The Mother of Egypt
Back at Masyaf,
"For the last time, I've told you that Altaïr will return in a year and if you disagree with that timeframe, you are free to track him down and leave our brotherhood with one less defender" Ilias stated stiffly with a nonnegotiable tone because he grew tired of Abbas' inquiries about Altaïr's right to be leader when he'd gone and left on his mission. The order was steadily regaining its numbers, something that couldn't be said about the Templars since the Crusades had drawn to a close with the treaty of Ramla and no longer allowed them a legal foothold on their lands (apart from sanctuary but the assassins would be watching their every move). Since then, their enemies had kept quiet as stragglers were killed and troops had begun movement towards Africa. He would not question his leader's decisions because he'd yet to lead them astray or endanger their lives but others were slower to pacify. To them, whatever Altaïr accomplished would never be enough and Ilias abhorred the ridiculous expectations they stamped over the grand master's head.
Abbas scowled to the ultimatum from his spot across the desk and Ilias stabbed his complaints with true fact, "Or have you not taken notice of the recent Templar deployments to the African continent where he headed? If Altaïr failed to leave and stayed to pick off the remnants that linger around us, they would have a large advantage with whatever they're planning."
The other man growled with displeasure to Ilias' news (which he hadn't been privy to) and left the room in a huff, leaving the current leader to shake his head at his behavior. Ilias treated all of his brothers with respect and allowed them to speak their mind, as Altaïr wished all of his members to, but there was something about that man that didn't sit well with him at times. His animosity towards their grand master on a personal level could cloud his judgment and the brotherhood came first before all else. This was one decent example of that fact. Altaïr held a history with the man, everybody knew it as the fortress carried gossip constantly despite the lack of women (well, unmarried ones), but Ilias hoped his friend's hope to remedy that broken friendship wouldn't blind him if Abbas became a danger.
He decided to leave his post for the moment since he'd done nothing but read updates from the pigeon carriers and a walk around the grounds would relieve his lethargy quickly. The scholars of their order greeted him as he left the large room filled with bookcases, breathing in the fresh air that swept in through the open doorway as he stepped out into the courtyard. My, was it sunset already? Well, at least dinner wouldn't be far behind and wondered how his brothers were faring in their trip through Africa. Altaïr could take care of himself but Malik's injury always poked Ilias' mind because fighting on the offense would no longer be a suitable option.
The dai had been quite enraged when he'd lost his limb, feeling the loss in all aspects as a man could since their limbs were a necessity for their lifestyle and had been forced to give up his rank as an assassin. For months, Malik had refused to relinquish his skills because although he'd lost a limb, his resolve for the order had never been stronger and had trained relentlessly to make up for the loss of perception on his left side. Upon his return to Masyaf, their grand master had personally sparred with him to sharpen any skills that he might've lost or been dull on to increase the agility and dexterity lost from the aftermath at Solomon's Temple. Thankfully, Altaïr and Malik had settled their conflicting differences with the passage of time and Ilias was glad to know the bond between the two friends had never been stronger. If only the issue with Abbas was that easy to resolve but each person was different in their approach to solving problems.
"Ilias, look at my recent accomplishment" Bashir's jubilant voice popped in as he approached him from the right, passing by all of the students gathering around Rauf's training circle, and the assassin hoped it wouldn't be a bomb of sorts that would explode on them. Or worse, poison.
He turned to find the inventor wielding Rafiki on a thick leather glove on his left hand, the bird quietly preening his feathers. For the past weeks, Bashir had been adamant in gaining the falcon's respect since he valued having fingers and wanted to prove to his grand master that he'd done his job splendidly. He'd even tried to take the bird on an assassination but the blasted falcon decided to peck at him when it was time to enter the city, reminding the young assassin to blend in with the scholars. Rafiki swore in his avian mind that it was like watching Altaïr in his teen years all over again since Bashir had years to attain his master rank unlike the gifted grand master. After many tries and failures, he managed to subdue the bird by speaking to him as an equal and offering food for its finicky palate. Quite frankly, he wasn't surprised with the bird's attitude because it matched Altaïr's.
"Did you finally allow him to cater to you?" Ilias asked with light humor on his Israeli features and Bashir began to answer but realized he was staring directly at the bird. Wait, what just happened? The young inventor merely blinked in bewilderment and the assassin chuckled deeply to his expression, explaining with an amused smirk, "Only Altaïr can tame the bird, the rest fall under his authority. You, my friend, just became his wagon."
Bashir groaned miserably to the fact and aimed a questioning gaze at the bird for clarification, who innocently glanced away to avoid the matter. Hmm, that bird was smarter than he gave him credit for. All three, however, stood at attention when the guards at the gate beckoned Ilias to come forward. That was odd. The only times he was required were for visitors, which were usually sent away due to their secret headquarters, or impending danger. With brisk steps, he descended the walkways past Rauf and his students with Bashir on his tail as Rafiki flapped his brown wings to order that he follow.
If danger approached their fortress or any of his assassins on assignments, he would deploy forces with the same battle strategies he and Altaïr had often discussed in case such an event arose while he was away. He came to the closed metal gate that separated their sanctuary from the outside world as two guards stood on either side with incredulous expressions and looked to find. . .
A woman.
Her features were of English descent, black ebony hair braided neatly around the crown of her head while her pale silver eyes held shrewd perception that belonged to no ordinary civilian. From what he could see behind the gate, her dark leather garb resembled a traveling adventurer's more than a woman that tended to a homestead. Ilias was sure that if he enraged her, she'd claws his eyes out because her current expression was not cheerful. The frowning corners of her thinned lips were a dead giveaway that she was irritated but she held her tongue as her gaze met his, her finely arched brows rising with curiosity to his approach.
"She demands to speak to Altaïr and refuses to leave until she does" the assassin to his left explained the situation and the woman nodded stiffly to verify the claim. Well, this was certainly new. Their grand master was not one to become entangled with women due to his constant travel and he'd only ever mentioned one that was strong enough to stray his eyes away from his job for a few minutes.
"I aided him during a mission to Cyprus and Acre, he stated that if I ever required sanctuary from the Templars that I would find refuge here" she stated matter-of-factly and pulled a necklace from underneath her robes that held the assassin's insignia on a silver pendant. Her actions were calculated like any soldier's as she kept an eye on her surroundings but the light shake of her fingertips told him she was also worried as she informed calmly, "He gave me this as proof to my claims."
"Altaïr is not here, he's on a year-long mission" Ilias explained simply to the assassin's whereabouts and watched her lips part slightly in displeasure to the news. He assumed that whatever she sought was urgent or important because her contact with his comrade had been sparse whenever she sent letters and even then, they were only about Templar movements. If she was the same woman that had helped his brother, he would provide aid if there was an attempt on her life and asked for verification, "What is your name?"
She hesitated for a moment because for all she knew, they'd skewer her on the spot for the name just like her old order wanted. Throughout her journey to Masyaf, any glimpses of white she'd caught were elusive over the rooftops and could only seek out the assassin's order itself for what she needed. She trusted in the last hope she had, licking her dry lips in a moment of hesitation before answering, "Maria Thorpe."
Bashir dropped the ball on this one as he commented curiously to Rafiki, "He worked with a Templar? How contradictory."
Ilias had already been told about this by Altaïr as the man covered every corner in regards to his leave and quickly told the men to stand down before they chased her straight out of the village. The two guards glanced at him with surprise to the decision since anyone holding ties to the Templars were forced out of the village under the penalty of death. Maria merely kept a straight face to the fact, standing straight like the soldier she'd once been and Ilias spoke softly with a hint of curiosity in his voice, "He told me of your defection and ensured you were one to be trusted. My question is why you've come now?"
"I was gathering information on Templar movements across the Mediterranean but unfortunately, my body could not handle the demands anymore" Maria answered with honest disappointment as her missions came to an abrupt end because she was no longer worried about her own life. The last months had forced her to rethink her new conundrum and quitting her saboteur missions against the Templars had been a letdown, her brow furrowing with regret as she vowed quietly, "This is the last place left to me for help and all I can promise is that I mean your faction no harm. I will relinquish all my weapons and give all information that I have at my disposal for entrance."
The order would not be too pleased but Altaïr had assured him the woman had cut all ties with the Templars and nodded stiffly, "All right, you may enter but one wrong mistake and you will be left to your own devices."
"Good, because climbing back down would've been murder" she sighed with relief at gaining entrance because traveling nonstop since leaving Turkey had been exhausting on her. Not to mention, walking from the village to the fortress perked at the top of a mountain (of all thing!) had tested her endurance and patience. She'd almost fainted on the ground floor when a villager had pointed out she had to climb up the mountain's carved steps since they didn't live within the village itself.
When the metal gate lifted to grant her passage, Ilias froze on the spot and Bashir's eyes bulged out of his head when they caught a better glance at the ex-Templar. Maria noticed their stunned gazes as they realized just why she couldn't keep up with her warrior skills anymore and gently placed a hand over her plump stomach, stating with mirth, "Yes, I'm expecting and staring at it won't make it go away."
Ilias knew his days had just gotten longer with this new arrival (two, if he counted the unborn child) and motioned for her to follow, leaving everyone behind with quizzical gazes.
"Ow!" Bashir yelped painfully when Rafiki bit his shoulder in demand that he follow the two and the young assassin sighed, regretting his decision to partner up with a bird.
In Giza, Egypt. . .
The trio found themselves inside the Queen's chamber, the floors covered with caking blood from the corpses of their recent battle. They thanked the veil of dusk for covering their tracks back to the pyramid and the dead they'd hidden since security lacked in the area during those hours so dumping them somewhere had been easy enough. Amon's group would intercept any troublemakers that headed their way throughout the night and hopefully, most of the Templars would be dead by midnight. Altaïr was already exhausted from the entire day and would have to risk spending another night within the city after killing an entire unit but would depart before sunrise to protect his team. The ancient walls of the room appeared the same as Malik observed the ancient carvings and paintings carefully for any hidden clues while Vivian noticed a lot of deity images in the horizontal carvings but nothing out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, she had headed into general history focusing on the Old World rather than the tempting Egyptology category due to the numerous branches of the discipline that would allow her to gain a job. After all, the economy in her time was dependent on supply and demand so she'd best to hustle into a field that would grant her sustenance with her love for history.
"Isis, the mother of Egypt as the ancient people called her" Altaïr stated simply as he noticed her close inspection on the northern wall where the popular goddess had been painted and she nodded quietly, her fingers roaming over the old hieroglyphs with astonishment. The rush of excitement from touching history itself and discovering ancient secrets is what drew her to the field. She'd rejected dates and friendly outings to spend hours in museums, studying artifacts from their display cases and was certain every employee at the natural history museum in Berkeley knew her by now. Her green eyes met his briefly, noticing his honey eyes had slightly dilated to show he was using his eagle vision on the wall and Altaïr stated softly, "This land had many gods just as other polytheistic religions of the old world."
"Every religion tends to have many, some hold one higher than the rest as other are either below or held as saintly" Vivian agreed with a modest smile to what time showed in both their realms as religions rose and fell with the passage of time, similar to governments. He focused on the glowing multicolor symbols above him, noticing they were guiding him towards one of the walls and his eyes narrowed to the blinding hues as she continued, "Religion will dominate the way the world is seen for many centuries and the race of men will fight to dominate which is right. It's horrible that most proclaim peace among men but they won't hesitate to kill innocents for it."
"Your world as well?" he asked grimly and she gave a noncommittal shrug since they were both pretty similar, except for the Templars. The Creed held the ironic rule of maintaining peace in society but they killed in order to achieve it yet Altaïr would not change it in the slightest because it guided his life and many others. He pointed towards the eastern wall as the nonsensical symbols increased with frequency with each passing step, beckoning him and he informed carefully, "I am going to climb the chamber wall to see if there is anything here."
"Be careful" she called out with a tentative voice to ward off appearing motherly (he was a capable assassin, after all) but he cast caution to the wind since it was a simple climb for someone that could tackle mountains. Malik decided to sit on one of the plump bags of loot to relax since figuring out this new conundrum wouldn't be easy and prepared for the haul. His hand absentmindedly brushed over his baby smooth cheeks and sighed wistfully to the short beard that had kept mosquitoes from trying to bite him and frowned, hoping his facial hair would grow fast or he'd take Vivian's walking stick to smack Altaïr.
Vivian, however, remained glued to each of Altaïr's movements to make sure no hidden traps sprung at him to bring harm and stood at attention like a soldier if he needed anything. As a true fan, she couldn't help but watch him solve a problem that would help the future and cursed Ubisoft for sticking him as a minor character in the other games. Ezio's journey had stirred many emotions within her as she walked in his steps but thankfully, he'd had other assassins guiding him while Altaïr had taken the bull by the horns on his own at twenty-five to lead the entire order. Like a faithful old hound, she stayed nearby as the seconds ticked into a minute and the minute became many minutes until. . .
"I see something!," he called out and climbed towards one of the highest carvings depicting Osiris as the glowing alien markings surrounded the area. As he hung from one of the ceiling's ledges, he noticed the one of the hieroglyphs of a rising sun had been designed to appear as one but upon closer inspection . . . he found his entryway. It had been painted over to conceal its true purpose as the chiseled shape was strangely familiar and he knew just where he'd seen it. Using one hand to dig into the concealed breast pocket within one of the layers of his robes, he dug out the faintly luminescent artifact and placed it within the limestone mold that fit perfectly around it. The sound of a lock opening echoed throughout the chamber and Altaïr smiled at knowing there was a reason behind that strange artifact; it simply needed to return to its rightful place.
Unfortunately, that was just the first phase of the long haul to the piece of Eden as the artwork around the key shifted to protrude outwards and three circular rings faced him. On each separated ring, there were specific hieroglyphs burned into carved into the limestone as the entire image on the wall shifted completely from its original angle and he groaned to the new problem. This was not how he envisioned spending a night in Giza. His right hand lightly pressed against the first one and felt it move down under his touch, realizing they were separate pieces and Altaïr was more than sure he had to solve a puzzle. Of course, those blasted creatures couldn't make it easy on him!
"Does anyone happen to know ancient Egyptian?" he spat irritably to the horrible puzzle that was holding him back from the piece of Eden at this hour of the night. Ugh, he was cranky, sweaty, hungry, and overly exhausted that he just wanted to sleep while somebody spoon-fed him from his bedside. He wasn't fond of hanging from the ceiling while simultaneously trying to crack the riddle that could injure him if he pressed the wrong letters. Pressing his feet against the stable unmovable wall, he glared at the symbols and shouted down for a little bit of help, "Vivian? Tell me that spongy mind of yours can figure this out, I will cherish you for eternity if you can solve this! Malik? I will wash your clothes for a month!"
"Hey, why don't I get servant service? You can't milk cherishing" Vivian pouted disappointedly since she doubted he'd become sweet like a flower overnight. It would be too eerie for the strong badass assassin the she and many others had come to adore (and worship, in some cases). She didn't know Egyptian hieroglyphs extensively like an Egyptologist in training but her mind had absorbed quite a few things through the years and groaned under her breath with embarrassment, "Oh man, I'm about reach a nerdiness of epic proportions of the likes which I have never shown in public."
Well, at least it won't be like that spelling bee in fifth grade in front of the school that earned me a pretty ribbon but the name Pointdexter for the rest of the year, she thought glumly because having a mother in journalism and a father in medicine had allowed for a very good vocabulary at that age.
"Vivian, stop talking to yourself and throw me a roll of parchment and a charcoal piece" he ordered sharply to pull her out of her nonsensical ramblings and she moved with unbelievable haste to listen. Well, that was new because he usually had to share jabs before she scuttled off to listen to his orders.
He caught the items she threw his way and proceeded to write down each on the white paper as best he could for the best interpretation because it all trickled down to answering the puzzle. Dropping down onto the floor with relief to his muscles, he rolled his shoulders to ease any soreness because his anatomy wasn't a monkey's that was designed for climbing. Handing her the paper, he ordered her to figure it out and she stretched the entire length over the queen's sarcophagus to peer at each symbol closely with a meticulous eye. This is where her freshman summer vacation came into play as she'd attended exhibits on ancient Egypt and had stayed for lengthy discussions with visiting Egyptologists. She'd had such a wonderful time during that year and surprised her poor father on one afternoon when she'd hauled in a stack of books that rose over her own head.
One was quickly recognized from the common use and she explained with a confident smile, "This one belongs to Isis but this one right here," she pointed to a strange geometric shape that was almost cube-like, "is different, which tells me there's another word. Seeing as it appears either as a throne or house, it could mean a place of protection under her guidance- a temple, possibly."
"A temple for what?" Malik pondered as he stood on her right side, idly tapping his smooth chin in thought. His knowledge might extend to cartography and history for the lands he'd traveled to but he'd give translated a dead language a shot when Vivian couldn't find an answer. Altaïr, however, was at a completely loss because history had never been a forte of his as he preferred the blade, philosophy, and the thrill of adventure. He could sharpen a blade to perfection but if you asked him anything in regards to ancient Mesopotamia, he'd simply tell the person if they wanted the blade cleaned or not.
"Who knows" Vivian replied quietly as she observed the next symbols that Altaïr wrote from the middle ring, a circle with a line intersecting its center and her neurons were hard at work for the answer. One fortunate cell finally managed to solve the puzzle in a few seconds, holding the magic flask of an answer as she tapped the charcoal scribble to explain, "This one underneath is the sun, common with their sun deity too, while this one-"
"He's dumping out water" Altaïr muttered flatly since it made no sense in his mind as he stared at the little stick figure with a jug in its hands and took the most logical guess, "He wants to grow crops? Fetching water from a well? He's thirsty and went to the well?"
"Why would someone want to water crops in the afterlife?" Malik questioned skeptically to his suggestion and the assassin shot him a glare for having his two cents denied in the thinking pool. What? Did lack of a knowledgeable background ban him from input? Vivian ignored the two for the moment as she pondered over the little stick figure while the dai pointed out matter-of-factly with a frown, "It's why it's called an afterlife, you enjoy eternal peace away from mortal toils. Nobody wants to fetch water when they're dead! Allah will grant me peace when we both depart from this world and reunite me with my arm so I can beat you with it while you fill your silly jugs of water."
"You don't even believe in Allah anymore!" Altaïr retorted sarcastically since the news had disintegrated the dai's previous belief in religion after learning about the Apple of Eden. The grand master had abandoned religion altogether ages ago but maintained a spiritual view for certain unexplainable things that the items could not control. Their order had always had assassins of varying ideologies, his parents being a prime example, but Altaïr's eyes had been opened to the 'miracles' the pieces of Eden created.
"Another reason I should beat you with my spiritual arm one day!" Malik shot back because that was one gift he could've lived without because he liked to believe there were miracles in the world. There had to be something to look forward after his life ended, something to tell him that all of his work meant something and he'd left his footprint in time. To know that everything he accomplished during his mortal life would end where he died and his consciousness would cease to exist . . . it sounded rather bleak.
"Water is a symbol itself, cleanliness, purification. . ." Vivian murmured under her breath as she continued deciphering by ignoring their spat and her eyes widened to the answer staring her in the face. Truly, it could've struck her with the same force as her head meeting the floor on her unorthodox leave of her world. Ezio's meeting with Minerva! The sun obliterated most of the ancient beings and humankind on Earth many millennia ago, a purification in itself! Her lips widened into a grin as Altaïr's figurative little jug of water came in handy and she declared with triumph, "The sun's impending destruction of Earth once more- I'll tell you more later, you and I will be long gone before that comes into play though," he almost hung his head at this, "It's plainly obvious with the next symbol of a person lying on the ground, they're definitely not napping. It matches with the symbol above it if the first symbol represents the mother of humankind and her temple, protecting her children against it. The last ring, however. . ."
"An eagle . . . and a disturbingly creepy eye" Altaïr commented awkwardly at the end but he was definitely sure the first was a bird, either a falcon or eagle since they were the predominant predatory birds of the area. Malik and Vivian aimed a deadpan stare for the latter comment because 'creepy' didn't help their case at all and the assassin grumbled irritably under his breath, "I'm starving and prone to fussiness at this point."
"Want me to rub your belly?" Vivian grinned cheekily with a sickeningly sweet face since the motion helped dogs and babies from fussing or colic but it earned her a death glare. Altaïr would be caught dead before he ever lowered himself in such a shameful manner and practically hissed at the woman to keep her hands at bay when she wiggled the tips of her fingers. She let the joke drop for the time being and returned to solving the hieroglyphs because she was starving as well, sighing softly with concentration, "Well, this one is an arm. It could be guiding, leading, it's not raised to deny or shield."
"The next is a man holding a cross, praying perhaps?" Malik added in as they tried to unscramble the symbols and Vivian wiped sweat from her brow as her brain sorted through the pieces. Man, and she thought daily Sudoku drove her insane. If Ubisoft planned on increasing the difficulties of plot important missions with puzzles, she'd be in trouble when she returned home. Malik took the mental torch from the historian since he could only take a guess by judging on the gestures of the human figures and rested his elbows against the sarcophagus, covering his mouth in politeness as he yawned tiredly, "Seeking protection? Giving it?"
"He's a shepherd" Vivian smiled warmly as she looked closely at each symbol on the parchment (the light bulb finally lighting up in her head) and pointed to the first symbol of the last ring to recite, "The eagle guides or possibly leads. . .as a shepherd but where?"
"The temple of Isis" Altaïr answered simply as he pointed to the first ring symbols because he doubted the person would lead innocents to a horrible sun sizzling death. Well, he wouldn't. Vivian had briefly told him of a catastrophic event and how pieces of Eden were related to the underground temples but she didn't have much to go on since she no longer lived in her time. There was only so much information she could give him without affecting his future and he accepted that, pointing to the first ring that they'd solved to hypothesize, "Being the mother of Egypt, her temples or just about any sanctuary would provide safety against catastrophes."
Vivian stared at the drawn eagle with a quizzical eye and Altaïr's pointed white hood caused her overworked neurons to pause as she realized, "An eagle will guide them," her approving gaze met his, "You. Your descendants or any assassin, really. You are the protectors of humankind against all dangers. The question is, how do these three fit together in a way that won't have us activating a trap?"
"Write down each possible solution and I will try it myself while you two leave-" he ordered quickly since he'd risk his life before theirs but they weren't having any of that. His words trailed off at the serious expressions on both their faces because they were adamant to stay by his side to see it through to the other side. Did they really think they'd leave him alone after what they'd gone through, especially Malik? The man lost a lot since Solomon's temple and the recent removal of his beard was another item on that growing list.
Vivian allowed Malik to do the arguing this time because they wouldn't be leaving him alone to face who knows what and tore another page from her journal to turn it into three equal strips. She handed one to each of them to get their neural juices flowing again and handed out her first order to get started, "Write down all of your combinations and we'll compile them into one list."
"You know, it's very hard to hold a paper in your hand while pushing a button and simultaneously hanging from the ceiling" Altaïr called down with a scowl as he adjusted the final strip of their combinations in his hand without losing it when he pressed his fingers against the stone. The lighting, of course, couldn't have been worse since the candles died out long ago while they'd been on their chase and torches had been lit to bring light into the chamber. Unfortunately, most of it stayed in the center at average eye level rather than trailing along the ceiling and he sighed under his breath for the horrible lighting. How the ancient Egyptians traveled through here in the night for any rituals was beyond him.
He warned them to stand at the entrance of the chamber for good measure as he pressed down on each ring to begin the first combination, a flicker of concern running through him when he pressed the last ring first. Vivian clasped her hands together to let her fingers wring in suspense while Malik eyed the chamber for anything unusual. Whatever happened, they would-
Nothing happened.
"Well, that was both anticlimactic and relieving" she sighed thankfully as her shoulders relaxed but kept rooted to her spot for extra safety measures. It could decide to spring up a surprise seconds later- even a minute- and swallow them all up. After all, these temples hadn't been used in centuries and maybe even millenniums. She didn't have the cat-like grace of her companions and she'd fall flat on her face before she could grab anything if such a scenario occurred so she'd scram like a stubborn cockroach to survive.
The second combination yielded nothing and the third had him using his elbows to press the stone forcefully due to the strength needed. Hanging from the ceiling like a monkey did not help matters, especially when his left shoulder joint began aching from the prolonged tension as it supported his entire body weight.
Finally, the fourth worked like a charm as the second ring with the sun went first and the eagle played second while the temple tied it all up in the end to foretell the future. Instantly, the rings receded back into their original spots as the ancient hieroglyph painting reset to its old position and the metal artifact turned clockwise to activate something within the pyramid as Altaïr watched the stone settle back into place. Well, they wanted a response and were now going to receive it. The ancient limestone walls rumbled as the ancient pyramid came alive under his fingertips, the shaking force leaving him hanging by one arm but he was comfortable enough to drop down without any damage as he returned to his companions. Vivian yanked him away from the chamber by the arm as the wall with the rings shifted, the circular area lowering into itself as dust flew into the air to reveal an opening in its shape. It was big enough for a person so it was obvious that Altaïr would be crawling through the duct to lead him towards whatever architecture had been designed to house the piece of Eden. . .after he finished coughing out the ten pounds of dust that had burst into the chamber.
"So, who's climbing in with me first?" he asked calmly without a hint of worry to what lay behind there and Vivian pointed to Malik since they were the assassins. If anything fishy awaited them inside the dark tunnel, they would be able to resist and maneuver themselves while she'd be Bambi over ice.
She wanted to try her Spiderman skills on the walls in case she had to act fast and Altaïr held back a snort when she fell from the first thing she grabbed. Nope, she was not meant to climb at all. He felt inclined to give her a pointer about grabbing the closest grooves since her fingers were slimmer than his but said nothing, leaving her to figure it out. Vivian was a determined woman with a good head on her shoulders, she'd find a way to figure out his tip. Without effort, he climbed into the overhead duct and held out his hand for Malik to grab onto as the dai used his jumping skills for reach. Vivian's jaw dropped to pop her mouth open to the easy parkour of the dai (who only had one arm, no less!) and couldn't help but sigh as her little flame of hope died out. There was just no way to do that as a normal person without severely fracturing a limb! She'd fail horribly like Andy, Dwight, and Michael had in The Office when they attempted it. Clasping his hand, Altaïr pulled Malik up easily in one yank and waited for him to crawl past him before fetching his other companion.
When he returned for Vivian, he found her nursing a throbbing tailbone after too many falls while studying the wall for any interesting crevices. She had to hand it to the Egyptians because when they built a pyramid, they made it to last. If only she could find a good pair of shoes because the endless walks had already ruined her first pair of cloth shoes and she'd bought leather for added protection from anything sharp on the road. Altaïr had to admire her determination to conquer the flat surface but unfortunately, she lacked the skills. Unlike Malik, she held none of his trained finesse and told her to latch onto his back for the climb since the opening wasn't at a short height. She rubbed her sore butt one last time before erasing her frown of disappointment and piped up proudly, "I think this is the first time you're carrying me where I'm not unconscious."
"I do hope you won't be biting me this time?" he smirked with amusement to their first meeting because the woman had truly made him believe she was literally insane with her ramblings. Women were not assassins in his order due to the gender roles of their society but they served his order as informants, keeping out of the line of fire and maintaining the shroud of invisibility when wandering the streets. Nobody expected a woman to pose as a danger and only the most trusted were utilized in such a manner. His mother was an informant as her Christian background helped to gather information for the Order as most Templars infiltrated religious sects for financial backing; a fact he'd found in the records of the library when his mind itched to know his origins. It wouldn't bring her back but it helped to piece a collage of where he'd come from but his only sense of home was Masyaf.
As she grabbed on for a piggyback climb, her laughter told him that she'd never attempt such a thing again and Vivian apologized about the current situation, "Sorry for not being able to wall climb since my skills are all in the history category."
"You supply me with knowledge and I will bring the sky to you" he stated earnestly since her mind was aiding them in missions and she tried to shove down the rose tinting her cheeks in effect to his words, playing the role of a barnacle instead. Ezio might be the sweet talker of the game but Altaïr had an articulate way with words that left her giggling like a schoolgirl when he merely meant them as compliments. He grasped any broken pieces of limestone from protruding designs or broken pieces to hoist himself upwards and spoke aloud to compliment her abilities since he'd yet to do so since meeting, "You proved your worth with deciphering those symbols so never feel embarrassed about abilities that give you an advantage, leave the assumptions of others in the trash where it belongs. There's strength within you, Vivian, it's simply an entirely different sort than ours."
She had the deepest desire to gush at his words with biggest sappiest smile ever but chose a wittier response to shroud her feelings by teasing gently, "That tummy rub is still available if you get fussy."
"And like that, you plummet my brief admiration into the dark bowels of a dying sun" he stated flatly with a faint smile on his scarred lips and she chuckled with amusement to his carefully chosen words. So the man was capable of humor after all. Altaïr wouldn't make her fall into fits of laughter like Ezio (oh, how he made her tummy hurt) but he brought a smile to her face and it sufficed with a stoic man like him- especially in that era of time.
She grabbed onto the edges of the open hole when they reached it, wincing when there was nothing to add friction for a decent grip. The entire tunnel was smoothed down and she pulled her sleeves over her hands in the hope that they'd aid better in comparison to her slightly damp hands (a reaction that occurred every time she was nervous). Malik lent a hand by grabbing her wrist and she hoisted herself up with the other as she pushed herself upwards but Altaïr hissed in complaint when her shoe pressed down on his left shoulder. Didn't she know how hard it was to scrub out dirt stains? Vivian, on the other hand, wondered just how the man managed to fight his way through bloody enemies and leap from buildings without completely tarnishing those robes. He smacked her shoe away as she entered the tunnel safely and he followed after, hoping that she hadn't left a footprint on him.
With all three gathered in the dark tunnel, they crawled their way towards the only open area giving them bright light as Altaïr led the way. The limestone was sanded smooth so it blew away Vivian's idea that artwork could have been chiseled into the stone for the assassin to decipher. Midway, Altaïr noticed a change as they crawled further along as the dark tunnel took on a teal appearance that ran along in fine lines along the dark colors of the wall. Vivian paused in her crawling to run a hand along the flooring when it no longer scratched at the fabric of her trousers and her fingertips slid along a smooth cold material that felt similar to polished granite. The shifting appearance of the tunnel reminded her of the temple under the Vatican that Ezio found after trailing that fat Templar pope, quickly scuttling along before she was left behind. It was eerily strange; the hue appearing entirely too bright and ethereal to be anything human- there had to be some sci-fi stuff tied into it.
She was about to advise him about being careful with touching anything but the words died on her lips when the floor gave way underneath them, shifting into a spiral staircase without them being none the wiser and they slid down in a heap as all three tried to grab hold of something. Anything! They tumbled through the closed staircase like snowballs in an avalanche and although Altaïr grabbed leverage a few times, Malik and Vivian pushed him off as they failed to do so. Altaïr hit solid ground first with an ungraceful tumble onto his stomach, withholding a groan for the unexpected shift in his surroundings. This was not how a master assassin reacted when he fell into a trap or uncertain circumstances.
He let out that painful groan a second later when Vivian landed directly on top of him, pinning him to the ground and Malik finished their human pyramid by loudening that groan from the poor assassin. Did a cow fall on him?! Altaïr clenched fists struck the floor in painful protest to the sudden weight of two people, Malik's incoming landing sucking out the remaining air left in his lungs and Vivian tried to free herself from both as she mumbled weakly, "Eh."
I'm being flattened like a crepe!, she thought miserably since Malik was heavier than he looked and thanked the stars that Altaïr hadn't fallen on her since the man was taller. If he had, she'd have been flattened worse than Wile E. Coyote under a boulder because he was the tallest and bulkier of the two due to his arsenal of weapons. How people wrote fanfics with intimate love triangles was beyond her, wishing to replace herself with them to be spared the uncomfortable pressure. She wiggled to find leeway on the weight and cried mentally, By all that is holy, I can't feel my right arm!
"Please. . .get off me!" Altaïr wheezed politely with a ragged voice and Malik rolled off to stand up easily while Vivian fell on all fours like a newborn puppy. He coughed aloud as he filled his lungs with precious life-giving air and opened his eyes to meet a decorative floor unlike anything he'd ever seen. Not even glass mosaics or stone could compare to the glowing teal hue radiating from the dark color of the room and he sat up quickly to gather his bearings.
"Our first find into a temple and we can't even walk into it" Vivian sighed shamefully as she sat up with sore wrists and groaned miserably to the area in front of them as a shiny gold metal fence protected a circular area that looked completely out of the ordinary. There was nothing special about it as the entire room was made of the same material- even the flooring- but she guessed that the spike fence had to come down. Alongside the walls, metal poles stuck out horizontally and remembered Ezio's amazing acrobats that frightened the hell out of her during several assassin tomb locations. That man deserved props for some of the crazy things he'd climbed and wistfully sighed at missing out on the rest of his adventure in the games (she'd be heartbroken if she returned home to find they switched him out for another guy). She pointed to the walls as they spread throughout the room towards a very high domed ceiling (how had this temple not been discovered?) and sighed softly, "Get ready for more flying squirrel jumps, buddy."
Altaïr said nothing about the new tasks, keeping the sour comments to himself and headed for the closest pole to latch onto it with the grace of an Olympian gymnast. Tired or not, Vivian allowed her eyes to glaze over as she ogled the poor assassin and his beautiful form- ahem, movements. Malik, who had been starving for quite a while, retrieved a piece of flat bread from his pocket to munch on before his stomach began grumbling like a ferocious dragon.
The assassin ascended each pole, perching himself carefully before reaching for the next that raised him higher towards the ceiling. The entire area was covered with poles, each carefully constructed to be reachable by assassin hands or one that held the traits he held. On the fifth pole, he noticed an indent within the smooth black wall and found himself curious when a small metal handle was encased in a circular indentation. Vivian had awed Malik with a few random missions about the game based on his life but he'd zoned out when she'd headed into a future century because it no longer concerned him. After everything he'd gone through that day, he dared the ancient beings to make his night lousier and pulled the metal handle for subtle retribution.
A few of the metal spikes descended into the floor, disappearing completely, but it didn't allow any room for anyone to enter the center. Vivian channeled her inner fangirl to encourage the man onwards because if her energy had already been zapped during the climb back to the pyramid, Altaïr wasn't far behind. Hey, if it worked for anime characters in shows, why not make an attempt in an AC time paradox shift? Stranger things had already happened to her. When Altaïr finally managed to activate three of those handles and create a decent space to allow Vivian through, she took the courageous plunge to wiggle forth but got stuck halfway through the protruding spikes. She wiggled her arms for Malik to pull her back out, the poor dai sighing for having to save the historian and she shouted back at the assassin, "Sorry, breasts are horribly notorious for preventing you from entering space the rest of your body can!"
"Manners, Vivian, manners!" Altaïr shouted back indignantly because he didn't want to think of that image at the neck breaking height he was at and leapt towards the next pole to latch onto it. Vivian ignored his minor rant as she returned to a safe spot back on the stairway and waited for him to reach the ceiling, quietly eyeing his movements and keeping Malik awake with a nudge to his side every few minutes. The dai was having a hard time staying awake and the fact that the room was colder than the pyramid itself mixed with his comfy robes to lure him into the land of dreams. If he knew where Vivian kept her pieces of charcoal, he'd have drawn eyes on his eyelids to take a nap while imitating that he was wide awake.
He jolted awake for the fifteenth time when Altaïr finally reached the last pole, his head inches from the ceiling itself and he leapt forward to grab a horizontal bar that had descended from the top of the ceiling when he'd pulled the last handle. From her view at the bottom, it reminded Vivian of a small parallel bar and Altaïr's weight pulled it down to finish the entire rotation. He hung on tightly when the metal groaned to the pull because falling from that height would injure him but he sighed in relief when the bar locked into place and all of the spikes on the ground receded to reveal the bare floor that had been barred from them. He wasted no time in lifting himself back onto the bar by lifting one leg, perching on both legs like a canary on its perch before jumping back to the previous pole for the trip back down to the ground.
Vivian and Malik stayed put to make sure they didn't trigger anything, the woman frowning with displeasure when Altaïr decided to cut his leaping short by releasing one of the poles halfway down to land on the floor. It put a little strain on his knees as they bore the force of meeting the floor but he was rather tired of climbing since the evening.
"That's the quickest way to sprain your ankle, you know" Vivian admonished for his hastiness to finish the entire route and headed towards him to scrutinize him with a motherly eye. She was turning into a mother hen with the man but she wanted to make sure the badass assassin stayed alive while she lived among them because he deserved to live an old cane-walking retired life. Malik merely grinned to her innocent heckling and Altaïr swatted her hands away when she demanded that he put pressure on his feet to make sure nothing was wrong. A quick reminder that he'd leapt off buildings for a living and managed to land safely in wagons quieted her but she still kept a quiet eye on him. He was getting ready to point out that she'd best watch out for herself since he didn't need extra protection but halted when a transparent golden apparition cut his words short.
The woman exuded an aura fit for accounts relating to old gods and current deities, her figure sharply defined as if she were truly standing in front of him. Oddly enough, her feet didn't touch the floor as a long white empire-line dress billowed to cover them and faded at the hem to clearly show she was hovering. Her skin tone matched his own sun-kissed hue while a golden circlet encircled her head and her arms were decorated in simple golden jewelry fit for royalty in the ancient Egyptian castes. Vivian had once sketched the only being of their kind, Minerva, to give him a glimpse of the old culture but the one standing before him appeared different- less elaborate in wardrobe but elegant in her own right.
"Who are you?" he asked quickly as his posture turned defensive immediately, standing in front of his friends while they stared with bewilderment. Not at her- him. He shifted his gaze from the ethereal transparent woman to them for a few seconds, sharply questioning, "You can see her, can't you?"
"Um, how about no?" Vivian answered tentatively because she was seeing absolutely nothing but air and black walls in front of her but his shocked expression told her he wasn't lying. She looked to Malik for what he perceived but he was in the same boat as her, shrugging his shoulders because there was nobody but the three of them inside. Whatever he was witnessing was for his eyes (and apparently, ears) only.
Altaïr resisted pulling on his hood in irritation and shooed the two away to keep them safely behind him and strode forward to demand, "Who are you? What are you?"
The honey-hued woman's gazed met his in acknowledgement but she said nothing for a few moments, her thin brows furrowing only slightly in thought until she spoke with a soft feminine voice, "I have had many names throughout time but throughout eons I've seen, Isis has sustained," her onyx eyes bore into his to add in knowingly, "And you. . .are Altaïr, a diluted remnant of our people that lingers to find truth through the sea of myths."
"How do you know my name?" he asked defensively since beings such as her belonged to children's stories of ghosts or old magic, unnerved to how easily she'd spoken his name. Being the one who existed in current times, they shouldn't have any information on who he was at all! Vivian had admitted to him that they'd been rumored to wield a POE with the power to shift time itself and he wondered if they'd tapped into that power when it came to guiding his descendant towards the final goal of saving the world. He didn't like being manipulated, especially when it came to his entire lineage, and would rather have them speak to him with respect as they told him directly what he was meant to do in order to protect humankind against the Templars or any other danger.
Malik was trying to figure out what was happening because Altaïr wasn't the type to talk to nobody in the center of a circle that had previously been sealed away and asked aloud, "Who are you talking to?"
"To one of them" Vivian answered softly since she experienced the same problem but could feel the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. There was a certain type of energy in the air that only her sense of touch could briefly grasp while the rest were rendered useless at detecting the anomaly. She couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from and went by Altaïr's position that the person was in front of them, leading her to lean over and whisper to the dai, "If you focus, you can feel the energy. It's old but it's there. . .like a bad expired dinner that sent you cowering to the outhouse with violent diarrhea."
"Vivian" Malik shushed with a smile to her colorful example but he couldn't feel the energy she described. He didn't like being unable to detect a presence in front of him but Vivian assured him they were harmless. . .well, from what she'd seen so far. For all she knew, one or two games could've already been released in her absence. The historian merely shrugged with an innocent smile since acute stomach issues brought in goosebumps or a shiver down the spine before you were scrambling for the nearest crapper.
"You seek answers from the Apple to the truth of mankind and the secret knowledge that dwells there" the being explained simply to the cautious assassin and her right palm extended to flood the room with white light that faded to black instantly as it displayed the entire solar system. His friends couldn't see what he was witnessing but he'd glimpsed into that similar sight a few times since wielding the Apple and Vivian had explained the wonders that existed in the heavens. He'd never have believed he could live in a place that held such ethereal marvels and where he was a tiny speck in comparison to the true view of the heavens. How did humankind live in a round orb that floated in darkness without falling off? The sciences of his time could never grasp what he'd been bestowed for the past year. Her fingers hovered over planet Earth and her straight nose raised as she stated knowingly, "You are a being within a world where my people once dwelled with complete dominance but after our creation of man, your kind betrayed us with the same items we'd created to instill order."
"Enslavement is such a pretty thing, isn't it?" Vivian snorted because nobody wanted to be a puppet for another but her eyes widened when she realized she'd heard a woman's neutral voice declare it. How. . .wasn't Altaïr supposed to be the only one who could hear them? Oh man, if she saw her, she'd be bordering on Sue-ism and wondering how it was even possible due to the genetic factors that allowed such unique perceptions! The woman's voice was garbled as the sentences kept adjusting in volume, almost as if a radio was being tuned to a station and she groaned under her breath, "Oh. . .fiddlesticks. That's not good."
"You were children and to gain power while knowing nothing of consequences was irresponsible but soon, it became our downfall as your kind rose against their creators" Isis stated calmly without chastisement about their pasts rather than explain entire history like Minerva had. Altaïr narrowed his eyes at knowing humankind bent to the will of these beings without question because nobody should have that right- everyone was meant to be free, regardless of intelligence. Small humanoid figures shrouded in the golden light that she exuded hovered over the holographic planet before fading like a dying flame and she continued somberly, "We fell into legend and myth as we became extinct from the cataclysm's aftermath that engulfed the Earth. You are one of the few that remains with our bloodline through the ages, gifted with abilities no other human has. You are the one to begin deciphering the truth to save your species, Altaïr, but another will complete it if he heeds our words during his own quest."
"He?" the assassin questioned because he was doing everything he could and wanted his work to matter in the end or at least, see a little result during the time he walked the Earth.
"Your quest has only just begun and you must travel downstream, past my temple to where the mighty river deposits" she stated carefully as the room was flooded with an image of a limestone temple that varied greatly from the one in Vivian's time and Altaïr etched it into his memory as the next key marker in their path to Lake Victoria. The solar system faded into darkness until only her form shined in the darkness of the hidden temple and she informed with a reassuring tone, "The artifact you've found on this day must be kept for years to come and it will aid you as you discover others to prevent their fall into the wrong hands. Five seals must serve to protect the discoveries of your travels and you will find the second in the golden city; this task alone will take decades but you will know what to do when the times comes. Your descendants must find all of your clues to discover what you have fought for or all will be lost."
Altaïr was lost to the immense knowledge being given to him, especially in an era where religion ruled all and science took a backseat, and resisted from throwing his hands into the air. Vivian stepped forward to offer a sympathetic pat on the back as the woman's voice faded in and out of her hearing, seeing nothing inside the temple besides the random dimming lighting, and he shooed her to stay behind him. To say he was unsettled by Isis was an understatement, especially when her dark eyes failed to blink and remained locked onto his the entire time she spoke, "Time has run out for my kind but you, who are the last of our children, have a last chance to undo the wrongs we failed to detect and understand. You must continue your quest till the end of your days to pass the torch onto your descendants. Two will heed our words, seven will continue your work, and one will bring it to an end just as the heavens are ready to engulf the world."
"That's a lot of-" Altaïr stated frankly about the tasks laid upon his shoulders, not to mention his descendants, and wanted clear cut answers about what he was fighting for and against. He had an order to lead and protect so he couldn't simply throw himself at something he didn't have a clear grasp on. For all he knew, these creatures could be lying and sending him to do their dirty work or worse. Isis, however, was shifting the topic elsewhere since she was there for insight and not clarification.
"The one who now travels with you, a gift brought unbeknownst to you by your own hand, will help find the answers" she stated clearly and Vivian flinched instantly to how clear in volume she heard the woman's voice now, feeling queasy unease in her stomach. It was a good thing she hadn't eaten a good meal in the last hours, crossing her arms defensively because she'd no idea whether the being was staring directly at her. Only her Spidey sense tingled to let her know Isis was still in the room but listened intently when she advised in an even voice, "Vivian, home will become available to you by Mercury when your task is done but you will have your own choices to weigh as one who is not of this world. You will explain what you have seen with Minerva's temple to your comrade and you will find your own answers as you travel to piece together the truth. You wield inner strength and must carry it towards the land of lemurs without faltering in resolve or state of mind."
. . . Wait, back up for a sec.
"The. . .the land of lemurs?" she hesitated with a deadpan stare because these beings made absolutely no sense at times! Wasn't it much easier to be direct and drop a hint that wasn't- oh! The hamster wheel in her mind found the answer quickly to that peculiar animal since her youngest sister adored the Madagascar franchise and grinned triumphantly for having a movie solve it for her. Ha, and people said the media rotted your brain into zombie mush fit for a cannibalistic slushie.
Similar to Altaïr, she wanted answers to the questions regarding her passage home since this was her first real clue to her origins in his world after landing abruptly without a reason. Part of her psyche was still traumatized by the time shift and culture clash- not to mention, constant danger! However, Isis had other thoughts and her voice eluded Vivian as she returned to Altaïr to speak freely on the past, "Humans are capable of great loyalty and cataclysmic destruction, I was one who shielded the last remnants of your kind as darkness engulfed the earth. I oppose the destructiveness of both our species but not all of us chose the path as you will see with certain powers the pieces contain. I saw the changes of growth for your ancestors and wielded the heart of one without the need of our creations, the capacity of loyalty and love was something we hadn't fully comprehended until the war erupted. It is a shame that the seed of hope could not flourish between our cultures until the very end when our people were on death's doorstep. You will find our temples along the way and as you gather the pieces to your puzzle, keep vigilant against the Cross."
Altaïr wasn't the history sponge that Vivian was and wanted to know more about the current state of the items rather than what happened in the past. He could ponder on that later but he needed leads and concrete facts to further his goals in the present rather than the past or future since this was his life (and his order's) hanging in the balance.
"When you seek refuge from them, you are welcome in my sanctuary, Desmond" she offered freely with a lighter tone as her eyes bore into Altaïr's but she was no longer speaking to him but through him as a medium. The assassin had half a mind to demand who this stranger was because he was the one who managed to find his way into the temple but she continued onwards with encouragement, "Do not doubt yourself, this is your test. Everything you have learned, fought, and sacrificed will not be in vain when the time comes. You must maintain your resolve in order to see everything through to the end."
The woman faded from Altaïr's sight immediately after she finished, bathing the room in dim lighting once more, and he called out to demand, "Wait! I have questions!"
The woman failed to return and the room maintained its original lighting from the luminescent walls. When he realized she wasn't coming back and the room remained in its darkened state before her entrance, he strode forward to activate whatever had brought forth the ancient being from its hibernation and snapped tightly, "Who the hell is Desmond? Why have I been chosen for this?"
Malik, who'd endured complete silence since the spikes had descended, spoke aloud for a little input and clarification on what just occurred before him, "Would somebody care to explain what I missed?"
Vivian frowned to something she'd accidentally stepped in while standing in place and mumbled with disappointment, "I think I'm standing on a splattered fat bug. . .yep, definitely a bug. . .poor thing, I'm so sorry."
"At least it wasn't a scorpion" Malik lightened the mood since she felt awful at killing just about anything, even tiny insects and patted her on the back as she took her foot away from the pulpy black bug. The woman had a long road ahead if she wanted to wield a weapon without batting an eye or endure a moral conflict, smiling sympathetically when she answered that the other would've killed her in one jab of its tail.
Meanwhile, Altaïr had decided to pent out the day's frustrations by yelling like a madman through the temple and Vivian winced as his echoes carried through the chamber. She almost worried Isis would return just to zap him in warning to his angry ranting and furrowed her brow to sigh glumly, "Hmm, I really expected him to handle this with a little more grace."
"Everybody has their limits but unfortunately, his boiling point explodes similarly to a volcano's" Malik informed simply with a small shake of his head since Altaïr usually kept himself composed in most situations but the day had brought an entire array of jobs just to find the piece of Eden. By the looks of the room, it also seemed that they would not be finding that piece easily or would be denied ownership since the strange being Altaïr heard was gone.
Altaïr turned to them swiftly since he barely found any useful information for his quest and was more than ready to exit the temple to leave it in his dust. Warnings against the Templars and old history lessons would do him no good since he needed answers for where to go and what his findings would yield. . .but received riddles and ambiguous answers instead. Vivian directed a sympathetic glance as she caught a glimpse of his frowning face underneath the pointed hood and approached him to state helpfully, "I will tell you what I know about them and whatever you read or see within the Apple. I will help you solve it and offer everything my brain has at your disposal, without altering time itself, of course. I might not know everything, especially if they had the ability to see through time and realms- which makes me wonder why they didn't see their world was about to go kablooey with all of their advanced technology," licking her lips as she stopped herself in mid ramble, she added in, "but I'll try my best for you."
"You said it yourself that you don't know how my story ends, for all I know there's only five good years left in me" he snapped sharply because he was grasping at strings at this point of his journey and had received nothing in return for his hard efforts. How was he supposed to add even more tasks onto his plate? Couldn't his descendants bear a few of them for him? Again, they would need him to survive to carry on his work and burden. On the other side of the swaying pendulum of time, Vivian already mentioned one fancied women more than training! What kind of man placed preference on carnal pleasures instead of swordsmanship?. . .Or maybe he was getting old at twenty-six, he didn't know anymore!
His entire body was tense with stress that had been poking at his brain since accepting his role as grand master since he constantly questioned himself about his qualifications. Was he wise enough? Strong enough? Would his young mind have enough to upkeep strategies to keep his enemies at bay? Was he making the right choices for his order? The entire trip into the pyramid had yielded risks for everyone involved and in the end, he had nothing but a small artifact as payoff for his efforts. Malik stayed in his spot to let his friend's frustrations fade away with time but Vivian stepped forward in an attempt to help him through it, compelled to empathize with him as she did whenever her siblings were in emotional distress.
"It's all right to be uneasy, maybe a little scared, I'm a bit rattled myself that they knew of my existence and refused to hand out anything good" she spoke gently with disappointment on her face to reassure him that everything would be all right. They had their main objective and the rest would slowly fall into place as they planned their next steps, nothing in life was easy so they would fight for it. Her first results in nabbing a return trip home had given her a permanent stay in the 1190s till Madagascar so for the next year, she was going to be stuck with the assassin whether she liked it or not (she didn't mind, it was the archaic outhouses that killed her). She'd no idea what she'd find in that country or how the mechanics of science would work to send her back but at least she'd gotten a morsel of optimism so she'd no longer sit in fear that she was stuck in time.
"You're easily rattled, you were hysterical when that tiny spider slipped into your tent" he muttered offhandedly as he tried not to show any shred of discomfort but a part of him worried his mission would yield nothing. His current situation was a prime example and he resisted from grunting in irritation to his bad luck of the day. Vivian narrowed her eyes for a moment because that specific spider had been very fat and dark with menacing hairy legs. Oh, and it definitely had not been tiny; if anything, tiny had been an understatement.
Altaïr remained with the agonizing feeling of being left in the dark but she grasped his wrist to still his fretful movements of unease, squeezing the metal gauntlet to assure gingerly, "You're not alone. . .and you can still vomit if the news is too much for your brain," adding a helpful grin, she joked, "It helped me when I arrived, remember?"
"Could somebody answer what just happened because my mind is boggled" Malik asked with a tired sigh since their adventure had been enough to send him to bed and wanted to know his travel into Africa hadn't been for naught. Vivian chuckled softly since the poor dai had lost his beloved beard as a playing card in their plans for success and she'd squished an unfortunate bug on the way in.
"Sure thing, buddy, but first, we have to find our way out" she agreed amicably and placed her hands on her hips, sighing dismally to having to climb back up the stairs and into a crawlspace. Well, at least there weren't any dangerous or creepy bugs lurking inside there. With great regret, she lifted her feet to drag them towards the stairs with the dai in tow-
"What the-"
Altaïr's feet suddenly gave way as the floor underneath them shifted without a single sound, plunging the assassin feet first into a deep crevice. Vivian and Malik quickly jumped out of the way towards the safety of the stairs as the floor continued to collapse in itself and Altaïr could handle himself against his alien ancestors' machinations while they'd sink like rocks. The assassin slid down the smooth synthetic material as the floor had sunk in to resemble a bowl, gritting his teeth in frustration since the slick flooring gave absolutely no friction to stop or slow his descent. Of course, his comrades decided to simply peek over the top rather than throw a rope to help because for all he knew, a machine that was eager to rip him into meaty shreds could've lurked at the bottom. As he slid down towards the center, a metal contraption of death didn't await him but rather, a small black podium with the same teal markings rose from the center. His feet hit the podium as he came to a sudden halt, using the force in his legs to prevent him from crashing headfirst into it from the gathered momentum. He released a small breath of relief for not cracking his skull open or falling into a dark pit filled with more puzzles, glancing up to his companions overhead.
"By the way, thank you for the help" he called sarcastically to his partners as they kept to their meek kitten demeanors at the top and heard a nonchalant 'no problem' from Vivian. With his strength, he would've brought her down with him if she'd decided to help with a rope and Malik would've been thrown off-balance since one arm couldn't suspend him in the air forever.
Cautiously, he stood up to gather his bearings before treading forward and caught sight of a gold metallic ankh resting at the top of the podium. Well, that was one surefire way to nab his attention. He approached the pristine shining object with tentative steps and unlike the key artifact that glowed subtly in his hands, this one held the distinct brightness of the Apple and the same foreign markings running throughout the cross.
Another piece of Eden was within his reach.
However, he wasn't going to touch it for fear of instant activation and wanted to be somewhere safe away from civilization before wielding it for study. Only those that sought power would throw caution to the wind but he would take all safety precautions with the unknown technology. Tentatively, he reached for the golden object with a cloth bag covering his hand to keep it inside and grabbed it by the end to place it into the bag for concealment.
Immediately after its removal, the podium receded back into the ground to return to wherever it dwelled for centuries and the floor rearranged itself to its old position. Truly, this ancient civilization had advanced further than his and even Vivian's time was no match to its technological capacity- which hadn't reached its own peak before they became extinct. He had no need to move as the floor raised him back to the normal level where it had originally been with his companions, lightly jiggling the bag to show his new find and informed them with renewed confidence, "I have it."
It was a huge relief off his shoulders to simply say those words.
"Splendid, I'm beginning to think these people expected all human refugees from the future to be perfect acrobats but they got that one wrong too" Vivian sighed tiredly as they finished their mission in Giza but smiled with satisfaction that he found what he'd been searching for. It was good to see him happy (well, as much as he showed publicly) because the man had been a madman on this search and knew they could now move on to another location. He couldn't help but allow the corners of his lips to twitch as the previous sense of hopelessness was replaced with sweet success. Vivian caught the facial twitches on his face as he struggled with a simple smile and despite the exhaustion boring into her mind, she smirked playfully to tease, "You can dance a little jig now, if you'd like."
"No, Vivian, we have work to do if we want to win this war" he declined with a faint chuckle to her outrageous idea because he rarely expressed his joy when he succeeded, taking the humble road in life. Vivian snapped her fingers with feigned disillusion to seeing him hop and twirl like a male ballerina performing Swan Lake but smiled widely since the fact that he replied without exploding with the intensity of a volcano told her his concerns were at a minimum now.
The newly dormant volcano known as Mt. Altaïr would reawaken once they landed in Lake Victoria and the little twin towns known as Malik and Vivian would shudder in its wake.
A/N: If anyone's ever seen the intro to Kung Fu Panda, I think that would be what goes on in Vivian's mind whenever she travels with Altaïr and Malik; she'd love to be in a scene like that where she's not embarrassed and can prove herself as one of them (of course, the bubble will burst when Altaïr tells her to stop daydreaming and make herself useful). I was rewatching it recently and thought, 'Man, I bet Vivian's mind plays stuff like that all the time'. Also, I swear if Ubisoft makes Desmond follow in Shepard's (Mass Effect games) shoes when the franchise ends, my faith in gaming will end. Apart from that, we can finally have the trio move onwards to the south where settlements are sparse so they'll have time to bond and get on each other's nerves.
Thank you for the new alerts/fav's, I love seeing them pop up while I'm studying for my nursing entrance exam. My day is made whenever a review drops in my inbox so I truly appreciate the feedback on the chapters, characters, and plot (even the 'yeah, another update') because I love writing as much as medicine.
ShizukaRen-Hime: I'm used to drawing quick portrait sketches but if I could, I'd draw the crazy Altaïr expressions because his serious persona would clash so humorously while Ezio would amuse me with his laidback persona (man, I'm going to miss him in AC3 so Connor better be developed well). Vivian would make a good companion due to her endless looting because if Altaïr ever needs something crazy like a ball of yarn, she'd simply whip one out of her packs. I think Malik looks good in either the clean shaven or rugged look while Altaïr would appear like he came out of Cast Away. . .or as Desmond currently looks, a rounder-faced Adam Sandler. And yes, Maria is now in the cast of characters as we shift between Altaïr's group and Masyaf.
BreathtakingNoises: Thanks for loving it, it makes my day and although it's not finished, it will always be updated until it is. I'm glad to have another reader onboard for this tale.
Lostwithoutdoubt: They'll be bonded more as they head south to Lake Victoria since they'll stick to the Nile so they'll be bound to get on each other's nerves. Once she does manage to leave- well, from what I've outlined- Altaïr will be distraught since he will have invested his emotions by that time (around 2 ½ years' worth) and Malik will lose an unofficial sibling. Malik is a trooper for initiating plans that will question his gender but Altaïr will probably get him a nice weapon in return for the trouble while Vivian is slowly growing to accept that she'll have to fight to survive. She's never been a fighter so it's a huge role change for the little bookworm. Altaïr has indeed become keen of the name 'little badger' but in the current chapters I'm writing, it's begun to shift to 'little falcon' as she grows to fit the intelligent, pleasant, and craftily fast species to complement the strong dominant eagle that she admires. This chapter was a little more serious due to the POE but the next will be back to its lighthearted edge as the task is complete.
KrnYong: With Altaïr being so deeply imbedded into the Order and his work, I don't think he's ever stopped to consider 'hey, I don't look so bad'. Given the era of time, Vivian's sort-of bold remark would have him checking himself a little more closely since she's probably the first to actually say it. And yes, Maria's in the story as she seeks safety during her pregnancy and her new role. Vivian is quite the nutter to lighten a situation and avert a crisis in any way she can.
KHR-Fan: I love hearing from new readers but don't worry, it won't be put on hiatus anytime soon. I haven't read many Malik fics recently but I'd like to think that his attitude as the direct rafiq could've affected the perception on writers since he was dealing with the emotional loss of his brother, the psychological loss of his job as an assassin, and physical loss of his arm. It's something you have to consider since each person is different when affected with trauma but seeing as Malik and Altaïr overcame that, I could've never written him as grumpy. He seemed very responsible and cautious to me in the beginning because I was agreeing with him when Altaïr was all 'yarg, let's kill these Templars my way without a thought for consequences' and wanted to switch to being Malik instead. I just had to have him in the story. The romance between Vivian and Altaïr is gradual since right now, we're 20 chapters in and there's still nothing there- we've still got many months till Lake Victoria and the two won't even be smooching then because Altaïr isn't the type to go 'whoa, time traveling OC that I've known for one week suddenly has my heart'. I laugh at those quick romances because it took a while for him to like Maria and she was an ex-Templar of his time so don't worry about Vivian and Altaïr turning OOC anytime soon (I think Vivian would have a heart attack if he suddenly started reciting poetry and started smiling for no reason). As for your question, Altaïr will be jealous when he realizes that Vivian can choose just about anyone to be with despite the time shift and that she's not in the 1190s just for him to use as help with his quest. It'll help to shape what he truly feels for her and it won't be platonic. And don't worry about rambles; I love lengthy reviews and questions.
Next Time: Fellowship of the POE
"So you really received lodgings for returning stolen gold and jewelry?" Altaïr asked skeptically to the news of free lodging for the night, eyeing everything in the room with suspicion. His friends had informed him that their delivery of the stolen loot to Giza's administrators had indeed drawn an inquisitive eyes but the trio had framed the Raj thieves as the culprits, leaving a few dead bodies at the Queen's chambers while placing the Templars outside as if they'd died in the crossfire. Pinning the two as enemies rather than allies had been easy, strewing some loot around the floor and framing weapons on the dead bodies had been a piece of cake since forensic technology was nonexistent. Watching too much CSI came in handy for Vivian and she'd played wife once more as she and Malik happened upon the gory scene on their route to the city. A guard headed out to verify their claims and voila, a nice thank you for all of the Egyptian loot gave them a free night in an inn next to their building.
"With Malik regaling the story and tweaking it for security purposes while I reenacted it with sound effects, we practically gave them the entertainment for the night and earned a stay" Vivian grinned proudly and chowed down sweet grapes with a happy smile since she'd stayed inside the inn taking a bath in the private room while Malik had joined Altaïr for their super-secret meeting. She insisted that he be on his best behavior to ensure a stable future alliance and had sent him with a nice doggie bag of food to seal it (he wasn't happy looking like a courier). His dealings with the thieves' guild would be a step forward at staying on top of the Templars and she was proud of his progress. She sat at the table with her dish of deliciously warm food, joyous to the fresh dishes, and smiled towards the table filled with food to inform, "We have food that doesn't need cooking by us for the night, why do you think I sent you with the bag? The rest is ours so rejoice."
Altaïr, being the cautious man that he was, didn't trust the room at all and grabbed a nearby night table to haul it in front of the door to prevent trespassing. The two said nothing since it was best to be prepared and watched him use a blanket to loop through the metal openings of the closed windows to seal out any intruders that could open the wooden lock. He made sure everything was closed to prevent enemies from surprising them and Vivian held her tongue on asking how they would escape if they were chased out of Giza.
"And if anyone asks, Vivian and I are married explorers searching for adventure while making our way north to Greece with our maps" Malik informed their friend about their characters while Altaïr eyed a plump roasted hen with a wolfish gleam in his eyes. He handed the man a plate before he began to drool so he could have a decent meal since their last had been the dinner Vivian had swiped for them with her pregnancy act. It felt nice to be rewarded for their good deeds and doubted it was poisoned since Vivian had been eating since they left her over an hour ago. Most poisons worked rather quick and only the most painful took their time so with Vivian chugging everything down without stop, he was in the clear.
The assassin grabbed the whole hen to pile onto his plate in comparison to Vivian, who'd grabbed a piece of the breast only, and smirked at the two to preen, "You two are still married?"
"Jealous because I took ownership of your pet eagle in the divorce?" she laughed merrily and they all shared a laugh, glad to be away from the pyramid and the windy desert itself.
"I have a falcon and unless anybody has a death wish, he will be untouched" he reminded matter-of-factly as he swallowed a mouthful of black beans, his stomach happily gurgling for the food. Each portion was hot and fresh, perfectly seasoned, and he felt at home for the first time since leaving Masyaf. Vivian grinned like a sly fox from her chair beside him and poked his arm with her index finger with an innocent smile, leading him to bat her away with a simple, "Stop that."
"Only if you give me the falcon in our divorce" she grinned mischievously and took a deep bite of her hen to strike fear into him of what she could do to Rafiki. His starving and wolfish bites on the plump hen slowed down, his bite marks clearly apparent on the poor bird, as he watched her with narrowed eyes that were almost comical. Patting her stomach with her forearm since her hands were occupied and greasy, she implied evilly with a grin, "I'll give him a good home."
"You'll be skewered on my blade before you do" he threatened lightly because he was entirely sure that she'd never hurt an animal, much less his. His time alongside Vivian had shown her as a caring individual towards them and that benevolence carried to people as well since she refused to cut anyone down with a weapon. After everything that happened since morning, he ignored the metal fork on his plate as he cast meal etiquette to the wind and ate with his fingers alone as the warm delicious- most importantly, fresh- food was a great reward for his empty stomach. Vivian handed him naan bread from the basket and he took it with a grateful nod, biting into it with food still in his mouth. He didn't care if he appeared messy and a little uncivilized but when he was hungry enough to eat a camel, people's opinions didn't matter. Vivian's face, however, betrayed innocent amusement rather than disgust or apprehension as she followed his lead to fit right in. It almost made him laugh. . .almost.
"Then I'll await a glorious death" she grinned wittily and filled a glass with water, sliding it over to him while refilling hers because the endless walking had brought intense thirst. That chamber pot in the back would be in definite use tonight. She handed him a clean cloth to wipe his hands for when he finished his meal, neatly folding it on his right side, and passed him the wooden bowl containing the black beans when Malik finished pouring himself another serving. The woman had incredible mannerisms, he'd give her that much, and nodded to her in thanks. She pointed to another metal jug that sat behind the last hen left on the table and informed him, "There's wine in that, if you'd like some. Malik hit it pretty hard thinking it was juice and. . .well, he has stains to wash out tomorrow."
Malik used his cloth napkin to swipe at her head, bringing laughter from the three companions as they enjoyed a well-deserved meal. Now that was a moment Vivian could cherish since no danger, anger, or fear was involved- just simple endearing camaraderie. They shared tales about meals from their pasts where Vivian explained a corndog experience that left her without a baby tooth, Malik on how he'd eaten salty broth and the toughest meat imaginable to man during a trip to Damascus, and Altaïr on eating a raw fish when he couldn't find enough kindling for a fire. Their evening was filled with heartwarming stories and gentle joking as they laughed at memories from their current trip- namely, Altaïr's accidental destruction of a store booth and Vivian's ripped robes (Malik's lost beard was still too fresh for the poor man).
When Vivian finished her meal, she left the table with a plump stomach befitting a third month pregnancy and washed up to retire for the night because she was completely pooped. She clapped her hands to find their comfy beds for the night with a happy smile that they had a bed to sleep in because tomorrow, they would be using camp sites. First, they'd had delicious food and now a comfy bed awaited them for sweet sleeping, sighing aloud blissfully, "For now, we sleep on a normal bed. . .wait. . ."
There was only one bed.
She'd distinctly asked for two as she faked their cultural customs required two to sleep separately so they'd all have a bed to share when Altaïr climbed in for the night. He cackled evilly to the new problem, his fist slamming on the table with jovial humor to her baffled expression as she stared at the small bed and grinned to tease her, "And now, the downfall of your schemes, little historian."
She stuffed a roll of bread into his mouth as she groaned to finally receiving decent lodgings but with a downside. Well, when life gave you lemons, make lemonade. Altaïr had half a mind to spit out the roll back at her face but the move was rather smart and sweet in taste, chewing into the bread to feed himself instead.