Retaking of Masyaf

The Retaking of Masyaf was an event that occurred during the Third Crusade in 1191, in which the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad rode for Masyaf to confront his master, Al Mualim and take back Masyaf.

The mindless march
After killing Robert de Sable, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad returned to Masyaf to learn if Robert had been honest in his final words. When Altaïr entered the main gate, he was confronted by a hypnotised man. Upon questioning him of what had happened to Masyaf, he only responded with strange ramblings that Altaïr could not make sense of. Finding the old man to be unintelligible, he quickly dismissed him, and continued towards the fortress. While progressing onwards, Altaïr noticed that the enitre city's population was in the same hypnotic state as the old man, and were even spouting the same nonsense.

Nearing the hill to the fortress, Altaïr encounted a group of fellow Assassins also locked in a trance, blocking the path leading directly to the fortress. Upon seeing Altaïr, they slowly surrounded him, and drew their swords, ready to attack. Having no choice, Altaïr fought them off, and swiftly eliminated the first wave. However a second quickly approached, and the battle started to become overwhelming for the lone Assassin. Suddenly, before they could slay Altaïr; Malik A-Sayf, Rauf, Jabal and a few other Assassins who had not yet been hypnotized by the Piece of Eden's effect, ambushed the attackers with throwing knives, forcing them to flee, and saving their brother.

Altaïr hastily ran to the top of the hill to meet with Malik and his saviors. He announced to Malik how Al Mualim had betrayed their Order, to which Malik agreed, and responded that he had also betrayed his Templar allies as well. Malik explained that after Altaïr's departure from Jerusalem, he returned to Solomon's Temple and discovered Robert's journal filled with revelations regarding the Apple's use to control the Holy Land. Malik stated that what he read broke his heart, but also opened his eyes. Altaïr then advised Malik to lead the other free Assassins to distract the thralls in front of the fortress long enough for him to confront Al Mualim.

Before departing, Altaïr asked Malik to try and avoid killing the men he would face, as their minds were not their own. Malik assured him that he would not disobey the Creed like their Master, and left with Rauf and the others. Altaïr trecked onward, and arrived at the fortress' courtyard to find a large group of hypnotised people standing near the entrance, civilians and Assassins alike. Moving slowly and carefully, making sure not to harm them, Altaïr made his way through the crowd and into the fortress.

Challenging the Apple
"I have stood before a thousand men, all of them superior to you, and all of them dead! Look at the power I possess."

- Al Mualim to Altaïr using the Apple to create his clones. Altaïr searched the fortress for his Master, eventually venturing out into the Assassins' Garden. As he stepped through the door, it slammed shut behind him, and after a few steps, he became immobilized by the power of Al Mualim's Piece of Eden, an Apple. Al Mualim then mocked Altaïr from the balcony above. Altaïr challenged this and claimed he was never a person to flee. Angered Al Mualim mocked him again, stating he was never one to listen.

Finally inquiring Al Mualim to why he doing this, Al Mualim merely replied he had found proof that nothing was true and everything was permitted. Suddenly Al Mualim used the Apple to disguise several Assassins as the nine targets Altaïr had slain.

Immediately attacking Altaïr as commanded. However, they were all dispatched by Altaïr, one by one, and the guise faded as each one fell. Al Mualim then bound Altaïr with the Apple again. Demanding Al Mualim free and challenging his skill, he claimed he had stood before a thousand, all dead and apparently superior to Altaïr. There, Al Mualim created several copies of himself through the Apple, however, Altaïr fought them off, killing one by one. Finally strike the real Al Mualim with his blade, causing the him and the clones to vanish.

Illusions and reality
Al Mualim then decided to have a fair duel with Altaïr, but not before giving his former student an explaination. Altaïr claimed that Al Mualim was worse than Robert, calling the treasure evil when intending to use it all along. Claiming that the people would resist his plan; to which Al Mualim sighed, and replied that there would never be peace so long as men retained free will.

When Altaïr snarled that he had killed the last man to speak as such, Al Mualim sneered that his threats were just empty words. Altaïr then retorted that they were words he would gladly put into action.

When Altaïr asked his Master why he had never used the Apple to enslave his mind like the other Assassins', Al Mualim explained that who Altaïr was and what he did were twined to close together, and robbing him of one would deprive him of control over the other, and the Templars needed to die for his plan to be successful. However, he revealed he attempted to, once, and failed, due to Altaïr's seemingly natural resistance to the illusions conjured by the Apple. Al Mualim went on to explain that every strange and mythical event he had attributed to the treasure - Jesus turning water to wine, the parting of the Red Sea, the influence of the Greek Gods in starting the Trojan War - were all merely illusions created by it.

Altaïr retorted that the Templars' plan to create a "New World" using the Apple's power was just as much an illusion as the others; but Al Mualim replied that it was no worse than the world around them, where the Saracens and Crusaders slaughtered each other in the name of craven gods. Claiming they already lived amoung a illusion, he only offered a less violent one.

Al Mualim finally remarked that they had come to an impasse; he would not yield in his plan, Altaïr would not join him willingly, and he could not compel the Assassin to follow him. Altaïr however, merely replied that they were at an end. Sighing that he would miss Altaïr, Al Mualim ended the Apple's hold on Altaïr, drew his sword, and he and Altaïr engaged in a final duel to the death.

After a long and hard-fought battle, and despite Al Mualim using the Apple's power to weaken Altaïr and teleporting himself to regain strengh, the student eventually triumphed, and dealt his former Master a fatal blow.

Student becomes Master
As Al Mualim collapsed to the floor, dying in Altaïr's arms, he was shocked by his defeat, proclaiming that the student did not defeat the teacher. Altaïr replied that "Nothing is true; Everything is permitted", which Al Mualim accepted. As the Apple rolled out of Al Mualim's grasp, Altaïr remarked that the old man had been playing with fire by using the Piece of Eden, and should have instead simply destroyed it in the first place.

Al Mualim reasoned that the Apple he had was the only means of creating true peace in the world, and that he could never destroy such a thing.

Altaïr claimed that he would, and Al Mualim challenged this statment. However, as he approached the Apple, Altaïr became mesmerized by it. Al Mualim challenged him to destroy the artifact as he claimed he would, but Altaïr replied that he was unable to. With his last breath, Al Mualim sneered that he could, but would not and finally died.

With Al Mualim defeated, Altaïr turned to the Apple which lay on the ground. Suddenly the Piece of Eden projected a hologram of the world which showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden. Finally, Malik, Rauf and the other Assassins arrived, joining Altaïr in the fascination of the artifact. Finally they look at Altaïr for guidance and leadership, as he was now the Grand Master of the Assassin Order.

Aftermath
Following Al Mualim's death, Altaïr took the tenure as Grand Master of the Assassin Order, and was confined to his new interest, constantly studying the Apple, marveled by it's powers and origins. However, with Altaïr's new role as Grand Master, many Assassins refused to accept Al Mualim's betrayal and rioted againist Altaïr and those loyal to him. However, Altaïr was able to calm all the riots without the use of violence.

With Robert dead, a new Grand Master of the Knight Templars came to power, and eventually prepared to sail for Cyprus.