the-secret-crusade-oliver-bowden

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it had a flaw. It would be fatal if he got it wrong. He needed the Bull torelease the hammer – but every time that happened it came dangerouslyclose to caving in Altaïr’s skull.It came. Looping through the air. Smashing into the stone. Altaïr onlyjust leaped clear but he landed on his feet and, instead of taking cover,dashed towards the hammer. He stepped on the weight and ran up thetaut chain towards Moloch.Moloch stopped grinning. He had a second to comprehend the sightof the agile Assassin running up the tightrope of his chain before Altaïr’ssword sliced through the front of his throat and exited at the neck. Hemade a sound that was halfway between a shout and a choke, the swordprotruding through his neck as Altaïr let go of the hilt and twisted tostraddle the Bull’s shoulders, driving his blade deep into the man’s spine.Still the Bull fought and Altaïr found himself hanging on for grim life.He grabbed the chain and dragged it up to loop around his victim’s neckwith his free hand, grunting with the effort of pulling it hard. Molochtwisted and pushed backwards and Altaïr saw that he was beingmanoeuvred towards the fire.He felt the heat at his back and redoubled his efforts. The beastwould not die. He smelt something burning – the hem of his robe!Yelling with pain and effort, he pulled hard on the chain with one hand,digging the blade deeper with the other until at last something gave,some last life force snapped within Moloch and Altaïr was riding hisbucking shoulders as the brute folded to the floor where he lay,breathing heavily, syrupy blood spreading across the stone, slowlydying.At last his breathing stopped.
Altaïr heaved a huge sigh of relief. Moloch would not be able to turnthe people against the Resistance. His reign of tyranny was over.However, he couldn’t help but wonder what might replace it.He was to get his answer very shortly.
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Also in the Assassin’s Creed seri
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PENGUIN BOOKSPublished by the Pengu
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PrologueThe majestic ship creaked a
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Part One119 June 1257Maffeo and I r
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‘That all depends. Your pitch mak
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‘The invading force?’‘Yes. Sa
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he was as angered by the Assassins
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‘He is half the leader Salah Al
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himself, feeling the early-morning
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Mualim.‘As long as interests allo
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‘Your last chance, Assassin,’ c
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420 June 1257This morning I awoke w
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leader, the Master Assassin; his sk
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‘I would not have drawn attention
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reaching with his right hand to smo
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climbing quickly down the first lad
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arrogant: it was himself. All of a
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5Altaïr arrived at Masyaf after an
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wrong with him. ‘Buried in his bo
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littered the floor beneath it. He r
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6Malik stood at the entrance to the
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Now he turned his attention to Alta
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appearing, villagers and Assassins
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on the platform.Then, without cerem
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trap rigged and ready to be sprung:
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‘His force is broken,’ continue
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His eyes widened as they went to th
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commits upon another. It refers to
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‘It’s the price you pay for the
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Inside, he kept his head down, movi
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smile. Either that or use his blade
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patchwork of carts, stands and merc
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turned on him. It could be that we
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he’s planning.’‘I know only t
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He reached below his desk and retri
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A frightened sound escaped the merc
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opportunity? With the entire market
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11Tamir, the first of the nine: Al
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visit …’He smiled at his own jo
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conducting tests - tests for some u
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guards to be allowed inside. Others
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reaction to him. ‘Cast out this f
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De Naplouse smiled indulgently. ‘
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‘In body, perhaps. But not in min
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13‘Garnier de Naplouse is dead,
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little challenge.’Malik curled hi
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Then, from behind, Altaïr heard an
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‘You know nothing. It was folly t
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facing multiple opponents.Altaïr v
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Altaïr was gaining on Talal now, t
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crowds, Talal’s corpse staining t
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with the shame of having succumbed
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which his father had died and left
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blade across his own throat, grinni
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before it begins in earnest?’‘N
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at least, he envied him.
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The soldier pursed his lips. ‘His
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‘Your words will see you hanged,
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18Altaïr returned to the citadel,
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The Lionheart roared. ‘Oh, yes. A
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Altaïr pulled himself up to the ro
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Altaïr had reached his position wi
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de Montferrat, as though such thing
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men do not bother to make the disti
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Although he’d been about to move
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Altaïr had overheard lurid descrip
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I wish to speak more of this war -
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service to the same God that calls
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‘I think if you had another, you
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‘Altaïr - before you go?’‘Ye
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down and saw his chance, coming for
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23As he had approached the Wailing
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Could he better them all in that ti
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‘Here are four filled with sin,
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‘It was a single dinar,’ the ac
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dawn on Addin that death was near.
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himself up on to the canopy, feelin
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beyond. But they cannot succeed in
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‘Which is what I’ve had you doi
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they weren’t paying attention. Th
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standing at the window, watching ov
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documents? In the name of some ‘n
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Collect any remaining writings and
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show mercy had been the right one.
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Jabal considered. ‘This will make
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The holy man was desperate now. ‘
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out there, Assassin,’ he screeche
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through a thick shaft of light shin
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however, his hand went to his side.
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skill.’‘Cunning,’ said Abbas.
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There was a moment of shocked silen
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pair of guards, who came hurrying u
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Again, Malik somehow understood.
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this? What are you talking about?
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rising and the setting of the sun.
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be quite so fortunate next time.The
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Altaïr bridled. ‘Speak sense,’
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slew. Learn what you can. You call
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the living, the screams of the dyin
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make a long dash, coming ever close
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standing at his side, who wore a fu
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suffered the cuts and blows that Al
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that he was pure - pure Assassin. T
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Knights Templar had formed and made
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‘He threatened my brothers and wh
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32Masyaf was not as he had left it:
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more of his attackers to make a gap
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him. Just the same sense of thick,
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victor’s assurance.‘I’ve neve
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him. Tamir died screaming at one, t
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Templars had to die.’ He sighed.
Page 224 and 225: way then the other, hoping to catch
Page 226 and 227: glowing on the marble. Waiting.‘Y
Page 228 and 229: Part Three3423 June 1257Sitting in
Page 230 and 231: beside him, and when he gazed at it
Page 232 and 233: 35Night was falling over Acre port,
Page 234 and 235: His fears were realized. He’d wai
Page 236 and 237: and he had to move fast to defend.
Page 238 and 239: ‘Send him a message,’ said Alta
Page 240 and 241: she was his slave. This situation,
Page 242 and 243: Maria piped up from behind them:
Page 244 and 245: Castle. A real brute.’Altaïr nod
Page 246 and 247: a duel between two of his men. The
Page 248 and 249: His heart was hammering as he drew
Page 250 and 251: his formidable appearance as much a
Page 252 and 253: ‘How dare you?’ she retorted an
Page 254 and 255: 39They travelled as a monk and his
Page 256 and 257: We repaired to his family seat, Hal
Page 258 and 259: ‘But is chaos something to be cel
Page 260 and 261: Assassin scaled the ladder and then
Page 262 and 263: country of these Crusaders.’Excel
Page 264 and 265: Jonas was pinned by his blade, bloo
Page 266 and 267: one hand Barnabas was an ally. On t
Page 268 and 269: Barnabas, who was nowhere to be see
Page 270 and 271: 42Altaïr did indeed see for himsel
Page 272 and 273: the heat of the flames, oblivious t
Page 276 and 277: 43Maria was gone. Taken by Crusader
Page 278 and 279: So it was that Altaïr found himsel
Page 280 and 281: ‘Let her play,’ smiled Bouchart
Page 282 and 283: people? Did she still have enough r
Page 284 and 285: She resisted. ‘Shalim, no. Please
Page 286 and 287: he stepped inside a wicket door, di
Page 288 and 289: 45On a wide, baking-hot balcony, Ma
Page 290 and 291: He screamed and crumpled just as sh
Page 292 and 293: I remember my moment of weakness, m
Page 294 and 295: material fell away to reveal a deca
Page 296 and 297: Alexander, the angry mob having bee
Page 298 and 299: Protruding from his chest was a bla
Page 300 and 301: ran along the wall of a cavernous s
Page 302 and 303: ‘Purchasing what you already cont
Page 304 and 305: murder, you might understand this.
Page 306 and 307: Part Four4815 July 1257Maffeo has t
Page 308 and 309: ‘Marriage?’ said Maffeo. ‘She
Page 310 and 311: promote the way of the Assassin stu
Page 312 and 313: 49From a distance all looked well w
Page 314 and 315: ‘I expected to be met by Rauf,’
Page 316 and 317: ‘I’m not at liberty to say, Mas
Page 318 and 319: resentment. He saw a rival. And for
Page 320 and 321: ‘Perhaps not,’ said Altaïr, ev
Page 322 and 323: 51Later, Altaïr and Maria sat in t
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‘Perhaps Malik has nurtured a hat
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He crept forward until he could see
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52They laid Malik on a pallet and M
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foundations you lay will be even st
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Abbas dropped the head back into th
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Abbas looked concerned. He pulled M
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because Maria was dead at his hands
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5310 August 1257Altaïr means us to
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and lying down with his thawb pulle
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too. He sipped then gulped, wetting
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around Mukhlis’s legs.‘Masyaf,
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54The bowman reached for his bow bu
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three offensives, picking up new wo
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blade and stared narrow-eyed at Lon
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‘It seems the Master has given Fa
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his hood over his head, liking the
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Abbas was forced to quell an uprisi
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had moved with him like a shadow, s
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Altaïr sensed his world lurch a li
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57The next morning, as day broke, M
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was in there somewhere. It had need
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crowds were becoming restless. He f
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He darted forward with his sword sw
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swiping at his legs. When his oppon
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honour than you will ever know, and
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They pulled up at the edge of the m
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Fahad nodded. ‘You have a wiser h
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force in the rebuilding of the Orde
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‘A last favour, Niccolò. Take th
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1 January 1258The first day of a ne
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EpilogueFrom above him on deck the
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Shihab Al’din, his sonAltaïr’s
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Maria LoretoAlex ClarkeAlice Shephe
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