The Mentor touched the man’s sleeve in a familiar, friendly way. His movements were performed in the careful and precise manner of the very old, but there was nothing of the feebleness you might expect in a man of ninety-one winters, especially one from whom life had exacted so much. ‘Niccolò,’ said Altaïr, ‘we have long held the Polo family – you and your brother here – close to our hearts, though our time spent together was, I know, brief enough. But I have faith that this Codex, which I now place in your hands, will answer the many questions you have yet to ask.’
Altaïr gestured to an aide, who stepped forward to place a leather-bound volume in Niccolò Polo’s hands.
‘Altaïr,’ said the Italian, ‘this gift is … invaluable. Grazie.’
Altaïr nodded in acknowledgement as the aide now handed him a small bag. ‘So,’ he said, turning back to the elder Polo brother, ‘where will you go next?’
‘Maffeo and I will return to Constantinople for a time. We intend to establish a guild there before returning to Venice.’
Altaïr smiled. ‘Your son, Marco, will be eager to hear his father’s wild stories.’
‘At three, he is a little young for such tales. But one day soon, yes indeed, he will hear them.’
They were interrupted by the arrival of Darim, who came rushing through the inner gate towards them.
‘Father! A vanguard of Hulagu’s Mongols has broken through! The village is threatened!’
‘So soon?’ Altaïr stiffened. His tone when he spoke again to Niccolò was urgent. ‘Niccolò – your cargo and provisions are waiting for you by the village gate. We will escort you there. Then you must make all speed.’
‘Thank you, Mentor.’
Altaïr turned to two Assassins who had detached themselves from the larger group, all now in full readiness for the battle ahead and already riding out.
‘Prepare the catapults,’ he ordered, ‘and watch for my signal.’
They bowed their assent and ran off to do as he bid.
‘Stay close,’ Altaïr commanded the Polo brothers.
‘We must make our way to the village immediately, Father,’ Darim said. ‘I think you had better remain with Niccolò and Maffeo. I will clear the path ahead.’
‘Take care, Darim. And keep an eye on the trebuchets.’ Altaïr looked over to where the massive sling-mounted catapults were being pulled into place by their crews.
Darim smiled. ‘If they hit me, they will hit a dozen Mongols at the same time.’
‘Khan Hulagu is not an enemy to be trifled with.’
‘We are ready for him.’
Altaïr turned to his guests. ‘Come,’ he said.
They mounted the horses which had been readied for them and rode out of the fortress at an easy pace, taking a route well clear of the main battle, which had been joined on the slopes of the nearby foothills.
‘Will you hold them?’ asked Niccolò, unable to disguise the nervousness in his voice.
‘For as long as necessary,’ Altaïr reassured him, calmly. ‘I envy you your journey,’ he continued, ‘Byzantium is a splendid city.’
Niccolò smiled tightly, for he was more than a little aware of the danger they were in, however little Altaïr seemed to be making of it. But he’d been in tough corners before, and he knew what Altaïr was trying to do – make light of it. He played the game. ‘You prefer the ancient name, I see. Have you ever been there?’
‘Long ago. When you Venetians diverted the Frankish crusaders to attack it instead of Jerusalem.’
‘Constantinople was Venice’s greatest trade rival then. It was a great coup.’
‘It opened Europe to the east in more ways than one.’
‘The Mongols will never get that far,’ said Niccolò, but his voice was nervous.
Altaïr didn’t pick him up on that. Instead he said, ‘That little conflict in 1204 prevented me from bringing the Creed to Europe.’
‘Well, with luck – and patience – we will finish what you started.’
‘If you have the chance, the view from the top of Hagia Sofia is the best in the city.’
‘How does one get to the top?’
Altaïr smiled. ‘With training and patience.’ He paused. ‘I take it that when you get away from here you won’t try the overland route there? That you’ll be sailing to Byzantium?’
‘Yes. We’ll ride to Latakia and get a ship there. The roads in Anatolia are fogged by memories of the crusades.’
‘Ah,’ said Altaïr, ‘the deepest passions can be the most deadly.’
‘Do visit us if you are able, Altaïr. We will have plenty of space for you and your entourage.’
‘No,’ said Altaïr. ‘Thank you, but that is no country for old men, Niccolò. I will stay here, as I always must, now.’
‘Well, should you change you mind, our door is always open.’
Altaïr was watching the battle. The trebuchets had been brought into play and had found their range. The stones they were hurling into the Mongol ranks were wreaking havoc.
A rider detached himself from the main body of Assassin cavalry and came towards them at the gallop. It was Darim.
‘We will rest briefly at the village,’ said Altaïr to him as he rode up. ‘You seem to have the enemy in check.’
‘But for how long, Father?’
‘I have every faith in you. After all, you are not a boy any longer.’
‘I am sixty-two years old.’
‘You make me feel quite ancient,’ Altaïr joked. But Darim could see the pallor on his cheeks, and realized how tired his father really was.
‘Of course, we will rest, and see our friends off properly.’
They rode round to the village stables and the Polo brothers made haste to transfer their belongings to the pack-horses provided for them, together with the two fresh mounts for their journey westwards to the coast. Altaïr, finally able to rest, slumped a little and leant against Darim for support.
‘Father – are you hurt?’ asked Darim in a voice of concern and escorted him to a bench under a tree.
‘Give me a moment,’ panted Altaïr, reluctant to give in to the pain he felt. He sat heavily and took a breath, looking back to the castle. An aged man, he thought, was nothing but a paltry thing, like a tattered cloak upon a stick, but he had at least let his soul clap its hands and sing.
‘The end of an era,’ he whispered.
He looked at his son, and smiled. He took the bag which the aide had handed him earlier, and took out its contents. Five obsidian discs, intricately carved. He stacked them neatly. ‘When I was very young,’ he said, ‘I was foolish enough to believe that our Creed would bring an end to these conflicts.’ He paused. ‘If only I had possessed the humility to say to myself, I have done enough for one life. I have done my part.’ With an effort he rose to his feet. ‘Then again, there is no greater glory than fighting to find the truth.’ He looked across the village and beyond it to the battle.
Niccolò Polo came up. ‘We are ready,’ he said.
‘A last favour, Niccolò,’ said Altaïr, giving him the stone discs. ‘Take these with you and guard them well. Hide them, if you must.’
Niccolò gave him a quizzical look.
‘What are these – artefacts?’
‘They are indeed artefacts of a kind. They are keys, each one of them imbued with a message.’
Niccolò examined one closely. He was puzzled. ‘A message – for whom?’
Altaïr took the key in his hand. ‘I wish I knew …’
He raised the key high. It began to glow. He closed his eyes, lost in concentration.
68
Ezio became aware of where he was once more. The light in the cabin resumed its normal comfortable dimness. He smelt the cedar wood of its walls and fittings, saw the dust motes in the sunlight which came through the porthole, and heard the sounds of running feet on the decks, the cries of the sailors and the creak of the yards as the sails were hoisted.
They were under way.
Out at sea, they saw the sail of a Barbary pirate, which made both Ezio and Piri think of their old friend, al-Scarab, but the pirate ship stood off and did not attack them. For most of the fifteen-day voyage they were alone on the wine-dark, mackerel-crowded water, and Ezio spent his time vainly attempting to decipher the symbols on the key, wishing Sofia were there to help him, worrying about her safety, and becoming increasingly impatient to reach their goal.
But at last the day dawned when the domes, the cloud-capped towers, the walls, belltowers and minarets of Constantinople appeared low on the horizon.
‘We’ll be there by mid-afternoon,’ said Piri Reis.
‘The sooner the better.’
The port was as crowded as ever, though it was a humid and oppressive day, and siesta time. There was a particularly dense mob around a herald, who stood on a podium at the shore end of the main quay. He was attended by a squad of Janissaries in their flowing white robes. While the red dhow was unloading, Ezio walked over to listen to what the man had to say.
‘Citizens of the empire and travellers from foreign lands, take heed! By order of the Janissaries, new restrictions now apply to all who travel to and from the city. I hereby give notice that a reward of ten thousand akçe will be given, without question, to anyone who brings information that leads to the immediate arrest of the Assassin, Auditore, Ezio.’
Ezio looked back at Piri Reis and exchanged a glance with him. Piri came over discreetly.
‘Make your best way out of here,’ he said. ‘Have you your key with you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then take your weapons and go. I’ll take care of the rest of your gear.’
Nodding his thanks, Ezio slipped quickly through the crowd and into the town.
He made his way by an indirect route to Sofia’s shop, checking every so often that he had not been followed or recognized. When he was close, he started to feel both relief and pleasurable anticipation. But when he turned the corner of her street, he was brought up short. The shop door stood wide open, a small crowd was gathered nearby, and a group of Yusuf’s Assassins, including Dogan and Kasim, stood on guard.
Ezio crossed to them quickly, his throat dry. ‘What is going on?’ he asked Kasim.
‘Inside,’ said Kasim, tersely. Ezio saw that there were tears in his eyes.
He entered the shop. Inside, it looked much as it had been when he last left it, but on reaching the inner courtyard, his heart all but stopped at the sight which confronted him.
Lying across a bench, face down, lay Yusuf. The hilt of a dagger protruded between his shoulder blades.
‘There was a note pinned to his back by the dagger,’ said Dogan, who had followed him in. ‘It’s addressed to you. Here it is.’ He handed Ezio a blood-stained sheet of parchment.
‘Have you read it?’
Dogan nodded.
‘When did this happen?’
‘Today. Can’t have been long ago because the flies haven’t really gathered yet.’
Ezio, caught between tears and rage, drew the dagger from Yusuf’s back. There was no fresh blood to flow.
‘You have earned your rest, brother,’ he said, softly. ‘Requiescat in Pace.’ Then he unfolded the sheet of parchment. Its message, from Ahmet, was short, but its contents made Ezio seethe with rage.
More Assassins had entered the courtyard now, and Ezio looked from one to the other.
‘Where is Sofia?’ he said, through his teeth.
‘We don’t know where he has taken her.’
‘Anyone else missing?’
‘We cannot find Azize.’
‘Brothers! Sisters! It seems as if Ahmet wishes the whole city to rise against us, while Yusuf’s murderer watches and waits in the Arsenal, laughing. Fight with me, and let us show him what it means to cross the Assassins!’
69
They made their way en masse to the Arsenal and there, in no mood to trifle, made short and brutal work of the Janissary guard loyal to Ahmet, who stood watch there. Ahmet could not have been expecting such a sudden surprise attack, or he had underestimated both the fury and the strength of the Assassins, whose power had grown steadily under Yusuf’s command. Either that, or Ahmet believed he still held the trump cards for, when Ezio cornered him, he showed little sign of alarm.
Ezio, swept along by his rage, only managed to stop himself from killing the Ottoman prince at the very last moment, throwing him to the floor and gripping him by the throat, but then driving his hidden blade furiously into the tiles, inches from Ahmet’s head. With Ahmet dead, he’d have no means of rescuing Sofia. That much had been clear from the note. But for an instant blood had clouded Ezio’s judgment.
His face was close to the prince’s. Ezio smelt the scent of violets on his breath. Ahmet returned his livid gaze calmly.
‘Where is she?’ Ezio demanded sternly.
Ahmet gave a light laugh. ‘Such wrath!’ he said.
‘Where – is – she?!’
‘My dear Ezio, if you think you are in a position to dictate terms, you may as well kill me now and be done with it.’
Ezio did not release his grip for a moment, nor did he retract the hidden blade, but seconds later reason got the better of him and he stood up, flexing his wrist so that the blade shot back into its harness.
Ahmet sat up, rubbing his neck, but otherwise remained where he was, still with a laugh in his voice. It was almost as if the prince were playing an enjoyable game, Ezio thought, with a mixture of frustration and contempt.
‘I am sorry it had to come to this,’ said Ahmet. ‘Two men who should be friends, quarrelling over – what? The keys to some dusty old archive.’ He got to his feet, dusting himself off, and continued, ‘We both strive towards the same end, Messer Auditore. Only our methods differ. Do you not see that?’ He paused. Ezio could guess what was coming next. He’d heard the Templars’ rationale of their dictatorial ambitions too often before. ‘Peace. Stability. A world where men live without fear. People desire the truth, yes, but even when they have it, they refuse to look. How do you fight this kind of ignorance?’
The prince’s voice had grown vehement. Ezio wondered if he actually believed what he was spouting. He countered, ‘Liberty can be messy, principe, but it is priceless.’ To himself, he thought: tyranny is always better organized than freedom.
‘Of course,’ Ahmet replied, drily. ‘And when things fall apart, and the lights of civilization dim, Ezio Auditore can stand above the darkness and say proudly, “I stayed true to my Creed.” ’ Ahmet turned away, bringing himself under control. ‘I will open Altaïr’s archive, I will penetrate his library, and I will find the Grand Temple. And, with the power that is hidden there, I will destroy the superstitions that keep men divided.’
‘Not in this life, Ahmet,’ Ezio replied, evenly.
Ahmet snorted impatiently and made to leave. Ezio didn’t attempt to stop him. At the door, the prince turned to him once more. ‘Bring the keys to the Galata Tower,’ he said. ‘Do this, and Sofia Sartor will be spared.’ He paused. ‘And do not delay, Ezio. My brother’s army will be here before too long. When it arrives, everything will change. And I need to be ready.’
With that, Ahmet left. Ezio watched him go, signalling to his men not to hinder him.
His thoughts were interrupted by a polite cough behind him. He turned – and saw Prince Suleiman standing before him.
‘How long have you been here?’ he demanded.
‘Long enough. Behind that arras. I heard your conversation. But then, I’ve had my dear uncle followed closely ever since he returned from his little trip abroad. In fact, I’ve been keeping an eye on him ever since he tried to have me killed – an attempt you so usefully foiled with your lute.’ He paused. ‘Nevertheless, I never expected to hear … all this.’
‘And what do you think?’
Suleiman pondered a moment before replying. Then he said, with a sigh, ‘He is a sincere man; but this Templar fantasy of his is dangerous. It flies in the face of real
ity.’ He paused. ‘Look, Ezio, I have not lived long, but I have lived long enough to know that the world is a tapestry of many colours and patterns. A just leader would celebrate this, not seek to unravel it.’
‘He fears the disorder that comes from differences.’
‘That is why we make laws to live by – a kanun that applies to all in equal measure.’
They were interrupted by the arrival of a patrol of Janissary guards which the Assassins outside had let pass, since this cohort was loyal to Suleiman. But when their lieutenant saw Ezio, he drew his scimitar.
‘Stand back, my prens!’ said the officer, making to arrest Ezio.
‘Hold, soldier,’ said Suleiman. ‘This man is not our enemy.’
The lieutenant wavered for a moment, then ordered his men out, muttering an apology.
Suleiman and Ezio smiled at one another.
‘We have come a long way since that first voyage,’ said Suleiman.
‘I was thinking what a challenge it would be to have a son like you.’
‘You are not dead yet, friend. Perhaps you will yet have a son worthy of you.’ Suleiman started to take his leave, when a thought struck him. ‘Ezio, I know you will be under extreme pressure, but – spare my uncle, if you can.’
‘Would your father?’
Suleiman did not hesitate. ‘I hadn’t thought about that – but, no.’
70
Ezio made his way to the Istanbul Assassins’ headquarters, at all possible speed. Once there, he took the four keys he’d already retrieved and added the one he’d taken from Manuel in Derinkuyu to their number. Packing them safely in a shoulder satchel, he slung it round him. He strapped his hookblade to his right wrist and his pistol to his left and, in case a quick escape from the top of the Tower should prove necessary, placed Leonardo’s parachute in a backpack.
Assassin’s Creed® Page 127