The mission part 2

Carter's POV

I left the Holly lands and continue my search for the ancient artifact left by those who came before us, the same questions are still coming to me, if the ancient race survived why did they go into hiding? The Templar's got their hands on one of those guys, he or she must be released from their chains and the only way to do it is to bring in a large force assassins and probably some soldiers, the papal states are all that was left over from the ancient empire many centuries ago, the survivors have rebuild Rome and set up their communities and they were ruled by the pope, he id the most powerful man in the world, he owned allot of which he has given to the kings, the Byzantines are allied with the pope but they value their independence, but when I sailed into the harbor of Rome I couldn't help but notice the ancient ruins in the city, they were very old and they are still standing! high and mighty.

"Interesting!"

"It is isn't it?"

The man that I went along with is an Italian merchant that traded with the east, I never met him but he must know more about Rome than I do, and I believe that he must have met some decent people before.

"I have heard of the fall of Rome, many Vandals came here and sacked it."

"That is true my friend, many centuries ago Vandals came in and destroy and kill everything and everyone in their path, there have been stories of Rome being sacked but she seems to rebuild herself somehow, you are French by your accent but not your clothing have you been traveling?"

"Oui for a few weeks, I went and search for... inspiration and that search brought me here."

"I see mio driend, Rome has been a center for tourist before and I hope that your search will lead you to what you are looking for."

"Merci."

As we landed I started to get a feeling that eyes were on me, I got my guard on but I don't even feel a threat here yet, it is odd to feel watched but never a threat, this feeling was familiar but yet odd, when I walked down the plank onto the dock someone put his hands an me, and as I turned I stood face to face with a papal assassin.

"Benvenuto fratello, unless the news was right from France, you must have been and always will be the first member of the french royal family, Carter Le hard Da Paris!"

"Pardon?"

"Sorry us Italians go by the city that we were born in, allow me to introduce myself to you I'm Leonardo Da Roma."

"Roma? the Italian word for Rome?"

"Si follow me brother... welcome to Rome carter one of the assassin hot spots all over the Mediterranean sea, assassins call a city like this home because we can go up on roof tops and see things below always keeping an eye out for the Templar's."

"I see so a city like this makes it a good hiding spot for the assassins."

"Si and the Templar's don't know what will hit them, they will be so terrified by our strategies here."

"Of coarse and they must-watch out!"

I pushed Leonardo aside with my full body, a Templar crossbowman fired a bolt at us but if it wasn't for me one of us may be dead, he was about to reload so I pulled out a throwing dagger, Leonardo pulled out a crossbow from his back and fired, the crossbowman fell but I was surprised by the crossbows design, there a bend in it and no stirrups and there wasn't even a windlass for it, he reloaded the crossbow and he used his whole hand to pull the string, I was about to ask him how he did it but we got ambushed by 2 more Templar's, we took them down with ease but reinforcements came. I was about to assault but Leonardo set up whistle, it was a loud one but then a group of 4 assassins jumped out from the roof tops and took em down.

"This way Carter."

We ran into an ally way and we arrived in forum of Rome there are still signs of ruins through the place, and the people are still going around the place as if the city has never been sacked.

"You have been welcomed by everyone here, first the rebels now the tyrants."

"Your crossbow is very curious, and with your whistle attracted more assassins nearby how do you do that?"

"Oh I see. (Draws crossbow) The crossbow as you see is designed to be held in one hand, it is small and light enough to be held with one hand, it works like the less powerful crossbows but you use only your 4 fingers instead of a windlass, it's a close range weapon perfect for puncturing mail armor, created by the Genoies assassins and introduced them throughout the papal states and all of our neighboring societies in the peninsula, as for the whistle we Italians have found away to take a fight in a city with numbers, if you are all alone in the streets and you need back up use the whistle, we have assassins patrolling everywhere around the city, a deadly and useful tactic, we taught every assassin around the Mediterranean."

"My brothers in France would like to learn this tactic, you should teach us."

"I'll keep that in mind mio driend, come on lets get you acquainted with the others at the HQ."

We continued to walk to the HQ, as we arrived it is a dead end with a boor concealed by vines that goes up the building, as we got in the inside is as cozy as it looks, there are books and a weapon stash of swords, axes, falcions, maces, war hammers, daggers, bows, arrows and crossbows. We went up to some of the assassins that are seated eating and drinking.

"Every one meat Carter Le Hard, the first prince to become an assassin."

"Bonjour autres assassins."

"As you see he is kind to apprentices like you."

"Don't worry I will not make a habit of it."

"Alright listen we have been ambushed by Templar's at the streets, I want every single one of you to sweep the streets and check around, send word out to every dens that are out there, spostralo. Carter come me ok I want to know what you doing here in Rome."

"(pulling out the scroll) Have you seen this type of scroll?"

"Nnnnnno this is made oooooof Papyrus?"

"Oui I found it in the holly lands in an ancient fortes, it contain valuable information that will lead me to a artifact left by a race who came before us, but I have heard from one of the knights that commanded the Templar's at the the fortress and he said that the race has survived and some of the kings including the Byzantine emperors are some of them."

"Ah and the Templar's know that so it is a type of genocide or something?"

"Indeed, I must first find some one who can read Latin and help me find the artifact."

"I have a friend who is a cardinal, he studies this old language, he can help us with but usually when he helps us he would like to do it in private so there will be no eavesdroppers and no one to know."

"Merci mon ami, but the Templar's already got their hands on one of members of the race."

"I know much about them, when I was in one of the ruins I read that there is a race that are part man, they have a power that will help us build and defend the old empire, it was a pagant story but I have read that they are so power full that their combat skills are more advanced than a regular soldier."

"And we assassins studied their training and perfected it as well."

"Si but if you are right we must save this poor person, but first we must see why these Templar's and why they attacked us, then we can look in to this scroll and find this artifact."

As we got out side we started to look around and one of the assassins came in, he was breathless like he ran many kilometers away, but I can tell that there is something wrong

"Leonardo vi e una situazione!"

"Huh?"

"An attack at the coleseo."

"Every day the same bad news. Carter how do you feel about sword play?"

"I would love to help."

We started going for the roof tops and started running to the coliseum, there we must take the Templar's down in order for me to get to the objective of my mission, but it must wait, these assassins need my help ans much as I need theirs but it will be done one way or another.