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January 6, 1815; Davenport Homestead, Massachusetts

Dear Arnold,

During a mission in Ghent, I happened to come across a meeting between the American and British politicians that had gathered in the city. Knowing about the little squabble that they're having overseas and knowing that you'd probably want to have an update on the events of the conflict, I stayed and eavesdropped for a bit. And it looks like good news, my friend. They've signed a treaty. A treaty that'll bring that war to a close. Both sides have agreed to return all territories to the borders they had before the war, and the British are making efforts to try and further protect the Native peoples that you side with. The treaty still has to be ratified by both governments, but I think it's fair to say that they will certainly do so without much more hesitation. So congratulations, my friend. This little war that you've been fighting is finally over.

Your friend, and mentor,
Arno Dorian

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

The Homestead was in a state of celebration that evening. Most of the townspeople were in or around the Mile’s End tavern, cheering and dancing to celebrate the end of the war. Aveza, Arnold, and Connor were in the tavern as well. Connor was having a pleasant conversation with his old friends, and Aveza and Arnold were having a drink together. Music was playing. People were partying. It was a grand old time.

“Blimey, it's really lively in here!” said Arnold cheerfully.

Aveza laughed. “Can you blame them? The nation's not at war anymore,” she said.

“Well, it's not quite over yet. News of the treaty hasn't reached all of America yet. There's still some skirmishes going on.”

Aveza just shrugged. “Eh. We'll put an end to them soon though,” she said. “Things are going to die down finally. And then we can open up that temple.”

“Indeed, my dear! But for now, we drink!”

Aveza happily nodded. The two clinked their glasses and took a sip of their drinks.

“You know, my dear,” said Arnold. “With all the ups and downs that this adventure has had, I'm just glad I was able to experience them all with you.”

“Aw, thank you, Arnold,” said Aveza with a smile. “There's no one else I'd rather have by my side then you.”

Arnold smiled back. The two cheerfully laughed, and then gazed into each other's loving eyes. They leaned in and kissed each other again, long and lovingly.

“Eeeee! It's so adorable!” the voice of Shikoba suddenly cried in their direction.

Aveza and Arnold turned red and quickly separated (though not leaving each other's arms) when Aveza's mother approached with an enormous smile.

“Mum!” Aveza protested.

“Ooh, I wish I had a way to preserve this moment forever!” said Shikoba.

“Mum…”

“You two are just adorable with each other! I'm so proud of you both! Oh, this reminds me of when your father and I first met! It was simply splendid!”

“Mum… We're having a moment…”

“Oh, I know sweetheart, I can't help it. My little girl has found love!”

Aveza grumbled under her breath in embarrassment. Connor laughed nearby.

“Perhaps you two should try to find a more private place,” he suggested. “The view of the sunset on the clifftop is quite beautiful.”

Shikoba looked at him. “Oh… do they have to? They're so adorable to watch!” she complained.

Connor chuckled. “It is up to them, Shikoba,” he said.

Shikoba looked over at her daughter and Arnold. They gave a smile that said, “Yeah, we'll go.”

Shikoba jokingly pouted and sighed. She smiled at the couple. “Oh, alright,” she said, “Go on, you lovebirds. Go enjoy your moment.”

Aveza smiled. “Thanks mum,” she said. She and Arnold finished their drinks and left the tavern, waving goodbye to Connor and Shikoba as they did. They walked up the path that led to the manor, holding each other's hands. They made their way over to the nearby cliff edge that overlooked the bay where the Aquila had dropped anchor. They sat down on the grass, and looked out at the horizon. The sun was only just starting to go down. Connor was right, it was beautiful. The sky became a canvas of violets and oranges. The clouds were tinted with the soft golden glow of the receding sunlight. The sun lit up the dark waves of the Atlantic in a vibrant yellow. It was quite a sight to behold. It was the perfect backdrop for Aveza and Arnold to enjoy their moment together.

Neither said anything. They just sat there, watching the sun. They wrapped themselves in each other's arms and closed their eyes in bliss. For that brief moment, all their problems disappeared. They thought nothing of the Assassins or Templars or the war or the death that followed it. For now, it was just them, alone with each other, in love.

They gently turned their heads towards one another. They smiled happily. After everything they went through, they still had each other, and that made them happy. They closed their eyes and started slowly leaning in. They got closer and closer until their lips locked, and they had a long, loving kiss. They were happy. There wasn't anything that could possibly ruin their moment...

rumble…

Aveza looked up from the kiss, as did Arnold. “What was that?” she asked.

Rumble

Aveza and Arnold looked around.

BOOM

The two stood up quickly and looked out over the bay. They looked just in time to see a massive cannonball streaking straight towards them. Their eyes widened in shock, and they lunged out of the way before it could hit them. The ball went crashing into the side of the manor, tearing down a chunk of the brick.

Aveza and Arnold quickly got up, now in panic mode. They looked out over the bay. To their horror, a massive hoard of ships was sailing right for the Homestead, firing mortars as they slowly slugged towards them. Another cannonball came their way, and they jumped out of the way. Arnold quickly pulled out his spyglass and looked towards the massive man o’ war that stood at the center of the fleet. He gasped.

“Oh my God…” he said, passing the spyglass to Aveza. She took a look through it and gasped as well.

“It's Jackson!” she said. “Oh my God!”

“We have to evacuate the town!”

Aveza nodded without hesitation. They dodged another cannonball and started running back towards the village just as the ships started landing on shore and dozens of armed soldiers came storming out onto the beach. As the two ran down the path, cannonballs rained all around them, destroying trees and buildings everywhere. The townsfolk were already in mass panic by the time Aveza and Arnold arrived back at the inn. Connor and Shikoba came running out to meet them.

“What's going on?” Connor said over the roar of the explosions. The sounds of muskets could be heard over the horizon.

“It's Jackson!” said Aveza. “He's brought a bloody army here!”

“What?”

A cannonball smacked into the wall of the inn.

“We have to get everyone out of here!” said Shikoba. The other Assassins nodded. As hell broke loose upon them, they quickly got to work on guiding all the Homestead citizens to safety. They led the people onto the trail that led into the forest. The citizens grabbed what little they could before making a break for it. Cannonballs continued to rain down upon the land, destroying anything in their wake. Aveza could already see the malicious glow of the flames that had engulfed the land they were fleeing. She couldn't believe this was happening. This was her home away from home. This was where she became an Assassin. This was where she trained. This was the only place aside from York that she felt completely welcome and safe. And now it was being leveled and burnt by her enemies. Was there anything the Templars wouldn't destroy?

She began to cry as she helped guide the people to safety. The other Assassins tried to comfort her as best they could, but they found themselves on the brink of tears as well, especially Connor, who had made this place his home for so many years. They carried on though, until most of the people were out of range of the cannons.

Suddenly, Aveza came to a horrible realization when she instinctively patted her pocket as they ran. She stopped dead in her tracks.

“Oh my God…” she said in horror. She turned right on her heels and started sprinting back towards the attackers. Her friends turned in confusion.

“Aveza, what are you doing?” said Arnold.

She stopped and looked at them.

“The bloody key!” she said. “The bloody Temple key was locked up in the manor!”

“Oh my God…” mumbled Shikoba in horror.

“I have to go back and get it!”

“Are you mad?” said Arnold. “Jackson's got a bloody army with him! You'll never make it ten feet!”

“I have to try, Arnold! We've come too far, lost too much to have that key taken from us!”

“But Aveza…”

Suddenly, Connor walked up to Aveza. He reached for his finger and removed the ring that sat upon it. He grabbed Aveza's hand and put it on her.

“Go, but take this with you,” he said.

“Connor!” protested Shikoba.

Aveza looked down at the ring. It was covered in bizarre symbols and engravings, like those of the Temple walls. Another Piece of Eden?

“What's this?” Aveza asked.

“It's called a Shard of Eden,” said Connor.

“What's it do?”

Connor answered her question by stepping back, drawing his pistol, and firing it directly at Aveza's head. Aveza naturally flinched but was surprised when she saw the bullet hit some sort of shield of light that formed around her and disappeared when the bullet bounced off of it. The Assassins watched in awe.

“Bloody hell…” said Aveza.

“It's not perfect,” said Connor. “So don't rely on that alone to protect you. But it's a good start. Now go! Hurry!”

“I'm going too!” said Arnold.

“No you're not!” said Aveza.

“It wasn't a suggestion.”

Aveza sighed. “Alright fine. Stay close to me, then. Stay in this ring thing's range.”

Arnold nodded and went up to stand at her side. They looked back at Connor and Shikoba, who gave worried expressions, and then the two sprinted back towards the attackers.

It pained Aveza so much to see the land and it's buildings either up in flames, torn to shreds, or both. But she held back her anger. She couldn't let it blind her and ruin her chances of getting the key back. Once they reached what was once the Homestead village, they encountered the first wave of soldiers. The soldiers raised their muskets and fired on the Assassins, but the Shard’s powers deflected the bullets. The soldiers’ confusion gave Aveza and Arnold the chance to cut them down before turning to face another wave of enemies.

Aveza pulled out her tomahawk and Arnold drew his rapier. The two hacked through dozens of enemies, making their way through the burning landscape that continued to be pelted by cannon balls.

The two fought and fought until they made it past the soldiers and made it to the crumbling remains of the manor. Aveza noticed that the only structures left standing intact were the three headstones that marked the graves of the old colonial mentor, Achilles, and his family. At least Jackson's men had the decency to let the dead rest peacefully in their graves.

Aveza thought fast. The manor was all but rubble now. And the chest she had locked the key in was on the second floor. What was she going to do?

That question had an unfortunate answer in the form of Andrew Jackson. The malicious Templar walked out from behind the rubble, the light of the flames dancing on his evil eyes as he stood tall.

Aveza and Arnold scowled at him. They tried to make a move towards him, but they were stopped by about a dozen soldiers that managed to quickly surround them and aim their muskets. Aveza glared at Jackson. He glared back. He pulled something out of his pocket and held it up to mock her. Aveza looked in horror. The key.

“Looking for this, Assassin?” he mocked. “I must thank you for keeping it safe for me until I could hunt you down and take it.”

“Jackson you bloody bastard!” Aveza shouted at him in fury. “I'll gut you like the bloody pig you are!

Jackson laughed. “I’d love to see you try,” he said. The soldiers moved in a little bit closer to the two Assassins.

“You don't seem to get it, Ms. Deryn,” taunted Jackson. “I've won. I now have everything I need to enter that Temple of yours once I find it. And when I step inside, I will use what lies within to finally gain the power I deserve! You see, when there's something I want, I get it. I want power, than I get it. When I want to be the safeguard of my great nation, I will be it. When something stands in my way…”

He gave a short hand signal to his men. “...then I will destroy it.”

He threw his hand down. “Fire, men!” he shouted.

Aveza thought faster than she ever had before. She took in every aspect of the scene around her in a split second. And, just before the men pulled their triggers, she formulated a plan. A split second before the soldiers squeezed their triggers, Aveza lunged backwards, pulling Arnold in tow to keep him in the Shard’s shield, and she grabbed the nearest soldier.

The soldiers fired their guns, and most of the bullets bounced off the Shard’s shield. But the ones that broke through were blocked by the body of the soldier that Aveza yanked in front of her and Arnold and used as a human shield. She then pulled Arnold away as she sprinted through the gap in the circle that the dead soldier created. The two sprinted away in the opposite direction, hearing Jackson laugh and taunt them as they ran. Aveza felt the tears coming on again. She'd lost the key. And there was no way she'd be able to retrieve it at the moment. There were too many obstacles, too many risks. And now the key was in the possession of her greatest, most despicable enemy. She cried as she ran.

The two sprinted past all the soldiers that tried to stop them. They dodged cannonballs and darted around flames. They kept running and running until they made it back to Connor and Shikoba, who urged them to quickly follow them out of danger. Aveza instinctively went to her mother, who held her daughter as she cried. The four sprinted into the forest, following the path until they could no longer hear the sounds of muskets and cannons. Once they were certain that they were in the clear, they finally slowed their pace, and stopped running. They sat down on a fallen tree, out of breath.

Aveza cried. Shikoba cried too, but her cries were silent. She held her daughter tight. Arnold was torn up as well, but he tried to stay strong to comfort his lover. Connor didn't make a sound. He just lowered his head and let his tears warm his face. So many memories, all destroyed in a matter of minutes. All the Assassin history that the Homestead held, turned to ashes. It was a tragic, tragic day for all of them.

“What do we do now?” Shikoba asked Connor with sorrow.

For moment, he said nothing, but eventually he said, “We rebuild. Somewhere else.”

Aveza looked at him through her tears.

“Where?” she said.

“I do not know… but we will rebuild. We always do. We'll probably move west, to the frontier. Somewhere relatively untouched by Templar hands.”

“And what of that dog, Jackson?”

Connor said nothing again for a moment, but then he looked her in the eyes, and he said simply, “He dies.”

Description
January 6, 1815; Davenport Homestead, Massachusetts

Dear Arnold,

During a mission in Ghent, I happened to come across a meeting between the American and British politicians that had gathered in the city. Knowing about the little squabble that they're having overseas and knowing that you'd probably want to have an update on the events of the conflict, I stayed and eavesdropped for a bit. And it looks like good news, my friend. They've signed a treaty. A treaty that'll bring that war to a close. Both sides have agreed to return all territories to the borders they had before the war, and the British are making efforts to try and further protect the Native peoples that you side with. The treaty still has to be ratified by both governments, but I think it's fair to say that they will certainly do so without much more hesitation. So congratulations, my friend. This little war that you've been fighting is finally over.

Your friend, and mentor,
Arno Dorian

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

The Homestead was in a state of celebration that evening. Most of the townspeople were in or around the Mile’s End tavern, cheering and dancing to celebrate the end of the war. Aveza, Arnold, and Connor were in the tavern as well. Connor was having a pleasant conversation with his old friends, and Aveza and Arnold were having a drink together. Music was playing. People were partying. It was a grand old time.

“Blimey, it's really lively in here!” said Arnold cheerfully.

Aveza laughed. “Can you blame them? The nation's not at war anymore,” she said.

“Well, it's not quite over yet. News of the treaty hasn't reached all of America yet. There's still some skirmishes going on.”

Aveza just shrugged. “Eh. We'll put an end to them soon though,” she said. “Things are going to die down finally. And then we can open up that temple.”

“Indeed, my dear! But for now, we drink!”

Aveza happily nodded. The two clinked their glasses and took a sip of their drinks.

“You know, my dear,” said Arnold. “With all the ups and downs that this adventure has had, I'm just glad I was able to experience them all with you.”

“Aw, thank you, Arnold,” said Aveza with a smile. “There's no one else I'd rather have by my side then you.”

Arnold smiled back. The two cheerfully laughed, and then gazed into each other's loving eyes. They leaned in and kissed each other again, long and lovingly.

“Eeeee! It's so adorable!” the voice of Shikoba suddenly cried in their direction.

Aveza and Arnold turned red and quickly separated (though not leaving each other's arms) when Aveza's mother approached with an enormous smile.

“Mum!” Aveza protested.

“Ooh, I wish I had a way to preserve this moment forever!” said Shikoba.

“Mum…”

“You two are just adorable with each other! I'm so proud of you both! Oh, this reminds me of when your father and I first met! It was simply splendid!”

“Mum… We're having a moment…”

“Oh, I know sweetheart, I can't help it. My little girl has found love!”

Aveza grumbled under her breath in embarrassment. Connor laughed nearby.

“Perhaps you two should try to find a more private place,” he suggested. “The view of the sunset on the clifftop is quite beautiful.”

Shikoba looked at him. “Oh… do they have to? They're so adorable to watch!” she complained.

Connor chuckled. “It is up to them, Shikoba,” he said.

Shikoba looked over at her daughter and Arnold. They gave a smile that said, “Yeah, we'll go.”

Shikoba jokingly pouted and sighed. She smiled at the couple. “Oh, alright,” she said, “Go on, you lovebirds. Go enjoy your moment.”

Aveza smiled. “Thanks mum,” she said. She and Arnold finished their drinks and left the tavern, waving goodbye to Connor and Shikoba as they did. They walked up the path that led to the manor, holding each other's hands. They made their way over to the nearby cliff edge that overlooked the bay where the Aquila had dropped anchor. They sat down on the grass, and looked out at the horizon. The sun was only just starting to go down. Connor was right, it was beautiful. The sky became a canvas of violets and oranges. The clouds were tinted with the soft golden glow of the receding sunlight. The sun lit up the dark waves of the Atlantic in a vibrant yellow. It was quite a sight to behold. It was the perfect backdrop for Aveza and Arnold to enjoy their moment together.

Neither said anything. They just sat there, watching the sun. They wrapped themselves in each other's arms and closed their eyes in bliss. For that brief moment, all their problems disappeared. They thought nothing of the Assassins or Templars or the war or the death that followed it. For now, it was just them, alone with each other, in love.

They gently turned their heads towards one another. They smiled happily. After everything they went through, they still had each other, and that made them happy. They closed their eyes and started slowly leaning in. They got closer and closer until their lips locked, and they had a long, loving kiss. They were happy. There wasn't anything that could possibly ruin their moment...

rumble…

Aveza looked up from the kiss, as did Arnold. “What was that?” she asked.

Rumble

Aveza and Arnold looked around.

BOOM

The two stood up quickly and looked out over the bay. They looked just in time to see a massive cannonball streaking straight towards them. Their eyes widened in shock, and they lunged out of the way before it could hit them. The ball went crashing into the side of the manor, tearing down a chunk of the brick.

Aveza and Arnold quickly got up, now in panic mode. They looked out over the bay. To their horror, a massive hoard of ships was sailing right for the Homestead, firing mortars as they slowly slugged towards them. Another cannonball came their way, and they jumped out of the way. Arnold quickly pulled out his spyglass and looked towards the massive man o’ war that stood at the center of the fleet. He gasped.

“Oh my God…” he said, passing the spyglass to Aveza. She took a look through it and gasped as well.

“It's Jackson!” she said. “Oh my God!”

“We have to evacuate the town!”

Aveza nodded without hesitation. They dodged another cannonball and started running back towards the village just as the ships started landing on shore and dozens of armed soldiers came storming out onto the beach. As the two ran down the path, cannonballs rained all around them, destroying trees and buildings everywhere. The townsfolk were already in mass panic by the time Aveza and Arnold arrived back at the inn. Connor and Shikoba came running out to meet them.

“What's going on?” Connor said over the roar of the explosions. The sounds of muskets could be heard over the horizon.

“It's Jackson!” said Aveza. “He's brought a bloody army here!”

“What?”

A cannonball smacked into the wall of the inn.

“We have to get everyone out of here!” said Shikoba. The other Assassins nodded. As hell broke loose upon them, they quickly got to work on guiding all the Homestead citizens to safety. They led the people onto the trail that led into the forest. The citizens grabbed what little they could before making a break for it. Cannonballs continued to rain down upon the land, destroying anything in their wake. Aveza could already see the malicious glow of the flames that had engulfed the land they were fleeing. She couldn't believe this was happening. This was her home away from home. This was where she became an Assassin. This was where she trained. This was the only place aside from York that she felt completely welcome and safe. And now it was being leveled and burnt by her enemies. Was there anything the Templars wouldn't destroy?

She began to cry as she helped guide the people to safety. The other Assassins tried to comfort her as best they could, but they found themselves on the brink of tears as well, especially Connor, who had made this place his home for so many years. They carried on though, until most of the people were out of range of the cannons.

Suddenly, Aveza came to a horrible realization when she instinctively patted her pocket as they ran. She stopped dead in her tracks.

“Oh my God…” she said in horror. She turned right on her heels and started sprinting back towards the attackers. Her friends turned in confusion.

“Aveza, what are you doing?” said Arnold.

She stopped and looked at them.

“The bloody key!” she said. “The bloody Temple key was locked up in the manor!”

“Oh my God…” mumbled Shikoba in horror.

“I have to go back and get it!”

“Are you mad?” said Arnold. “Jackson's got a bloody army with him! You'll never make it ten feet!”

“I have to try, Arnold! We've come too far, lost too much to have that key taken from us!”

“But Aveza…”

Suddenly, Connor walked up to Aveza. He reached for his finger and removed the ring that sat upon it. He grabbed Aveza's hand and put it on her.

“Go, but take this with you,” he said.

“Connor!” protested Shikoba.

Aveza looked down at the ring. It was covered in bizarre symbols and engravings, like those of the Temple walls. Another Piece of Eden?

“What's this?” Aveza asked.

“It's called a Shard of Eden,” said Connor.

“What's it do?”

Connor answered her question by stepping back, drawing his pistol, and firing it directly at Aveza's head. Aveza naturally flinched but was surprised when she saw the bullet hit some sort of shield of light that formed around her and disappeared when the bullet bounced off of it. The Assassins watched in awe.

“Bloody hell…” said Aveza.

“It's not perfect,” said Connor. “So don't rely on that alone to protect you. But it's a good start. Now go! Hurry!”

“I'm going too!” said Arnold.

“No you're not!” said Aveza.

“It wasn't a suggestion.”

Aveza sighed. “Alright fine. Stay close to me, then. Stay in this ring thing's range.”

Arnold nodded and went up to stand at her side. They looked back at Connor and Shikoba, who gave worried expressions, and then the two sprinted back towards the attackers.

It pained Aveza so much to see the land and it's buildings either up in flames, torn to shreds, or both. But she held back her anger. She couldn't let it blind her and ruin her chances of getting the key back. Once they reached what was once the Homestead village, they encountered the first wave of soldiers. The soldiers raised their muskets and fired on the Assassins, but the Shard’s powers deflected the bullets. The soldiers’ confusion gave Aveza and Arnold the chance to cut them down before turning to face another wave of enemies.

Aveza pulled out her tomahawk and Arnold drew his rapier. The two hacked through dozens of enemies, making their way through the burning landscape that continued to be pelted by cannon balls.

The two fought and fought until they made it past the soldiers and made it to the crumbling remains of the manor. Aveza noticed that the only structures left standing intact were the three headstones that marked the graves of the old colonial mentor, Achilles, and his family. At least Jackson's men had the decency to let the dead rest peacefully in their graves.

Aveza thought fast. The manor was all but rubble now. And the chest she had locked the key in was on the second floor. What was she going to do?

That question had an unfortunate answer in the form of Andrew Jackson. The malicious Templar walked out from behind the rubble, the light of the flames dancing on his evil eyes as he stood tall.

Aveza and Arnold scowled at him. They tried to make a move towards him, but they were stopped by about a dozen soldiers that managed to quickly surround them and aim their muskets. Aveza glared at Jackson. He glared back. He pulled something out of his pocket and held it up to mock her. Aveza looked in horror. The key.

“Looking for this, Assassin?” he mocked. “I must thank you for keeping it safe for me until I could hunt you down and take it.”

“Jackson you bloody bastard!” Aveza shouted at him in fury. “I'll gut you like the bloody pig you are!

Jackson laughed. “I’d love to see you try,” he said. The soldiers moved in a little bit closer to the two Assassins.

“You don't seem to get it, Ms. Deryn,” taunted Jackson. “I've won. I now have everything I need to enter that Temple of yours once I find it. And when I step inside, I will use what lies within to finally gain the power I deserve! You see, when there's something I want, I get it. I want power, than I get it. When I want to be the safeguard of my great nation, I will be it. When something stands in my way…”

He gave a short hand signal to his men. “...then I will destroy it.”

He threw his hand down. “Fire, men!” he shouted.

Aveza thought faster than she ever had before. She took in every aspect of the scene around her in a split second. And, just before the men pulled their triggers, she formulated a plan. A split second before the soldiers squeezed their triggers, Aveza lunged backwards, pulling Arnold in tow to keep him in the Shard’s shield, and she grabbed the nearest soldier.

The soldiers fired their guns, and most of the bullets bounced off the Shard’s shield. But the ones that broke through were blocked by the body of the soldier that Aveza yanked in front of her and Arnold and used as a human shield. She then pulled Arnold away as she sprinted through the gap in the circle that the dead soldier created. The two sprinted away in the opposite direction, hearing Jackson laugh and taunt them as they ran. Aveza felt the tears coming on again. She'd lost the key. And there was no way she'd be able to retrieve it at the moment. There were too many obstacles, too many risks. And now the key was in the possession of her greatest, most despicable enemy. She cried as she ran.

The two sprinted past all the soldiers that tried to stop them. They dodged cannonballs and darted around flames. They kept running and running until they made it back to Connor and Shikoba, who urged them to quickly follow them out of danger. Aveza instinctively went to her mother, who held her daughter as she cried. The four sprinted into the forest, following the path until they could no longer hear the sounds of muskets and cannons. Once they were certain that they were in the clear, they finally slowed their pace, and stopped running. They sat down on a fallen tree, out of breath.

Aveza cried. Shikoba cried too, but her cries were silent. She held her daughter tight. Arnold was torn up as well, but he tried to stay strong to comfort his lover. Connor didn't make a sound. He just lowered his head and let his tears warm his face. So many memories, all destroyed in a matter of minutes. All the Assassin history that the Homestead held, turned to ashes. It was a tragic, tragic day for all of them.

“What do we do now?” Shikoba asked Connor with sorrow.

For moment, he said nothing, but eventually he said, “We rebuild. Somewhere else.”

Aveza looked at him through her tears.

“Where?” she said.

“I do not know… but we will rebuild. We always do. We'll probably move west, to the frontier. Somewhere relatively untouched by Templar hands.”

“And what of that dog, Jackson?”

Connor said nothing again for a moment, but then he looked her in the eyes, and he said simply, “He dies.”