Chapter Text
The train rattled along the tracks. A stout woman, with an irritated expression, sat down on one of the benches, muttering to herself._Son of a gun. I'd rather shoot the tracks than move Bertha another kilometer for that scoundrel.
Jacob and Evie Frye entered the carriage, drawn by the woman's raised voice. Jacob couldn't help but smile when he heard the mention of Kaylock's name._Kaylock? He left the station._He said, with a slight smile on his lips.
The stout woman looked at the Frye twins, her expression changing from irritated to surprised._Well, well! Hello there, Mr. Fancy Pants!_She said, standing up from her seat._Who might you be?
Evie introduced herself with a gentle smile._I'm Evie Frye._She said._And this is my brother Jacob Frye.
—Nice to meet you. I'm Agnes MacBen._She said, introducing herself.
Jacob responded with a smile._It's a pleasure._He said.
Agnes, however, seemed more concerned about her current situation._I thought I'd get promoted, but now I think I've lost my job._She said, with a sigh.
Evie, always on the lookout for opportunities, suggested that Agnes work for them._Why don't you work for us?_She said.
Agnes let out a sarcastic laugh._Don't give me any nonsense. Do you pay more than peanuts?
Jacob, always the more jovial of the two, responded with a smile._We certainly pay at least that much._He received a tap on the shoulder from his sister.
Agnes, seeming to consider the offer, introduced herself again._Allow me to introduce myself: Agnes and Bertha. Lady and locomotive at your service._She said, curtsying to the two._I'll be in the next carriage._She then walked to the adjacent carriage.
Henry, who had entered the train carrying a wooden box with books inside, suggested that the train could be a hideout on the tracks._A hideout on the tracks._He said._What a great idea.
Evie agreed, satisfied with the outcome of her mission._Yes, everything turned out well._She said._Now I'd like to follow up on a lead about...
However, Jacob was distracted, busy fixing his grappling hook.
—Jacob, this is serious._Evie said, trying to get his attention.
—I won't do anything until I fix this._Jacob replied, without looking up from his work.
Henry, knowing Jacob well, suggested that he knew someone who could help._I think I know someone who can help._He said.
Jacob became interested and turned to look at Henry._I knew I'd meet Grennie._He said, with a smile on his lips.
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Meanwhile in a darker place:
In the London night, shadows danced across the rooftops of houses as Muriel, with her black hood covering her face, leapt from one building to another with impressive agility. Her movements were precise and calculated, the result of years of training and experience.
Upon reaching the top of a particularly tall building, Muriel paused for a moment, contemplating the city that stretched out before her. The full moon cast a silver light over the streets and houses, creating a dreamlike and mysterious scene.
With a penetrating gaze, Muriel began to reflect on her mission. She had been tasked with eliminating the Frye brothers, two dangerous individuals who had become a threat to her Order. The task wouldn't be easy, as the brothers were known for their skill and determination.
Muriel knew she needed to be strategic in her approach. She couldn't simply go after them without a solid plan. She needed to know more about their habits, hideouts, and routines. With these thoughts in mind, Muriel activated her eagle vision, a skill that allowed her to see the locations where Rooks members were hiding.
She scanned the city with her gaze, searching for any sign of suspicious activity. As she observed, Muriel noted several locations that seemed to be under surveillance. She knew that the Rooks were formed by the Frye brothers, but she also had an idea forming in her mind.
With this idea in mind, Muriel looked down at a haystack located in the courtyard of an adjacent building. She knew the jump would be risky, but she was determined not to hesitate. With a quick and precise movement, she leapt from the rooftop, launching herself into the air with a sense of freedom and adrenaline.
Time seemed to stand still as Muriel fell towards the haystack. She felt the wind on her face and the fear of failure began to rise in her mind. But she didn't let herself be defeated. With rigorous training and iron determination, she had learned to control her body and mind.
Finally, Muriel landed in the haystack with a dull thud. She quickly stood up, shaking the dust off her clothes. Her hood was still over her face, and she knew she needed to keep moving.
With a cold and calculating gaze, Muriel approached the group of Rooks members. She knew she needed to be swift and precise in her approach, as any mistake could mean the failure of her mission. With a quick and silent movement, Muriel began to attack the Rooks members, her hidden blade glinting in the moonlight. She fought with deadly efficiency, eliminating the group members one by one.
Her movements were precise and calculated, the result of years of training and experience. She knew exactly where to strike and how to eliminate her opponents with minimal effort. When she finished, Muriel paused for a moment, looking around to make sure there were no more threats nearby. She knew she needed to keep moving, as the Rooks likely had more members in the area.
But then, she noticed that one of the group members was still alive. She approached him, her hidden blade still glinting in the light.With a cold and calculating gaze, Muriel approached the Rooks member who was still alive. She knew she needed to be swift and precise in her approach, as any mistake could mean the failure of her mission._Where can I find the Frye brothers?_She asked, her voice firm and authoritative.
The Rooks member looked at her with a challenging gaze._I won't tell._He said, his voice firm.
Muriel looked at him with a piercing gaze._Loyalty is an admirable thing._She said, her voice cutting._But not when it's misdirected.Are you willing to die for people who don't even know you exist?
The Rooks member didn't respond.
Muriel knew she needed to use more persuasive methods to get the information she needed._Let's try again._She said, her voice cold and calculating._Where can I find the Frye brothers?
The Rooks member shook his head._I won't tell._He repeated.
Muriel plunged the hidden blade deeper into the Rooks member's arm._You're starting to annoy me._She said, her voice emotionless._I can make this last longer than you can imagine. But I prefer not to. So, I'll ask again: where can I find the Frye brothers?
The Rooks member screamed in pain, but didn't respond.
Muriel knew she needed to stop before he passed out._I'll let you live._She said, her voice cold and calculating._But I want you to deliver a message to the Frye brothers.Tell them I'll find them, no matter the cost...and that I will spill their blood just as I did each murderer one by one.
The Rooks member looked at her with a fearful gaze.
Muriel knew he would deliver the message, and the Frye brothers would know they were being hunted._Blood for blood and lives...for other lives.With a swift movement, Muriel withdrew the hidden blade and walked away from the Rooks member, ready to continue her mission.
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The next morning:
The train car became the setting for a crucial conversation between Evie Frye and Henry, while Jacob watched with interest. The sunlight streaming through the windows illuminated the interior of the car and highlighted the determined expressions of the Frye siblings.
—Now that we've dealt with that distraction..._Evie began to say, but was interrupted by Jacob, who pointed to a man with a hat and suit that seemed to have a touch of feminine elegance.
—Who's that?_Jacob asked, his voice tinged with curiosity, as he watched the man approach the group.Henry remained silent, and Jacob noticed the serious expression on his face._Oh, so you don't know?_Jacob said, his voice now tinged with humor.
Ned, the man in question, approached the group with a confident smile._What a beautiful train you have here. Miss MacBean was telling me about it._He extended his hand in greeting to Henry._My name is Ned.
Henry returned the greeting with a firm handshake._How are you?_
Ned smiled and pulled out a card from his jacket._I won't take up more of your time. If you're interested in learning about the best transportation systems in the world, I'll be at this address._He handed the card to Evie, who received it with an analytical gaze.
As Ned exited the train, Evie turned to her companions, her expression determined._Let's proceed with the search for the Part of Eden._She said, her voice firm and authoritative.
Jacob nodded, his expression serious._We need to take back London from Starrick._He said._What are my targets?
Evie hesitated for a moment before responding, her voice cautious._Not yet.
Jacob snorted, impatient._I didn't come to London to hunt artifacts!_He said.
Evie looked at him with a serious expression._"First understand the dance, then become the dancer"_She said, her voice firm.
Jacob rolled his eyes, sarcasm in his voice._Oh, so you're going to pick up where father left off?
Evie didn't flinch, her expression determined._Someone needs to._She said, her voice serious and resolute.
In that moment, it became clear that the search for the Part of Eden would be just the beginning of a much more complex and challenging journey for the Frye siblings.
The wounded Rooks member was brought onto the train, his body weakened and bleeding. Evie approached him, her expression concerned. The dim light of the train only partially illuminated the man's face, highlighting the lines of pain and fear that marked it.
—What happened to you?_Evie asked, her voice firm but gentle.
The Rooks member looked at her with a terrified gaze._She killed them... she killed them all._He said, his voice trembling.
Jacob approached, his expression serious._Who?_He asked.
The Rooks member hesitated for a moment before responding._Muriel..._He said, his voice almost inaudible.
Evie and Jacob exchanged a concerned glance. The mention of Muriel's name was enough for them to understand the gravity of the situation._What does she want?_Evie asked.
The Rooks member looked at them with a fearful gaze._She sent a message for you._He said._She said she'll find you, no matter the cost. She said there's no safe place for you in London.
Jacob and Evie listened attentively, their expressions serious. They knew that Muriel was not someone to be underestimated._And what else did she say?_Jacob asked.
The Rooks member closed his eyes, as if recalling the exact words._Blood for blood and lives for others lives._He said, his voice weak.Suddenly, the Rooks member stopped speaking and his body relaxed.
Evie approached him and checked his pulse._He's gone_She said, her voice in a lamenting tone.
Jacob and Evie exchanged a determined glance. They knew they had to be prepared to face Muriel and her threat.
Evie turned to Henry, who was watching the scene with a somber expression._Henry, is Muriel that dangerous?_She asked, her voice firm.
Henry hesitated for a moment before responding._Muriel has killed 700 Assassins of the Brotherhood._He said, his voice serious._All of it was for revenge or by order of the Templars.
Jacob frowned, surprised by the information._Are you sure she's the daughter of an Assassin who served the same Brotherhood as us?_He asked.
Henry nodded._Yes, according to the information from the last Assassins who faced Muriel, they tried to convince her several times that it wasn't the Assassins who killed her family_He said._But unfortunately, Muriel didn't believe them and they were killed in the end by her rage.
Evie and Jacob exchanged a concerned glance. The situation was becoming increasingly complex and dangerous. They knew they needed to be prepared to face Muriel and the Templars if they wanted to survive.
Jacob's expression turned darker._Well... it seems I have a new target.
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Muriel walked through the cemetery, her steps slow and heavy, as she made her way to the Belacque family tomb. The sun was setting, casting a soft and melancholic light over the headstones. She had made this journey many times before, but it never got any easier. Upon arriving at the tomb, Muriel knelt before the three headstones, her eyes fixed on the inscriptions:
"Razvan Belacque"
(1815-1858)
"Catherine Hastings Belacque"
(1820-1858)
"Anthony Belacque"
(1851-1858)
Muriel gazed at the angel statue that adorned the tomb, its expression serene and sorrowful. She felt a wave of familiar emotions: pain, longing, and rage. Her parents, Razvan and Catherine, had been murdered in 1858, when she was just 11 years old. Her younger brother, Anthony, had been only 7 years old at the time and had not survived.
With trembling hands, Muriel took three lilies from her basket and placed them on the tombs of her loved ones. She closed her eyes and remained silent for a moment, remembering the fateful night when her family had been brutally murdered. The image of the Belacque mansion in flames still burned in her mind, as did the figure of the perpetrator, holding a bloodstained knife while she listened to the desperate screams of her family.
Muriel opened her eyes, which now looked empty and sad. She gazed at the tombs and whispered._Mother... father... brother. I will still find the one responsible for your deaths. I will make justice, no matter the cost. I will follow every lead, every rumor, every hint. I will find the truth and I will make the perpetrator pay for what they did. I promise you that I will not rest until justice is done."
Her voice was low and determined, but there was a ferocity in it that could not be ignored. Muriel knew she could never bring her family back, but she was determined to ensure that the perpetrator paid for their crime. She stood up, her expression firm and resolute, and began to walk away from the tomb, knowing that she had a long road ahead of her.
The angel statue seemed to watch her, its expression serene and unperturbed. Muriel knew she would never forget the promise she had made to her family. She would find the perpetrator and make justice, no matter the cost.
As she exited the cemetery, Muriel felt a shiver run down her spine. She had noticed someone watching her, but she hadn't imagined it was someone so dangerous. Suddenly, a grappling hook shot out of nowhere, hurtling towards her with deadly speed.
Muriel reacted with quick reflexes, dodging the attack by a fraction of a second. She moved with agility, her slender silhouette standing out against the faint light of the twilight.
When she turned to face her attacker, she found herself face to face with Jacob Frye, the infamous Assassin. His hidden blade glinted in the faint light, and he smiled slightly as he saw Muriel.
—Finally, I've found you, princess._Jacob said, his voice tinged with irony. He seemed to be enjoying the situation, and his confident expression was almost irritating.
Muriel kept her blade firm against his, her expression hard and serious. She wasn't there to play games._It must be the infamous Jacob Frye_She said, her voice controlled.
—In the flesh._Jacob added, as he tried to strike Muriel with a direct blow to the face.
But Muriel was too fast, dodging the blow with ease. She grabbed the collar of Jacob shirt and threw him to the ground, pointing her blade at him._You...!_Muriel began, her voice trembling with rage.
But Jacob interrupted her with a smile._Calm down, miss._He said, with his hands raised._I've already shaved today.
Muriel responded with sarcasm, still serious._Oh? Looks like you missed a spot!_She said, pressing her blade against Jacob.
Jacob laughed again, his expression still amused._I just wanted to apologize._He said, his voice smooth.
—For what?_Muriel asked, her expression still skeptical. She didn't believe Jacob words.
Jacob then delivered a swift kick to Muriel legs knocking her to the ground and quickly stood up._That's why._Said, with a smile.
Muriel gritted her teeth in anger._Bastard, son of a..._She began.
But Jacob interrupted her again._Whoa, not good language for a princess._He said, with a smile.
Muriel then picked up some dirt from the ground and threw it at Jacob. She took advantage of the opportunity and delivered a kick to his face.
Jacob groaned in pain, but didn't stop smiling as he defended himself against another attack from Muriel blade.
—Are you always this charming, Mr. Frye?_Muriel asked, as she continued to fight using all her skills._Or did I just get lucky?
Jacob smiled again, his expression still amused._A bit of both, princess._He replied, as he dodged one of Muriel blows.
The fight continued intense, with Muriel and Jacob facing each other in a fierce battle. The two combatants moved with agility and skill, their blades glinting in the faint light of the twilight.
Jacob Frye continued to fight with his hidden blade, defending himself with skill as he felt Muriel blade pressed against his. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the tension between them was palpable._Fights almost as well as a man._Jacob said, with an ironic smile on his lips.
Muriel responded with a piercing gaze, her voice tinged with sarcasm, but still laced with seriousness._Funny, I was about to say the same thing about you.
Jacob, unimpressed, grabbed Muriel wrists, forming an X shape with her arms._The temperature's dropping, isn't it?_He asked, with a tone of voice that suggested he was enjoying himself.
Muriel gritted her teeth, her expression determined._No._She said, between clenched teeth._Now it's!_With a swift and precise movement, Muriel delivered a kick to Jacob groin.
Jacob groaned in pain and fell to his knees, clutching his sore groin, breathing heavily from the blow._Oh, holy shit!
Muriel took advantage of the opportunity and delivered a kick straight to Jacob's face. Jacob fell to the ground again, with his hand on his bleeding nose._You won't escape now._Muriel said, while grabbing Jacob's neck and raising her blade ready to deliver the fatal blow. Her eyes shone with determination, and her voice was firm and secure.
But before she could complete the movement, she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. Muriel let go of Jacob and turned around to see Evie appearing just in time, with a syringe in her hand.
Evie had administered a potent substance to Muriel, who began to feel the effects immediately.
Muriel head started to spin, and her eyes began to droop. She tried to fight against the effects of the substance, but it was too late.
Muriel felt weak and disoriented, and her eyes began to close. But before she could fall to the ground, Henry appeared behind her and caught her, preventing her from getting hurt.
Jacob stood up, still bleeding from the nose, and looked at Evie with a determined expression._Well done, Evie._He said._Now we can finish her off.
But Evie interrupted him, her expression serious and determined._Wait, Jacob._She said._We're not going to kill her.
_What?!_Jacob asked, his voice rising in protest._Why not?
Henry, who was still holding Muriel unconscious, answered Jacob question._Muriel family knows where the Piece of Eden is._He said._Razvan was the guardian of the piece.
Jacob frowned, still trying to understand Evie's logic._But how can we trust her?_He asked._She's an enemy.
Henry responded, his voice calm and secure._We don't need to blindly trust her._He said._But we can use the information she possesses for our benefit. If her family knows where the Piece of Eden is, then we can use that to find the piece.
Evie added, her voice firm._And if Muriel is willing to cooperate, we might even be able to form a temporary alliance with her.
Jacob looked at Muriel, still unconscious in Henry arms. He didn't know if he could trust her, but he couldn't deny the possibility that she might be useful._Alright.Jacob said finally.
Continued