Assassin's Creed: Valiance

Prologue

March 12th, 1238

Rome, Italy

Michael Peralez | Age 24

Leaves crunched under 2 pairs of boots, as one man walked a bit ahead, taking in the cool air, its breeze gently caressing both of them. The man that was behind him picked up his pace, catching up to the former.

"Wait up Leonardo, you always stray off!" Michael said, adding a small chuckle at the end, it was a constant flaw of his yet no matter how much he swore he would stop, Leonardo would always get carried away and leave him behind.

Leonardo couldn't help but laugh as well, he took no hesitation in admitting his faults, it was one of the things that made him so nice to be around. It allowed them to have a greater trust, and he felt comfort in knowing they had no secrets between them. Leonardo shrugged, that same look on his face as he made the same empty promise, "Alright, I'll slow down next time". Michael furrowed an eyebrow with a half doubtful look. Leonardo, noticing this, smiled as he groaned a bit, "You're just slow Mike." he said as Michael shook his head and dropped the face. They were off once more.

As they stepped foot on a new road, one Michael had passed many times throughout his life, Leonardo wrapped an arm around him, nearly throwing him off balance. Leonardo had a grin, "So, I take you to a bar, for your birthday no less, and yet you only drank two measly cups of ale!" he said in half-feigned disbelief with a small laugh mixed in. He shook his head with a tsk as he continued, "It's no secret why that lady that was eyeing you for a while never came to talk!" as soon as he said this, Michael turned his head in an instant, as Leonardo broke into complete laughter.

Michael shoved him to the side with his shoulder, and Leonardo went off the road, nearly falling but still laughing, as Michael groaned in self-disappointment, "You didn't tell me!?" he complained, which only served to make Leonardo laugh harder. Michael, shaking his head as a smile broke through, "Besides, you know im not settling down that quick, unlike you." he said between laughs until he quieted down and got serious, "Not like I even can right now." he stared at the road beneath him, lost in thought. Leonardo stopped laughing.

He went up to Michael, crossed his arms and gave him a warm but attentive, friendly gaze, inviting him to explain his somberness.

Mike looked at him and sighed heavily, "I start tomorrow" he said, which didn't explain much to Leonardo, and he went on, "My father's forge, remember? You've been there constantly-!" He realized he was getting carried away, and he stopped himself before continuing, "For 2 years my father has been pestering me about when I would finally 'Pick up a damn hammer!'" he added his father's words at the end jokingly, and Leonardo smiled, it had removed some of the seriousness of it all.

"I kept stalling by telling him I wanted to just... live... for a while longer, but I decided that maybe now is the time I stop wasting my time and help him."

"Even if he has been annoying me..." he said, almost in self-reflection, "He's still my father, he's all I got." They stayed there in silence for a while as memories of Michael's mother came to them.

She had been as much of a mother to Leonardo as she had been to Mike for as long as they had known each other; pretty much their entire childhood. She could make anybody happy, especially his father, because of how sweet and caring she was. But disease made no exceptions, and she was unjustly taken away from them many years ago.