Old Times

Old Times was a virtual representation of one of Bayek's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan through the Portable Animus HR-8.

Description

Claridas, an old friend from Siwa, now a champion in the Lageion Hippodrome, invites Bayek to catch up.

Dialogue

Bayek visited the Lageion Hippodrome, where a man was giving a speech.

• Man: His name was Icarus, the glory of the raucous Hippodrome, the much-lauded and short-lived beloved of Kanopos. Jealous Fate, numbering his victories instead of his years, thought him old, and stole him away in his twenty-fifth year. Icarus, a champion from thirteen when he won his first race, to his thousandth win as Miliarius, there is no honor higher. His horses, as blessed by the gods as he, Abraxas, and Santana, whom he rode to victory over five hundred races, the definition of equine pride. Icarus, lead racer for the populist Prasina Green, won them wreaths of olive, laurel, and pine. Now they are lost in a turbulent sea. The Veneta Blue who gnashed their teeth and tore their breasts when he beat them, even they weep bitter tears at his loss. Oh! Tragedy, that you, Icarus should be cut down in the bloom of youth, and be summoned so soon to harness the dusky steeds of Serapis. The chariot race was never long enough when you drove with the lightning, but oh, why should your own race have ended in a flash?

He found his old friend Claridas amongst the crowd listening to the speech and approached him.

• Bayek: Sennefer? Is it you?
• Claridas: Bayek, you sour-faced Siwan! Hah, hah. I—I'm Claridas now. What are you doing here?

Nikias harrassed by the Veneta Blues

Two members of the Veneta Blues approached Nikias, a member of the Prasina Green. one of the members punched him in the stomach.

• Nikias: Icarus was a thousand times better than you!

Bayek and Claridas saw the commotion. The two men pulled Nikias near a pile of manure.

• Archippos: Who's going to lead you Greens now, malakia?
• Maleos: You're a babe at the teat! You think you can win the Cursus Magnus (the great race)? Horseshit!

Claridas approached them.

• Claridas: Leave Nikias alone. Icarus's death was a dark day for all of us. Let him weep in peace.

Claridas inviting Bayek to join him at the tavern

The two Veneta Blues left the area. Claridas returned to speak to Bayek.

• Claridas: So? Is Aya with you?
• Bayek: Ahh, eh! I am alone.
• Claridas: I was just asking.
• Bayek: Ask my foot next time.
• Claridas: No matter. Join us at the tavern later!

Claridas left and made his way to the tavern in Kanopos. Later that night, Bayek arrived at the tavern. He discovered Claridas conversing with the townsfolk.

• Man 1: I saw you ride last month when five chariots all crashed at the turn!
• Claridas: Yes, that was an amazing race.
• Woman: Your horses look so strong, so sleek. How do you choose them?
• Claridas: (laughs) I have an eye for flesh.

Claridas later drank with his fellow Blues.

• Man 2: So I said... it's not your pig I'm talking about, it's your wife.

Bayek approached them.

• Claridas: Bayek! How long has it been? A decade? More?
• Bayek: You left Siwa a long time ago. And you left your name behind too.
• Claridas: I had to. Claridas is a name better suited for the Hippodrome.

Bayek and Claridas discussing their past

Bayek sat down to drink with the men.

• Bayek: Remember the horses we rode outside Siwa?
• Claridas: Those nags? Hah! Never thought you would leave that shithole. Ah, Siwa. Small, poor, and ugly. The only beauty there was Aya. Has it changed much? Has she?
• Bayek: Things change. People change.

Bayek gulped down a bowl of drink.

• Bayek: I need another drink.

Bayek approached by Nikias

Bayek left the group and went upstairs to drink. Nikias approached him.

• Nikias: Pardon, neb. I overheard Claridas say you once rode together? My father sponsors the Prasina Greens, and we are in need of a mighty racer.
• Bayek: I am only here to drink. And forget.

Claridas approached them from behind.

• Claridas: Leave him alone, Nikias. Hehe. Real men are drinking her tonight!

Nikias left the place.

• Claridas: Haha... Bayek, come. Let me show you something inspiring, ah?

The two drunken men made their way out of the tavern, Claridas leading the way.

• Claridas: Come, move your ass!
• Bayek: Where are you taking me, Sennefer?
• Claridas: Please! Claridas! I have not been Sennefer in years.
• Bayek: Why did you change your name?
• Claridas: To succeed in the Hippodrome, one must be welcomed by the Greek houses. So a Greek name.
• Bayek: You abandoned your name, your home—
• Claridas: Siwa was nothing to me. The Greeks may look down on us... but screw them! I eat and drink well on what I win!
• Bayek: I have no ambition to race at the Hippodrome—
• Claridas: You? No, never. They cheer for me! Besides, you would need a sponsor, a real chariot... Now Icarus, he was a true hero. Did you know he won a thousand races? And survived twice as many! See how they loved Icarus!
• Bayek: You have adopted their gods, too.

Bayek and Sennefer arrived at a memorial for Icarus.

• Claridas: Our gods never did anything for me! You're lucky I left. If I had stayed, Aya would have been mine.
• Bayek: You're drunk. And an ass.
• Claridas: You have no idea what I gave up.
• Bayek: The world is hard.
• Claridas: You always looked down on me in Siwa. Thought you were better.
• Bayek: I never—
• Claridas: Doesn't matter. I have found fame!
• Bayek: At what cost? You gave up your home, your name, your gods! You chose this path.
• Claridas: And it has brought me all the coin and cunt I want!
• Bayek: You always wanted glory. It's not what drives all of us.
• Claridas: And all you wanted was Aya and little Bayeks. What made you abandon your dr—
• Bayek: Enough!

Bayek and Claridas woke up at the stables

Bayek fought Claridas until they passed out. They woke up later in the stables nearby.

• Claridas: You alive?

They got up.

• Claridas: Hah. You are old. Time for me to dunk my head.
• Bayek: The beer hits harder than you.
• Claridas: What in Dionysus' name were you talking to Nikias about last night?
• Bayek: Nikias? Who?
• Claridas: Don't bullshit me. I saw you. What, you think his father will just welcome you onto the Prasina Green team? You really think you can roll onto the track and win races with no training? No skill? Piss on you!
• Bayek: Maybe I should seek this Nikias out and hear his offer. If you can win, Claridas, it can't be that hard.
• Claridas: You might want to pray first. You'll need all the help you can get to survive the Hippodrome!
• Bayek: The gods will watch us race and decide.
• Claridas: You have your gods, I have mine. We'll see who rides out covered in glory!
  Enough has been said. Let the gods judge you in the Hippodrome.

They parted ways.

Outcome

Bayek was reunited with his old friend from Siwa, Claridas. He later received an offer from Nikias, a member of the Prasina Greens, to join the team as a racer.

Gallery

• 
  A Veneta Blue about to push Nikias
• 
  Claridas stopping his teammates
• 
  The Veneta Blues at the tavern
• 
  Drinking session
• 
  Bayek discussing his interest to participate in the hippodrome

References

• Assassin's Creed: Origins