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May 2, 1813; Davenport Homestead, Massachusetts

“Oh bullocks!” Aveza said as her last piece was taken off the fanorona board by her mother. Shikoba grinned at her daughter.

“That's six rounds and I still win. Care to call it a day, sweetheart?” she said.

“This game's too bloody hard,” said Aveza.

“Oh, you just need to practice, dear. Anything is possible if you work hard enough at it.”

Aveza smiled a bit. She didn't like losing, but she also realized the importance of learning experience. She didn't let it get to her. She had more important things on her mind. Things like ending the Templars once and for all. Things like making sure that they pay for their crimes. Things like making sure those that they've hurt are able to recover.

“You know what mum? I think it probably is a good idea to take a break from this game now,” she said. “My brain needs a rest.”

Shikoba laughed, and Aveza laughed back. “Alright, sweetheart,” said Shikoba. “Why don't we pack the board up and head on over to the Mile’s End to get a meal?”

Aveza smiled. “Let's do that,” she said. Shikoba nodded. They put away the fanorona board and left the Homestead manor. They made their way to the tavern in the village just down the path, the Mile’s End. The place had been on the land for decades, but it was still teeming with life. Sailors and villagers walked in and out and around the inn all day long, singing songs and sharing laughs. It was a nice old place. The people of the Homestead loved it. Aveza loved it too, especially now, when the place acted as another distraction to keep her mind off of what happened at York. She and her mother walked in, and they were greeted by the sounds and sights of tavern life.

The two spotted Connor at one of the tables, cheerfully chatting with, to Aveza's surprise, Dobby Carter. Aveza grinned ear-to-ear upon seeing them. Connor caught glimpse of her and waved her over with a smile. Aveza and her mother jogged over to the table and sat with their fellow Assassins.

“Hey, lass!” said Dobby to Aveza. “Long time no see. How’ve ya been, dearie?”

“I've been alright,” said Aveza. She tried to keep the pain of her loss out of her voice, but Dobby still detected it.

“I heard about what happened in York,” she said. “Such a tragedy. Sorry for your loss, lass.”

“It's alright. We did all we could…”

Shikoba put her hand on her daughter's shoulder, proud of her strength.

“I know you did, dearie,” continued Dobby. “I know. But hey, look on the bright side. At least you can go to bed knowing that you ended the man responsible for the attack.”

Aveza smiled. “Yes, I suppose you're right.”

“Of course I'm right, dearie,” Dobby joked. “I'm always right. Ain't that right, Connor.”

Connor laughed. “That's right,” he said.

Dobby laughed. “Ha! There, ya see? Here's a good man. Always says the right thing. That old wretch of yours didn't know what she had.”

Connor just kinda smiled awkwardly. The three women laughed.

“You know,” said Dobby to Connor. “That offer of mine is still out there. If you're still looking for someone, I'm here dearie.”

Connor chuckled. “Maybe someday, Dobby,” he said. “Maybe someday.”

“Well, I feel like you two would make a great pair,” said Shikoba. “You suit each other nicely.”

“Thank you,” said Connor. Dobby just smiled and raised her mug a bit as thanks.

The four continued to cheerfully chat for a while, but they were interrupted when Arnold suddenly walked in and approached them.

“Hello,” he said, waving to Aveza but addressing everyone. “So sorry to interrupt, but I've got something I have to share with you all.”

“I take it you're Arnold?” asked Shikoba.

“Indeed I am, ma’am.”

“Oh! It's nice to meet you! I'm Aveza's mother, Shikoba. It's so nice to meet you after hearing so much about you from Aveza.”

Aveza blushed a bit, but hid it. “Mum,” she said again.

Connor and Dobby laughed a bit. The three oldest Assassins at that table knew full well the emotions that neither Aveza or Arnold wanted to admit. Give it time, they thought, it'll happen eventually.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” said Arnold to Shikoba. “It's an honor to meet the woman whom Aveza gets all her skills and charisma from.”

Aveza smiled and blushed a bit. Arnold did the same.

“So,” said Connor. “What is it you needed to tell us?”

Arnold reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter. “From Tecumseh,” he said. He passed the note to Connor, who began to read through it.

“He, his men, and the British have been laying siege to Fort Meigs in Ohio. And he's requested backup.”

“Let me guess,” said Aveza, excited to have yet another distraction from her painful memories, and just for another adventure. “That backup would be us two?”

Arnold smiled. “I should hope so,” he said. He turned to Connor. “Mentor?” he asked him.

Connor smiled. “I see no reason for you two not to go,” he said.

Aveza nearly jumped out of her seat. “Alright!” she said. “Let's do it! Let's go stick it to those American dogs. Come on Arnold, let's go pack.”

Aveza started dragging Arnold out to adventure before he could even respond. The three older Assassins laughed as they watched them go. They said goodbye and wished them luck just before the two walked out the door.

------------

May 5, 1813; Perrysburg, Ohio

By the time the two arrived at the British encampment along the Maumee River, cannons on both sides of the fight were already blasting through the evening. Soldiers and warriors were scattering all about, trying to guard against the American defenses firing back from within Fort Meigs.

Aveza and Arnold quickly located Tecumseh. He was guiding his men the attack as the man next to him shouted orders at the soldiers from his horse. Tecumseh smiled brightly when he saw his friends approach.

“Haha! Aveza! Arnold! So glad you could come lend a hand!” he said over the roar of the cannons.

“Always happy to help, Tecumseh,” said Aveza with a smile.

“So what's the situation?” asked Arnold.

Tecumseh pointed towards the fort across the river.

“Our old ‘friend’, William Henry Harrison, had this fort constructed a few months ago to guard against us. The man's held up in there right now, conspiring with his fellow Templar dogs.”

Suddenly, the British commander came up to them. “We believe they plan to push their defense further,” he said, “but we have no means of telling where.”

Tecumseh looked at the man, then at his friends. “Aveza, Arnold,” he said, “This is General Henry Procter. He's the one in charge of the British army in this fight.”

“I hesitate to call this lot an army,” said Procter, almost spitting his words. “An army would work ten times harder than this group of drunks.”

Aveza could already tell by his tone that this was going to be a hard man to like. Tecumseh could see her concern in her expression. He leaned in and whispered, “He's a bit of what you call ‘an ass’. But don't worry, he's definitely on our side.”

“I hope you're right,” Aveza whispered back.

“Tecumseh tells me that you two have valuable skills,” said Procter to Aveza and Arnold.

“Well,” said Arnold. “We like to think so, yes.”

“And if your skills live up to Tecumseh’s tales, then you two should be the ones for the mission that we need carried out.”

“And that is?” asked Aveza.

Procter pointed to the fort. “As Tecumseh said, Harrison is in there, conspiring with his men, planning an attack. We need someone to infiltrate the fort and discover what those plans are.”

“Sounds doable,” said Arnold.

“Then get to it. We don't need time wasted with discussion.”

He walked off to bark more orders at his soldiers. The three Assassins watched him go in annoyance. Aveza really wished he wasn't on their side.

“Are you two sure you're up to the job?” Tecumseh asked them, far more politely than Procter. The two nodded.

“Absolutely!” said Aveza.

“I suppose,” said Arnold. Aveza elbowed him.

“Ow!” said Arnold. “I mean, yes! Sure. Absolutely.”

Tecumseh chuckled. “Very well. I have faith in both of you. Fair warning though, most of the fort’s interior is open space. Only a few buildings are inside. The rest is just grass. You'll have to be extra cautious once inside.”

Aveza and Arnold nodded.

“Got it,” they said. “Wish us luck!”

“I will! Good luck!”

Aveza and Arnold started making their way towards the fort. Tecumseh quickly grabbed Aveza's arm before she left.

“If you get a shot at Harrison,” he said, “kill him.”

Aveza nodded in understanding. She said one last goodbye before jogging over to catch up with Arnold. After crossing the river, the two snuck up to the walls of the fort. The first thing they did was look for disguises. They killed two American soldiers and put on their outfits. Then they looked for a way in. They would've walked through the front gate, but even with their disguises, Arnold would likely be the only one to get past the guards without suspicion. The guards would too easily take notice of Aveza's color and gender and know something was up. Discrimination causes so many problems.

And so, the two Assassins instead found a place in the wall where they could easily climb up and over and into the fort. Tecumseh was right, the place was empty save for two buildings and an enormous amount of soldiers. Aveza and Arnold kept their heads down, and walked through the fort with caution. Eventually, they found Harrison making his way with one of his men to one of the buildings. The Assassins quickly tailed them, found the window that led into the Templar’s meeting room, and listened in on the conversation.

“I'm getting so tired of having to struggle as I do through this conflict,” said Harrison.

“We will beat the British back, sir, don't worry,” said his ally.

“I don't mean the War, Dudley. I mean the conflict between our order and those wretched Assassins. Not only do I constantly have to deal with them putting an end to our plans, I also have to deal with all the restrictions placed upon us by our wretched leader that are preventing our success!”

“Cormac’s old, Harrison. The man's 82 years into his life. It won't be long before the old coot kicks it. And when he passes, someone like you or Jackson can take his place and set things right.”

“I surely hope that time comes soon, William. But, for now, I suppose it's best to focus on the battle at hand.”

“My men are ready and waiting to launch our counterattack, sir. Only point us where, and we will crush Tecumseh’s men.”

“Good. The enemy has done a poor job at defending their position on the river, I would start there, drive them back, and slaughter them once you've cornered the maggots.”

“It will be done sir.”

“Good. Best of luck to you, Dudley. May the Father of Understanding guide you.”

“May the Father of Understanding guide you.”

Aveza peaked in and watched Dudley leave the room. She turned to Arnold. “If the Americans attack from that position, our men are doomed!” she said.

“Then we'd better warn them,” said Arnold. “Come on!”

Aveza nodded. The two quickly made their way up one of the walls of the fort and clambered over. They found their Assassin outfits again and replaced their disguises with them. Abandoning the uniforms, they darted back towards their men. After crossing the river, they got to work on finding Tecumseh, which they did deep within the forest. He was beside Procter, organizing their men.

Aveza and Arnold rushed up to them.

“Back already?” said Procter rudely. “Did you get any valuable information?”

Aveza ignored him and turned to Tecumseh. “You have to ready your men,” she said frantically. “A Templar named William Dudley is on his way here right now with a whole squadron. He'll slaughter us all if we don't prepare fast.”

Tecumseh nodded. He, his fellow Assassins, and Procter quickly got to work on readying the fighters to defend themselves. Soon enough, they heard the thunder of marching footsteps as Dudley arrived with hundreds of armed soldiers. The fighting began almost immediately. Guns and cannons from both sides blasted holes in the evening. British, Native, and American forces all collided. Dudley sat on his horse, trying to gain the upper hand.

Aveza and Arnold stayed near the edge of the chaos, trying to sabotage a few of Dudley’s cannons. Tecumseh eventually ran off to get reinforcements, and thus the remaining Assassins were left to fight on their own. They worked themselves deeper into the fight, hacking down enemies as they went. Aveza caught sight of Dudley. She planned to aim for him. If she could kill him, the American attack would fall apart. She, Arnold, and Procter started leading the Americans further into the woods, making their attack even more difficult. Dudley clearly started getting worried, and eventually started ordering his men to retreat. The Natives and British, however, didn't give them a chance. They cut down as many Americans as they could, and Aveza started cutting her way towards Dudley. Once she was close enough, she drew her pistol and fired. The bullet hit his chest, and he fell off his horse. He spotted Aveza running towards him, flicking out her hidden blade. He tried to grab his sword in an attempt to fight back, but Aveza didn't give him a chance. Her blade landed the killing blow before Dudley’s blade could escape its sheath. As Aveza's blade pierced his heart, time slowed around her yet again.

Ava watched as the Animus’s simulation broke down into the silent white void of ones and zeroes. She watched her ancestor crouch over the dying Templar.

“No…” said Dudley. “The expedition… Without me they will surely fail…”

“Exactly,” said Aveza. “Your men will fall and we will keep fighting.”

“Why?”

Aveza stared for a moment.

“Why?” she parroted.

“Yes. Why? Why do you keep resisting us?”

“Because we believe freedom and justice are things worth defending from the likes of you.”

“But don't you see? We offer the same thing. We want to free the Natives from their savage ways. We want to oversee them, educate them in the ways of civilization.”

“They are civilized.”

“They live in the dirt like animals.”

“They have a structured and beautiful variety of societies.”

“And there's your parodox. As long as men are different, there cannot be peace. They will always fight. We would bring them unity.”

“You'd strip them of everything that they've defined themselves as. You'd take their individuality. And if they opposed you in the slightest way, you’d cut them down like the animals you wrongly accuse them of being. Like selecting and breeding livestock. You never even considered compromise, have you? You just automatically think the worst of people.”

“Humans are weak, base, petty.”

“You say those words, but exclude yourself from them.”

“Because we… are better…” He died. Aveza just shook her head. She hated pessimists. They never look at the true nature of humanity. They always exclude the human consciousness in their ideals. She closed his eyes. “It's not variety that leads humanity to ruin. It's arrogance,” she said. “Rest in peace.”

Aveza stood from the body as Ava's mind was yet again replaced by her ancestor’s. The Animus reformed its simulation back into the battlegrounds near the Maumee River. Aveza drew her father's sword and rushed to aid Arnold in the fight. The battle raged on for a few more minutes. Without Dudley to command them, their attack quickly fell apart.

Eventually, the majority of the Americans surrendered. They dropped their swords and guns and got down on their knees. The British and Natives cheered for a moment. Aveza gave Arnold a quick victory hug and the two cheered as well.

However, the celebration was short lived. As the Native warriors were gathering up their prisoners, they began killing them. Aveza and Arnold went wide-eyed as the warriors began a massacre. They didn't give any of the prisoners a chance to escape before their necks were sliced. The two Assassins tried desperately to get them all to stop. This was too far. This blood did not need to be shed. Despite their efforts, the massacre continued. The captured soldiers screamed in horror as hundreds of them brutally lost their lives.

The Assassins turned to Procter and his men, who just sat and watched.

“What're you doing?” yelled Aveza at him. “Don't just bloody stand there! Help us stop this.”

“Why should I?” said Procter. “Those rebels deserve to die.”

“Not like this! Not here and now in cold blood!”

Procter just scoffed. Aveza couldn't believe his complete indifference. She went back to pleading with the warriors to stop. But they wouldn't.

That is, until a familiar voice came thundering through the woods.

“What are you all doing?” shouted Tecumseh furiously as he came up. The warriors, upon seeing him approach, quickly went silent and stopped the slaughter.

“What are you doing?” he shouted again. “Have you all lost your minds? How could you resort to such a terrible act? That's exactly the type to behavior we're fighting against! This is exactly what they would do to us! If you let ourselves commit such a massacre, then we are no better than them!”

The warriors suddenly seemed very ashamed. They knew he was right.

“I understand the urge, brothers,” continued Tecumseh. “Believe me, I do. I know how it feels to want to see every last American stabbed through the heart, burned to ashes, and fed to the wolves. But we must fight that urge! We must prove that we are better than they! We must prove that we are not the animals that they paint us to be! Lay down your arms, my brothers. Enough blood has been shed in these woods.”

The warriors hung their heads and dropped their weapons. Tecumseh sighed in relief. “Thank you,” he said to them. “Thank you.”

Suddenly, he turned on his heels to face Procter. “And why did you do nothing to stop this disaster?” he shouted at him. Procter still could clearly care less about the pointlessly-lost lives, but Tecumseh scared him enough to make him think of an excuse.

“Th… the Natives are not fit to obey. They just do as their savage ways tell them.”

Tecumseh’s jaw dropped as the fury filled his face. Aveza and Arnold instinctively stepped back a bit. They knew Tecumseh was about to explode.

“How dare you?” shouted Tecumseh. “How dare you say that? You sat back and let this happen! Your inaction is what inspired this behavior you arrogant dog! Begone! You are unfit to command! Go and put on your petticoats!”

Procter looked furious, but his fear kept him at bay. He eventually decided to just lead his men away, back to the attack on the fort.

Tecumseh turned to Aveza and Arnold. “Thank you,” he said. “For everything you've done here.”

“We didn't do enough it seems…” said Aveza sadly.

“You did all you could. That's more than enough. Thank you both. I believe I can handle things from here.”

“Are you sure?” asked Arnold. “Harrison is still in that fort. We could help if you needed it.”

Tecumseh kindly shook his head.

“You two have done more than enough,” he said. “Go on. Return to the Homestead. I promise you, I can handle the situation here.”

Aveza and Arnold were hesitant, but they trusted their friend. Eventually, they gave in and agreed to leave the fight to Tecumseh. The three said their goodbyes, and then the younger Assassins went off to find a ride home.

Once they found their horses, Arnold gently helped Aveza onto hers. His hand felt warm on hers, and she held onto it a tiny bit longer than she realized. Once she was on, Arnold hopped on his horse, and the two started heading back to Massachusetts.

Aveza took one last look back at Fort Meigs. She wished she done more. She'd wished she'd gotten a chance to kill Harrison. She really hoped Tecumseh could deal with him.

Description
May 2, 1813; Davenport Homestead, Massachusetts

“Oh bullocks!” Aveza said as her last piece was taken off the fanorona board by her mother. Shikoba grinned at her daughter.

“That's six rounds and I still win. Care to call it a day, sweetheart?” she said.

“This game's too bloody hard,” said Aveza.

“Oh, you just need to practice, dear. Anything is possible if you work hard enough at it.”

Aveza smiled a bit. She didn't like losing, but she also realized the importance of learning experience. She didn't let it get to her. She had more important things on her mind. Things like ending the Templars once and for all. Things like making sure that they pay for their crimes. Things like making sure those that they've hurt are able to recover.

“You know what mum? I think it probably is a good idea to take a break from this game now,” she said. “My brain needs a rest.”

Shikoba laughed, and Aveza laughed back. “Alright, sweetheart,” said Shikoba. “Why don't we pack the board up and head on over to the Mile’s End to get a meal?”

Aveza smiled. “Let's do that,” she said. Shikoba nodded. They put away the fanorona board and left the Homestead manor. They made their way to the tavern in the village just down the path, the Mile’s End. The place had been on the land for decades, but it was still teeming with life. Sailors and villagers walked in and out and around the inn all day long, singing songs and sharing laughs. It was a nice old place. The people of the Homestead loved it. Aveza loved it too, especially now, when the place acted as another distraction to keep her mind off of what happened at York. She and her mother walked in, and they were greeted by the sounds and sights of tavern life.

The two spotted Connor at one of the tables, cheerfully chatting with, to Aveza's surprise, Dobby Carter. Aveza grinned ear-to-ear upon seeing them. Connor caught glimpse of her and waved her over with a smile. Aveza and her mother jogged over to the table and sat with their fellow Assassins.

“Hey, lass!” said Dobby to Aveza. “Long time no see. How’ve ya been, dearie?”

“I've been alright,” said Aveza. She tried to keep the pain of her loss out of her voice, but Dobby still detected it.

“I heard about what happened in York,” she said. “Such a tragedy. Sorry for your loss, lass.”

“It's alright. We did all we could…”

Shikoba put her hand on her daughter's shoulder, proud of her strength.

“I know you did, dearie,” continued Dobby. “I know. But hey, look on the bright side. At least you can go to bed knowing that you ended the man responsible for the attack.”

Aveza smiled. “Yes, I suppose you're right.”

“Of course I'm right, dearie,” Dobby joked. “I'm always right. Ain't that right, Connor.”

Connor laughed. “That's right,” he said.

Dobby laughed. “Ha! There, ya see? Here's a good man. Always says the right thing. That old wretch of yours didn't know what she had.”

Connor just kinda smiled awkwardly. The three women laughed.

“You know,” said Dobby to Connor. “That offer of mine is still out there. If you're still looking for someone, I'm here dearie.”

Connor chuckled. “Maybe someday, Dobby,” he said. “Maybe someday.”

“Well, I feel like you two would make a great pair,” said Shikoba. “You suit each other nicely.”

“Thank you,” said Connor. Dobby just smiled and raised her mug a bit as thanks.

The four continued to cheerfully chat for a while, but they were interrupted when Arnold suddenly walked in and approached them.

“Hello,” he said, waving to Aveza but addressing everyone. “So sorry to interrupt, but I've got something I have to share with you all.”

“I take it you're Arnold?” asked Shikoba.

“Indeed I am, ma’am.”

“Oh! It's nice to meet you! I'm Aveza's mother, Shikoba. It's so nice to meet you after hearing so much about you from Aveza.”

Aveza blushed a bit, but hid it. “Mum,” she said again.

Connor and Dobby laughed a bit. The three oldest Assassins at that table knew full well the emotions that neither Aveza or Arnold wanted to admit. Give it time, they thought, it'll happen eventually.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” said Arnold to Shikoba. “It's an honor to meet the woman whom Aveza gets all her skills and charisma from.”

Aveza smiled and blushed a bit. Arnold did the same.

“So,” said Connor. “What is it you needed to tell us?”

Arnold reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter. “From Tecumseh,” he said. He passed the note to Connor, who began to read through it.

“He, his men, and the British have been laying siege to Fort Meigs in Ohio. And he's requested backup.”

“Let me guess,” said Aveza, excited to have yet another distraction from her painful memories, and just for another adventure. “That backup would be us two?”

Arnold smiled. “I should hope so,” he said. He turned to Connor. “Mentor?” he asked him.

Connor smiled. “I see no reason for you two not to go,” he said.

Aveza nearly jumped out of her seat. “Alright!” she said. “Let's do it! Let's go stick it to those American dogs. Come on Arnold, let's go pack.”

Aveza started dragging Arnold out to adventure before he could even respond. The three older Assassins laughed as they watched them go. They said goodbye and wished them luck just before the two walked out the door.

------------

May 5, 1813; Perrysburg, Ohio

By the time the two arrived at the British encampment along the Maumee River, cannons on both sides of the fight were already blasting through the evening. Soldiers and warriors were scattering all about, trying to guard against the American defenses firing back from within Fort Meigs.

Aveza and Arnold quickly located Tecumseh. He was guiding his men the attack as the man next to him shouted orders at the soldiers from his horse. Tecumseh smiled brightly when he saw his friends approach.

“Haha! Aveza! Arnold! So glad you could come lend a hand!” he said over the roar of the cannons.

“Always happy to help, Tecumseh,” said Aveza with a smile.

“So what's the situation?” asked Arnold.

Tecumseh pointed towards the fort across the river.

“Our old ‘friend’, William Henry Harrison, had this fort constructed a few months ago to guard against us. The man's held up in there right now, conspiring with his fellow Templar dogs.”

Suddenly, the British commander came up to them. “We believe they plan to push their defense further,” he said, “but we have no means of telling where.”

Tecumseh looked at the man, then at his friends. “Aveza, Arnold,” he said, “This is General Henry Procter. He's the one in charge of the British army in this fight.”

“I hesitate to call this lot an army,” said Procter, almost spitting his words. “An army would work ten times harder than this group of drunks.”

Aveza could already tell by his tone that this was going to be a hard man to like. Tecumseh could see her concern in her expression. He leaned in and whispered, “He's a bit of what you call ‘an ass’. But don't worry, he's definitely on our side.”

“I hope you're right,” Aveza whispered back.

“Tecumseh tells me that you two have valuable skills,” said Procter to Aveza and Arnold.

“Well,” said Arnold. “We like to think so, yes.”

“And if your skills live up to Tecumseh’s tales, then you two should be the ones for the mission that we need carried out.”

“And that is?” asked Aveza.

Procter pointed to the fort. “As Tecumseh said, Harrison is in there, conspiring with his men, planning an attack. We need someone to infiltrate the fort and discover what those plans are.”

“Sounds doable,” said Arnold.

“Then get to it. We don't need time wasted with discussion.”

He walked off to bark more orders at his soldiers. The three Assassins watched him go in annoyance. Aveza really wished he wasn't on their side.

“Are you two sure you're up to the job?” Tecumseh asked them, far more politely than Procter. The two nodded.

“Absolutely!” said Aveza.

“I suppose,” said Arnold. Aveza elbowed him.

“Ow!” said Arnold. “I mean, yes! Sure. Absolutely.”

Tecumseh chuckled. “Very well. I have faith in both of you. Fair warning though, most of the fort’s interior is open space. Only a few buildings are inside. The rest is just grass. You'll have to be extra cautious once inside.”

Aveza and Arnold nodded.

“Got it,” they said. “Wish us luck!”

“I will! Good luck!”

Aveza and Arnold started making their way towards the fort. Tecumseh quickly grabbed Aveza's arm before she left.

“If you get a shot at Harrison,” he said, “kill him.”

Aveza nodded in understanding. She said one last goodbye before jogging over to catch up with Arnold. After crossing the river, the two snuck up to the walls of the fort. The first thing they did was look for disguises. They killed two American soldiers and put on their outfits. Then they looked for a way in. They would've walked through the front gate, but even with their disguises, Arnold would likely be the only one to get past the guards without suspicion. The guards would too easily take notice of Aveza's color and gender and know something was up. Discrimination causes so many problems.

And so, the two Assassins instead found a place in the wall where they could easily climb up and over and into the fort. Tecumseh was right, the place was empty save for two buildings and an enormous amount of soldiers. Aveza and Arnold kept their heads down, and walked through the fort with caution. Eventually, they found Harrison making his way with one of his men to one of the buildings. The Assassins quickly tailed them, found the window that led into the Templar’s meeting room, and listened in on the conversation.

“I'm getting so tired of having to struggle as I do through this conflict,” said Harrison.

“We will beat the British back, sir, don't worry,” said his ally.

“I don't mean the War, Dudley. I mean the conflict between our order and those wretched Assassins. Not only do I constantly have to deal with them putting an end to our plans, I also have to deal with all the restrictions placed upon us by our wretched leader that are preventing our success!”

“Cormac’s old, Harrison. The man's 82 years into his life. It won't be long before the old coot kicks it. And when he passes, someone like you or Jackson can take his place and set things right.”

“I surely hope that time comes soon, William. But, for now, I suppose it's best to focus on the battle at hand.”

“My men are ready and waiting to launch our counterattack, sir. Only point us where, and we will crush Tecumseh’s men.”

“Good. The enemy has done a poor job at defending their position on the river, I would start there, drive them back, and slaughter them once you've cornered the maggots.”

“It will be done sir.”

“Good. Best of luck to you, Dudley. May the Father of Understanding guide you.”

“May the Father of Understanding guide you.”

Aveza peaked in and watched Dudley leave the room. She turned to Arnold. “If the Americans attack from that position, our men are doomed!” she said.

“Then we'd better warn them,” said Arnold. “Come on!”

Aveza nodded. The two quickly made their way up one of the walls of the fort and clambered over. They found their Assassin outfits again and replaced their disguises with them. Abandoning the uniforms, they darted back towards their men. After crossing the river, they got to work on finding Tecumseh, which they did deep within the forest. He was beside Procter, organizing their men.

Aveza and Arnold rushed up to them.

“Back already?” said Procter rudely. “Did you get any valuable information?”

Aveza ignored him and turned to Tecumseh. “You have to ready your men,” she said frantically. “A Templar named William Dudley is on his way here right now with a whole squadron. He'll slaughter us all if we don't prepare fast.”

Tecumseh nodded. He, his fellow Assassins, and Procter quickly got to work on readying the fighters to defend themselves. Soon enough, they heard the thunder of marching footsteps as Dudley arrived with hundreds of armed soldiers. The fighting began almost immediately. Guns and cannons from both sides blasted holes in the evening. British, Native, and American forces all collided. Dudley sat on his horse, trying to gain the upper hand.

Aveza and Arnold stayed near the edge of the chaos, trying to sabotage a few of Dudley’s cannons. Tecumseh eventually ran off to get reinforcements, and thus the remaining Assassins were left to fight on their own. They worked themselves deeper into the fight, hacking down enemies as they went. Aveza caught sight of Dudley. She planned to aim for him. If she could kill him, the American attack would fall apart. She, Arnold, and Procter started leading the Americans further into the woods, making their attack even more difficult. Dudley clearly started getting worried, and eventually started ordering his men to retreat. The Natives and British, however, didn't give them a chance. They cut down as many Americans as they could, and Aveza started cutting her way towards Dudley. Once she was close enough, she drew her pistol and fired. The bullet hit his chest, and he fell off his horse. He spotted Aveza running towards him, flicking out her hidden blade. He tried to grab his sword in an attempt to fight back, but Aveza didn't give him a chance. Her blade landed the killing blow before Dudley’s blade could escape its sheath. As Aveza's blade pierced his heart, time slowed around her yet again.

Ava watched as the Animus’s simulation broke down into the silent white void of ones and zeroes. She watched her ancestor crouch over the dying Templar.

“No…” said Dudley. “The expedition… Without me they will surely fail…”

“Exactly,” said Aveza. “Your men will fall and we will keep fighting.”

“Why?”

Aveza stared for a moment.

“Why?” she parroted.

“Yes. Why? Why do you keep resisting us?”

“Because we believe freedom and justice are things worth defending from the likes of you.”

“But don't you see? We offer the same thing. We want to free the Natives from their savage ways. We want to oversee them, educate them in the ways of civilization.”

“They are civilized.”

“They live in the dirt like animals.”

“They have a structured and beautiful variety of societies.”

“And there's your parodox. As long as men are different, there cannot be peace. They will always fight. We would bring them unity.”

“You'd strip them of everything that they've defined themselves as. You'd take their individuality. And if they opposed you in the slightest way, you’d cut them down like the animals you wrongly accuse them of being. Like selecting and breeding livestock. You never even considered compromise, have you? You just automatically think the worst of people.”

“Humans are weak, base, petty.”

“You say those words, but exclude yourself from them.”

“Because we… are better…” He died. Aveza just shook her head. She hated pessimists. They never look at the true nature of humanity. They always exclude the human consciousness in their ideals. She closed his eyes. “It's not variety that leads humanity to ruin. It's arrogance,” she said. “Rest in peace.”

Aveza stood from the body as Ava's mind was yet again replaced by her ancestor’s. The Animus reformed its simulation back into the battlegrounds near the Maumee River. Aveza drew her father's sword and rushed to aid Arnold in the fight. The battle raged on for a few more minutes. Without Dudley to command them, their attack quickly fell apart.

Eventually, the majority of the Americans surrendered. They dropped their swords and guns and got down on their knees. The British and Natives cheered for a moment. Aveza gave Arnold a quick victory hug and the two cheered as well.

However, the celebration was short lived. As the Native warriors were gathering up their prisoners, they began killing them. Aveza and Arnold went wide-eyed as the warriors began a massacre. They didn't give any of the prisoners a chance to escape before their necks were sliced. The two Assassins tried desperately to get them all to stop. This was too far. This blood did not need to be shed. Despite their efforts, the massacre continued. The captured soldiers screamed in horror as hundreds of them brutally lost their lives.

The Assassins turned to Procter and his men, who just sat and watched.

“What're you doing?” yelled Aveza at him. “Don't just bloody stand there! Help us stop this.”

“Why should I?” said Procter. “Those rebels deserve to die.”

“Not like this! Not here and now in cold blood!”

Procter just scoffed. Aveza couldn't believe his complete indifference. She went back to pleading with the warriors to stop. But they wouldn't.

That is, until a familiar voice came thundering through the woods.

“What are you all doing?” shouted Tecumseh furiously as he came up. The warriors, upon seeing him approach, quickly went silent and stopped the slaughter.

“What are you doing?” he shouted again. “Have you all lost your minds? How could you resort to such a terrible act? That's exactly the type to behavior we're fighting against! This is exactly what they would do to us! If you let ourselves commit such a massacre, then we are no better than them!”

The warriors suddenly seemed very ashamed. They knew he was right.

“I understand the urge, brothers,” continued Tecumseh. “Believe me, I do. I know how it feels to want to see every last American stabbed through the heart, burned to ashes, and fed to the wolves. But we must fight that urge! We must prove that we are better than they! We must prove that we are not the animals that they paint us to be! Lay down your arms, my brothers. Enough blood has been shed in these woods.”

The warriors hung their heads and dropped their weapons. Tecumseh sighed in relief. “Thank you,” he said to them. “Thank you.”

Suddenly, he turned on his heels to face Procter. “And why did you do nothing to stop this disaster?” he shouted at him. Procter still could clearly care less about the pointlessly-lost lives, but Tecumseh scared him enough to make him think of an excuse.

“Th… the Natives are not fit to obey. They just do as their savage ways tell them.”

Tecumseh’s jaw dropped as the fury filled his face. Aveza and Arnold instinctively stepped back a bit. They knew Tecumseh was about to explode.

“How dare you?” shouted Tecumseh. “How dare you say that? You sat back and let this happen! Your inaction is what inspired this behavior you arrogant dog! Begone! You are unfit to command! Go and put on your petticoats!”

Procter looked furious, but his fear kept him at bay. He eventually decided to just lead his men away, back to the attack on the fort.

Tecumseh turned to Aveza and Arnold. “Thank you,” he said. “For everything you've done here.”

“We didn't do enough it seems…” said Aveza sadly.

“You did all you could. That's more than enough. Thank you both. I believe I can handle things from here.”

“Are you sure?” asked Arnold. “Harrison is still in that fort. We could help if you needed it.”

Tecumseh kindly shook his head.

“You two have done more than enough,” he said. “Go on. Return to the Homestead. I promise you, I can handle the situation here.”

Aveza and Arnold were hesitant, but they trusted their friend. Eventually, they gave in and agreed to leave the fight to Tecumseh. The three said their goodbyes, and then the younger Assassins went off to find a ride home.

Once they found their horses, Arnold gently helped Aveza onto hers. His hand felt warm on hers, and she held onto it a tiny bit longer than she realized. Once she was on, Arnold hopped on his horse, and the two started heading back to Massachusetts.

Aveza took one last look back at Fort Meigs. She wished she done more. She'd wished she'd gotten a chance to kill Harrison. She really hoped Tecumseh could deal with him.