Maskedvigilanteprincess864, was Jupiter the one you were thinking of when you wrote your review? If so, you are correct.

This chapter was a chockful to write, but not as chockful as Chapter 2 and this was fun to write. I imagined Jupiter would be the one to tell Ezio to lead the Assassins to freedom and not God. I tried to make it fit into the Assassin's Creed theme as such.

BTW the cover reminded me of The Prince of Egypt, except for whom I believe is an old Altair is sitting. Imagine him telling Ezio to be the deliverer. O.O


Chapter 11: Jupiter

Venice, Italy, 26 March 1516

06:45 am

The sun was shining in the city of Venice and the rooster was crowing to wake the citizens up. Beams of sunlight was shining through the window as Rosa was sleeping peacefully in her bed. Ezio was already awake and was wearing the Armor of Altair. He caressed his wife's cheek while moving some of her hair strands off her. He then kissed her on the same cheek. Rosa was half awake when she felt the kiss and flinched a little when Ezio's rugged beard touched her cheek.

"I love you," Ezio whispered. Ezio then went off out of the room. He opened the door quietly and saw the sun rising out of the Venetian seas. He breathed that sunshine air and sighed for it felt great. He closed the door behind him silently and went off to the docks to go to the mainland for one of his Assassin assignments. He bought a ticket with the florins that he earned from hard work and from robbery. He got on to the ferry which took him from Venice to mainland Italy.

Ezio got off the ferry and walked into a city with so little of people. Ezio decided to explore a little out of the city for he saw some plains and he wanted some peace and quiet, but his stomach was growling. He hadn't eaten breakfast, so he went to a café which was serving croissants and pastries. He paid for a chocolate croissant and coffee and went off to eat in the tables outside. After he had finished, he went off out of the city and into the plains which were near some forests. A little exploring wouldn't hurt him. Ezio laid on the ground and took in the sunlight right on his face. He enjoyed it.

When he got up a little, he saw an eagle perched on a tree far from him. Ezio was curious as why the eagle was looking at him. He wondered if the eagle wanted Ezio to follow him. The eagle then flew off in the direction he wanted to go and Ezio followed.

"All right, aquila (eagle). Wait for me."

As Ezio followed the eagle, the eagle would pause on some branches trying to let Ezio catch up and then fly off again.

"It's too early for this," Ezio mumbled to himself.

Ezio followed until the eagle stopped and Ezio caught up to catch his breath.

"You're a fast one. Now why'd you stop? Where have you taken me?"

The eagle pointed his beak out to a small, undiscovered cave which Ezio turned to see. Ezio didn't have a torch with him, so he went inside and let the sunlight guide him until it could no more. Ezio noticed multicolored lights further as he went.

He walked and climbed down until he got to the source. He came across a pedestal which carried a small spherical object which gleamed blue and gold light all over the cave. Ezio didn't know what it was, so he pulled out his sword and used it to touch the sphere. Nothing bad happened to it. He then used his gloved right hand to touch it. When he touched it, more light beamed and Ezio averted away as it almost blinded his eyes. When the light was gone, he looked at his glove and noticed no pain. He used his bare hand to touch it again, and this time, no pain of the sort again.

"Ezio," he turned and looked around to hear who was whispering his name. Was it the wind? Was it his head? Who was talking to him? "Ezio. Ezio."

"Here I am," Ezio announced.

"Take off the weapons you wield for the place on which you stand is tranquil ground."

Ezio didn't do what the voice told him to because he wanted to know who was talking to him. He looked around and saw no one. He then felt light flash on his body and he turned around to see a holographic, golden godlike figure. Ezio was aghast at whom he was looking at.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Tinia. Your people call me Jupiter. The Greeks, Zeus."

"So, you're a god?"

"Not really. I am of an ancient people called the Isu. We are an ancient and highly-advanced species of humanoid beings. Our kind died out thousands of years ago, but our technology and knowledge still live on."

Ezio had so many questions boggling in his mind that he was too busy to understand what Jupiter was saying. "How do you know my name?"

"I know you, Ezio Auditore. You are the descendant of many Assassins before you: Domenico, Renato, and Giovanni." Jupiter pulled out holograms of the past Assassins and past events that happened before Ezio's life. Ezio jumped when he heard the name Giovanni. That was when he remembered that time when his Assassin family told him the truth. He remembered Giovanni was the name of his father. His eyes widened when he saw the hologram of his father before he died and of the time when Claudia told him who he really was to her and Federico. He could remember what she exclaimed as he quickly took off his weapons as he was told before and threw them aside.

"You were born of my mother, Maria! You are our brother!"

"What do you want with me?" Ezio fearfully asked.

"I have seen the oppression of your people in Rome and have heard their cry." Jupiter showed holograms of the slaves being abused, tortured, and whipped by the guards. Ezio looked in agony and pain seeing all those slaves being worked to death. Ezio saw the hologram of him killing the guard who was abusing an old man. He looked back in guilt and shame knowing that he killed a man and that was the reason why he ran away.

"Stop it! Leave that man alone!"

"So I have come down to deliver them out of slavery, and bring them into a good land. A land flowing of peace and tranquility. And so, unto the Pope, I shall send… you."

Ezio was surprised on what Jupiter said. Why would Jupiter choose him to lead the Assassins out of slavery? Why not choose someone else? "Me? Who am I to lead these people? They'll never believe me. They won't even listen."

"I shall teach you what to say." Jupiter showed Ezio a hologram of the future of him shouting to the Pope "Let my people go!" but it didn't show which Pope. Would it be Rodrigo Ezio would confront or someone else?

"But I was their enemy. I was the prince of Rome. The son of the man who slaughtered their children. You-you've chosen the wrong messenger. H-how can I even speak to these people?" Ezio made excuses on why he couldn't be the deliverer to Jupiter, but he wouldn't take them as excuses. He had done his part right and Ezio was refusing to accept it. He was glowing brightly and was furious at Ezio.

"Who gave man a mouth?!" Jupiter's shouting was so loud that it threw Ezio on the ground and his voice resonated around the cave's walls shining gold everywhere. "Who made the deaf, the mute, the seeing, or the blind?! Was it not your God?! Now go!" Ezio's heart was beating so fast, his breathing was fast, and he couldn't look at Jupiter in the face knowing that he would shout at him again. However, a golden mist formed around his body and part of it was holding Ezio. He opened his eyes and saw Jupiter had simmered down and got Ezio on his feet.

"Oh, Ezio. I shall be with you when you go to the Pope of Rome." His soothing voice calmed Ezio. "But he will not listen." Ezio looked at the mist as it was swirling and shivering all over the cave. "So I will stretch out my hand and smite Rome with all my wonders." Ezio was amazed at seeing all this mist and it shined his eyes. "Take the Apple you saw on the pedestal in your hand, Ezio. With it, you shall do my wonders, but beware of its power and don't let it fall into the wrong hands." As Jupiter spoke those words, he disappeared along with the mist that was holding and swirling around Ezio. "I shall be with you, Ezio. Ezio. Ezio."

As Ezio heard his name being whispered off into the wind, he was on his knees speechless on what he saw. He felt a tear fall on his eye, feeling new and transformed. He breathed heavily, shuddering a little. He looked up and saw the Apple. He got on his feet and took the Apple out of the pedestal with his gloved hand and held it. He looked around his robes for a place to put the Apple in, and he saw his money pouch. He would have to take his coins out and put them in another of his pouches. He put the Apple in his money pouch. It fitted, and the pouch supported the weight of the spherical object. He saw his weapons on the ground and placed them on him again.

As he got to the exit of the cave, he felt older and wiser as the sun shined on him. He noticed the eagle he followed was staying at the same branch after all that had happened to him. The eagle screeched and flew off into the city. Ezio looked at the city and back at the cave. He was filled with excitement that he ran as quickly as he could to go back to Venice to tell his wife everything. He bought a ticket for a ferry that was heading to Venice and got on the ferry. As the ferry went off to Venice, Ezio was pacing on what to say to his wife and how would she react. Would she think he was crazy? Would she believe him? What would she do?

When the ferry reached Venice's docks, Ezio got off and ran like his life depended on it. He ran through alleys and streets and climbed on rooftops to get to the thieves' guild. He reached the guild, ran up the stairs, and to his room where he saw Rosa folding clothes. He picked up Rosa, twirled her around, and kissed her. Rosa had no idea what the hell was going on with him. Ezio then proceeded to explain everything that happened to him, from following the eagle to talking to Jupiter. Rosa looked in confusion and disbelief. Ezio pulled out the Apple from his pouch and Rosa stared in awe of it. It was too much for Rosa to handle, so she sat on the bed and put her head down trying to understand all what Ezio was saying.

"But Ezio, you're just one man." Rosa couldn't understand why Ezio. Why couldn't it be someone else? Did that mean Ezio would have to leave her? What if he gets hurt in Rome? What if he never comes back and abandons her and everything they ever had? Thinking about all these questions made her emotions mix. Ezio sat down next to her and he held her face to make her look at him.

"Rosa, please." Ezio tried to make Rosa understand what he must do. Rosa furiously pulled her face back, away from Ezio's hand. She felt bitter at what Ezio had to do. Tears formed in her eyes as she looked at her husband. Ezio sighed and heard laughter outside of their room. He took Rosa's hand and they walked to the railing of the stairs to seeing Antonio conversing with the sisters about their achievements. They were not little girls anymore but have grown up to become strong and free-willed thieves. Valentina had grown a lot into a mature woman but was still six years younger than Ezio. She was practicing on her sword combat with Flora who was wearing what the male thieves wore: a fleece shirt with vest on top, breeches, knee-high socks, an ascot, and a cap on top of her head. Diana was still the youngest of them all and grew into a beautiful young woman, but still the cute little girl that Ezio admired. He saw her talking with Antonio.

"Look at your group," he spoke with Rosa and she observed. "They are free. They have a future. They have hopes and dreams and the promise of a life with dignity. That is what I want for my people. And that is why I must do the task that Jupiter has given me."

Rosa looked at her people and thought about Ezio's words. He sure had gotten wiser and smart, Rosa admitted. She knew that what he was saying was right and she has seen it all. She looked down thinking about what to do. She looked at Ezio and hugged him. Ezio put his hand on her back and closed his eyes wanting to keep his wife close. "I'm coming with you," she whispered. And thus, their journey would begin.


Author's Notes:

I spent all day and all night writing this chapter, so there you go. Be happy. *forces chapter down your throat* It's 1:30 am from where I am, so I'm going to bed. Goodbye. I'm out.