I think this is my fourth (?) time I read this story and I have so many fond memories of reading it I love coming back

i love this fic SO much and am midway through my second full reread, and dearly hope you have updated the follow up fic since my last read back in 2015, but will read it and be fucking thrilled by all the phenomenal content even if it hasn't been updated

since you've mentioned the desire to be historically accurate, i will mention a couple -
this is an extremely minor criticism, but (i've learned arabic since my last reading, and) there isn't a "v" letter in arabic - the most likely misspellings of kadar's name would probably be fdr or wdr (short vowels aren't written in arabic)
also the perception of Gay Activities isn't quite historically accurate

but these are super small criticisms... and this story is super long and super good

thank you so much for writing it! it's an absolute joy to read :D

Everything about this was utter perfection. I don't even have the words? You've had me hooked since the very first word. I've been a fan of AC since AC1 first came out, yet this is the first fic I've ever read and God, it's hands down the best I think I'll ever read. A part of me doesn't want to seek out other works as I'm so head over heels for your portrayals, I fear others won't be up to the same standard you've now given me.
I adore your portrayal of Kadar, of Altair and Malik. The way you capture Altair's complex character and how he struggles to express himself or handle situations is so well done. I love it. I adore your writing and I know I'll reread this again and again. This is everything I could want from AC fan content and I would choose your interpretations over Altair & Malik / Kadar's canon backstories any day.
I'm just. so blown away. I anticipated the Solomon's Temple chapter from the moment I started this fic and it still never failed to Get Me right where it hurt. Love it. I'm speechless I don't even know where I'm going with this. It was so good. This has existed for Years and I've only just had the chance to Experience it. But damn it was beautiful and heartbreaking.

i just finished the last two chapters with tears in my eyes and i have to let you know, this is one of the most exceptional ffs i've read all my life. the way you formed the characters and gave them more depth, fleshed out the little canon there is and turned it into a rollercoaster ride of emotions, i simply want to say: thank you. thank you for all the time that must have gone into this and thank you for putting it out there for free. i'm usually a silent reader but i just can't step away from this without letting you know how wonderful i think your writing is. i hope you maybe read this ine day, and hope you are doing well.

UGHHH THIS WAS SUCH AN AMAZING FIC? i binged it all in one day. it's funny because over the years i've come to the fic time and time again and yet never went past the first chapter? (shaking my head at past me, i swear to god) just... the characterization was amazing. like, i just loved the way you wrote altair and malik and i really fucking hope there's a sequel to this

You're an amazing writer. This really reads like a published series - that ending gave me chills. Every time I read a fanfic like this I'm amazed all over again someone with the time and skill wrote this free novel just for fun. Really, really impressed. Thank you for sharing!

I am re reading this story this year 2016 after a horrible and sad 2015 in which my Dad passed away.
Along the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015 I have read the whole fanfic 'And when the Earth shall claim your Limbs' and almost all next fanfic 'Speak Against The Sun' (except for last chapter).
I didn't go on reading the last chapter of my favourite fanfic ever because I don't feel like it has been finished yet. And if it is not finished, I PLEASE ask you, Wordswithout, not to forget about the most intriguing story ever. You said it yourself "This story as a whole was never meant to be as long as it's going to be but, hey, story of my life."
I won't make seconds reviews of chapters because I already did, but I am only letting you know that your story is still my favourite of all fanfics of everything I have been able to read ever.
The long part of the story when Malik and Kadar survive the desert is among the most impressive and moving things I ever read. It's tender yet tough.
When Altair and Malik meet is... Supreme.
Please, if you didn't finish "Speak Against the Sun" I beg you to continue it. Lots of love and on my Deviantart account I have artworks of them (as adults)
Luna Fantasma Deviantart

This was an incredible journey.

From the beginning of the story to the final end, your phenomenal writing has sculpted a tale full of humor, horror, and family. The strong, realistic characters and the developments they go through are so real and tangible I feel as if the character actually exists. The events and scenes in every single, blessedly long chapter are flawlessly executed and each perfectly structured sentence wonderfully enhance the overall quality of the story. You are such a gifted, talented writer; thank you for sharing your works.

Man, I am emotionally shattered after binging through this in a little over 2 days. Just really incredible writing and your dialogue is so on point and Oh god Kadar and Malik and Altaïr and everything hurts and I want need more.

Well. I've only played the Ezio games so I can't tell you if Kadar is in character or not. No problem for me! (I've only watched videos and read Mirror and Image's novelisation of the first game...I'm wondering if I should play it after all. I'm getting a little tired of seeing other people's interpretations of the characters) But either way, I love how the events of the past chapters affects Malik and Altaïr's behaviour in this mission. Like after getting to know Altaïr through the codex only, seeing the beginning of AC1 was quite a shock xD like jeez, I know the developers were probably trying to get straight to the point but that arrogance was almost a caricature. But man, I haven't reviewed every chapter but in each I always think about how much I love your dialogue. The ones between Kadar and Malik especially. Argh already overwhelmed by feels of dread and sadness and I'm not done reading this chapter yet how will I survive what are you doing to me.

Oh noooooooooooo! The dread I feel knowing what's coming next. And right after such a tumultuous chapter, too. Eating McDonald's for dinner is not helping my stomach at all, too. Also, kinda random place to remark on it, but normally I don't like unhealthy ships, but I can't read Maltair any other way and enjoy it, even in AUs. Hmm.

For whatever reason I keep picturing Draco Malfoy in place of Altaïr in this fic. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but since young Altaïr is a little snot I suppose it's fitting lol. It is a nice change to read a fic where he's like this instead of his older, more mature self in other fics. Anyway so far this fic has already made me feel probably every feeling and it's so well written. Like, in general but I adore especially the way you write relationships and dialogue. and I'm only halfway through. So excited to keep going! And now that I've actually finished reading the chapter, holy Jesus how is Malik still standing upright at all that blood loss? I've lost enough blood to puddle before and was decidedly very lightheaded, and that was from a single cut. And how many lessons does Altaïr need to bludgeon some sense into his head lol.

I can find no words to decribe my feelings in the last few weeks since I started reading your fic. Also started with one chapter twice a week but the last four days or so, I read up to six hours a day, abandoning gaming, eating and sleeping for the expetation of what comes next.
I was writing FFs since 2002 myself and was always searching for good stuff, often it was all in vain. Thought I'd came here from DA and its Fanart and stayed.

The way you give live to this story and its protagonists is so incredible beautyful, every movement and sentence so delicately chosen that I'm still out of words.
When climbing up my houses stairs I stoped and thought about how it must have felt for theese young boys to see this sun tanned assassin in its swaying robes, hand on the handle of his sword pass by like some kind of imaginary person. My skin shivered by first brush of their shoulders on that platform and my heart jumped on what followed. I always was so curious on how you would end this ans also afraid that it will end.

Today at 4am I stopped reading with the entering of Solomons Temple because I thought I could never sleep after what will follow, inevitable it is, ans also known. And now I'm finished and the tears are drying, yes I cried the last chapters all along, mature as I am. And when the last lines where over an sad emptyness was spreading in me. Took me half an hour to take the notebook back to hands to write this.
Being not a natural speaker also, makes it even more difficult for me to describe my feelings about this but I can say that so much of it will be memorised by me for long time maybe some pictures forever, burried in my sponge like brain and popping up when I see a particular art piece or maybe just the next AC in store. After this I feel so much more connected to AC although I thougt I was already in it.
Thank you so much for this story!

And When The Earth Shall Claim your Limbs ended, and also my wish of living u.u I almost broke into tears. From the prologue to the epilogue I read with patience, slowly as I like doing, and I enjoyed every word, phrase, chapter of it.
The excellence in your writing really outstands because of the dedication and effort, I am so sad for Malik, that howl at the end! The one he has been restraining since he was a child, that howl of physical, mental and EMOTIONAL PAIN, released after so many years of toughness... I don't find the right words to describe it. I am not an English native speaker, writing a long review is not as easy for me as if I were, but I'm trying to find the words on my head to express the burning emotion whirling on my mind after reading the epilogue.
Altair, being dependant on Malik in a wide sense, not only emotionally and physically, but almost religiously, really doesn't know the right words, but he FEELS, oh damn he does. And I can't imagine what comes next! I do not want to read the sequel yet because I prefer you to finish it, otherwise I don't think I'd enjoy it so much (reading in parts and waiting months to read the next chapter) THAT WILL DEFINITELY KILL ME x_x I am too anxious to do that.

I wanted to tell you that I read your story in 5 weeks, why if it was finished? because I WANTED TO ENJOY IT, so I read one chapter and some days the next. Doing that along 5 weeks really REALLY gave me a sense of time, of continuation, of time passing by since Malik and Kadar were 10 and 6 respectively, and then in their adulthood. It wasn't for me like reading 5 chapters in a day and then all the story in a whole week as if time didn't exist. I enjoyed the reading and sensed the years with each chapter along about a month. I even dedicated fanart to you on Deviantart.
Now, I hope to have made a decent review

Thanks for this, Words Without, THANKS.

This last chapter before the epilogue made me so sad, crying was my only way out. Kadar and Malik's last embrace was one of the most memorable things in the whole story. And the explanation of how Malik got his arm lost is magnificent, really really it makes one think that your vision can truly be considered canon because it sounds logic in every sense. In the game it doesn't say anything about Kadar and Malik's terrible fight against the Templars and how the last made his way through Masyaf and got his arm and brother lost. Excellent!