How to Kill Al Mualim in "Assassin's Creed"

The climactic battle in Assassin's Creed pits Altair against his mentor, Al Mualim, in a fight for the Piece of Eden. While most of the game emphasizes running and hiding, there's no escaping from this battle, so pull out a sword and begin by taking down the ghosts of the nine Templar bosses you assassinated throughout the game.

Kill the group of nine Templar attackers that ambush you after the cutscene with Al Mualim. Nothing special here -- as with most fights in the game, counter kills with a sword work best, but you can try to knock down an attacker and finish him with the hidden blade, if you prefer. Defeat the group to reach a second cutscene where Al Mualim splits into several clones of himself.

Fight off the group of Al Mualim clones. As with other assailants in "Assassin's Creed," the clones tend to keep their distance and attack one at a time, so regular tactics continue to work -- use counter kills to take out attackers and dodge to avoid swings aimed at your back.

This section of the fight ends when you take down the true Al Mualim. If you're trying for a speedrun, you can use Eagle Vision to spot the original man, highlighted in gold, but usually it's easier to take down clone after clone until you happen on the correct enemy. When you take down the real Al Mualim, a third cutscene begins. After the two trade verbal jabs, another section of the battle begins with Altair's health drained automatically.

Run around the area to look for Al Mualim, who is now hiding. If you have trouble finding Al Mualim, make sure you've checked each area of the field, which includes a ramp to a lower level. Once you find him, the one-on-one fight resumes. Get in a single hit, which causes your health to regenerate, then go for a counter or combo. If Al Mualim hits you first, you'll go down instantly and have to start over, so charge in swinging.

Hunt down Al Mualim repeatedly, as he vanishes each time you get a few hits in. After a few rounds of attacks, Altair successfully finishes off his old friend. Not counting cutscenes, the entire battle only lasts a few minutes, provided you don't have trouble finding the boss when he hides.

Pick up the Piece of Eden to finish the game. Once the cutscenes end and Desmond wakes up from the Animus, use Eagle Vision around the lab to see cryptic messages all over the walls.