Story 1 – Shinobi

Feudal Era Japan, Date Unspecified


A hooded and masked shinobi leaps across the rooftops of a town, late at night. He watches the movements of guards, who protect the local warlord, who is rumoured to have obtained a powerful artifact to further exert their control over the population. The shinobi sneaks his way into the warlord's outpost residence, finding him with his son in a private room. The son hugs his father good night and leaves the room, after which the shinobi unsheathes their hidden blade, stabbing the warlord through the neck and throat from behind. The shinobi immediately leaps to the ceiling and out of a window, as the son returns to the room with his mother, finding the warlord slumped forward in death.

As the shinobi attempts to escape, he finds several guards upon his path, forcing him to need to dispatch them quickly before an alarm is sounded. He again takes to the rooftops to escape, spotting a kunoichi giving chase to him. He throws shuriken at her, trying to dissuade her pursuit, but finds a crossbow bolt fired back at him. The two draw swords and engage in battle across the rooftops, the shinobi emerging the victor. As he escapes into the wilderness, he thinks back to the son who he just traumatised, knowing full well that the seeds of revenge have been planted.


Story 2 – Uncivil War

The White House, Washington DC, USA, 11 April 1865

President Abraham Lincoln addresses the gathered public crowd, a mere few days after the end of the Civil War that had engulfed America, following the surrender of General Lee's Confederate armed forces. Lincoln outlines how the country was going to change, allowing people of all skin colours the right to citizenry, essentially paving the way towards ending slavery for the nation. Within the crowd a man named 'John' loudly proclaims that he will kill Lincoln for this act, before he is quieted by his friend. Two other men stand nearby, also listening to the president. Of the two, William, a black man, leaves the scene before departing within a carriage, meeting Ulysses Grant within. The two discuss the President's speech, with William warning that the group he had been investigating were firmly intent on kidnapping Lincoln. Grant, William's former slave master, states that the best way to protect the President from any potential assassins, is to assassinate them first. Upon reaching Grant's residence, the two men go into a workshop, where several items are provided to William, including a hooded outfit. William elects to build a Hidden Blade from the parts available, to aid him in his quest.

Later that evening, William stands atop a hotel, looking at the crowd below. He spots his target, and follows the man to a building, where he meets a group of conspirators. Hanging from the rooftop, William overhears their discussion from a window, where they plan to kidnap Lincoln and Grant. One man suggests it would be easier to simply shoot the President and Grant at the Theater performance they were scheduled to attend that evening. William nearly loses his balance, as the rope he hangs from is suddenly pulled up to the roof, a curious guard surprised to find him at the end of it. William swings his sword at the chest of the man, ripping open an armor plate below his coat, one which depicts the cross insignia of the Templar Order. Realising his sword will do nothing against the armor, William pulls out his whip, thrashing it towards the Templar's head, forcing him to yield backwards. Once he has been positioned near the edge of the roof, William drop kicks him over the edge. William returns to the window, but hears nothing, the conspirators evidently gone. William rushes back to the residence of Grant, who admonishes him for not rushing to protect Lincoln. William had preferred to protect his former master first. Grant urges him to return and find Lincoln, which William dutifully does running his horse as fast as possible. As he returns to the centre of the city, he finds crowds amassing, in celebration of the end of the war. He leaves the horse and ventures on by foot.

As he nears the theater where Lincoln attends a play, the simulation within the Animus begins to distort. A man appears before him, stating that he is his descendant. He requests that William stand down, to allow Lincoln to be assassinated, as he is simply an appeaser, and that only Ulysses Grant can provide the true change to the lives of black people. He tells William that he must allow the Templars to win, but William refuses, forcing the simulation back to normal. William bursts into the back doors of the theater. As he runs up the stairs he hears a gun shot ring out. Screams occur all around, and William realises he is too late. President Lincoln is fatally wounded, from a bullet to the head.

William returns to Grant's residence, where news of the death of the President becomes known. Grant tells him that he did everything that he could have done, but William still feels guilty for failing to save Lincoln.

In the time that follows, Ulysses Grant goes on to become President himself in 1869. William elects to cease his days aiding the Assassin Brotherhood, and seeks out his new life in the brave new future of the country.


Story 3 – Project Altair

Location – Unknown, Date – Unknown, presumed future setting

For two years, destruction has rained across the planet. Giant unknown “kaiju” monsters appear at random, destroying cities, and then vanishing as quickly as they appeared. Humanity seemingly has no way to fight back.

Atop a building, a woman known as Minerva watches yet another monster ravaging the city below her. She throws off her cloak, and performs a leap of faith down into a giant robot below, landing neatly into the command chair. She speaks on her comm to her support team, who confirm all systems checks are complete on the machine, which they refer to as Altaïr-01. She activates her plasma Hidden Blade, plugging it into a port, evidently activating the machine.

The robot rises from its stationary position, under the control of Minerva. Standing at the size of a skyscraper, it manoeuvres slowly towards the giant monster. As the robot closes in, it too extends its own mechanical Hidden Blade, before plunging it into the chest of the monster.