Adventure Time With Altaïr

by Mystic Blade

Vivian's life takes a turn for the odd when she wakes in 12th century Jerusalem with no logic to explain it all. When she's unwillingly dragged along for Altaïr's new adventure for the pieces of Eden with Malik, she'll travel the world to find her own scientific answers. What mayhem awaits Altaïr's Crusade? Facing deadly enemies and wildlife, the adventure never ends. Post-AC1 AU

56. Indiana Altair and the Crystal Skull

Indiana Altaïr and the Crystal Skull

---

Goodhouse, South Africa

The lack of human civilization and bustling wilderness set the group back in their search for the next item. All they had to guide them were Altaïr's visions, their handmade maps, and the POE's themselves. They kept their hiking trails close to the shore of the Orange River to avoid becoming lost deep in the interior of the forest and never traveled alone, especially past sundown. The large river that emptied into the Atlantic Ocean was their marker and they followed it with their makeshift compass. The nomadic tribes wandering the area also made them wary of lingering in one place for too long and the assassins would scope out any potential campsites to give the all-clear.

Their days had become strangely boring as the perfect weather, outdoor wandering, and available food from the river provided enough to keep them happy. They weren't risking starvation, illness, or danger as they simply had to keep their presence secret in the large unexplored land that would once day be South Africa. The lack of Templars had made Altaïr's life tediously boring and he resorted to fishing and hunting for their meals to keep his body accustomed to a chase. Malik, however, was having a blast (so to speak) because he could live off the land without worrying about Templars. Bashir missed the bare necessities he had at home and wasn't a fan of outdoor river baths. Vivian was simply happy to have an ample food supply and temporary beachside property alongside her friends.

She and Bashir had just returned from the river after washing clothes for the day, hanging them to dry on nearby branches. Malik was determined on mapping out their travels so most of his free time was spent on detailing his maps. It would help future travelers and themselves in case they became lost. Altaïr spent his time either hunting or maintaining his skills due to the lack of true enemies this far south. When he wasn't going gung-ho with his exercise, he meditated with the pieces of Eden for clues to the hidden technology. The Apple was the main item that gave him the most information because one had the capability to transport him across the world and the other placed him in old memories.

He was meditating in his tent to avoid bothersome bugs when he heard Bashir and Vivian speaking about supernatural gibberish. Why did he call it gibberish? Because he understood nothing of her future jargon. The raven-haired historian wrung one of the wet items, enjoying the cold water running down her arms to refreshen her skin, and piped up with a spooky voice, "Of course, there could be mysterious ghosts lurking about. Nothing is true which means ghosts are totally in the realm of possibility."

"But how would we know if they aren't visible?" he questioned skeptically because everyone reported items being flung, unnatural voices, dark shadows, or misplaced items. Granted, his brothers at Masyaf misplaced his belongings all the time when he accidentally built combustible weapons but that had a rational answer. How was he to reply to people that spouted such gibberish about translucent figures and ghostly calls in the silent night? It was best not to think about it since he would have to sleep at some point.

Vivian smiled wittily to the realm of superstition and wagged her eyebrows to chide gently, "Depends on who you ask."

"There's no such things as ghosts" Malik asserted with what he hoped was a strong confident voice but the others grinned when he questioned the last word. The world was rather strange with technology existing from a long-dead race so who knew what else was out there? Malik, however, was a rational man and he would find answers to exhaust all reasons for unexplained phenomena until he failed.

"I ain't 'fraid of no ghost" Vivian declared valiantly and swung the wet fabric in her hands like a whip to fight an imaginary ghost. When water dripped everywhere all over the ground, she scuttled over to the ropes set up as drying lines between branches to plop down the cloth. If Altaïr's clothing had a speck of dirt, he would heckle everyone for tarnishing his precious clothes. Placing her hands on her hips to pose dramatically, she stated with a firm expression, "Sounds like we might need a ghost buster."

"What on earth is a ghostbuster?" Altaïr intervened into the conversation, breaking away from his meditation. He placed the Apple back in its canvas bag for safekeeping before stuffing it into his travel pack. More than happy to leave the empty tent, he exited his lodgings to return to his faithful team. This, of course, led Vivian to using her old musical skills to answer his question. Normally, he would object with the fury of a thousand supernovas exploding but he allowed it for her sake to keep that cheerful expression on her face.

"I'm glad you asked!" she replied enthusiastically as she snapped her fingers with delight and began her melody,

"If there's somethin' strange in your neighborhood
Who ya gonna call?
Ghostbusters
If it's somethin' weird and it don't look good
Who ya gonna call?
Ghostbusters
I ain't afraid of no ghost
I ain't afraid of no ghost
If you're seein' things runnin' thru your head
Who can you call?"

"Ghostbusters!" Bashir finished giddily by clapping hands to the catchy songs but stopped once he realized his mentors weren't doing the same. Oh. He dipped his head shamefully to hide behind his hood when he saw the two deadpan stares from the other two men. Only Vivian flashed him an upbeat smile for his approval of her song.

Altaïr walked into the center of camp, raising his hands up to declare an end to the debacle, "I think we've had enough of Vivian's shenanigans for today."

"But I didn't even start it this time" she claimed insistently with innocence since Bashir began the conversation. Of course, with her nutty mind, they would automatically assume she was the instigator. Crossing her arms, she pouted humorously for false accusation and refrained from demanding a fair tribunal on the ghost debate. She had not enjoyed herself with humor in quite a while after leaving Quelimane but her friends stirred hope and aided her healing.

"Key words: this time" Altaïr pointed out with an index finger aimed at her nose, resisting the urge to tap it. He sought to witness the full wrath of his incensed but witty badger by playfully egging her on. Little by little, she was smiling more each day naturally. Ushering everyone away despite nobody being near his vicinity, he ordered swiftly, "All right, everyone back to their respective corners."

His teammates grumbled at returning to their chores for the day while Altaïr stretched his arms over his head with a lazy yawn. After meditating with the Apple, he caught glimpse of a cave that laid by the river's path as it flowed west. The journey to the lonely cave that was hidden among the large sand dunes was his first clue to finding the piece of Eden and he would not ignore it. He did not want to risk his friends since they held no allies in the area, only potential enemies.

Vivian watched him sweep his gaze over their camp, pausing over their friends as they continued with their respective activities. There was a pensive gleam in his eye that wasn't his usual leader analysis mode that drove everyone bonkers. Malik took it upon himself to sketch points of interest in their travel to go alongside his maps of the African coast. Altaïr and Vivian couldn't believe they had traveled from Masyaf and had switched from seeing the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic. They still needed to cover the rest of the western coast and decide whether to take sea travel through the Mediterranean Sea back to Masyaf or continue by land along the northern African coast. Bashir and Vivian, on the other hand, were tasked with keeping their camp tidy and running day-to-day operations.

Her green eyes narrowed with suspicion, crossing the distance between them, to scan his form up and down before declaring, "You're planning something . . . or thinking about it."

Just as she analyzed his nonverbal behavior, he took note of her fingers wringing in her robe pockets. He knew the silver necklace was hidden there or her pack, noticing that she refused to wear it after they reunited. She kept quiet about her reason but briefly mentioned a warning through a dream state to keep it off her. He was quick to bat her fingers away from the pocket to keep her safe. If it was the key to her way home, he didn't want her triggering any mechanisms without warning. He feared losing the one loved and if they did find her way home, he would ensure it would be to her rightful place. Her own hands reached out in protest to playfully keep him at bay and he ordered, "Don't fiddle with that necklace."

"Any idea how it can send me home one day?" she asked quietly, trying to ignore its existence in her pocket. It was very small and petite but it hardly showed a dent through the passage of generations in her maternal line. She wanted to wear it as a connection to her mother but even those ancient beings tainted that bond. How was it supposed to get her home? She didn't have the faintest idea, apart from cracking it open. Wrecking the only connection to her mother was not ideal, nor was she looking for a quick way home now.

"To be honest, I don't want to touch it out of fear it can activate" he murmured quietly, keeping his eyes on her robe pocket, and earned a scoff from Vivian. He would always be the suspicious one of the two but neither of them knew what it truly was. She believed it was a family heirloom this whole time but it was related to the beings that created the piece of Eden. How was that possible when she came from a different dimension entirely? Was there a piece of Eden that allowed such mind-bending travel? Shaking his head, he tore his gaze away to peer into her emerald eyes and sighed softly, "Is it selfish of me to want you to stay after everything that's happened?"

She shook her head silently with a sympathetic smile for his honesty and replied with regret, "Not when I seek the same. I don't want to leave you . . . but I also can't let my family think I ran away or something vile happened to me."

"It is not an easy situation" he lamented on the tough decision that she faced every time they wandered into an area with a POE. Every visit to such a place would trigger her to believe it was time for a decision and when it didn't happen, there would be relief but anxiety would settle into her heart as well. It was a reason as to why he wanted to explore the cave alone because it would keep her safe from danger. That, and an unexpected return to the future.

"You're leaving camp, aren't you?" Vivian posed the question with a flat tone since his quiet disposition and extra-vigilance around camp sent up a red flag. If they were all going, he would have ordered them instantly with a five-minute deadline. The fact that he told them to return to their chores meant something was amiss.

He tried not to smile at her powers of deduction but he had become an open book for her. She knew him better than himself now but he would not risk her life, no matter how much she insisted on going. The safeguards around the pieces of Eden were becoming more time-intensive and physical with labor. If he needed help with accessing the item, then he would return for his friends. Closing the space between them, he leaned over to whisper privately against her right ear, "I may have a lead but it is too risky for all of us to go out there."

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to go alone" she whispered with concern riddling her face and he refrained from cupping her cheek. His life would always be shrouded in danger but there was no need to carelessly pull her into it. Her oval face and large eyes played against him with their delicate nature but he knew of the feisty badger that lurked underneath. He did not want to poke that dangerous animal out to play with the wrong words and she pointed out sharply, "This is unexplored terrain."

"I will be fine" he promised with a faint smile because he would try his hardest to return to her. Their misadventures were two years ongoing and he had no plan of being killed until after his mission was complete. Actually, he better keep that to himself or she would chase him down. The last journey to Madagascar was the toughest and they lost their child in the aftermath. He refused to risk Vivian's life again, even if it meant more battle scars, and reassured her, "More than likely, I earn a clue. Worst scenario, I find nothing and waste water."

Vivian fretted nonetheless out of love, her face contorting between worry and trying to speak. He gave her time to gather her thoughts while she struggled internally with letting him run into potential danger once more. She should be used to it but without Malik at his side or having a layout of the terrain, her stomach was unsettled. A soft sigh left her lips and she closed her eyes briefly before telling him flatly, "Be careful and try not to bathe yourself in blood. It's a good thing we don't have a floor or we'd be running out of mops."

He chuckled softly to her silly warning, appreciating her concern, and gently teased, "You're rambling again. Stop being so worrisome."

Yes, she was being silly. He was Altaїr freaking Ibn La-Ahad, who could take down an entire army if he needed to. She sang songs praising this fabulous man but her heart was leaking tears of feminine love for him. She shook her head to pull herself out of the clouds and hesitated, "Altaїr . . ."

Expecting another lecture about his methods, he was rendered silent when she kissed two of her fingers and pressed them against his lips. It was a sneaky and quick gesture that she was able to hide by standing out of sight from the others and in front of the tall assassin. The meaning overpowered his senses and his own heart threatened to stab itself for thumping happily from love. Vivian knew she could never physically restrain him without breaking a bone or two and smiled weakly, "Just be careful or I'll kick your corpse if you end up dead."

He held the two fingers against his lips as he returned a soft kiss to them, keeping his brown eyes locked with hers as he spoke quietly, "Of course. I'll come back in one piece so you don't have to stitch me up like a worn pair of trousers."

Turning around, he left her behind with the guarantee she would be safe in camp. He was more comfortable leaving his vulnerable team members behind and though a second set of eyes would help, he was not risking their lives. His assassins knew the risks of being in the Order but the pieces of Eden were still unknown and it was his mystery to answer alone. Heading west of their camp, he stopped by the dai's area where he sketched the length of the Orange River from their current whereabouts on the smaller maps. Snapping his fingers for his friend's attention, he informed him nonchalantly without halting in step, "Malik, you're in command."

Malik stopped drawing instantly, raising his charcoal pencil, and sat up straight. Pinpointing his friend's retreating back as he tried to sneak out quickly, he blurted sharply, "Wait, what?"

Altaїr halted with great reluctance, resisting the urge to raise his hands to the heavens to ask why this was happening. Retracing his steps with a quick pace, he kneeled with cat-like grace beside the dai and motioned to his sketchbook of maps. He didn't have time for an equally emotional farewell with his old friend since he wanted a prompt escape. At this rate, he would return by sunset. Flipping through the pages while Malik objected in protest to his page manhandling, he landed on the rightful page over the western end of Africa. Pointing to their current whereabouts, he explained carefully, "I will be heading in this direction where I believe a cave may store the item. I am marking it in case I do not return."

"Alone? In this unknown land?" Malik grilled him with a firm glint in his eye for his sudden decision to go solo. For heaven's sake, why was everyone acting as if he hadn't explored on his own before? He did it plenty of times before reaching Lake Victoria. He snatched Malik's piece of charcoal and stabbed it in the area where the Apple was leading him. If anything were to happen, he would leave them with clues to follow.

Malik was unconvinced by his confidence and Altaїr reassured with a dramatic sigh, "I travel faster alone . . . and I expect dinner ready when I return."

With that said, Altaїr stood upright to dash into the nearby brush to disappear while Malik tried his best to strike him with a flung stick. The thrown piece of wood fell pitifully against the earth and he waved his one good hand against the air to dismiss his crazy friend. He would be fine, he always was. Bashir, who was now gathering kindling around camp to prepare their campfire for later that evening, piped up with a friendly smile, "He's just saying that to make us feel better."

"You know he's also implying we're a hindrance out there" Malik stated frankly because he was not a helpless civilian and would fight anyone that dare to say so. Altaїr used to care little where his travel partners roamed in the past but now, he was trying to keep them clustered like a mother eagle. He wanted to groan miserably for being taken care of but his friend had indeed grown emotionally.

Vivian, like Bashir, believed the best in Altaїr and shook her head to add credence to the scientist by stating, "No, he's protecting, uh, . . . damn it, he's crafty."

Everything would be just fine.

---

Everything was not fine!

Vivian tried to act nonchalant as the hours ticked by but when sunset arrived and Altaїr had not returned, her suspicion alarm blared. Malik was kind to remind her that cave systems could be extensive and being alone, Altaїr would search every nook and cranny. It had happened before when he surveyed points of interest for Templar activity but he had initially brought them along then. Was it because they were a larger group now?

She chastised herself for being worried over the master assassin, blaming her smitten heart. He made it ridiculously impossible to pry him from her heart but she did not feel comfortable without his presence. That only served to open more questions on how she would survive in her own realm once she left them . . . if she wanted to leave them. She missed her family terribly but Altaїr and her friends had become a new family for her. Every time that they neared a POE, her stomach was unsettled by the thought of returning to the future. Would she arrive safely? Nobody knew the safety of time-travel and she was an anomaly fit for a scientific experiment.

Ignoring the concern in her heart, she helped Malik with dinner while Bashir was deemed responsible for setting the campfire. Now that he was no longer flammable and learned how not to set himself on fire, they granted him the right to start a campfire. Like Vivian, he was pleased that he was growing as a survivalist after being cooped up in Masyaf's tower. When their dinner was underway and boiling away in their cast iron pot, Vivian's heart began bombarding her brain with worry. Again, she told herself she was being silly and focused her energy on finishing dinner.

When their dinner was ready and the sky turned a lilac-red to bring an end to sunset, she couldn't ignore her worry any longer. The sky was turning darker to usher in the evening with its navy glittering blanket which unsettled her. Altaїr never returned to them after dark, especially in unknown places, and she decided to vocalize her concern. She could no longer ignore his absence and after cleaning her dishes in the outskirt of camp to keep any predators at bay, she sought Malik.

She resembled a chipmunk chasing its own tail as she drew the dai's attention by circling around him. At first, Malik suspected she was searching for something random but her circling held frantic pacing in her quick steps. True, she was petite with 'tiny hooves' as she called it but she was fast in seeking an item. He held out his arm horizontally to halt her next sweep around his log and turned to her. Vivian hugged herself instantly to self-soothe and her eyes widened, telling him with urgency, "Something's wrong, he should have returned by now."

They both knew Altaïr could be quite determined with leads and Malik tried to cling to that as a valuable reason. He would not linger in the pitch-black darkness due to the unknown terrain. Had he stopped to make camp to prevent becoming lost? He didn't want to escalate Vivian's rampant worry if there were possible explanations for his delay. Vivian scanned the dark tree line every few seconds in case he popped out and bit her bottom lip with dread. Malik raised his hand to calm the historian, hoping to reason with her, and explained easily, "He could be running late."

"It's not like him to be late" she pointed out to his obstinate nature to be on time or risk a serious lecture under glower power. If there was any word to describe Altaïr, it was punctual. He had been more than ready to leave her behind during their early days of travel. Wringing her hands together, she tried to keep calm but the cover of night unnerved her. It brought vulnerability with its shadows and being in a strange land, made her feel like a tiny ant. She didn't want the man she loved out there alone and chuckled dryly, "He's very finicky about punctuality."

"He could be making camp" Bashir suggested helpfully, thinking the same as Malik since they sought to hide at night to avoid predators or enemies. It wasn't unlike an assassin to find a place of refuge in the dark to stay alive. His leader was searching for ancient technology so maybe he stayed to study it alone. Or maybe he sustained a light injury and needed to take it easy to return to camp. Many possibilities had potential and he supplied eagerly, "He could be waiting out till morning, exploring the cave, sustained an injury, running late from killing enemies, trapped in a tunnel – why are you looking at me like that?"

His suggestions were only worsening and her eyes resembled saucers as he failed to bring a sense of calmness. If anything, the entire night became foreboding! Their bellies were full of food so why couldn't they launch a quick search in the outskirts? She would even stay in camp if they believed her a hindrance! Her heart hammered terribly and her eyes darted between the two assassins like ping-pong balls. She was not comfortable sitting still, ready to face whatever held their friend hostage, and asked them, "What's the plan?"

"We can't wander out there after dark" Malik stated matter-of-factly but Vivian was adamant on finding Altaïr. He would never abandon them and would search the ends of the earth for them! Malik knew the attachment between the two but they had to tackle his potential loss logically. Running into the night without a solid plan, no lay of the land west, and torches that could set the forest on fire was failure waiting to happen. He could not risk the two for their friend without more information and told her, "This is unknown territory for us."

"He would never let night fall, he. . ." she murmured softly as she watched the tree line, cursing the fact there were no flashlights in that time. If she weren't afraid of setting the forest on fire and causing the first accidental man-made forest fire in history, she would've run into the darkness. Altaïr never hesitated to risk his life for hers and she sought the same. Cool air flowed through their camp, ushering her closer to the cozy fire, and she sighed softly, "He always comes home. We can't leave him alone out there."

"He is our grand master" Bashir agreed reluctantly since losing their leader would be very bad. This was the first time that Altaïr failed to return to their group which was very unlike him. He sympathized with Vivian, who showed great care and loyalty for her friends, but Malik was right. They could not run out into the night carelessly and kneeled by the fire to hold them out to become toasty. It was not an easy decision to make because even though they sought to find him, they could not expose their presence. They were likely the first explorers from the Levant in that area and needed to leave the land without the locals being aware. He offered the woman a friendly smile and offered his opinion on the matter, "If he is overwhelmed, we need to help but at the same time, we cannot let our order be discovered wandering this area. I am conflicted on this."

"It would be safest to journey during the day, we would only hurt ourselves in this darkness and give the enemy an advantage" Malik justified calmly because Altaïr had searched for him during daylight, aware of its advantage. He would not abandon his friend but he had to be smart on how to find him. Also, maybe they were throwing the whole situation out of proportion. Standing up from the log bench, he met Vivian's gaze to assure her, "I promise we will start early tomorrow morning."

"What if he's injured? Or lost? He . . . he wouldn't abandon us if the situation was reversed" she refused obstinately because he would help her if she fell into the same situation. Altaïr could tackle an army by himself and she reluctantly admitted that she was too soft on the man. Love could make anyone crazy, including herself. She didn't want to lose someone dear to her or bear to have him injured, telling her friend fretfully, "He could be needing us right now and we're here jabbering about what to do. We chased after you back in Lake Victoria out of that same fear."

"Vivian, calm yourself" Malik ordered gently since she was too close to Altaïr and outside the order itself. He would not flick her forehead or ear like his friend, grasping the top of her head like an older brother. Vivian pouted at the sense of being tiny all over again in front of the assassins, not to mention her short height. She couldn't exactly overpower them and run off. Her friend did have a valid point, even if she didn't want to listen, and the dai advised carefully, "You are allowing your emotions to guide your actions. We cannot allow that, even if he is our friend. Logic must win on this decision."

"I . . . fine, logic is better than fretful worry" she sighed somberly, giving up the fight to find Altaïr. She could only do so much on her own and finding her way through the forest in the dark would be outright impossible.

Malik patted her head to comfort her inner distress and soothed her with a knowing smile, "You're too close to Altaïr. Let us handle the situation. We are the trained professionals in these matters."

"By leaving him out there for the whole night?" she questioned with regret because she would be terrified of being alone. It was a horrid feeling during her first week in their time and although Altaïr could take care of himself, she promised him that she'd never abandon him. What kind of woman would she be if she couldn't keep that vow? What if he was hurt and depended on them to arrive to save him? There was so much guilt at leaving him out there and she hugged herself to ask weakly, "All alone? I can't go through another kidnapping."

Bashir attempted to mimic Malik's pat on the head but it only ruffled Vivian's curly locks into a tangled mess. He tried not to wince when Malik sighed and Vivian tried not to look at her rising fluff of hair. He was still maneuvering on human socializing like his leader but his words were kind, "Vivian, this land is new to us and we'd only become lost maneuvering through it. I would like him safe too but we have to follow our objective."

"Fine, fine" she sighed dejectedly because flashlights and GPS would've done wonders in their archaic world. They were still creating their own maps so running into a dark forest was not a safe or sharp idea. This was exactly how horror films were made. Stuffing her frantic and sobbing inner child into the back of her mind, she swallowed her emotions to stay level-headed. She could not revert to being a chicken with its head cut off.

"We will leave at first light tomorrow" Malik promised her to find their leader because he was not comfortable leaving him in a strange land. For tonight, it would be the three of them but he held hope that Altaïr would return late. They could not afford to split up at that late hour and having a lost member would only raise the risk of danger in the darkness. His friend had not abandoned him back in Lake Victoria and neither would he.

---

Altaïr regained his hearing first as he returned to consciousness before his vision resurfaced. The last thing he remembered was entering the mouth of a dead-end tunnel before pain struck the back of his head. The strange part was that he heard nothing nor saw anything amiss as he explored the cave system. There were numerous paths that swallowed most of his time and the sun had been close to setting by the time he reached the last branch of the cave system. The last tunnel ended in a circular dead-end area but the scent of burning herbs and the illumination from a fire were his last memories before the blackout.

Keeping his eyes closed and playing dead, he tried to move each of his limbs and found they were tightly immobile. What time was it? Were his friends aware that he never returned? He already knew he would earn two lectures and an unwanted hug from Bashir. His feet were bound while his hands were tucked behind his back, which were quite numb after laying on top of them. Great. Did he still have his hidden blade? All he felt were uncomfortable tingles up his arms in return for moving his fingers. He was restrained but by who? He refused to believe an animal gained anamorphic powers to tie knots. Great, he was falling for Vivian's spooky camp stories again. Staying put in place, he sighed mentally at his new predicament, Just great, I've been captured. Have I lost my touch? How embarrassing.

Cracking his eyes open a wink, he saw four of the locals gathered at the rear of the cave. Neither he nor his team understood the language and Vivian barely had time to grasp it because they were quickly sent running from stones or arrows. How had he been caught unaware? His pride as an assassin sunk painfully after having little enemies to fight since leaving Lake Victoria. He refused to sink into a private pity party and tried to justify his capture, Ah, multiple enemies, that slightly makes me feel less disappointed in myself. I haven't had a decent fight in almost a year.

The lack of food and being unaware of the hour annoyed him, spurring him to scan the room for anything helpful. Wooden torches were embedded in either the ground or crannies in the cave wall to provide light in the cave. The shadows cast from the fire's illumination obscured their features and his eagle vision yielded very little. Well, it was best that they were focused on something else rather than he. Circling the cavern once more with his gaze, he pondered, Any chance they have the piece of Eden?

Taking interest in the huddled men again, he noticed several boulders stacked one upon the other in a small mound. What was so important about a bunch of rocks? As he watched them while lying still, it became apparent that they were not huddling in conversation to plot his gory demise. Instead, he saw that they were speaking in chant to the pile of rocks and refrained from sighing dramatically at falling prey to religious zealots. He dealt with enough of that in the north. The sensation returned to his fingers and his fingertips reached up his wrist to touch the cold metal of his gauntlet. Thank goodness the technology of metallurgy eluded them. He could easily tear out of his restrains quietly now but a glint of glass caught his eye.

At the top of that mound of boulders, he saw that there was a glass orb nestled on top. It was translucent but his eagle vision allowed him to see golden lines embedded in the item that resembled the other pieces of Eden. There was an array of bright flowers, crafted wooden items, and what he really hoped wasn't a dagger soaked in dry blood. Why was blood always involved with crazy ancient rituals? He really refrained from trying to groan miserably to his luck but thought positively with intrigue, It appears to be one but it is different from the others.

He couldn't linger long while the group was occupied to gain the upper hand. He had no idea where his team was, the time, or any food and water, making him cranky immediately. His pride as an assassin refused to be taken down by a hunter-gatherer tribe and began to plot his escape route. The tunnels were tricky to traverse but he kept his path to the mouth of the cave by indenting the dirt with the heel of his right boot to prevent being lost. Hopefully, his friends would find him. That is, if he didn't return first. He held onto the latter possibility as his mind groaned mentally, I must escape soon because the worst part of all this is having to bear Vivian's 'I was right' speech.

---

It took all of Vivian's willpower not to run off during the night to find him. Logic warned her that her team would be looking for two lost team members instead of one. Altaïr never returned that night and each hour was agonizingly slow, torturing her psychologically with what he could be experiencing. Was he being tortured? Was he tending to a wound? Had he become stuck in a cave-in? When the lilac-silver hint of dawn sprouted in the sky, she jumped out of bed after a sleepless night to prep her travel bag. She was going to be the first one ready to save Altaïr, even if she had zero idea where to go. Malik woke up shortly after because the historian had not been quiet on making her escape and dragged himself out of his tent to freshen up. He had prepared his pack the night before and instructed Bashir with the same so they could leave promptly.

The trio of travelers made their way to the unknown cave by following Malik's map with Altaïr's notes on finding it. Malik led the way through the dense forest with the other two as lookouts until the greenery receded to give way to empty desert. Despite the river laying to the north, the diversity of the area was impressive. It reminded Vivian of the beautiful oasis in Egypt where vegetation was abundant by the Nile but desert appeared further away from the mighty river. Back then, she had been a lost wanderer trying to find her way home amid the assassins. Now, she was comfortable in her own skin but her confidence was shaken without Altaïr's presence. This only fueled her determination to make her way through the forest until she reached the cave across the desert.

The gritty sand scratched her feet when it leaked into her shoes and she cursed not switching to boots like the others. Still, she persevered and kept pace with the other two as any valiant follower seeking their leader. She would personify Samwise Gamgee to Altaïr's Frodo Baggins (though he held the physique of Aragorn) with all her might. The sun was unrelenting once it broke free from the horizon to rise across the unborn country of South Africa. Despite her robes retained heat, the hood and sleeves saved her skin from the harsh sunrays. Malik and Bashir were unrelenting in their walk across the dry desert to find Altaïr's cave.

It took over an hour walk to even detect the tiny brown blob in the distance and they focused solely on the landmark. Altaïr had mentioned it was an area far out of their map coverage and only Malik held the key to finding him. By the time they finished the trek across the sand dunes, the sun was high in the sky and threatening to scorch them out of existence. How did plants survive such blistering heat? Malik gave Vivian the point for leaving before sunrise or they would be farther back east and burning terribly.

Approaching the mouth of the large cave, the group felt tiny against it as they entered its engulfing shadow. The burning sun was fierce against bare skin and they would seek shelter in the cave for the time being as they searched for their friend. Carrying light packs, they would leave little trace of themselves to alarm any locals. The interior of the cave was deep and the sun failed to reach the back of the main chamber. Vivian found relief in the chilly air inside the cave as it shielded them from the desert and she told them, "This has to be it."

"Enter carefully and stay behind me" Malik instructed the duo to stay in the lead and begin the exploration of the cave. Before the two could agree unanimously, the dai removed an unlit torch that poked out the left side of his pack. He laid it against a nearby boulder, pinning the wood under his foot as he picked up a small rock to begin striking it against the boulder to light the torch.

Bashir and Vivian felt very much unworthy of being part of his team when the man had one arm with enough talent to beat their four. The younger assassin darted forward to help his elder with lighting the torch to get their party moving. Vivian took a few steps forward in the dim lighting to peer straight ahead into the dark opening that led further into the cave system. Altaïr had to be in there somewhere and she asked quietly, "Should we call out for him?"

Malik didn't want to alarm anyone dwelling in the cave that could post a threat. They needed to be quiet, sneak in with finesse, and leave without a single squeak. If Altaïr had engaged the locals, they would need to head north immediately to put distance between them. He hoped his friend had found a clue or the item itself because they could not trust the area to linger there any longer. Before Vivian headed deeper into the cave, he advised against it quickly, "No, there could be enemies lurking. We must tread carefully."

The torch was lit and the dim lighting erupted into the orange glow from the fire. The entire area was illuminated to show they were indeed alone and there was one opening at the rear of the cave. Malik led the team to the next chamber of the cave to begin exploring with the silence around them shedding an uneasy atmosphere. He expected to hear a bird outside the cave or a random animal call but it was quiet. It was eerie as they entered the smaller passage, huddling together but not too close to catch fire. The dark walls of the connecting path seemed suffocating to the jovial Vivian and Bashir while Malik kept his eyes open for any sudden movement. The area was practically a calling card for a hidden enemy and Vivian kept her hand on her handy dandy knife, which she'd brought along for aid.

"Whispers only from this point" Malik instructed the two before they decided to burst into a conversation to brush off the stifling atmosphere. The two pouted instantly but nodded with agreement to prevent being sent back to the entrance. It was one thing to piss off Altaïr but another to anger the dai. They just couldn't bring themselves to do such a thing.

Quiet but swift, they scuttled down the passageway to find their missing friend. The first roadblock arrived within minutes of their trek when the path broke into three forked segments. This would make the investigation a little tricky given that only two were capable of fighting efficiently. Malik paused at the deviation, mulling over how to split the paths or which one to take as a group. He didn't need more team members lost. Vivian bit her bottom lip to their first drawback and asked quietly, "How do we handle this fork in the road?"

"Do we stay together or split?" Bashir whispered uncertainly, weighing mentally on the benefits and risks of either. He was accustomed to working alone – in his lab- not in an unknown cave that hid unknown enemies. Being out of his element, he would have to summon his courage and plunge into the darkness . . . or be eaten by it.

"It would be safe to stay together but longer to explore the tunnels" Malik explained reluctantly on having to split up the group for a faster search or keep them united. Neither of them knew how deep the tunnels ran in the cave system and whether Altaïr was in urgent need of air. His friend's determination for finding the pieces of Eden could run for long hours as he gained tunnel vision for his goal. As a team, they were inclined to search for their friend to lend a hand. Unfortunately, the cave's natural terrain would play against them.

"We can handle one each?" Vivian suggested helpfully at taking one tunnel each for faster progress. The darkness that swallowed all natural light was daunting to handle, even with her defense skills, but she sucked down her nerves for Altaïr. He needed them and she would not fail him after he saved her countless times.

Malik was quick to point out her disadvantage at heading into a mysterious passage alone, "You're not exactly an assassin."

"Well, Bashir and I can take one together or I can go with you" she offered another alternative to handle more than one tunnel as a team. Her inexperience in combat could be a hindrance but she could hold her own after training with Altaïr and Malik. She wasn't entirely useless anymore and persisted in improving herself to survive their harsh world. She could provide backup for either assassin and finished with a helpful smile, "Then we can meet up and tackle the leftover."

Bashir removed his own unlit torch from his pack since each of them carried one for safety. He lit it quickly to amplify the lighting at the fork in the path and awaited Malik's orders. Whether it was alone or with Vivian, he would head out to find his leader. He tried his best not to think about the creepy pitch-black darkness or the foul long-legged critters that dwelled there.

"You two take this route and I'll go this way" Malik instructed as he pointed to the far-right tunnel while he would take the center. He hoped their tunnel was shorter for faster regrouping. The two were the youngest with experience on the team so it was best for them to investigate together. They had to move fast to find Altaïr and instructed them carefully with their orders, "Do not engage enemies if they outnumber you."

"Yes, sir" they replied obediently and Vivian added a military salute at her temporary boss. They would follow his every order to ensure they all escaped the cave in one piece.

"We're on the case!" she promised with a confident smile because she would move every rock to find Altaïr. He promised to return to her and she would not let him break it. He was the most important person in their team of misfits and needed to walk out bodaciously to continue kicking Templar ass. Bashir ushered Vivian forward so they could enter the right tunnel and she followed behind with eager steps.

Malik watched the two enter the tunnel and disappear into its depth, leaving only the orange illumination from their torch. He wished them the best on their search but couldn't help and think to himself, Why do I feel as if I will have to rescue them at some point?

Bashir led the way through the silent and eerie tunnel, refraining from flinching when Vivian whispered behind him, "We must be silent and mysterious like the moon."

He was quick to politely shush her before he endured a heart attack and left her to fend for herself. His leader knew how to handle the perky time traveler during battle but he had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. Vivian tried not to snicker when the torch shook in the air and he whispered swiftly, "Don't terrify your partner in this ominous cave!"

"Valid point, let's move" she agreed with a humorous pout since the time for shenanigans would have to be put on hold. They had to be fearless heroes to save

Altaïr from unknown danger. At least, that's how she would write it in her journal if they accidentally got lost or set something on fire.

---

Malik found himself frustrated at finding nothing but a dead end on his path. Weren't the center paths usually the good ones? Maybe he read too many fictional tales. By reaching a dead-end in all the adjoining tunnels connected to the main pathway, it likely meant his friends were on the right path. Somehow, that didn't fill him with confidence. If Bashir didn't accidentally set something on fire, Vivian could create a dramatic diversion or entrance. He really hoped it wasn't the latter or they would be in bigger trouble.

From the other pathway, Bashir and Vivian had carefully explored the branching tunnels from the main one. Vivian held onto their torch while her quirky friend had added a gray poncho to hide his bright white robes against the pitch-black darkness. She refrained from laughing to his assertion that it would hinder infiltration and concealment. They did not split up when encountering small inlets and tackled each together to find Altaïr. On their second to last path, they stopped in their tracks when voices echoed down the corridor. The two glanced at each other in unison to confirm it and began walking even more quietly to approach the next tunnel. Apprehension and hope filled them at finding answers and their friend.

As they approached the opening, the duo crouched to remain low and undetected. They had no idea how many people were inside but the voices were not shy in staying covert. Their carelessness would hopefully grant them an advantage and the two dared to peek over the rocky opening, gripping the wall for support. Vivian remained low to the ground while Bashir peered inside above her for a wider view of the area. The small cave held torches embedded into nearby boulders for artificial lighting. They were too far back and deep in the cavern system that no light penetrated and Bashir hoped the area wasn't prone to random flooding from the nearby river.

He could see four men gathered in the rear of the cave as they gathered around an upright tree stump that was decorated with a red cloth, plants, and a strange crystalline object. He tried to ignore the possibility of dried bloodstains being the red marks seeping down the edges of the tree altar. What were these people doing? Glancing away, he scanned the rest of the cave floor and spotted a very annoyed Altaïr trying to slowly slink his way behind a few boulders. The young assassin pointed to the far right and informed his partner, "I see him. There!"

Vivian raised herself up for a better view and spotted her number one assassin bound by the hands and feet. Who had dared to gain an upper hand against him? Nobody had that right! He appeared uninjured for the most part with only a few bruises on the face and no active bleeding wounds. Her left eyebrow quirked in uncertainty and she whispered awkwardly, "Why is he half-naked?"

"I don't want to know why" Bashir replied nervously because altars with suspiciously red marks and a half-naked assassin didn't bode well. He read too many scrolls about sacrificial rites and was not about to become the newest statistic of such savage ideologies. His leader was a strong person that could take out an entire army, what had this group done to capture him? And how many had they lost in the process of it? He didn't see bloodstains on the way in but the dirt was so dark that it could easily blend into the darkness.

"This isn't good" Vivian whispered swiftly at the situation because they had to get him out of there. That, and deal with the group that captured him. If the item was close by, Altaïr would not leave without it and eliminating threats. They had not killed him which meant they were planning something and both she and Bashir didn't like the look of that altar. She could stay to assess the situation and he would be faster than her in the darkness, telling him, "Go back and get Malik."

He was surprised at her suggestion since she was still a civilian and questioned skeptically, "Me? You should go."

Vivian had an explanation ready for her proposition and patted the rock wall to reason easily, "You're faster and I can hide here for a bit. Keep an eye on the situation."

Bashir hoped this wouldn't come back to bite him in the butt and glanced into the cave one last time before sighing with reluctance, "Fine, but no interfering."

"Not unless they target him" she promised with the only exception because she would not allow anyone to harm Altaïr. They had found him at last and she would not risk his safety while she hid behind the wall like a coward. She refused to be a bystander anymore if she could help it and reassured him she'd be fine. Besides, she lined her pockets with enough rocks for a quick blinding barrage.

Bashir left with haste and quiet steps to return to Malik, torch in hand as it glowed silently against the main path. Her heartbeat hammered against her chest with nerves for her own safety and keeping Altaïr out of the enemy's reach. It had been a long time since she had faced enemies headfirst but he never faltered in keeping her alive. If she could somehow help him be free, they could hold the group back until Malik or Bashir arrived. While Altaïr had no problem annihilating enemies, she was still not eager to stab anyone to death.

When one of the men pointed in the direction of her tied friend, she sighed under her breath at her shoddy luck, "Dang, might be sooner than expected."

Meanwhile, Bashir ran like the wind down the path and made a sharp right once he exited into the main fork. He had to find Malik quickly so they could lend support to Altaïr and leave the area behind to lose any stragglers. They could handle a group of four together but with his leader bound and Vivian being a civilian, their chances weren't great. Sure, Altaïr could kick their enemies to death but a leg sweep would turn him into a helpless overturned turtle. This was his first mission outside of the entire Levant and he didn't want to fail in his one sole objective: find Malik. This time, he was ready to use his hidden blade against any enemies that dared to sprout from the walls as he searched for Malik.

As for the dai, he was returning to the main fork to return to the duo. Malik stopped walking when he heard gravel shifting and torch lighting that increased in luminescence with the steps. He was unsure if it was his comrades or the natives dwelling in the cave system. With Altaïr missing, he had to be on his most vigilant to avoid becoming the next victim on that roster for the team. He had to disguise his presence and quickly jammed the bottom of his torch between two rocks on the ground. Sticking close to the wall of the cave's tunnel, he shifted his weight towards his toes to maintain a silent stealthy approach. Having one arm left him at a disadvantage against a two-armed opponent but he still had a few skills up his sleeve.

The unknown individual approached him down the tunnel with haste and erratic movements of the torch. He wasn't fond of cave systems at all due to their endless nature and potential instability for a cave-in. Pressing his back against the edge of the cave wall, he waited until the other person was a short distance away to launch a sneak attack. Being an experienced assassin, it took him less than five seconds to find his opponent's weak spots and struck.

The moment he saw the torch and dark clothes, Malik grabbed the back of their neck since he had height to his advantage. Shoving them against the wall by using his momentum, he managed to knock the torch away from them as they groaned in pain. Kicking them in the midsection, he knocked out their air and attempt to retaliate (a punch, really?). As they hunched over from the immediate effect, Malik still had his grip on the neck attire and used his strength to easily flip his opponent over onto the ground.

His right foot immediately wedged under the person's jaw and before he pressed down to asphyxiate them, he heard, "Malik, stop!"

Bashir's voice echoed in the dark tunnel and the dai jerked back before he crushed the man's throat. Unsure of the situation, he backed away before his adrenaline caused his body to instinctively react with another attack. Bashir's torch had flickered out but his own remained behind them and he could see the young man's white robes under a gray cloak. Why had he changed his appearance? They had all entered the cave with attire that was not meant to be changed! He did not want to explain accidentally killing one of his brothers to Altaïr and have his honor tarnished.

"Why would you change your attire?" he questioned sharply as Bashir groaned painfully underneath him. The poor young man had been following orders to investigate a tunnel but that didn't mean altering your look. It was very dangerous to do so because he could be targeted as an enemy. There was a reason they all had the same attire!

Bashir rubbed his aching lower torso as he managed to lay on his side like an injured puppy. Too many body parts hurt already and he managed to explain, "I didn't want it to get dirty or be detected and have our leader chastise me. It's working right now while I wallow in pain and wet dirt."

Malik shook his head since Altaïr only cared about that back in Masyaf. In the outdoors, the uniform was easily stained and only his friend was finicky about his appearance. Dirt was exactly why he preferred navy robes over his old assassin's uniform. It was easier to wash away and cover bloodstains that way. Looking down at his young friend, Malik pointed out simply to emphasize his potentially grievous error, "You're aware I could've dislocated your neck? Or worse, killed you!"

"Yes, which is why I suggest never splitting up again" Bashir groaned pitifully to the horrid idea they'd come up with and hoped to never see a cave again. Catching his breath, he sat up with a groan and rubbed the back of his neck. He had not even fought an enemy yet and was already struck by his own elder. Malik merely glanced at him as a disappointed teacher and Bashir muttered flatly, "I don't know who's worse at beating up my liver, you or Altaïr."

"You appeared different, therefore, a potential enemy" Malik reasoned matter-of-factly for his defensive strike because he would not be caught unaware. With Bashir being alone, he pondered about his dark-haired partner. Why was he alone? His haste in running down the tunnel was a red flag instantly and he demanded, "Where's Vivian?"

"She instructed me to find you" he answered hastily with alarm for leaving her behind to fend for herself. Their leader was weaponless and facing multiple enemies alone while he was left to relay the important information. Thankfully, Malik hadn't broken his wind pipe. Time was not to be wasted and he scrambled onto his feet to inform him, "We found him bound and he's not alone."

Why was he not surprised that Vivian found him first? Shaking his head, he expected no less danger to surround his old friend and sighed aloud, "Of course, he's not."

Regardless, the two set off together down the dark tunnel to find their missing friends.

---

With Bashir seeking aid for them, Vivian was confident that she could keep the kidnappers at bay. They weren't unarmed as she caught several knives, spears, and bows around the cave. What creeped her out the most was the altar with the odd crystalline skulls surrounded with fresh vegetation and – was that a bloody monkey's paw?! What kind of weird juju was going on in this place? Altaïr had wedged himself by a few boulders and wondered if he was using a sharp rock to cut himself free. She was still curious as to why the assassin was shirtless. Seriously, the entire situation had creepy written all over it.

She slung her day pack off her shoulder and removed a few handy rocks to fill her pockets with. Without smoke bombs, she couldn't do much except hurl pain inflicting rocks for a quick getaway. Minutes were ticking by and while it bought her time for Malik to find them, it also removed time away from Altaïr. She couldn't bear to have him injured when she could have acted to spare him precious time to escape. Her priority was protecting Altaïr and she sucked in a deep breath to summon the courage to expose her position. Jumping to her feet, she kept the hood of her robes over her face and channeled her inner Sith Lord to laugh maniacally. If this didn't draw attention, nothing would!

Her escape as a gopher from her boulder of refuge wasn't enough to draw immediate attention. Altaïr, however, caught her with his acute senses and dreaded what the crazy badger had in mind. Vivian waved her arms like a windmill to make her sleeves flutter and claimed loudly, "Who dares enter my Cave of Calamity?!"

He didn't know whether to sigh or be impressed with her bravery. Had she followed him? Alone or with the others? Vivian didn't falter when the four men turned towards her and she glimpsed at their tribal attire, ignoring the flashy blood red and white paint. She pointed at them with a wagging finger and yelled angrily, "I demand his release or you will cower at my greatness. For I am the great Darth Rafiki Abubu!"

Oh no, she went insane in the few hours I left her, Altaïr sighed mentally at her newest persona but there was hint of pride at seeing her slip into her old gig. She had not created a fake identity since they left Madagascar and it was good to see its familiarity once again. He simply wished it wasn't in the middle of a cave with strangers that held a piece of Eden.

The men had no idea what she said at all which surprised her, given how easily she communicated with people she met. Had the ancient ones stripped her of that ability as well? No, she would have failed at returning to Madagascar then. She summoned her old mask of a thousand faces to smirk with glee, "You dare challenge the power of Darth Rafiki? See my might in its glory."

With that said, she pulled out a coin and performed the popular disappearance trick. She displayed both palms without the coin, only to pull it from behind her left ear. The men jumped back in surprise to the strange magic while Altaïr quietly slinked behind them to head towards the altar. She kept their attention on her by performing another popular and painfully silly trick, the sliced thumb. It always made her little sister laugh and she'd take whatever reaction she could get. She was not trying to be the newest magician or comedian, laughing dramatically when they pointed at her, "Scared you, didn't I?"

"I think they're more confused than scared" Altaïr commented under his breath to her crazy hijinks but it kept their attention on her. He wanted to seize the strange item before they could get their hands on it. Throughout the night, it had not been activated and they treated it more like a sacred totem than a weapon to use. It still didn't stop them from beating him and throwing him in front of the altar like a grim offering. Thankfully, none of them decided to fetch it.

"Argue with me to confuse them further!" Vivian demanded because if they couldn't understand them, gibberish would leave them confounded. Maybe they could terrify them into fleeing? She didn't have much up her sleeve to cause a long diversion but hoped it was enough to buy them time. Malik was just as fast as Altaïr and the longer she held out, the sooner backup would arrive.

Altaïr didn't understand the rationality of her plan and demanded swiftly, "Why would I want to argue with you?!"

This drew attention from the small group as he gave his position away, which grew closer to the altar. He was already free, albeit half-naked, but he retained his hidden blade. For once, modern smithing was on his side. Vivian shook one fist at him for his sass to draw attention back to her and shot back, "I'm trying to save you!"

"I have the situation handled, Vivian" he stated resolutely since he survived well on his own from numerous sticky situations. He didn't want her risking her safety or for the others to risk their own. After being alone most of his life, he was gradually adjusting to having help and not being isolated from human contact. The only problem was the risky business of the pieces of Eden and their tendency to harm or painfully blind people.

Vivian motioned to the group of four that was currently debating on who to focus on and disagreed sternly, "You're half-naked with these weird guys ogling that thing!"

"I was biding my time until I could strike" he reasoned snippily at his plan to slip by the men and grab the item. Taking them out would be easy if he could get access to one of his knives or one of theirs, which was actually easier. He tried to draw one of them towards him with a manic grin to begin his first fight in months. After fighting well-trained Templars, he didn't expect this fight to last long. All he needed was his hidden blade to stab everyone dead. He was more than happy to strip them of another weapon after having his own arsenal, plus his tunic, removed.

Vivian was not convinced until she saw him bring his arms forward, free of his binds, and argued, "But you're – oh, you're actually free."

He punched one of the men closest to him to show his figurative teeth and shoved them to the side when they keeled over. All right, he still had it. His eyes searched the floor frantically for anything sharp but found nothing. Fantastic. The men decided that he was a greater threat than the strange pale-faced woman and he placed himself between them and the altar. He needed to keep them away from the item so he could swipe it and run, telling her hastily, "Of course, I'm not going to let them have the upper hand! I still have my pride as a shirtless man."

When one of them dared to come near her, she hissed like a wet cat and threw back her hood. Revealing her fair face in the southern part of the continent usually drew attention. Maybe they would peg her as an evil spirit and cause them to run off. Digging into her pockets, she hurled her handy rocks at the approaching men and yelled, "Back! Back, I say!"

The damage dealt from the pointy jagged ends was enough to thwart another approach and she laughed with success. He was surprised to her newest attack strategy, wondering why she didn't use her customized halberd, but simple rocks. She never failed to leave him with his head scratching and he questioned skeptically, "Rocks?"

"I ran out of pocket sand!" she justified with frustration because she wasn't a fighter by nature. Her forte was intelligence, not fighting, and could only use her helpful rocks to repel her enemies. Remembering the knife he had given her after Lake Victoria, she reached into the top of her robes to remove it. She kept it wedged against her skin under the fabric chest binding to keep it close and alerted him, "Here!"

She threw it in his direction to give him the weapon, aside from his frightening fist power and hidden blade, and he caught it. There was no way he was going to allow any of them to seize more of his weapons. He was already insulted for being knocked unconscious and having his precious weapons seized infuriated him. He could only wonder if they used the piece of Eden to render him vulnerable before gaining the upper hand. It was why he didn't want them nearing the altar but while Vivian handled one by valiantly flinging rocks at their face, he tried to overpower two with a knife alone. Their spears had a better reach than his two weapons but he dodged each strike gracefully out of years of experience.

Grasping the wooden portion of the spear when it swung down at him, he yanked the weapon forward to unbalance his enemy. The other man tried to jerk his spear back as he shifted his weight onto one leg. Using that to his advantage, he dug his feet into the ground and used his strength to overpower the other man to pull him down onto the earth. With a swift kick to the head, one enemy was down and he faced the other two remaining.

One of them broke free to run for the altar and he grappled with the remaining man when he blocked his path. He would not shed blood carelessly but they were testing his last nerve. Tackling the man head-on with his full weight, Altaïr knocked him back onto the floor to be rid of another obstacle. Unfortunately, the small cave gave the enemy the benefit and the last man desperately grabbed the glass-like skull off the altar. These men were playing with fire and he waved a hand at Vivian to ward her away from the cavern, "I don't like this. Vivian, go!"

She refused to budge from her spot and leave him alone again to fend against enemies. Running away was no longer in her character and she would face whatever terror awaited them together. Shaking her head, she hurled another rock at her foe who now resembled a hermit crab protecting their soft spots and disagreed fiercely, "I'm not leaving you again-"

"Vivian!"

A golden light swept through the cavern as the item activated under the last man's control. The glass-like object glowed brightly like the other pieces of Eden, practically blinding everyone present with its luminesce. Altaïr was not affected like the others and his vision pierced through the blinding haze to pinpoint the troublemaker. His foe's friends were still on the ground with two attempting to get up after their beatdown. Vivian kept flinging rocks and picking up the others on the ground to reuse them. The light, however, brought pain to her head from its blinding radiance and overpowered her senses. The back of her head throbbed painfully before a ripping sensation to the base of her skull made her lose consciousness.

Altaïr noticed Vivian hunch over off to his left and he struggled between her and the pest holding the item. Choosing between the two was exactly why he didn't want her near his fights. He heard the man call out to his teammates and the conscious two hastily returned to his side with hobbling steps. What did they seek with the item? What was its ability? He was not affected at all but it was only when he stood in front of Vivian to block her from the men that he saw what transpired.

Her face was twisted into rage, her chest rising rapidly with each breath, and her fingers clutched the rocks in her hands tightly. Her eyes targeted him but the Vivian he knew was not behind those green orbs. There was a dark emptiness within as the familiar light was gone and he briefly glanced at the men wielding the item. Were they manipulating Vivian, just as the Apple had done to his Order in Masyaf? When she lunged at him to strike his head with one of the rocks, it was confirmed. This was why he didn't want her in a dangerous situation and he dreaded having to fight her in order to reach the men. They were using her against him – his worst fear with the strange technology.

"You are all starting to piss me off" he grumbled angrily at their audacity to use the fairer gender against him. He had used a POE on Vivian before but only with her consent, never against her will. This infuriated him and he hoped this wouldn't leave her wracked with guilt or worse.

He disarmed her with ease to leave her weaponless but she did not stop trying to assault him. Her fingers clawed at his face as she thrashed wildly in his hold and Altaïr realized he had to subdue her quickly before she became a danger to both. He would never want to hurt a hair on her head but this tight predicament was calling for it as she risked their safeties. This wasn't the Vivian he knew because she would never consent to harming him or their friends. He held her at arm's length as he debated using the knife in his hands. He had gifted it to her and the same weapon she handed him for aid was now going to be used against her. Was there any other alternative?

He needed to eliminate their enemies and rip the item from their hands to sever their hold on Vivian. With a heavy heart, he raised the hilt of the knife in the air and apologized with remorse, "Forgive me, Vivian."

Her hands flew at his face to claw at his eyes once more and he slammed the blunt hilt across her head, effectively knocking her unconscious. Years ago, he had not blinked or had second thoughts before committing the act. Now, it wounded him to harm her after his promise. His arms wrapped around the limp Vivian to lay her down on the ground, stabbing the knife into the shoulder of her robes. Pinning the cloth into the ground would keep her immobile temporarily if she did wake and he turned to regard the three men standing.

Rage filled him for having to hurt the woman he loved and he turned to his captors with no mercy in his mind. Any benevolence to let them run off free was out the door after that stunt and he picked up the discarded wooden spear. He didn't need much to kill his enemies after decades of training and their helpless aiming of the item at him failed to indoctrinate him. This must have been the first time anyone dared to defy it and he could only wonder what danger they had been unleashing upon the land. Vivian often pleaded with him to keep the world safe, not only focus on the pieces of Eden, and he would obey her this time.

"Well, mercy is now off the tablet" he stated coldly as he approached them to target the closest one. They had not hesitated to attack him or Vivian so miscommunication was not an issue. Peaceful people would rather flee than engage in physical harm and the ancient technology in their hands would only unleash more risk upon the land. He was a living weapon and would eliminate the threat to keep safety intact. The piece of Eden would be leaving with him, one way or another, and he raised the pointy end of the spear to begin the onslaught, "Violence, it is."

---

Malik and Bashir cursed their luck as their search ended in vain, except for dead enemies at their feet. The duo had been ready to fight for survival to rescue their friends and unleash their new teamwork tactics. Unfortunately, the two assassins found the right cave path with Altaïr a moment too late. By the time they stepped inside, the master assassin had unleashed his rage and killed everyone inside the room. After everything he'd gone through the night before and watching one of his friends controlled by one of those blasted items, he was more than happy to extinguish a few lives. Otherwise, who knew what they would do to the innocent tribes wandering about by wielding technology they knew nothing about.

They walked in to find the dirt splattered and caked with fresh blood as several bodies littered the cave. Malik's concern was Altaïr's state of mind since the man was half-naked and wielding the remnants of a wooden spear, aiming the jagged end at anything that made sound. He didn't even want to ponder about his shoddy state of dress. Clearing his throat awkwardly to bring attention to himself, he would assess the situation and motioned for Bashir to stay behind him. As the second oldest with seniority, it fell to him to protect his brethren. Altaïr turned around instantly as the silence in the cave was interrupted, expecting another group to swarm in. Instead, he pointed his weapon at his oldest friend and released a sigh of relief to find his team standing there.

Lowering the broken spear, he shook his head as he ran a hand down his face to collect himself. Well, at least he didn't have to worry about having his hidden blade soiled that day. Throwing the stump of the spear to the ground, he sighed with relief at seeing his friends. The lack of sleep and surging adrenaline wasn't helping him, muttering tiredly, "Apologies, I assumed more were coming."

Malik was ready to reassure that the rest of the cave system was clear but Bashir interrupted them, "What happened to Vivian?"

The young assassin pointed to their usual go-lucky friend, who was now pinned against the floor of the cave by a short knife. From their angle, they could see she was not conscious as she lay slumped over on the ground. What had happened? Before his friends decided to beat him down with more questions, Altaïr explained the situation, "They used the item on her for control. I had to pin her in place by her clothes instead of piercing her shoulder. I did, however, knock her unconscious. Wounding her was not acceptable."

He leaned down against the ground to pick up a leather sack that contained the strange skull-like item. Tossing it Malik, who easily caught it in his hand, he ordered grimly, "The piece is recovered but I have to tend to Vivian. Return to camp."

He did not want to stay there longer than he needed to after reaching his objective. The item was safely stored in their grasp and his focus shifted to Vivian's unconscious form. Nobody else on his team appeared injured except her. He promised to never harm her again and felt sick and disappointed in himself for breaking it. He never wanted her to be caught in the middle of the fight but she was not one to abandon her comrades. He admired her bravery to pull attention away from him but it only led to injuries that could have been avoided. The watchful eagle was meant to protect his little badger but she lay injured in that dimly lit cave for trying to aid him.

"You were held hostage for a day and fought this entire gang" Malik pointed out firmly because he wouldn't let him take charge over everything. That was far too much on the man's shoulder, even with the trust Altaïr placed in him to guard the new piece of Eden. He needed to rest and rehydrate to regain the strength he lost in their captivity. Shaking his head, he motioned to Bashir to switch the orders, "Pick her up and carry her to camp. Altaïr, you and I will follow him- we all leave together."

"Fine" he agreed reluctantly as exhaustion brought him a headache at the temples but trusted Malik's judgment. He was more concerned over Vivian rather than his starved and dehydrated self and was having one hell of a time trying to find his top attire. Not only that but his precious weapons. Without them, he would be a pitiful Assassin! Realizing he needed help in the dimly lit cave, he muttered with disdain, "Can someone help me find my clothes and weapons? Why they hid the former baffles me."

---

Vivian regained consciousness to find Altaïr sewing what appeared to be her gray traveling robe. How had he gotten that? Crap, she wasn't naked, was she? Curious about the sight and whether she was hallucinating, she moved to glance down but pain shot down her neck. It triggered an instant throbbing in the right side of her head as movement irritated her and she wondered what happened. Hadn't she been in a cave a second ago? When had Altaïr returned to their camp?

His attention was drawn to her pained groan and he leaned down to readjust the cold compress he'd placed on top of her head. His apologetic expression only rose further questions in her mind and he spoke softly, "The pain must have awoken you, I had to knock you unconscious during the fight. They used the item on you for control to fight me . . . I am sorry for this, Vivian, but I had no choice-"

"I know" she whispered solemnly as he answered her pleading eyes, forcing herself to relax on her bedroll. They must have won the fight or they wouldn't be in camp, hoping it wasn't an illusion from the item. Was she in reality or a figment created by the POE? She didn't trust those things one bit and closed her eyes to sigh weakly, "I guess I'll sleep it off."

"Whatever you need, I will get it" he assured gently to keep an eye on her and she smiled at his help. Years ago, he'd knocked her unconscious without a care and hollered for her to keep up. He was kind in offering to stay by her after everything that happened but he also had to recover. She didn't know what he went through in that dank cave but she'd been worried sick about him. Having him before her was enough, even for a minute. Her ears were happy to hear his soft voice when he informed quietly, "You have a bump from my strike but I will have cold compresses for you to use."

"Did. . .did you get it?" she asked softly, shivering softly, and her hands felt that the base layers of her robes were all she wore. At least she had her modesty. Wait, did he undress her? It was best not to think at all with the throbbing headache. At seeing her movement to seek heat, he used one hand to grab a blanket to cover her from the neck down. As a precaution, he touched her forehead and the sides of her face to make sure she wasn't running a fever but it proved negative. That was a relief. The long walk in the blinding sun was not for the lighthearted. He nodded quietly to relieve her worry, watching a faint smile pop onto her lips and she whispered, "You never fail."

"Get some sleep, you'll heal faster" he suggested gently to make sure she was on the road to recovery since they needed to move in case enemies gave chase. He didn't like to linger anywhere after retrieving an item and they needed to keep moving north. Still, he needed Vivian to recover from both his strike and the unwilling mind control. The last thing he wanted was to watch her struggle with another consequence from that technology and smiled gently when she mumbled sleep was good. Hadn't she slept the night before? Her green eyes opened for a brief moment when he uttered, "I will be taking good care of you."

"You . . . novice" she mumbled softly to the old insult Malik used but smiled in gratitude for his help. She wasn't surprised that he was focusing on everything but himself. He needed someone to be in his corner to care for him as well and hated not being the one ready to offer aid. Despite being bound to the bed with the worst migraine imaginable, she reminded with concern, "You need to care for yourself after everything, I'm so glad you're all right-"

"Don't talk, it will worsen the pain" he lectured gently to seize her worried rambles because the position was reversed now. Fixing her covers, he bundled her warmly so she could rest easy. She raised her hand at feeling the movement and opened her eyes to catch his wrist with her fingers. Despite the reassurance, she needed to know he was real and before her. He mistook her action for mistrust and concern flashed in his amber eyes as he spoke, "I would never dare to harm you and this was the least I could do. Pain is natural for Assassins but I forget you are a civilian and you shouldn't experience any of this-"

"I promised to help. . .and you give me strength" she whispered softly to hush away any guilt because they were facing power that could pit them against each other unwillingly. They had never faced technology like this and she hoped those beings were truly gone from their time. It was a terrible ancient power and if there was ever a fight between them and humankind, they would be at a disadvantage. She understood why he wanted to know as much as possible to solve their mystery. Her fingers squeezed his wrist as her gaze met his and she smiled faintly, "I know your heart and mine only wants to help in any way possible."

He shushed her again to prevent any more stress on her head and she thinned her lips in agreement. He was right and she had to listen to him to prevent waking with a worse headache. Vivian wasn't the type to sit around doing nothing but she had to relax and look after herself at some point. Altaïr saw the internal struggle on her face and ended the matter by leaning down, pressing his lips against hers to keep them quiet. Her heart fluttered to the soft peck as her eyes closed, melting against the kiss after missing him. Losing him temporarily hurt her heart just as it had in Madagascar but it was happy now that they were reunited. He smiled at earning reciprocation on her end rather than stiff lips or a refusal, breaking off the kiss to whisper, "Go to sleep."

It was hard not to be quiet and move to send nonverbal messages so she opted for a small smile. Despite the pain in her head, she was happy to have him back. She wanted him to focus on himself for once so she could rest easier. They would have to move on soon to avoid giving any lingering enemies the chance to follow them once they discovered the massacre in the cave. Naps would not be easy with that plaguing the back of her mind.

"You worried me greatly but I will take care of you, my stubborn badger" he whispered with pure honesty to the tense situation they faced and her smile shook. He had missed being at her side during her trip from Madagascar but he would be here for this. She had been through a lot in two years to help him on his quest and had relinquished a return home for him. He couldn't ignore her sacrifice, not to mention his own affection, and gazed at her solemnly to state, "There is no question in my mind that I would kill to protect you but this is not the moment to speak of my affection for you. Sleep well, Vivian."

She restrained herself from darting out of bed and pulling him into an embrace. Her heart was ready to blurt the same admission, but her mind took the reins. This was neither the time nor the place. There was a lot of emotion fueling them after that mission, like it had with many others, and she moved her lips to mimic a voiceless thank you.

"What did I just say?" he chided gently to her clever loophole and smiled faintly. If anything ever happened to her, he didn't know what he'd do.

He was amused by her resistance to sleep and held back a laugh when she was knocked out within five minutes of ending their conversation. After tending to her injuries, he had sanitized and bandaged his own to carry on with his work. Malik had brought him food while he remained vigilant over her, appreciating the kind gesture. Bashir had even offered a book to read but Altaïr was liable to fall asleep faster from reading as exhaustion lingered heavily in his sleep-deprived mind. The adrenaline from earlier had left his body which brought a wave of relentless fatigue that prodded him into dreamland.

Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep beside her in the tent and Malik shook his head outside when he heard the loud snoring. How Vivian didn't wake from that boggled him. He peeked in her tent to make sure she was breathing but the two were snoring away together. She was safely snug in her cocoon on blankets while Altaïr resembled a sleeping wolf guarding his cub.

He let them sleep undisturbed for an hour since Altaïr was undoubtedly exhausted and Vivian had fretted the whole night over his disappearance. Bashir had been surprisingly good at cooking and Malik was happy to see that he had picked up Vivian's cooking skills instead of Altaïr's. He had even managed to leave him unattended while he took down most of their camp so they could head out promptly. He allowed for his friends to rest but he woke them when it was time so they could eat and replenish their strength. The river had sent a cool wind downstream and after experiencing endless heat in previous campgrounds, the two men were happy.

Altaïr was briefly embarrassed to being woken by Malik since he'd promised to stay awake and failed. The dai had been savvy to his friend's pride and woken him first before Vivian to maintain that vigilant aura intact. Altaïr ran a hand through his hair to stir himself to wake fully and blinked at the bright blue sky peeking through the tent flaps to ask, "What time is it?"

"Time for lunch" the dai replied easily since the two slept like the dead for an hour, creating a chorus of symphonious snores. He had happily taken the hour of silence without his friend's complaints and managed to clean thoroughly around the camp to erase their trace. After their meal, they would leave north with a clean getaway.

"What should I kill?" he asked automatically after being the head hunter of the team due to his insane accuracy. Retrieving the piece of Eden had taken priority from everything else but he was happy to return to that old routine. It meant they could return to their nomadic life and after experiencing what he had that day, he was more than happy to head out to hunt. If anyone did get in his way, they'd get an arrow to the knee.

"Bashir and I cooked it already so go eat" his friend ordered matter-of-factly to burst his bubble and Altaïr frowned slightly. They had managed to scrape together a meal themselves without him? They were becoming more self-sufficient by the days, namely Bashir. Scratch that, Altaïr would believe it when he saw sizzling well-cooked food and not charred remains of what once looked like food.

Vivian whined in complaint to being woken, imitating a slumbering badger when she curled up on her side to get comfy. Who dared to wake her from slumber? When Altaïr nudged her right shoulder, she straightened one bent leg to nudge him away weakly. Why couldn't he let her linger in dreamland a while longer? Grasping her slender ankle in his hand, he stilled her movements and pointed out gently, "You have to eat dinner."

She jerked awake instantly with wide expectant eyes, wincing slightly to the dull pain in her head. No headache would stop her mealtimes! Her green eyes filled with determination as she sat up to claim valiantly, "We must feast!"

Malik had never seen two people move so fast as they barreled past him to escape the tent. The poor dai was forced to use his only arm to balance himself as they shot past him to bombard Bashir as the poor man quivered at their unnatural speed. Raising his arms in self-defense, he yelped when Altaïr shoved him aside to get to the clean plates to begin serving himself food. Vivian was a sucker for stews so she filled her bowl to the brink before sitting down on the nearest log to eat her food ravenously. Altaïr balanced two plates before sitting down beside her, leaving Bashir shell-shocked by their frantic behavior.

"Thank you!" Vivian cheered gratefully with puffing cheeks as she filled her mouth to the brink. Whenever the pieces of Eden were used, she felt an unnatural appetite afterwards. She figured it was the brain zapping power and resumed eating her meal as she huddled next to Altaïr, who was matching her movements. Malik had never seen the two devour food together like this, only Altaïr, and even their trip to Egypt didn't compare to the current ravenous appetite. Even their fight over a roll of bread was nothing to the flurry of hands shoving their spoons into the bowls.

Malik patted a bewildered Bashir on the back to commend him for surviving the two at the campfire. There was a small dust cloud at his feet from their frantic movement and he placed the ladle back in the now half-empty pot. The young man had no words for the behavior of the two and his mentor sighed softly, "Serve yourself and pretend they're not there."

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A/N: Okay, this chapter has been a long time coming because I really hate that I left this story hanging and after multiple PM's, guilt struck and demanded the chapter. I'm hoping it's still in the same flow and lighthearted humor from the story since it's been many years that I have posted a new chapter so I am a bit rusty. I do apologize for leaving this story hanging since life got in the way (as it always does) but I will be trying my best to add chapters gradually to finish this one. Thank you for reading this story, it's still ranking as my third despite the years, and poking me to restart it- as a writer, it is humbling and appreciated. Anyway, the crew is making their way up the coast of Africa now so they're almost to the top where their journey will end. Vivian and Altaïr will finally address the finality of their relationship in the next chapter which I have outlined and am trying to beef up to look like the final draft.