Prologue

"We have a lot of work ahead of us. You better go back into the Animus, my son!"

"That's right Desmond, Connor is waiting for us.", Rebecca added.

Desmond sighed. Of course he wasn't allowed to take a day off. He knew that the world was in danger, but one day wouldn't hurt especially since he made great progress so far, if he could trust Shaun and his father… But complaining would not bring him anything, he knew that, so he got into the damn machine and let Rebecca do her work.

"Alright Desmond, just relax." She said while she connected him to the Animus.

He sighed again, before he closed his eyes and soon he felt the familiar feeling of numbness and freedom.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the system of the Animus. He walked a few steps when something unusual caught his eyes, a red glimmer to his right. He looked more closely and noticed that the glimmer was growing rapidly. Something awful was going to happen, Desmond was sure of that.

"Damn it!", sounded a voice from above.

"Rebecca, what's wrong?", the slight worried voice of his father required.

"I don't know. The Animus should be alright. I had him checked a few hours prior, but somehow it isn't loading Connor's data, but instead… Altair's!"

"Altair's data? But how is that possible?", asked Shaun's sceptic voice.

"Hey guys! What's up?", Desmond asked as a familiar landscape started to form around him.

"Listen, son. The Animus is loading Altair's memories and we aren't able to pull you out… In fact we aren't able to do anything, because – and I don't want you to freak out – because your body is vanishing as well."

"What? Are you serious? And how am I supposed to stop myself from not freaking out?"

"We will work this out somehow."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Rebecca."

"Why not?"

"I bet this is Minerva's doing.", Shaun answered.

"It is indeed."

Desmond jumped at the female voice right behind him. As soon as he had turned around, he found himself face to face with Minerva herself.

"You, Desmond Miles, are sent here for a purpose. Juno has interfered with the time, something forbidden by us long ago, and if she succeeds, you will be no more."

"What do you mean with 'I will be no more'? What has she done?"

"She has travelled back to long forgotten times. She changed what happened. She has sent your ancestor, Altair Ibn-La'Ahad, to his death. With his death, Juno destroyed the assassins and you, will never be."

"Then we have to do something about it!"

"I fear my power is limited, but I will help and guide you as far as I am able to."

Desmond nodded in agreement and Minerva started to vanish.

"You have to climb the hill behind you. A battle is going on there. Altair will be deadly wounded, for an ally will turn against him."

"Wait, tell me how I can save him!"

"You will find a way. It is your destiny after all."

With that Minerva had vanished and the sound of battle slowly caught up to Desmond. He crouched at the edge of the hill he was standing on and he gazed over the battlefield. Desmond was able to make out a few familiar faces from his time in Altair's memory. The assassins were fighting hard against the much bigger army of the templar.

His gaze shifted, he was still looking for Altair. Suddenly he saw that Malik was surrounded by six templars and more were approaching.

Making up his mind, he jumped down, knocking two knights out in the progress and ran as fast as he could to Malik. Malik, only with one arm, he noticed, was now holding his position against three enemies at once, while another one lay dead on the ground and the other two were starting an attack from behind.

This thought disgusted Desmond, he knew the templar were perfidious but he never thought they were such big cowards.

Desmond activated his hidden blades and rammed then into the templars' necks. They went down immediately and Malik turned around, after killing his attackers. His eyes landed on Desmond who just stood up and retracted the hidden blades. Desmond held the gaze for a moment before turning around and running between assassins and templars to find Altair.

He killed a few templars and saved a few assassins while searching. Desmond was deciding if he should return to a higher position again as he finally spotted his ancestor. Altair was fighting like a wild bear but as elegant as a swan. But that didn't change anything of the fact that Altair and another assassin Desmond didn't know, were surrounded. The other assassin suddenly stopped fighting and nodded at one of the higher ranked templar. He then turned around and Desmond immediately knew what he was going to do. Desmond fastened his steps and prayed to god, Minerva and everybody who would listen that he wouldn't be too late.

Altair didn't seem to catch anything from the conspiracy or the traitor behind him; he was too occupied with staying alive. Desmond was almost there, but he knew he would be too late...

"Altair!", he screamed from the top of his lungs.

Said assassin turned around just in time to block the attack from the traitor. Altair's situation still wasn't better; he stood face to face with his treacherous companion and behind him were the soldiers he was fighting just a second ago.

"This is your end Altair and the end of the brotherhood!", sneered the traitor.

Altair kept silent and focused on all his enemies instead.

One of the knights choose this exact moment to attack and Altair was forced to block it, before beheading his attacker, but the traitor dashed forward as well.

Desmond threw himself between Altair and the sword. He suddenly felt a lot of pain from his chest, but he forced himself to push his blade between the traitor's shock widened eyes.

The traitor's body landed ungraceful on the ground and Desmond expected to meet the hard stone as well, but he felt strong arms around his waist instead. He was slowly lowered to the ground with Altair looking down at him with curiosity and distrust shining in his eyes.

Desmond looked behind his ancestor and saw Malik and a few other assassins dealing with the templars who had him and Altair surrounded moments before.

Desmond focused back on Altair's face and he realised that his vision became blurry and he could taste blood in his mouth.

His eyes widened in fear. Desmond didn't want to die, who would keep his ancestor save when not him and who would stop the destruction of the world when not him?

He tried to stand up, but a gentle yet firm hand on his stomach stopped him from doing so.

"Stop moving!", sounded the voice from Altair above him.

Desmond was barely awake now, he couldn't make out what the voices were saying and to whom they belonged. He was barely aware of Altair's voice and a hand that pressed on his chest, before he succumbed to the darkness.

I hoped you liked this idea so far. I would be glad for some reviews and if you have any ideas or wishes you can me them as well! :)