Growing Doubt

"I would have appreciated it if you have waited for my answer.", Ayam said, but he was aware that Captain Nick didn't hear it.

Seeing that the guards were starting flock around Captain Nick, Ayam decided to fight as well. Ayam unsheathed his Sansibar and held it in his right hand while he held its scabbard in his left hand in an ice pick hold.

Ayam lunged at one of the guards and easily knocked him out of the way due to his physique, he then stabbed a guard who was going after Captain Nick.

"If it isn't Ayam Aguilar.", Rogers' voice reached Ayam.

Ayam stood and faced his now former master, awaiting more words to come out from his mouth.

While I was within my battle mood killing about three of the guards. Ayam actually saved my life, killing the final one which was about to stab me in the back. I then heard Rogers speak to Ayam. Knowing that Ayam would want alone time with Rogers, I lunged at Torres, activated my hidden blade and put it mere centimetres away from his throat. "You talk, you die." I ordered with a harsh tone. I looked at Ayam and nodded.

Ayam stared at Rogers, but not with anger or hatred, but with disappointment. He had no intention of killing Rogers or his men. Not yet.

Ayam started speaking, "You knew my father, Rogers. Why did he have to die?"

He needed no complicated questions, Ayam only wanted, no, needed to know why. With this simple thought, Ayam finally began to feel a bit more frustrated, not being able to understand anything that's been going around him for so long.

Rogers just stared at Ayam with a smile before simply saying. "Two reasons, your mother, the shipwrecked sailor...and simply money. We need money you know. It's not easy, for an organization like this to be run. It needs a lot of money.....and I think Mr Morgan over here would know that in order to earn money, promises must be broken, irony must be achieved."

Nick then suddenly glared at Rogers, pure fury in his eyes "I think had you been through what I had to see and do from the age of 5, you would understand a lot better. I was on the streets, I had to drink my own fucking PISS just to make sure I didn't die of dehydration! And guess what! My mother tried going into prostitution, she was that desperate. Want to know how she died? She was raped and decapitated! IN FRONT OF ME! You got a nice life with a nice rich family. I had NOTHING! I had no other choice other than to do what I did. So if you dare mention my family ever again, I will rip your head off with my bare hands and castrate you!" Nick shouted, now standing directly in front of Rogers. "So don't you dare compare me to such a fucking corrupt dog like you ever again, Templar" Nick also added, saying that last word like he had poison.

Rogers then looked at Nick, still smiling before looking at Ayam "Granted, maybe I shouldn't compare myself to such an ignorant buffoon like Nick over here. But I did do it mainly for the cargo to sell and as we didn't want to leave any witnesses? I killed your father, then things went from there."

Ayam kept quiet and looked at the raging Captain Nick, who was trying to keep himself from stabbing Rogers in the neck. After a short while of silence, Ayam put his hand on Captain Nick's shoulder.

"Let's go, Captain, nothing good'll come up if we stay like this.", Ayam said in a surprisingly calm manner.

Walking on ahead, Ayam stopped for a bit and spoke, "I will need an audience with you, Sir Rogers. I want to know every single detail about how and why my family had a doing in all of this."

Turning his head around and continued walking away, it was clearly seen in his movements that Ayam was scarred. Scarred in the mind, where everything he perceived to be was completely shattered.

Nick then sighed, shook his head and followed Ayam, taking deep breaths. "Sorry, for that outburst. My family is a pretty touchy subject and taunting me about them is a death sentence really. Anyway, onto other matters. If you do decide to become an Assassin, Ayam, go to 70 longitude and 405 latitude. You will find an island there, meet me at the beach that is in front of it, from two months time if you decide to become an assassin." Nick then said with a sigh....and an odd look of sadness.

Ayam stopped in his tracks and softly spoke, "Forgive me, Captain, but once I hear both Torres and Rogers' part in all of this, I am cutting my ties with them... and with you."

Ayam turned to a different route and walked silently, careful not to bump into anybody, while covering his face within the shadows of his hat.

Nick, having a look of finding coal in his stocking, nodded with a sigh. Walking off, he truly did began thinking if any of this truly was worth it. He very frequently felt that he didn't do enough and that he had failed his parents because of his pirating past. He as a child had wanted to try to...he guessed to save them? No, to protect them. To make sure they got a home. He failed to do that, his mothers screams that chilled his blood rang through his ears as Nick was deep within thought. He decided to write....write to Ayam as a final goodbye.

"I do not blame you for leaving and becoming a free agent. But as you did not give me a chance to save my goodbye's. I honestly don't know why I am going to tell you the things I'm about to tell you,  but I guess I need to get these things off of my chest after all these years. When it comes to my life, my horrible one at that as you heard from my own mouth and spit to Rogers, I feel though...that by breaking my promise, of never becoming something that was why my family and I had been left on the streets....I had failed my parents, more than ever. I never told you that from the age of 15 to the age of 17 I had been a pirate, forced into it like a slave. Before I became washed up on a beech, for reasons that you may or may not learn of someday. I promised my family that when I was able to, I would earn back the money we lost, allow my family to earn food, water and to give shelter. I promised I would do what was right, no matter the cost. But here I am now, back then I hoped that when I thought of my family I would think of achieving that promise....but the only memories I have in my mind that stand out are the screams that are ringing in my ears.....the final screams and pleading for mercy. My mother's screams and her begging for that man to stop....above all else." Nick wrote that final part, admittedly as a tear fell down onto the letter. "I honestly do question quite a lot whether or not the path I have been going down for so long has been worth it. Sometimes I believe that when Edward Thatch said to me when I was made to be a pirate...which was 'In a day and age like this...promises can never be kept....lives will always be lost and ruined.' I'm sure as I write this, Blackbeard is smiling up at me in hell, thinking I will admit he is right....but I will not.

Even after these years, I refuse. Because I still believe that things can still change. That promises can be kept. I may not be alive by the time this war between the Assassins and Templars are over, the assassins may struggle for another 1000 years in vain. But we will not stop, I realize now that there is always something in the world for a man to fight for. Whether that be his wife....or his Brotherhood. We both are on paths shrouded with darkness behind us and darkness still to come which we do not wish to go into. And I doubt I will live to see it's end. But I will travel down it nonetheless. For all that insist I turn back or that this path is not worth it. I refuse and continue travelling down this path. This....is a truth I have realized. I do not believe you will either...Ayam. But I at least hope....that we both will live our lives and not regret them at the end of our lives....

Sincerely

Nick Morgan

P.S No need to call me captain."

And Nick finished it with that, before getting on Ayam's ship and getting in the captain's cabin. Luckily, he got in without being seen and Ayam had not got back to his ship yet. He placed the letter on Ayam's desk before leaving and getting back on his ship...and sailing for Tulum, smiling, knowing that this life he has led and this path he is going down on...will not be one he regretted going down in the first place.