The city of Masyaf had turned into full-fledged battlezone by the time the Assassins had found the tomb below. Buildings around the old palace lay crumbled with debris strewn all across the streets, along with the bodies of Templars and Assassins.
Trueshot aligned his sights with the Templar, Sugar Rush’s head, following her as she slashed her way through Assassins. He took a deep breath and pulled the trigger, watching the Templar’s head cock back before her body fell, blood falling from the hole in her head; about a quarter of her face was gone.
“Got one,” Trueshot smiled and pulled the bolt back in Feather Duster’s sniper rifle. “This is truly a good weapon.”
“Yeah…” she chuckled as she wrapped a bandage around her arm. “Told you so.”
“You alright back there?” he asked as he took down another Templar from afar.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m good,” she said as she cut off the excess bandage. “But, I’m afraid you’ll have to do this for both of us. My arm’s out of action.”
“Got it.” Trueshot swapped back to his rifle and clicked on the automatic fire. He looked down at a trio of Templar soldiers and held the trigger down, taking them all down with a single burst.
More began approaching from the east side, each having either a rifle, grenade launcher, or a black crystal sword.
“We’ve got lots more incoming!” Trueshot yelled to his partner and reloaded both sniper rifles. “Can you still fight close range?”
Feather Duster dug around in her pocket and yanked out a sleek silver pistol. “I’ve got your back. Just keep them away from the palace!”
“Right.”
Trueshot used Feather’s rifle first, taking down the Templars while they were still further away. The other Assassins below took to the buildings and waited as the Templars rolled in, shooting at the Assassins still out in the open.
The Stalliongrad Assassin took down another Templar through the helmet before the Assassins rained down on them, gutting a few Templars at once with their knives and hidden blades. Feather Duster leaned over the edge next to him and fired her pistol down at some Templars trying to climb up a ladder to their position. Trueshot helped by firing off a dart from his phantom blade, taking down a Templar with a sword below.
“Good shot,” Feather Duster looked at his phantom blades. “Wish I knew how to use one of those.”
“It grows on you, I suppose.” Trueshot pointed his rifle down and killed a Templar with a black blade who almost brought it down on Spectral Rim. The Assassin turned around and gave Trueshot a wave before proceeding into a group of soldiers. “Man, how long do you think this’ll take. I think I might actually run out of bullets here…”
“I don’t know, but Star Lance should already be down there and if we’re lucky, he’s already grabbed the artifacts and is on his way up.”
The surviving Templars fired back, taking down two more Assassins before the rest ducked to the buildings for cover.
“I hope you’re right, Feather,” Trueshot said as his sniper rifle clicked empty. “Cause I’m all out of 9mm…”
Star Lance approached the skeleton in the chair, noticing it wasn’t regular bone as he got closer; the skeleton seemed to gleam like crystal in the artifacts’ beam. The first object in its right hand was a long golden staff, while a gold shield was placed in its left, both radiating a small amount of light.
“Are these… the artifacts?” Rose Petal asked, stopping by Star Lance’s side, afraid to go any closer.
“Yes,” he nodded and walked closer to the skeleton. “Mentor Steel Shine’s ancestor. It’s all true. The old stories said she was from another world, and I wouldn’t have believed it if her skeleton wasn’t shining like this. Fascinating.”
Star Lance was about to pick up the staff when Rose suddenly screamed behind him, taking his attention. Something dark had grabbed her hand and when an Assassin shone his flashlight over it, Lance noticed it was nothing but darkness. Solid darkness. It suddenly pulled her back, sending the Eastern Assassin down on her back as it dragged her towards a corner, away from the light. Mentor Shamal and some of the other Assassins attempted to grab her, but the tendril of darkness was too strong, breaking her away from their grips.
“Help!” she uttered again as she got closer and closer to the darkened corner.
Star Lance forgot about the artifacts and charged after her, moving as fast as his legs could carry. He could see something swirling in the darkness ahead, kind of like a whirlpool, but more menacing. Just before Rose Petal could enter the dark pool, the tentacle stopped and lifted itself, suspending the red haired Assassin in the air by her arm.
“Just hang tight, Rose, we’re on our way!” Star Lance assured and was by her side.
He pulled at her hand and the shadowy tendril, unable to separate them. His hidden blade had no effect as well, simply phasing through the shadow like it was smoke.
“Foolish Assassins,” a deep voice bellowed beside him from within the swirling vortex.
Without warning, a dark form had emerged and grabbed Star Lance’s throat. Cold but strong fingers hauled him off the ground as the Master Assassin struggled for air, trying to dislodge himself from the figure. Then he was flying, sailing across the air and landing with a bounce before Mentor Shamal.
Star Lance rubbed at his throat and sat up, watching as the Templars’ Grand Master and a few others emerged from the dark portal.
“So nice of you Assassins to lead us here,” Grand Master Sombra smiled, his dark hair flowing along as if it was part of the shadows surrounding him. Purple smoke flowed from his eyes, his dark armor glinting in the glow of his weapon. Rose Petal still hung by her arm by the portal, still trying to get out of the tentacle’s grasp.
“Sombra…” Star Lance spat and stood up. He recognized the other Templars behind the man. Wolfgang, Talon, and Mahogany Wood’s brother, Lumberjack. The killer held a dagger in his hand while the soldier wielded nothing but his gloved fists. Lumberjack had a large axe resting over one shoulder.
The shadowy man’s face changed into one of annoyance and released a pulse of light from the artifact, knocking all the Assassins down. “That’s Grand Master or King Sombra to you, human.”
The Assassins slowly got up, careful not to make any sudden moves.
“Let her go!” Star Lance barked to the Templars as a hidden spear extended into his hand.
“What, this girl?” Sombra looked back and then flashed Star Lance a devilish grin as he returned his gaze to the Assassins. “Wolfgang. You are free to do as you please with her.”
“As you say, Grand Master,” the wolfish man’s mouth widened into a smile and spun his knife between his fingers as he walked over to Rose’s suspended form.
“No!” Star Lance yelled and ran at the Templar, raising his spear.
He tossed his weapon at the killer, only for Sombra to expand his shadows, swallowing the spear into its folds before lashing out, flinging Star Lance across the room and into one of the statues, breaking it to pieces as he landed at its feet.
The other Assassins rushed in to help, but Talon and Lumberjack stepped in front of their Grand Master.
“Want you help your friend?” The man in the red flannel shirt said smugly and brought his axe down to both hands. “Give me a reason to let you.”
Rose whipped out her bladed tonfa and swung it at Wolfgang, but the killer sidestepped and grabbed the handle before yanking it out of her hands and tossing it into the darkness.
“Such strange weapons…” Wolfgang snickered. “What do you hope to do while dangling up there?”
Star Lance got up just in time to see the killer drill his dagger into Rose’s waist, earning her gasp and agonizing scream.
The lieutenant gritted his teeth and charged for the battle, placing a new spear into its holder. The ex-military Templar saw him coming and turned himself to face Star Lance after knocking one of the other Assassins down. Star Lance jumped at him and unsheathed his hidden blade mid-air, stabbing right past Talon’s punch, lodging the blade into his shoulder.
“Gah!” the Templar shouted and tossed Star Lance to the side; the Assassin simply flipped himself back onto his feet and extended a spear halfway. He attacked the man with a flurry of stabs, weaving in and out of his punches as he did so.
Mentor Shamal joined him, swinging a scimitar at Talon’s legs. The red-skinned Templar grunted and jumped back towards his Grand Master, landing close to the grey man’s feet.
“Hmm…” Sombra lifted his artifact and pulsed a wave of energy out, knocking the two of them down again. The Grand Master turned his attention from the sprawled Assassins up to the skeleton of Emerald Edge. “The artifacts are mine.”
He took one step out of the shadows, before drawing his foot back, the shadows around it dissipating in contact with the light.
“Grand Master, what’s wrong?” Lumberjack asked, dropping the unconscious body of an Assassin.
“The light…” he snarled. “She is preventing me from retrieving the artifacts. Lumberjack. Get them for me.”
“At once, your excellentness.” Lumberjack shouldered his weapon and moved for the skeleton.
Star Lance gathered his strength and got up, sliding himself in between the Templar and the artifacts. “Not if I’m still standing, you’re not.”
“Fine then,” he smiled and flicked the axe back into his hands. “Let’s see what you’re made of, Assassin.”
Star Lance extended his hidden blade as the Templar swung his axe down. The Master Assassin blocked with his hidden blade and slid to the side, stabbing down with his speartip. Lumberjack lifted his foot and kicked back, hitting Star Lance in the stomach as he swung his axe in for another slice. The Assassin moved and grabbed the axe’s handle, stopping it in front of his face. He allowed himself to fall back and kick out at Lumberjack, throwing him face first into the hard ground behind him.
“Not bad…” Lumberjack rubbed at his jaw. “No wonder you’re the one in charge here.”
Without warning, he turned and made a run for Emerald Edge’s skeleton.
Shoot.
Star Lance realized his mistake too late. He extended his spear all the way while he ran to catch up with the Templar. He threw the spear with all his strength, but the Templar looked back and dodged to the left, narrowly missing the projectile. Lance missed, but at least he had managed to slow the man down, almost catching up to him now.
The other Assassins were standing by the light, unable to help Rose as the killer sliced at her arms and legs, careful not to cut too deep and kill her just yet. Sombra and Talon stood in their way, waiting for them to approach the darkness, waiting for them to try and save their friend.
Lumberjack had arrived at the artifact first, yanking the shield from the skeleton’s fingers, breaking one of the appendages in the process.
“Ha!” Lumberjack taunted as he spun his axe in one hand, while he equipped the shield in his off-hand. “What’re you going to do now?”
Star Lance replaced his hidden spear and pulled his machetes from their sleeves. “I’m going to take it from you.”
He ran at the man and swung his blades, only to have them blocked by Lumberjack’s newly acquired shield. Star Lance pressed his attack, pushing the Templar away from the seated remains of the Brotherhood’s founder, just enough to grab the staff. Star Lance didn’t realize it at first, but since grabbing the artifact, the cavern had grown dimmer, the light in both artifacts fading after taking it from their owner.
What…? What’s happening?
“Perfect,” Sombra bellowed behind him as he lifted the artifact. The shadows around him began growing in size, snaking towards the other Assassins.
Star Lance quickly returned his attention to his opponent and grabbed the staff in both hands.
Come on, work. Work your magic like you do with Steel Shine. Please. I need to save the others.
Nothing happened. The staff remained like any regular piece of metal in his hands.
Without any other options, Star Lance swung the long weapon at the Templar, who blocked with the shield before swinging an axe out, aiming for Lance’s head. The Assassin swung the staff up and parried the axe before he swung back at the Templar, who kept blocking with his shield.
Star Lance noticed the glow of the weapons increasing every time they connected, brightening up the room bit by bit as he fought with Lumberjack.
“Whatever you’re doing, Star Lance, keep doing it!” Lance heard Mentor Shamal’s voice somewhere on his left. “You’re keeping the darkness back!”
The lieutenant pressed on with renewed strength, understanding that his fight was keeping Sombra back. He was going to make sure he pried the shield from Lumberjack’s cold hands or died trying. He swung again and again, a resounding clunk spreading around the tomb every time the staff connected with the shield. The Templar was strong, Star Lance didn’t deny it. No matter how many times Star Lance pounded down against the shield, Lumberjack never fell.
Suddenly on Lance’s next strike, the weapons’ glow increased in intensity, almost five times more.
“What…?” Star Lance muttered. The Mentor’s sword had never done anything like this before.
As the glow continued to rise in brightness, Star Lance’s hands grew hot beneath him, and he looked down to see that to his horror, tiny orange cracks were spiralling out from the point where his hands touched the metal. Lumberjack was equally shocked, as his shield heated up white hot and began to splinter.
Star Lance threw the staff to the ground, but it was too late. The last thing the Assassin saw was Sombra wrapping the shadows around every Templar but Lumberjack, then his vision was full of blinding white.