Amelia stood beside Ezio as Bartolomeo's men shuffled through the courtyard, each one steeling themselves for the battle to come. The air was thick with tension, the sky above bruised with the promise of dawn. She clutched her cloak around her, the cool Venetian air biting at her skin, but her thoughts were elsewhere—on the mission that lay ahead, on the sense of purpose that had driven them all to this point. And, she had to admit, to the man standing next to her, his focus unyielding as he listened to Bartolomeo's instructions.
Bartolomeo clapped a broad hand on Ezio's shoulder, his grin all confidence and bluster. "Ah! There you are! Is it done?"
Ezio nodded, the weight of responsibility heavy in his expression. "Yes. All your men are in place."
"Bene, bene." Bartolomeo pulled a firework from his pouch, pressing it into Ezio's hands. "Take this. I assume you know how it works? Find the highest point you can in the district and fire it from there. This signals my men to begin the attack."
Amelia watched Ezio take the firework, a flicker of determination crossing his face. She could see the unspoken tension in his posture—the same tension she had felt in him ever since he had returned to Venice. She reached out, brushing her fingers against his hand briefly, a small gesture meant to offer support. "You've got this, Ezio," she said softly, catching his eye. "Just try not to break your neck on the way down."
He flashed her a brief, grateful smile, the edges of it softened with that familiar warmth. "I'll do my best, Amelia. I'll see you soon."
She nodded, swallowing the nervous energy that bubbled in her chest as he turned away and made for the tower. She watched him until he disappeared into the shadows, her heart beating faster with each step he took. She hated being left behind, hated the thought of him out there alone, even if she knew he was more than capable.
Ezio's silhouette was barely visible atop the tower as he climbed, scaling the rough stone with practiced ease. Amelia squinted upward, her breath catching as he reached the highest point, balanced precariously against the sky. A flare of light burst from the tower's peak, painting the air with fiery trails. The signal was given.
Within moments, the city erupted into chaos. Bartolomeo's men surged forward, their shouts mingling with the clang of swords and the thud of boots on stone. Amelia's pulse quickened, and she drew her blades, the familiar weight a comfort in her grip. She moved alongside the soldiers, directing them where she could, her voice cutting through the din. "Hold the line! Watch your flanks!"
As the fighting raged on, she caught sight of Bartolomeo, locked in combat with Dante—Silvio's massive enforcer wielding an axe with deadly precision. Even Bartolomeo, for all his bluster, was struggling to hold his ground against the sheer power behind Dante's blows.
"Bartolomeo needs my help!" Ezio's voice rang out as he descended from the tower, his tone carrying a sharp edge of urgency.
Amelia's head snapped up, spotting Ezio diving from the tower in a graceful leap of faith, disappearing into the waters below. She rushed to the edge, peering down, her heart in her throat until she saw him surface, water streaming off his hood. He was already moving, cutting through the chaos to reach Bartolomeo.
By the time she reached Bartolomeo and Dante, Ezio was already locked in a fierce struggle with the hulking enforcer. Amelia's chest tightened as she took in the scene—Dante swinging his axe in powerful arcs, each blow shaking the ground beneath them. Ezio moved with fluid grace, sidestepping and parrying where he could, but even he couldn't dodge everything. She winced as a blow glanced off his arm, drawing a pained grunt from him.
Amelia didn't hesitate. She flanked Dante, her daggers slashing at the gaps in his armor, forcing him to divide his attention between her and Ezio. She could see the determination in Ezio's eyes, the way he tightened his grip on his blade even as blood seeped from the fresh cut on his arm. They moved in sync, each strike timed to throw Dante off balance, their partnership honed through years of fighting side by side.
"Keep him off me!" Ezio shouted, his breath labored but his focus unbroken.
"I've got your back, Ezio!" Amelia called back, her voice carrying a fierce edge as she lunged at Dante's exposed side, driving her dagger into his ribs. He roared in pain, swinging his axe blindly in her direction. She ducked beneath the blow, feeling the rush of air as the weapon narrowly missed her.
But Dante's retaliation was brutal. He backhanded her with his free hand, the force of the blow sending her sprawling onto the cobblestones. Her vision blurred with the impact, pain radiating through her skull, but she forced herself to focus, to push back the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm her.
Ezio's shout cut through the haze. "Amelia! Get up!"
She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to her feet even as her head swam. Ezio's expression was tight with worry, but he kept his attention on Dante, using the momentary distraction to disarm the enforcer with a deft twist of his wrist.
Amelia staggered back into the fight, slipping her blades through the gaps in Dante's armor with precise, vengeful strikes. She met Ezio's eyes for a fleeting moment, and the unspoken understanding between them gave her strength. Together, they forced Dante back, their combined efforts finally wearing down the brute's defenses.
When Dante finally fell, gasping for breath, Ezio turned to her, his expression softening with concern. "Are you alright?"
She managed a breathless laugh, pressing a hand to her aching side. "I'll live. But let's finish this before I change my mind." Ezio's lips curved into a small, grateful smile, and he offered her a hand. She took it, squeezing briefly before they both turned their focus back to the battle.
As Dante staggered back, his breathing ragged and his grip on his axe slipping, a wild desperation flared in his eyes. But instead of crumbling to the ground, he found one last surge of strength and turned, bolting through the chaos of the battlefield after Silvio. With an annoyed groan she chased after him, Ezio hot on her heels. They ended up at the docks, both men trying to board a ship.
She knew she couldn't let them both escape. Steeling herself, she sprang toward Silvio, her blades flashing in the dim light. He fumbled for his sword, but she was on him before he could raise it, her movements precise and fueled by the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She could hear Ezio's footsteps pounding behind her, giving chase after Dante.
Silvio snarled, his teeth bared in a last show of defiance. "You think you've won, ragazza? Venezia is lost to you and your assassin friend."
Amelia's expression hardened as she drove her blade toward his chest, twisting it between his ribs. "You'll die a coward's death, Silvio. Just like your brother."
Silvio's face twisted in pain, his legs buckling as he dropped to his knees. "You... you don't know... what's coming..."
She leaned in, her voice a low hiss. "Then tell me."
Silvio's breath came in gasps, his eyes wide with fear and pain. "We were meant... to sail... away from this city... Cyprus... they want..." His voice faltered, his body sagging against her blade as the life drained from him.
Amelia held his gaze, refusing to look away as his last breath left his lungs. "Requiescat in pace," she whispered, pulling her blade free and letting him slump to the ground. She straightened, her chest heaving, and turned just in time to see Ezio closing in on Dante.
Ezio's movements were a blur of speed and precision as he caught up to the fleeing brute. With a powerful leap, he landed in front of Dante, blocking his path. Dante swung his axe in a desperate arc, but Ezio was ready, sidestepping the heavy blow and driving his blade through Dante's side. The enforcer let out a choked gasp, his hands grasping at the wound as he fell to his knees.
Ezio's voice was steady, but there was an edge of frustration as he stared down at his enemy. "What's happened here? Why the boats? I thought you sought the Doge's seat?"
Dante's eyes glinted with defiance even as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. "You're... too late, assassin... It was just a distraction... We were meant to sail..."
Ezio's jaw tightened, his frustration palpable as he leaned closer, his blade still buried in Dante's side. "Sail where?"
Dante coughed, a bitter laugh escaping him. "Cyprus... They want... They... want..." His words faded into a rasping breath, and then he went still, the last of his strength leaving him as he collapsed.
Ezio stood over Dante's body, his expression grim. "Non temete l'oscurità - accettate il suo abbraccio," he murmured, his voice carrying a note of finality. "Requiescant in Pace."
Amelia stepped up beside him, her own breath heavy from the exertion of the fight. She wiped the blood from her blade with a grim expression, her eyes lingering on the bodies of their fallen enemies. "It's done," she said quietly, but there was no triumph in her voice. Only exhaustion and a sense of unease at what they had uncovered.
Bartolomeo, catching his breath as he approached, clapped a heavy hand on Ezio's shoulder, a broad grin breaking through the blood and grime on his face. "Well done, Ezio! Silvio is defeated, and the military district returned to us! Perhaps now Venezia might finally enjoy a bit of pace e tranquillità!"
Ezio managed a tight smile in return, but his gaze was distant, his thoughts already turning to the next piece of the puzzle. "I am glad for you and your men, Bartolomeo. But I cannot join. I fear my work has just taken a rather strange turn..."
Bartolomeo frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Ezio glanced back at the boats, the ones meant for a journey that had never come to pass. "Silvio wasn't looking to replace Marco as Doge. He was about to leave Venezia, in fact. This whole thing was just a distraction."
Amelia's hand tightened around the hilt of her blade as she followed his gaze. She felt a chill settle in her bones, a sense that whatever lay ahead was far larger than anything they had faced before. "Why would they sail to Cyprus?" she murmured, half to herself.
Ezio's expression darkened, a new determination sparking in his eyes. "That is what I need to find out."