A NEW CREED
CHAPTER ONE

Altair Ibn-La'Ahad sat in his study yet again, with a feather in his hand with glossy black ink on the end to help him write. To the left of him was a stack of 12 pages. His was currently writing the 13 page of what he began to call the Codex. In it were reflections and thoughts that came from Altair's mind and from what he continued to see in the cursed artifact, no larger than his palm, the Apple of Eden. He didn't still fully understand why he had not yet gotten rid of it, for it was the temptation that led Adam and Eve to sin. It was the treasure that the Templars wanted dearly for it had power that could bring the world to its knees. It was the Apple that Al Mualim used to enslave the people of Masyaf, including the Assassins that Altair called brothers. Brothers whom some he had to kill to survive, but that did not ease the guilt that ran through his mind at times.

Altair looked at the drawing he had just completed. A picture of an assassin with two hidden blades strapped to the bottom of each forearms. Surrounding the drawing of the assassin, were drawings of new maneuvers that would aid the assassins, and give them more of an advantage during missions. His writings underneath it, in summary were of the addition of a plate between the blade and holder to avoid the removal of the ring finger, along with the thought of who should gain the second blade for materials to create them were hard to come by. Altair laid the feather pen into the ink holder and sat back with his eyes falling about the Apple. His eyes were fixed on it and he began to wonder what other wonders it was able to perform. The Apple had split the Red Sea, turned water into wine, healed the sick, controlled the minds of man, and was so full of knowledge and wonders. If it could do that, what more could it do?

He didn't know the answer to that, and it seemed he wouldn't find out any time soon as a knock was heard at the door, followed by a loud deep Arabian sounding voice was heard. "Altair, are you still locked in there with that cursed thing?" Altair looked at the door, not bothering to answer the question and said, "Come in Malik." Malik walked in, wearing his black velvet robe with white edge trims on the cuffs of his arms, and edges of the robe. Altair looked at him, his gaze falling apon the assassin's missing left arm. Altair still remembered why it was gone, and was still surprised that Malik was now Altair's most trusted man, when no more than a month ago, Malik hated Altair. Malik would've liked it more than anybody else to Altair killed for his action after what he did at Solomon's Temple. Now he was glad Altair did not die that day. Looking at Malik in the eyes, the Grand Master Assassin said, "What is it that you need Malik?"

"The answer to that is simple. I want you to leave this room, and get away from that temptation. Honestly, you spend far too much time in here Altair, I fear you will no longer know what the sun looks like."

Altair understood his concern and honestly, he felt the same way. He couldn't leave his study, only to go eat and to sleep in his bed but that was during the evening hours of the day. He had not seen a full day of sunlight other than what he saw outside of his studies' windows. He looked at the Apple though and could almost hear the calling it had. He looked back at Malik and sighed, "I want to leave…but I think the temptation is getting to me my friend."

"Then rip your eyes from it. You need to come see the apprentices or go brush your damn horse. Or you should go look for the company of a woman. I do not care what you do, but for your livelihood, you need to leave this damned room."

Altair looked at his Codex and then at the Apple. He turned to look behind him, he saw his sword in its sheath leaning again a shelf. On the shelf was the sash that held his throwing knife and beside it was his short sword in its holder. He sighed to himself and let out one of the rare low chuckles from the back of his throat. "Ok Malik. I will go busy myself with other activities today. Does this please you?"

Malik smiled and nodded. "Yes. If you need me I shall be in the courtyard, explaining the Creed to the young ones. I say you should come show them what it is like to be an expert in combat. Who better to show them than you, Grand Master?"

"Are you going to leave, or continue to go on and on like a woman Malik?" With that, Altair stood up and made his way to his weapons as Malik chuckled slightly out loud. "I will see you in the courtyard."

Malik left as Altair wrapped the sash around his waist and fixed the knives into their slots. He strapped on the long sword to his waist, along with the short sword onto his back. He placed the remaining throwing knives into the slots on his left boot and over his right shoulder. He checked his hidden blade; unknown to him the Apple had begun to glow once again. Altair stretched a bit and turned around when a high pitched sound rang in his ears. He fell to the ground, snarling as he covered his ears. Suddenly the Apple grew brighter and brighter until the study was engulfed fully in white light. It remained that way for about a half minute when the light slowly dimmed down to normal.

When the light was completely gone, the Grand Master Assassin of the Creed was no longer there.