Altair Ibn La-Ahad or Ezio Auditore da Firenze

For this round, I would like to compare stories and that should shed some light on their ultimate motivation. In his early life, Altair was born to Assassin Parents: a christian mother (Maud) and an Assassin father (Umar Ibn La'Ahad) While Maud died in childbirth, Umar was executed by the Sacarens during the during the First Siege of Masyaf (1176), in retribution for him killing a Sacaren nobleman. Altair frantically called out for his father, before the execution, but was prevented from seeing his father's death by Ahmad Sofian, the Assassin who had revealed Umar's name to the Saracens under torture. Crushed by guilt over Umar's death, he infiltrated Alta"r's quarters some time later, apologized to Alta"r for his weakness, and committed suicide with a dagger. Alta"r ran to Al Mualim's quarters with haste, informing him of what had occurred. Al Mualim told Alta"r not to disclose anything about the incident to anyone " not even to Ahmad's son Abbas, who would be shamed by the truth of his father's death. Alta"r considered Al Mualim as more of a father figure than his own biological father, though he was aware that Al Mualim's love was "weak and dishonest," and agreed to do as the Mentor commanded. Alta"r and Abbas joined the Order as novices soon after, grew up together and became good friends, always at each other's side. One day, after noticing Abbas' continued grief over his father's death, Alta"r told him the truth in an effort to console him. Upon hearing it, Abbas turned over in his bed, not saying a word. The following day, the two didn't speak to each other until Abbas asked their combat instructor Labib if they could fight with real swords, instead of the wooden practice ones. It was then that Abbas revealed his hatred of Alta"r, believing he lied about Ahmad, before attacking him in a rage. As the two grappled, Abbas held his knife to Alta"r's throat and yelled that Alta"r had lied about Abbas' father to shame him. The commotion caught the attention of the other Assassins, the villagers and Al Mualim himself. Trying to quell Abbas' anger, Alta"r falsely admitted that he had lied, and the two were taken to Masyaf's dungeon. There they spent a month in confinement before resuming their training. With his crimes deemed more severe, Abbas was forced by Al Mualim to spend an extra year in training, whilst Alta"r graduated to the rank of Assassin. "I have watched you grow from a boy to a man in so short a time. It fills me with as much sadness as pride. You fit your father's shoes as if they have been tailored to your feet." - Al Mualim talking to Altair (1189) (Assassin's Creed Storyline) Solomon's Temple - Recovery of The Apple Immediately after killing Al Mualim, Alta"r carried the former mentor's body through the fortress and past a shocked crowd. Suspicious that the Apple might somehow return Al Mualim to life, Alta"r decided to burn the body, enraging onlookers. Though he attempted to explain his actions, many of the Assassins, including Abbas, believed he had staged a coup to usurp the position of Mentor. Several attacked Alta"r in response, and in the confusion Abbas stole the Apple and fled. When Abbas climbed the watchtower and used the Apple, it proved too much for him to control and began draining the life from him and several other Assassins. Alta"r quickly confronted Abbas, defeating him and reclaiming the Apple. As Abbas pleaded for forgiveness, Alta"r stared at the Apple, asking the artifact if it would sooner grant people knowledge or lead them to destruction. In the aftermath of the skirmish, Alta"r stayed true to the Creed, ensuring that none of his rebelling brothers were killed or harmed. After subduing the rebels, he convinced them of Al Mualim's guilt and his own ability to lead the Order. Successful in his attempts, Alta"r won the hearts and minds of his Assassin brethren. "Our duty is to the people, not to custom. [...] We shall be made anew..." R13;Alta"r, after becoming Mentor, 1191. After earning the loyalty, respect and faith of almost the entire Order, Alta"r desired to tell the tale of his life, and began writing his Codex. As Mentor, he started to drastically change the methods and rituals practiced by the Order, encouraging low-profile techniques to effectively combat their Templar adversaries. As the Assassins' main goal was to protect the people, Alta"r found the ritual removal of Assassins' ring fingers "a false promise of paradise" and the prohibition against poison to be useless. He redesigned the Hidden Blade so that it would not require the removal of the finger to function, and could dispense poison. With the assistance of Malik as his right-hand man, Alta"r also designed new possible methods of assassination. One month after Al Mualim's death, the Templars had consolidated in Acre harbor, and Alta"r concluded the Assassins should attack the port. However, when he and a squad of Assassins infiltrated the city, he found that the Templar forces had already evacuated. Searching the area for clues, he came upon the same woman who had posed as Robert de Sabl" at Majd Addin's funeral, speaking heatedly with two soldiers. Eavesdropping on their conversation, Alta"r learned that the Templars had fled to Cyprus under the leadership of Armand Bouchart and that the woman, Maria, had fallen out of favor with them after Robert de Sabl"'s death. Once the soldiers left, he attempted to speak with her, only for her to attack him. Although she initially had the upper hand, Alta"r ultimately defeated her and questioned her at knife-point. He then took her hostage, forcing her to travel with him to Cyprus. Temporarily abdicating control of the Order, saying that he "built this Brotherhood to last", Alta"r arrived in Limassol and established contact with Alexander, the leader of the Resistance against the Templars within the city. Alexander became Alta"r's primary ally in Cyprus, and also took Maria under his protection Many years later, Alta"r and Maria returned to their residence, where they mourned the death of their son. Alta"r began reflecting on the pain he had caused Malik in his life, wondering if Malik truly hated him, and Maria scolded him for his wavering faith. She convinced Alta"r that Malik would never betray him, and he resolved to infiltrate the Masyaf dungeon and rescue his friend. Evading patrolling and sleeping guards, Alta"r sneaked into the prison and found Malik in one of the cells, skinny to the bone, hair long and beard overgrown. Alta"r brought Malik back to their residence, where the man revealed that Abbas had staged a coup two years before, had Sef killed, and framed Malik for the murder. Malik regretted that he had not been a better leader, claiming that Alta"r would not have allowed any of this to happen. Alta"r and Maria then waited until he was asleep before leaving to confront Abbas. Arriving in the fortress, the two faced Abbas, who was soon joined by Swami bearing a burlap sack. Abbas delivered the parcel to Alta"r, showing that it contained the head of Malik, whom Swami had executed after they left their quarters. Abbas asked Alta"r why he had infiltrated the prison, which caused the other Assassins present to doubt Alta"r's motives. After a heated conversation, Abbas demanded that Alta"r surrender the Apple of Eden; in exchange, Alta"r would be told the true circumstances of Sef's death. To Maria's shock, Alta"r agreed, extracting the Apple from his robes. As Swami approached to take it, he whispered that he had told Sef before his execution that Alta"r had ordered his death. Alta"r became furious, and his rage was sent into the Apple; its power froze Swami and drove the man to self-injury. Two years later, Altair returned from his exile and assassinated with help, from loyal student Assassins. Altair took back power, and mentored the Creed once again. Days before death, he commanded his son to lock him in his library to die. And so he did. Ezio Auditore found him centuries later.