Learning to Fly II - Assassin's Creed

Chapter 15 - Illusions Of The Dead

"Albert!" I yelled. How was this possible? Albert perished in the fire! What is happening to my brain? I put my head in much hands and rubbed my eyes. When I looked again, he was gone. It was just a trick of the light. No Albert.

I trudged back, knowing that I shouldn't have got excited then. Albert wouldn't be alive now. He died in the fire, along with the rest of my family. He is gone.

I opened the door, and saw Edward sat in the common room.

"Do you know where Alfonso is?" I asked him.

"He took your little kid out. Not sure where though."

"OK, that's fine." I plumped down on the closest chair to me. And I saw something strange again.

My SECOND oldest child, Clementine. My DEAD SECOND oldest child. She was stood behind Edward. I stared, open mouthed. He looked at me, and then behind him.

"What are you looking at?"

"Clementine! How... Are you here?" she didn't answer.

"Cree, are you trying to fool me?" Edward said, concerned. I ignored him.

"But you died in the fire! How are you here?" I repeated.

"There is no one there, who are you talking to?" Edward spoke to me. "Oh no. She's lost the plot."

I continued to ignore Edward. Clementine was here, and she was what that mattered right now. Somehow, Edward was no longer in my line of sight. Then something grabbed me from behind and dragged me back.

"Edward! What are you doing? Clementine is there, I need to talk to her!"

"There is no Clementine there, Cree! Have you gone mad?"

"Be quiet! Turn around and you will see!"

"I already have! What the hell happened when you went out today? Did someone drug you? Because listen to me, Creedence: YOUR CHILD IS NOT THERE."

I had had enough. He wasn't going to hold me down, he doesn't have the right! I kicked him in the crotch, and he growled and bend down. I pushed him over, and he fell over in pain. I lurched forward, but as I turned to look at Clementine.

But she wasn't there. I checked the room frantically, but saw no sign of her. Where was she? She had vanished just like Albert had earlier today. Had I gone mad?

I didn't have chance to think of an answer before Edward grabbed my ankles and pulled my over. I smacked straight on to the wooden flooring. That was it.

"You attacked me!" I shouted at him.

"No, Cree! You attacked me! WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU WENT OUT?" he yelled back. I strained to think. The Templar, what had he done?

"A guard... he talked to me. And then he stabbed me with... a needle." he looked at me in horror. I didn't even know he cared. We had a iffy-iffy relationship, and we only talked to each other in mocking.

"Right, I'm finding Alf, and you are coming too. Something is wrong, those bastards have done something to you." he took my arm, but I refused to move.

"No. I have to wait and see if Albert, Clementine or any of my other children will come back."

"Cree! It isn't real! They are all dead! You saw the village, you told me! The burning houses, the people trying to escape! You saw it yourself! And now, the Templars have done something to your brain, and you cannot see it! They are not coming back!"

He had crossed the line. I pulled out a dagger. Let's end this.

"No. I am not fighting you."

"Shame. Because I am fighting you." I swiped at him, but he dodged it. He then retracted his hidden blade, not to fight me, but to defend himself.

"Listen to me! They have poisoned your mind! All you have to do is know it isn't real! Beat them, Cree!"

I went to hit him again, but someone pushed me to the ground and held me there. Altaïr.

"Altaïr!" I squealed.

"Whatever are you doing? How DARE you fight each other? We are all part of the Brotherhood. We work together, not clash blades! Stop this instant!" he pulled me back up.

"She has gone mad, Altaïr."

"I heard what was happening. It seems like something has happened, and we shall fix it." he took my arm and dragged me to my room. I struggled and tried to get free.

"Get off! I am not mad!"

"Did you see your children today?"

"Yes, but..."

"Mmm." he muttered to himself. He pushed me in and shut the door on me. I wanted to scream. What was happening? Where was Albert and Clementine? Why did I see them? I think Edward was right. The Templars have done something to me.