Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Somewhere on the Atlantic, a Viking Ship sailed through a large storm. The ship wasn’t big, nor was it small, but decent. It held a crew of 16, trained Viking warriors. But these weren’t regular Viking warriors. On the side of their ship, was a symbol placed upon one of the shields. It was a simple mark, for those who didn’t know what it meant. But for those of those who did, well, it was a secret symbol.

But what was this symbol, well, it meant that this very ship was owned by The Assassins, a secret group of peace keeping warriors with one goal, to prevent their lifelong enemies, The Templars, from gaining all control of humanity’s freedom. The Templars were a very dangerous group; they killed, stole, and did whatever they could to get the upper hand.

The only way to stop them was through extinction, as The Assassins killed each and every Templar they could come across. That was what this ship was doing; trying to escape after the crew killed a group of Templars, who were meeting up to assassinate a very important aristocrat. They showed up, killed them all, and then had to leave when the authorities found out about it.

For now, they were sailing through a very large storm, which appeared out of nowhere. As one of them called out orders, the captain stared out into the clouds, examining the storm’s condition. It was an odd storm, as the thunder was loud enough to make even Thor go deaf. The lightning, however, was the confusing part. Each spark was a different color. There was the usual white, but there was also different blues, pinks, and greens.

“CAPTAIN,” one of the warriors called out over the storm. “THE STORMS GETTING WORSE, WE NEED TO GO AROUND IT!!!”

“NO, STAY ON COURSE!!! IF WE ATTEMPT TO GO AROUND, THEN WE WILL CRASH INTO THE ROCKS!!!”

“ARE YOU MAD, WE’VE NEVER SEEN A STORM LIKE THIS ONE BEFORE!!!? THE GODS MUST BE ANGRY WITH US FOR SOMETHING!!!”

“WELL, THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE STORM LOOKS LIKE THE ASGARDIAN BRIDGE!!!”

The warrior hollered back towards the group. “KEEP AT IT MEN, READY THE-“

There was a loud sound, a fusion of a crash and an explosion, as a large disk shaped light appeared in the sky. The crew shielded their eyes, as they shouted in fear.

“GODS FORSAKE US, THEY ARE MAD AT US, QUICK, TURN THIS SHIP AROUND!!!” The captain stared at the large light, curiosity filled his eyes.

“WAIT, STOP!!!” Everyone turned to him, anger and shock filled their eyes. As they did, a figure appeared to stand inside the disk, staring at the ship. They all gasped at this new person.
It wasn’t human, for it appeared to be a small anamorphic pink frog with orange hair. It wore a pinkish-reddish cap with a tunic of the same color. All the Viking Assassins stared at it, awe filled their eyes.

“What is it, captain!?”

“I…honestly have no idea, it might be a god!” The figure spoke, as its voice seemed to echo.

“PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD, LISTEN TO ME, I’M IN NEED OF YOUR AID!!!”

The captain stepped down and approached the front of the ship, as he spoke out to the creature. “I AM THE CAPTAIN OF THIS VESSEL, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ACCEPT YOUR REQUEST, FOR WHAT IS IT YOU NEED FROM US!?”

“I COME FROM A WORLD BEYOND YOUR PLANE OF EXISTENCE, A WORLD THAT IS BLINDED BY GREED, TO THE POINT THEY DON’T SEE, NOR DO THEY UDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO THEIR WORLD AND THEIR PEOPLE!!!”

“WE APOLOGIZE DEEPLY, BUT WE ARE A SIMPLE GROUP OF TRAVELING WARRIORS, WE DON’T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IT IS YOU NEED FROM US!!!”

“I’VE COME TO YOUR HOME IN HOPE THAT YOU WOULD HIDE AWAY A VERY POWERFUL ITEM FROM MY WORLD, THE ONE ITEM NEEDED IN THEIR CONQUEST OF GREED!!!”

She held up a small item, a golden chest. Engraved in the lid was three gems, each a different color, blue, pink, and green. Everyone stared at the item in curiosity, the captain’s heart not of greed.

“WHAT IS IT!?”

“IT IS KNOWN AS THE CALMITY BOX, AN ITEM THAT IF USED, THEN BOTH OUR WORLDS WILL BE IN DANGER!!!”

The captain held out his hand, gladly taking the small golden item. It was covered in deep green engravings of swamps, as a golden frog was also on the lid. He looked up at the creature, and smiled.

“THEN PROTECT IT I WILL, BY THE BROTHERHOOD AND BY THE GODS, I WILL KEEP IT OUT OF ENEMY HANDS, THIS I SWEAR ON MY OWN BLOOD!!!”

The creature nodded.

“I CAN’T NOT GIVE ANY THANKS TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE, FOR YOU ARE AS KIND AS YOU ARE FOURTINATE!!!”

“I AM AS YOU SPEAK, FOR I AM CAPTAIN EDWARD FAULKNER, MEMBER OF THE BROTHERHOOD OF ASSASSINS!!!”

The creature turned around and reentered the disk, as it disappeared. The storm vanished along with it, revealing a calm night sky. Faulkner examined the small object, as the crew continued their heading for home. He looked to the sky, as he smiled.

“Protect it I will, this I promise.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Faulkner entered a large chamber, as his crew awaited him outside. He told them that if he didn’t return, then he would have them prepare his tomb by sea; for it was what he loved the most. He the Nordic temple, as he stared at the statue of Odin, he stripped to nothing but undergarments as the statue’s eyes glowed and a beaming voice spoke to him.

“SPEAK MORTAL, FOR THOU SHALT SPEAK OF THEIR INTRUSION ON MY ODIN SLEEP”

“Forgive me Odin, for I am Faulkner of Iceland, and I am in need of your power.”

“AND WHAT IS IT THOU ASKS OF ME”

“A few days ago, an unknown creature of the sky came to me, and she gave me a powerful artifact, which I placed in the hands of the Brotherhood, but I fear for those who might get their hands on it.”

“THE TEMPLARS, IT IS TRUE THAT IF THEY GET THEIR HANDS ON THIS ITEM, THIS CALAMITY BOX, THEN ALL OF HUMANITY WILL BOW TO THEIR PRESENCE, AND THEY WILL BE SEEN AS GODS”

“Which is why I ask of your aid, I made a promise on my blood that I will protect this item of power, and I’m afraid for I am in a condition in which I will die soon, and my blood is my poison.”

“Then you are cured of your disease, but I sense you speak of more, immortality, perhaps?”

“All I ask is that you allow me to live long enough till the box is either truly safe, or destroyed. I know of your power, you can grant what I ask.”

The sounds of serpents attracted him, as snakes made of liquid gold slithered towards him.

“Then live you will, till the end of times, for you will sleep, till the box is in the hands of those who intend to use its power for wicked. AS PURE AS ASGARDIAN GOLD, YOU, CAPTAIN EDWARD FAULKNER, WILL LIVE AS THE CALAMITY GUARDIAN!!!”

The snakes wrapped around Faulkner, as they coated his body in pure liquid Asgardian gold. He closed his eyes, as he felt the gold harden on him, and time froze for him. When his crew discovered him, they spoke his fate to The Brotherhood, and they buried him at sea, which he loved the most.

Chapter Text

In the land of Amphibia, Anne Boonchuy approached King Andrias Leviathan, ruler of the amphibian planet. She and her friends, Sasha Waybright and Marcy Wu, arrived on Amphibia after they accidentally stumbled upon The Calamity Box, an item of apparent great power, and had been living with them for a long while. And now, it was time for them to go home.

The journey up to this point was rough, for they arrived separately; Sasha and Anne found each other first, as they ended up fighting for the fate of Hopediah “Hop Pop” Plantar, the frog that took care of Anne while she was in Amphibia. Then, Anne and the Plantars, Hop Pop, Sprig and Polly, traveled to Newtopia to find answers about The Calamity Box, only to find out that Marcy had become the king’s royal advisor. Then, Andrias sent the group to charge the stones, which they reunited with Sasha, only for her to betray their trust and try to take over Amphibia, and now, with Sasha in restraints, they stood in front of the king, ready to give him the box.

Sasha tried to warn Anne about something, but she didn’t care, she was tired of Sasha thinking she could control her life. She stared upwards at the 30ft tall salamander.

“Alright big guy, send us home!” Andrias chuckled, as he gripped the box in his hand.

“In good time my dear, but first, I’m going to let you all in on a little secret…”

In a museum in L.A., a group of school kids surrounded a golden statue. The sign in front of the display read “Captain Edward Faulkner: Nordic Captain: Lover of The Sea.”

“Legends speak that Captain Faulkner was incased in pure Asgardian gold by the Nordic God Odin, father of Thor, after asking him of a great deed. What that deed was, we have no clue,” Dr. Jan spoke in an exited manner. Faulkner slept, but then a voice echoed in his mind.

In good time my dear, but first, I’m going to let you all in on a little secret…

His eyes shot open, hidden behind the gold. As he heard the voices speak.

There was a time when Newtopia was truly great. But that greatness was stolen from us! Centuries of prosperity brought to an end because of me. I was weak, trusting those who said they were my friends. The music box was taken, and it cost us everything.

Faulkner’s lungs breathed, as his heart pumped.

And after a thousand years, no one even remembers our legacy. But now, AT LONG LAST, the box is back, and with its power, Newtopia will be returned to GLORY!!!

Well that’s nice!

Something’s wrong here.

Faulkner’s hands began to tremble.

For you see, my ancestors weren’t FRAIL explorers, they were GLOREOUS CONQUERERS!!!

That word, that one word, filled Faulkner with rage. The box had landed in the hand of those who intended for it to be used from greed. And true to Odin, he was awake. He trashed and shook, as sparks began to emit out of the gold, startling everyone in the museum. The sparks cracked the gold, as he screamed in rage. Dr. Jan ushered everyone back, as a group of security guards ran over.

The gold began to break off, as Faulkner’s screams were now audible. He wrapped his hands around his chest, and stepped forward, as the gold continued to fall off of him. He placed his hand on the ground to hold him up, as the last of the gold fell. He sat there, gasping for air. A security guard walked up to him. He took out his nightstick and poked the man. When he did, Faulkner grabbed the stick and slowly stood up.

“Templar,” he spoke in a questioning matter.

“Uh…what”

“TEMPLAR,” He spoke again, only a shout. The guard trembled.

“Uhh…I don’t…what’s a Templar?”

Faulkner released his grip, as he turned and looked around. He didn’t recognize his surroundings. He was expecting to awake at the bottom of the sea, but instead he was in some sort of structure. It was bright and tan, with different items hidden behind an invisible surface. Most of the items were weapons. He looked over and saw his axe, hidden behind this invisible material. He walked over and punched straight through it, gripping the handle of his weapon. He pulled it out, examining the way the material broke.

He knuckles were covered in a bit of blood, probably from the punch. He looked back to the guard, and examined his appearance.

“Clothes…”

“I’m sorry…”

“I need your clothes…”

He looked at the others, as they just shrugged, not sure whether to attack him, or just say fuck it. This was definitely not in the employee’s handbook. Faulkner gave him an angry look.

“NOW”

All the guards shook as the guard began to strip. Faulkner looked to another.

“You, year”

“What?”

“What is the year, or is English extinct already?”

“Uhh, 2019”

Faulkner stared at him. 2019? How many years was that. It didn’t matter, as he grabbed the security guard’s clothes, and began to walk off.

“What am I supposed to wear?”

Faulkner looked back, and then his gaze attached to a caveman exhibit.

“Wear his clothes, he’s not using them.”

He got dressed and left the museum, but froze when he saw outside. Left and right, people walked along side large paths, were wheeled metal contraptions moved. There were lights in almost every spot, as the sun nearly blinded him. Almost everyone had a weird tiny slab in their hand, some were tapping them, others speaking into them. He nearly fainted as he shook his head and rubbed it.

Okay, Faulkner, you’re in an unknown location, with no money, no food, and apparently, this is the future. What did the Brotherhood teach you? He looked around, and reached into his pocket. Inside were a small notebook and a weird yellow stick. The tip was pointed and black, and a soft pink object was placed in the other end. At least they still have pencils. He began to draw down the Assassin symbol, and looked around.

He walked up to a random person and asked them if they knew where he could find this symbol, in which they just stared at him. They dismissed him and continued to walk off. Faulkner looked to another man, as he walked up to him and did the same thing. Once again, he dismissed him. He stared off and stopped in front of another version of the clear material, only it was reflecting him back at him, which startled him.

It’s a mirror. Keep moving. He examined his face, scratching his beard. Maybe a shave would do me good. He looked around for anything he could shave with, and saw a building with a pair of scissors placed upon it.

3 bucks for a shave: 5 extra for beards.

Whelp, that’s unfortunate. A man walked up to him. The man in a black outfit, with some sort of glowing stick attached to his belt. He wore a pair of boots, and a cap was placed upon his head that read “Abstergo.” “Evening, sir, need a shave?”

Faulkner looked at the man up and down. What the fuck has fashion become? He shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t have any money on me.”

The man laughed as he turned. Faulkner chuckled nervously, and then noticed something stitched upon his shoulder. It was the Templar cross. He stared and looked at the man again.

“Templar…” He spoke in a whisper, attracting the man’s attention. Faulkner shook his head, and turned away and walked around the side of the building.

“Hey, where you going,” the man asked, following him as he ducked around a corner. The man looked around, surprised to see that Faulkner had disappeared. He looked around in confusion. He sighed.

“Fucking weirdo-“An axe handle was immediately planted into his skull from above, forcing the man down onto the ground. Faulkner turned the man over, as he struggled to move.

“WHAT THE-“Faulkner shoved the notepad into the man’s face. He saw the symbol, his eyes widened.

“Brotherhood…”

“So you are still a thing in this timeline? And here I thought that this was going to be a boring day.”

The man reached for his gun, but Faulkner stamped his foot on his hand, releasing an audible CRUNCH.

“GA-“Faulkner covered the man’s mouth, holding the axe blade just inches above his head.

“Now, tell me, where’s The Calamity Box?”

The man stared at him. “The Calamity What” Faulkner backhanded him.

“WHERE IS IT!!!?”

The man grabbed Faulkner’s face, and tossed him on his side, throwing him into a dumpster. Faulkner got up; gripping his axe, rage filled his eyes.

“I thought you Assassins were gone, where the hell did you come from?”

He held his fists, and axe, up in defense, as Faulkner growled.

“Odin sent me”

The Templar charged at Faulkner, who ducked, avoiding the punch, and slashed at his leg. The Templar jumped back in time and spun around, landing a blow across Faulkner’s face. Faulkner grabbed the fist, and tossed him over his shoulder, holding his axe above his head, ready to strike down upon The Templar.

The man grabbed Faulkner’s arm and bit down, forcing a scream of pain out of him. The man then grabbed Faulkner’s beard, as he slammed his head into the ground. The Templar got up and grabbed the back of Faulkner’s shirt collar, pinning him to a wall. He planted a gun against Faulkner’s chest.

“Go to Odin, and when you get there, tell them Slim Jim sent you, and he is not sorry.” He clicked something on his gun, as Faulkner looked at the man in fear. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t even think. There was a loud clang, and he the man dropped his gun and backed away, holding the back of his head. The barbershop manager had walked out and saw what was happening.

“GO, OFF TO YOUR TEMPLAR ELDERS, AND TELL THEM ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE, THAT THE BROTHERHOOD SPARED YOUR LIFE!!!”

Slim Jim backed away, and ran off. Faulkner stared at the man, who stared at him and smiled.

“As I live and breathe, you’re Captain Faulkner, aren’t you?”

Faulkner looked at him, curious, but glad that The Brotherhood was still around.

“That would be me…”

“Pleasure to meet you, my ancestor was part of your crew. You remember a Croglyn?”

“He was my first mate, and you his descendent?”

“Victor Alexander Black, at your service, my family owns this company, as we are a rich one.”

He examined the man up and down. He wore a black and white three piece suit, and had well groomed black hair. He stared at Faulkner with pure blue eyes. Faulkner smiled, extending his hand in a shaking manner.

“Pleasure to meet you, Victor, and what may I ask happened to the world?”

Victor scoffed a smirk as he ushered him inside. Inside, a group of people sat, as they all stared at him. Victor gave a sign with his fingers, and they all nodded in smile.

“Ah,” one of them spoke in a French accent. “Another Assazin, a plezure to meet you, I’m Jacques Ze Flaire, one of the remainderz of the local Assazins” Faulkner stared at him.

“Remainder…”

“Things have changed around here since you were gone. The Templars took control of almost everything, and The Brotherhood is smaller than it used to be. Now a day, they go by Abstergo Tech, but they’re pretty much the same.”

He ushered to an elder man. “This is Mr. Miles, descendent of Altaïr Ibn-La’ahad, Ezio Auditor, and Conner Kenway. His son, Desmond, allowed us to be here this very day, however, he gave his life in the process.” The man gripped Faulkner’s hand. His voice sounded like Q from Star Trek.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Captain. I heard about your conquests, your gift from another world, and the length you went through to get it. If you’re here, then that means somebody has The Calamity Box, and plans to use it for their evil intent, that right?”

Faulkner nodded. “The Templar I spoke to didn’t seem to know what it was, but I’m guessing Abstergo has it?”

Another Assassin, female, shook her head. “I used to work for Abstergo, so I’m able to get incoming communications, and truth be told, Abstergo doesn’t have the box, in fact it’s no longer on earth.”

Faulkner looked at her, as Victor spoke. “Christine Evergreen, descendent of Marcus Evergreen, an Assassin, and Carol Carlton, a Templar, she’s our double agent.”

Faulkner looked at Victor. “Where’s the box?”

“Well, we gave it to a random thrift shop, and we had it on constant watch. However, the Assassin we had watching over it, fell asleep on the job, and when she awoke, the box was gone. Apparently, a group of teens thought it was a fun joke
to steal the box, but they went missing later that night, Anne Boonchuy, Sasha Waybright, and Marcy Wu.”

Faulkner looked over to a missing poster placed upon the wall. “We have reason to believe that they accidentally used the box and ended up wherever it came from.”

“Amphibia, when I was awoken, I heard a voice, the box was speaking to me. The world it’s from is called Amphibia. And whoever has the box, was aware of it, because he was the friend of the frog that gave me the box, his ancestors were apparently conquerors.”

“A world blinded by greed, I guess I see that now,” Mr. Miles spoke, scratching his chin. “If we are correct, the box allows one to travel across the Multiverse. The night these girls went missing, there was reports of a large flash of light.”

“I saw the flash,” Victor spoke, “And I ducked before I could get caught in it. I guess that was the portal to Amphibia opening.”

Faulkner sighed. “I made a promise, a promise to protect the box, which means…” He looked to Victor. “I need to rejoin The Brotherhood.” Victor chuckled.

“Technically, you never left. Welcome back, Captain. And if you’re going to do this, then you need these.” Victor held up a box, handing it to Faulkner. He opened it, and inside was a pair of leather bracelets, with a blade woven in them.

“Hidden blades, I’ve never actually used these before.” He rolled up his sleeves and began to put the blades on, as Victor spoke.

“I’d be careful with that, I’ve been tinkering with old Assassin weaponry, and well, they-“ Before he could finish, Faulkner accidentally activated something, and one of the blades shot out, and it punctured a wall, turning into a hook attached to a rope. “-They work as grappling hooks,” Victor finished, Faulkner’s eyes widened in excitement. He looked to Victor.

“Hey, do you know where I can get 8 bucks for a shave.” Jacque’s head perked up.

“Oh, if you Brotherhood, then your covered. Now you want a trim?” Faulkner looked at Victor.

“I would like a clean shave, and a medium cut.” Victor looked at him puzzled.

“I thought Vikings loved their beards big and bushy.”

Faulkner stared at him confused, and Victor realized quickly. “It was a joke.” He sat on the chair, and Jacque got to work. He shaved off Faulkner’s beard, and trimmed his hair a bit till it wasn’t too long or too short. He then scrubbed out the dirt and gunk, and toweled his hair dry. He then grabbed a comb, and straightened it up, and finally, he was done.

“Mwah, ze perfect hair, for ze greatest of Assazins”

Faulkner looked at himself in the mirror, impressed by Jacque’s work. He stood up and grabbed his axe, when he noticed something behind a door labeled “Manager.” He walked through the door, and stared in awe by at what he saw. Hidden behind glass was Assassin robes. It was pure white with crimson rims, as well as black arm gauntlets. Placed upon the hood was an eagle, which a mirror showed a bigger eagle engraved in gold on the back. A brown leather belt was strapped
across the torso, placed above the left shoulder and below the right armpit. The robe was covered in golden markings for a decorative touch. Sitting in front of the glass was a pair of white combat boots with crimson laces, golden wings on the ankles.

“Like it, it was my grandfather’s, before he became a Templar,” Victor spoke, as Faulkner traced the rims of the boots.

“These robes have been shunned for the Assassin who wore them betrayed the Creed.” Victor nodded. Faulkner looked up, and smiled. “Then allow me to regain their glory and wear them, for they will be my armor, blessed by the touch of a pure Assassin.”

Victor looked at them, then to Faulkner, then to the robes. He looked back to Christine, who nodded. He pushed a button on his desk, and the glass slid down, allowing Faulkner to place his hand upon where the heart would be. He bowed his head, and spoke, closing his eyes.

“All Father Odin, bless these robes, for they will be my right, my blood, and my armor. Let them breathe my breath, coat my blood, and protect me in battle. This is my only asking.”

When he was done he removed the robes from the mannequin, placing them upon his back. He removed his shoes, replacing them with the boots, as he wrapped the belt around his torso. There was a pouch on the belt, and Victor handed him a wallet to put in it.

“Here, a couple thousand should situate you. This is the currency that we use these days, dollars, which are worth the amount written on them, quarters, with is worth a quarter of a dollar, which is a hundred cents, dimes, which are worth a tenth of a dollar, nickels, which are worth a fifth of a dollar, and pennies, which are worth a hundredth of a dollar. There is a piece of paper in there that will tell you this so you remember.”

Faulkner walked out wearing the robes, and everyone stared at him. Jacque went full fashion pro on him.

“Ze robes, so stunning, so gorgeous, and so brilliant. It shouldn’t work, but it does, oh!” He fainted on a chair, as Mr. Miles caressed his brow in embarrassment, as Christine shook her head. Faulkner and Victor left the barber shop.

“The location your in is a place called Los Angeles, or Hollywood. It’s a famous city in California, part of the United States of America, or U.S.A. for short. Here’s a map, it should help you get familiar with the place. I already marked down the Barber Shop on there, and there’s a marker so you can make your own markings. And those wheeled metal contraptions are called vehicles; they are manmade machines that help them get from one place to another. They come in many shapes and sizes, and they run on a liquid known as gasoline, or Gas for short, though some run on electricity.”

Faulkner nodded in understanding. It was going to take some time to get used to everything, but he was willing to give it a shot. He needed to find The Calamity Box, which meant he needed a way to get to Amphibia. He should probably learn more about Anne, Sasha and Marcy. Just then, there was a sound, and a flash of light. Victor and Faulkner turned to see a young girl and three other unidentified figures land on a car on the freeway. Faulkner recognized the light, for it was the power of the box.

“I guess that’s your call. If you need anything, the shop’s always open.” Victor reentered the shop, as Faulkner ran off to investigate the flash, pulling his hood over his head. Lots of people stared at him, but he didn’t care. He ran past the museum, as police were already there investigating his awakening, but they didn’t recognize him with his hood on. He shot his blades, and zipped up to the underbelly of the freeway, grabbing onto the edge and jumping over.

Chapter Text

Anne and the Plantars fell through the portal activated by The Calamity Box, and landed on a random car. They all opened their eyes as The Plantars seemed confused. They all rolled over as they looked at the woman driving the car. Her husband snapped a photo of them, as they turned back around.

“Oh my frog,” Sprig responded.

“What is this place,” Hop Pop asked calmly. Anne couldn’t believe it.

“Home” In an instant, all the Plantars began shouting, as they looked around, pointing and freaking out.

“I don’t believe it, I’m HOME!?”

“THIS IS YOUR WORLD, ANNE,” Sprig spoke, the oldest grandchild of Hop Pop. “It’s so LOUD!?”

“THAT’S BECAUSE WE’RE ON THE FREEWAY, LET’S MOVE!!” She grabbed Poll, Sprigs younger sister, Hop Pop, and her bag and they ran off. They ducked behind some trees and caught their breath. Then they all turned and stared at the sights of Los Angeles, California. The Plantars stared in awe, as Sprig was the first to spoke.

“Am I dreaming?” Anne reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “There’s only one way to be sure…” She turned it on. She stared for a minute, until the phone read 5G bars of service. Anne’s heart rose, as tears filled her eyes.

“I’M HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME!!!” She danced around for a second, until Polly pulled out an item in Anne’s bag.

“Hey, what’s this?” Anne looked at the book and gasped. It was Marcy’s Journal. The memories of what happened in Andrias’ throne room filled her head. Andrias had spilled the truth about Marcy, and then she tried to get redemption by opening a portal home, only for Andrias to stab her in the back with a large sword, and she fell, dropping the box, and sending Anne and The Plantars to Earth, and here they were.

She fell on her knees; tears fell to the earth as Sprig tried to comfort her. She looked up. No, she’s alive!!! She wiped her tears and called The Plantars to follow her. As they walked along, Hop Pop looked left and right, not trusting anything, Sprig kept jumping around, curious and adventurously touching everything, and Polly kept jumping up and down chanting “legs.” Hop Pop was the first to speak up.

“So what’s our next move, Anne? I mean, so much has happened. Do you think Marcy’s…”

“She’s alive, Hop Pop, she’s just got to be, and with her and Sasha still stuck over there, one thing’s for sure, we gotta find a way back.”

Sprig looked at a tree in curiosity. He could’ve sworn he saw a man in robes perched on one of the branches, though he could just have been hallucinating. Just to be sure, he looked back to the tree, and sure enough, no one was there. He sighed as they walked along, only for a man to jump down in front of them, startling the group.

He was wearing white and red robes, with golden makings on them, and an eagle designed hood. He stared at the group, as they just watched him.

“Are you one of the three who took The Calamity Box,” was all he spoke. Anne’s heart sunk. Whoever this guy was, he knew about the box, and the last person to know about the box was Andrias, and he wanted the box for his own purpose. So if he knew about the box…

“Are you Anne, Sasha, or Marcy,” he spoke, starting them.

“Uhm, Anne,” Hop Pop spoke. “Does he know you and your friends?” Anne shook her head. “No, I’ve never met this man before in my life.” The man stood up straight, and glared at her.

“So you’re Anne Boonchuy, huh?” He walked forward, only for Sprig to wrap his tongue around the man’s leg and pulled him down with a thud, as he grunted in pain.

“RUN,” Anne yelled, as the man got back up. He began to chase after them, using parked cars and other items to his advantage, parkouring over them.

“ANNE, WHO IS THIS GUY, AND WHAT DOES HE WANT FROM YOU!?”

“I DON’T KNOW I’VE NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE!!!” They continued to run, heading down street towards a clutter of houses. The man continued his descent on the group, just barely keeping up.

“Uh, guys,” Polly spoke. “He’s agile!”

The man kept hopping over the different items, as Anne and The Plantars approached a few men wearing Abstergo uniforms. She stopped, ushering The Plantars to hide, and she walked up to them. One of them noticed her immediately.

“You okay young lady?”

“Help, there’s…a man…chasing me…” They looked behind her to see the robed man running towards them, and they smiled.

“Don’t worry girl,” one of them spoke. “We’ll take care of him.” They grabbed their guns, as Anne and The Plantars continued to run away.

Faulkner would’ve caught up to Anne, if it wasn’t for the two Templars that approached him, guns raised. He stopped, waiting for them to approach him as he pulled out his axe.

“Well, well, well, what have we here, a man who’s on the wrong side of the battle!?” Faulkner watched them approach, as he gripped his axe handle, ready to cut the Templars down. They fired upon him, and he rolled out of the way of the tiny projectiles flying through the air at him. He stabbed one of his hidden blades in the leg of one of them, as the man yowled in pain, jumping back a bit.

The other pulled out a stick and swung it at him, but he quickly dodged it and elbowed him in the face, right before swinging his axe into his side, cutting the man like butter. He pulled it out, as the man instantaneously fell to the ground, gasping his side. Faulkner quickly finished him off with a swing to his cranium, blood and brain matter exploding upon impact.

He turned to the other Templar, who had just recovered from Faulkner’s earlier attack, as he fired his gun upon Faulkner once again. Faulkner ran at him and ducked beneath him, siding between his legs and raising his axe. It cut his crotch area, as the man fell, howling in pain, clutching his gonads. Faulkner jumped up through the air, and brought a hidden blade down upon the fallen Templar, killing him.

He stood back up, retracting his blades and attaching his axe to his side. He turned around and saw a young girl staring at him. He smiled at the girl as he approached her. He pretended to zip his lips, as the young girl nodded. He patted her head and pulled out a 20, handing it to her, as he walked away. He hopped into a tree, using it to look around for Anne and the Plantars.

Anne, Sprig, Polly, and Hop Pop stopped in front of a few dumpsters, catching their breath. They had heard the sounds of flesh being cut and blood splattering, before everything went silent. Anne peeked over to see the two Abstergo agents lying dead on the road, covered in their own blood.

“I thought your kind were more civilized than this, Anne,” Polly spoke, as Anne returned to cover behind the dumpsters.

“They are, but there are still people who take lives and don’t think twice about it.” The second she said that, the man from before jumped down in front of them, as Anne and The Plantars stared at him in fear. He stared at them, before grabbing his hood, pulling it down. His face was covered in a few specks of blood, as his hair was a deep brown medium cut, the color matching Anne’s, but a tad darker. He had deep blue eyes, and his face looked freshly shaved.

He was tall and bulky, as his muscles looked like balloons that could burst at any moment, as he wore a museum security guard uniform under white robes. Upon his hip was an old battle axe, covered in blood. The man crouched down onto his knee, as he held his hands up in a defenseless manner.

“Ms. Boonchuy, I am not a threat, nor am I an enemy, my name is Edward, Edward Faulkner, alright?”

“I find that hard to believe since you just killed those two guys back there to get to us.” Faulkner looked over two the two Abstergo agents he had just killed. He looked back to Anne, as a smirk appeared on his face.

“That’s understandable, but let me assure you, they were an enemy to all, a threat that needed to be vanquished. Just know I need to know, do you know where The Calamity Box is?”

Anne stared at him for a brief moment, before nodding her head. Faulkner sighed as he stood up.

“Very well, I made a promise to someone to protect it, but I guess it’s in the hands of the enemy now, so I should get started. But as of now, you are my top priority, meaning I have to protect you at all costs, you and your friends.”

Faulkner looked around as he turned to examine something, as he winced in pain, gripping his side. Anne saw him nearly fall, as he held onto a wound made by an earlier bullet. Faulkner looked to Anne, as he leaned onto a lamppost for support.

“Oh my frog, you’ve been SHOT!!!” Hop Pop hopped onto one of the dumpsters as Faulkner removed his hand, examining the blood.

“Weird tiny projectiles, but affective, I should get me one of those things when I get a chance.” Faulkner stood back up, as he fell onto the dumpster, as he gripped Anne for support.

“You need to go to a hospital-“

“NO!!!” Faulkner forced himself up as he looked to Anne. “Can’t…trust hospitals…might have…Templars…” He tried to keep himself upright as he spook, only for him to collapse onto the ground.

“What’s a Templar,” Sprig asked, getting a shrug from Anne.

“Abstergo…Templar…enemy…” His eyes closed as he lay on the ground, gasping.

“Mr. Edward, MR. EDWARD!!!”

Oum Boonchuy stood in her house, mixing batter for a cake. She sighed, remembering her daughter, Anne. She had gone missing a few months earlier, alongside her friends. She closed her eyes, remembering her daughter’s voice, as if it was there with her.

“…Mr. Edward, MR. EDWARD!!!”

Mrs. Boonchuy’s eyes shot open as she heard the voice, as her husband, Bee, ran into the kitchen.

“Did I hear that, or am I day dreaming!?” Mr. and Mrs. Boonchuy ran to the front door, as Oum looked out the peephole…

Anne kept shaking Edward as he gasped and wheezed, blood dripping out of his mouth. The Plantars looked to her confused and scared.

“ANNE, WHAT DO WE DO,” Hop Pop shouted, as Sprig and Polly stared at Edward in fear, afraid that at any moment the man could stop breathing and they would stare at lifeless eyes. Anne couldn’t think of anything at the moment.

“Anne…?”

In an instant, her mother’s voice filled her ears. Anne looked up and saw her parents staring at her, and in an instant, Anne’s mind went blank. She immediately jumped up and ran to them, engulfing in a big hug while The Plantars tried everything to wake Edward up.

“ANNE!!”

“Mom, Dad, I…I’m sorry”

“For what,” Mr. Boonchuy spoke.

“Uhm, I don’t want to ruin a beautiful moment, but WE GOT A DYING HUMAN OVER HERE!!!” Anne and her parents turned to Hop Pop as Anne ran back over to Edwards’s body.

“Anne, who…who is that…?”

Anne looked to her parents and shrugged no clue how to explain anything that just transpired. All she could do was listen to his breathing as Edward began to slowly go silent. Finally, nothing came out of Faulkner’s body. Anne and the Plantars stared for a few seconds.

“Mr. Ed-“

In an instant, Faulkner shot up and gasped, startling everyone, as he stood up and stumbled towards the Boonchuys.

“I’m dearly sorry and hopefully I don’t sound disrespectful, but I need to enter your camp for a quick moment.” He stumbled towards The Boonchuys house, while Mr. Boonchuy tried to protest.

“Mister, I don’t think…” Faulkner entered the house as Anne, her parents, and the Plantars tried to follow him as he stumbled around. He accidentally knocked over a few breakables as they fell to the floor and shattered.

“Wha, HEY, MISTER”

“Note to self, keep less breakable objects in your camp,” Faulkner spoke.

“IT IS NOT A CAMP, IT’S A HOUSE,” Mrs. Boonchuy responded.

“Do you sleep here?”

“Yes”

“Do you eat here?”

“Of course”

“Then it’s a camp”

“Wha-, “Mrs. Boonchuy turned to her husband, who just shrugged. Faulkner continued stumbling about, accidentally stepping on a black cat’s tail.

“MRAWR” The cat ran off to Anne, who grabbed her and began to comfort her. Faulkner walked into the kitchen and stumbled over to the faucet. He stumbled towards a weird rack of glass items and grabbed what appeared to be a cup. He
reached over and turned one of the knobs, and water began to pour out. He ran is hand under and felt the stinging sensation.

“Too hot” He reached over and turned the other knob and the temperature began to cool down. He placed his hand under and felt the warmth of the water.

“Too warm” Finally, he turned off the hot water knob and placed his hand under it, feeling the water begin to cool. He looked over to the Boonchuys and pointed at the faucet.

“You see this shit?” He placed the cup under and collected the water, before gulping it down, as he felt the water run down his throat. He went for another cup, as he guzzled it down, then looked over and grabbed a spoon.

“Anne, what is he doing,” Hop Pop asked, only for his question to be answer when he jabbed the spoon into the bullet wound, forcing a retching sound out of Sprig.

“Cool,” Polly, however, was unfazed.

Faulkner grunted as he twisted and thrusted the spoon around inside his side, until finally, he pulled out a blood coated bullet and let it clatter to the ground. He dropped the spoon onto the ground as he clutched his side in pain. He looked
around and stumbled out of the kitchen.

“Sir, either you leave, or I’ll call the police,” Mr. Boonchuy spoke. Faulkner didn’t listen. He stumbled over to the fireplace and crouched down on his knees, and looked inside. He looked up to Anne.

“You wouldn’t happen to know how to light this thing, would you?”

“Mister, you need a hospital-“

“No, I need a fire, here and now!!”

“Just light the frog dang fire, Anne,” Hop Pop spoke out.

“Sorry, who are you,” Mr. Boonchuy asked.

“Hopediah Planter, now will someone just light this guy a fire!!”

Faulkner reached into his pockets, only for a small item to be handed to him. It was some sort of small rectangular item, with a lid. He looked up to Anne, who was holding the item, as she flipped open the lid and flicked something. As soon as she did, a small flame appeared upon the item.

“Whoa, are you a goddess?”

“Sorry?”

“Never mind” He grabbed the lighter and reached for the sharpest item he could find, which for him, was a chimney poker. He lit the fireplace and stabbed the tip repeatedly into the fire for a few seconds. Finally, he pulled out the poker and rolled around and leaned against the wall. He looked up, closed his eyes, and then stabbed the poker into his wound, emitting a small sizzle.

Faulkner clutched up in pain, but didn’t remove the poker. Anne tried her best not to vomit, Polly was amazed at this man’s strength, Hop Pop was covering Sprig’s eyes, and the Boonchuy’s just stared, frozen in fear.

Faulkner removed the poker, as he sighed heavily, then he looked down as he straightened his robes, and he looked up to the others.

“Thank you, I-“He was interrupted by a punch to the face from Mrs. Boonchuy.

“You better give me one good reason why you come into my house, WITH MY DAUGHTER, who’s been missing for MONTHS, mind you, BREAK MY FURNITURE, AND THEN PULL, THIS WHOLE…VIKING STUNT ON US!!!”

Faulkner rubbed his face and smirked.

Now there’s a fighter

“I greatly apologize, it’s just the way I was taught how to treat wounds, and Viking, it’s what I am…”