Retaking of Masyaf

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"Impossible! The student does not defeat the teacher!"

―Al Mualim at Altaïr's feet

After killing Robert de Sable, Altaïr rode for Masyaf to confront his master, Al Mualim. Upon entering Masyaf, a man greets Altaïr. Altaïr asked where everyone was and if it was the work of Templars. The man spoke in cryptic words regarding finally seeing the truth and light and the master being responsible with this enlightenment.

From this, Altaïr knew it was the doing of Al Mualim and headed toward the Assassin's Fortress to liberate the village.

The Mindless March

Altaïr countering a hypnotized Assassin

On the way to the Fortress, Altaïr saw some of the Assassins blocking his path. Upon seeing Altaïr, they drew their swords. Altaïr attempted to fight them off but there were too many. Before Altaïr was overran, Malik and some of the other Assassins who were not yet controlled by the Piece of Eden fought them off and saved their brother.

Altaïr ran up to the top to meet with Malik and the others. Altaïr told Malik that Al Mualim had betrayed them; Malik agreed to this and added that the Master had betrayed his Templar allies as well. He explained that after they had spoken, he returned to Solomon's Temple and found Robert's journal filled with revelations regarding the Apple's use to control the Holy Land. Altaïr then advised Malik to lead his men to distract the thralls in front of the fortress long enough for him to reach Al Mualim.

Altaïr and Malik went their separate ways with Altaïr heading to the Assassin's Fortress. Standing in front of the fortress were a large group of Al Mualim's mind slaves. Careful not to hurt them, Altaïr made his way through the crowd and into the fortress.

The Duel

File:Masyaf almualim balcony.jpg

Altaïr faces up to his master

Altaïr saw the door to the Assassin's Garden open and decides to see if Al Mualim was outside. As he stepped outside, the door shuts behind him and he became immobilized by the spell of Al Mualim's Piece of Eden. After a brief taunt, Al Mualim used the Piece of Eden to disguise some of his Assassins as Altaïr's slain targets, and commanded them to destroy Altaïr. However, Altaïr manages to pick them off one by one. Al Mualim then used the Piece of Eden to clone himself, but Altaïr uses his Eagle Vision to see past the illusions and struck the real Al Mualim with his blade, making the clones disappear.

Al Mualim decides to have a battle one on one with Altaïr, but not before having a word with him first. They speak about the nature of Al Mualim's schemes and the Piece of Eden itself. When Altaïr asks why his master never used the Piece of Eden to enslave his mind like the other Assassins, Al Mualim answered "Who you are and what you do are twined too tight together. To rob you of one would deprive me of the other, and those Templars had to die!" However he then reveals that he did try but was unsuccessful, due to Altaïr's seemingly natural resistance to the Piece of Eden's effects. Finally the two Assassins duel to the death and Altaïr ultimately emerged the victor.

As Al Mualim collapsed to the floor in Altaïr's arms he was surprised of the realization of his loss. "Impossible. The student does not defeat the teacher!" he said, to which Altaïr replied "Nothing is true, Everything is permitted." The Piece of Eden rolled out of the old master's hands and Altaïr suggests that it should have been destroyed, to which the dying Assassin replies that he believes it is the only means of creating true peace in the world and that he could never destroy such a thing. Altaïr said that he will, however as he approached the Piece of Eden he became mesmerized by it. A hologram of the entire world projected from the ancient artifact, and at this moment, Malik and his men arrive and join Altaïr in the fascination of the artifact.