Lucian Esposito was not having a good day. His anger simmered, as he stood atop a rooftop in Firenze and gazed down upon the busy pub beneath him. He knew his target, a man named Antonio Vespucci, was currently enjoying a drink in the bar beneath his feet, but the lengths in which he had gone to receive that information had been extensive. Three men ended up having to be killed before any one of Antonio's associates had divulged his whereabouts.
Three deaths, and he still had yet to even lay eyes upon his target. Lucian shook his head slowly; Ezio would not be pleased.
But there was nothing that could be done now, and the mission had to proceed. With a sigh, Lucian raised his hands and, with a flick of the wrist, extended both of his hidden blades. The polished steel gleamed in the late afternoon sun; the blades sharp enough to split a hair. Lucian looked down upon them with reverence, soon they would be covered with his target's blood. The thought sent chills racing down his back.
This would be his first mission after being promoted to a full assassin only days before, and although Lucian had killed many times before, going at it alone would be a totally different experience. He briefly imagined how he appeared now, standing atop the rooftops with his assassin's robes billowing in the wind. His hood was pulled down low over his face, and his blood red cape hanging limply over his left arm. On his right hip hung his sword and knife, poised and ready to be drawn.
I'm king of the world He thought suddenly, but he quickly scoffed at himself and brushed the idea away. Such childish thinking could get him killed.
The sun was dipping low over the horizon; only the very tip of daylight could still be seen over the city walls now. Lucian stepped away from the front edge of the roof and paced back to the opposite end. It was time to finish this and return to Rome. Beneath him was a cramped alley that ran the length of the building, it was littered with debris and trash from the pub. At its head, peopled strolled by casually without even a second look.
Lucian estimated the drop to be maybe 2 stories at the most. Not a problem. Without hesitation, the young assassin stepped off the building and dropped silently to the alley below. He landed with a muted thud, and remained crouched while he scanned the area for any observers. When he was sure no one had noticed his fall, he righted himself and strolled out onto the street. Within seconds he had disappeared into the crowd of people, an unconscious habit forged through countless hours of training.
As he walked, Lucian gazed out from beneath his hood and scanned the area surrounding the pub for any guards. Though he did not have Ezio's famed eagle vision, he was still rather adapt at picking guards out of a crowd. However, he did not spot any today. Just a lot of drunk people and a couple of the bar's employees.
Lucian walked right by the pub and kept going, before doubling back on himself. He spotted nobody following him. Once he was certain that he would not be stopped, Lucian stepped away from the crowd and strolled leisurely over to the pub. With one hand he stepped up and swung the bar's door open, keeping the other hand ready on the pommel of his sword. Who knew what he was walking into. It could be a trap.
But as he stepped into the smoky room, he quickly realized that nobody had even noticed his arrival. All of the bar's patrons were too preoccupied with their drinks, or the ladies who strolled around taking orders to notice the newcomer. Lucian did not move from the entranceway. He needed visual confirmation that his target was indeed inside the bar.
A second later he had it.
Lucian's pale blue eyes locked onto a man in the far corner of the bar. He looked and acted like nothing more than a common drunk, but the retinue of Templar guards that sat with him at his table proved otherwise. Lucian recognized him immediately as Antonio Vespucci, a traitor to the brotherhood, and Lucian's target; a dead man walking.
Lucian pulled his hood down lower around his face and made for the bar. A headlong attack against Antonio and his men would not be a wise decision at this point. Although he was certain he could easily take all of the guards along with Antonio himself, who knew what could happen during the time he spent killing the men surrounding his target. Besides, that was not how assassins operated. A blade in the crowd, not a bull in a china shop.
So Lucian would sit at the bar and appear to be just another guy having a drink, while he planned and waited for an opening to present itself. Besides, it had been a long day and he could feel quite a thirst building in the back of his throat. A cool glass of water might do him well.
"What will you be having?" The bartender asked as Lucian sat down at the bar, his voice gruff and not to inviting.
Lucian watched as the bartender wiped out the inside of glass mug with a filthy rag from a nearby sink. Immediately, his thirst died away. He was fairly certain that the rag was leaving behind more grime than it was scouring away.
"I don't think I'll be having anything if you're serving it in those glasses" Lucian replied, his tone even and serious.
The bartender narrowed his eyes, but ignored the comment, "If you're gonna be at the bar, you gotta order a drink"
"Just a water then"
The bartender shook his head, "Aint got water. Ale or coffee"
Lucian glanced briefly at a nearby coffee pot, and decided that it looked slightly more sterile than the mugs the ale would be served in, so he ordered a cup of coffee.
The bartender paced over to the pot, grabbing a porcelain cup on his way. However, when he tipped the pot to pour the drink, only a slight trickle dribbled out. With a sigh, the bartender replaced the coffee pot and cup, and returned to his post in front of Lucian, cleaning the glass.
"Out of coffee" Was his brief explanation, and it took a lot of self control for Lucian to keep himself from plunging his dagger into the bartender's neck.
But a sudden movement from the pub's entrance drew his attention. A young woman, elegantly dressed and quite beautiful, had entered the bar. The girl was maybe 18 years old, just becoming a woman and already stunning. As Lucian turned slightly on his stool to get a better view, he immediately dubbed her as the most attractive woman he had ever laid eyes upon.
She was average height and incredibly trim. Her hair was a rich, chocolate brown, and hung in curls around her elegantly shaped face, framing her high cheek bones and thin lips. From the short sleeves and low cut of her dress, Lucian observed well tanned, flawless skin. Brilliant green eyes sparkled above a well shaped nose.
Unlike when Lucian entered the bar, every eye in the place was soon transfixed on the new arrival. The girl was obviously in a hurry; her cheeks rosy with exertion and her breath coming in short gasps. Her eyes were wild as they searched the bar, but eventually they landed on the man she had come looking for. Of course, it was Antonio Vespucci.
"I wish she was looking for me" The bartender muttered, but Lucian was too busy watching the girl cross the room to make a comment.
As soon as Antonio saw the girl approaching, he pushed away the server girl he had been fondling and jumped to his feet. Lucian was trained to read to people, it was an absolutely pertinent part of his mission. What he saw in Antonio's face was a mix of surprise, calculation, and surprisingly, fear as well.
"Annabella!" The large man sputtered out, making no attempt to hide his confusion.
The Templar guards stepped aside to let the petite girl pass, and she proceeded around the table on shaky legs.
"Oh Antonio!" The girl cried, and suddenly, she flung herself into Antonio's arms.
The two embraced, and Lucian watched Antonio's facial expression change once again. This time he recognized confusion, paranoia, and finally, a smug look of understanding. As some sort of realization seemed to dawn upon the fat man, he started comfortingly rubbing the girl's back and stroking her hair. Almost simultaneously, every male in the bar lost interest and looked away. This beauty was already spoken for apparently.
The Templar guards relaxed and slid back into their seats, as the young girl sobbed into Antonio's chest.
"Come child, what could possibly be the matter?" Antonio cooed, holding the girl close.
With a sniffle, Annabella took a step back and wiped her eyes, before replying, "It was horrible, Antonio! The guards, they came and took my parents. They dragged them out onto the street last night and killed them! They're dead Antonio!"
Lucian strained to hear more of the conversation, but as the bar patrons lost interest in the girl, the noise level began to rise once again. Soon, he could no longer hear their voices.
"Cazzo!" Lucian swore, before pushing away from the bar.
He moved quickly but silently, using the shadows of the dimly lit bar to conceal his movements. Antonio and the girl were in the far corner, right next to the fire place. If Lucian could make it to the opposite side of the fireplace, he could remain concealed and still hear most of the conversation. Like a ghost, he weaved in and out of the crowd until he could once again hear the two talking.
"...must have told about father helping the resistance!" Annabella was saying, as Lucian approached, "The guards said my parents were charged with treason, right before they took their swords and...and..."
Before she could finish, Lucian watched fresh tears spring forth in her eyes, and she buried her face into the Antonio's chest once again. At this distance, Lucian could see his target's face clearly, illuminated by the light from the crackling fire. He watched as Antonio glanced over the girl's head and nodded slightly at the Templar guards. It was a simple gesture, easy to miss, but Lucian could guess exactly what it meant.
His fears were confirmed when the large traitor stepped away from Annabella and reached out to grasp her by the shoulders, "We need to talk in private, my dear. Why don't we go up to my room to talk things over?"
Lucian found himself willing Annabella to deny his offer, and he almost cheered when she did exactly that.
"I think I need some air" The young beauty replied, shaking her head. Her brown curls bounced left and right when she moved.
Antonio could not hide the disappointment in his look, but to his credit he recovered quickly, "Of course child, I know a private garden not too far from here. We can talk there"
Annabella sniffled and nodded, before turning and letting Antonio take her by the arm and lead her towards the front door. The Templar guards rose without prompting, and Lucian counted off six of them as they followed his target. Moments later, the entire group stepped out of the musty bar and into the heart of Firenze, letting the door slam shut behind them. Lucian did not waste a single second.
In 3 short bounds he crossed the room back to the bartender and banged his palms against the bar, "Does this place have a back door?"
The bartender looked surprised, but quickly motioned over shoulder with a thumb, "'Course, but you need a key to unlock it"
Lucian ignored the final statement and nimbly leaped over the bar. Without pausing to listen to the bartender's words of protest, the young assassin raced into the rear of the building, pushing his way passed two server girls. He found himself in a tiny kitchen, and from there, a short hallway with a single door at the end. The door was indeed locked.
Lashing out with his heel, Lucian caught the door on the edge near the handle with a mighty kick, and almost ripped it right off the hinges. Needless to say, the now lopsided door swung open and banged loudly on the rear wall of the bar. Lucian leapt through the doorway and found himself once again in the alley at the back of the bar. He glanced towards the street just in time to see a small piece of Annabella's dress flutter by.
He raced down the alley and turned onto the street, moving in the opposite direction as last time. Ahead he spotted Antonio, Annabella, and the Templar guards, threading their way in and out of the crowds. However, the mass of people was slowing the group up, and Lucian quickly settled into a casual walk. He kept his head tipped to the ground, and his eyes hidden behind the shadow of his hood. Adrenaline was coursing through his body, but he remembered Ezio's lessons and forced himself to calm down. To much pent up energy can cause reckless action, and assassins did nothing without first thinking it through.
After assassinating targets, executing a successful tail was most likely the most important part of any assassin's mission. Therefore, Lucian was confident he could follow any target without being spotted. A few Templar thugs and a fat harbor master was hardly even a challenge. Still, Lucian stayed on guard. Having to chase Antonio through all these people would be very difficult indeed. A fight in the middle of the crowds would prove to be deadly to innocent civilians.
Antonio lead the way a block south of the pub, and another block to the west, before turning off the main road and onto dirt path. The path passed under a number of archways before it ended in a serene, if not small, garden with a number of flowerbeds and a central fountain. Lucian watched the group turn, before running up and peaking around the corner. Immediately he realized he could not enter the garden on the ground without being spotted; it was just too much of an isolated location.
However, approaching from the ground was not the only option available to him.
Taking a few steps away from the building that stood next to the garden, Lucian glanced up and surveyed the wall before him. Back in Rome, Ezio had put Lucian through rigorous training exercises involving climbing up walls that were slick and almost perfectly smooth. A building filled with holes from loose bricks and covered in window sills and balconies would be like climbing a ladder.
Taking a deep breath, Lucian raced toward the building and ran straight up the first few feet of the wall, before reaching out and grasping hold of a nearby window. After that the work was almost mindless. Right hand, right foot, left hand, left foot. Up and up, moving with speed and caution. Feeling as at home hanging off the side of a building as most people would feel sitting on a park bench. Without seconds, he had reached the lip of the roof.
Using only the toned muscles in his arms, Lucian gripped the edge and hauled himself up into a crouching position on the roof. A three story climb in record time, impressive. However, as he stood up and brushed off the knee's of his pants, he ran into slight problem. An archer, too busy watching the scene in the garden below him to notice Lucian's arrival, stood with his back to the assassin.
Lucian examined the rooftop guard briefly. He almost felt sorry for the poor guy. He wouldn't know what hit him. He would just suddenly be dead. But then the sympathy disappeared, and Lucian began to approach stealthily. He was so quiet, the guard would have laughed if some one told him an assassin was sneaking up on him. Until he heard the quiet click of Lucian's hidden blade sliding into place, and felt the blinding pain at the base of his neck.
Annabella D'Lavetta hated the man in front of her with every fiber of her being. She watched as Antonio Vespucci led her down the dirt path to the garden where he probably planned to execute her, and couldn't help but imagine all the ways she could make him suffer. The bastardo had betrayed her entire family and sentenced them to death. Now, he would offer his vile words of comfort to her right before be plunged a dagger in her back. The man was a snake, and Annabella would be the one to do the world a favor and rid it of him.
As they entered the garden, she reached into a fold in her bodice and felt one of the two knives she carried. She would wait until the exact right moment, and then she would take her revenge. Before the sun sat on Firenze this evening, Antonio Vespucci would lie dead at her feet.
"Now my girl," Antonio began, turning to face her with the fountain at his back, "Share your story with me once more, and I will attempt to ease your suffering"
Annabella sensed the Templar guards circling around her, doing their best to look nonchalant. They had her boxed in, leaving no escape routes, and as soon as she killed Antonio she had no doubt they would attack. Dying here had not been a part of her original plan, but now it appeared to be inevitable.
Annabella was not so foolish to think she could single-handedly kill six Templars.
all'inferno con loro! She thought, at least she would die knowing she had avenged her family.
Antonio put an ugly smile on his face, and reached out to cup her cheek in his hand, "Come now, I can't help you if you do not talk to me"
It took everything Annabella had to keep from ripping the man's hand off. Instead, she did her best to look grief stricken, and said, "Oh Antonio, what will I do? I have lost everything. My family, my father's business"
Antonio played his part well, looking empathetic and innocent at the same time. If she had not heard one of the guards who had killed her family utter his name before fleeing, Annabella might consider she had possibly made a mistake. But deep in her gut she knew her family's blood was on his hands; he had always been treacherous.
"I'm so sorry for your loss Bella" He murmured soothingly, "Just let me know what I can do to help"
Annabella wanted to step back and scream at him to never call her Bella, that had been her mother's name for her, but she ended up just bowing her head and replying, "You must help me to get my revenge of the Templar scum"
Antonio tutted and looked down his crooked nose at her, "Come now my dear, surely you wouldn't blame all your troubles on the Borgia and the Templars. It was the resistance, the assassini, who asked your parents to risk their lives for the cause. Maybe they betrayed your family"
Lies.
Annabella had met an assassino before. She had seen him in her father's study, garbed in his red and white robes with the hood pulled down low over his face. Though she had never seen one before, she immediately took him for what he truly was. An assassin; a protector of freedom and justice. She had only minutes to converse with enigmatic man, but in that amount of time she could tell he was a man of honor and truth. Never would the assassini betray her family, of that she was sure.
Antonio suddenly stepped forward and embraced Annabella in a sweaty hug. She almost gagged.
"Everything will be alright, la mia bellezza" He cooed in her ear, "Don't dwell on vengeance, it will only tear you apart."
Annabella could feel the end of the conversation fast arriving. The circle of Templar guards was closing in around her, and she could tell Antonio was starting to grow weary of his farce. She had only seconds left to act, and then it would be too late. She had to make her move, and she had to make it now.
A moment later, Antonio provided her with an opening.
He released her from his arms, and turned his back to her.
"For now my dear, I need your help in resolving some unfinished business" Antonio said, before signaling to the Templars and starting to walk away.
For a moment no one moved.
Then suddenly, Annabella let loose a feral cry and brandished her knives. Before any of the guards could react, she lunged forward and buried the first knife hilt deep into Antonio. She had been aiming for the middle of his back, but lack of training left her with shaky hands, and the blade ended up sinking into the large man's shoulder.
"Cazzo!" He screamed out, spinning around with a look of pure shock and anger, "È puttana!"
Annabella ignored the insult and swiped at him with her second knife, this time aiming for the man's gut. Unfortunately, surprise was no longer on her side, and Antonio managed to sidestep the blow at the last second. With a surprising amount of force that could only be brought on by severe amounts of adrenaline, the wounded traitor stepped up and pushed Annabella away from him.
The petite girl stumbled backwards a few feet, before regaining her balance and glaring at Antonio, "You Bastardo! You took everything from me, and now I will have your life in exchange!"
Antonio was speechless for a moment, but then his confusion turned to anger, and, raising a shaky he finger, he pointed at Annabella and cried, "Kill the cagna! I want her head!"
From his vantage point high above the garden, Lucian watched the scene play out below with mild surprise. Behind him, the archer lay dead in a puddle of his own blood. It appeared the beautiful young girl would put up more of a fight then he had. Even Lucian had not foreseen her sudden attack, but after hearing her heartbreaking story, he felt like he should have expected it.
It all made sense to him as he listened. The girl's father had been a wealthy merchant here in Firenze, and he had been assisting the resistance by smuggling in supplies and men for the brotherhood. Antonio held the position of Master of Mercantilism here in Firenze. That meant he controlled everything that was shipped in and out of the city. Before he had betrayed the brotherhood, Antonio would assist people like Annabella's father in smuggling in supplies. As a result, he probably turned in everybody sympathetic to the resistance cause when he flipped sides.
"Porco!" Lucian spat, as he pieced the whole picture together. The thought of so many noble lives lost at the hands of one man made him sick.
That's why Lucian felt an immense amount of satisfaction, as he watched Annabella lung forward and stab the worthless traitor in the back. How ironic the situation was; that Antonio would be killed by a knife in the back.
Unfortunately, the satisfaction was short lived.
Lucian could tell at once that the wound was not lethal. As motivated and confident as the girl might be, it was not easy to kill a man. Even one like Antonio, and especially for the first time. It took training and a certain state of mind. Annabella had neither. Her knife would cause Antonio much pain, but he would easily survive. Lucian swore under his breath.
He watched Antonio order men his men to kill the girl, before turning away to tend to his wound. How cowardly, having others do his dirty work.
The Templar guards acted quickly and without hesitation. Maybe that had killed woman before. Maybe they feared the price they would pay if they disobeyed. Regardless, Annabella would not go down without a fight. She raised her solitary knife and settled into a defensive stance. It was crude and unrefined, but maybe she was more of a fighter than Lucian originally thought.
Moments later, Lucian's theory was confirmed, as he watched her duck under a clumsy lateral swing from one of the guard's sword and launch back upwards, burying her knife if the Templar's gut. A deadly wound for sure. Lucian marveled at the agility and grace the girl pertained, especially all cinched up in her elegant dress. She was no assassin, but the girl had skill.
However, the Templar guards had numbers. Annabella managed to exchange blows with one more guard, eventually disarming him and driving her blade up through the bottom of his throat, before the remaining four grew smart. Two hung back, covering Antonio and holding their weapons at the ready, while two advanced on the beautiful girl simultaneously. Together, the two guards attacking Annabella managed to drive her back against the garden wall.
Lucian watched, as one of the guards attacking the girl suddenly flicked his blade out, and knocked her knife right out of her hand. It sailed through the air and buried itself in the soft earth near one of the flowerbeds. Seizing the window of opportunity, the other guard reversed his grip on his sword and lashed out with the pommel, catching Annabella right on her temple. Stunned, the girl staggered backwards, until she collided with the wall. There she stood, with one hand attempting to stem the flow of blood that was springing forth from her forehead and keep it out of her eyes.
The Templars on the attack circled her position, swinging their swords and relishing their victory before the kill. Suddenly, Lucian was faced with a dilemma.
Before him was a perfect opportunity. He could literally remember Ezio discussing a situation like this with him one day as they trained. His opposition was divided, his target was already wounded, and absolutely everybody was distracted. The simple thing to do would be to just assassinate Antonio. Lucian could drop down and kill him and his two guards, before anybody even knew what happened. However, doing so would almost insure Annabella's death. Could he just let her die?
Lucian briefly imagined Ezio in his mind. He knew what his mentor would say, but what would he do? Ezio wouldn't let the girl die. He would save her, even if it meant jeopardizing the mission. The brotherhood was formed to protect people, not stand by and watch them die. Lucian made his decision.
Without another moments hesitation, he righted himself, extended his hidden blades, and leapt off the building.
He seemed to hang in midair momentarily, suspended in time, before he began to fall. The ground rushed up to meet him, threatening a pair of broken legs, but his aim was spot on. He hardly even felt the impact of the landing, as he landed on the pair of guards attacking Annabella and drove his blades deep into their necks.
Unlike Annabella, Lucian had training, and lots of it So when he rose from the ground and retracted his hidden blades from his victim's necks; he was certain they would never get up again.
As he stood, nobody dared move.
When Lucian listened behind him, he could hear Annabella's rapid breathing, full of shock and fear. When he looked at the remaining guards before him, he saw an expression a pure terror on their faces. He must look like some kind of demon to them; appearing in the blink of an eye and slaying two of their comrades. Hidden behind the folds of his hood, Lucian's face was nothing more than a dark shadow. Fear was a important weapon in his arsenal.
It was Annabella who eventually broke the silence. "Assassino" She breathed out, her voice quiet and full of reverence.
Across the garden, Antonio could not keep from trembling.
"Assassino," He repeated slowly, and then, "You've come for me"
Another moment of silence.
When Lucian finally spoke, his voice was husky, and it echoed off the garden walls.
"Antonio Vespucci, ally of my enemy," He began, remaining perfectly still, "My name is Lucian Esposito. Remember it well, for I am the last acquaintance you will make in this world, you traditore senza valore!"
Antonio began to shake his head rapidly, his eyes wild with fear, "No, no, no! You cannot kill me!"
"I am of the Assassini, I do as I please" Lucian replied, taking a single step forward.
Antonio watched the footstep fall, and then totally lost it. His fear changed suddenly to blind rage, and with a strangled cry, he drew the longsword he had belted at his waist and swung it in Lucian's direction.
"You will not kill me Assassino!" He roared, and then he turned to his remaining guards, "Kill him you fools! Cut out his heart!"
The guards hesitated slightly, torn between the fear of Antonio and his blazing anger, and the shadowy creature who stood before them. One had a sword in his hand and was almost foaming at the mouth, while the other stood motionless, relaxed and calm. In the end they choose Lucian as the lesser of two evils, and charged at him with their swords held high. It was the worst and last mistake they would ever make.
Lucian hardly needed to move. One hand dropped to his belt and drew a throwing knife, deadly sharp and perfectly balanced. A second later, and with a slight blur of movement, the knife sprouted from the side of one of the guard's neck. He was dead before he hit the ground. The second guard reached Lucian only seconds later, and delivered a crushing overhead blow that would have sliced him in two down the middle, if it had connected.
But the Assassin moved faster than the guard considered possible, and by the time the final Templar was struck with realization that he had missed, Lucian had already plunged his hidden blade deep into the man's chest, piercing his heart. Lucian finished with a swift punch to his opponents face, and the guard fell backwards onto the ground, eyes still gaping in surprise.
A sudden wind rushed into the garden and tossed the leaves on the trees. Lucian retracted his blade and peered out menacingly from behind his hood at his target. Annabella could only stare in shock, still reeling from the brutal and sudden way the guards had met their ends. Antonio sunk to his knees, his sword falling from his hand and clattering to the ground next to him.
"You are a demon in human clothing," He muttered, his voice barely more than a whisper, "Spare me Assassino, I beg your mercy"
Lucian cocked his head and continued to stare for a moment. As he watched Antonio beg for his life, Lucian remembered the realization he had reached earlier on the roof. All of the honest, brave people who had been slaughtered at this man's word. There would be no mercy.
"Your fate is no longer in my hands," Lucian said finally, reaching behind his back and grasping hold of his crossbow, "possiate trovare punizione nella morte"
A look of final defeat crossed Antonio's face as Lucian drew the crossbow and leveled it, and he began to weep. For a moment Lucian was confused. He could hardly believe that Antonio had truly expected to be spared after some pitiful grovelling, but he shrugged the thought aside, it did not matter now.
Lucian aimed precisely, and began to apply pressure to the trigger.
"Requiescat in pace"
But just as he fired the deadly arrow, something rammed full force into Lucian's side and knocked his crossbow askew. The bolt it fired flew harmlessly away from it's intended target and embedded itself in the side of the fountain. The young assassin stumbled and caught himself against the garden wall. Ahead of him, Annabella raced towards the kneeling Antonio, knife in hand.
"Forgive me Assassino," She called, as she closed the gap between her and her target, "But I will be the one to end this worthless scum's life"
Lucian swore and righted himself. It was absolutely forbidden for any Assassin to allow another individual to kill his target, but it appeared Annabella was playing by a different set of rules. Still, as long as Antonio ended up dead Lucian could not complain.
But then something caught his eyes.
At first it was just the crazy glint of victory that appeared in Antonio's eyes that raised red flags in Lucian's head, but then he saw the light catch off something silver and reflective that was poking from the folds of Antonio's sleeve. A second later he knew exactly what it was. Antonio had been concealing a hidden blade of his own. He must have stolen it away from one of the supply caravans he escorted through Firenze's gates.
Suddenly, realization hit Lucian. Only moments before, when Antonio had seen him drawing his crossbow to deliver the killing blow, there had been a look of defeat in the traitor's eyes. It was not that he expected to be allowed to live, but he had been expecting Lucian to finish him with his own hidden blade. The bastardo had been planning to kill Lucian with his dying breath. And now, Annabella was racing unaware towards a trap that had originally been set for him.
"Annabella, No! Stop! Arrestare!" He cried out, but the young beauty did not heed his warning. With a irritated groan, Lucian pushed off the wall and raced after her.
As he ran, he reached down and produced another throwing knife from his belt. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the blade flying ahead of him where it passed a hair's length from Annabella's ear. The act had its desired effect. The girl slid to a halt, lowered her knife, and spun around, looking completely surprised. Would the Assassin really kill her to keep her from stealing his target? Lucian ignored the accusing glare; he was just relieved she had stopped.
However, Antonio would not be denied his final victory, and with surprising speed, the large man leapt to his feet and lunged at Annabella. The hidden blade seemingly coming to life under his left hand. Lucian let another knife fly, still racing forward, but it was a hurried throw, and when it struck Antonio in the shoulder it served only to slow him down.
The traitor's blade would land exactly where Annabella stood.
There was only one thing Lucian could do.
At the last possible second, he threw himself at the beautiful girl and struck her broadside with a lowered shoulder. She was pushed out of the hidden blade's path in a second, but now Lucian could do nothing to avoid the blow. He could only watch it approach. When it landed it cut into him on his side, right above the hip, and instantly, a fiery pain shot through his body. It was all consuming and completely unexpected. It made bright color's explode behind Lucian's eyes.
Despite his sudden anguish, the young assassin managed to stay on his feet, and as soon as he was sure Annabella was out of harms way, he turned to face Antonio. The traitor grinned from ear to ear, and was pulling back his arm for another strike. Unfortunately for him, he never got the chance. He seemed to realize that a second too late.
Lucian still had the crossbow in his left hand, and with speed borne more of reflex than anything else, he raised it and leveled the weapon with Antonio's forehead. This time when he pulled the trigger the bolt flew straight and true, and with the unmistakable sound of steel piercing flesh, it entered through
the front of Antonio's head and reemerged out of the back. The body collapsed to the ground.
Seconds later, Lucian followed.
At first he could not understand the debilitating pain. The cut from the hidden blade was just that, a cut, and not even a deep one. A flesh wound that size should not have been able to drop Lucian to the ground, or bring such pain to his body, but there it was doing just that. Then he reached down and felt the wound. In a second he understood.
Poison.
He could feel it against his fingers; lumpy and acidic. It burned his skin slightly. With a groan, he rolled over to face Antonio's dead body, and was stunned to find his vision already blurred. The poison was working so quickly. This was a quality batch; the Templars must have provided it for him. He would lose consciousness in a few seconds, and suddenly, he was afraid he might not regain it.
As black started to creep up on the edge of his vision, Lucian saw Annabella's face appear in front of his. It was blurred and slightly distorted, but he still could not help but marvel at its beauty. She was saying something, waving her arms and shaking his shoulders to emphasize her point. She was frantic, but Lucian had long since stopped comprehending.
A sudden wave of calm washed over the young assassin, and in the next instant, all he knew was darkness.