Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Assassin's Creed or anything associated with the series.
Author Notes: Well, I don't usually update early but I've been getting more views than expected so..here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it.
Little note- While writing the ending of this, I was playing 'May It Be' by Enya. You might want to try it yourself. :)
Big thanks to those who added this to their favorites and/or alerts: Artemis' hunters, facehellsangel, and Autumn's Rain. Much love to you!
Il Terremoto
"Are you ready for you final test, Evelina?"
She had been waiting for this moment for a year- no… she had been waiting far longer than that. She would finally be a part of the real Auditore family. For months she trained and trained with swords and fists and her new hidden blade- free running through Roma. Soaring over rooftops as if they were clouds, bouncing from one to the other like a cat and silent as the night itself. Stealing from the Templar guards and blending with the crowd, just as her Aunt Claudia taught her. Even traveling to other cities with the recruits, completing contracts and learning skills faster than any recruit she worked beside.
Now she was ready.
"Sì. I am."
"Are you ready?"
"When has that ever mattered?"
Lucio's face fell. "But it's the real thing, Adriano!"
"But is it the right thing, Lucio?"
He thought for a moment. After a moment of silence, Adriano spoke again, solemn and stern.
"Exactly. It's never mattered."
The two slipped through the city, scouting for Assassin guards and Thieves. They split at an intersection, one going left, the other going right. Sprinting up behind an Assassin guard, Adriano let his stiletto slice through his throat. Spinning around he caught a glimpse of another, kicking him down and breaking his neck. He kept moving closer to the Assassin hideout.
A Thief was spotted under a balcony, vines draped over its railing. Peaking around a post, he caught sight of another two Thieves on the other side. Adriano dodged the first Thief's wary eyes and moved up the scaffolding leaning onto the hideout's outer walls. Reaching the top, he gathered himself and pulled the crossbow from his back. He hid in the shadows created by the building and aimed for the two Thieves. He fired, hitting the first one. Quickly, he reloaded and fired at the other who came rushing to his aid. The two Thieves were down, but the last one remained below.
"Merda," he cursed under his breath.
Adriano looked over the edge uneasily. With a quiet sigh, he positioned himself so his legs hooked onto the railing with him facing the other end. Adriano held his crossbow tightly as he flipped himself backwards and shot the Thief between the eyes. The Thief staggered backwards before hitting the ground with a soft thud. The young Agile flipped himself back up, thanking God for strength.
"Fratello! Vieni qui!" Adriano barely heard from below the balcony.
"Lucio?"
"Sì! Hurry!" he whispered.
Adriano dropped down from the railing to find something he wished not to see.
"Lucio! What happened?" Deep red blood ran down his leg from an open, gushing wound. It stained his fine uniform and formed a puddle on the ground.
"Assassin. Came right at me. Sliced me open like a pig. They know we're here." Adriano looked at his friend's wound again. Soon, he would bleed out if they did not find help soon. But no one was around.
"We need to find help. You need a doctor."
"And where do you see a doctor?"
Adriano scanned the area. He then noticed various people, presumably Assassins scattered around a training ring.
"I have an idea. Follow me."
"Your test will be to battle me. You may use any weapon you have in your arsenal, as I will be using my resources as well. Be on guard. Keep your footing. And remember-…"
"Nulla e reale; tutto e lecito," Evelina finished with a nod.
"I have taught you well. Now we must see how well," Signore Auditore concluded.
He pulled a long sword from his belt and grounded his feet. Evelina pulled her rapier from its holster and held it in position, keeping herself level with the sword. She eyed her father, smirked, and took the first strike.
Swords clanked for what seemed like ages until the energetic young girl grew bored. She back-flipped onto the outer ring with her father following. He took the offensive and struck, Evelina dodging his every thrust. When the opportunity arose, she kicked the sword out of her father's hand and jumped on his shoulder and bounded off, her father following her with a plethora of throwing knives, one by one missing her by a centimeter. The last one, however, caught her right arm, leaving a small scrape above the elbow.
She landed gracefully on the other side of the ring. Her father extended his new hidden blade, graciously crafted by Leonardo (who had been living in France for 10 years). Evelina extended hers, with a sharp shink!, it flung out.
Turning her gaze back to the other side of the ring, she noticed her father was gone. Suddenly, something came swooping down from above her. She rolled out of the way, narrowly missing her father's blow. Running up the wall of the hideout, Evelina grasped onto a hanging basket and swung herself onto a rickety ledge directly above her opponent. She dove towards her target. The girl landed on the man's shoulders and she quickly wrapped her legs around his neck. To her dismay, the strong man somersaulted forward, smacking Evelina's head on the ground. She quickly unraveled herself and struck once more, clashing blades with her father once again.
"I must admit, I was not expecting that move."
"I know, padre. That's why I did it."
Her father smiled and switched his footing. Evelina took advantage of this moment and kicked him off balance, throwing him to the ground with her blade at his throat. Signore Auditore was nearly breathless and clearly speechless. He had been beaten by his own daughter.
"You've won, Evelina!"
"Molto bene!"
"Do it again! I wasn't looking!"
Shouts from the surrounding crowd filled Evelina with confidence and pride. She had beaten her teacher, her father, the leader of the Assassins.
"Aiuto! Per favore! Aiuto!" Someone stood out from the crowd. Few people gasped, most grabbed a weapon.
The man was carrying someone; someone in a blue uniform and Templar armor. "My friend needs help! He's bleeding out!"
The man speaking was wearing the same uniform.
"How dare you even set foot here, piccola puttana," Evelina's father growled at the Templar. "Do you not know who we are?"
"I know who you are Signore. But I don't care who you are. This man needs your assistance. If you save his life, Signore, we will join your brotherhood." Adriano's eyes flashed to Evelina, pleading.
The father stood firmly. "Do you expect me to just let you in? Like a stray dog? You are one of them. You will never be one of us."
Evelina walked closer, grimacing at the pool of blood surrounding the dying Templar. "Father, please. Don't let this man die. If he had the courage to ask us for help, he deserves the right to a second chance. People can change, padre."
He sighed. "I know they can, mia figlia," the man said, remembering all of the Courtesans and Thieves gone rogue. He had to eliminate them.
The old Assassin straightened up and looked the young Agile in the eye. "You may have our assistance only if you can fight and successfully defeat my daughter."
Evelina's eyes grew wide. She had faith in herself but she did not want to harm this poor young man. She saw him look over at her, shocked.
"I accept- as long as you aid him right away."
Signore Auditore raised an eyebrow.
"Per favore, Signore. He will die before we even finish the fight."
"Get in the ring, boy," the Assassin grunted. Adriano did as he was told, taking one last look at his friend- being carried away by a group of Assassins. What he was to make of this, he did not know. Perhaps the Assassin leader had a heart after all, or perhaps they were taking him off to be killed.
Adriano faced his opponent, his weakness. How could he win such a battle? He would have to lose. Or come up with some plan that would spare his life and Evelina's. But nothing would happen. He could not be spared. He would have to die.
"Are you ready, Templar?" Evelina yelled from the other end of the ring.
Adriano looked at her and looked around at all of the eager faces, eager to see him fall at her blade. He could not decide whether to be humiliated or saddened, or maybe both.
But before any answer could be reached, whether humiliated, saddened, ready or not, an Assassin ran outside the hideout and into the crowd.
"THEY'RE HERE!"
Suddenly, an explosion set the building behind Adriano ablaze. Another loud cracking and boom! set the entire hideout on fire, causing a panic in all of the surrounding Assassins. Adriano caught Signore Auditore's fiery eye. With a flash of rage, he bellowed, "TEMPLAR!"
The Agile raced in the other direction, but was halted by something. Something stopped him from moving any farther. Adriano looked down. Three knives wedged themselves into his chest, letting warm blood rush down his chest plate. His line of sight moved to the thrower of the knives.
Adriano dropped to his knees, coughing up more of the crimson liquid into his hands. She moved closer, examining him as if he were a new species. "I'm sorry," she whispered to him. He stared at her. Longing to hold on to her and tell her everything he was and wanted to be. But all he could manage were four simple words.
"Keep your window open..."
Evelina gazed at the Templar, falling face first to the ground. Chaos surrounded them; fire danced like a wild gypsy while buildings crumbled down, gun shots were as constant as static and screams pierced her ears. But still she stood, watching the man intently.
"Evelina! Vieni qui!" her father called.
The young Assassin bent down and laid the Templar on his back. She closed his eyes and whispered softly,
"Requiescat in pace."
Merda – Shit
Fratello! Vieni qui! – Brother! Come here!
Nulla e reale; tutto e lecito – Nothing is true, everything is permitted
Molto bene! – Very good!
Aiuto! Per favore! Aiuto! – Help! Please! Help!
Piccola puttana – Little bitch
Requiescat in pace – Rest in peace