The Templars: Black Eden

Chapter Three: Tricks

The earlier creatures that chased Jeremiah vanished. The streets were now back to its silent and dead state. As they walked down the empty streets, Jeremiah glanced hesitantly at each dark alley they passed by, mentally prepping himself for some demonic being pouncing out at any moment.

Ellie walked ahead, her hood once again up, covering her face. Even though she walked in front, Jeremiah couldn't help but get the feeling she was somehow still watching him closely, if he suddenly decided to attack her or something from behind.

"So, are you gonna start talking to me about what the fuck is going on?" Jeremiah broke the silence as he glanced at the hooded girl.

"Do you even know of the Assassins and Templars?" Ellie asked, still looking straight.

"Assassins... you said you were one. What's a Templar?" Jeremiah queried.

"Hmm," Ellie shrugged. "It seems they were right. You have no damn clue what's going on. Can't believe it".

"What are you talking about? Who's they?"

Ellie stopped and turned to face him. "Must I really give you a whole history lesson? Your family – no. No one has ever told you anything?" Ellie raised an eyebrow. "I'm an Assassin. From the global Brotherhood? No?"

"Like I said, I have no clue what you're talking about." Jeremiah replied, getting impatient. He made a few more quick glances around them. "Look, I don't know what is going on, you really think you can make me come along if I didn't wish to follow you?" He was getting pissed that he was just brought about like a dog. Even more so that in the blur of all the events, he just went along with her without much thought into it.

Maybe because it's been awhile since you've seen someone, Jerry. And what's more a cute little girl.

"Yes, I'm quite sure I can," Ellie replied as she turned to continue walking. "Oh. There's no need to check for any danger. There isn't any." She said calmly.

"What –? How would you know that?" Jeremiah asked suspiciously.

"Because – " Ellie began, before a distant sharp roar broke the silence of the dark city.

Jeremiah tensed and scanned the surroundings urgently. "You were saying? We should've stayed at my place till the Sun rose. We should head back." He began, turning around.

"They're not close by. We're moving on. My orders were to bring you in as soon as I can." Ellie moved to block him.

"Girl, you clearly are fucking mental," Jeremiah spat. "Alright? Look. I don't give a damn about your 'orders', whatever they are. The – the whole damn world went to shit, yeah? Monsters are roaming the streets, right. Like some horror movie, in case you didn't notice. I saw my family get torn apart by some demon from hell. I've been stuck in a small ass office for weeks eating stale packet peanuts, looking helplessly at people gradually being torn apart outside and not daring to do shit. I went home finally after things seemed to have quietened and meet you, this strange woman who somehow knows me and where I stay, cosplaying as some assassin batshit who pulled a knife out of her wrist and wants me to follow her to who knows where. I must be losing my own mind, or I'm stuck in some endless dream."

"Will you be quiet?" The girl said, her voice steel. "If you like to stand here and complain the whole time, you and I will be dead pretty soon. I told you earlier, I'll tell you everything you need to –"

A man suddenly burst out of a nearby building, his skin grey and rotting, covered with veins that were a bright glowing red, his neck twisted at an impossible angle, his head almost upside down on his neck. He roared and started a drunken dash toward them.

"Fuck." Ellie swore as she leapt forward, her blade appearing once again.

Ellie ducked as the man jumped toward her, kicking him upwards from below and sending him sprawling to the ground behind her. She leaped toward him and slashed down, but the man spun away and got up, leaping toward her again with insane speed. It grabbed her neck and tried to bite her. Ellie cried out as she kicked him, but he did not loosen his grip, straining his head forward as close as he could get to her.

Fuck fuck fuck!

Instinctively, Jeremiah pulled out his dagger and grabbed the man from behind, pulling him away from Ellie as he stabbed the dagger into his neck. The man screamed a high-pitched cry as it grabbed at his neck, black liquid spilling out, as he collapsed to the ground, spasming.

"Come on, move! There'll be more coming." Ellie shouted, started to run.

Jeremiah wiped the dagger at his pants and followed her. "I thought you said there was no danger?"

"There wasn't –" Ellie started. "No way. I couldn't have missed him. It can't be..."

"What can't be?"

"Forget it. Let's move. We're almost there." She replied, running faster. "Come on!"

They moved quickly through the next few blocks, which were thankfully clear. Jeremiah still wondering the whole time if he should still bother following her nonsense. Still, she did seem to know something, and it may help him to get an idea of what was going on.

Ellie turned the next corner and entered into an old barber. She entered and gestured for Jeremiah to follow. "What, you need a haircut?" Jeremiah said sarcastically. Ellie ignored him.

They headed to the back of the empty barber, the smell of powder in the dry air. Ellie opened the back door and revealed a small manhole. She knelt down and tried to open it but it seemed stuck. Either that, or it was too heavy. "Help me lift this, will you?" She asked, stepping up behind him.

"What's below?" 

"Our shortcut out of the streets." Ellie replied, crossing her arms. "Do hurry, while everything is still in the clear. I get the feeling it won't be shortly."

Shrugging, Jeremiah knelt down and grabbed the lid of the manhole, when a strong force suddenly hit his head from behind and the world crumbled into black.