The next day

For Corona, the dark weather that had reigned over much of the sky yesterday had now disappeared and stretching on like an everlasting sea in all directions was nothing but blue sky with a bright sun shining above the city and the land around it. A gentle and cool summer breeze was blowing through the air and an aura of calm had descended on the world. It was as if all of the troubles of the city had finally been swept away with what happened yesterday in the city. Corona was at peace once more.

In the stables next to the bridge leading from the city to the mainland, a small group had gathered. At the front were Rapunzel, who had Pascal on her shoulder, Eugene, the king, the queen, Salad and Maximus. In front of them, setting up his horse was Altair. He finished attaching the saddle to the animal, which snorted and kicked It's hoof at the hay on the floor below.

"Easy, boy," Altair calmed it, grabbing the reins.

When he finished, he checked to make sure he had his weapons. He did. He then checked in his duffel bag on the side of the horse saddle to make sure the treasure, which was wrapped up in a piece of cloth, was still there. It was. When he was done, he turned to the group.

"Well, that's it," he said. "I just want to say…it was great coming to know you all and I thank for your help in ridding us of this threat once and for all,"

"What about in the Holy Lands?" the queen asked. "The Templars will still be there,"

Altair nodded at her statement. "That is true, they will be," he replied, but reassurance came into voice. "But, fear not, your highness. They will have trouble finding it," he looked back at the treasure in his duffel bag, a hint of fear and concern for the future momentarily filling his mind, but he did not let it worry him. Right now, it was quite a moving time for he was going to be leaving his new friends.

Altair looked back at the king, who stepped forward and held up his hand, which Altair shook.

"Thank you for helping in saving my daughter," he said.

"It was my pleasure," Altair replied, releasing the king's hand.

The king stepped back and Altair barely had time to even blink before Rapunzel moved forward and embraced him tightly. Altair was taken by surprise for a moment, the others chuckled at, and it was a few moments before he embraced her.

"Thanks for all your help, Altair," she said to him, looking up at him with a smile, which he returned. "And for helping in saving me," she added.

He nodded. "And thank you for your help," he replied. "And for also healing my arm yesterday," he added, having forgotten to thank her after she had patched up his wound when they got back to Corona after Al Mualim's funeral service.

Pascal climbed up Rapunzel's head and sat on top of it, looking at up the assassin. She stepped back, her hand in a small pocket in her dress, and Altair chuckled.

"See you, Pascal," he said to the chameleon.

Pascal replied with a squeak, probably saying goodbye as well, and raised his fist. Altair bumped his against it and Pascal climbed back down onto Rapunzel's shoulder and she stepped back. Altair then walked over to Salad, who was standing next to Maximus.

"Will you be alright here now?" he asked him.

The old carpenter nodded. "Of course, Altair," he replied. His eyes looked down at the floor. "It was…just such as shock Al Mualim was really one of them," he said lowly, shaking his head in disbelief slightly.

Altair nodded slightly. It had been just as shocking for him as well yesterday when the captain told him about Al Mualim being a tenth Templar and one of the worst enemies of the Assassin's Creed. Only God knows how hard hitting it would be for those back in Masyaf when Altair returned and told them what happened here in Corona. Then again, they probably would have already known due to Malik.

Altair closed his fist and placed his other hand over it and bent his head slightly towards Salad. "Safety and peace forever be upon you, brother," he said. "Thank you for sheltering me in my time here,"

Salad smiled and bowed forward slightly, doing the same movement with his hands as Altair. "And upon you as well, brother, for your journey back home," he replied.

Altair then turned onto Maximus, who snorted and lowered his head, allowing Altair to pat his snout. "Thank you for helping me yesterday, Maximus," he told the horse. "I must admit, you are the best I have ever seen in my life,"

Maximus smiled at the compliment and rubbed his head against Altair's body, who chuckled along with everyone else as he patted it a little more and then gently pushed it away and turned onto Eugene.

"Well, Eugene," he said, sighing. "It's been an honour working with you," he added, raising his hand, which Eugene shook. It was hard to imagine now that just a few days ago, these two had been at each other's throats because of what was happening, but now they were good friends. "Thank you for helping me in my search,"

"You too, Altair," he replied friendly, releasing his hand and patting his shoulder. "Take care of yourself,"

The hooded man nodded. "You too," he replied, patting Eugene's shoulder before turning and walking back over to his horse and climbing onto it, locking his feet into place and grabbing the reins. He looked back down at the group. "May peace and blessing forever fall on your city," he said to them. "It is such a good home here for you all. Now I have to return to mine,"

He went to kick his heels, but Rapunzel stepped forward. "Wait, Altair," she said, stopping him. "Will we see you again?"

For a moment, he paused looking a little confused, not at her question but of his response to it. Would he see them again? Would he ever return here? He did not know. Looking up at the group, he saw them looking hopefully at him as well; no doubt they were wondering if he was going to come back again one day in the future.

"That depends," he replied, looking back at the king. "Am I welcome back?" he asked him.

"Of course, Altair," he replied. "I mean, you've helped us remove a threat to our kingdom, saved many of us, including my daughter and Eugene, and even finally made the remaining Crusaders leave. You're more than welcome to return here whenever you wish,"

Altair smiled and nodded at this. "Thank you," he replied and looked back at Rapunzel. "Then maybe one day, I might come back. And who knows, by then it could be permanent,"

Their eyes lit up a little upon hearing this. If he would come back in the future, it would be good seeing their friend again.

"We'll see you that day then," Rapunzel said to him, stepping back.

"Wait!" Salad suddenly intervened, stepping forward. "Aren't you missing something?" he inquired, pointing at Altair's belt.

He looked down and saw that Salad was right. His smaller blade was gone. Where was it?

However, a suspect quickly hit his mind and he looked up at Eugene, eyebrows raised as if suspecting him of doing this.

"Alright, Eugene. Very funny, now cough it up," he said, extending his hand.

Eugene was taken aback. "I haven't got it," he protested, shocked at this, pulling out his pockets to prove his point.

Altair was dumbfounded. He suspected Eugene was playing a trick on him as he used to be a former thief just like him, but he was not. If Eugene did not have it, then where was it?

"I'm sure I had it a moment ago when I checked," he muttered to himself, searching his belt and the bags along the side of the saddle. The others began to look around as well, trying to find it, all except one.

"It must be somewhere," Salad said, his eyes searching the ground until they hit Rapunzel, who was just standing with a smug look on her face and looked like she was trying not to smirk. "What's wrong with you?" he asked her, drawing the heads of everyone else to her.

She sighed and took her hand out of her pocket. In it was the smaller blade of Altair's.

"Sneaked it when I embraced you," she said to Altair as she handed it back to him.

He gave a slight laugh of impressment. "Very well done," he commented. "Where did you learn to do that?" he asked her.

"Take a guess," she replied, nodding her head towards Eugene.

"Hey, I didn't teach her to use it in times like now," he pointed up matter-of-factly, raising his hands to prove his innocence.

The others chuckled. "Very funny," Altair said, putting the blade back on his belt and looking back at them. "I'll see you all someday, hopefully," he said.

They all nodded. "You too, Altair," Rapunzel replied.

He nodded and kicked his heels. It was time for him to go. "C'mon, boy!" he said and the horse galloped forward out of the stables and turned right and ran full speed onto the bridge, heading back to the mainland. The group ran outside and waved him goodbye. Altair glanced over his shoulder and waved back to them as he gradually became smaller on the horizon.

"I hope we see him again soon," Rapunzel said.

"I'm sure we will," Eugene replied, resting his hand on her shoulder furthest from him as they watched him ride off into the forest, disappearing quickly into the trees and out of sight of the others.

For Altair, his long and dangerous task of stopping the Templars from gaining this treasure and using it for their own intentions was finally over. Peace had been restored to Corona, him making new friends in the process, and soon the same would be done for the Holy Lands. A task that was sure to be difficult in the days to come, but Altair was sure the Creed would be able to cope with it.

For now, though, he was going back to Masyaf, back to his home.