Summary: Ezio Auditore da Firenze. One of the greatest Assassins to battle the Templars, to fight alongside, to be allies with. But his time is coming and he knows what he must do. Oneshot.
Pairing: N/A
Disclaimer: Ubisoft owns all!
Rated: T
Extra Info: Sorry for the pretty angsty fanfic. But, after listening to Future World Music, I had to write this. I apologise for any mistakes.
Songs: Iron (c) Woodkid (ACR trailer music), Leap of Faith (c) Future World Music, Earth (c) Jesper Kyd (AC2 OST) and the Assassin's Creed Revelations main theme (c) Jesper Kyd.
Ezio gazed out over the city. Constantinople - or, how it was now known, Istanbul. His hazel eyes flashed gold as he watched an eagle soar below the sun, its white wingtips catching the light, gleaming like bleached marble.
He looked down. Far below, seemingly down an cliff face, was a haystack. He squinted at it, gauging the depth and width. How easy would it be? Would his judgment be wrong ... would he miss? There wasn't enough time to check.
Ezio pulled his peaked hood further forwards, the cold air forming white clouds from his neutral lips. A bead of condensation from the cool air dripped onto wood.
That was the only sound; he was wholly unmoving and silent, the Assassin making no noise as he watched the eagle. It circled lower, tightening the circles. Then-
It plummeted down, having spotted prey. It disappeared behind a tall building, but Ezio could imagine its triumphant victory against the small mammal it had most likely captured.
He watched the dilute sun climb higher, the wintery sky bleak and pale with the watery sunrise. Soon the Templars would come for their quarry. With a heavy heart, Ezio knew his time was coming. Age was taking its toll quicker than he had expected.
He was old for an Assassin: much older than most. He had more experience, for sure, but experience did not stop his limbs from stiffening, his joints getting less supple, nor the pain that grew as the years claimed him. He was not as nimble or as limber as he had been in his youth.
Ezio knew it was his heart. It pained him, the sharp stabs of pain getting more and more frequent. He hid it from all - Yusuf, Sofia, but most of all the Templars. If they knew the Master Assassin, the Mentor, was weakening they would strike and he would not survive.
A shout from below. A man clothed in Templar attire pointed at the stationary man, crying to his comrades. Still Ezio did not stir. His eyes remained shadowed, his face blank and devoid of emotion. Pairs, groups, of his enemies flooded to the building, clambering up its walls. But without hook blades they could not achieve this, instead attempting to find a staircase up to the Assassin.
It was now that Ezio moved, only to stand. He suppressed a wince as his heart jolted, much more painful than any other occasion. His left hand involuntarily moved to his chest, as he had done when struck by a Templar arrow once. He hesitated, glancing back. He could fight back ...
No. He would be overwhelmed. Reinforcements would keep coming. The Templars would defeat him.
Ezio gritted his teeth against another spasm of agony. A call came from below, along with the splintering of wood.
"We have you now, Assassin!" There was cruel mirth in the voice. The Mentor readied himself, perching upon the end of the tower balustrade. He watched the eagle. Free.
He heard the clomping of footsteps, echoing from the trapdoor. He would not be a coward and block their entrance. He would face his fate, as many others had done before him.
Ezio thought of Altaïr, whose wife and youngest son had been killed. He prayed the Templars would not take Sofia, Marcello and Flavia.
"There he is!" came a roar, and Ezio turned to face the approaching Templars. They seemed surprised and suspicious about his calmness and his empty hands, no weapons being wielded to fight back.
"We have you now," hissed the Templar captain smugly. He motioned for two of his men to seize Ezio. As they neared he gave a smile.
And, as the old Assassin's heart gave out, he dove off backwards into the black abyss.