Finally after a while he spoke, “Are there really other Rifters out there? Following us?” he asked.
“Yes,” Altair said.
“You can see them? In the dark?”
“There is nothing to dark that I cannot see through,” Altair said looking at him, his eyes seeming to momentarily flash gold and Malik immediately understood what he meant. Even in darkness he could see them because they shown like blue torches in he darkness. “I bet they think you’re one of us,” he laughed dryly.
“Really?”
“From a distance,” he shrugged.
“Oh,” Malik bit his lower lip. “You said the other day you wished we were dead,” he said slowly, “Yet here you are taking care of us.”
Altair rocked back and caught himself on his arms. Malik looked him over as his hood flopped down around his shoulders and frowned slightly. “I am a warrior,” he said lowly, “I live by the Creed. It says that one does not take the lives of the innocent, one does not allow them to come needlessly into harm’s way. I may not like you or your country and I may wish many things, but I will always abide by the Creed,” he turned to look at Malik, “It is all I have and all that protects you people from us when we are sent to kill those who earn a feather.”
“Would you kill me?” Malik asked.
“I have no reason to,” Altair huffed looking away, “You are an innocent-
“I am not,” Malik scowled at him.
“To the Creed you are, and that is what matters.”
“And what makes someone not innocent?” he demanded.
“When they harm us, when they intend to hurt our people, our way of life,” Altair said softly. “Then they become our enemies and we destroy them.” Malik frowned but said nothing, “Be glad you are an innocent Malik, and that your friends are innocent, or they would not leave this place alive.”
“What about you? Are you innocent then?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” he sighed and looked up, “I kill people. I hurt people. I will be rewarded in the end, but I am no innocent.”
Malik thought on that, he’d never thought of it like that. People called Rifters monsters, terrorists, murderers, cannibals (which he knew was probably he furthest from the truth), and so much more and so few actually stopped and thought why it was they did what they did. They did not kill by choice, they did so out of need. Need to protect what was important to them while the people of Malik’s country were busy trying to kill the heretics and the monsters. It was a terrible cause and effect really and Malik felt wretched for being a part of it.
Malik watched the moon arc across the sky, leaning back onto his arms like Altair was, trying to work up the courage to speak again, to ask what he’d been meaning to ask the entire time. It just seemed like it was never the right moment because Altair and Night were either fighting or the Rifters stayed away from them.
Finally, when it was getting closer to the time for Ezio to keep watch Malik finally said it. “Altair,” he said drawing his attention, Altair just grunted, “You said the Rifters watching us probably think I’m one of you,” he said. Altair nodded slowly and scratched at the growing hair on his chin from a week without shaving. Malik swallowed and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Altair turned to him, looking curious, no doubt wondering where Malik was going with this. “I… could I come with you?” he finally blurted out.
Altair blinked and looked genuinely surprised. “Why would you want to do that?” he asked, “You have a life back in your own country.”
“I know but,” he looked down not knowing exactly what to say. “It isn’t like I like it there. I’m afraid all the time someone will find me and other than Leo I don’t have friends outside of the movers.”
“And?” Altair knew that wasn’t all.
“I thought I could see my brother,” he admitted, he was glad for the darkness because he could feel heat creeping up to his cheeks when he said his next words, “And maybe we could-
“There is nothing for you beyond the Rift Malik,” Altair said not looking at him and huffing a loud sigh. “Kadar isn’t your brother, he is one of us, a warrior, an Assassin,” the word was foreign to Malik. “He has no place in your life and you no place in his.”
Re: Clipped (18f/?)
“Yes,” Altair said.
“You can see them? In the dark?”
“There is nothing to dark that I cannot see through,” Altair said looking at him, his eyes seeming to momentarily flash gold and Malik immediately understood what he meant. Even in darkness he could see them because they shown like blue torches in he darkness. “I bet they think you’re one of us,” he laughed dryly.
“Really?”
“From a distance,” he shrugged.
“Oh,” Malik bit his lower lip. “You said the other day you wished we were dead,” he said slowly, “Yet here you are taking care of us.”
Altair rocked back and caught himself on his arms. Malik looked him over as his hood flopped down around his shoulders and frowned slightly. “I am a warrior,” he said lowly, “I live by the Creed. It says that one does not take the lives of the innocent, one does not allow them to come needlessly into harm’s way. I may not like you or your country and I may wish many things, but I will always abide by the Creed,” he turned to look at Malik, “It is all I have and all that protects you people from us when we are sent to kill those who earn a feather.”
“Would you kill me?” Malik asked.
“I have no reason to,” Altair huffed looking away, “You are an innocent-
“I am not,” Malik scowled at him.
“To the Creed you are, and that is what matters.”
“And what makes someone not innocent?” he demanded.
“When they harm us, when they intend to hurt our people, our way of life,” Altair said softly. “Then they become our enemies and we destroy them.” Malik frowned but said nothing, “Be glad you are an innocent Malik, and that your friends are innocent, or they would not leave this place alive.”
“What about you? Are you innocent then?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” he sighed and looked up, “I kill people. I hurt people. I will be rewarded in the end, but I am no innocent.”
Malik thought on that, he’d never thought of it like that. People called Rifters monsters, terrorists, murderers, cannibals (which he knew was probably he furthest from the truth), and so much more and so few actually stopped and thought why it was they did what they did. They did not kill by choice, they did so out of need. Need to protect what was important to them while the people of Malik’s country were busy trying to kill the heretics and the monsters. It was a terrible cause and effect really and Malik felt wretched for being a part of it.
Malik watched the moon arc across the sky, leaning back onto his arms like Altair was, trying to work up the courage to speak again, to ask what he’d been meaning to ask the entire time. It just seemed like it was never the right moment because Altair and Night were either fighting or the Rifters stayed away from them.
Finally, when it was getting closer to the time for Ezio to keep watch Malik finally said it. “Altair,” he said drawing his attention, Altair just grunted, “You said the Rifters watching us probably think I’m one of you,” he said. Altair nodded slowly and scratched at the growing hair on his chin from a week without shaving. Malik swallowed and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Altair turned to him, looking curious, no doubt wondering where Malik was going with this. “I… could I come with you?” he finally blurted out.
Altair blinked and looked genuinely surprised. “Why would you want to do that?” he asked, “You have a life back in your own country.”
“I know but,” he looked down not knowing exactly what to say. “It isn’t like I like it there. I’m afraid all the time someone will find me and other than Leo I don’t have friends outside of the movers.”
“And?” Altair knew that wasn’t all.
“I thought I could see my brother,” he admitted, he was glad for the darkness because he could feel heat creeping up to his cheeks when he said his next words, “And maybe we could-
“There is nothing for you beyond the Rift Malik,” Altair said not looking at him and huffing a loud sigh. “Kadar isn’t your brother, he is one of us, a warrior, an Assassin,” the word was foreign to Malik. “He has no place in your life and you no place in his.”
“You would say that. What about your own bro-