That Person's Name Is...

[Shay Cormac]

It came to a surprise to Shay that Agnès was actually considering to do this with him. More surprising, was the abilities this woman was showing off to Shay, and how useful it seemed in the midst of a battle, although that was probably the last thing Shay wanted to mention at this point. A feeling of slight guilt ran over Shay as he thought about how accepting he was to this idea, and how he was basically pulling in somebody who wasn't just because somebody socially and politically higher than the both of them said to do so.

As Agnès fiddled about with her Omnilium, Shay paid only slight attention to the device she was cooking up in her hands. Nothing could prevent Shay from feeling doubt about all of this now, and he hoped Agnès didn't see that doubt in his face. Although, maybe it would have allowed her to be more comfortable around her new-found ally, it wouldn't have helped complete the mission at hand. Shay blinked, remembering he was only doing this for the citizens of this city, and their well-being. Even then, it was no excuse going around murdering anybody he was assigned to do so, right?

Shay stiffened up a bit as he thought about his previous affiliations with the Assassins. If Shay wasn't careful about this, he'd be doing no different than they were, ending up terrorizing and killing people they thought they were protecting. As Shay sat there on the divan, thinking about all of this, Agnès already got herself ready for whatever was to come on this little task, speaking up.

"Do you know where we are going? Lead the way, and I will follow."

Shaking his head, Shay got up, about to head out the bedroom door, before realizing he was in no proper clothing to go out in the middle of a desert night, sneaking around a heavily fortified camp.

"Well, I can't be going around looking like this... This'll only take a minute, wait here please!" Shay said to Agnès, emphasizing the 'one minute' he was going to take by raising a single finger into the air, then dashing off into the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, Shay put his hands on the sink, looking into the mirror.

Once again, he decided to pull another stunt with his Omnilium, realizing that he needed some more suiting apparel for the occasion. Shay stood and focused, not once taking his eyes off of his own reflection.

Shay continued to look at himself, thinking about what he's done in the past. The Assassins.

'Nothing is true, everything is permitted.'

The Assassin's Creed, to realize we must not be free, but we must be wise. It's tenets;

'Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent.'

To ensure peace in all of the world, only to end corruption and greed, nothing more.

'Hide in plain sight.'

Become the greatest illusion, materializing out of nowhere, and leaving without a trace.

'Never compromise the Assassin Brotherhood.'

Unfortunately for Shay, he had already broken this rule. Or perhaps for him, it was nothing more than his greatest wish. With such vague rules and motives, it was hard to interpret the Assassins as the ones that could ever be in the wrong. Their ironies surrounding these tenets always had Shay doubting himself, yet they always embraced it.

Promoting peace, yet committing murder. Commanding to make the people wise and open-minded, yet obeying strict rules. Reveal that blind faith is dangerous for all, yet doing it themselves.

Were these flaws? Or just interpretations? It didn't matter now, not to Shay. He was part of the Templars now.

'May the father of understanding guide us.'

It was as simple as that. To leave the world be. Under rule, but among peace. Yet, Shay was not unaware of how a high-ranking Templar could use the power handed to them for their own personal gain. It was why the Assassins took no hesitation in killing the Templars and anybody that would follow their Order over the Creed. Shay knew how evil complete order could be. He also knew of how dangerous freedom was if taken too far.

Too much freedom leads to anarchy. Too much order leads to a revolution.

That was it. The radical Assassins took to the idea of being too free instead of wise, without any rule. While some of the Templars could easily become corrupt with greed, controlling the unenlightened masses. It all hit Shay just then, as he continued to look into the mirror, a bubble of light encasing him as he continued to focus.

Balance was the true key to this world. If not his own, then it would very well be in the Omniverse.

Shay closed his eyes for awhile as the bubble of Omnilium began to fade. Looking back up, Shay saw he was in his old custom-tailored Assassin outfit. It brought back so many painful memories, yet he was glad they were there, reminding him of why he changed into the person he is now. He pulled his white hood down to his blue-gray buttoned-up coat, adjusting his white undershirt. Pulling his hands up, Shay looked at his Templar ring, before popping up his two hidden blades, then sliding them back down to his cuffs again.

Opening the bathroom door, Shay closed it behind him again, before turning to Agnès. She was sitting on the divan still, although now trying to figure out what exactly the device she had spawned was supposed to do. Her attention averted to Shay, but before she could say anything, Shay raised his hand so he could speak.

"Agnès... I could tell you weren't to fond of this whole thing when I first entered this room to explain to you what Gilgamesh had asked of us... The only reason I'm confident in my abilities to do this is because, well... I was trained to accomplish missions exactly like these for years under my previous affiliations outside of these Verses. We followed a simple Creed, and that was peace through freedom, to end the lives of the selfish and powerful."

As Shay continued with his heart-felt speech, Agnès listened with a surprising interest. Although, it was the kind of interest that looked to be more sad than anything else.

"Although I was content with that organization for a long while, they eventually lost their way. I had to leave. Some of them were honorable, but I was proven that not all of them were, being shot in the back by my brothers, eventually having to hunt them down. I want to say this, Agnès, because I take no pleasure in the slightest when ending anybody's life. I only do what's necessary, and I followed this path because Gilgamesh seemed to take good care of his people. If anything happens to threaten innocent lives, I vowed to myself I'd gladly give my own to protect them."

Agnès' mouth was open slightly, confused and somewhat touched by Shay's words. He kept on.

"To prove this to you, and the King, since honestly he looked more like he was sending me off in mere annoyance, I'll keep this as clean as possible. I'll keep my blade and lead from anybody but the target, because I've no gripe with the Stormtroopers themselves. Getting to Carrefore might be a problem, but we can easily ask a local in the city on where exactly it is. On that note, shall we?"

Emphasizing his last question, Shay walked over to the bedroom door, opening it to signal that he was ready to go.