AC-Twice

SPOILERS FOR AC: REVELATIONS

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He remembers exactly when he found out about Malik's death. Darim, though, barely batted an eye at mentioning the other man's passing. Taking his son's reaction into consideration, he guessed that Malik had been dead for some considerable amount of time, and swore to himself to find out the truth later.

That later occurred after they had escaped Masyaf, whilst the two were camped out in a desolate corner of the Kingdom where they were hopeful that no one would find them. They sat on opposite sides of a small fire, attempting to keep warm. Their horses slept nearby.

"So Malik is…dead?"

Darim took another swig of water out of his gourd, sighing heavily as he pulled it away from his mouth. He nodded.

Altair could do nothing but let his head fall into his hands and sigh heavily as his son had.

"How..?" He couldn't believe the sound of his own voice—broken, lost, tired.

The other assassin shook his head. "I am not sure; I have heard several things. I do know, though, that afterwards they threw his body off a cliff behind the castle. Abbas didn't want any loyal stragglers to attempt to retrieve the body and give him a proper burial."

"Good god…"

"But," Altair's head snapped up when his son spoke again, "some of them went and retrieved the body anyway, under the darkness of the night. I did not go, but from what I understand it took nearly all night to find him. They buried him in the forests—the ones slightly east of the castle. They only placed a small headstone with the years of his life, however, as they did not want to tip off who might be buried there to anyone who came upon it later." Darim folded his hands, and stared into the fire.

Altair did not respond right away, just staring at his son blankly for a few moments before mimicking him and gazing into the fire, too.

"I will have to find it when I return."

---

Altair and Darim would not return to the castle for two decades.

No later than two days after Abbas had been killed, Darim stepped into his father's office.

"Father?"

Altair looked up from the papers scattered on his desk, a hand on his wrinkled forehead, and raised an eyebrow at the other man, willing him to continue.

"I spoke with a close friend of mine who remained here during Abbas' rule. He was part of the mission to recover Malik's body, and knows where the grave is." The Grand Master immediately dropped the papers and stood.

"Take me there."

---

Down through the village, off down a steep hill, and into a wooded area, another assassin led Altair and Darim to a small clearing in the trees. Right at the center, the dim, cloud-blocked sunlight shining down upon it, was a plaque settled into the earth. The other assassin knelt down and swiped away the stray leaves and dirt that had swept over the stone in the two decades that it had lain in the earth. It was barely visible at first, but after a minute of care, the carving on the stone revealed itself.

It was simple. A carving of the assassin order's insignia stood out in the center, and the years '1165-1228' were carved out under it. No name. No epitaph. Nothing but a plain stone. Almost fitting for Malik. Almost.

But Altair had cared for the man far too much for his legacy to be just a stone in the ground.

"This will need to be remedied." Altair said, staring down at the worn stone. He turned his head to the assassin that had led him there. "Compile a list of the names of all those who made this happen. I will see to it you all receive honors beyond your imagination." He turned and began to walk back towards the village, but the voice of the assassin stopped him.

"Of course, Grand Master, but you do not need to reward me." Altair turned his head, raising a brow at the man, "Having this man as my father was more than enough honor for a lifetime." He swept his hand towards the stone in the ground.

The Grand Master's head cocked a little. "Tazim?"

---

It took a little over a month, but the forest clearing surrounding the original gravestone was transformed into a small garden, similar to the one out the back of Masyaf castle.  A small bench sat a few feet in front of the now grander headstone.

Altair visited it the day it was finished, of course. It would become a meditation garden, he had decided, for any who sought guidance, because lord knew that the man who rested there had given Altair himself guidance when he most needed it.

The Grand Master let a smile come across his face as he read the name on the tombstone. He felt sad, inconsolably sad, but he knew that Malik would haunt him from the afterlife if he dared mourn the man's death.

"Why are you sitting here being useless?" he could hear the man say, "Go restore the order!"

"In time, my old friend. In time." His smile grew and tears began to form in his eyes as he looked upon the stone. "I am the luckiest man alive, I think," he spoke to the grave, "I had the fortune to fall in love twice."

As he stood, he pressed a kiss to his palm, and then his palm to the top of the stone. As the Grand Master exited, Tazim stepped in behind him, ready to pay his respects.

                              Malik Al-Sayf
                         Beloved Brother, Father, and Assassin
                                  King of the Sword
                                     1165-1228

                                also dedicated to

                                    Kadar Al-Sayf
                            Beloved Brother and Assassin
                                    1170-1191