Lightning Strikes

Chapter 7: Lightning Strikes

"Ah! There you two are. Ezio, Cole, I'd like you to meet an… associate. He is Agostino Barbarigo - soon to be Doge of Venezia - thanks to you two."

Ezio paid his respects by bowing his head and said something Italian that was too fast for me to comprehend. But it's safe to assume that it's something along the lines of "It's an honor to make your acquaintance." To avoid the chance of being disrespectful, I copied Ezio's actions, minus the Italian.

"I am sorry for the loss of your brother." Ezio continued.

"He had it coming." Well damn. "He was bought and paid for by the Borgia, a mistake I have no intention of making." Agostino spoke.

"Come Ezio, Cole. We have much to discuss." Antonio spoke.

The three of us walked up some stairs and walked into a room. There were seats set for three, but there are four of us. Well, I don't mind standing… awkwardly.

"We've located Silvio Barbarigo for you. He's fled into L'Arsenale."

"Hah! Fled? You mean occupied - and joined by two hundred mercenari no less." Agostino said.

"You're Doge now. Can't you command them to stand down?" Ezio asked.

"The committee of forty-one has yet to confirm my ascension. And Silvio's little stunt has only made things worse. He has an entire army at his command!"

"Then help me," He paused to look at me, "Help us to raise our own."

How good it feels to belong.

"I figured you'd say as much. Bartolomeo D'Alviano is the man you seek. He and his men have little love for Silvio. He resides within the military district, southwest of L'Arsenale." Antonio said.

"Va bene. Cole and I will go and see him."

Ezio rose from his chair. "Come Cole." He walked out of the room and I followed.

"Who is that man?" I heard Agostino ask in astonishment. I stopped walking to listen.

"A man that will do great things. A man who is and will be a valuable asset to our cause." Antonio spoke.

A man who will do great things…

~AC~IF~

Ezio and I were currently running across the rooftops to get to our destination. He suddenly stopped. I stopped to face him.

"There's one more thing I forgot to ask you." Ezio spoke up.

"Yes, what would you like to know?"

"What is your fighting style? You are dressed to fight but something about you seems… different, unique." He asked.

This question didn't catch me off guard. I knew at some point someone would ask me how I fight and what my fighting style was. But the thing is I can't just bluntly say I have super powers and I have electric powers. Not only would I get strange looks, but I run the possibility of being hunted down and killed. Or worse. Experimented on. Yeah I'd rather skip that. Especially with the fact that the doctor's in this time aren't as advanced as the doctors of the 21st century. I have to tread carefully and ease into it.

Here's to thinking ahead.

I took a deep breath.

"There's a reason I fled Roma. I was selected to be part of a scientific experiment. All was going well but something went terribly wrong. There was a grave accident. Out of the ten members, I was the only one who survived."I said.

I looked at Ezio intently making sure he wasn't ready to jump me.

"A week later, I noticed a change had taken place within me. My senses were sharper, I was more athletic; I ran faster, jumped higher, more resilient, and less prone to injury. Then one day I decided to take a bath and that was a big mistake."

"Why was it a mistake?" Ezio asked softly.

Here it comes…

"I will show you. But all I ask is to not be alarmed." I spoke.

He nodded in agreement, curiosity lacing his face.

"I realized I had this." I held up my hand and let the electricity dance in my hand.

"The power to control and wield lightning."

"Lightning? How is this possible?" Ezio asked.

"I ask that myself every day. But I was stuck with it. Over the course of time I learned to control it and master it. But the people of Roma found out and set me as an outcast, a freak of nature, an abomination."

The look on Ezio's face was unreadable. I couldn't tell if he wanted to kill me or run away to tell the world what I had just told him. Then kill me.

There was an uncomfortable silence between us as Ezio tried to process everything I had just told him.

"Amazing." He finally spoke up.

That's a positive reaction right?

"I'm guessing you have a very unique fighting style." Ezio quipped with a smile.

He's smiling, that's a really good sign. Thank god.

"Not too many people call it unique, I'm afraid." I spoke.

"Do you think I may able to get a demonstration of this?" Ezio asked.

Aggh!

We heard a scream of agony in the distance.

"You may get one now." I responded.

"Let's go." Ezio and I ran off to find the source of the voice.

We eventually saw heavily wounded man on the verge of death sitting on the ground.

"You must be one of Bartolomeo's men! What happened here? Where is he?" Ezio asked.

"Silvio's thugs… attacked… Took him… Deeper into the district… North of here." The man struggled to speak. Then he stopped and his head lulled to the side. Dead.

Ezio kneeled next to him. He reached up and closed the man's eyes with his fingers.

"Requiescat in Pace." He muttered.

This guy sure handles death well.

He stood back up. "Come on, this way." We hurried and made our way north. There's definitely a fight coming toward our way. And I can't wait to get to it.

"Look, down there." Ezio said to me. There was a man locked in a cage, heavily guarded by six men. There were also several men patrolling the area.

"Alright, there's Bartolomeo. Are you ready?" Ezio asked.

I let the electricity dance in my hands.

"Yes."

"Let's do it." He bore his blades. At the same time, we jumped off the building. He landed on two guards killing them. I also landed on two guards and released lightning's fury on them. The two of them convulsed briefly, before becoming limp, dead.

Nice.

"What's that? On them!"

Ezio and I were quickly surrounded by guards. I pulled out my sword. This should be just like with the amp.

I focused my energy and channeled the lightning through my sword. Let the fun begin.

"What sorcery is this?! Kill them!"

One guard swung at me and I blocked his attack. I tried to attack back but he blocked mine as well. Maybe if I time this right…

This time when the guard attacked, instead of blocking I jumped. I channeled the electricity from my sword around his neck and swung my body around, eventually slamming him into the ground.

Two guards with lances tried to get the better of me by attacking at the same time. Unfortunately for them, they put a little too much enthusiasm in their attacks. I bent over backwards and the two guards wound up stabbing each other.

That's right suckers.

I wonder what else I could do…

I usually use my lightning tether to help me climb. I wonder…

I took aim and fired a shot at an enemy. The electricity wrapped around him, tying him up and restraining him.

Well I guess the only sensible thing I could here is…

I sent out a strong shock, the man convulsed and screamed out in pained agony. Then he went limp, dead.

Oh yeah. Yeah that's going to work out just fine.

We were soon down to two; Ezio had one and I had one. The man Ezio was facing had a lance and I was facing a brute with an axe.

Straight forward attacks didn't work with him. I have to get creative here.

I launched another stream of electricity at him. He tried to swing his axe it at but it was to no avail. I made sure I had a firm grip on my electricity. Then with a sharp tug, I pulled him toward me. This may hurt a little.

The guard was impaled by my sword, killing him instantly. I used my leg to pull my sword out of him.

Would you look at all the carnage?!

"Now THAT was impressive." Ezio spoke. "I saw everything that you did." Even while taking all of them out?! "I was right; you possess quite a unique fighting style. It's a good thing I'm on your good side." Ezio said in a joking tone.

The feeling's mutual amico mio.

Ezio went to unlock the cage, letting Bartolomeo out.

"About goddamned time! I don't know if I should kiss you or slap you. Maybe both. Just to be safe." Bartolomeo exclaimed.

"That's quite alright." Ezio said.

"I think I'll pass." I said.

"Who are you two?"

"I am Ezio Auditore Da Firenze and this is Cole MacGrath. We are here to rescue you."

"Hah! Let's see who winds up rescuing who?"

"What do you mean?" Ezio asked.

Good question.

"Down there! Stop them." A group of guards came towards us.

"Must. Break. Bones!" Bartolomeo yelled out.

And I'll just ignore the fact that he's fighting, successfully I might add, with a broom.

~AC~IF~

We finally arrived at our destination where two more, hopefully the last of them, guards were standing.

God what is with this city?

"If you value your life, you'll stand down!" One of the guards spoke menacingly.

"Never! What good is a man's life if it's not lived free, eh? I'll not go back into a cage!"

"Then you will go into the ground! Kill them!"

I sent out a stream of electricity and attached it into one of the guard's heads. I sent out a strong electrical charge. He convulsed briefly before falling on the ground.

Ezio used his hidden blades to kill the other.

And Bartolomeo… well he found a sword thank goodness.

I never thought I would ever see a broom be used as a deadly weapon.

"What a mess they've made! Bianca… I hope she's unharmed…"Bartolomeo mused while running away.

Bianca must be someone special.

Ezio and I followed him to see where he was going.

We eventually caught up to him and walked inside his house as he was frantically walking and throwing things around.

"Bianca! Bianca!"

"Is everything alright?" Ezio asked.

"What do you think? Look at this place! And poor Bianca! If something's happened to her…"

Bianca must really be something special.

"Ah-ha!" Bartolomeo bent down and picked up a large sword. "Oh, my darling! Thank God you're alright!"

"Ezio, Cole, meet Bianca. Bianca, meet Ezio and Cole."

"Charmed." Ezio spoke

"The honor's all mine." I said.

"So I know your names, but not why you are here." Bartolomeo said while putting Bianca away.

"We have… business with Silvio Barbarigo. We were told you could help." Ezio responded.

"Ah! It would be my honor!"

"But it's going to require more than just the three - er four of us to weaken his forces. How do you suggest we proceed?"

"I'll go and ready my men for battle. While I do this, I'd like you two to rescue those who were captured during Silvio's assault. I cannot, in good conscience, leave them behind. Especially one… I hope she is alright."

Is this another sword?

"Intensi. We will attend to it at once."

"Good luck out there you two." Ezio and I exited the room, setting out to rescue the captured mercenaries.


= Am I the only one who bursts out laughing everytime they see Bartolomeo(or Ezio) just OWN someone with a broom? The very first time I saw this, I just could not stop lauging XD

I cut this in half because it would become too exhausting of a read; this chapter is pretty long as is.

Please favorite, alert, and review =)