War Sage: Cheers, mate! Thanks for everything!

Chapter 19

Ezio and I stood once again at the foot of the great fortress of Masyaf, which was alone and silent, guarding its secrets.

We started up the long, steep path that followed the escarpment sloping up to the outer gates. After we had been walking for some time, we stopped and turned, concerned for our companion, who had fallen a little way behind, out of breath.

"Such a climb!" panted Sofia, catching up.

I had wanted Claudia and Maria to come along, but the latter was too young, while the former was...preoccupied. To my shock and absolute joy, I found out she was pregnant with our second child!

I couldn't wait to get home, but duty called.

Ezio smiled. "Just imagine if you were a soldier, burdened by a suit of armor, laden with supplies."

"It is so beautiful here," she said, looking around. "And this is where your Brotherhood began?"

I grimaced. "Well, it was reborn here, but it's been around for thousands of years."

"By the man you mentioned, Altair?"

Ezio nodded. "Altair Ibn La'Ahad. He built us up, then set us free." He turned to me, and I realized that I would be giving the Grand Tour.

I cleared my throat, and began showing them around the castle, or what little I had seen in my visions. "He saw the folly of keeping a castle like this. It had become a sign of arrogance, and a beacon to our enemies."

Sofia nodded. "And the mandate for menacing hoods? Was that his idea as well?"

I laughed. "Yeah, more or less."

We walked a little way before she spoke again. "You mentioned a Creed before. What is it?"

"Nothing is true, everything is permitted."

She raised her eyebrows. "That is rather cynical."

Ezio replied before I could. "It would be if it were doctrine. But it is merely an observation of the nature of reality. To say that nothing is true, is to realize that the foundations of society are fragile, and that we must be the shepherds of our own civilization. To say that everything is true, is to understand that we are the architects of our actions, and that we must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic."

I smirked, as we passed through the port-culass, and entered the main hall, and then passed through it on our way to the Library. "You must understand that Ezio is rarely this philosophical, or this correct!" Sofia smacked me playfully upside the head, as Ezio gave a mock-weary sigh.

After another moment, she asked both of us, "Do you regret your decision? To live as Assassins for so long."

I shook my head. "Being an Assassin is all I've ever known, so no, I don't."

Ezio, for his part, said: "I do not remember making that decision. This life, it chose me. For three decades, I have served the memory of my father and my brothers, and fought for those who have suffered the pain of injustice. I do not regret those years," he continued, as we entered an underground cavern that was very close to the library, "but it is time to live for myself, and let them go. To let go of all this."

Sofia took his hand. "Then let go. You will not fall far."

It was then that I realized why Ezio had wanted me to come with him, had insisted that I accompany him. It was not about me showing him and Sofia around, or not just that.

It was something else, something more. He wanted me to succeed his title of Mentor.

Come to think of it, for years, Ezio had been slowly putting on the mantle of responsibility on my shoulders, giving me more say in the affairs of the Brotherhood, as well most of the decision-making.

I had thought those to be tests of my loyalty, but now, everything fit together. It all made sense, and the shock of it was softened by the understanding that I could give it my best shot, and do well enough with it.

"And neither will the Brotherhood, Ezio. I will make sure of it," I said, and he turned to me, as we stopped in front of the door to the library.

"Once we open this door, I have a feeling that the answers you have searched for for so long, for all these years, will finally be made obvious to you. For me, the answer as to why you came here from your time has been clear to me for many a year."

He grasped both my shoulders, his eyes misting. "You were always meant to come here, to be at my side, to lead the Brotherhood after I had left. I would never have lasted this long without you."

I felt tears gather in my eyes. "And I would be nowhere without you, Ezio. I do not regret being brought here to you, to Claudia, to the Auditores. All I can say now is thank you." With that, we shared a hug that neither of us would ever forget.

A short time later, we turned the big door in front of us, which was made of smooth, green stone. Its surface was broken by five slots, arranged in a semicircle at shoulder height.

A light bulb went off in my head, and I placed the satchel containing the keys on the ground, and weighed the first one in my hand.

"The end of the road," Ezio said.

"Not quite," said Sofia, who was still wiping her eyes with her sleeve, touched by the emotional scence she had just witnessed. "First, we have to discover how to open the door."

As we studied the keys and the locks, we realized we had to match the symbols on the keys.

This took a while, and we had no way of knowing what would happen if we failed to unlock the door.

"Damn that Altair!" I grumbled, and Sofia laughed, and then asked, "What do you hope to find behind the door?"

I turned to her. "Knowledge, and answers to questions that I've been wanting to answer for decades."

"Does that include why you look so young, and Ezio so old?"

I laughed. "One of said questions, yes!"

Ezio continued the conversation. "Altair was a profound man and a prolific writer. He built this place as a repository for all his wisdom. He acquired such knowledge as to drive lesser men to tears."

"Then is it wise to tap into it?"

I shrugged. "We're kind of worried, but we ain't lesser men, as you should know by now."

Sofia snorted, and Ezio shook his head. "For once, give it a rest, Fratellino!"

We placed our torches in sconces, where it gave us enough light to start figuring out the puzzle. It would probably have taken us years without Sofia there.

After a long time, after much attempts, Sofia gave a cry. "They show constellations, each of the keys: Leo, Cancer, Aquarius, Pisces, and Capricorn!"

I smiled. "It's what my parents called 'the Zodiac!' Even I know in what order they go in!" Each key corresponded to a slot identified with a constellation immediatley preceding it in the Zodiac cycle.

It only took a matter of quick fitting, and then the door opened smoothly and soundlessly.

We stood at the entrance, a long hallway yawned before us, and, as we looked, two torches within, simultaniously, flared to life.

Ezio turned to me, and smirked. "Well, my old friend? It is waiting for you."

I gave him a flat look. "Really? I'm supposed to just leave you here, and go down into that place alone?"

Ezio shrugged. "I had my meeting with destiny already. Now, it's your turn! I'll be waiting for you."

I nodded, and turned to Sofia, who gave me a hug. "You had better come back out of there alive," she said.

I returned the hug. "C'mon, this is me you're talking about. Of course I'll come back!"

Ezio snorted. "Good, because if you don't, Claudia will go in after you, and drag you herself!" Hmm, she probably would!

Ezio and I embraced again, and then I made my way down, as the door slid closed behind me.

I was glad I wasn't claustrophobic!

I walked slowly down the hallway, which sloped ever downward and broadened out as I progressed. I hardly had need of my torch since the walls were lined with them, and they flared alight, by some mysterious process, as I passed them.

Okay, kinda spooked out now!

But, in a way, it felt as if I was meant to be here. At length, the hallway debouched into a vast, round chamber, 150 feet across and 150 feet high to the top of its dome, like the circular nave of some awesome basilica.

In the body of the room there were cases that must once have contained artifacts, but they were empty. The multiple galleries that ran round it were lined with bookshelf upon bookshelf, every inch of every all was covered with them. I noticed that every single on of them was empty.

But I had no time to ponder the phenomenon, as my eye was drawn irresistibly to a huge oak desk on a high podium at the far end of the room, opposite the entrance. It was brightly lit from somewhere far above, and the light fell squarely on the tall figure seated at the desk.

It was Altair, or his skeleton, dressed in Assassin robes. "No books, no artifacts...just you, my brother." I said, approaching and laying a hand delicately on the dead man's shoulder.

We were in no way related by blood, but the ties of the Brotherhood bound us more strongly than those of family ever could have. "Rest in peace, Ancestor-in-law." And then I realized, under Altair's right hand, lay a circular stone, made by alabastor, the same kind that we had used to open the door behind me.

I picked it up, and closed my eyes, allowing the stone to take me away again.

"You say Baghdad has been sacked?"

"Yes, Father. Kahn Hulagu's Mongols have driven through the city like a conflagration. No one has been spared. He set up a wagon wheel and made the population file past it. Anyone whose head came higher than the wheel's hub, he killed."

"Leaving only the weak and malleable?"

"Indeed."

"Hulagu is not a fool."

"He has destroyed the city, burned all its libraries, smashed the university, and killed all its intellectuals, along with the rest. The city has never seen such a holocaust."

"And never will again, I pray."

"Amen to that, Father."

"I commend you, Darim. It is well you took the decision to sail to Alexandria. Have you seen to my books?"

"Yes, Father, those we did not send with the Polo brothers, I have already sent to Latakia on wagons for embarkation."

Altair sat hunched by the open doorway of his great, domed library and archive, which was empty, swept clean. Clutched to him was a small wooden box. Darim had more sense than to ask his father what it was.

"Good. Very good," said Altair.

"But there is one thing, one fundamental thing, that I do not understand," said Darim. "Why did you build such a vast library and archive, over so many decades, if you did not intend to keep your books?"

Altair waved an interrupting hand. "Darim, you know very well that I have long outlived my time. I must soon leave on a journey that requires no baggage at all. But you have answered your own question. What Hulagu did in Baghdad, he will do here. We drove them off once, but they will return, and when they do, Masyaf must be empty."

Darim looked down at his father, who was very frail, hugging the small box to his chest. "I see," he said. "This is no longer a library then, but a vault."

Bingo! Junior's got it!

His father nodded. "It must stay hidden, Darim. Far from eager hands. At least until it has passed on the secret it contains."

"What secret?"

Altair smiled, and rose. "Never mind. Go, my son. Go and be with your family, and live well."

Darim embraced him. "All that is good in me, began with you," he said.

With that, his father entered the library, and the door closed behind him, and his son left...to live.

As Altair made his way to his chair, holding the box to his chest, extinguishing one torch after another, He remembered Al Mualim's words: "In much wisdom is much grief. And he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow."

Then Maria spoke, a ghost in his mind, sounding young again. "What does it tell you? What do you see?"

He answered. "Strange visions and messages. Of those who came before, of their rise, and their fall..."

"But what about us, Altair? To our family? What does the Apple say?"

"Who were those who came before? What brought them here? How long ago?"

"Get rid of that thing!"

"This is my duty, Maria!" After a long pause, he said, "I have let it known that this Apple was first hidden in Cyprus, then lost at sea, dropped in the ocean. Tell men everything to keep them from this place. This Apple must not be found, not until the time is right."

He rose from his chair, and walked to a dark recess in the wall behind him. He pressed a lever, which opened a heavy door, covering a hidden alcove, in which stood a pedestal. He worked fast, and pulled the lever, the door to the alcove sliding shut, locking it away.

With that, he sat back down, and gave up his life, the stone logging the last memories of Altair...

I turned the disc over and over in his hands under the candlelight. "Another artifact? Another Apple?"

I knew what to do. I opened the same alcove, and beheld Altair's Apple. I thought there was only one Apple?

I reached out for it, a cold, lifeless little ball...and then I pulled away. "I don't think so, you little bastard! You'll stay here. You've cost me too much for me to try you again!"

I put my hand on the lever, but the Apple burst into life, bathing the room in blinding life.

I could feel someone listening and watching me, and from Ezio's many visions and dreams, I had a good guess who it might be. "Desmond? I heard your name before, Desmond. Ezio told me about you, and you've been watching me and Ezio all this time, haven't you?"

I paused, then continued. "I don't know where you are, or how you can hear me, but I do know that you are listening. Ezio and I have lived our lives the best we could, not knowing its purpose, but drawn to it. And here at last, I find a strange truth: That I am only a messenger, a conduit for something I don't understand."

I spread out my arms. "Who are we who have been so blessed to share our stories like this? To speak across centuries? It's a shame you and I couldn't meet in our time, but life's full of disappointments. Now, listen."

With that, light blinded me, and when it faded away, a women stood before me. She was tall, with dark hair, wearing a head-dress that looked similar to a hood.

"Who are you?" I asked, stepping back.

"I am Juno, Minerva's...sister, of sorts."

I frowned. "Is Desmond-"

"Desmond is receiving his message from my brother Jupiter, but you are receiving your own," she said.

I tilted my head to one side, as she continued. "You are the first of your kind, Arthur Katarn Auditore, the first to travel back, in order to witness the past, to experience it, so that you could help those who came after you. I have been watching over you for a long time, and now, I give you your final task."

I held up a hand. "Hold your horses! Why me? Why was I sent back?"

She smiled. "You are here because you were chosen from the moment you were born. Do you regret this?"

I shook my head. "Of course not. I just want some answers."

Juno nodded for me to continue.

"You said I was the first. That means that there are others."

She nodded. "There will be others after you. You were chosen to be their Guide, their Helper, their Guardian. Only by finding and experiencing everything would you understand what they will go through, and how much they will need your help."

After a long moment, I nodded, but there was one huge obstacle to her plan. "Sounds like fun. But does that mean I have to leave everybody behind now? I beg of you not to do this, for the love of-"

"You have chosen well. In return for your future service, you will begin your guardianship when you pass into the spiritual world, after living a full life with your family, wife, and children. Even I, Juno, have not the power to seperate what our Father has brought together!"

I breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that I would be allowed to stay with my family.

"Then I accept."

She nodded, but before she could go: "Why am I still young, Claudia as well? I should look like Ezio's age, right?"

She regarded me for a moment, then answered me: "In the world that you will go to, after your second death, those who are old appear as young. Besides, before your first death at the hands of your enemies, you didn't live that long, did you?"

Before I could answer, the light blinded me again, and when I came to, I stood next to Altair, everything back to normal, the woman gone.

"What the fuck was that all about?" I whispered to myself, before shaking myself, and walking over to seal the Apple away forever. "Good riddance!" I muttered, then I walked over to Altair, and saluted him awkwardly.

"Goodbye, Ancestor-in-law! Perhaps I will see you some time soon?" With that, I retraced my steps to the green door, and it allowed me to exit the library for good.

And there were Ezio and Sofia, kissing each other like there was no tomorrow!

"I leave you guys for a short period of time, and this is what I find?" I said, shaking my head in mock disgust.

To his credit, Ezio looked embarrassed, but pleased. Ezio, no matter what his age, was up to his old tricks!

"Ah, bene, you have returned," Ezio said, grinning, and pointed to Sofia. "Allow me to introduce my betrothed, Sofia!"

I grinned as well. "Well I'll be a son of a bitch! You sure don't waste time, do you?"

We returned to Constantinople, to clear up some loose ends, before traveling to Venice, where I had the greatest pleasure to witness the wedding between Ezio and Sofia.

By the time we returned to Rome, she was pregnant, for the love of Pete!

"What took you so long?" Claudia snapped, before giving me a long kiss, as Ezio and I entered the house.

As I hoisted little eight-year-old Maria into the air, and hugged her lovingly, she gave Ezio a kiss on both cheeks. "You've both put of weight. All that Venetian food, which is not good for you!"

We were situated at the Assassin HQ on Tiber Island, in late February, returning at the same time as Pope Julius's funeral.

"Some good news, I think," Claudia went on, as we sat in comfy chairs, with Maria on my lap. "Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici is going to be elected."

I raised my eyebrows. "I thought he was only a deacon." I said, and Maria slapped me playfully on the chest.

"Oh, Papa! Surely you realize that that can't stop him from becoming pope?" Claudia smiled, as I grimaced.

My girl had a point, I thought, as Claudia continued. "He has the backing of almost the entire College of Cardinals. He's even chosen a name: Leo."

Ezio nodded. "As long as he remembers that we are his friends, we should have no problems."

Maria snorted. "He could hardly forget the day back in Florence when you and Papa saved his life from the Pazzi, Uncle Ezio."

Ezio chuckled. "Well said, little niece!"

Claudia suddenly interrupted. "Ezio, where are your hidden-blades? Your sword?" You could never put anything past Claudia.

"Ah," Ezio said, "I gave the former to Arthur, the latter I sold. I don't need either any more. I am no longer Mentor, or an Assassin."

Claudia raised her eyebrows. "But what about a successor?"

Ezio pointed at me. "There he is, sister." Maria squealed, and Claudia smiled. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, and I'm sure the Council will not protest too much. Congratulations, my love." She finished, looking at me.

I winked in return, as Claudia turned to Ezio. "So you are giving up?" She didn't seem surprised at this, either.

"I have told you at Masyaf. I've done all I can."

Claudia sniffed. "Marriage has softened you up."

Ezio raised an eyebrow. "I cannot say the same for you."

She smirked, and then continued. "I do approve of your wife, by the way. Even if she is a Venetian."

Maria smiled up at her mother. "I like her too, Mama! She's so nice and clever!"

Claudia shrugged, and then turned back to Ezio. "What will you do next?"

"I really don't know. But I thought, if I can find the right place..."

"What?"

"I might grow a little wine."

"You don't know the first thing about it!"

"I can learn."

Maria and I watched the growing argument with interest, as Claudia snorted. "You, in a vineyard! Cutting bunches of grapes!"

Ezio shrugged. "At least I know how to use a blade."

Claudia looked scornful. "Brunello di Auditore, I suppose! And what else, between harvests?"

Ezio paused, then shrugged nonchalantly. "I thought I might try my hand at a bit of writing."

Claudia almost exploded, as Maria giggled wildly in amusement.

I could not help laughing myself.

But Claudia, and my family, would later come to love their visits to the estate in the hills above Florence that Ezio and Sofia bought, restoring the broken-down building into a modest, but profitable, vinyard within two years.

By then, Claudia had given birth to our son, Frederico, who inherited my grey eyes and red hair.

Ezio and Sofia gave birth to a daughter, Flavia, soon afterwards, and then a son, Marcello, a year later.

Ezio never did forget to gloat that it only took him a few short years to have his children, unlike me, who couldn't manage it until at least a decade.

Despite his insufferable gloating, Claudia and I grew to love our neice and nephew, almost as much as our own children, and many was the day when our children would romp in Ezio's fields, which gave him a few heartattacks, let me tell you!

Still, the vineyard actually seemed to suit Ezio, who became lean and tan, while my own work suited me.

Machiavelli was a constant visitor as well, a playwright, if you can believe it! We grew so used to his presence that I called him 'Uncle Niccolo' once, in a playful way, but the children began to do so after hearing me.

Maria, when she came of age, joined the Brotherhood of Assassins, despite my protests, while Frederico pursued a career in writing.

Maria was very much her mother's echo, fiery and sharp as a honed blade, while Frederico grew into a quiet, introverted boy who enjoyed arguing politics with Machiavelli.

It was my greatest joy to watch them grow into young adults, and being a parent was more important than anything to me, which, but was interrupted by a young Chinese woman named Shao Yun, who asked me for training and instruction in the Order.

Annoyed, but having nothing else to do, I did so, as it was my job.

After her training was complete, I said goodbye to an exceptionally young woman.

Shortly afterwards, I heard that Ezio was dead, passing away in the city of Firenze, at the age of sixty five.

Grieving deeply, I did not know that my own end was coming upon me.

When I was fifty-nine, I had a terrible bout of flu that I never recovered from.

When the end came, with my family sitting by my bed, with me until the end, I had no fear. "I love you all so much, and I swear to you that you will see me again soon," I promised, before greeting death peacefully.

Claudia would live for another ten years before joining me, shortly after witnessing the wedding of my daughter Maria to a good and honest Conditierri, and the financial success of Frederico, whose close friend happened to be Nostradamus. Federico fed his friends' head with the tales (future history) that he had learned from me on his mother's knee, and that sneaky son of a bitch made a fortune writing about my "tales!"

Now that Claudia and I are together in the spiritual world, I am ready and eager for my promised mission!

And that is it! Cut, and check the gate! Thank you all so much for reading my stories, and I am already writing it's quasi-sequel, so that should come after a short time. Closing time, all, so read and review! Love you guys!