Rebirth

Rebirth was a virtual representation of one of Arno Dorian's genetic memories, relived by the Helix Initiate in 2014 through the Helix Navigator.

Description

Having matched the floral symbol on the medallion with the window of the Sainte-Chapelle, Arno went there to find and obtain information from Pierre Bellec.

Dialogue

Arno arrived at the Sainte-Chapelle.

• Arno: I suppose a simple address would be too mundane.

Arno investigated the inside of the Sainte-Chapelle, finding a mechanism on the second floor balcony.

• Arno: "If you can pluck your head from your own arse, come find us."
  What's the light supposed to illuminate?
  What am I supposed to do with this medallion?
  Perhaps the sunbeam...?

Arno activated the mechanism with the medallion, setting off a timer and rearranging the room's chandeliers. After crossing the room, a hole opened in floor. Before it could close, Arno performed a Leap of Faith into the Assassin sanctuary located below the Sainte-Chapelle.

Arno meeting Pierre Bellec

• Bellec: Took you long enough, pisspot.
• Arno: What is this place?
• Bellec: A sanctuary. A place we can train and prepare, away from the eyes of our enemies.

Arno followed Pierre through the sanctuary hallway.

• Arno: Didn't we just escape from a dungeon?
• Bellec: It's not a dungeon. It's a nerve center. From these tunnels we can get anywhere in the city, all without being seen. We have eyes everywhere.
• Arno: Really? Seems visibility would be a problem. Wouldn't you prefer something with a view?
• Bellec: This place has served us well for six hundred years, pisspot.
• Arno: Uh-huh. And how long were you standing in the dark waiting for me?
• Bellec: Not long. Guillaume spotted you from the bell tower.
• Arno: Well, it was quite the entrance.
• Bellec: Are you mocking me?
• Arno: No, no! God's truth. Very theatrical.
• Bellec: Shut up. We're here.
• Mirabeau: The candidate will approach. So the son of Charles Dorian returns to us. Bellec thought you wouldn't come. What changed your mind?
• Arno: I'm tired of running from my failures. Monsieur (Mister) de la Serre, my father... I want to make it right.
• Beylier: The death of Grand Master de la Serre weighs on you. Why? Did you wield the blade yourself?
• Arno: Does it matter? The blame still lies with me.

Trenet and Bellec spoke with each other in Arabic.

Arno standing before the Council

• Trenet: Inna zunubahu tuthqilu kahilayh. Hal Anta muta'akidon minh? (He carries his guilt heavily. Are you sure of this one?)
• Bellec: Ana kazalek. Innahu qadiron 'ala muwajahati elmuhakamah. Sayakounu jay'yidan. (I am. He can face the trials. He can be great.)
• Mirabeau: Very well. Out of the dark, you come into the light. From the light, you will return to the dark. Are you prepared to travel the eagle's path?
• Arno: If that's a fancy way of asking "do I want your help," yes.
• Mirabeau: Then drink.

Arno drank from a goblet and began the trials. The contents of the goblet induced a hallucination.

Arno entering the illusion

• Arno: What's happening? Hello?

Arno recalled the day of his father's murder.

• Young Arno: Can't I go with you, father?
• Charles: Courage, my boy. You wait just here. I will return when this hand reaches the top. And there is to be no mischief.
• Arno: Father!
• Charles: Where is that boy? I'm certain I told him six o'clock—we should be well away by now.
• Arno: Father, it's me! I'm here!

The Assassin killing Charles Dorian

Arno saw his father being killed by an Assassin, representing his own sense of guilt.

• Arno: Father! Look out! No!

Arno reached his father's body, discovering the letter he failed to give to François de la Serre. While chasing the Assassin, Arno experienced another vision.

• Perrault: He must receive it today! It's very—
• Arno: Very important. I heard you the first time.
• Élise: You seem to have caused quite a commotion.
• Arno: What can I say? You were always a bad influence.
• Élise: You were a worse one. Go! I'll distract them.
• Guard: Mon Dieu (My God), he's killed Lord de la Serre!
• Bellec: If you can pluck your head from your arse, come find us. You'd make a fine fit!
• Élise: Haven't you done enough to repay my father's kindness? I found that on the floor of my father's study. Unopened.
• Arno: I didn't know.
• Élise: Neither did my father.
• François: Truly, I am blessed to have such a loyal companion as you, my friend.

Arno then witnessed the Assassin killing his stepfather. After the visions of his two greatest failures, Arno arrived in a room filled with Assassins, the Assassin representing his guilt standing over the two bodies. Arno killed him, ending his trial. Upon awaking from the hallucination, Arno found himself in front of the Assassin Council.

Arno leaving the dream and meeting the Council

• Mirabeau: These are the words spoken by our ancestors. The words that lay at the heart of our creed.
• Beylier: Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent.
• Trenet: Hide in plain sight.
• Quemar: Never compromise the Brotherhood.
• Mirabeau: Let these tenets be branded upon your mind. Follow them, and be uplifted. Break them at your peril. Rise, Assassin.

As Mirabeau spoke, Bellec outfitted Arno with a Hidden Blade.

• Mirabeau: Arno Dorian is dead. He has been culled from this world, with his sins and failures turned to dust. Tonight he is reborn, a novice of the Assassin Brotherhood.

Arno activated his Hidden Blade and Bellec patted him on the back, welcoming him to the Brotherhood.

Outcome

Arno was inducted into the French Brotherhood of Assassins.

Behind the scenes

The goblet is inscribed with the words "Fraternitatem Numquam Periculare", Latin for "Never compromise the Brotherhood", the third tenet of the Creed. Similarly, ten of the illusion portraits have single-word Latin captions that relate to the stage of Arno's life they depict. In order, the captions are "natus, puerilis, iuventus, adultus, mortis", meaning "born, childish, youth, adult, death", before they repeat in reverse order.

The tone of the dialogues repeated from previous memories changed, for example, "You seem to have caused quite a commotion", and, "What can I say? You were always a bad influence", are considerably different from their delivery in the previous memory "High Society". In the aforementioned examples, the tones change from casual and playful to distorted, unclear, and almost expressionless in the illusion.

References

An image gallery is available for Rebirth