Augustin Schieffer
Dessau
15 May 1930
Dear Ernst,
I hope you're doing well and that you've spent the past days pleasantly.
I've pursued the Templars to Dessau, from where I've sent you this letter. They led me on a goose chase through the country, but I think this is where they're aiming.
A few days ago, I captured a Templar by the name of Paskal Wetter. Do you know him? He was with Nägelein's crew. Before he died, he told me a lot of things. About what they're doing here, what their aim was. I'm not sure I can make sense of all of it.
Do you remember all those stories of the Ones Who Came Before? About the Assassin Lukas Zurburg during the Black Death and the Ankh? You and I both know we don't put much stock into these stories. It was a different age back then, after all. But it seems to these Templars, these fables and legends are very real.
They believe that they've found traces of a relic of those Ones Who Came Before. Wetter didn't seem sure himself what sort of thing they were looking for. In the end, I think he believed that it was a place, or a weapon. A weapon that could see them achieve their goal of world domination in a hypothetical future war which they would engineer.
They've connected this to the Roman god Jupiter. They seem to believe that the key to using this weapon is the blood of Jupiter, whom they believe to be part of the Ones Who Came Before.
Apparently, they believe Jupiter has descendants among us. They are rare. Very few of them remain, but the Templars believe they've tracked some of Jupiter's descendants to this place. Wetter told me who they are and where they are, but I haven't gone round there yet. I need to get there before the Templars do. I don't know if I believe this, but if the Templars believe it this much then we have nothing to lose from trying to make sure they don't gain whatever it is they hope to gain.
I'll let you know once things are clearer.
Your friend,
Augustin
(this second letter has spots of dried blood on it)
18 May 1930
Dear Ernst,
I was too late, and yet I wasn't. The Templars had got there first. They killed them, a husband and wife running a small, traditional inn. But when I got there, there were only their bodies. There were no Templars to be seen. I checked the surrounding area. It was pouring hard, and I just barely managed to track them into the nearby forest.
I managed to catch up to them. They were looking for something, torches in hand shining a light on every nook and cranny even under the pouring rain. I observed them for a bit. They were having a hard time finding whatever it was they were looking for. They moved deeper into the forest as they did, but they seemed convinced that whatever they were looking for was going to be in their path.
Finally, they stopped at the base of a large tree. There was a hole at the bottom, barely enough to fit a dog. They didn't shine their torches on it, but they were aiming their guns there. And then suddenly, one of them brought the light to the hole and the other's hand went straight into it. He pulled his hand back violently, yanking a child out of the hole.
It was a little girl. Barely twelve years old. Like savages, they forced her onto the muddy ground, headfirst into the wet leaves. They threatened her, saying that they would hurt her if she didn't calm down. I couldn't just stand there.
I took out my gun, aimed at one of them, and let out the shot. It hit its mark, and the brute fell dead onto the ground, his face not far from the young girl. The darkness, the rain, and the foliage kept me covered. They shot around randomly, not sure where I was. I moved quickly, still hiding in between the trees and the bushes while trying to get behind them. When I was in position, I leapt out and with my hidden blades made short work of the two remaining Templars.
I knelt beside the child and held my hand out. Predictably, she crawled back in fear. Not that I blame her. Realising that I probably looked like a ghost in my hood in the dark forest, I pulled it back to reveal my face. I told her it was okay. It took a bit of time, but eventually she took my hand.
We walked back towards the inn. I noticed a bright light getting stronger as we drew closer to the inn. The rain was subsiding, and someone had set fire to the inn. The neighbours were trying to douse the fire and calling out to the girl's parents. She tried to run there, but I held her. It wasn't safe. That place wasn't safe for her anymore. I told her this, and eventually she understood.
We've been making our way through the country. I'm not sure where we're supposed to head. I'm sending this letter to prepare for our potential arrival in Berlin. But maybe they're expecting that and it's safer to go to Essen. Either way, they're hot on our trail. I've had several run-ins with them already. I confess I've sustained some injuries, but minor so far. Nothing to worry about.
But if anything happens, I want you to know about this. I haven't told anyone else about this "Jupiter" thing. I still don't know its significance, but on the off chance that there is some truth to this madness, then it is imperative we keep her out of the Templars' hands.
Also, she's lost her parents. I'll raise her myself in the Brotherhood.
I'll send word again when I can, or maybe I'll meet you face to face next time.
Godspeed, Ernst.
Your friend,
Augustin
P.S. I almost forgot. Her name is Elisabeth.