since accidents happened all the time (Malik's charismatic smile helped them get on their way as well) and the man fell to his knees as Altaïr dropped the man's useless arm to grip him by the neck. The thief spit at Altaïr's boots in distaste for what he'd done and hissed disdainfully, "You are too late."
Altaïr decided to use a move that he'd never dreamt of using but Vivian had shown him tactics that were strange enough. Although reserved for defensive purposes, for women, the assassin kicked the thief between the legs to elicit a painful yelp from him. He wasn't proud of the action since he was a man himself but time was of the essence and would utilize all advantages. Even Malik had to wince since he'd only seen it performed by one particular person in their time and smiled to himself at knowing they'd bonded over a defensive technique of all things. The thief quickly shifted from a vagrant miscreant to a twitching ball of pain, leading Altaïr to demand one last time, "I won't ask again, where. . .are. . .they?"
"They were heading to the canyons. . .but you'll never find them, foreigner" the man whimpered painfully as he held his broken pride, among a few other things, but glared heatedly at the assassin. The man's yellow teeth bore at him in a vile hiss, causing Altaïr to remind himself to buy one of those horse hair toothbrushes that Vivian liked. His eyes narrowed with loathing for thief and the fallen man jabbed a shaky finger at his face to declare coldly, "That loot is ours and a Raj will die before giving out secrets."
Well, that brought a quick conclusion to their interrogation.
"I'm glad Vivian isn't here for this part" he murmured under his breath and drove his hidden knife straight through the man's sternum to pierce the heart for an instant death. It was all he could do because he couldn't waste time with questions that would yield no answers since the others were waiting for him, not to mention this new trip to retrieve that artifact. Those damn thieves didn't realize the power they could unlock and Altaïr needed to get it back into his hands, shaking his head to the dead man with shame, "You should have chosen the honest path and this would have been avoided. Go now and rest in peace."
Laying the limp form of the man on the ground, they left the scene quickly by blending back into the thinning crowds as the tourists had retreated to nearby inns back at the city. Mealtime had arrived for most but Altaïr couldn't afford to eat despite all he'd had was a snack at noon and hoped his body had energy for a side mission. Malik followed his leader but this newest development unsettled him as their plans took a detour they hadn't counted on and asked worriedly, "What do we do now?"
"Find Vivian and head out to those canyons, I'll scour every patch of dirt until I find them" his friend answered firmly but exhaustion had begun to set into his mind after the day's event because he hadn't expected this much walking since sunrise. He couldn't afford rest as every minute was precious and retraced his steps to find the horse he'd left behind, hoping nobody had stolen it from him. Nowadays, everything could be taken but Giza was safer than the countries involved in the Crusades and rubbed his forehead to rejuvenate his energy.
Luck decided to lend him a hand when he found his horse chewing on a bale of hay, retreating quickly with Malik when the shop owner angrily demanded they pay for the ruined stock.
When they arrived at the pyramid, their minds were torn between worry and fear because they hoped Templar reinforcements hadn't arrived. Amon could use his bombs to escape with his stealth skills but Vivian was an innocent civilian and as much as she could grate his nerves, Altaïr didn't want any harm coming to her. His horse widened the distance with Malik's as he headed for the pyramid at a full gallop but brought the steed to a stop when his worst case scenario was stomped into the ground. Thankfully, Vivian awaited them at the bottom of the steps as she sat with a big goofy grin on her face to her new find from her ransacking. She'd found coins to keep them fed for two weeks, random loot like pieces of copper and silver, amulets to trade (she'd given most to Amon since they had no use for them), a smoking pipe Malik could use in case his current one broke, and small weapons that could be traded for money. She'd found extra knives for Altaïr to use so he wouldn't have to steal anybody else's and a new leather pouch for Malik to store herbs or souvenirs. And for herself. . .
Malik and Altaïr approached her as she polished glinting silver metal under her fingers with a rag, surprising the men since they'd never seen her touch a weapon since arriving in their realm over a month ago. She hummed a peppy tune as she concentrated on her task with a furrowed brow,
"I got everything I need.
Livin' free on trash booty.
No, I don't suspect a thing.
Bla bla blooblee, hobo dreams."
Her peppy humming drew Altaïr's curiosity (and worry) to the long weapon and was the first to ask why it was in her hands, "I thought you said no to weapons?"
Her eyes caught his gaze with relieved joy to their safe return and she stood up with a broad smile, holding the wooden weapon in both hands because it was incredibly sturdier than her walking stick. She didn't want to replace her old fateful friend but just like any RPG game, when you found a better weapon, you better equip it to prolong life. It was definitely heavier but she would practice with the weapon to make sure she could handle it when another fight occurred but until then, her handy walking stick would do. She pointed at Altaïr to correct his assumption with a cocky little grin because she was glad to see him safe, "I said I wouldn't cause flesh wounds of a severe nature until prompted and with my defensive nature, I've been searching for something suitable."
Amon chuckled softly as he sat further up the steps, watching her meticulous cleaning since she started as she explained her knowledge came from watching Altaïr with his own weapons. Like any man of his era, he cared for the maintenance of his weapons since they prolonged his life and she always took notice of how he went about cleaning each every evening. Vivian folded her rag into a neat square, stuffing it in her nearest pack for safekeeping and he commented with amusement on her care of the weapon, "I think she's in love."
Holding the wooden staff of her new halberd weapon in her right hand, she used her left to point at the sharp metal end and grinned widely with excitement, "I believe this halberd will allow me to be on the defense as a staff until I've no option left so I'll have to poke them away . . . and I can use it as a walking stick which is unbelievably awesome!"
Altaïr feigned disapproval to her choice in weapon but reminded himself that Vivian was meant to hide or be on the defense against enemies, never involving herself directly in a fight. It would provide ample protection once she learned to wield it correctly because he wouldn't dare let her run around with it like a child and admitted slowly with reluctance, "I don't know if I feel comfortable giving you a weapon, you're rather . . . unstable."
Unstable is an understatement, he thought dryly to her quirky behavior as she appeared ready to kiss her new weapon and waited on his approval for her to have it. What was he, her parent? Well, given the fact that she was on her own in a different realm, he was her caretaker of sorts. If there would ever be an award for most unorthodox relationships, theirs would win the prize automatically. Although they were five years apart in age, experience separated them by decades- not to mention the centuries of their respective realms.
"Would you rather I take out the hidden blade gauntlet I have and go stab crazy on everyone?" she shot back dryly to the oversized gauntlet that hung from her wrist on her first day in Jerusalem as she kept it safely inside her pack. With Altaïr and Malik traveling far from home, she wanted extra parts to be around in case they needed to replace broken parts. Vivian would never dream of using the weapon nor was she eager to try it, keeping her role as a decoy and informer only. She leaned against the weapon with a cheeky smile to the stone faced assassin and preened playfully, "A defensive stance is what we need, eagle boy."
He decided to allow her to keep the weapon for the moment since time was being wasted and stated coolly, "Fine, but if you accidentally skewer yourself like a hog, it's your own fault."
Shaking his head to Vivian's little streak of stubbornness, he turned to the thief who had helped them and sought his aid once more, "The thieves have fled to the canyons with the item. If the Templars realize this, our battle will have been for nothing. I know our deal was to eliminate our enemy here-"
"They'll keep coming until we take that thing south or they seize it and increase their militia here" Vivian finished for him as historic war strategies always strengthened the borders to keep enemies at bay before spreading further. They had no idea how long or large the canyon would be, grabbing her pack off the floor as another trip was at hand and asked politely, "Do you know where it is? How far away? Any interesting landmarks where they can stay?"
Amon didn't know what power the two groups were fighting for; he was better off without the knowledge and wanted it away from the city. Greed was an unfavorable trait and he didn't want his city to fall to those armored men and pointed west where the horizon was slowly shifting into the early colors of sunset. He hoped he was choosing the lesser of two evils because they hadn't attempted to dispose of him and answered helpfully, "A few miles that way. The caves to the north have been known to serve as their hideouts, we've flushed out a few in the past. They won't wander too far with the setting sun since the desert land is coldest at night."
Altaïr nodded with thanks for the tips because they would've been searching blindly for that canyon and headed down the stairs for his steed, his mind running a mile a minute. He saw an opportunity with the thieves to keep the Templar order out of the city by bringing a few of his assassins there to establish a post and offered, "You proved your worth with this job and if you want to see your lands free of these oppressive men, I have another job for you seeing as this one has now ended."
"I'm listening" Amon agreed simply since he'd hear out the man for his proposition since he'd made good on his promise to clean out the men in the outskirts. The ones inside the city would be dealt with once sunset arrived to shroud his thieves and prevent any outgoing messages for reinforcements.
"I will need you to travel to Gaza and lead a small number of my people back to your city for protection" Altaïr proposed as he saw the first opportunity to expand his order to other continents since Vivian told him they would be an advantage. Amon was a man of his word (despite his profession) and since he wouldn't have the time to observe his guild due to his schedule, his order could evaluate them as an ally. With the silent war against the Templars, the assassins needed an advantage against them and thieves lingered in the shadows just as they did.
"And how will that be different from what we have now with these men? How do I know they won't attack my people?" Amon asked hesitantly since he relied on the trust of his men rather than strangers he'd met for only a day. The three might be honest by trying to save the world but would the rest of his associates be the same way? What power did the robed man hold that would ensure that?
Vivian decided to answer that question with friendly nature and suggested enthusiastically, "An alliance. They work in the shadows to keep peace from those that would take away the free will that any human being deserves. Templars work to enslave and rule with an iron fist while Altaïr's order- he's leader, by the way- fights that by maintaining freedom. Both sides are to be feared but they are the ones protecting us. When you hear of an unjust elite meeting their end, the assassins are at work and when you hear of a dead leader that was loved by its people, Templars are at work. Then again, a Templar could be just as nice publicly but evil incarnate in private."
"Our connections lack the military prowess the Templars possess as they use the Crusades as their disguise and we need to gain an advantage" Malik added in helpfully to inform Amon what kind of treacherous people they were dealing with as he grabbed the camels to begin their chase after the thieves. Horses were wonderful steeds but camels were better for longer trips and had better handling of running through sandy dunes. He grabbed three for their journey and left the other animals with their tied reins on the post so Amon could take them back, sell them off, and keep the profits. Altaïr traded his horse for the camel without a second thought and fixed the saddle quickly as Malik continued earnestly, "You heard that man, they are planning something aside from what occurred here today. It would be best that somebody watch out for your leaders and the people; with their influence, it will take both our groups to accomplish this."
Amon weighed the decision since he wasn't an impulsive man, eyeing each of them for any ulterior motives, and Vivian piped up with a cheerful smile to entice, "And we have treats. Well, not right now, but I'm sure their cooks have something nice."
He laughed to her humorous quip since she was the innocent civilian in their group, seeing no malice in her as he had with the other group, and took the plunge to agree, "If you have an amicable woman like her in your order compared to these men who tried to decapitate me, I will oblige. Of course, I will have to speak with my guild about this."
"Meet me later tonight at the inn at the eastern border, I will answer all of your questions" Altair informed to further discuss the plan because they had thief ass to kick and beckoned his group forward. Vivian waved goodbye to their thief ally with a bright smile since he'd been a good acquaintance as he left to return to the city on a brown horse, along with the others. It was a shame they couldn't travel on land because a chocolate toned horse in the bunch was rather gorgeous, reminding her of old Shadowfax. What had become of that pretty white mare?
"Altaïr, make sure to keep west because they use the largest canyon passage" Amon advised carefully since they would need to keep an eye out and he bid adieu to their group, leading the remaining animals by the reins to make sure they wouldn't spend a night out in the cold. He had to return to his team to make sure they tracked down all of the remaining Templars inside the city for elimination later on. Those that wandered into the small tourist spot around the pyramids were easily dispatched into an early afterlife by a small group of his thieves as Altaïr's tips about their weak spots and best weapons came in handy.
Securing the weapon into its leather belt across her back, which she'd stolen from its previous Templar owner, she adjusted it over her shoulder in the classic messenger bag style as she tightened it carefully. Altaïr decided to play nice with the petite historian since she wielded a dangerous weapon. He moved behind her carefully to ensure all of the straps were secure against her slimmer form and locked the weapon in the sheath. Vivian thanked him for the help with a friendly smile as her fingertips slid over the smooth leather strap across her chest and piped up, "Where to, boss?"
"To the west, we have some hunting to do" Altair answered grimly to begin the chase because he would not rest until that object was in his hands. All of his hard work would not be for nothing and knew his friends had the same mindset.
Vivian groaned to his lackluster dramatic tone and casual pose against the desert landscape, leaning forward to grasp the hilt of his famous sword and tried not to drool that she was handling the 'sword of Altaïr'. The back of her mind giggled naughtily to the euphemism as the assassin reprimanded her for grabbing his property without consent, leading her to chastise humorously, "You said it all wrong. Be like Aragorn: 'Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light! Let's hunt some Orc- I mean, thieves!," looking to Malik, she added in, "Malik, I'll need you to grin madly to the thrill of an upcoming battle and declare 'yes!'"
He ripped her hand away from his sword and grasped her head in both hands, causing faint blush on her cheeks to the calloused fingers touching her ruffled hair, and he locked their gazes to state firmly, "Vivian, retain the lingering remnants of the sanity you have left in that little head of yours and close those perplexing lips."
"I find her quotes quite entertaining" Malik laughed amusingly to her comical rambles since none of her quotes or stories attacked anyone on a personal level. Unfortunately, Altaïr was not in a jovial mood to fuss over her jokes. . .but then again, when was he ever? He released the snickering Vivian from his grasp and she chose a tawny camel to call her own for a few hours, idly scratching an itchy spot at the base of her scalp (the lack of daily showering was horrible) as she wondered how she'd ride it.
"I shall call you Buttercup and you shall be mine" she cooed sweetly to form a temporary friendship with the animal, its black eyes peering at her as its height towered over her. The back of her mind hoped it wouldn't spit on her to add fuel to Altaïr's verbal ammo. She'd no idea how she would climb onto the animal since hopping onto a horse had brought her tumbling down on Altaïr and falling on her bum more than once throughout the learning process. There was no question she'd make an ass out of herself riding the poor animal and cursed herself for not watching reruns of old movies taking place over the Sahara and desert lands heading east past Syria. She plastered a wide smile that rivaled a Disney parade dancer and looked to the men to ask sweetly, "So, who will be the kind gent to help me up this thing?"
Malik grinned slyly to the obvious answer, holding the reins of his new camel in one hand to keep it in place and excused himself with a triumphant smirk, "I'm at a one armed disadvantage here so Altaïr is the only one. It's amazing enough that I can hop onto this alone."
Altaïr sighed exasperatedly to the grueling task set before him because time was ticking away and wished he held the strength of a thousand men to hurl Vivian all the way to that canyon. At least then, he'd save his sanity with the lack of endless jabber and cut away the extra baggage. His fists clenched as he took on the first ancient pose to be called 'assassin tantrum' by Vivian as he glared heatedly at both of them and grumbled miserably between thinned lips, "I hate you all."
"The sooner you give me a super assassin boost, the faster we can leave" she retorted to his quiet brooding and Altaïr groaned under his breath at remembering she was awful at giving chase, leading him to abandon the idea of giving her a camel at all. If anything, it would be a catastrophic idea! Quickly, he pulled the reins out of her hands with a firm grip and ignored her protesting yell about kidnapping 'Buttercup'.
Whistling loudly, he caught the attention of the departing Amon as his leisurely pace prevented the animals from lagging behind and Altaïr pointed to tawny camel to motion he had another to add onto his bundle. The thief's groan echoed through the silent fields of sand as he turned around his little entourage to collect the camel as Altaïr tied its reins to the post to secure it. He turned to Vivian to give her a boost onto his brown camel, her fingers gripping the saddle of black leather and colorful cloths as her eye was drawn to the handmade stitching.
He smacked her hands away gently to keep her focused and leaned down to interlock his dusty fingers to help her up. She used her weight to aid her momentum as her right foot landed in his hands and he stood up to push her upwards with his strength, her hands moving forward to the front of the saddle for a grip while her left leg went over the other side. Her lips broke into a peppy grin for succeeding since the camel was definitely shaped differently than the horse with its single hump and adjusted her weight to become comfortable. Well, at least she had her camel for the trip and giggled evilly, "Ha-ha! All I need is Indiana Jones' hat and whip to be the master archaeologist in this era!"
Vivian remained oblivious to his plan as she readied herself to grab the leather reins to begin an awesome chase that would rival. . .well, she'd never actually seen camel races but something similar to that. Altaïr stopped her as he hopped on to take the front seat, pushing her back further on the saddle and grabbed the reins himself. Wait, what just happened? Her face held a miffed expression that could only match a cartoon character as her moment was seized by the assassin and poked the center curve of his back to admonish, "What about Buttercup?"
Craning her head, she caught a glimpse of Amon departing with the pretty camel in tow to who knows where and exclaimed woefully, "No-o-o-o!"
"We need to be fast and you'd probably send that poor creature tumbling through the sand dunes within ten minutes" he snapped back to silence her childish woe over the animal as he began the journey west, following the sun's direction to prevent becoming lost. If he did get the tiniest inkling, he carried their handmade compass in his back pocket so Vivian could easily grab it for him. Speaking of grasping things, he ordered quickly before the camel switched from its trot to a run, "Grab on or I will leave you behind wherever you fall at."
She hissed rebelliously to being treated worse than luggage and wrapped her arms around his waist as she rested her cheek against his back, a sly smile breaking onto her lips as she felt the heat of his skin radiating through the robe. Oh well, at least taking the backseat allowed for a comfy ride. The sensation of the slumping woman across his back, of course, brought another gruff order, "I'm not your pillow so don't you dare fall asleep."
"Fine, but you're going to listen to me as I whisper sweet nothings in your ear" she joked cheekily with a breathlessly sultry tone to rile the stone faced assassin and heard a growl reverberate through his back. Her acts weren't meant to enrage him (no matter how much she fed the little fangirl monster inside her), simply to focus his mind away from the sudden stress of the new objective because she didn't want him popping a vein. Her right hand rubbed the center of his back as his shoulder blades moved underneath his robes, hoping to ease any rising tension in his muscles as she changed her tone and assured optimistically, "We'll get it back or die trying like true heroes."
That didn't cheer him up at all!
"You're awful at comforting" he snorted sardonically to her chosen words since dying was not an option open to him with so much resting on his shoulders and she indulged her fan girl fantasy by hugging him tightly. She smiled evilly at knowing how uncomfortable it made him and grinned triumphantly to unsettling the impassive man as she played kryptonite to his Superman. Some fans might've been swooning and doing his bidding just for the mere chance to speak with him but Vivian wanted to see what made him tick. It allowed her to glimpse into the side that was human rather than the stoic dangerous hero that he was.
"Yeah, well, you look fat in that outfit," was the easiest retort she could come up with as the soft robes and toned muscles set up a comfy portable bed for Vivian as she clung on like a happy marmoset on a tree. No wonder assassins liked these robes, they were extremely comfy to wear and pleased anyone that decided to take a cat nap on you.
"I thought it was a piece of Eden" Malik spoke up on a side note about the object since artifacts of their time lacked ethereal glows and wondered what mysteries these beings held as they dug deeper into the past. He never thought he'd be delving into an entirely different world than assassinating and keeping the peace, hoping it wouldn't get him killed but it was to protect the world. Still, he'd like to see his fortieth birthday one day and take that trip across the Mediterranean. He followed behind Altaïr, trying his hardest not to laugh at Vivian's comical appearance as she resembled a baby chick huddling inside its mother's feathers, and pondered aloud, "We are delving into a truth that not many will have the heart to comprehend."
"It is better to live in it and adapt rather than stay stagnant in a glass house full of ignorance" Altaïr remarked simply to add in his two cents on the matter because only he and Malik knew the full extent of what they were heading into. He hadn't fully disclosed everything to his order due to the sensitive material that could shift their entire view of the world, merely instilling new changes in the order while stating he was heading out to find information about the piece (facts he'd known since beginning the trip).
Vivian pondered the thought as the creed's popular rule of 'nothing is true' floated in her head and she grinned to exclaim dramatically, "Hey, we're the ancient version of Myth Busters!"
She grinned sneakily since the ride was filled with suspense for what awaited them and sang one of her catchy tunes,
"Get ready for the ultimate prize!
Gonna get the artifact before it pops out eyes!
Never in your life would you dream of...thi-i-is!
Never in your freaking life!"
Ha-ha, Peppermint Butler rules, she thought mischievously to the many songs she'd heard on that Adventure Time TV show her sisters were fascinated with. I'll never be too old for hilarious cartoon shows.
"Vivian, you have officially lost your talking privileges for the duration of the trip" Altair stated firmly with a smug smirk hidden under his pointed hood and it widened evilly with her protesting groan from behind. Surprisingly, she obeyed without offering a sassy remark. Malik muffled a laugh behind closed lips as they returned to their old banter-nagging routine that gave Altaïr another sense of purpose. Altaïr didn't care, he was just happy with the glorious silence filling his ears. Maybe the trip would roll on smoothly with his imposed rule on silence as her sass would wither and die like a flower without the life-giving sun.
The next second had Vivian clinging on like a little girl with her favorite stuffed bear except in her case, her favorite grumpy assassin. Thankfully, he was no longer tempted to slay her to put an end to her jabber as their peaceful truce kept him at bay. To be quite honest, he'd never bring himself to do or think of such a dishonorable act; she was growing on him, unfortunately.
Altaïr frowned deeply as his dignity was stabbed by a thousand rusty swords to the physical contact, I stand corrected, I prefer the jabber to this.
A/N: The heat in my city is killing me, which is why this one was a little late in coming out because even a cooling pad didn't help my poor laptop. Anyway, it's been a while since we've heard one of Vivian's little tunes but the gal deserves it after fighting inside a pyramid. I don't want her turning into a Sue by suddenly having fighting techniques and knowledge on weapons because she's a normal woman that sticks to books which is why she'll gradually learn defensive fighting with a weapon. Even then, she won't be fighting like the assassins- she's their decoy, after all. The team will be heading to the canyon to kill the thieves, implementing Vivian's handy personas to gain access to find that piece. If anybody hasn't guessed yet, it's one of Altaïr's memory seals from Revelations so not even poor Vivian will know what it is (keeping her far away from Sue-dom).
Thank you for the new alerts and favs, not to mention the wonderful reviews (although the new 'guest' system is a little annoying):
Dan the paper guy: The heat in my city's been killer for updating, even now the keys on my laptop are burning my poor fingertips. Lol. I'm very glad you love the story and I'll mix in more banter between the two, it'll get better once they're out of Giza and away from civilization.
SachikothePeacock: Thanks for the encouragement, I hope you liked the images of the characters.
Kallios the Scholar: Malik loves her fictional tales but Altaïr calls blasphemy on all. I didn't think my songs would be so popular but as long as they're linked or referenced to the story, there's no problem at all. I'm glad people like them. That's how I imagined Amon to be, an old-fashioned example to La Volpe (I really like his character), since Altaïr has to learn assassins can work with others. I think we'd all like to send Vivian items from the future, the poor gal needs a little pick me up once in a while. I don't mind rambling, I love reading everything my readers find interesting or what they want to ask questions on.
Kaica: I love it when my readers say they laughed so hard, it brings me extreme happiness for it.
NeverGoodbyeRoxas: Your review reminded me of the end of chapter 12 where Altaïr calls her Malik's pet. Trust has been a big factor for Altaïr but seeing that Vivian's as innocent but humorous like any other person out there, she's slowly weaving herself into his life until he can't help but care for her (platonically or romantically). Your pet comment gives me an idea for other chapters since he's already given her morsels, tied her up, and patted her on the head like any pet owner.
ShizukaRen-Hime: Altaïr are almost nonexistent with his stoic personality, especially when Vivian enrages him. We'll see him melt slowly with each passing chapter because once they leave Giza, they're on their own to head to the less populated lands in Africa. For some reason, the only Disney music I can relate to for Vivian is 'Heigh-Ho' from Snow White due to her energetic attitude. I'm glad you like Amon's character, I always like creating credible OC's for canon characters in stories so we'll see more of the pleasant thief.
Chausters: I'm always glad to hear Vivian's nowhere in Sue-dom with each progressing chapter and yes, her introductions always leave the poor woman embarrassed as Altaïr covers for her rambles with a mortifying excuse (bladder issues, staring at the sun). Poor Maria, already being traded over in a second for Vivian (ha-ha). Altaïr will meet up with Maria once they finish at one of the POE locations, by accident, while Vivian will meet her far later- near the end of the story, I believe. The two women won't be fighting over the assassin as Maria will find her eye straying for somebody else but Altaïr will become fiercely overprotective once he realizes he cares for Vivian and won't let anybody that's single get close. I love answering questions so don't hesitate to ask!
Foreverafter: Thanks for leaving your name in the guest review, otherwise, I wouldn't have known it was you. :)
KrnYong: Yep, Vivian's getting a little bold streak now that she and Altaïr put that nasty antagonism behind them. Altaïr is like an iceberg when it comes to love, slowly melting away each layer with time until he realizes 'this angry badger is the one for me' but that will be quite a while. I don't see him falling in love with someone immediately, it's unrealistic, but I'm glad you'll eagerly await it. He'll start the final thawing at the end of their trip in Uganda while Vivian will already be showing distinct signs. In the end, she'll be the Hufflepuff to his Ravenclaw.
Marli-chan Tuchanka: I appreciate each reader for my stories, you take the time to read what I write and I return the same courtesy by answering reviews and any questions. :)
Guest: Thanks for loving the story so much, I wish I had a penname to answer to besides 'Guest' but thanks!
Next Time: The Siren and the Bearded Lady
The next stage came into play as they kept up the 'lost ladies in the desert' ruse despite Malik's horribly cracking voice and the 'women' drew the attention of the remaining thieves at camp by simply barging in with their ditzy personas. Of course, acting lost and in need of help- the classically clichéd damsel in distress mode- drew undivided attention from the thieves as Vivian played herself the sap by believing they were spice salesmen due to their (stolen) goods.
The hilarious irony, to Altaïr anyway, was that the men paid more attention to Malik in his fake getup than Vivian. Apparently, his tall height and build made him perfect for farm work and domesticating animals- not to mention, tending to a husband. Given Malik's ethnicity, his familiar physical appearance was more attractive than Vivian's foreign pale shade as a woman. Before Malik popped a brain vessel and stabbed all of the men for daring to place him into general labor, Vivian drew their attention by dancing and singing one of her random songs to allow Altaïr time to slice everyone to pieces. That, and Malik looked ready to kill a few men but it wasn't the dai's fault he was attractive in either gender.
"Now, keep your eyes on me and clap loudly to entertain yourself!" she enticed cheerfully with a dazzling smile to make sure nobody would look behind to the ledge above them where Altaïr had just eliminated their last two scouts. Hopefully, the dead bodies wouldn't twitch and fall over the ledge to drop behind them. She needed all of them to keep their focus on her while he picked them off one by one, his mind ready to craftily use the bags of loot to replace the bodies because men's attention span in this era wasn't very long. After all, they'd chosen to be thieves . . . he'd keep that last comment to himself because Amon would undoubtedly throw him out of Giza for it for daring to stereotype him.
"On a tropical island,
Underneath a molten lava moon.
Hangin' with the hula dancers,
Askin' questions cause' they got all the answers
Puttin' on lotion! Sittin' by the ocean!
Rubbin' it on my body! Rubbin' it on my body!"
Altaïr almost slapped his forehead to her horrid dancing skills as she swayed her hips like a person using a hoola-hoop and smiled goofily with her hands in the air to imitate a graceful Hawaiian dancer. Unfortunately, she resembled a reject that held none of those fluid movements and Altaïr found no alluring traits in it- not that he intended to. Nonetheless, it allowed him to kill the first man efficiently with a strike to the heart from behind with his hidden blade. He performed an Indiana Jones move as he replaced the body with a sack of loot while his friends concentrated on. . .really, they found her hip gyrating interesting?
Get me out of this caa-a-ve,
'cause it's nothing but a gladiator graa-a-ve.
And if I stick to the plaa-a-n,
I think I'll turn into a lava womaa-a-n.
I think I'll turn into a lava woman!"
Malik simply encouraged the loud clapping and obnoxious hooting while keeping an eye on the slithering assassin that struck with the dexterity of a viper behind each man that sat in their random spots.
Thank you for the continuous reading of my tale, Altaïr does a dance for each hit. :)