The Loom of Fate

"You guys showed up in record time, huh?" The repairman nonchalantly tied a bandage around his fist, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Are you all so eager to fall into the waiting arms of the Templars? Fox, Carlos?"

Carlos, never one to rush into things, waited to respond. He sized up the repairman and finally spoke, his voice filled with curiosity. "You seem to know quite a bit. So, do you have any idea what's causing all of this chaos?"

As he finished tying the bandage, a sly smile played across the repairman's face. "Oh, I know very well, my friend. But you see, I'm left with no choice. My name has appeared on the loom, whether true or not, and I've grown tired of fighting against an uncertain fate."

"Do you remember the origin of my name, Carlos?" the repairman asked a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

Carlos nodded, recalling the past. "Of course, it means 'to fix those disobedient ones.'"

The repairman's smile widened. "Ah, indeed! And don't forget, I also had a hand in fixing you. I played my part in transforming you into the Master Assassin of the Brotherhood. So, you could say I deserve some credit."

Carlos's voice turned cold as he shouted, "Are you implying that I gave you a good beating and sent you back to the repair room the second time?"

The repairman's mocking smile froze, realizing he had hit a sensitive spot. He quickly shifted gears. "Well, regardless, let's see if you've improved over the years, shall we?" He flexed his fists, eager for a challenge.

He knew he couldn't match the combined marksmanship of Carlos, Fox, and the others. Instead, he decided to pit his best fist against Carlos in a one-on-one, mano-a-mano battle.

Carlos nodded, acknowledging the repairman's point. He holstered his gun and prepared to engage in close combat.

Just as Wesley, Carlos's loyal son, took a step forward, ready to intervene on his father's behalf —

"BANG"

Jack leaped over the scattered crowd, his eyes fixed on the lifeless body of the repairman sprawled on the ground. Ignoring the grim scene, he darted forward, determined to ascend the stairs.

"Come on now, guys! We can't afford to dawdle," Jack called out impatiently, his voice hinting urgency.

"Sloan is no mere shrubbery. If we delay, he might slip away like a wily fox!"

The group hurried on, but...

Jack glanced back at his companion, noting the disbelief etched on their face. They stood at the entrance of a secret passage, recently unearthed, which held the promise of uncovering the whereabouts of Sloan.

Determined to fulfill their duty, they had dispatched every assassin who dared to resist—a grim procession of butchers and gunsmiths now lay lifeless. However, their efforts were in vain, for it became painfully apparent that Sloan had eluded them, just as Jack had forewarned.

"The slippery devil has slipped away," Fox announced, striding in from the outside.

"He vanished through this secret passage leading straight to the East River. I suspect he's prepared a means of escape, perhaps a ship lying in wait."

Jack shrugged nonchalantly.

"He's just a bachelor commander. I doubt he'll cause much havoc. At most, he will report this to the high table..."

"Oh, how the tides have turned! But worry not; the difference is negligible. Now, where is this elusive loom of fate you speak of? I've been itching to lay eyes on it for ages."

.....

"You said, last time, this thing just started to move by itself and then weaved?" Jack's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he peered at the Destiny Loom before him.

Carlos, who stood beside him, gently stroked the gauze on the loom and nodded. "Yes, Fate responded to me."

Wick, who had become increasingly involved with the team, couldn't help but join the conversation. "Is that even possible?"

Jack, observing the loom closely, shrugged. "Well, anything is possible. It could be magic or perhaps something else entirely. At this point, I'm not entirely sure."

"Magic?" The others repeated in unison, their attention now fully focused on Jack.

Maintaining an air of reason, Jack replied confidently, "Why not? Here bullets defy physics and looms weave by themselves. So, why can't a keyboard give its author its own code? Or better yet, why can't magic exist?"

"Wait, you know magic?" Wesley's excitement was palpable.

Jack smirked, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Of course I do. Magic is my specialty."

The group watched in anticipation as Jack prepared to use magic to stimulate the loom, hoping for a special response.

"Behold!" Jack declared, and in an instant, he entered a state of stealth.

The team gasped in amazement. They had just witnessed Jack transform into a human-shaped shadow.

"Woah! That's incredible!" Wesley exclaimed, unable to contain his astonishment.

Carlos and the others stood in awe, their eyes wide with wonder.

Jack, basking in their admiration, smirked and asked, "Well, did you see it? Stealth magic, an exclusive skill of assassins!"

"This is beyond cool!" Wesley couldn't contain his excitement.

However, amidst their marveling, Wesley's curiosity got the better of him. Something didn't quite add up.

"Wait a minute," Wesley interjected, his brows furrowing. "Is this really an assassin's 'stealth' magic?"

Jack chuckled and replied, "Yes, it is. I may be a Templar, but who says a Templar can't dabble in a bit of assassin magic?"

A distinct "click" echoed through the room as their conversation continued. The sensitive ears of the group immediately perked up, and their gazes shifted toward the loom in unison.

Gradually, the sound continued, echoing through the room—masu, wand, rollers—all the parts moving effortlessly, without any visible driving force. Like last time, the loom, weaving with eerie grace, came to life.

"What did you just do?" Jack inquired, his eyes fixed on the enigmatic contraption.

The others exchanged bewildered glances and shook their heads simultaneously. "Nothing," they replied in unison.

Jack's mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. "Templar..." he murmured, a realization dawning on him.

As soon as the word left his lips, the loom's working speed accelerated again as if responding to his revelation.

If it weren't for the rhythmic creaking of the ancient loom, Jack would have been tempted to try it to speed it up and find out whether it would unravel itself in the process.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the loom gradually slowed down, coming to a gentle stop. Jack's eyes sparkled with curiosity. Unable to contain her enthusiasm, Fox leaped up and snatched the cloth from the loom, eager to decipher its hidden message.

Her eyes widened with astonishment as she examined the cloth. "This... it's not just a name," Fox exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement. "It's a passage!"

Jack leaned in closer, intrigued. "What passage?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Fox hastily scribbled down all the deciphered letters on a piece of paper, arranging them meticulously. With a flourish, she presented the jumbled letters to everyone.

Wick gazed at the dense cluster of interconnected letters, puzzled. "Is there no separation?" he wondered aloud, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"This seems like a job for a different kind of word puzzle game," Jack said, oozing confidence. "Leave it to me. I'll crack this code in no time..."

Jack's eyes glinted with determination as he surveyed the tangled mess of letters. The letters quickly rearranged themselves in his mind, revealing the most probable way to divide them. Within a matter of seconds, he had a solution.

"I've got it," Jack declared, taking up a pen with a smooth, confident motion. He deftly divided the jumbled letters into distinct paragraphs, making them easily readable.

The newly-organized text revealed a passage of profound meaning:

"Templar, an ancient term, was once buried beneath the dust of history due to the greed of assassins.

The word 'assassin' still lingers, but their existence is now nominal. They no longer deserve to be guided by fate.

The world is in disarray, lacking balance.

Jack, a visitor from space, the last Templar. May you restore order and harmony to the world.

We shall each take what we need."

Jack's eyes narrowed slightly as he absorbed the weighty message contained within the passage. The vast amount of information captivated him, leaving him lost in thought.

"This is truly fascinating," he mused a hint of intrigue in his voice.

....

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