The Life of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (Part 3 of 4)

Altaïr: They are artifacts, each one imbued with a message.

Niccolò Polo: A message for whom? 

Altaïr: I wish I knew...

- Altaïr regarding the keys of Altaïr and the messages they contain

Return to Masyaf
When Altaïr returned to Masyaf he learned that Malik had been imprisoned and a council had been placed in control of the Assassins, with Abbas at it's head. Abbas had been manipulating the council and by extension, the Assassin order. When Altaïr demanded to see his younger son, Sef, he was told he had been killed by Malik, however he knew this was not true and that Abbas was lying. Furious, Altaïr tried to assume command of the Syrian Assassins but Abbas did not allow it.

Altaïr infiltrated the Masyaf prison, where he found Malik, skinny to the bone. At Altaïr's home, Malik revealed that Abbas had Sef killed and framed him for the murder. The next morning Altaïr and Maria went to confront Abbas for his crimes. There he found that an Assassin had killed Malik, the moment he had been left alone.

Maria, dying in Altaïr's arms

Abbas, saying Altaïr was unfit for command, demanded the Apple of Eden be given to him. Altaïr agreed but when he was told by one of Abbas' men that Sef died thinking his father had ordered the kill, he activated the apple and killed the man. In the erupting confusion Altaïr accidentally stabbed Maria, he then held her in his arms as she died. When Assassins attacked him, Altaïr fled Masyaf and traveled to Alamut (A Persian Assassin stronghold, where Sef's children were located) with his son, Darim. Feeling guilty for his actions Altaïr spent the next twenty years of his life in Alamut completely focused on the Apple of Eden.

Altaïr, using the Apple, discovered a first civilization temple built beneath Alamut. Inside he found numerous memory seals, more first civilization technology, that were capable of recording and storing genetic memory. He took six and filled each one with a memory of his own life. The apple told him the seals would serve as a message, but he did not know for whom. Sef's wife and children later settled in Alexandria, Egypt.

Becoming Mentor of the Assassins again

Altaïr speaks with Assassins still loyal to him

Eventually in 1247 Altaïr returned to Masyaf, where he met Malik's son, Tazim, who remained loyal to Altaïr. Altaïr spoke to him and a few other Assassins about his plan to regain control of the Syrian Assassins. Together the Assassins walked through the streets of Masyaf to castle, where Altaïr confronted Abbas for the final time. Abbas was still angry at Altaïr for 'lying' about his fathers death. He then realized the Assassins were turning against him to side with their old mentor, who then shot him with a hidden gun. Altaïr tried once again to convince his old friend that he had not lied about his fathers death, but Abbas passed away not believing him.

Final Years
Altaïr began to spread the Assassins across the world, building numerous guilds abroad and more and mroe Assassins left Masyaf. He built a library in Masyaf, in which he stored hundreds of books that contained knowledge he had gained in his years studying the Apple of Eden. Five of his memory seals served as keys to the library. After the completion of his library he invited Italian explorer Niccolò Polo to Masyaf, where he told him stories of his life and the Assassin order. He gave him his Codex and his five memory seals, which Niccolò later hid in Constantinople. The explorer and the citizens of Masyaf fled the city during a Mongol siege.

When he was sure all the citizens had been evacuated Altaïr went to his library, which had been emptied of book under his order. He said goodbye to his son, Darim, who then left for Alexandria. Altaïr then sealed himself in his library, with the Apple of Eden. He placed the Apple on a pedestal in the library, where it would be safe, and sat on the center chair. Altaïr then imprinted a memory onto his sixth and final memory seal before peacefully passing away at the age of 92.

Altaïr, moments before his death, imprinting a memory onto his last memory seal