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Description[]
Assassin's Creed Bow Down is the first entry in LR. McLeod's Purge Trilogy. The Purge Trilogy is about the effects of the The Great Purge that shook the Templar's and Assassin's war greatly. It spans from the years of 1980 (Prior to the Great Purge) to 2040 (Well after the Great Purge). The first novel will take us through the events of ACFanon:Benjamin Laurence's life leading up to the Great Purge. Benjamin is an inspirational figure to the Creed for his courage and nobility, and in Bow Down we will venture his story.
Prologue: In Death's Embrace[]
The sounds of crunching grass and yells surrounded me. The black figures that strafed across me and stared into my eyes with their own blue empty ones, they swung sharp blades and black blurs across my vision while screaming “Die Assassin!”. The weapon that extended from my hand could only do so much, could only kill so many.
SHINK!
My weapon flew through the dark shell of a figure and split into a squishy skin that gargled as my weapon spilled red liquids from their body that dripped to the ground or ran down my arm. That is when I felt a piercing pain run across my back and pull me from my victim. I fell to my knee as a figure behind myself flicked out another weapon that made an odd click as he prepared it.
“Goodbye, Benjamin”
BANG!
Coldness…emptiness…darkness…death.
Chapter I: In the Average Day of Benjamin[]
12 years earlier…
My eyes split open as I shot up, heavy breathing emitted from my own mouth as I panicked. I surveyed the area…it was my room. The small cramped area I slept with a small bed to the corner and a closet sat up next to a wall and one window that’s cheap blinds let in creaks of sunlight. I rested my head and placed my hand on my chest as I began to feel relieved.
The dream I had had confused me, I had never had a dream that felt so real and was so dark. It was almost like it was a message of some kind, a message for me, a warning.
“Benjamin, are you awake!?” a deep voice asked from behind the door that it knocked its fist onto.
“Uh…yeah” I replied, my lighter 14 year old voice could not compare to my own father’s.
“Okay, well it’s time to get ready for school, don’t want to miss Assumption Day? Do you?” My father joked.
Assumption Day was a special day for the school I attended, Assumption College Kilmore. The school was a Mara School, it was founded by the Mara Brothers who were founded by Marcellin Champagne. On Assumption Day all we did for the day was have a morning mass for Period 1 and 2, then we get to roam the yard freely as stalls hosted by the school’s houses sell all kinds of foods, and the last period treats us to a concert. So, it was no learning, which worked for me.
I run my legs out of my blanket and step onto the carpet of my room that surprisingly wasn’t covered in my own laundry. I stepped up and smiled, Spring had begun to take its place over Winter and the sun breaches from my window sent tingles of warmth down my spine. I then turned to the door as I made my way out of my room.
I moved from the hallway to the dining room quickly as I noticed my father eating oatmeal on the table as he got ready to go to work and my mother sitting on the couch watching the Morning Show. As I walked through the dining room and the living room my mother noticed me.
“Benjamin, looking forward to the day?” she asked me in her sweet voice.
“It’ll be okay, I guess” I answer.
“Just try and have fun” she smiles.
I then turn from her, also shooting her a smile, and make my way through our study. My eyes creep across to my NES that is hooked up to a small TV that rests on the desk with my father’s computer. Oh god, just get this day over with, I want to finish Mario! I continue walking as I grab a towel from the clothes horse and make my way to the left as I begin to enter another hallway.
I walk into the room, it was a spacious bathroom equipped with a bath, a sink, and a shower. I fling my towel over the glass wall of the shower as it rests there for me to grab when I’m done cleansing myself. I then open the door and twist the knobs as I feel for the temperature until I had it just right. I then undress myself before entering and using shampoo, soap, conditioner, etc.
I continue my day of getting ready by making my way back to my room and sitting on my bed as I dress myself again into a blue ,long sleeved, button-up, shirt, some grey slacks, a blue tie, a blue jumper, and some up to knee socks.
After dressing into my very expensive uniform I make my way out again, collect my money for the cafeteria, eat my breakfast, and dress into my large blue blazer.
I sat on the couch as I watched the Morning Show with my mother as my dad left for the dad.
“See ya’ Benjamin” he waves.
“Bye dad, try and have a good day at work” I joke.
“Emphasis on try” He laughs.
I then return to watching the show when my mother looks at me.
“Shouldn’t you be walking to school?” She asks.
“It’s only 7:50” I reply.
“What about your friend that catches the bus, his probably going to be lonely all by himself at 8:10” She guilt trips me.
“Fine” I sigh, getting off the couch, I know she just wants me out of her hair.
“Don’t forget your violin” She pesters me.
“Mum, it’s Assumption Day, I don’t have band” I inform her.
“Oh, right” she giggles.
“Bye, mum” I sigh.
“Bye”
I then make my way out of the door with my bag on my back and begin to walk up Church Street with my laziness beginning me to just dump my bag full of homework on the street and continue walking.
“Hey, Ben” I hear a voice call out.
I snap my head back and see my friend who also lives on Church Street and walks to school, Rover.
“Oh, hi Rover” I wave.
“Why are you going to school so early?” He asks, beginning to move towards me with his own bag.
“My mum guilt tripped me into hanging out with Duncan when he just gets there” I sigh.
“I though Duncan was always late?” Rover questions.
“Remember, he started catching the bus last week because his mother moved to Pyalong with him” I remind Rover.
“Oh yeah” Rover looks at me, “C’mon, I’ll walk with you” He suggests.
We then begin to walk whilst talking before I halt Rover and myself outside the gate as I notice someone walking across the street.
“Dude, stop” I tell Rover.
“What is it?” He asks.
I look over to the young girl walking across the street in a white hoodie, looks just a year older than myself.
“Do you see that girl?” I ask.
“Uh, yeah” Rover answers, confused.
“Do you know where she goes?” I ask Rover.
“I think she just came to our school, Marcellin house I believe” Rover informs me.
“She goes here? Why isn’t she in uniform, it’s around school time?” I ask.
“I don’t know, maybe she’s heading home to change or something” Rover says.
“I’m going to ask” I taking my bag off, “Dude, can you put my bag in my locker?” I ask.
“I forgot your code” Rover replies, picking up my bag.
“15, 33, 23” I tell Rover, beginning to walk across the empty road.
I walk up to the girl and her eyes look over her shoulder and she notices me.
“Hello” I greet her.
“Uh, Hi, can I help you?” She asks, turning to face me.
“No, but I think I can help you, Kilmore isn’t the safest town for a girl to just be walking on her own” I tell her, pointing out my hand.
“Kilmore has one of the lowest crime rates I’ve ever seen, and even if there was crime I can handle myself” she tells me.
“Please, take my hand, it will be safer” I suggest.
“Do you think some pretty boy, like yourself, can just take my hand and kiss me on the lips?” she asks.
“Yeah, why not?” I ask.
“You’re pathetic” She sighs, turning around and walking off.
“Shit” I hiss under my breath.
Chapter II: To Wield The Blade
2 months had passed, it was the first week back from school and it was a hot Friday afternoon. I sat in my chair on our last period, Humanities. I sat in the blue plastic chair with a my exercise book folded out in front of me as I wrote long paragraphs across the page that twitched with every drop of lead on its white surface.
For the term we were researching and writing about the Italian Renaissance, I quite enjoyed everything I could find out about it, but the assessments were a drag. As my knuckles began to feel the pain of writing non-stop I decided to drop the pencil across my page and I raised my hand into the air for the teacher’s attention.
“Yes, Mister Laurence?” the teacher’s deep booming voice asked, as he looked up from his clipboard and his pupils rested on the lenses of his glasses.
“Would I be able to use the computer, sir? I’ve overlooked the books over and over again, but my questions remain unanswered” I explain, as I mostly just was sick of writing and wanted to hook up to the internet and be able to use a mouse rather than my own fingers, made of muscle that tire.
“Mister Laurence, all questions you would most likely want are probably in The Italian Renaissance, Year 9” he suggested, as he hated his students using the dial up internet.
“Well yes, but it seems to speak little of the Auditore family” I say, trying to reason my request.
I see his neck slightly jolt his head back as he lowers the clipboard, the word Auditore seems to have surprised him a bit. “Mister Laurence, stick to the books content, no further questions need to be asked of the Auditore family than what is in the book” he says, a slight hostility came off in his voice as he said Auditore.
“Sorry, sir” I say, lowering my eyes to the page before me.
As my fingers began to rub against the wooden corners of the pencil the metal appliance on the wall smacked across the bell it was attached to multiple times, I was saved by the bell.
A smile overcomes my face as I no longer have to write lead into the once-was tree, I begin to slide my books into a pile and flick my pencil into my pencil case, it was time I made it to my locker.
After making my through what you usually do I began to walk across the pathway as the beaming sun struck me with its rays, it didn’t help the school forced me to lug around a heavy bag dressed in a blazer. As I made my way to the bus stop Rover made my acquaintance.
“Hi dude” He said, very informally as usual.
“Oh, hey” I said, slightly flicking my wrist as a mediocre wave.
“So, looking forward to the school social?” He asks.
“School social? Oh yeah! School social, I totally forgot” I exclaim, tapping my forehead as I remember.
“How did you forget? Dude, didn’t you hear? Laura is going to be there!” He questions, opening his palm as he speaks.
“L-l-laura? Oh” I say, slightly blushing from the mention of her name.
“Dude, I know, and you know, that you’ve got the hots for her. Now try not to choke and break the ice” he jokes, banging his fist into my shoulder.
“I’ll try, but I don’t think she’s interested, she doesn’t seem very…well….social” I state.
“Eh, whatever dude, I’ll have all the chicks with how killer I look in a tuxedo” He laughs.
“You, in a tuxedo? Yeah right” I snicker.
“Dude! You should so wear a tuxedo too, we can be The Tuxedo Bros!” He exclaims.
“Yeah, and while I’m at it I should wear thick brimmed glasses, wear a flannel jacket, and call myself hip” I joke.
“You never know, to those in the Italian Renaissance our fashion probably seems dumb, that just might be the next big thing in the future” He laughs, referring to the Humanities lessons we have in the 4th term of the 9th grade.
“Hey, you know what? Just for shits and giggles I’ll wear the god damn tuxedo, my dad’s small enough so I’ll raid his closet” I say.
“Haha! It’s going to be sweet! Oh, there’s my bus! Tuxedo Bro Numero Uno away!” He says, running off to his bus.
“Hey, I’m Tuxedo Bro Numero Uno!” I exclaim.
Later it was 5 in the afternoon and the sun had begun to take a small rest on the hills of Broadford before dropping off to its slumber. Since I stepped in the front door I had been getting ready for the social, which starts at 7. I showered, washed my hair, cleansed my body with soap, and had dinner in a bland white shirt and some track pants before dressing in my tuxedo. After brushing my teeth I walked through the living room to reach my father and to ask him if I could put on an old tuxedo.
“Hey dad?” I ask, getting his attention.
“Yeah mate?” He replies.
“Me and my friend are planning on being the Tuxedo Bros at the social, could I go through your closet for an old tux?” I ask.
“Sure, just don’t go springing your hand into the darkness, might prick yourself on something sharp” He warns me, before letting me be off. I didn’t know why there would be something sharp in his closet, but it was best I didn’t ask.
I made my way to my parents room and opened the sliding, wooden, door that showed coats, shirts, jackets, etc, hanging from the bar overhead and boots and shoes that were aligned under them. I saw quite a bit of boxes all stacked up to the very corner, it was odd though, he usually chucked all our boxes in the living room fire place, even shoe boxes. Curious, I let out my hand and lifted up the first box where I was greeted with a wooden box with an odd insignia burned into its lid. I then lifted the box from its room and opened it to see a leather vanguard that could strap around the wrist.
I wasn’t sure what made me do it, but I thought it was some kind of old fashioned style choice, maybe it was a family relic passed down from our ancestry in Italy, the painting of Ezio Auditore Da Firenze showed him wearing one. I lifted the vanguard from its box and strapped it across my wrist, then I wanted to inspect how I looked so I approached the mirror.
I looked pretty snazzy to be honest, I decided to flick my wrist to try that pose out.
SSHHIINNKK
A long steel blade, easily exceeding my middle finger, extended from the vanguard and held itself across my wrist. This sudden blade coming out of nowhere and the loud noise it created caused me to jump back, where I then heard a step from behind me. I twisted my head to look behind me where I saw my dad standing in the doorway, I thought it was going to be verocious for trying out his gadgets, but he looked more…disappointed?
He looked down and sighed and then brought his eyes back up to look into mine. “It’s best I told you now, no more secrets to keep” he tells me.
“Tell me what? What have I done?” I ask, still expecting to be yelled at.
“Flick your wrist and hand me the hidden blade, I’ll show you everything” he asks of me, bringing out his hand to take the vanguard, which I guess is called a hidden blade.
I flicked my wrist and the blade quickly and swiftly flew back into its concealed home on the under of the hidden blade. I then reach for the sides and undo the straps across its leathery surface to unarm myself from its presence. I then look over to my dad and place the hidden blade across his palm, his dark brown eyes still locked onto me. As soon as I place the hidden blade in his hand he prepares his left arm to be equipped with it as he begins to strap it across his wrist. He then turns to face the inside of the closet.
“You’re probably wondering why your room is so small” he jokes.
He then reaches his hand into the middle of his coats and splits them apart where I notice a small crack in the back of the wall, he then places his foot in between the boots and brushes them to the side. He then takes a step back with a now opened access to the crack, he extends out his blade and strikes the crack with the blade and then he twists his wrist causing dust to flicker from the corners of the wall and the thump of mechanics beginning to work. He then pulls back from the wall as it begins to split apart and reveal a dark room, a shrine.
“Whoa” I gasp, never seeing anything like this before, nonetheless in my own home that I have lived in for the past 14 years.
Flames begin to appear from torches mounted on the dark wall, illuminating the area. I see a red wall and a painting of…my grandfather? There is a painting of my grandfather, a hood draped over his head as he stands in a World War II fitting apparel. I then looked to centre, a…Vietnam fitting apparel, my father had fought in Vietnam wearing that hood.
“Your grandfather was an Assassin, and I, for a brief time, was an Assassin myself” My father explains.
“Assassin?” I ask, being confused.
“Sit down, it’s going to take a while” He says, gesturing his hand to a chair.