Glass Heart Chapter 2

I must follow my head

But I want to follow my heart

So easily broken

By the tiniest glass shard

….

"Is there any news of Ezio's whereabouts?"

"No ancora," sighed Antonio, "I'm afraid not."

Rosa stamped her foot down and cursed. "Sparare!"

"We won't give up in our search," Antonio reassured his student. "Although, it's actually quite likely that he's out of Venezia, seeing as he has been gone for this long… though I have no idea why he would have business elsewhere in his current dilemma…"

"Well then, he must be somewhere in Venezia! He has no reason to be anywhere else! After all," Rosa added jokingly to hide how badly she really felt about the situation, "here, he's got me, what reason would he have to leave?"

Antonio chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

….

"You're going to have to run faster than that, assassino, if you want to get away!"

Ezio was running across the rooftops in Venice as fast as he could, occasionally glancing over his slowly healing shoulder to see where his pursuer was.

Being chased by the fastest and watchful Templar he'd ever come across wasn't a good situation to be in – especially not when you're losing blood at a steady pace. The Templar wore a black mask over his nose and mouth and a scarlet cape and hood which shadowed his eyes.

For the last six days, Ezio Auditore had been in hiding. It had started with him trying to find some extra change. He'd made his way to the nearest pigeon coop, as he usually would. He opened the hatch, scooped up the nearest bird and read the note attached to its gummy little leg. It read:

Beware, Assassin,

Your days are numbered. We will gain the information we want from you soon enough, even if you don't cooperate.

We shall be seeing you in a short while,

Cordiali saluti…

And then there was an incomprehensible scribble that Ezio had to assume was a signature. Almost immediately he heard a 'swoosh' noise in the air – he turned to defend himself just in time as a throwing knife glanced off the vambrace on the forearm that he held up. Another knife came at him, and this time, with great skill and accuracy, he was fast enough to draw his dagger and deflect it. There was a silence and Ezio still couldn't see his attacker.

"I'm not here to play games," he murmured, glancing warily about his surroundings on the tiled roof the pigeon coop was stood on, "but if you wish to play a game, it will not be one of cowardice."

Ezio jumped as several birds suddenly took off from the next roof. The only thing after that which broke the silence was his breathing and his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"Show yourself!" he eventually called impatiently.

"I'm no coward, assassino; I am simply skilled in the art of stealth. As should you be, considering your profession." The voice came from behind – it was strangely accented and deliberately gruff.

Ezio turned again, but wasn't fast enough to dodge or deflect the knife that flew through the air in an elegant arc and embedded itself in his shoulder up to the hilt.

There was a flash of red and a short figure stood before him. "The Templar Order needs information that only you have, assassino, and I have been ordered to obtain it."

"Templar scum," Ezio hissed, gripping his shoulder tightly, trying to stop the blood flow from turning his white robes to crimson. He lashed out at the assailant with the fist holding the dagger, only to be blocked and countered by a hefty blow to the stomach, winding him.

Knowing that he might well have met his match, the injured assassin spun on his heel and sped away over the brown rooftops.

"Ezio Auditore da Firenze – you have just made the biggest mistake of your life."

And as the chase began, Ezio began to realize why. It went on for days – not the running, but finding food, water, and managing to stay hidden long enough from the opponent to be able to consume the supplies. It soon became a game of cat and mouse – the pursuer was relentless, and managed to root him out almost anywhere.

At one point, Ezio was attempting to blend in with the crowd – and saw Rosa, Antonio and Ugo. They didn't notice him. Ezio was tempted to go over and tell them why he had been gone for so long, but he knew that he couldn't. The Templar bastard was probably watching him right now, seeing who he made contact with. If his pursuer knew that he had connections with certain people…

Who knew what might happen. Blackmail sent? Hostages held unless the confused assassin turned himself over? He didn't even know what information the Templar Order wanted! And how did they know exactly where he would be? He was meant to be incognito!

No matter his attempts to evade the red clad person, they were pointless.

"He shouldn't worry. The chase is coming to an end."

Author's Note

Hello viewers! Did you know that if you review, you get not just three cookies, but a gold star sticker and a bag full of glitter? Well, why don't you go and earn these virtual prizes and click the review button! :D

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this second chapter.

I promise it will get more interesting. You'll find out where this story goes soon enough.

Indeed, the chase is drawing to a close…