Lost in Time: An Assassin's Creed Fanfic

Chapter 18

I am standing diagonally behind Damien Ward, who is sitting at the end of the table. Hooded figures sit in each chair, all with matching dark cloaks that conceal their identities. In his left hand, which rests upon the table, he holds the Apple. I distance myself from the artifact, causing me to stand closer to his right. The room is dark and I am nearly shaking with anxiety and fear. 

The Templar Grandmaster, Damien, called a meeting with all of his associates. We're deeper underground than before. We're somewhere secret. I have been standing here for about half an hour with my hands respectfully behind my back. My eyes are fixed on the ground, but shift to my artifact every once and a while. Damien strokes it every now and then, causing me to cringe each time. I feel it, and he knows it too. 

"...and Lexi here will aid us in our fight against the assassins. Victory is close. I can taste it!" Damien says with power. I had not listened to any of the words shared between them. I had only tuned in due to the sound of my given name.

"And how is it that she will aid us? How do you know that she will comply? She could easily cower back to the assassins and tell them of our plans. Damien, you could have destroyed everything we have worked to accomplish." The voice sources from the other end of the table, not one of the sides. She spits her words with power. She seems to hold nothing back from the Grandmaster. Her words have no limit.

"I know what I'm doing! Don't forget who's in charge here," Damien growls out.

"I am aware you are in charge here, but don't forget that I am the one who truly holds the authority. You only rule over the facility, despite what you tell everyone." The woman's voice is deep and daring as she speaks to Damien. 

He grasps my Apple tightly as he silently commands me. I do as asked, not caring if a Templar is harmed. My target is the woman. I swiftly stick my arm out and force her to stand with her arms out to the side. A gold glow constricts her movements and outlines her feminine figure. The remaining 14 Templars jump to their feet, pulling out their swords in a quick movement. All of them direct their weapons in my direction, none move though. They simply stare at my figure, and probably my glowing arms, which softly illuminate my determined expression.

"What is she?!" the woman nearly yells, fighting the energy that holds her in place. The more she struggles, the more I take pleasure in actually attending this meeting. Normally I wouldn't have complied as easy as I had just done, but this time it's different. The Templars tortured me and killed my brother. They brainwashed me into believing the assassins were my enemies. Although they were correct about some things, the assassins are not the bad guys in this world. This is the only way, for the time being, that I can get back at them.

"She is what we've been looking for these past months," Damien explains calmly.

"I don't understand," the woman says, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. She still fights against her restraints. A small smirk comes across my face. Luckily, no one notices it.

"She is the second piece, the one we have been relentlessly searching for. All of this time, it was the girl! We let her slip from right under our noses, but now, she is within our grasp. Yet again, we hold the power."

The woman's angry expression turned to one of realization, which was barely visible due to the lack of light. Her gaze moved from Damien to me. She looked me over carefully, as if trying to memorize every detail of my person. She probably doesn't believe what her eyes are seeing. I appear to be human, but obviously, I am not.  I, too, looked at her, but for a different reason. I was trying to figure out who she was. I wanted to know what she looked like, what kind of person she is when she isn't a Templar. There was no light that filled the room other than the small candles around the border along with my glowing arms.

"I suppose we are, yet again, on the same page. Is that correct, Grandmaster?" Damien asks the woman. Grandmaster? What?

"It is. Release me this instant," she demanded.

Damien gave me the command to let go, but I hesitated. I didn't want to release her. I held her within my grasp. I could easily kill her. If she is the real Templar Grandmaster, I could eliminate their power. I could give the assassins an advantage.

The other Templars visibly tense and grip their sword tighter. Their swords remained in their hands, but were previously lowered. Damien looks over to me. I feel his fingers shift on my artifact, as if threatening me with the power he holds over me. I understand his message and release the energy with disappointment. I don't have it in me to end another life. The Templars sheathe their swords but remain standing and on their guard. They don't trust me. I can tell they're timid around me. They don't know who, or what, I am. I can tell by the way they shift their weight nervously in my presence.

"I believe this meeting has come to an end. May the Father of Understanding guide us," Damien says to the group.

"May the Father of Understanding guide us," the rest of the group repeats in unison.

After returning back to the main room, Damien breaks the everlasting silence.

"I knew you didn't have it in you."

I raise an eyebrow at him, showing my confusion. I have returned to my silent self as I had the last time I was in their presence.

"You wanted to kill her. I saw it in your eyes, but you couldn't do it. You didn't have it in you."

My eyes shoot down to the floor. He's right, I had wanted so badly to take her life, but I couldn't. I won't be a murderer. I refuse to be a monster by choice. Before any of this happened, I had been an obedient slave. I never defied my master, not once. Although I worked under him, he was still kind to me, to all of us. He never harmed us in any way. He fed us well and kept us healthy. The others were not so lucky. I had heard that they were beaten and starved. Many died while working. The exhaustion was too much for them to handle. Although I didn't appreciate being kept as a slave, I always think about how I could've had it worse. Dr. Gultz showed me proof of that, proof that freedom could be taken away within an instant.

"You're not a natural killer, but we can remedy that."

I can tell the evil grin has returned to his face based off of his words and tone. I had previously thought that assassins were emotionless killers, but Templars are even more so. Their presence makes me stiff with fear. I never know what they're going to do. I never know what they're thinking. They are sick creatures that will do anything to get what they want, what they crave. They have no limits. I had just witnessed that. Damien had called the woman 'Grandmaster.' I'm guessing she is the real one, considering he had shut his mouth the moment the woman had reminded him of the power she holds over him.

"I assume that woman is the true Templar Grandmaster," I say, ignoring his previous comment.

Damien straightens himself out before speaking. "Yes, she is, but that doesn't mean I have any less power. She may be the head of the order, but I am the heart. I am just as important to the cause as she is. The only difference is the title. To be fair, I should be the Templar Grandmaster. I have given everything to this order, but no, they chose a woman to lead."

"Do not underestimate the power of women. They may not always match a man's physical strength, but their mind is far more complex. The women were given stronger minds when they were created."

"Times have changed, Lexi. I do have to admit, you have great wisdom stored in that young mind of yours."

"I am far older than you. In fact, I am older than everyone that walks this earth," I counter.

"Then let's see how resistant your old mind is. I highly doubt it will be able to fight the power of the Piece of Eden, but we will see." Darkness seems to take over his expressions, bringing me back to reality where I am an simply an object to him. "Yes, we will see."