In exchange for his life
The trees provide shade from the sun. It feels like summer but shouldn’t it be fall? I free-run across the islands created by the mash using my speed to not step in to the swamp. I don’t know where I am going or what he looks like. I will kill them all if it’s not obvious. I pause as I coup d’oeil through the verdigris green to the tree tops. I spot smoke rising which could be a camp or a chimney. Raring in body I make my way towards the supposed source of the signal. I hear boots thumping heavily against the Earth, twelve or thirteen men in all from the sounds of it. I climb into a tree to get a better view. As I perch on the branch facing the camp I catch a breeze that feels soothing. As I look over I count twelve guards running around cleaning up camp. Black tanks, black boots, and baggy blue jeans seem to be their uniform. I wonder who they could be protecting all the way out here. The templar bothering her couldn’t be a high rank if he lives all the way out here besides that I know all important names by heart. I decide to observe a little longer. The person they’re guarding never leaves the tent. Maybe it was my lack of patience or from my legs cramping but I drop down on a guy and put my hidden blade into his throat. Taking that blade I stick it into the guy closest to him and has he bends to catch his breath he meets my other blade instead. In that time some of his blood gets on my shoe which is a bummer. I rush over to a group of four two have their backs turned and the other two are talking. I put my blades into the place their spines should be. I widely slash at the other two chests before leaping forward onto them while thrusting my blades into their necks. I lean up and look back to see I’m still undetected.
I catch the scent of an odd type of smoke. I take the bodies and drag them into different areas of tall grass. At least this is what I think is considered grass in a swamp. I could ask Ave about this later. I put my blades away and grab my tomahawk while I scan for the source of the smell. I spot a butch smoking a cigar under a tree all by himself plus out of sight. Obviously aware of his susceptible state he is alert to his environment. I can tell because he almost tried to murder a leaf as it blew by his blind side. I flick my tomahawk into his head which he isn’t fast enough to spot in time. As I come over to retrieve it I notice that his blood had gushed over a lot of the blade. I remove it and wipe as much as I could on his shirt. As I look up to scan for the others I notice all guards have regrouped on a tent unquestionably the only tent in this medium sized camp. Tossed on the ground outside the tent was a small child. Curly jet black hair that reaches just below her ears, skin of a complexion darker than mine own, her eyes extremely light hazel, a mere towel which ends were sewn together covered her. I watched her in awe at this poor girl who has scabs, cuts, and other injuries at such a tender age. A few seconds later a man obviously a red coat even though his red jacket is not on him comes out and looks over the girl before kicking her.
He kicked her and kicked yet she made no sound as if she was on mute. I felt a pierce in my hands and look down to see that is was from my own fingers clenching so fiercely that it hurt my palm. The other five watching seemed to be entertained by his attacks.
“Wait one moment you nim dwits! There is only three…four…five of you! Where are the other seven?” The man hollers.
The child rolls over and looks to the sky as the guards just move side to side in confusion. I climb down some and then leap towards the area the child lays. After stabling myself I look up at them. The leader amazed over looks me giving a nod of approval.
“Let her go.” I demand.
“She stole from us.” He replies.
“If you don’t let her go I will kill you all.”
He flicks his wrist and the five guards charge at me. I step back to keep her away from this. I use one of my hidden blades as a dagger and my tomahawk as I slash at the oncoming men. Busy dodging and attacking I see a shine I hadn’t seen in a long time. A desert eagle handgun.
Flashback
“You’re still naïve Connor and that will be your downfall.” Achilles goes on to warn as we make our way to the basement of the deli which is where I train. “I don’t wish to be a part of this suicide mission you call your destiny.”
“I will live or die for the Creed, old man.”
“Why? Why must you serve them with your life?”
“I…I…”
“Why Connor?”
“…”
“Do you love making us worry? How many times have you run off to ‘serve the Brotherhood’ and my daughter was left to cry? How many times has Ezio trained past his limits as he holds back his emotion over the fear of losing another child? How many have young Edward pickpocket just to distract himself from the time he could be spending with you? How many pastries your grandmother has baked just to keep everyone busy? Tell me Connor why do you throw away your life?” Achilles yelled louder and louder.
“…For revenge! Charles Lee and the rest of those idiots killed my mother! I serve loyally as I wait for the moment our paths cross again. I go to sleep hoping that not only I awake the next morning but all of them as well. I want to be the one to take their last breath!”
“Foolish child is that all you think this will achieve?”
I answered him with a yes but he said nothing else. Then we reached the basement and during my training of fighting multiple enemies I heard a click. I turned to see a handgun pointed at my head. I panicked and ran behind a dummy but he turned his aim to another dummy and shot it. The bullet went through it. Achilles sighed as he put the safety back on.
“Let me teach you how to counter guns.”
Flashback end
Achilles I thank you for everything you have done for me. I swerved as I darted to a tree. The gun fired some more at me and I waited as I counted to shots. I toss my tomahawk into him as he tried to reload. I grab my tomahawk to see the man who beat her holding a knife to her throat.
“I will kill her if you don’t leave me in peace!”
Before I could even breathe the blade was rammed into his eye as she dashed away from him. She ran towards me and hid herself behind my right leg. I rub her head and she smiles up at me. I approach him slowly and take the dagger and cut his throat. She stayed at that spot and then when I returned she fainted. I carried her with her small sweet head on my shoulder. My phone vibrates which is odd I have reception out here. Ed texted me coordinates and I make my way towards the point. After getting there I see him holding a sack that he holds up to me. Aveline drops down just then and then they both look at me.
“So you found kids too?” Aveline asked.
“Yea wait there was more?” I ask.
Five other different kids but badly beaten just the same with rags for coverings come out from around the tree Ave jumped out of. Edward whistled and two other kids came out. We all look at each other for a moment.
“Majority of the kids I found were tied to a tree branch with open cuts just left to die there.” Aveline said in disgust.
“That’s grass right Ave?” Edward points to what I thought were grass as well.
She nods her head yes before lightly punching him.
“Why are we here again?” I ask.
“Oh I killed him.” Ed answers as he shakes the bag.
I’m sure he didn’t show the head since the children are here. I sigh just as Ave sighed because now Edward has master rights. All of us walk back to the shack this whole thing took two days in all. We had cleaned their cuts the best we could and on our way back the girl I found woke up but still I carried her. I had become protective of her even though I know that one day I would have to let her go.
As we hiked the kids complained about walking and I would carry them some while putting her down. She still never spoke even when I spoke to her. She just looked at me and I would have to play ‘guess the words’ with her as to what the answer is. Is she still scared or could she actually be mute? The other kids were lively though they would sing and play to their hearts desire and thank us repeatedly for freeing them. The children had never met each other before in their life they tell us. With that the question was asked how and why did they get captured. Everyone got quiet and the little girl I’ve become fond of tugged at my sleeve as she shook her head no. Edward decided to lighten the mood by daring them to a race. The races we used to race when we were younger the ones were you couldn’t touch the ground. The kids tried their hardest to keep up with us but they lacked the skills to jump from trees and some lacked the skill to even climb trees. So we taught them as we went on and showed them how to do certain things as I was teaching I saw the little girl smile.
The old woman eyes the children dangerously as Ed places the bag in her hands as he and the kids flop onto the couch. The children and him lazily rest their feet and I look to see Ave smiling at them. Finding children and spending time with them made all of us more sensitive for the fact that we never dared thought of being parents one day.
“These children are feared even by Templars. They are not to be helped get them out of my house now!” Old woman yelled.
“Aw madam crazy doesn’t like us?” One kid laughed.
“We promise not to hurt anyone that doesn’t deserve it. We swear.” Another child said.
“You assassins better make up your mind. Life of these children or the life of Altair?”
Altair: Just looking at the title I should have known.
Ezio: Ha limits? I have no limits in training!
Edward: I don't want to kill those kids!
Aveline: I don't want to either! What are we going to do?
Connor: I don't think we will, right Kiro?
Kiro: Stupidly short chapter I know! Thank you for reading!