Chapter 1
-August 16, 2011-
Audre and Hayle, aka the "Kindletwins", were hanging out in their room after a long strenuous day at the hellhole called high school. They both had friends and were happy with their lives; it just felt like something was… missing. They both did well in school, Audre with straight A's and Hayle's only A being in Gym class. Audre was the smarter and Hayle was the more agile. She wasn't super strong, just very fast and flexible.
At that moment, they were both sitting in their room, Audre reading a thick book on the Italian Renaissance and Hayle playing Angry Birds.
Audre glaced over to Hayle, a annoyed look on her face. "Hayle, turn that off. I am turning on classical music."
"Alrighty," Hayle said, turning the volume down on her iPhone and running a hand through her short, orange, curly hair. They both had orange curly hair, but Hayle's with right to the end of her earlobes and Audre's was halfway down her back. It was a main difference between the two, aside from the cute little mole Audre had under her left eye and Hayle's glasses. They both were slim, but were a little bit chubby at the same time.
Hayle looked up from her game. "Hey, Aud."
"What Hay?" Audre said not even glancing up from her book.
"There is this game I played that is set in the renaissance. You might like it."
"is there good music that I can transfer to my piano in it?"
"Yeah. The first song, Ezio's Family."
"Ezio? Haven't I heard the name before?" Audre drifted into thought.
"Yes. Some of Dad's stories mention that name, but I don't think they are relevant to each other."
"Cool. I'll look at it sometime."
They both went back to their activities. About fifteen minutes later after their conversation, the music started skipping. Audre looked up and grimaced, "Retarded radio. It never works." Right after she said that a blinding light flashed from the window, causing both girls to cover their eyes.
"What… just…. Happened?" Hayle asked Audre, looking around their room.
"How am I supposed to know?" Audre stood up, heading to their room. "Mom, Dad? Chloe, TJ?"
When they got no answer, both girls grabbed their bag with their phones and money in it and approached their bedroom door and opened it, stepping into darkness.
"Ungh. Where am I?" Audre said out loud moving a little bit.
"Tell the guy with the jackhammer to lay off, would ya?" Hayle said, quoting Tron. "Are we…. In a hay bale?"
"It looks like it. Lets get out." Audre suggested. The twins started to move, and right before Audre got out she heard some yell from under her.
"What the fuck? Get off me! Who are you? Where am I?" A masculine voice called out.
"How would I know?" said another man. Hayle and Audre finished getting out and began to brush hay out their hair and off their clothing. Two guys climbed out after them and the 4 teenagers looked at each other.
"Ryan and Blackcloud?" Audre asked the two guys, rubbing her eyes.
"The Kindletwins?" They boys said in unison as Hayle began to laugh, "No. Way. Somehow we all end up in a hay bale? Really?"
"Apparently so, " Audre said, looking around. "Uh, guys? I don't want to sound crazy… but I think we are in the Italy."
At that, the foursome looked at their surroundings. They saw fire torches and haybales, merchant stands and people who dressed as if they were from the past. The four turned to face each other.
"This is the Renaissance.. I think." Hayle said, turning to ask a renaissance man a question. She found a man dressed in red. "Excuse me?"
He turned, "Si?"
Oh, crap!, Hayle thought, He is speaking in Italian. I don't know Italian! "Che anno è?"
"1474" The man looked at Hayle as if she were deformed.
"Hayle, we have been talking in Italian this whole time." Audre stated.
"Holy crap, we are!" Ryan said, listening more closely to his words. Blackcloud began to laugh.
"You people are dressed in odd attire." The man said, looking at Audre and Hayle's jeans and Ryan's basketball shorts.
"Do I know you from somewhere? You look very familiar." Hayle asked the unidentified man.
"You may have heard of me. My name is Federico Auditore da Firenze." Federico bowed to the group of four.
"Hayle…." Audre said, her expression explaining what she was going to say.
"Federico? We need to talk to your father. It is very important."
"Woah, what?" Blackcloud said. "We just met the guy and you want to meet his parents? The fuck?"
Ryan turned to Blackcloud, "Just go with the flow. None of us know what is going on."
"Fine" He crossed his arms. Federico look at them questioningly.
"What are your names?"
"Audre."
"Hayle."
"Ryan."
"Blackcloud."
"Alright, Audre, Hayle, Ryan, and… Blackcloud, please follow me if you wish to see my father." Federico said, some suspicion in his voice.
The five teenagers walked to Palazzo Auditore. They all stayed silent and looked around except for Federico. Hayle knew they were close when she saw the door to Leonardo da Vinci's workshop. They all walked into the courtyard of Palazzo Auditore to see Maria Auditore writing in her journal.
"Salute, Madre." Federico said to his mother as he walked by. She nodded in response.
"Va bene. We have arrived. I shall tell father of your presence here." Federico turned and walked inside.
"So, did anybody do the English homework?" Audre asked her friends a small smirk on her face.
"A couple things; One, Seriously? Two, what was our homework? Three, don't ever assume I do homework." Blackcloud quickly responded, sending the group into loud laughter. They all abruptly quit when they noticed Giovanni Auditore, Federico's father watching them.
"You have asked for me?" Giovanni asked, walking up to Hayle.
"Yes, we need to talk to you about important matters. Some that cannot be heard." Hayle replied nervously, turning to scan the faces of her group.
"Follow me, if that is the case," Giovanni turned and headed inside and walked into his office. His eyes fell on his second youngest son at the age of 15. "Ezio, we have guests. Please leave my study."
"Yes, Padre." Ezio obeyed, looking at the oddly dressed guests. Ezio and Audre locked eyes for a moment but then broke away in embarrassment. Audre felt something deep in her stomach, but ignored it. Ezio left the room.
"Let's begin with names." Giovanni suggested.
"I am Audre Kindle, this is my twin sister, Hayle Kindle. We are both 15 years old." Audre said.
"I am Blackcloud."
"And I am Ryan."
Giovanni looked at all of them. "I am Giovanni Auditore. Why is your attire so strange?"
"Please, Giovanni, before you start with all of the questions, let us tell you of how we got here and what we know." Hayle said. Giovanni sat at his desk. "I am going to be honest about this. We are from the year 2011. I have no idea how we got here, but I have an idea. It may have been a Piece of Eden." Giovanni's eyes went wide as the three other three looked at Hayle, not knowing what she just said.
"Giovanni, our fathers told all of stories of Assassins who have fought against Templars to save the world from their rule. We were told about Pieces of Eden and their powers, but we all disregarded them as stories. Assassins and Templars became to be known as a video game to most humans except those who know the real truth. I have had my suspicions, but I think the four people you see here have been training to be Assassins." Hayle turned to Audre. "I am sorry I never told you sooner of my prediction. I wasn't sure."
Audre and the two boys blinked a couple times and looked at their left hands. There was a small teardrop burned into their ring fingers. It had happened to all of them as children and they were told it was for something they would understand in time.
"Is that what this means?" Ryan asked, holding his hand to Giovanni.
"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted." Giovanni said.
Blackcloud's jaw hit the floor. "My dad said that the other night. I didn't know what he meant."
"So…. We are….. Assassins?" Audre said. "Do we… kill people?"
"Yes, but only those who seek evil." Giovanni answered a grave tone to his voice.
Everyone was silent for a couple minutes, contemplating the new information. Hayle broke the silence. "Giovanni, do you believe us?"
"Only assassins have the symbol on their left hand. I also used a special talent that is in assassins. It is called Eagle Vision. One of you has that talent; it just needs to be brought out. I also know that we do not have the Apple right now. You cannot go back home right now. You will also need somewhere to stay." Giovanni stood. "Because you are young assassins in a time new to you, I will offer my spare rooms here. You will also need new clothing. I will provide all of this for you if you help with whatever I ask you to do. Understood?"
"Thank you. Thank you so much, Giovanni." Audre said.
"Like she said" Ryan said running a hand through his short dark hair.
"Yeah." Blackcloud commented.
"Which one of us has Eagle Vision?" Hayle said, stating the question on everyone's mind.
Everyone looked at Giovanni, awaiting an answer. "You will know in time." He said smirking.
Audre hugged Giovanni. "Thank you again for lending your money and housing to complete strangers."
"You are fellow assassins. You are not strangers."