Assassin's Creed
Prologue
48 BCE
The Bent Pyramid
Masika stood silently in the shadows as she watched the gruesome scene before her. Her hand came up to lightly rub the shoulder of her other arm as it ached softly. Rudjek’s personal body guard was certainly a big boy and it took both Bayek and her to knock him out.
Now, Bayek had finally found Rudjek amongst the many hidden rooms and alcoves of the Bent Pyramid. Masika had caught up with him soon after and she had nearly shuddered when she saw the sight of him towering over the cowering form of Rudjek.
Masika had to resist the urge to rush over to him and pull him away. She could see the pain and anger he carried as he stood over one of the Masked Ones, the Heron. His hands were balled into tight fists, the muscles of his back tense and nearly bulging as he resisted the urge to leap on top of the man and beat him to death.
“You are the Medjay from Siwa!” Rudjek exclaimed in shock, recognition passing over his face, as Bayek silently reached down and picked up Rudjek’s mask. “I thought the Medjay were supposed to protect the pharaoh!”
‘Not pharaohs who protect child murderers.’ Masika thought and nearly scoffed at the thought, but she forced herself to remain silent. She had guessed that Bayek knew that she was there, but Rudjek didn’t. This was Bayek’s moment, or at least one of them, he worked so hard to find this piece of shit and she wasn’t going to interrupt it.
“I am Medjay to no pharaoh.” Bayek growled out softly before he gritted his teeth and ripped out the arrow from his side.
‘And guess who will be fixing that later.’ Masika thought with silent sigh as she frowned at his side that was now oozing even more blood. ‘The idiot is going to get himself killed before he can even get to the rest of the Masked Ones.’
Bayek had admitted regularly to her that he would more than likely be dead if she wasn’t there to keep him in check. Every time she would jokingly call him a child and tell him he should be paying her for forcing her to play nanny so often. Every time he would laugh and give her a grin, and every time she would ignore the small fluttering in her chest, telling herself it meant nothing.
She had to remind herself often, too often as of late, that Bayek was, indeed, spoken for. To a women whom Masika used to be close friends with, Aya. Now, all she could feel was anger towards the woman who had abandoned Bayek when he needed her most, when they needed each other most.
“You see this?” Bayek asked as he raised the arrow to the bicep of his other arm where ink was stained into his skin.
“I can read my own name, nek!” Rudjek shouted, his eyes widening in fear as Bayek brought the arrow against Rudjek’s name. Masika couldn’t help but wince as he sliced as thin line across the name, blood flooding down his arm from the wound.
“We will find you.” Rudjek threatened, his voice wavering fearfully as he tried to pull himself across the ground away from Bayek. Masika felt her lip raise in a snarl at the weak threat, anger momentarily sweeping through her body at the thought of anyone threatening Bayek. “We will find you, in your sleep!”
Masika nearly gasped, jumping slightly when Rudjek threw a dagger at Bayek. Her jaw had dropped open, tongue poised to cry out his name, as her hand had dropped down to the sickle sword that rested on her hip. She felt her shoulders relax in relief, though, when she saw that her Medjay friend was quick enough to stop the dagger using the mask he had picked up only moments ago.
“Sleep?” Bayek murmured and she could see the rage in him build even higher as his chest heaved with a deep breath. He closed the small distance between Rudjek and himself with quick steps, snarling at the cowardly man. “I never sleep! I just wait in the shadows. And I will kill you all; everyone who sniffed the air that day in Siwa!”
Bayek finished his small speech with a shout and Masika had just enough time to see Rudjek’s eyes widen in fear, his mouth dropping open to scream, before Bayek slammed the mask into his face. All fell silent as the dagger slammed in between Rudjek’s eyes, a small trickle of blood running out the eye hole of the mask and sliding down the stone-cold cheek.
Masika stepped out of the shadows and walked toward Bayek with soft steps. He remained kneeling, his hand still gripping the mask tightly as he panted, the anger slowly draining out of him. Masika hesitated for a moment, she had never seen him so angry before, but she couldn’t blame him. She didn’t fear him, not in slightest, but she knew that if she surprised him that he might lash out at her and if he hit her he would blame himself for the rest of his days.
“Bayek?” She asked quietly after another moment of silence, placing her hand gently on his shoulder. He didn’t answer, but she watched as his hand slid off the mask and he leaned away from the dead body as his breath began to slow. “It is over now, Rudjek is dead.”
Masika’s eyes widened in surprise as Bayek leaned back against her, his head resting back against her thighs, his eyes shut tightly. Her shock only lasted for a moment, though, and she quickly knelt down with him, her arms wrapping tightly around him. His hands gripped her own smaller ones against his chest as she pressed her face into his shoulder blade.
“I am so sorry, Khemu.” He murmured, pain lacing his voice, and she tightened her arms around him.
“Shh, it is over now.” She whispered and they sat there in silence for a long while. Masika shut her eyes tightly as she tried to ignore the warmth she felt spreading through her limbs as she held him tightly, instead choosing to focus on the pain she felt for Bayek and what he has been forced to go through.
“Thank you, Masi.” He said as he pulled away and Masika tried not to frown as she felt the chill return to her body.
“Of course, Bayek, you don’t have to do this alone, any of this.” She reassured him with a soft smile as he turned to look at her.
“Which is why I will be forever grateful for your presence, my friend.” He said as he returned the smile and stood up, quickly putting his hand out to help her up as well.
“Come, we must leave this place and set up camp somewhere so that I can clean you up.” Masika said as she looked him over, making a noise of discontent as she saw all the injuries he managed to receive.
“And what about you?” He asked teasingly as he lifted his hand to her face, his thumb running softly across a cut on her cheek.
“My injuries are small, I will fix them after I finish with you.” She said with a raised brow, hoping the blush she felt on her cheeks wasn’t bright enough to show through the dark tan of her skin.
“Come, Bayek,” She said gently as she began to leave the dark room, turning to look at him when she did not hear him follow.