Sparks filled the air as the two shards of metal bounced off each other with a resounding 'clang'. The Assassin smirked confidentaly under his hood and took a step back from the heavily breathing guards. The patrol had been easy enough to find- and starting a little trouble...well, that's what he did best.
"Come on," Ezio laughed, "I cannot be THAT good!"
"Figlio di puttana!" The armored man snarled, "DIE!"
He swung the steel mace wildly, aiming for a blow to the white-hooded man's jaw. Grinning, Ezio easily sidestepped him and knocked him on the helmet with the butt of his sword comically. The loud 'plunk' sent the guard's eyes widening and he tumbled to the ground in a large, blackish heap.
"Careful, ragazzi," There were only three guards left now- two swords and a mace, Ezio noted- they slowly began to move in a triangle formation, "This one is cunning."
"Grazie for your opinion, messere," Ezio nodded politely, smirking all the same, "I'm glad you think so highly of me!"
A guard to his right approached quickly, sword aimed in a slashing arc. At the height of the semi-circle, Ezio's gloved hand shot up, grabbing the hilt of the weapon and using its momentum to wrench it from the owner's grasp. He tossed the gilted blade aside and proceeded to pounds his fists into the guard's stomach, careful not to eject the hidden blade. The relatively young guard doubled up in pain, wheezing- Ezio took this opportunity to bring his knee up to the man's forehead, knocking him flat on his back. Only two guards left, he calculated. However as he turned to face them he saw only one. Shrugging inwardly, he figured it didn't much matter- Venice was a big city. There would be more. Besides, the in-experienced teenagers usually hired ran at the first sight of the Assassin- it wouldn't bethe first time an enemy had disappeared unexplained. He turned to him and diverted his full attention as he noticed the man beginning to speak.
"What glory is mine!" He proclaimed, tilting his sword a bit, "dispatcher of the Great Assassino!"
Ezio laughed, bouncing energetically on his heels.
"If you really think you have what it takes," he taunted, "come and get me!"
"Oh, I don't need to," the guard replied, grinning confidentaly- something about this grin was so genuine it set Ezio frowning.
"You've already lost, Assassin." Victory shone deep in the guard's hazel tinted eyes.
Despite the sinking feeling setting upon him, Ezio smirked his temper-raising smirk.
"You can't-"
At the last possible second he spied a shadow- something thin and black moving behind him. Ezio whirled around just in time to see the guard complete the strike and the mace's end smacked against the side of his head, staggering him. His ears exploded with a dull CLUNK and his vision blacked for a moment. It didn't exactly clear either- it began moving in and out of focus rather rapidly. Time seemed to slow down as his legs stumbled around, attempting desperately to hold the Assassin's heavy frame. Sluggishly, Ezio looked around dumbly, noting the green-eyed guard he had been speaking to was moving closer. He ordered his legs to quick-step to the side and instructed his arm to raise the sword definsively-
Instead, he fell to his knees.
He watched helplessly as his body collapsed on the Venetian walkway, completely incapable of moving a limb. Even his eyesight was fading quickly. He couldn't believe it. He'd fallen for one of his own tricks. He'd been so close! So close! Those two guards would have been all he'd needed!
"Foolish Assassin," the tut-tut was the last thing Ezio heard before he finally accepted defeat.
Today had been a good day.
Yes, Marcello could honestly admit that today had been a good day.
The Assassino had been so much easier to capture than he'd ever dreamed of. For one thing, the fool seemed to be LOOKING for trouble that day- even amassing a large collection of guards before facing them off. Honing his skills perhaps, Marcello mused, or maybe just showing off. Or perhaps the man was simply stupid, but whatever it was it had worked out beautifully. He noted the Assassin's skills at provocation were top notch, but he never would've thought the Assassin was just as vulnerable to the same things. It was too easy for him to order Luzifero behind him and then just keep him busy- the white-hooded demon didn't even see him coming!
"Foolish Assassin," Marcello tsked, nudging the fallen killer's head with the toe of his boot. He was relieved to find there was no response. For a few moments he was afraid the Assassino truly was immortal, but such fears were quickly dispelled.
"What now, ser?" Luzifero asked nervously.
"We're going to need help," Marcello told the younger guard simply, "we can't possibly carry him from here to the prison ourselves- and we have wounded."
Luzifero nodded and set off. The patrol was moving across the Bascilica di San Marco, so help would not be hard to find. In fact most of this area was restricted- which made Marcello wonder at the Assassin's motives even more. Why would he march right into enemy territory LOOKING for trouble? He would have to ask the man later it seemed. Marcello took a seat next to the Assassin, sitting comfortably on the stone path. Out of boredom, he decided to turn the man over and see his face. After all, not many were able to see the famed Eagle of Florence's hood this close up and live to tell of it. Marcello flopped over the man's shoulders and stared into his face. He was certainly surprised- the Assassin was actually a few years younger than himself! And he would soon be reaching his twenty-fifth birthday...
"What was your name again, anyway?" Marcello murmured to the unconscious man curiously, trying to recall the name he'd skimmed over on posters or files, "Auditore?"
The Assassin grunted softly and tilted his head as a wave of pain seemed to grip him. Here Marcello got a glimpse of the viscious looking scar that went all the way from the edge of his nose to the bottom of his chin, dragging its white line of flesh across his lips.
"I wonder how you got that," Marcello mused, flicking at it with a gloved thumb, "training maybe? Or in some great battle? I'd love to meet the person who gave it to you..."
Finally, Luzifero returned with four additional guards.
"Ser Marcello!" He called breathlessly.
"Good," Marcello nodded at the reinforcements, "I hope two of you can take care of our injured- I'm going to need you, Luzifero, and another man to help transport that Assassino."
As Marcello requested was done, and soon only he, Luzifero, and the other patrolman were left staring down at the famed killer's unmoving body.
"Should we bind him?" Luzifero asked cautiously.
Marcello shook his head, "It would be easier to carry him the other way- two of us supporting him. Besides," he paused, smirking, "I don't think he'll be moving anytime soon."
Progress across Venice lugging the Assassin's body around was slow, but it was still progress. A few of the citizens actually came up and congradulated the three on the succesful capture. A small group of pretty girls insisted they should be ashamed of themselves. Eventually even the group themselves became conscious of what they had accomplished.
"I wonder..." Daniello began thoughtfully.
"What?" Luzifero grunted, adjusting the Assassin's arm on his shoulder.
"It's actually a bit embarrassing, but..." Daniello continued, blushing a bit, "it's said swallowing the spit of the Assassino could do wonders for a man's balls."
"What?" Marcello laughed, his jaw dropping in disbelief, "where'd you hear that?"
"Just somewhere," Daniello shrugged, apparently sorry he brought it up. "Just...every noticed how girls just seem to...I don't know...'like'...him?"
Marcello rolled his eyes and was about to launch into a speech about priorities when-
"I did, actually," Luzifero agreed, "They just swoon over him. Why? He kills people, per l'amor di Dio! What is so 'wonderful' about him?"
"Perhaps we should ask him," Daniello suggested excitedly, "I'm certain he could tell us something useful! I mean-"
"Can we end this conversation?" Marcello gritted, eyeing the two novices coldly, "Please? Listen to yourselves...taking romantic advice from the legendary Assassino as if he were just the average merchant!"
"We're not saying anything bad," Luzifero mumbled, adjusting the Assassin's arm again, "We just...admire certain talents of his. It's a good thing."
"I don't even want to know." Marcello grumbled stomping ahead.
After a reasonable amount of shlepping, the group of three had succesfully reached the guard barracks, where they would hold the Assassin, hopefully, until his trial/execution.
"Are you sure one cell will be able to hold the Assassino, Ser Marcello?" Luzifero panted worriedly, eager to get the larger man's weight off his back.
"I'd love to see him get out of it, Luzifero," Marcello replied honestly, "I don't see why not."
"When is he going to wake up?" Daniello asked in a bored tone as the three continued to the barracks brig, descending a large, musty flight of stairs to a cellar.
"I don't know," Marcello admitted.
"I hit him really hard," Luzifero remarked proudly, "Just like they showed me. Swung from the wrist- aimed with the eyes. CLUNK! Right on the side of the head! It was perfect!"
"Enough, Luzifero!" Marcello rolled his eyes. The boy had potential, he reasoned, but he had ego as well.
Finally they arrived at the large, dusty, cell assigned to the Assassin. Marcello dangled the keys from the ring on his wrist and slid the correct one into the lock. The iron gate swung open with a loud screech and the two novice guards threw the dead weight off their backs. The white-robed figure hit the dirt so hard he bounced a bit and rolled over.
"Phew!" Daniello sighed, stretching. "Legendary he might be, but that man weighs a ton!"
"You're telling me!" Luzifero laughed, catching the other guard's eye. The two paused for a moment and then broke out in giggles.
"We caught the Assassino!" Daniello exclaimed as Marcello twisted the rusty key in the lock, "we really caught him!"
"Are you sure it's him!" Luzifero hiccuped, "I heard he can change into anyone he wants!"
"No, no!" Daniello shook his head excitedly, "It's really that he can change from man to eagle whenever he wants!"
"Wow!" Luzifero's eyes glazed over in complete idolzation.
"Enough of this!" Marcello roared, slapping the two teenagers on the back, "Get upstairs, you novices! Away with you!"
The guards were out of there faster than road-runner could ever hope to sprint.
Night blanketed Venezia and soon the recruits were off to bed. Since Marcello had the day patrol he and Luzifero were able to sleep at night. Daniello had been miracolously re-assigned to Marcello's own group that evening as the two novices had really hit off (Daniello's superior came to thank Luzifero personally for taking the soldier into his command- he said the boy was so accident prone he couldn't even lace up his own boots without putting out an eye). Marcello had escorted them to their quarters and bade them goodnight, quickly moving on to his own set of quarters in the captain's area. Of course, the two novices couldn't possibly sleep. They sat up on their beds thinking until finally Luzifero spoke up.
"Hey..." he remarked wistfully, "what's your first memory of the Assassin?"
"That's really random," Daniello snorted.
"I know," Luzifero replied, "I know, but...He's only a few years older than us, right? When's the first time you heard of him?"
"Um..." Daniello put a hand to his chin, "I think...just last year, actually. That was the year Emilio Barbarigo was assassinated. I remember 'cause my uncle was really upset about his death- something about merchants and guilds and other merda I couldn't care about."
Luzifero hummed in understanding before Daniello turned the question around on him.
"What's your first memory of him?"
"I've known about him a long time," Luzifero smiled in the dark, "I used to live in Florence, you know. The first thing I remember of him was this poster in our front lawn- a reward of fifty-thousand florins! Can you believe it?"
"Wow!" Daniello whistled, "we could live like kings for the rest of our lives!"
"I hope we'll get some of that reward!" Luzifero grinned, "but...it'll probably just go to the military."
"Yeah...you're right," Daniello agreed solemnly, "that kinda stuffs more for bounty hunters anyway."
There was another silence, but sleep didn't have a chance with either of the two friends.
"Daniello?" Luzifero piped up again.
"Yes?" The other boy replied patiently.
"What do you think of him?"
Daniello sighed, "Do I have to answer this one, too?"
"You could," Luzifero shrugged, "Or I could go first, I guess."
"Well," Daniello thought out loud, "I..."
"Yeah, me too," Luzifero continued, "I just think he's..."
"He's just plain awesome, isn't he?" The novices sat up and grinned at each other.
"He's amazing!"
"How does one person manage it all? Evading guards for years-"
"-leaping off churches-"
"-Killing political figures INSIDE THEIR OWN PALAZZOS?"
"Oh yeah,"
"He's cool."
...
"Daniello?"
"Yes, Luzifero?"
"If he's that amazing...why did we capture him?"
"Because he's breaking the law, that's that Luzifero."
...
"Do you think he's awake?"
"If I were him, I think I'd be awake."
...
There was a squeaking sound as the bed springs contracted.
"Where're you going, Luzifero?" Daniello sat up, his bed squeaking as well. Luzifero turned back to him, blue eyes glinting in the darkness.
"I'm gonna go talk to him."
"Not without me, you're not!"