Apple of Eden 6

"This... piece of silver cast out Adam and Eve. It turned staves into snakes. Parted and closed the Red Sea. Eris used it to start the Trojan War; and with it, a poor carpenter turned water into wine."

- Al Mualim about the Apple.

The presumed Sixth Apple is the focal Piece of Eden throughout the Assassin's Creed series, and is a piece of ancient but technologically advanced equipment created by Those Who Came Before. Unlike the other five Apples described in Subject 16's Glyph puzzles, it is never issued a number.

Use: Designed to create illusions and to control human minds, and can be used in conjunction with the Staff (presumably as can other Apples). Also contains knowledge of many technologies used by Those Who Came Before.

Status: Hidden by Ezio Auditore da Firenze in a First Civilization Vault beneath the Santa Maria Aracoeli in Rome between 1503 and 1507. Uncovered by Desmond Miles in October 2012.

Known owners

 * Those Who Came Before (? - ?)
 * Al Mualim (1191)
 * Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (1191 - ?)
 * Ezio Auditore da Firenze (1488)
 * Checco Orsi (1488)
 * Girolamo Savonarola (1488 - 1498)
 * Ezio Auditore da Firenze (1498 - December 1499)
 * Mario Auditore (December 1499 - January 1500)
 * Cesare Borgia (January 1500 - 1503)
 * Rodrigo Borgia (1503)
 * Ezio Auditore da Firenze (1503 - 1506)
 * Desmond Miles (2012)
 * William M. (2012 - ?)

History
After escaping the Vatican, Ezio and Mario took to the rooftops and made their way to a high tower overlooking the Tiber River. Once there, Ezio withdrew the Apple of Eden from his cloak and prepared to drop it into the river, however, he hesitated. Acknowledging that destroying such a powerful artifact wasn't a decision to be taken lightly, Mario offered to keep the Apple safe until Ezio had made up his mind, and the two rode back to their base of operations in the fortress town of Monteriggioni.

During the Siege of Monteriggioni, Mario was killed by Cesare Borgia, who took the Apple for himself. Four years later, Ezio managed to retrieve the Apple from where it had been hidden by Rodrigo Borgia, in St. Peter's Basilica. He used it to demilitarize Cesare's army, and look into the future to locate Cesare in Viana in 1507. Realizing the power of the Apple, Ezio hid it in a Vault beneath the Santa Maria Aracoeli.

There, it was uncovered in 2012 by Desmond Miles, who made use of the Bleeding effect to retrieve it.

Abilities
In 1191, the Apple was used by Al Mualim to coerce the members of the Assassin Order into obeying his will, namely, killing Altaïr. The Apple was also shown to be capable of neural paralysis, the creation of up to nine hologram doubles, and the partial blindness of any target. Additionally, it revealed a map of the world indicating the locations of various Pieces of Eden.

In 1499, Ezio used the Apple in Rome to dispel the effects of the Staff of Eden, as well as to create four hologram doubles. While these doubles could not deal damage, they were able to distract Rodrigo during their battle. After Rodrigo stole the Apple, he combined it with the Staff to paralyze Ezio, then to create the key to the Vault, which he claimed held a "god-felling weapon." In the Vault, Minerva upgraded the Apple.

In 1503, Ezio was briefly able to use the Apple as a weapon. By charging it, a golden perimeter spreads around him, followed by a smaller, white perimeter (though these circles decrease slightly upon release). Enemies within the golden circle of effect will proceed to fight each other, while enemies in the white circle will fall to the ground in agony, which is depicted as a kill-by-insanity.

If the golden perimeter affects an enemy when there is no other enemy around to attack (or if all other enemies have already been killed) the affected enemy will just fall to his knees and beg for mercy. The Apple can also be used in a counter-attack, where briefly activating its effects just as an enemy attacks results in an instant kill.

Using the Apple appears to weaken its user; though it is unknown whether this is due to overuse of its powers, or of a desynchronization between Desmond's and Ezio's memories.

Trivia

 * The Apple is mentioned iconically in many religious writings; most notably as the "fruit of knowledge" in the Garden of Eden.
 * The Apple affects and can potentially kill almost anyone, including allies (such as mercenaries and Assassin recruits) and civilians.
 * Using the Apple will drain the player's health, with a greater area of effect draining a greater amount of health; though health will recover faster over time.
 * In Assassin's Creed, Lucy categorically states that the Apple possessed by Altaïr at Masyaf was destroyed in the DIA satellite accident; however, this same Apple was stored in the Colosseum Vault during this time. A retcon later clarified this situation, explaining that it was another Apple that had been destroyed at Denver International Airport.