Authors Note: (THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN REVISED) Ok. So this is my first fanfiction. Please go easy on me. NO FLAMES! I am a sensitive person when it comes to writing! Anyways, so let me make this clear… My research on some of the words and languages may not be right, but come on guys; it's a fictional story. Just try to bear with me, because I think you will like it. And if you are one of those grammar nazis who want every little nit picky thing to be right, then don't read this story. If you don't like what you're reading, then you don't have to read it. Thanks very much to the people who want to read it though! Well, here it is… Enjoy!

-Aena Firestar

Prologue

Alera was fifteen when it happened. Her father was part of the order of Assassin's and had been teaching her all that he knew. Her mother was an English woman who had lived in Acre for a short time. Her father had saved her from a group of Templars trying to have their way with her. After that, they fell in love. Alera's mother had died young, while giving birth to her, so it was only Alera and her father and Alera's eagle, Alario. He's a huge golden eagle with a single white spot on his head and is very protective of Alera. They had found him with a broken wing when he was little and took him in and nursed him back to health.

Alera's father was retired now and was glad to be at home, in Masyaf, with his daughter. Alera knew about the order and her father had spilled it all to her in hopes that she, too, would become a great Assassin like he was. But her father knew he was getting too old and too weak to teach her. He had begged Al Mualim to take her in with the other Assassins, but each time the Master refused because she was a girl, and girls were considered weak and would only slow the Assassins down.

It was a dark and cloudy night. The moon was veiled and so were the stars. There was no light except for a small candle that was lit in the living room. Alera was asleep in her room and her father in the other. All was quiet, until the thunder came. It was a quiet roll, but it was deep. The wind came in through the window and blew the candle out.

Alera's eyes opened and she slowly sat up in bed. She had a horrible, haunting feeling overcome her. One that she just couldn't shake. She reached under her pillow and pulled a small dagger out. Her legs swung over the bed and she stood, walking out of her room and peaking out of her door. All she saw was Blackness. She could only feel her way through the hall. She strained her ears to hear anything, but nothing came. Alario was gone. He had been gone for two days now. After all, he had to stretch his wings and fly, but he always knew where Alera was and always came back. Alera felt the cold bite of irony. "If only Alario was here. He would know something was wrong." She thought to herself.

Alera felt the bad feeling creep back into her very heart. Something was wrong. She started walking, biting her lip and hoping that with every step she took, a board wouldn't creak. She didn't know what was making her do this. Intuition perhaps? Instinct? Some unknown force was telling her something was wrong and it was in her father's room. She slowly walked to the door and creaked it open, peeking through the crack. There was a flash of lightening and she saw another figure dressed in a black robe and half covered in Armor. His face was wrapped in a black veil. Alera remembered her father telling her about the order of Templars. How the assassin's were supposed to rid the world of the Templar order to save it. She could only assumed this was one of them. She slipped through the door, immediately and quietly dropping to the floor and creeping in. She could feel herself breaking out into a cold sweat. Her heart pumped wildly in her throat and the blood rushed through her veins. Another flash of lightening and she saw the figure raise his dagger. Then the thunder came and she heard the sound of a blade cutting into flesh and a cry right after it.

"NO!" she screamed. Her rage fueled her as she sprung from her hiding place on the floor and stabbed the man in what she thought was his side. She heard him cry out, but as the lightening flashed it revealed that her aim was misplaced, and he had been stabbed in his arm. Her heart dropped and she immediately took a step back as he turned around to fully face her. More lightening lit up the room and before she could react, he had shoved her hard up against the wall. Her head slammed back against it and she slid down, half unconscious.

The man grabbed the dagger and ripped it out of his arm and lunged at her. Alera let out a scream and dodged him, swerving to the side and running past him. She looked back, remembering never to turn her back on an enemy. She clenched her fists and looked around for something else to use...but she was at a loss with weapons. The veiled person drew a throwing knife and lightening flashed just in time...but lucky for Alera, his aim was off by just a little bit. She felt the knife slice her left cheek and she let out a soft cry, holding her hand to her face as blood began to trickle down her skin. The cut burned. It was thin but deep and would surely leave a scar.

The lightening flashed once more and the man took his chance and escaped out the window. Alera ran to the window and attempted to look out but the rain was so heavy and it was so dark...The figure was gone. She gritted her teeth and pulled the window closed. She then turned around. "Father?" she called out. She heard a groan in response and ran over to his bedside table and lit the candle. She finally got a look at him... and he was still alive. The dagger was in his stomach and he was breathing slower and slower.

Alera fell into tears.