Apotheosis of the Immortal by Joshua A. Chaudry

virtue held by any weapon was merely an expression of the man wielding it.
    The kopis was forged out of one solid piece of metal from hilt to tip, which made it very sturdy. Elijah fashioned two of them, identical in every respect, except for size. The blade of the larger kopis was nearly seventy centimeters long, much longer than the classical weapon. The shorter blade was only thirty centimeters.
    Elijah was satisfied with his creations; the two weapons were nearly perfectly proportionate in size and weight. The smaller kopis , or “dagger” as Elijah called it, hung beneath his right arm from a leather strap of his design and making. The larger one hung from his right hip in a scabbard he had fashioned to hold it in perfect position to strike quickly.

Chapter 16
     
    Thoughts of the past kept Elijah focused. He needed to be the ultimate weapon when he finally had another chance to face his father, and a first chance to face his brother, on the field of battle. As Elijah grew stronger and more fierce, the Assassins decided to make use of his deadly potential.
    He was sent on many missions throughout Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. He always searched out the local temples, hoping to find his brother, but he was never successful. As his frustration grew, he relished bloodshed more and more. Soon he grew tired of killing only targets; single kills no longer soothed the frustration, anger, and guilt that were festering inside him.
    He became reckless, killing when he didn’t need to kill. He earned a bad reputation at the fortress and was shunned by nearly everyone except Hassan, who had always tried to fashion Elijah’s character along with his skill. Now their training sessions were often interrupted by Hassan’s long lectures.
    Elijah was growing tired of his constant berating about self-control, and about loyalty to the code of discipline and leadership he claimed had held the Assassin order together for so long.

Chapter 17
     
    “Hassan, you know as well as I do that he must go; he is not an Assassin.” The imam gently squinted his eyes and patted Hassan comfortingly on the shoulder. “He has been here for years and still keeps to himself. He doesn’t sleep; he makes the other men uncomfortable.” The imam turned and faced Hassan squarely. “We don’t even know what he is, for God’s sake.”
    “He completes every mission efficiently, does he not?” Hassan jumped to Elijah’s defense.
    “Yes.” The feeble imam stared at the ground. “But you know as well as anyone that we live by a code here; we hold certain beliefs and values that he does not. Our missions are a byproduct of our beliefs, that is all.”
    “He is a good man; he showed that to me the first day we met. He just needs time to find his way.” Hassan stood up from his seat at the imam’s side and paced the floor.
    “He is not one of us, Hassan, and honestly, I am disappointed that you of all people can’t see that.” The imam looked up and watched Hassan as he paced. “Why does this sit so uneasy with you?”
    “Because he saved my life, and because he refuses to compromise; he is the most passionately committed man I have ever met. He is searching for something, and when he finds it, he will become something the world has never seen… someone who could end this madness and bring peace, not only to the Holy Land, but to the world.”
    “I must warn you Hassan, you flirt with blasphemy; you make him out to be some kind of god.”
    Hassan suddenly paused and stared at the imam. “We judge him because he is different, because we don’t understand him. But his bravery, his fearless refusal to follow codes or creeds or anything but his own passions and beliefs, will one day lead him to a freedom like we will never know. If we help him to find it, he will able to make a real difference in this world.” Hassan sat back down and leaned in close to the imam, deciding to try another approach. “Give me more time to work with