Assassin's Creed: Ezio Chronicles

The Kill

The moonlight rooftops casted dark shadows across the streets of Florence. The light of a party shimmering in the distance. Tonight is the night. A shadowy man stands atop a tall rooftop. He is hooded. He wears a white robe and cape over his left shoulder concealing his arm. He is muscular and tall. The sword and short sword conceived on his belt glisten in the moonlight.

The man steps to the end of the roof. Takes one glance of his surroundings. And without hesitation leaps from the building. He fearlessly catches himself on a keenly placed pile of hay atop a building. With lightning speed he barrels across the rooftops of the Florentine buildings. Barely making the jumps from roof to roof. A guard is on watch only feet away on the roof. He skillfully avoids his line of sight and continues onward. He reaches a clearing. But doesn't slow his speed. At the end of the rooftop lays a flag. He runs at breakneck speed to the end of the flag and leaps the clearing almost missing the edge of the next rooftop. Catching himself by one hand on a ledge. He pulls himself up and recovers his footing.

After a few more house lengths he finally reaches his destination. The sounds and light of the party now tenfold as he looks down on the festivities. He carefully studies the crowd. Noting the location of guards and even guards under cover as party goers. This will come in handy later. He carefully makes his way down the building. And gracefully lands in an alley.

As he exits the alleyway and instantly delves into the crowd to avoid the burning stares from the guards on watch. He makes his way through the crowd again carefully examining every detail. A man breaths fire with a torch. Another juggles daggers without fear. The crowd is mesmerized. Little did they know that the show had only just begun.

A man enters the clearing. He is accompanied by four guards caring swords. The hooded man knows: this is the man. He notes that their steel swords don't look as strong as his. Easy kills. But now he concentrates on the VIP. How he strides with elegancy. The hooded figure shows a look of disgust. How could this man starve and abuse the people of this city, then throw a party in their honor? He wipes the look of disgust from his thoughts. Focus on the mission. The elegant man takes his place upon a podium to give his speech.

"Good evening, citizens of The Republic of Florentina..." The hooded man gets up his nerve and begins to make his way through the crowd. "...Tonight we celebrate in the brotherhood of man. In the creation of a new Florence. And a new world..." The cloaked figure reaches the edge of the crowd. He slowly steps out. This is it. No turning back. "...Tonight's festivities..." The elegant man cuts off as he notices the hooded figure step out of the crowd and approach the stage. "Assassino, Assassino!" He yelled. His four accompanying guards begin to approach the man. But it is too late.

There is the wiz of thrown knives. One plants itself between the eyes of a guard. The other tears through the jugular of another. Both men fall to the floor gurgling in their own blood. Clean kills. The audience gasps in horror. The last two, now on high alert, draw their swords. The hooded man does the same. The first man approaches him and strikes at him. He quickly fends it off and impales the man through the heart with his sword. One left. He studies the last man. He noted that this man is muscular and is in fact carrying a long sword. A challenge. Too dangerous to fight head on. The man examines his gauntlet on his wrist. Poison, perfect. As the brute of a man approaches he agilely dodges his swing and manages to find a gap in his armor.

*snick*

The brute begins flailing his arms and then falls to the floor with a loud thump. The audience begins to shout and back away in fear. All that is left on stage is the elegant man, and the assassin. The assassin steps slowly onto the podium. The elegant man begins cursing him and his kin.

*snick*

The man now lays on the stage, gurgling his last words. "W... W... Who are you?" The Assassin smiles halfheartedly and looks him in the eye and says "I am Ezio Auditore." The man stares at him in horror "But...but.. You were dead..." And then he breathed his last breath. Ezio glances at the Templar insignia on his robes, stands up and whispers "oh I assure you. I am very much alive." He takes one last glance at the body and says "Requiscat in Pace, may you gain knowledge in death."

As he exits the stage a group of guards approach him. The quickly surround him. "We got you now Assassino!" He just stares up at the Dawn sky. An eagle flys overhead. He smiles and nods. Suddenly guard after guard drop to the ground. Each with a handcrafted arrow in his back. Ezio pushes the last dead guard aside and quickly scales the building just as reinforcements arrive. Too late.

Now on the open rooftops. He sees a few archers in the distance. But no immediate threats. Beneath the early morning sun the city is on full alert to look for the hooded vigilante. With this knowledge he scales from roof to roof yet again. Making his way to the city gate. As he reaches the edge of the city he sees the gate heavily guarded. Looks like it's time to recruit some allies. He sees a group of thieves leaning against. Building not far off. He subtly pays them off and they approach the guards at the gate and taunt them. The guards, pissed off, chase the thieves out of the way. In this window of time Ezio makes his escape through the gate.

He spots an unmounted brown chestnut horse and quickly mounts and rides off before anyone notices that it is stolen. He rides for the countryside, to Monteriggioni, the Auditore Villa. He enters the city walls. The citizens warmly welcome him home.

"Hey look it's Ezio!"

"Welcome home Ezio."

"Good job Ezio."

He dismounts his horse and approaches the Villa. As he reaches the top of the steps his sister Claudia runs to him with outstretched arms. "I'm glad your home Ezio." "As am I," he responded. He enters the villa and walks the halls until he reaches his uncle'a study. A room full of bookcases and maps. The marble floors reflect the whole room. Inside his Uncle awaits his return.

"Ah Ezio!"

"Uncle Mario!"

"Is the deed done? Is the Templar dead?"

"Yes."

The smirk is unmistakable on each of their faces.