Malik,

I admit I was surprised to wake up in such strange and unfamiliar surroundings. You probably would've laughed if you'd seen me. I panicked momentarily until I saw you nesting on a nearby tree branch. Thank you for this book. It does comfort me greatly.

I feared as much, for I drew the same conclusion. I shall miss our home, but like you said nothing can be done for it. I hope we can bring a quick end to this curse, but if I think about it realistically I know it will probably take a long time for us to finish this. This saddens me. I suppose I should get used to living in the wilderness hunting for my prey. It proves much harder than tracking a target. When I kill a man, he is usually completely unsuspecting and goes down quickly. Animals have their cursed senses and usually bolt before I even get close. It is a sad sight. You would laugh.

The sun will soon be rising. Did you know? This whole time you've been sitting on my shoulder, watching me write. You will not remember it, I know, but already you are keeping your promise. How nosy you are, reading over me like this. You seemed like you were laughing at me earlier, watching me chase after food. Regardless of form, how you love to mock me.

I must go now. Safety and peace be with you brother, and know that just like you, I swear, I will always be with you.

Altair


"Where is he!?"

"Get out of the way! Find him!"

"Did you see him!?"

"Don't let him get away!"

The citizens of the city scrambled to get out of the way as a horde of guards and soldiers rushed by, their footfalls loud and echoing as they stampeded through the streets, looking this way and that, pointing and shouting and breaking off to cover more ground.

In the chaos, no one noticed a young man clinging to a low hang post, pressed flat against a building in the shadows, hidden from view by a banner. He made a sound with his tongue as he heard the soldiers fade into the distance, peeking out briefly to be sure it was safe, and then swinging to haul himself onto the roof, struggling to work his tired arms from hanging for so long.

"Yeah right," he scoffed, feeling for a purchase, "I didn't...do all that work...to break out of prison...to die NOW."

Glancing in all directions, he darted across, wary of the usual guards and archers that patrolled the rooftops. He ducked back behind an outcropping, grinning. Perhaps he would make it out of this yet.

He made his way down a few buildings before crawling over the side, bracing his feet against the wall and using the short posts to slowly climb down. As he reached for the next, he couldn't help a startled yelp as it gave under his grip just as he moved to swing down, and he fell, landing in some crates below with an almighty crash. He groaned.

Someone up there was having a laugh at him, he was certain. This kind of poor luck only struck those suffering from being the gods' current source of amusement.

Bastards. They weren't going to get a laugh from him if he was dead.

Almost on cue, he heard a shout in the distance and hurriedly scrambled up, stumbling over boxes and sprinting down the alley.

Of course, it only made sense that since he was being used for some higher force's entertainment, he came out only to crash brutally into a passing guard. Horrified, he flailed backward only to be caught by the arm.

'Oh, mother,' he thought, heart sinking, 'You were right. Life sometimes is so unbearably unfair.'

He smiled weakly. "Excuse me?" he tried.

The guard sneered and jerked him forward. "I have you now, you little vulture."

Well, there was really only one way to sum up this situation, as the first fist came rushing at him.

Shit.