Not long after the ceremony of his initiation came the day he had long awaited: his first true mission beyond the walls of the camp. His heart pounded as the master summoned him and spoke in a tone as cold as it was commanding:
> "You have learned to fall, and you have learned to rise. Now it is time to learn how to walk as a shadow among men."
He was told he would not go alone. Three companions would join him: Saif al-Din, who still regarded him with veiled disdain; Lian, who had always shown him a curious blend of sharpness and encouragement; and Yunus, the quiet fighter whose silence carried more weight than the voices of ten others.
The Mission
The task seemed simple, but danger lay beneath its surface: infiltrate the mansion of a merchant allied with the Templars and steal secret documents proving his treachery. No blood was demanded of them—only silence and invisibility.
The master's parting words lingered in their ears:
> "It is not the blade that makes the Assassin, but patience. It is not blood that proves your loyalty, but your ability to remain unseen—even in the heart of light."
The Road to the City
They traveled through forests and valleys, reaching the city walls as night fell. In a shadowed alley, they gathered to plan.
Saif al-Din sneered at the newcomer, his voice dripping with contempt:
> "Your first mission… try not to ruin it for us. We are not here to carry your trembling feet."
Lian intervened with a faint smile:
> "Perhaps one day, Saif, he will surprise you."
Yunus, as always, remained silent for a long moment before murmuring:
> "Words do not complete missions. Let's see who returns with the papers."
The True Test
The four shadows moved across the rooftops, the night their ally. The young Assassin's task was to slip into the rear courtyard, where two guards watched the gate. For a heartbeat he froze, sweat trickling down his back. Killing them outright was an option—but the master's words rang in his mind: "It is not blood that proves your loyalty."
He picked up a small stone and threw it into the darkness. The guards turned toward the sound, and he scaled the wall swiftly, unseen.
Inside the mansion, he narrowly avoided discovery by passing himself off as a servant hurrying with a jug of water. No one recognized his face; he slipped through like a ghost.
At last, he found the chamber of records. He seized the documents, but as he turned to leave, he glimpsed through the window Saif al-Din locked in a desperate struggle with a massive guard. For an instant he froze. He could run. He had what they came for. Success was within his grasp…
But then another memory returned—nights around the fire, voices whispering the Creed: "We are not merely blades in the dark. We are brothers, bound by shadow and by light alike."
Without hesitation, he leapt through the window. His hidden blade flashed, striking the guard's shoulder. The man collapsed with a cry, giving Saif al-Din the opening he needed to finish the fight. Both young men stood panting, the night echoing with silence after violence.
Saif al-Din's eyes were wide, his voice unsteady:
> "Why… why did you come back? You could have fled."
The young Assassin gave a faint smile.
> "Because we are brothers. And shadows do not abandon one another."
Saif al-Din said nothing more, but something in his gaze shifted—mockery giving way, at last, to the first spark of respect.
The Return
When they returned to the camp with the stolen documents, the master did not need the tale explained. He saw the truth in their eyes. For once, a rare smile crossed his face.
> "Tonight, you did not only understand the Creed… you lived it."
And in the heart of the boy once lost between worlds, a new certainty was born: he was no longer an outcast struggling for a place. He was a brother, a shadow among shadows, and a voice in a family greater than himself.