Lara Croft ☥ 002
Who: nvrtheeasyway and givemenames
Where: Main Library in Somni
Style: Third
Status: Closed (PM if you want in)
( Some will learn; many do. Cover up or spread it out. Turn around, had enough, Pick and choose or pass it on. )
Where: Main Library in Somni
Style: Third
Status: Closed (PM if you want in)
( Some will learn; many do. Cover up or spread it out. Turn around, had enough, Pick and choose or pass it on. )
It was quiet enough at this hour and the librarian barely glanced at him as he wandered past various shelves, glancing at some of the spines of the books as he went. He would need to come back again and truly look around, perhaps late in the evening when it would be even quieter but for now, he quickened his pace, looking around for Lara.
Approaching her table at last, he raised an eyebrow at how she was sitting and then at the content of the books open on the table although he made no comment on them for the time being.
"Safety and peace Lara," he greeted, inclining his head forward before he took a seat opposite her.
[[ooc: Apologies, last night exhaustion hit me like a freight train.]]
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"Good morning to you too, Altaïr."
Closing her notebook, she removed her feet from the table, leaning forward, closer to the Assassin, a small smirk drawing itself on her lips:
"I truly hope you've not forgotten to bring coffee."
Because, while this was not a date per say, Lara was starting to feel the effect of the restless nights she's spent since she arrived in this world. She could use another cup of liquid energy.
She gathered the books lying around into a neat pile, keeping only the one she had been reading before Altaïr had joined her as well as her notebook. Looking up at the white clothed man, she made no comment of the weapons he carried freely on him, though she wouldn't have been surprised to see the librarian looking back at them with slight fear. The Tomb Raider had not come unarmed either, but at least, her short knife and one of her gun was safely hidden beneath her clothes.
The lowered hood made her smirk slightly and Lara tilted her head slightly, trying to catch sight of the shadowed eyes:
"Are you hiding an ugly mug underneath that hood?" she asked in a whisper, her voice slightly playful despite the hushered words.
[ooc: Don't worry about it <333]
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Her second remark had him blinking and after a moment of pause, he pushed the hood down and back. Women did not talk as such in his experience and indeed the Templar woman had been one of the most outspoken he had ever come across in his experience. But he did smile slightly at her.
"Women have not complained about my appearance before now."
Adha certainly hadn't.
"Have you been here long this morning?"
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"Yes, I can see why now."
Welcome to the 21st century, Altaïr. Women spoke freely now. Get used to it.
Reaching out for her paper cup, she lifted the lid to blow on the hot liquid before taking a small sip. The coffee was unsweetened and without milk, but she wasn't about to complain. Somehow, the thought of the Assassin waiting in line if a coffee house akin to a Starbucks was highly amusing to the Tomb Raider.
"Since the library opened. I wanted to make sure I would arrive on time. It's not really polite to be late. And I wanted to read up a bit on this world. Sadly, there is not much interesting material about this place."
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"I believe it best to talk with some of the residents who have been here for a considerable period," he replied as that had been the way he had learned, either from looking at the things that popped up on the Dreamberry or from talking to them. "Strange though that the main library would have little information on this place."
He would maybe have to ask about that to the populous in general; after the castle falling to the ground and the young girl telling him of strange monsters when the power went out, he was suspicious. That and the concept of others seeing dreams as well was not an easy thought to stomach.
He took a sip of his coffee too, very different to what he was used to but it was best to get used to more modern things, even if he clung to his own comforts at the bureau.
"Where do you wish to start in our discussion then? With the Templars or with the relics?"
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"It was not unexpected, to be honest. To control the information the general public can get their hands on is usually a good to control people as well. History has seen it plenty of times."
The Nazis, the Russians, the Chinese. They were well known examples of controlled information.
"But I will certainly try to ask around within the people for more knowledge. Any pointing in the right direction is much welcome", she added with a smile.
At his next question, Lara removed her feet from the table and leaned closer to him, not without giving a look to their surroundings. Luckily, they seemed to be the only ones in the library, so they could talk freely. At worst, if the students of this world filled it quickly, she had spotted an alcove on the second floor that would be appropriate for more discretion, if needed.
"I am more interested in the relics, but understanding the Knights and their intentions is more likely crucial to uncover where they have hidden such treasures in my time. Tell me, Altaïr, the real reason of your order fighting them. I have a hard time believing that you did so just because you were told as much."
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How many Assassins had been removed from the archives even in his own time? Templar targets said to have died of natural causes or from illness or in battle when that had not been the case and he was sure that such a trend continued in Ezio's time too although he had not questioned his brother on such things.
"Our Order fight for peace in all things," he began, remembering the ideals and values that had been instilled in him from childhood even if he had forgotten them along the way. "But we believe in freedom of choice and the Templars believe all must obey and be denied choice to achieve freedom. They seek to control the land and the minds of the people."
Part of him once had killed and fought Templars though due to it being all he had known. Al Mualim had been his Master and Altaïr an Assassin and he had done his bidding automatically until sent on his quest. It had only been then that he had begun to truly find his own reasons for hunting down the Knights.
"Our confrontations and continual fight is over ideologies and the means to achieve them. We both want peace, there are seldom few who do not wish for such a thing but it is the cost at which peace is gained that we disagree over."
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"That's a really noble calling, Altaïr. One that must be hard to follow at times."
She knew well of that. How many of her friends had succumbed to the temptation of the relics they searched for? How many times had she seen betrayal played before her eyes, when it came to control how the people should be.
"How did the Templar Knights hoped to achieve controlling the mind of the general population? Even in the most repressive regimes, there is always some that fight back, some that find help to restore freedom."
No doubt his order was at the origin of some of those revolts.
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"It was the way we were raised from early childhood and we live by our Creed. None of us know any other way."
Now how best to explain the Pieces of Eden? It was so hard to keep it straight in his own mind and all he knew came from Al Mualim and from witnessing the effects first hand from the villagers of Masyaf to his own brothers who had turned against him or who had seemed as though stuck in a trance.
"There are artifacts that the Templars sought named Pieces of Eden, strange objects that seem far too advanced for the time I am from that can do strange things to others. The Piece they located in a place known as Solomon's Temple in the Ark of the Covenant was known as the Apple. It had the ability, amongst others, to enslave the mind of those exposed to it." It was a start for now and it gave him enough time to plan through what else he might have to explain and gave Lara time to ask whatever questions she might and compare it to anything she might know of.
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Altaïr's explanation of how the Templars had sought to enslave the people made her frown deeply. This was new information to the Tomb Raider. Opening her notebook, she teared off a page and pushed it towards the Assassin. On it was a drawing of a box, with cherubs kneeling in prayers on its lid.
"The Ark of Covenant exists as well in my time. And it was said to have been placed into Solomon's Temple at one point, by the Templar Knights. But legend says that it was the artifact containing the Stone Tablets Moises received from Gods, with the Ten Commandments engraved upon it. The holder of that relic would gain the power to perform miracles."
But if what was truly inside could enslave the mind...It was a way to be able to perform miracles, no? To make the people believe what you want them to believe. It would have made the Knights extremely powerful to have that 'Piece of Eden' as Altaïr had called it. But nine hundred years later, they were not at the top of the world. Which could only meant one thing...
"The Templar Knights...they lost that artifact, didn't they?"
And Lara could easily suspect who stole it from them...
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One hand touched the paper and there were definite similarities to what he, Malik and Kadar had all looked upon prior to their confrontation to Robert de Sable and he traced over the drawing, brow furrowing as he did so. Strange to think that the Ark had survived so many years. He looked up once she started talking; this was new information he would have to make note of and discuss with Malik later in the day as he had not heard of the tablets outside of the religious texts they were mentioned in.
"These Pieces of Eden, the religious acts mentioned in the Bible were caused by it. Adam and Eve being cast out from the garden, snakes turning to staves, the parting of the Red Sea, the Trojan war and even water being turned to wine. Those are other miracles the Apple is capable of." He nodded in response to her question though and sighed.
"Some of my brothers and I were sent to retrieve it from Solomon's Temple and we did. But our Master was not who we thought him to be and he wanted the artifact for himself. Now though...now I suppose it belongs to me although I do not have it in this land."
That thought troubled him. Was time moving forward without himself or Malik present? Had the Apple been destroyed or sealed away or did another possess it? He hoped sincerely it had been sealed somewhere safe as the power it had even just those he had mentioned to Lara, were a great and terrible thing and to go through all that he had only for it to fall into the wrong hands once more was unforgivable.
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She watched as he touched the paper, tracing over the patterns she drew upon it. Lara noticed the missing ring finger and raised eyebrow slowly, though she kept the question of how he'd lost it to herself, assuming it might have come as a battle wound.
The Tomb Raider was not a very religious person and she kept to herself that the world had definitely not been created by God as told in the bible. But those miracles, even if they had been recounted in a more fantasist way than how they truly happened, still did. And for a relic to be at their origins was not unbelievable.
Lara gave a long look at Altaïr as he revealed that the Piece of Eden had fallen onto his care. So he had first lied to her about not coming across a relic when they had spoken before. The young woman wondered why he had suddenly changed his mind and let her know that he was in possession of the Apple. Well, back in his time at least.
"For the best, I suppose. I have not been here long, but considering the power that relic has, it can't fall into the wrong hands, whichever world it finds itself in."
There was one way the young woman could think of how the Assassin would have become its guardian and she wasn't feeling sorry for his lost. From what the young man had told her, if he chose to kill his Master, it must surely have been for a good reason. Like using the Apple for his own gain. She then answered his silent musing:
"Well, seeing as my time isn't at war, nor dominated by the Templars, whatever you chose to do with it must have been the right thing. There is still wrong doings being done, but at least everyone is able to freely walk that path."
Props to you, Altaïr. You've resisted the temptation and proven yourself selfless, at least to Lara's eyes. She then smiled teasingly:
"I hope your stay in this world will not change your mind about it, though. I find that it would be a true waste to have to kill you to protect my time."
While she was being playful, don't think she wouldn't do it because you're kinda cute, Assassin. She killed people she was far closer to in order to save innocent people.
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And the Order was still present a good three hundred years after the days Altaïr himself remembered and that in itself was a good sign; the Templars had not beaten them back entirely and they were still fighting to ensure that the every day people could go about their lives with as little difficulty as possible, oblivious to an ancient holy war going on about them.
He really would have to speak to Ezio further about this Codex if the Apple had been involved to see what he had done with it though. Evidently he had not destroyed it but would such a feat be possible? Surely others would have tried in the past before it was sealed away. He had felt himself drawn to it too even as Al Mualim's disembodied voice had rung out. Still, Lara did not need to know that; no one did beyond the Brotherhood and even then, he would rather keep as much as he could relating to it between Ezio and himself. After all, how would Malik feel knowing that the artifact they had been sent to retrieve and that had caused so much pain and strife throughout the years?
"If anything, seeing this world so far, it has renewed my desire to stop such things from occurring again in my own land and time. The freedoms enjoyed by those here are far beyond what we have, I would wish that throughout the Holy Land." He smiled a little more as he spoke as this world, even with the restrictions and objections to the Brotherhood and their goings on, it truly was far freer. There were few thugs roaming the streets, no men on raised platforms calling out others on their beliefs and referring to those with different viewpoints as infidels. Few beggars or lepers begging for coins. Even the guards left the citizens alone unless they truly believed they were performing misdeeds.
"What are the Templars of your time like? Do they still manage to insinuate themselves within political situations such as they did in the Crusades?"
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"The Holy Land, or Middle East as we now know it, is freer than it was in your time, Altaïr."
It wasn't as free as the rest of the world, at least in some part of it, but most people could choose what to do of their life as they wanted to. Most of the general population had jobs, went to school, could eat three times a day. There was still wars over religion, drugs or oil, but she wasn't about to let the man know about that.
Her smile turned a bit sheepish as she answered his next question:
"As I told you yesterday, in my time, the Templar Knights are of legend now. By the early 14th century, the Knights had lost all of the Holy Land to the Saracens and had not been able to regain any cities for long years. A few years after their last defeat, all known members of the Order were arrested and tortured under the order of King Philip IV. Those who survived the torture were burned at the stake for heresy."
Lara stopped her telling of the Templars' fate a moment to sip her coffee, letting the knowledge sink into the mind of the Assassin sitting across the table. She leaned back on her chair, watching any reaction Altaïr might have at the news she was delivering him.
"By the time they were disbanded, they had accumulated great wealth that was repossessed by the monarchy they used to serve. Some say that it was what had brought their downfall, in the end. Kings were afraid of an Order that was rich, armed and that could freely roam all over Europe. King Philip was particularly afraid the Templars would found their own nation, like the Teutonic Knights had with Prussia."
"There are no more recordings of them after the 14th century, but I know it does not mean they stopped existing. Some believe they may simply have changed the name of the Order, while others think they may have simply given birth to other type of secret societies. The Free Masons and the Illuminati are one of those that may have descended from the Templars."
The young woman looked away for the briefest moment. She had seen to the end of that latter Order, a few years back. She looked back, meeting the young man's gaze steadily:
"If the Templar Knights still exist in my time, they have fallen into the shadows. But seeing as none of the most important relics they were said to be in possession of have yet to be found, they could still be at work. But I doubt that their influence on politics is that great. Things have changed a lot, Altaïr. The people now govern itself through elected leaders. The few monarchies still in place are there as a symbol, they have no more authority over the population. Laws were made to protect the innocents. The Templars would have to be very powerful, even more so than you can imagine them, to be able to control the people, to influence political decisions."
As Lara finally stopped, she drank the remaining of her coffee, musing on her own words. Had the end of the Templars meant the end of Altaïr's Order as well? Part of her hoped not: even without the Knights, there would always be someone wanting to take over the world and hurt innocents.
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It was also difficult not to give a very small smirk of satisfaction at news of what had happened to the Templars but it raised questions with some of what Ezio had said. Ezio was from beyond that point and the Templars were still around then but did anything truly disappear? If the tide had been turned against them they would have made plans for that would they not? Plans to cover their tracks, stay more secretive than normal and to gain sway and influence anew in subtler ways. After all, with enough coin or promises then loyalties and power could be bought and traded as easily as goods at a marketplace.
When she had stopped talking, he gave himself another few minutes to sip at his coffee and take it all in, connect what he knew from his own knowledge and from Ezio and he would truly have to talk these discoveries over with his brothers.
"There are words my Master told me prior to his death and words that are held dear to us: nothing is true, everything is permitted. The Templars are masters of knowing how to strike and how to prepare for eventualities and if they have treasures or money then they can use that to hide themselves. True," he paused for a moment, rubbing his lip for a moment, "they may have thinned their ranks somewhat down to those they could trust completely but I do not think they would ever be gone for good."
That would be too much to hope for after all.
"Flattery and bribes will go a long way with many in all walks of life. A blind eye here, a life taken there to instill another person a certain position. Even these other Orders may be more than what you say they are; they could be Templars still but under different names and adopting different customs to hide what they are.
"But you could be right. I would hope for you to be right so that people can live free without the machinations of others to take control of their lives without their consent or knowledge." He smiled again and even if his own Order was gone by her time too it would not be too high a price for a world without secretive ancient Orders fighting one another at every opportunity.
"If relics are still unaccounted for though, that could mean that those in high places within such Orders have them. Which would explain many things. I know that when the Apple fell to the ground and I approached it, a strange light came forth from it what looked to be a map. I believe it showed the locations of other Pieces of Eden but I know not if Templars knew of them. It would be for the best if they remained hidden in crumbling ruins or ancient vaults until the end of time."
He closed his eyes briefly, recalled Al Mualim and their confrontation and what he had said.
"No one should hold fire in their hands."
Those words made him feel like a hypocrite now. It was clear that he had used it and even if it had supposedly been for good, he had not made good on his words.
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The young woman listened as the man mused, meeting his gaze once again and nodding here and there. The words of his Master seemed strange to her, but they were surely making sense to the Assassin. Still, the world had changed enough for Lara to find it hard to believe that a coup by the Templars would succeed solely on the base of bribes and flattery. One country, perhaps, but the entire world? Not really probable. But there was no point in arguing here. Altaïr was obviously more of an expert than her regarding the Templar Knights. She sighed softly, folding her hands together over her notebook:
"Whether they are Templar Knights or not, there are always those that seek to take control of the world. They've never succeeded, obviously."
Mostly because of people like her, that rose against them and thwarted their evil schemes. It was her turn to muse out loud as Altaïr spoke of the map contained within the Apple:
"If those relics have yet to be heard of, then perhaps they were never found. People talk, no matter what. Perhaps the map needed a particular key to be read and such key was never in the Knights' possession. Or maybe the Apple never fell back into their hands."
Lara brought her hands up, leaning her chin against them, her gaze falling over Altaïr's shoulder as she remembered the Greek captain had told her before his boat had been attacked. Her eyes moved back to the Assassin's:
"Yes. Not every relics are meant to be found."
She knew too well of that now.
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