{{Quote|I have lived my life as best I could, not knowing its purpose, but drawn forward like a moth to a distant moon; and here at last, I discover a strange truth. That I am only a conduit, for a message that eludes my understanding.|Ezio Auditore da Firenze on his role as "the Prophet."|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
{{Character Infobox
|image = Char ezio.png
|imgdesc =
|birth = 24 June 1459<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref><br>[[Florence]], {{Wiki|Republic of Florence}}
'''Ezio Auditore da Firenze''' (1459 – 1524) was a [[Florence|Florentine]] nobleman during the [[Renaissance]] and, unbeknownst to most historians and philosophers, the [[Mentor]] of the [[Italian Assassins|Italian branch]] of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]], a title he held from 1503 to 1512. He was also an ancestor to [[Desmond Miles]] and [[Clay Kaczmarek]].
{{Quote|Who am I? Why am I here? Why even bother waking up each morning? I don't have an answer, is it because these people need someone to protect them? Is it because they want hope? No, I know that's not it, the only reason is to take him down. The man who would try and take everything we believe and throw it all away. It's simple on how to end this, Louis must die and I'm the only person with enough balls to do it.|A small narrative by Robert-François Damiens.}}
{{Book Infobox
|name = Assassin's Creed: Desperation
|image = TellerStoryCover.png
|Publisher = Assassin's Creed Wiki
|Writer = TheSt0ryTeller
|US Date Released = March 31, 2012
|UK Date Released = March 31, 2012
|Genre = Action, Historic
|Format = Paperback, Ibook
|Language = English, French
|Pages = 1 article}}
A member of the [[House of Auditore]], Ezio remained unaware of his Assassin heritage until the age of 17, when he witnessed the hanging of [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|his father]] and two brothers, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]]. Forced to flee his birthplace with his remaining family members – his mother and sister – Ezio took refuge in the [[Tuscany|Tuscan]] town of [[Monteriggioni]], at the [[Villa Auditore]].
'''Assassin's Creed: Desperation''' is the first fan-fiction in the ''Assassin's Creed: Monarch trilogy'' and follows the story of Robert-François Damiens, an Assassin from the mid-eighteenth century who attempted to assassinate King Louis XV, a [[Templars|Templar]] affiliate. Described as a mentally unstable man, Robert-François thought highly of the persistence of Louis, though he harbored a certain hatred for the King. In time however, Robert-François would come to regret the chase after the French monarch, though he never revealed any names of those who had aided him on his own personal vendetta against the king.
After learning of his heritage from his uncle, [[Mario Auditore]], Ezio began his Assassin training and set about on his quest for vengeance against the [[Templars|Templar Order]], and their [[Grand Master]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], who had ordered the execution of his kin.
==Chapter 1 - The Dark==
The year was 1723, the wind whistled as it hit the windows, the dim light glowing from the lantern brightened the room just a tad. As thunder crashed against the trees and rooftops of houses, rats scurried throughout the Parisian streets and the gutters flooded with water, three men gathered at the center of a bridge that arched across the River Seine. Nobody was present nearby, inside during the that sort of weather.
During his travels, Ezio managed to not only unite the pages of the [[Codex]], written by [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], Mentor of the [[Levantine Assassins]], but also to save the cities of Florence, [[Venice]], and [[Rome]] from Templar rule.
"We must not let a chance like this go to waste, it's too important," one man explained, gripping onto the knife by his side.
He ensured the future travels of [[Christoffa Corombo]] to the "New World", [[Liberation of Rome|liberated Rome]] from the [[House of Borgia|Borgia]]'s tyranny, and prevented the rise to power of [[Ercole Massimo]]'s [[Hermeticists|Cult of Hermes]], helping spread the Renaissance and Assassin ideals of independence and free thought throughout [[Italy]].
"Are you sure this is right thing to do? What if they're right?" asked another, shaking in his boots.
In the years that followed, Ezio began a quest to rediscover the lost history of the Order. Traveling to the aged fortress of [[Masyaf]] in order to learn more of the Assassins before him, he discovered it overrun with Templars, and made his way to the city of [[Constantinople]] to uncover the location of the [[Masyaf Keys|Masyaf keys]], which, as he discovered, would unlock the fortress' fabled [[Altaïr's library|hidden library]] when brought together.
"Does it matter? Let's just get the job done, Amir," replied the third.
A decade later, Ezio retired and resided in a Tuscan villa with his wife, [[Sofia Sartor]], and his two children; [[Flavia Auditore|Flavia]] and [[Marcello Auditore|Marcello]]. Some time after helping teach the [[Chinese Assassins|Chinese Assassin]] [[Shao Jun]] the ways of the Order, Ezio died of a heart attack at the age of 65, during a visit to Florence with his wife and daughter.
I stared at them closely, watching their every move and wondered why they remained still. They weren't close, they weren't far apart either, and when they started to charge towards my home, I knew something wasn't right.
==Biography==
I burst out of the room, slamming the door behind me, before knocking on my parents' door heavily. I thought it was hopeless, but as I was turning, I heard it creak behind me. My father stood before me, and I still remember his brown beard and hair, and I could never forget his blue eyes. They shined brighter than anything I'd ever seen, it was amazing.
===Early life===
{{Dialogue3|Maria|Our son is watching.|Giovanni|I know.|You should talk to him.|I will.|Maria Auditore and her husband discussing Ezio's rising curiosity.|Assassin's Creed: Lineage}}
[[File:Zw-baby-ezio-3.png|thumb|left|200px|Ezio, moments after birth.]]
Ezio was born in Florence on June 24, 1459, as the second son of Giovanni and [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|Maria Auditore]]. He appeared to be stillborn, but, after some words of encouragement from his father, he began to cry, leading his father to call him "a fighter." Until the age of 17, Ezio lived a life of luxury amidst the members of the Florentine noble class, unaware of his father's allegiance to the Assassin Order.<ref name="AC2" />
As a youth, Ezio was apprenticed to the great banker {{Wiki|Giovanni Tornabuoni}}, presumably to learn the banking trade and become the leader of the Auditore bank in the future.<ref name="AC2" /><ref name="Lineage">''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''</ref>
My father tried to calm me down, but suddenly he stopped. I wondered why, but it became clear after I heard the doorknob begin to rumble. I still remember his last words before they barged in.
{{-}}
[[File:BWBB 4.png|thumb|250px|Ezio obtaining the scar on his lip.]]
In the year 1476, Ezio, his older brother Federico, and friends of the family fought with [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his gang. Just before the fight, Ezio received a gash across his lip – caused by Vieri throwing a stone – which would scar and remain there for the rest of his life.<ref name="AC2" />
During the brawl, Ezio pummeled several members of the opposing gang, but Vieri managed to flee the scene before Ezio could do anything to him. After [[Pickpocketing|looting]] several people left unconscious by the fight, the two brothers ran across the rooftops to find Ezio some medical help for his injuries.<ref name="AC2" />
"Son! Grab your mother, hide inside the closet. If you hear shouting and screams, don't come out!" He bellowed, I didn't hesitate, and I sprinted past him and shook my mother repeatedly. She eventually followed me, though she was half asleep, and we hid in the closet and kept the doors locked.
After the [[Doctors|doctor]] tended to his wound, a church nearby caught the eye of the brothers, and Federico suggested a race. Ezio won, as he managed to reach the top the quickest, and together the two looked out over the city. Realizing that he was nearby, Ezio traveled to the [[Casa di Vespucci|home]] of [[Cristina Vespucci]] and spent the night with her.<ref name="AC2" />
The sound of wails echoed throughout the house, but we dared not move. We remained there frozen, when all of a sudden, silence filled the air. I exited the closet to see what had happened when I found my father laying there, bleeding from the mouth, with two of the men by his side and Amir standing there with the knife.
Though caught by Cristina's father the morning after, Ezio fled from a group of pursuing [[guards]] before meeting with his father at the [[Palazzo Auditore]]. Giovanni scolded him, but later softened, admitting that his son's actions reminded him of his own youth. He then asked Ezio for his assistance in an errand later in the day.<ref name="AC2" />
"Where is it?!" shouted Amir, tears pouring down his cheek. He quickly ran away, smashing through the door and into the rain. My father laid there, helpless, and dead. I guess that's how this all started.
[[File:Friend 3 v.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio's initial meeting with Leonardo da Vinci.]]
<center><nowiki>----</nowiki></center>
Once Ezio had returned home, Ezio's little brother Petruccio asked him if he could collect eagle [[feather]]s from the rooftops, with the promise to return to bed afterwards, as he was ill. After a tiring search for feathers, Ezio returned them to his younger brother, though Petruccio was secretive about their purpose.<ref name="AC2" />
Later, Ezio found his sister [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|Claudia]] in a distraught state, crying on a bench in their home after discovering her boyfriend, [[Duccio de Luca]], had been unfaithful. After obtaining his whereabouts, Ezio tracked down and beat Duccio, before warning him to stay away from his sister.<ref name="AC2" />
"How did you find yourself in this position?" asked a well-fitted man, sipping his expensive glass of fine wine.
Upon returning to the palazzo once more, Ezio's mother secured his services in picking up some paintings from a young artist that she patronized, [[Leonardo da Vinci]]. On the walk home, Leonardo struck up a conversation, beginning a friendship between the two young men that would last throughout their later lives.<ref name="AC2" />
"It's fairly simple, I've been across so many jobs, I don't know where to count. Been involved in the military, apparently I'm mentally unstable, got discharged, so I started working at the college. I was recently fired for misconduct though. Apparently, students don't like the smell of a roaring fire right next to the main building," the other responded, his rags reeking of booze and his feet as dark as mud.
====Auditore execution====
"Robert-François, you're crazy, what are your motives for all these actions? Does it please you? Or are you, as most say, just deluded?" The man questioned, watching Robert closely.
{{Quote|I'll kill you for what you've done!|Ezio to Uberto Alberti after watching his family's execution in 1476.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Heirloom 2 v.png|thumb|250px|Ezio uncovering his fathers' robes and weapons.]]
After finishing the errand for his mother, Ezio returned to Giovanni, who requested that he deliver two letters to contacts of his in the city, before retrieving a third letter from a [[Pigeon coops|pigeon coop]] not far from the house. Ezio agreed, and after two odd encounters with the people he'd delivered the letters to, Ezio retrieved the note from the pigeon coop only to witness guards running across Florence.<ref name="AC2" />
Ezio returned to find his home ransacked, his father and brothers missing, and his mother and sister hiding. Learning that city guards had been ordered to arrest Giovanni and all of his sons, Ezio made his way to the [[Palazzo della Signoria]], where his father and brothers were being held.<ref name="AC2" />
"Alright, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you Giuseppe, I see shadows behind me. Everywhere I go, I do all these horrible deeds in the hopes of them stopping me, it's strange, I know," Robert told Giuseppe closely, gripping his arm.
Climbing the building and speaking to his father through his cell window, Ezio was instructed to find a chest hidden in his office, take everything out of it, and deliver a sealed letter to [[Uberto Alberti]], Gonfaloniere of Florence and a close friend of the Auditore family.<ref name="AC2" />
"Even here, Robert?" Giuseppe whispered.
Doing so, Ezio found his father's Assassin robes, a broken [[Hidden Blade]], and a letter containing details of a plot against the city of Florence and the Auditore family. Ezio brought the incriminating documents to Uberto, and was assured that his family would be released the following day, when the information was presented as evidence of their innocence.<ref name="AC2" /> Ezio then traveled to the home of Cristina Vespucci, where he spent the night once again.<ref name="Renaissance">''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]''</ref>
"Even here," Robert responded, noticing a man who clothed himself with a white garment, covering his face with a hood. Robert was quick to his feet, knocking over the stool, and the hooded man stood up straight. The mysterious figure was a tall man, with a jacket made of silk, and the shine of steel reflected from his wrist.
[[File:LMS 6 v.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio restrained by guards at the execution.]]
[[File:Lineage Hidden Blade.png|thumb|250px|left|The steel launching from the man's wrist.]]
The next day, Ezio returned to the Piazza della Signoria to find Uberto presiding over the execution of his family. Giovanni declared their innocence, citing the information given to Uberto as evidence, but the Gonfaloniere denied any knowledge of such information. Ezio shouted that Uberto was lying, but his efforts to prevent the execution were ultimately in vain.<ref name="AC2" />
"I've had enough of your games, I see the hood every time I see the shadow! Who are you and why are you following me?!" Robert shouted in frustration. The Assassin quickly flicked his wrist, the steel of a blade launching out. His legs skipped across the table in front of him and he leaped like a cougar, placing himself on top of Robert, holding the blade to the throat of his frightened victim. The man just laughed, not only at the bartender hiding behind him but the expression on Robert's face.
Ezio could only watch helplessly from the crowd as his father and brothers were hanged. When he attempted to charge the gallows to avenge his kin, Uberto ordered the city guards to kill him. At the urging of one of Giovanni's friends, a [[Thieves|thief]], Ezio fled the Piazza della Signoria and sought shelter in a [[Brothels|brothel]] run by the sister of the [[Annetta|Auditore housemaid]], a [[Courtesans|courtesan]] named [[Paola]].<ref name="AC2" />
"Relax, I'm not going to kill you. If I was, I would've done it by now. I guess you deserve to know, even if your friend here is aware that he won't survive with this sort of knowledge." The hooded man rose to his feet and aided Robert by helping him stand.
{{-}}
"I am Manfreddo Emenni, and I'm a part of the age-old Order of Assassins. I would tell you more, but this place isn't the most secure location for disclosing our secrets," Manfreddo said to Robert and Giuseppe, handing Robert a piece of paper and eventually slinking out of the pub.
====Exacting revenge====
{{Quote|The Auditore are not dead! I'm still here! Me! Ezio! Ezio Auditore!|Ezio, upon killing Uberto.|Assassin's Creed II}}
Paola, who – unbeknownst to Ezio – was an Assassin herself, agreed to assist Ezio in his quest for vengeance, teaching him how to survive in the city as an outlaw through pickpocketing and [[blending]] in crowds. She further directed Ezio to Leonardo da Vinci to repair Giovanni's Hidden Blade, though she did not notice that Ezio was being watched. After Leonardo had repaired the blade, a guard banged on the door and ordered Leonardo outside, before trying to beat Ezio's location from him. Realizing something was wrong, Ezio crept up behind the guard, assassinating him with his newly repaired weapon.<ref name="AC2" />
"Are you seriously going to go?" Giuseppe asked, to which Robert nodded his head slowly, unsure of what had just occurred.
After Leonardo had thanked him, Ezio sought out and assassinated Uberto in the courtyard of the [[Basilica di Santa Croce]], who was attending [[Andrea del Verrocchio]]'s latest exhibit. Once he had made his way into the courtyard, Ezio attacked Uberto in a frenzied rage, stabbing him multiple times in the chest, before proudly proclaiming the survival of the Auditore family, through him.<ref name="AC2" />
After killing Uberto, Ezio took the documents that the Gonfaloniere had concealed from him and his father, as well as a letter from Uberto that was meant for his wife and son. Ezio decided that he would see to it that she received the letter, not wanting to sink to Uberto's level.<ref name="AC2" />
Once the sun was setting and the drunkards were beginning to emerge from their nests, Robert arrived at his destination. Recalling the events some time earlier, Robert remembered how Giuseppe decided to leave Paris, shocked from the Assassin's attack in the pub. Despite this thought in his mind, Robert opened the door quietly and peered inside, discovering it to be pitch black, and the wooden floors creaked as he entered.
{{Quote|All this talk of Assassins and Templars... it reeks of fantasy.|Ezio trying to understand his heritage.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:RA 4 v.png|thumb|left|250px|Mario throwing Ezio a sword after having come to his rescue.]]
Now the most wanted man in Florence, Ezio fled the city with his mother and sister in the hopes of making their way to [[Spain]], stopping beforehand at the Auditore family's villa in Monteriggioni for shelter. As they neared the town, the three were accosted by Vieri de' Pazzi and his followers, but were saved by the timely arrival of Ezio's uncle, Mario Auditore, and his [[mercenaries]].<ref name="AC2" />
Mario informed Ezio of the existence of the Assassins, in an obvious attempt to induct him into the Order. He spent some time teaching Ezio [[Swords and Maces|swordplay]], and revealed that many of his ancestors, including Giovanni, were members of the Assassin Order. However, Ezio refused his ancestry, wishing only to continue his journey to Spain for his mother's and sister's safety, with the help of the skills Mario had taught him.<ref name="AC2" />
It looked abandoned, though signs indicated that it wasn't; a chart in the distance being one and the dim lights as another. Cautiously, Robert entered the room, which was bright and surrounded by maps of Paris, plans and blueprints for various contraptions. There, Manfreddo stood by a door, seemingly on guard.
Enraged, Mario left Monteriggioni for the city of [[San Gimignano]], where Vieri had been located, in an attempt to relieve Monteriggioni of the continual assaults by the Pazzi's minions. Guilt-ridden and knowing his presence was a primary reason for the ongoing attacks, Ezio traveled to San Gimignano to accept Mario's offer.<ref name="AC2" />
"The [[Mentor]] wishes to speak with you. Enter at your own risk though, nothing suggests he won't knock you out if anything goes wrong," mentioned Manfreddo, opening the door. Following this, Robert walked up the steps, where he could hear water leaking from the pipes on the ceiling, and one stray droplet bypassed his collar and snaked down his spine, setting the man on edge. He entered a small room, where the desk inside was located at the very center, and a bed resided behind it. Curious, Robert looked around, hoping to find somebody in the room, though he saw no-one.
Unknown to Robert however, "Welcome Robert, my name is Giacomo Casanova and I'm in charge of the Assassin Order in France," the man said, pushing himself down comfortably into his chair.
When Ezio arrived outside the city, he joined Mario and his mercenaries in their assault, and they waited until nightfall to storm the city. After witnessing a brief meeting between Rodrigo Borgia, [[Jacopo de' Pazzi]], [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] and Vieri, Ezio made for his target. While Mario and his mercenaries kept Vieri's thugs distracted, Ezio challenged and fought Vieri for the last time, eventually overpowering and killing him after a brief duel.<ref name="AC2" />
Ezio tried to extract a confession from his old enemy, though Vieri chose to be snide to the very end. Infuriated by this, Ezio flew into a rage and insulted Vieri's corpse, continuing until his uncle calmed him down and reminded him of a tradition of the Assassins: showing respect to those they have killed.<ref name="AC2" />
"There's more of you people?" Robert asked, his curiosity blooming.
====Pazzi Conspiracy====
"Did you think we could shape the course of Italian history from here? Or even Indian history, American history, just history in general? No, we're everywhere, though unfortunately, so are ''they''," Giacomo responded cynically, the material of his armchair creaking as he tightened his palms around it.
{{Quote|I've been sent from Firenze by Il Magnifico to attend to some unfinished business; I'm looking for Jacopo de' Pazzi.|Ezio, after dealing with Francesco de' Pazzi.|Assassin's Creed II}}
Following Vieri's death, Ezio returned to Florence in 1478 to gather information on a conspiracy against the [[House of Medici|Medici]], whose family had been friends to the Auditore. However, Ezio chose to visit Cristina first, who was quite surprised to see him. She also admitted that she was to be married, as she thought she would never see Ezio again.<ref name="Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>
"And who are ''they''?" Robert continued.
Suddenly a woman screamed from outside that a man named [[Manfredo Soderini|Manfredo]] was in trouble with several gamblers. Ezio asked who Manfredo was, and Cristina confessed that he was her fiancé. Ezio ran off and found Manfredo in a fight with several gamblers he was in debt to.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"They are Templars, Robert. They killed your father and they will kill you too, given the chance." Giacomo answered, with a slight flash of his teeth through a curved grin, though no satisfaction showed on his face.
After defeating the gamblers, Ezio, enraged by Manfredo's actions, demanded that Manfredo be a good husband to Cristina or he would kill him personally. Ezio then met Cristina in an alleyway afterwards and kissed her, promising that he had made sure her husband would be good to her.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"So they're the bad guys?" Robert questioned, wondering how true this information was.
Ezio later had Leonardo construct him a second Hidden Blade, and with information provided by Leonardo, Ezio was able to find [[La Volpe]], who aided him in discovering the Templar conspiracy against the Medici. Following a race between the two, La Volpe directed Ezio to a underground catacomb where a Templar meeting was being held.<ref name="AC2" />
"Templars aren't 'bad guys' Robert. In respect, they strive for the same goals we do, but what makes them different is how they wish to bring forth those aims and what would happen once they achieve them," Giacomo told Robert.
Ezio was subsequently able to eavesdrop on the meeting, and discover that the Pazzi planned to kill the Medici at the [[Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore]], and place their own people in government, under the orders of their master, Rodrigo Borgia.<ref name="AC2" />
"In that case, what do the Assassins and Templars strive for?"
"Peace, in all things. Though, as much as I'd like to discuss it, we'll need to talk again sometime tomorrow or later, as I've got business to take care of," Giacomo answered.
The next day, Ezio arrived at the Duomo to try and prevent the public assassination, though he was partly unsuccessful. Francesco de' Pazzi and [[Bernardo Baroncelli]] were able to kill [[Giuliano de' Medici]] and injure Lorenzo.<ref name="AC2" />
Immediately, Ezio came to Lorenzo's aid and fended off Francesco, however, the Pazzi had already succeeded in their plan and had brought the city into a state of civil war. After escorting Lorenzo to the safety of [[Palazzo Medici|his palazzo]], Ezio told Lorenzo his name, to which Lorenzo remarked that he knew Ezio's father.<ref name="AC2" />
With his mind clouded, Robert left the building and began to ponder about all the conclusions to historic events that these two organizations may have played some part in. The [[Cleopatra|assassination of Cleopatra]]? The fall of [[Cesare Borgia]]? The [[Third Crusade]]? Perhaps even the [[Renaissance]]? Robert wasn't sure, as only the future would bring the answers he sought.
Lorenzo's lieutenant, [[Angelo Ambrogini|Poliziano]], told Ezio that Francesco had been sighted at the Piazza della Signoria. As Pazzi and Medici troops battled in the streets below them, Ezio chased down and slew Francesco, although Jacopo de' Pazzi and several other conspirators were able to escape the city.<ref name="AC2" />
==Chapter 2 - The Astronomer==
[[File:Jacques_Cassini.jpg|thumb|250px|A portrait of Jacques Cassini.]]
Robert re-entered the hideout, and returned to the Mentor. He stood there, peering out the window and eventually noticed that Robert had let himself in.
Shortly afterwards, Ezio met up with Lorenzo at the [[Ponte Vecchio]]. Lorenzo explained that as a child, he had fallen into the [[Arno]] and had nearly drowned, had he not been saved by Giovanni Auditore. This act of kindness started a close friendship between the Auditore and the Medici families.<ref name="AC2" />
"Greetings Robert, I trust everything's well?" Giacomo asked, smiling.
When Ezio asked of the conspirators, Lorenzo explained that they had fled the city. With this, the Medici publicly cleared the name of the Auditore family, and provided Ezio with the names of the conspirators who had escaped.<ref name="AC2" />
"I want in," Robert responded quickly, "I was up all night, thinking about what you had said and I realize that I need a purpose!"
[[File:With Friends 10 v.png|thumb|250px|Ezio apprehended by Borgia guards.]]
"Everyone is here for a reason, I cannot just make you an Assassin, it requires dedication and time, even if you are an Assassin in a way, you're not a true Assassin until you die defending what you hold dear to you or unless you've done all you can do for your time," the Mentor responded.
Learning that the Pazzi conspirators had fled to San Gimignano, after gaining information from Mario, Ezio tracked down and killed [[Antonio Maffei]], [[Stefano da Bagnone]], Bernardo Baroncelli and [[Francesco Salviati]], extracting information from each man on Jacopo de' Pazzi's whereabouts.<ref name="AC2" />
Using what he had been told, Ezio located his quarry and tracked Jacopo to an [[Antico Teatro Romano|ancient Roman theater]]. Once there, Ezio eavesdropped on a meeting between Jacopo, Rodrigo Borgia and a Venetian merchant and Templar, [[Emilio Barbarigo]].<ref name="AC2" />
"Then tell me what must me done, and I'll see that it's completed," Robert told the Mentor.
After fatally wounding Jacopo for his failure to capture Florence, Rodrigo revealed that he was aware of Ezio's presence. While Rodrigo and Emilio fled, Ezio was apprehended by Templar guards, though he overpowered and killed them, before swiftly putting the dying Jacopo out of his misery.<ref name="AC2" />
"I knew you'd say that, his name is Jacques Cassini, he's a Templar currently stationed in Lyons, kill him and then maybe I'll consider it," Giacomo said, sipping on his finest glass of Chardonnay. Robert gripped the handle but was stopped when he heard the fling of still hit the door.
====Hunt in Venice====
"I didn't say you could leave, we still need to finish our discussion from yesterday," Giacomo told Robert, pointing him to a seat.
{{Dialogue|Carlo Grimaldi|It's the Assassin you should be worried about!|Emilio Barbarigo|Why? Is... Is he in Venezia?|Carlo Grimaldi and Emilio Barbarigo discuss Ezio arrival in the city, minutes before the latter's assassination.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:RH 1 v.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio meeting Leonardo in the Appennine Mountains.]]
With the Pazzi conspiracy ended, Ezio returned to Lorenzo in 1480 and declared his success. Before leaving the city for Venice, Ezio was granted a gift; a [[Assassin's Creed II Outfits#Medici Cape|Medici cape]], which would keep the city guards' attention from him.<ref name="AC2" />
Ezio then made his way to [[Bottega di Leonardo|Leonardo's workshop]], only to find that the artist had just left for Venice himself. Meeting with Leonardo in the [[Appennine Mountains]] and helping him repair his carriage, Ezio caught his first glimpse of Leonardo's [[Flying Machine]].<ref name="AC2" />
"Why do this? Why strive for peace when it's blatantly obvious that chances of peace are slim at best?" Robert asked, leaning forward.
Accompanying him to the city of [[Forlì]], Ezio narrowly avoided the attacking Templar [[horsemen]] and [[archers]] Rodrigo Borgia had sent after them. Drawing closer to their destination, Ezio left Leonardo to proceed on his own, while he took care off the remaining Templars. Following this, Ezio made his way into the region of [[Romagna]], and caught up with Leonardo just outside the city of Forlì.<ref name="AC2" />
"We need hope to get us through the days, if there's no hope, what point is there in leaving a warm bed in the morning?"
Eventually, the two made their way to the city docks, where Ezio was refused permission to board, as he did not have a pass. However, behind them, the two heard the screams of a noble lady who was stranded in the city's wetlands, and hastening to her rescue in a [[Gondola|boat]], Ezio was able to row the woman back to shore. From there, the lady introduced herself as [[Caterina Sforza]], and coerced the dockman into granting Ezio passage to Venice as a sign of thanks.<ref name="AC2" />
"What can you tell me about my target then, Jacques Cassini sounds familiar."
Once in Venice, Ezio and Leonardo were given a brief tour of the city by [[Alvise da Vilandino]], before Ezio began to seek a way into the [[Palazzo della Seta]] of Emilio Barbarigo, although this effort initially proved to fail. Suddenly pushed aside, Ezio watched as a gang of thieves attempted and failed to breach the Palazzo, leading Ezio to rush to the aid of one of their members, [[Rosa]], who had been shot through the leg with an arrow.<ref name="AC2" />
"He's a French Astronomer, though his work seems good what he intends on calling his next book isn't."
After successfully escaping the city guards, Ezio was introduced to the leader of the [[Venice Thieves Guild]], [[Antonio de Magianis]], and together, they concocted a new plot to kill Emilio Barbarigo and liberate the merchant district.<ref name="AC2" />
"And what is that?"
[[File:IF 4.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio flying to the Palazzo Ducale.]]
"Assassin Credo, so you must understand that this could compromise the Brotherhood, contradicting one of the Creed's three tenets."
The plot, which was perfected over four years, was successful and gave Ezio the name of another Templar conspirator – [[Carlo Grimaldi]]. A government official and member of the Council of Ten, Carlo was close to [[Giovanni Mocenigo]], the Doge of Venice, and hoped to turn him to the Templar cause.<ref name="AC2" />
Overhearing another meeting between Rodrigo and Carlo, Ezio uncovered a plot to [[Cantarella|poison]] the Doge and replace him with [[Marco Barbarigo]]. Realizing the urgency, Ezio and Antonio sought a way into the [[Palazzo Ducale di Venezia|Palazzo Ducale]], with the two examining the front gates, the rear walls and even passing over the [[Basilica di San Marco]], though they were hampered at every turn.<ref name="AC2" />
"I know what must be done," Robert responded, pushing himself up from the chair.
As they returned to the piazza below, an enraged Antonio remarked that only birds could get into the Doge's palace, reminding Ezio of Leonardo's Flying Machine, which he had seen on the way to Forlì. After a somewhat unsuccessful test flight, Leonardo came up with a way to ensure that Ezio reached his destination.<ref name="AC2" />
"Take this, good luck," the Mentor said throwing a jewel encrusted knife on the table.
After removing the city guards at four separate locations, Antonio's thieves proceeded to light massive bonfires throughout the city, giving Leonardo's Flying Machine enough lift for Ezio to make it to the Palazzo Ducale. The plan worked, and Ezio breached the Palazzo Ducale, although it was too late to save the Doge.<ref name="AC2" />
<center><nowiki>----</nowiki></center>
Carlo quickly fled the scene, crying out that Ezio had assassinated the Doge, only to meet his own end at Ezio's hands moments later. However, Ezio was now the most wanted man in Venice, and was forced to flee the city guards.<ref name="AC2" />
Robert mounted onto his horse in the midst of the night, bringing nothing but his newly given weapon. He rode off, waving the Assassins away, the moon was out, lighting the sky and also the path for Robert. It was hard to take in, the Assassins and Templars but Robert felt as though it was the right thing to do. He continued into the center of a chasm and all was sile[[File:ChasmImage.png|thumb|left|The Chasm.]]nt. Robert stopped in his tracks, noticing the ground was shaking around him, he looked up and noticed men with large overcoats hoarding in rocks just above. Robert was about to mount back on his when suddenly a boulder comes crashing into the ground, knocking the horse down. Robert leaped onto rocks and glided by. Down came another, creating impact and blowing Robert to his knees. He got back to his feet and continued sprinting, he jumped across the large rocks crashing down to the ground and suddenly he felt an arrow strike his foot.
[[File:HaB 9.png|thumb|250px|Ezio returning to Teodora after killing Marco.]]
"They're going to kill me if I don't get out of this trench," Robert murmured to himself. He continued to charge down, a rock comes flying by, Robert leaps onto it, gripping the stone and eventually trying one leap from the rock to grasp the ledge of the cliffside hanging over the chasm. One hand managed to grip the ledge, he pulled himself up and charged through, barrages of arrows came from all directions. He sprinted into one of the men, throwing the the weight of his body against the other mans and using it to push him off the cliff. Robert's march continued to the next man, laying him to waste with a dagger to the chest. He was eventually stopped by the cliff's end, leading only to a river down below, the rest of the guards had Robert cornered. They readied their bows and quickly fired, just as the arrows were flying, Robert launched himself down the cliff and extended his arms during the "flight." He crashed down into the water, the pressure of the fall pushing him down to the bottom, he swam up and gasped for air and began to push himself back to land.
Returning to Leonardo's workshop for help in 1486, Ezio was directed to [[Teodora Contanto|Sister Teodora]]'s brothel, where Antonio was hiding. Under the cover of [[Carnevale]], Ezio made his way to La Rosa della Virtù and began planning the death of Marco Barbarigo, before competing in the four games of the Carnevale to win the [[Golden Mask]] that would gain him entrance to Marco's private party.<ref name="AC2" />
Ezio was successful, but found that Marco's cousin, [[Silvio Barbarigo]], and Marco's personal slave-bodyguard, [[Dante Moro]], had intimidated and bribed the judges into denying him his prize. However, Ezio was successful in stealing the mask from Dante, and managed to infiltrate the Doge's personal party and assassinate Marco with [[Hidden Gun|an ingenious new weapon]]. This left the way open for [[Agostino Barbarigo|Agostino]], a Barbarigo not involved with the Templars, and an ally of Antonio's, to legitimately become Doge.<ref name="AC2" />
The journey was peaceful from there, before stepping into the Astronomer's manor, Robert decided to grab a drink at a Tavern not too far away.
With his quest nearly at an end, Ezio tracked down Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro, who had occupied the [[Arsenale di Venezia|Venetian Arsenal]] with an army of mercenaries. Needing a force of his own, Ezio was directed to the mercenary leader [[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]], only to find that Silvio's thugs had attacked Bartolomeo's headquarters, capturing him and a number of his soldiers in the process.<ref name="AC2" />
To level the playing field, Ezio swiftly liberated Bartolomeo and his soldiers, and once Bartolomeo learned of Ezio's purpose, he was more than willing to assist in Silvio's destruction. Having tracked the Templars down to the Arsenal, Ezio managed to storm the building with the help of Bartolomeo and his men, enabling him to kill Dante Moro and Silvio Barbarigo in the ensuing battle.<ref name="AC2" />
Robert entered, the doors slamming against the wooden walls, the pictures flinging from their hangers from the sudden burst of air. The people there stood silent, noticing the jewel-encrusted knife in Robert's pocket, their eyes just looking at the diamonds. Robert sat himself down, leaning forward in exhaustion, he sighed heavily.
However, Ezio was astonished to learn that the plot to remove the Doge was merely a distraction, so that the Templars could move their vessel to [[Cyprus]], although the reasons for this would remain unknown to Ezio for some time.<ref name="AC2" />
"What do you want?" Asked the barkeep, wiping a wet cloth down the bench, his breath reeking of booze.
===First years as a formal Assassin===
"I need to rest, but I also need a name of a man," Robert told the barkeep, the his green eyes shining brightly, "he's an astronomer, goes by the name of Jacques Casini, perhaps you could help me?"
====Induction into the Order====
{{Quote|It's been over ten years since I watched my father and brothers die. Ten years hunting the men responsible. I'm close to the end now, but no closer to knowing what any of it was for!|Ezio discusses his life as an Assassin.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Play along 8.png|thumb|250px|Ezio conversing with his allies.]]
Two more years passed before word of the Templar vessel reached Ezio once again on his twenty-eighth birthday<!--Continual changing of this age will bring about an official warning. Ezio is 28 at this point! -->, when Rosa brought him a shipping manifest detailing the return of the ship that very day. Sneaking into the Arsenal, Ezio watched as a Templar guard carrying a [[Pieces of Eden|Piece of Eden]] disembarked from the ship and made their way towards a Templar base in the city.<ref name="AC2" />
After tailing the guard to a secluded spot, Ezio assassinated them, before wearing their armor to impersonate them and carry the Piece of Eden to a meeting with Rodrigo Borgia himself. Finally able to confront the man ultimately responsible for the deaths of his father and brothers, Ezio criticized the Templar Grand Master for the non-appearance of the supposed "prophet" detailed in the Codex.<ref name="AC2" />
"Alot of people come here asking for Casini, you know what happens to them?" The barkeep asked, leaning over and quietly whispering, "they wind up dead the next morning."
Rodrigo responded, proudly naming himself as the prophet, before engaging Ezio in battle. The duel was short, and Ezio easily bested the Templar, though Rodrigo called upon the city guards and taunted the Assassin, saying that "his people" had failed to show up.<ref name="AC2" />
"Just tell me where he is and --" Robert was soon interrupted by the sudden feel of a man's hand swiping his knife.
At that very moment, Mario Auditore, along with Antonio, Paola, Teodora, La Volpe and Bartolomeo appeared, driving off Rodrigo and revealing themselves to Ezio as Assassins. With the arrival of [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], it was revealed to Ezio that he was in fact the Prophet, and that all present had worked together the past decade to induct Ezio into the Assassin Order.<ref name="AC2" />
"You can't miss it, the grass on the lawn is filled with blood stains and its close by the burlesque house," the barkeep quickly said. Robert nodded and charged out the door, he saw the foot of the thief slide through a nearby alleyway. Robert's legs feeling a sting as he charged through the citizens, screaming as his shoulders went through their rib-cages. He turned into a dark alleyway, he saw a stair way ascending up to the rooftops. Robert hastily ran up the stairs, he found himself on the roofs, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Robert took one last step and then jumped down, crashing on top of the thief, crushing the man's spine.
That night, they all met again and Ezio was formally [[Initiation into the Assassin Order|inducted]] into the Order. He received a brand on his left hand's ring finger, and performed the ceremonial [[Leap of Faith]].<ref name="AC2" />
"Spare me!" The man shouted in agony, his spine crackling under too much pressure. Robert snatched the knife off and held it to the man's neck.
====Battle of Forlì====
"There's no mercy for the wicked," Robert replied, swiping his hand to the left, leaving nothing but a mark on the man's neck and the blood stain that surrounded it. Getting himself to his feet, Robert gazed at his hands, soaked with blood.
{{Dialogue|Niccolò|As soon as you left, they attacked again. Checco Orsi – he has the Apple!|Ezio|What!? No! Where is he!?|Ezio and Niccolò, upon Ezio's return to Forlì.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Leo work 3.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio and the others examining the Apple.]]
"What have I done?" He muttered to himself, he scaled the nearest building. Turning his attention across the city, scanning around for the burlesque house. He soon noticed a series of men entering a small and discrete area by a Mill close by. He noticed the moon was beginning to shine and that the drunks were beginning to wander the streets. Robert kept to the rooftops, avoiding any signs of brawls which were throughout the town between drunks and brutes. He arrived at the burlesque house and noticed across the street, the mailbox of a nearby manor was drenched in blood. Screaming could be heard, though Robert wasn't sure if it were the men getting lucky in the burlesque home or the murder of another man. Whichever answer it was, Robert wouldn't put up with it. He threw himself over the fence and gripped on whatever he could to scale the house. He crawled to a nearby window, opening it slightly so that he could hear what's inside.
Shortly after his induction, Ezio met with Mario and Niccolò and traveled to Leonardo da Vinci's workshop in Venice, hoping that the artist could shed some light upon the strange artifact Rodrigo had dubbed "[[Ezio's Apple of Eden|the Apple]]." Leonardo examined the unique device, commenting that the metal it was made of should not exist, and that its design was highly advanced despite its age.<ref name="Battle of Forlì">''Assassin's Creed II'' - ''[[Battle of Forlì (DLC)|Battle of Forlì]]''</ref>
Upon briefly touching the Apple, Ezio accidentally activated the device, which started to glow and show strange holographic images, though he quickly deactivated it. Niccolò later announced that he had arranged for the Piece of Eden to be held in the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]], where it would be protected by an ally of the Assassins, Caterina Sforza.<ref name="Battle of Forlì" />
"I don't care about the consequences, Roland, just get me out of this home," screamed a voice in fury.
Shortly after, Niccolò and Ezio met with Caterina in Romagna, just outside the city of Forlì. After briefly discussing the Apple, the three made their way back to the city, only to find that it had been invaded by two brothers, [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] and [[Ludovico Orsi]].<ref name="Battle of Forlì" />
"Why though? Are you not happy with the accommodation?" Replied the man named Roland, his voice being oddly low.
[[File:Godfather 2.png|thumb|250px|Ezio and Caterina conversing with the Orsi brothers.]]
"Don't play me as a fool, I know the Assassin is coming after me, your denial is just aggravating me more!" The man proceeded to scream.
As the group fought its way to the city's locked gates, Ezio managed to find another way inside and open the gates from within, allowing them to continue their way to the stronghold.<ref name="Battle of Forlì" />
Reaching the Rocca di Ravaldino, they discovered that two of Caterina's children, [[Ottaviano Riario|Ottaviano]] and [[Bianca Riario]], were in the hands of the Orsi brothers, who had recently arrived and were attacking Forlì's citadel. During this time, Ezio repelled the attack and left the Apple in Caterina's hands, before going to rescue her two children.<ref name="Battle of Forlì" />
"Be reasonable Jacques, why would they attack you? You've done nothing wrong," Roland responded.
Making his way into Romagna, Ezio overpowered the guard detail assigned to imprison Bianca, who then directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano. As Bianca fled back to the city, Ezio made his way to the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched Ludovico and freed Ottaviano, though not before learning that the kidnapping was a distraction, which had allowed Checco to steal the Apple.<ref name="Battle of Forlì" />
"These Assassin bastards won't stop 'till I am dead!" Jacques yelled, the sound of glass crashing against the wall was heard. Robert had heard enough, he pulled himself into the room and shut the windows.
Ezio swiftly tracked down and killed Checco and his remaining men, and as he bent to retrieve the Apple, Ezio had failed to notice that Checco had stabbed him in the abdomen. Injured, Ezio collapsed to the floor, with the Apple rolling from his hand. Before losing consciousness, Ezio saw a monk with a missing finger pick up the Apple and walk away, despite Ezio having pleaded with him to not open the satchel holding the Piece of Eden.<ref name="Battle of Forlì" />
"Assassin! Roland, help!" Jacques screamed, Roland had already fled from the room. The sound of Jacques' screams as the knife tore into his chest could be heard throughout the town of Lyon.
[[File:Checcomate 7.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio obtaining the Codex map from Caterina.]]
"Why me? I have done nothing," Jacques spat, blood spurring from his lips.
Caterina's guards later found Ezio next to Checco's corpse and returned him to Forlì, where Caterina nursed him back to health. Returned to his senses, Ezio hurriedly explained to Caterina that a man in black had stolen the Apple. She recognized him to be dressed similarly to the monks residing outside the city walls, and Ezio left to search the church.<ref name="Battle of Forlì" />
Though there was no sign of the monk, Ezio met with [[Darby O'Callahan|Brother O'Callahan]], who told him to continue his search at San Vincenzo, in central Forlì. However, an abbot there identified Ezio as the killer of the monk Stefano da Bagnone and fled. Once he was intercepted and convinced that he was not about to die, the monk gave Ezio the name of the nine fingered monk: [[Girolamo Savonarola]].<ref name="Renaissance"/><ref name="Battle of Forlì" />
"This was my assignment, I needed your blood on my blade," Robert told him.
====Journey in Spain====
"You'd kill me, because someone asks you to? I hope you rot in hell Assassin," Jacques said, the sound of his heart beating stopped and all went silent.
{{Dialogue|Ezio|Do you know who betrayed us to the Inquisitors?|Raphael|Not yet, but we know the name of the Inquisitor Prosecutor responsible for their arrests.|Ezio and Raphael discussing their situation.|Assassin's Creed II: Discovery}}
While trying to locate Savonarola, Ezio was told by an acquaintance to meet Antonio at the Thieves Guild in Venice. Upon arriving there, Ezio found Antonio accompanied by another man, [[Luis de Santángel]]. Luis was looking for a good "killer" who could oversee a meeting involving Luis' friend [[Christoffa Corombo]], but Ezio expressed no interest.<ref name="Discovery">''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''</ref>
However, when Ezio heard that Rodrigo Borgia was also involved in the meeting, he rushed to Christoffa's location, finding out that it was a trap. Arriving just in time, Ezio managed to save Christoffa, who then explained that Rodrigo was interested in his plans to sail west. Soon afterwards, Ezio met with Antonio again, who told him to go see both Luis and Christoffa in the gardens district.<ref name="Discovery" />
"Reposer en paix," Robert replied, closing the eyelids of Jacques shut.
Once he had arrived there, the two told the Assassin that the Templars were in possession of Christoffa's atlas, which featured the journey's route. Taking this in mind, Ezio quickly recovered the atlas and brought it back to Christoffa and Luis, to which the latter informed Ezio of the presence of Spanish Assassins, who were held captive by the Spanish Inquisitor General, [[Tomás de Torquemada]]. Feeling it was his duty to rescue them, Ezio temporarily diverged from his goal to reclaim the Apple of Eden and set out to Spain, but not before Antonio gave him the names of two of his contacts.<ref name="Discovery" />
==Chapter 3 - The Governor's Plight==
Robert had returned to Paris, his eyes fully open, reminiscing of when he was just a mere child, his father's bloodied up body laying before him. He shook the memories out of his head. Praying that these "visions" or "ghosts of his past" would fade away like every other memory. Robert now had the burden of a murder on his mind, his knife slicing through the man's neck and at first he felt nothing. Robert arrived at the Parisian Assassin's building, disguised well, looking like an average inn. He pushed open the door to Giacomo's office, the door swinging violently against the wall and back shut.
[[File:Acd23.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio locked in combat with a guard during his time in Spain.]]
"I didn't expect to see you so soon, I would've thought you would investigate your target, no matter though, is the deed done?" The Mentor asked, smirking.
After arriving in Spain and briefly losing his sword to a thief, Ezio met with Antonio's contacts and was directed to the local Thieves Guild. When he arrived there, however, he found that it was empty, only to be ambushed by the Inquisitors' men.<ref name="Discovery" />
After making his escape through the sewers, Ezio met [[Raphael Sánchez]], who revealed himself to be an Assassin. Raphael informed Ezio of the location of the first captured Assassin, and Ezio rushed to save him, killing all of the guards and freeing them right before the Assassin could be burned by the Inquisitors.<ref name="Discovery" />
"Yes, I want to know why you would have me kill him, according to him, he was an innocent!" Robert exclaimed, leaning over and pounding his fist against the desk. The papers being blown to the ground on impact.
On Ezio's return, Raphael revealed that it was [[Gaspar Martínez]] who had been ordered to capture the Assassins by Torquemada. Pursuing this information, Ezio located Gaspar, Torquemada, and a guard surrounding a captured Assassin.<ref name="Discovery" />
"I told you before, the piece of literature that could compromise the Brotherhood, a risk that is not worth taking!" Giacomo yelled, standing out of his chair.
Torquemada revealed to the captive Assassin – and indirectly to Ezio – that Rodrigo Borgia had ordered him to capture Assassins in Spain because they were "non-believers" (in the Catholic religion). After the guard killed the Assassin, the group disbanded, and Gaspar was left unguarded. Ezio then met with him and asked him what he knew of the Templars, but Gaspar feigned ignorance and claimed that they "went away two centuries ago." Dissatisfied with his answer, Martínez fell silently to Ezio's blade, and the Assassin acquired a list of names that held the six other captured Assassins on it.<ref name="Discovery" />
"There has to be another answer then violence, you're holding out on me, I assumed so on the way there, and I knew so on the way back, now tell me," Robert responded, clenching his fists in case a battle were to ensue.
After freeing the first man on the list, Ezio took him back to Raphael and informed the latter of the existence of the list. However, all of the remaining Assassins were located in [[Zaragoza]].<ref name="Discovery" />
"Fine, there's no point in holding out the truth from ''you'', before I continue, do you know the meaning of life?" Giacomo asked curiously, his eyes gleaming.
[[File:Ezio others.jpg|thumb|250px|Luis, Raphael, Christoffa and Ezio.]]
"No--" Robert said before Giacomo interrupted.
Once in Zaragoza, Raphael told Ezio to find the Inquisition's Calficador, [[Pedro Llorente]], whose tribunal met at the far side of town. Arriving there, Ezio found that Torquemada was also present, as one of the Assassins was being tried. Following their refusal to convert and confess, they were killed.<ref name="Discovery" />
From there, Ezio eavesdropped on the ensuing conversation, before hurrying to locate the remaining five Assassins. Four of them were held captive inside some catacombs, with the last being contained within a church. On securing their safety, Ezio killed Pedro Llorente and then returned to Raphael. When he had arrives at Raphael's location, Ezio requested if he could return to Italy, however, Raphael still needed some help against the Inquisitors in Granada. Complying, Ezio helping to assassinate a Templar spy in the city, and discovered along the way that Luis Santangel was also an Assassin.<ref name="Discovery" />
"You can, all we need to do, is find it," Giacomo responded.
[[File:EzioTorquemada.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Ezio standing before Torquemada.]]
"Find what?" Robert questioned, Giacomo sighed and shook his head.
Once again, Ezio planned to return to Italy, though this was disturbed once more by the Templars. He was forced to fight off the Templars to defend Luis, and was then informed that Raphael had been captured, before having to fight again to rescue Raphael. During this time, Ezio proceeded to infiltrate Torquemada's fortress, and after a brief conversation between the two, Torquemada closed the gates in front of the Assassin, preventing Ezio from assassinating him.<ref name="Discovery" />
Finally, Ezio returned to Raphael and Luis, where he stated that he did not believe Torquemada was a Templar himself, but that he only blindly followed Rodrigo Borgia's false preachings. With his help no longer needed, Ezio ultimately left for Italy to resume his quest to recover the Apple of Eden, and told Luis and Raphael to inform him of Christoffa's journey to find the "New World" should he return.<ref name="Discovery" />
"We don't know, but that's what I want you to find out, when you murdered Jacques, did he leave any evidence to anyone who may know?" He answered, sharpening his knife.
====Bonfire of the Vanities====
"Before I laid him to waste, he spoke to a man, goes by the name of Roland, any clues?" Continued Robert, thinking about possible connections.
{{Quote|There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the way. Choose your own way! Do not follow me, or anyone else.|Ezio after Savonarola's death.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Florentine Fiasco 2.png|thumb|250px|Ezio and Niccolò discussing Savonarola.]]
Having returned from Spain, Ezio immediately continued his quest to find the Apple of Eden. He returned to his hometown of Florence in 1492, and bumped into a monk who was running from Borgia guards, saying they were asking about "apples." Ezio, realizing the Borgia knew that Savonarola had the Apple, rushed to the Santa Maria del Fiore, where he found a monk whose surname was Savonarola being harassed by Borgia guards.<ref name="Renaissance" />
After watching the scene unfold, Ezio jumped down from atop the church and rescued Savonarola, until he only later realized that the monk had all ten fingers, to which he introduced himself as [[Marcello Savonarola]]; Girolamo's cousin. Marcello, in gratitude to Ezio, revealed that his cousin was in Venice at the time, and Ezio set off once again.<ref name="Renaissance" />
"As a matter of fact, yes, Jacques was a close ally of Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière, the governor of New France, I'll send my spies out to try and locate this man, but before you even attempt at assassinating this man, you need to be properly outfitted and trained. Talk to Charleston, he's usually around the docks near the River Seine," replied Giacomo.
Ezio was greeted by Teodora in Venice, and asked her where he could find the fire-and-brimstone-preaching monk. She replied that she did not know where Savonarola was, but did know where to find a [[Heralds|herald]] who preached similar things. Additionally, she revealed that Lorenzo de' Medici had died, and that Rodrigo Borgia had become Pope, taking the name of Alexander VI.<ref name="Renaissance" />
<center><nowiki>----</nowiki></center>
Teodora then led Ezio to the square where the herald was preaching, and Ezio blended in with the crowd. Convincing the herald that he was a true believer, and asking him about Savonarola's location, Ezio concluded that the herald was completely blinded by faith.<ref name="Renaissance" />
[[File:TellersFrenchie.png|250px|right]]
Robert was given some garments by Giacomo, a large white coat with a hood at the very top of it. He tied up all the knots on the black shirt he had recieved. Placing the belt with a strange insignia around his waist. He placed everything he needed on such as; the spaulder, the vambrace and even the newly acquired "wrist-blade" he had seen from his first encounter with an Assassin. He flicked his wrist and watched as the blade launched at top speed. Soon, when all the gear was ready, he was called out into the night. Before leaving he latched his cape to the spaulder, a black cape with the inner layer being red. Following the other Assassins who charged down the street trying to lose Robert. Through one alleyway, then another and soon, they found themselves on the roof. Robert catching them one-by-one until the very last remained. He was sent on a challenge to find and catch every one of these Assassins. The last Assassin leaped down into the river Seine, Robert followed. Robert continued the chase; charging through civilians, leaping over placed down crates and jumping through stalls. Once the last man had been caught, Robert was sent back to the hideout where he noticed Giacomo planning.
Eventually, a young man screamed at the preacher, saying that he had just escaped from Florence, which was taken over by Savonarola. He explained that the Signoria were either behind Savonarola, or powerless against him, and that people like {{Wiki|Sandro Botticelli|Botticelli}} were joining him in starting bonfires to burn writings and arts related to the Renaissance.<ref name="Renaissance" />
"Greetings Robert, I take it you're exhausted?" Asked Giacomo, grinning heavily.
The young man revealed himself to be [[Piero de' Medici]], son of the late Lorenzo. On hearing his name, Ezio walked over to the young man and mentioned to him that he was a friend of his father. After the herald ordered their deaths, Ezio revealed his name to Piero, and the two men faced off against their attackers.<ref name="Renaissance" />
"I'm good to go again, but before I do, I want you to answer something for me," Robert told the Mentor.
In the scuffle, the herald himself pulled out a dagger and stabbed Ezio, though Piero saved him by slicing the herald's legs, after which Ezio finished the enemy off. While Piero went to warn Agostino Barbarigo of Savonarola's preachings, Ezio left Venice.<ref name="Renaissance" />
"I always listen to problem, I don't see why you should be different," Giacomo responded kindly.
Returning to Florence in 1497, Ezio made his way to the [[Oltrarno District]], during which he heard stories about Savonarola's dictatorship, and the desire for the Assassin's return. Eventually, he met with Niccolò Machiavelli on a bridge, and the two made their way to Savonarola's residence, the [[Palazzo Pitti]].<ref name="Bonfire of the Vanities">''Assassin's Creed II'' - ''[[Bonfire of the Vanities (DLC)|Bonfire of the Vanities]]''</ref>
"Before I left to put Jacques to an end, you said that they killed my father, why did they?" Robert questioned, treading carefully.
Ezio devised a plan to overthrow Savonarola's rule: he would kill the men who suppressed the people in Savonarola's name, while Niccolò, Paola and La Volpe would rally the citizens to stand up against him. Following this, Ezio then set off to finish off each of Savonarola's nine lieutenants.<ref name="Bonfire of the Vanities" />
"Isn't it obvious, he was an Assassin, ''was'' being the keyword, he left before he was killed," Giacomo answered sincerely.
[[File:Love's Labour 3.png|thumb|250px|left|Cristina dying in Ezio's arms.]]
"Why did he quit?" Robert continued.
Some time into his task, Ezio ran into Manfredo Soderini again, where he found him barely alive after being attacked by Savonarola's men. Ezio hurriedly asked where Cristina was, and Manfredo replied that the men had chased after her.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
Determined to protect her, Ezio successfully managed to kill Cristina's attackers, but she had already been heavily wounded. She admitted to Ezio that she would have liked for them to have had a second chance, before dying in his arms.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
"You, it was because of you that he quit, he aided us in many attempts afterward but he never returned to becoming directly involved, he only supplied us with intel on our targets, a great man," Giacomo told Robert.
Soon after Ezio killed Savonarola's followers, the rioters formed an angry mob and stormed the Palazzo Pitti, demanding an end to the bonfires. Angry at the opposition facing him, Savonarola tried to use the Apple to quell the riot, but before he could, Ezio threw a [[Throwing knives|knife]] at him, which knocked the Apple out of his hand.<ref name="Bonfire of the Vanities" />
"Then how come he was killed? If he wasn't directly involved there's no reason why," Robert asked Giacomo.
In the ensuing chaos, the Apple was picked up by an [[Agile guards|Agile guard]] in service to the Borgia, who had also been trying to recover the Apple from Savonarola. In haste, Ezio followed after the guard and killed them, recovering the Apple in the process. Savonarola was then sentenced to be executed in the same way he had dealt with the city's knowledge: burned at the stake on the Piazza della Signoria. However, Ezio decided that no one should have to die in such agony.<ref name="Bonfire of the Vanities" />
"Exactly, we have a chance now, to strike back at Louis, the man who ordered your father's death, but Ronald stands in our way, that's why he must be stopped," Giacomo said. Robert nodded in agreement and the two began to plan. Robert began to train, his speed and agility being tested as many Assassins began to fire their arrows towards the ''Apprentice''. The arrows came flying at Robert, he dodged many but one eventually hit, striking the arm. He didn't wait for it to recover, continuing his training, Robert began to learn proper ways of assassination; practicing on dummies. Robert leaped from one roof to another, laying his blade into one "dummy" and soon leaped down into a haybale. He noticed another dummy next to it, he quickly slithered his arm out and placed it swiftly into the back of his "false foe." Robert continued his march, climbing up the building and laying his blade into the "stomach" of the dummy, throwing it from the home and watching as it collides with the ground.
[[File:Mob justice 3.png|thumb|250px|Ezio assassinating Savonarola before he is burned.]]
===Part 3: The Great Escape===
Springing into action, the Assassin leapt onto the execution platform and put Savonarola out of his misery with his Hidden Blade. Turning around, Ezio then looked at the stunned mob and delivered a speech, urging them to follow their own path and rely on their own thoughts, not what they were told by the ones in power. After this, Ezio then left with Mario, Niccolò, Paola and La Volpe, ready to uncover the answers hidden within the Apple.<ref name="Bonfire of the Vanities" />
Robert was prepared and ready to depart, Charleston explaining where he was to go, a small hut on the serene country-side. Robert talked with Charleston, learning his story and how he had gotten to the position he was in. Apparently, Charleston had encountered the Templars before Assassins, discovering the plan of Jacques in the first place, rushing to Giacomo, he was impressed by how the young man survived an oncoming trail of guards which had discovered him by the tip of his toes.
===Dealing with the Borgia===
"So, do you have any more family, Robert?" He asked, smiling happily.
====Confrontation in the Vatican====
{{Quote|I thought... I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much.|Ezio to Rodrigo during his first assassination attempt.|Assassin's Creed II}}
The following year saw the Assassins come together once more at the Villa Auditore, with the Piece of Eden and the completed Codex in hand. Using the two objects, they discovered the location of [[Vatican Vault|the Vault]] in Rome – specifically, beneath the Vatican. Unfortunately, Rodrigo Borgia had become Pope in 1492, although Mario believed he had only done so to gain access to the Papal Staff, another of the Pieces of Eden. Undeterred, Ezio went to assassinate Rodrigo.<ref name="AC2"/>
"Well, it's a long story," Robert began to trail on.
Fighting his way along the entire length of the [[Passetto di Borgo]], Ezio snuck into the [[Cappella Sistina]] and struck at Rodrigo from above. As he was about to deal the killing blow, Rodrigo surprised Ezio by using the [[Staves of Eden|Staff of Eden]] to blast him away, and drain the energy of those in the room. However, since Ezio held the Apple, he was immune to the Staff's effects, and the two engaged in a duel.<ref name="AC2"/>
Using the Apple, Ezio created multiple illusional copies of himself, and for a while, it seemed that Ezio had bested Rodrigo, but the Pope overcame him. Rodrigo then took the Apple and stabbed Ezio in the abdomen, leaving him to die before fleeing towards the Vault.<ref name="AC2"/>
It was around my nineteenth birthday, I was just celebrating living long enough, not a bloody care in the world. Though what did I have to care about, I had friends, a shit-load of women and more than enough money for some ale. Around my second glass, I saw a beautiful woman across the bar, and I mean '''stunning'''. Her hair, as dark as the night itself and her dress, as bright as lights. I approached her, making sure to dispatch of her friends, sending them to mine. I pulled my charm for the night. I decision I don't regret making either. I took it to her place and did "the deed." Details which I, as a gentleman, cannot disclose to anybody.
Despite this, Ezio soon regained consciousness, and, following his nemesis to the outside of the Vault, Ezio watched as Rodrigo tried in vain to open it. Laying down his arms, Ezio challenged and defeated Rodrigo in a final brawl, obtaining possession of both the Apple and the Staff, but refused to take Rodrigo's life, having realized the futility of revenge.<ref name="AC2"/>
I soon discovered her stomach getting larger, I wasn't concerned at first until the mood-swings began to kick in. She was pregnant, at first I wanted to run away, but I couldn't. That child needed a father. I lasted the months, and when the time came, I was right there by her side. She died that day. Once she was gone, I couldn't keep the child, it needed a mother and a father but clearly I was not meant to be either. So I gave it to a friend in Venice, Italy. I rushed as far away as I can and didn't look back. I was struck by grief so hard that it felt like a hammer pounding at my chest repeatedly.
[[File:Mass Exodus 7 v.png|thumb|250px|Ezio in the Vatican Vault.]]
Around 6 months later, I returned to France and discovered my mother had been brutally beaten by an unknown man, her body? Chucked in the River to rot with all the fucking plague infested rats. Just thinking about makes my skin crawl, makes me want to lay my fist into the face of whoever's responsible.
Entering the Vault, Ezio stood in shock as he was confronted by a hologram of an individual naming herself [[Minerva]], and claiming to be one of "[[First Civilization|Those Who Came Before]]." Ezio was further confounded when the hologram spoke to an unseen figure named Desmond, and started showing holograms of an event that would befall the world hundreds of years from then. Minerva soon disappeared abruptly, leaving Ezio with many unanswered questions.<ref name="AC2"/>
On his exit from the Vault, Ezio met up with Mario. Together, they fought their way out of [[Basilica di San Pietro]] and climbed a tower, where Ezio prepared to drop the Apple of Eden into the [[Tiber]]. However, upon realizing his insecurity, Mario took the Apple and kept it safe until Ezio could make a decision. The two then proceeded back home to Monteriggioni.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
----
====Siege of Monteriggioni====
"I'm so sorry to hear about all that Robert, but you must understand, it's not your fault," Charleston responded, patting Robert's back hard.
{{Dialogue|Mario|I am keeping it safe. The Borgia must not be allowed to breach the walls until everyone is safely away. Insieme per la vittoria!|Ezio|Insieme. Uncle... be careful.|Ezio and his uncle before the siege.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:Reunion 2 v.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio meeting with the other Assassins.]]
During the journey with his uncle, Ezio told Mario what he had learned from Minerva, but also found solace in the fact that his own battles were finally at an end. That evening, after having helped out around the city, Ezio once again retold the events of his encounter in the Vault, this time to Niccolò, his sister, and his mother. In turn, Niccolò criticized Ezio for his failure to kill Rodrigo Borgia and angrily left for Rome. That night, unconcerned with Niccolò's outburst, Ezio returned to his bedchamber to share an intimate night with Caterina Sforza. He soon learned however, that the Borgia threat was far from over.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
On January 2 1500, [[Cesare Borgia]], the son of Rodrigo, the Commander of the Papal armies, and a high-ranking Templar in his own right, [[Fall of Monteriggioni|laid siege to Monteriggioni]]. Taking the Assassins by surprise, Cesare's forces were quickly able to level half the city before Ezio managed to reach the cannons above the ramparts. He and the Monteriggioni mercenaries returned fire, destroying many of Cesare's own siege weapons.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
"I never said it was, I hope that one day I'll be able to find who's responsible and make him pay," Robert said slowly, breathing heavily on every word.
[[File:Vilified 12 v.png|thumb|250px|Ezio shot in the shoulder.]]
"I'll tell Giacomo this, he may be able to hunt down the person responsible for your mother's murder," Charleston replied, his face struck with grim. Robert and Charleston left the area, preparing for their next tasks.
Despite knowing this to be a futile effort, they managed to stave off the attackers long enough for the citizens to reach safety. However, as Cesare's forces managed to breach the city gates, Cesare himself brought a mortally wounded Mario Auditore and captured Caterina Sforza before him.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
Seeing his uncle lying on the ground, Ezio ran across the rooftops in an effort to reach them, but he was shot by [[arquebusiers]] upon the city walls. At the same time, Cesare "invited" Ezio to come to Rome with a shot of his own [[Firearms|firearm]]; the shot killed Mario.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
<center><nowiki>----</nowiki></center>
Ezio, having soon regained consciousness as two of Mario's mercenaries dragged him to safety, continued to partake in the battle, which had spilled into what was left of the city streets. Retreating to the [[Sanctuary]], Ezio and the fleeing civilians fled through a secret passageway that had been hidden behind the statue of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
Robert mounted onto his horse, to his surprise Charleston was accompanying him on the assignment. The too did not gallop, they took their time, communicating along the ride. They settled into a small villa and left the next morning. Riding through the serine countryside of Italy, Robert glared at the blood stained knife. The diamonds beginning to change color to blood red, not surprising since he had not washed it.
After ensuring his mother and sister were safe, Ezio made his way for Rome. Some time later, however, Ezio passed out and fell from his [[Horses|horse]] due to the severity of his wounds.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
"It's never easy, Robert," Charleston said, "Taking the life of another is difficult, we expect it to be easy at first but then we see the flicker of terror in their eyes, a flicker of innocence and it makes us question why."
====Moving to Rome====
"This is different, I killed a thief so freely, it came to me naturally, like I was born to do this," Robert told Charleston, with a glimmer of fear portrayed on his face.
{{Quote|There will be no peace until we rise up against the entire Borgia family and the Templars who serve them.|Ezio discussing his motives for staying in Rome.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
Ezio eventually awoke to find his wound being treated by a stranger, [[Margherita dei Campi]],<ref name="Brotherhood novel">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)]]''</ref> who told him that he had simply been dropped off at her doorstep, and that the man who had brought him there had also supplied him with a new set of robes. After leaving the house, Ezio retrieved some medicine from a local doctor and searched for Niccolò by the [[Mausoleo di Augusto]].<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
Ezio's attention was soon caught, however, by the discussion of a group of guards who were set on injuring an innocent civilian for "causing the Borgia guards trouble." Following the guards and aiding the distressed civilian, whose wife had recently been executed by a Borgia ally known as [[Il Carnefice]], Ezio got his first taste of life in Rome.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
"I know my first kill wasn't easy, the poor sap didn't even see me coming," Charleston responded.
Making his way up to Il Carnefice's abode, Ezio assassinated him from above and continued on his way to meet with Niccolò. From him, Ezio discovered that Rome had fallen into a state of disrepair under the Borgia, and that its citizens were being heavily oppressed. Niccolò also told him of Cesare Borgia, the man responsible for the death of his uncle Mario.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
"Really? What happened?" Robert asked.
[[File:Roman Underground 3.png|thumb|250px|Ezio conversing with Niccolò and Fabio.]]
----
Together, Ezio and Niccolò met with [[Fabio Orsini]], the cousin of Bartolomeo d'Alviano who had been forced into serving Cesare Borgia. Fabio lent to the Assassins an [[Tiber Island headquarters|old storehouse]] of his, on [[Tiber Island]], in the hope that they would find a better use for it.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
Following this, Ezio traveled to the [[Rosa in Fiore]] in an attempt to gather the support of the city's courtesans. When he arrived however, he learned that the head of the brothel, [[Madonna Solari]], had been kidnapped by the [[Cento Occhi]], Cesare's hired thugs, and was being held for ransom.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
The night was grim, I was originally just an informant for the Assassins, didn't kill a soul and was happy. I opened the door, the lock had been ripped out of the door. I ran in as fast as I could, everything was spread on the floor; paper, books, pictures and even the shards of my grandmother's favorite vase. I looked for my beautiful wife, Bernadette, she was missing. I began to panic, I charged out the door, looking left and right repeatedly. He noticed a carriage in the distance, instinctively I charged after it. Leaping from building the building, I jumped down to the roof of the carriage, it began to sway, side to side. I felt the carriage about to tip, I place myself down to the ground. Gripping one edge of the carriage, I felt it go off two wheels, it thrusting up and down as it went over the rocks. I soon felt it become steady, my feet were gliding against the ground, my legs beginning to bleed, the sturdy ground tearing through my leggings. I manage to put myself back onto the roof of the carriage, I began to tear through the roof-entrance of the carriage, I soon felt it burst open, but it pushed me down to the ground. A large man made his way up to the top. He gives me a stern look, his face was solid as a rock.
Gathering the funds necessary, Ezio made his way to the kidnappers' location, only to be double-crossed as he negotiated with them; Madonna Solari's throat was slit, and the Cento Occhi attacked Ezio. On surviving the ambush, Ezio returned to the Rose in Fiore to discover his mother and sister there. With no-one to lead them, the courtesans turned to Claudia Auditore to act as their Madame, with Ezio eventually agreeing to her appointment with great reluctance.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
I threw a punch, for someone of his size and stature he was swift. He gripped my fist and began to move his thumb around the knuckles, putting me down to my knees, he laid one more fist into my jaw. I quickly swept my feet, tripping him down to the ground. We fought on the ground, each inflicting some sort of pain to one another, then the carriage turned on a nearby cliff. We tumbled off, our backs striking the cliff face. I crawled to the man, I detached my blade from the bracer and held it to his neck.
Moving on, Ezio attempted to gather the support of both La Volpe's Roman thieves, who were suffering at the hands of the Cento Occhi, and of Bartolomeo's mercenaries, who were under attack by the [[France|French]].<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
"What do you want?" the man asked, grasping for any air.
====Aiding Copernicus====
"Where is she?!" I screamed, weeping.
{{Quote|If the Borgia are involved, then so am I.|Ezio, after noticing the guards attack Copernicus.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
In 1500, while passing the [[Il Campidoglio|Campidoglio]], Ezio noticed a scholar by the name of [[Nicolaus Copernicus]] giving a strange speech to the Roman citizens. After having asked another spectator about the man's identity, he learned that the man came from the Vatican, though spoke contrary to the Church's teachings.<ref name="Copernicus Conspiracy">''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' - ''[[Copernicus Conspiracy]]''</ref>
However, Ezio soon saw a battalion of Borgia guards attack Copernicus, and swiftly stepped in to defend him. Afterwards, the two men introduced themselves to one another, with Copernicus admitting to having been a Templar himself, until he disagreed with other Templars on keeping the findings of his scientific experiments hidden from the public.<ref name="Copernicus Conspiracy" />
"Gone," the man replied, grinning. Out of frustration and anger, I laid the detached blade into his chest. One stab. Two stab. Three. Four. Worst thing is, it was the best feeling I ever felt. It's been three years, I haven't found her to this day.
[[File:Outoforbit.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Copernicus giving Ezio the documents.]]
----
Upon hearing that more Borgia guards were looking for Copernicus, they quickly left the Campidoglio and went searching for a hideout. Evading the Borgia guards, Ezio found shelter for Copernicus in a small house in the [[Antico district]], next to the [[Colosseo]].<ref name="Copernicus Conspiracy"/>
Once they were safe, Copernicus realized that his fellow scholars would be in danger as well, and asked Ezio to deliver a letter of warning to each of them. Despite being insecure on whether to trust Copernicus or not, Ezio agreed to deliver the letters.<ref name="Copernicus Conspiracy"/>
"You're not the only one who lost a loved one, you won't be the last either," Robert told Charleston.
Ezio then traveled across the [[Centro district]], handing letters to several scholars, managing to reach most of them in time. He returned to Copernicus in the countryside, who told him that the [[Master of the Sacred Palace]], a priest appointed by the Pope to ensure that Roman religious philosophy remained pure, was most likely the person responsible for the attacks.<ref name="Copernicus Conspiracy"/>
"I'm sure, that's actually why I'm here, I was told she's somewhere in Rome," Charleston said.
With this in mind, Ezio followed a [[Cardinals|cardinal]] roaming nearby, who eventually led him to the Master. Eavesdropping on their conversation, Ezio found out that the Master had sent his best men to kill the scholars whom Ezio had delivered the letters to, and he quickly rushed to save them. From there on, Ezio successfully managed to assassinate all of the hired men and returned to Copernicus.<ref name="Copernicus Conspiracy"/>
<center><nowiki>----</nowiki></center>
[[File:Closethebook3.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio and Copernicus looking at the eclipse together.]]
The night was young, the Assassins horses trailed through the midst of the evening. The moon just shining over the monuments of Rome. Charleston and Robert settled in at a moderately small inn just on the countryside, surrounded by trees, seemingly making it invisibly to those who must not know of its whereabouts. A smash of glass on the floor was heard, Robert swiftly threw himself out of bed, he grabbed a nearby dagger sliding it gently into his pocket. He waited for the knob to begin rattling but it didn't. About to return to his slumber, a scream caught his attention.
He informed Copernicus that his suspicions were correct, and warned him of his own safety, but Copernicus forewent caution as he wanted to chronicle an eclipse that night. Ezio set off once again, with the intention of killing the Master.<ref name="Copernicus Conspiracy"/>
Ezio found the Master and killed him with his hidden blade, and in his dying breath, the Master revealed that he had already sent his best men to kill Copernicus. Ezio quickly set off to where Copernicus would research the eclipse, and arrived just in time to kill the assassin.<ref name="Copernicus Conspiracy"/>
"Charleston," he murmured to himself. He bursts through the door, charging through the corridor loudly. He crashed his elbow against the door, violently swinging it open. He saw a man, who's face was concealed by shadow. He leaped out the window, Robert followed him. The two engaged in a chase, charging through bushes and leaping over fences. The man reached back pulling out a Flintlock rifle, time for aiming was scarce so he fired. The bullet flew past Robert, the wind blowing on his ear. The man continued his sprint, eventually entering a small town. He took a step onto a small stall and leaped through a window. Robert followed, his feet gliding through the air and pounding against the wooden floors. The man, about to leap out from the window had poor timing. His knee striking the window and tripping him over the windowsill. Robert took no hesitation in leaping down from the rooftops and onto the "assassin." He held the blade firmly to the man's throat. Panting heavily.
As they looked up at the eclipse together, Copernicus revealed to Ezio that the sun was most likely the midpoint of the universe, contrary to common believe that it was the Earth. Copernicus thanked Ezio for his aid, and they went their separate ways.<ref name="Copernicus Conspiracy"/>
"Please, don't kill me, I'll tell you anything!" Screamed the man, squirming.
====Infiltrating the Castel Sant'Angelo====
"Who sent you?" Robert asked, trying to gain some air.
{{Quote|Do not worry. [The Borgia] will die. You have my word.|Ezio, after agreeing on killing Rodrigo and Cesare.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
After receiving intelligence reports from Claudia, La Volpe and Bartolomeo indicating that Caterina Sforza was being held in the [[Castel Sant'Angelo]], Ezio departed to rescue her, though not before Niccolò demanded that, should he get the opportunity, he prioritize killing Cesare and Rodrigo.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Who do you think? He knows you come for him," the man responded.
Infiltrating the stronghold in 1501, Ezio scaled the fortress' double walls and apprehended [[Lucrezia Borgia]], who was holding the keys to Caterina's cell. From there Ezio and Caterina escaped, making sure that they remained undetected until they reached the stables.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
They fled across the [[Ponte Sant'Angelo]], and Ezio ordered Caterina to ride on as he dealt with the pursuing guards. Only a timely explosion from within the Castel prevented him from being overwhelmed.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Where is he?" Robert continued to question, his grip on the man tightening.
Returning to his base of operations, Ezio decided that in order to free Rome from its Borgia oppression, he needed to involve those who were being oppressed. Despite Niccolò's protests, the two agreed to begin recruiting citizens of Rome into Ezio's new Brotherhood, so that the [[liberation of Rome]] could begin.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"The Colosseum," the man replied, feeling the force of Robert's arm on his neck.
====Expanding the Brotherhood====
"Why?" Robert asked once more, frustrated.
{{Quote|I say we work here. In Roma. Erode the Borgia’s influence while restoring our own. And in fact, I want to begin right now.|Ezio revealing his plans to fight against the Borgia.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:People 5.png|thumb|250px|Ezio recruiting a citizen.]]
Within a year, Ezio had turned a number of Rome's citizens into Assassin [[apprentices]],<ref name="Brotherhood" /> and had adopted several existing members of the Order into his guild, such as [[Francesco Vecellio]], whose [[Perotto Calderon|former master]] had betrayed the Order.<ref name="Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>
The apprentices fought and trained alongside Ezio, and undertook missions to aid their fellow Assassins in cities across Europe and beyond, including [[Calicut]], India. Ezio also had his apprentices aid him in removing a number of Templar agents, such as [[Malfatto]] and [[Silvestro Sabbatini]].<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"I don't know, now please, let me go!" The man screeched.
Eventually, Ezio received a surprise visit from his old friend Leonardo da Vinci, who informed him that he had been pressed into providing the Borgia with various forms of advanced weaponry and [[War Machines]]. Leonardo promised to provide Ezio with the tools necessary to destroy his weapons, albeit at a small monetary cost. Ezio agreed, and, in his war against the Borgia, managed to demolish all of Leonardo's machines.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"You ratted out the man who employed you, how would I know you're not going to do the same for me? Rest in peace," Robert said. The man screamed as Robert slid the blade across his throat. Robert quickly rushed to the Inn, his attention diverting to Charleston.
====Finding the Banker====
"Are you alright, did he hurt you?" Robert asked, watching as Charleston covered his arm.
{{Quote|If we cut off his funds, Cesare will lose his army and return without his men. So, I ask you, where does he get his money?|Ezio, asking the other Assassins about the Banker.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:BHPlan 2.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio at the meeting in the hideout.]]
Ezio met with Niccolò, La Volpe, Claudia, and Caterina in the Assassin hideout, where they discussed their plans to attack the Borgia. Ezio asked them for the source of Cesare's funds, to which La Volpe replied that Cesare had his own personal banker, whose identity was unknown, as he was only referred to as "the Banker."<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Additionally, Ezio revealed that he intended to kill the French general, [[Octavian de Valois]], so that Cesare would lose the protection of his foreign allies. La Volpe also remarked that there was a side entrance into the Castel Sant'Angelo that Ezio could use, and that Lucrezia's lover [[Pietro Rossi]] had a key to enter it.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"He got me, but it won't be too bad, what happened with that man?" He asked.
Upon leaving the hideout, Ezio noticed Caterina about to leave on horseback, saying that she was of no good to anyone without Forlì in her possession, and that she wanted to be with her children in Florence. Despite Ezio's request for her to stay, Caterina left Rome.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"The Colosseum, I don't know what he would be doing there though, it seems like the best place to set up a trap," Robert said, gazing out the window.
[[File:Follow money 1.png|thumb|250px|Ezio handing the money to Egidio.]]
"So we'll be there tomorrow?" Charleston questioned, Robert just smirked.
Ezio met with Claudia in the Rosa in Fiore, who told him that senator [[Egidio Troche]] frequently came into the brothel to complain about his debts to the Banker, and that he could find Egidio at the Campidoglio. Hearing several men on the Campidoglio talking about Egidio making failed attempts to get finances, Ezio eventually found him under attack of Borgia guards and rescued him.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Together, they went through the district looking for a safe place for Egidio to hide out in, until Egidio found shelter in the home of his brother [[Francesco Troche|Francesco]], who was angry at Egidio for warning the ambassador of Venice of Cesare's plans for Romagna.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Yeah, we'll be there."
Egidio was willing to aid Ezio, telling him that the Borgia guards usually led him to the Banker, and that he needed money to meet with them. Ezio brought him the required amount of florins, and Egidio met with the guards, while Ezio followed them from above.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
----
[[File:In Rome 4.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio about to hand over the chest.]]
The sun was rising, Charleston and Robert had put on their garments and made sure they were ready. They galloped to the Colosseum, their horses charging at full pace. The sun shined over the Colosseum, the mossy pillars became more visible and the rusty gates began to glow. Robert and Charleston entered, sneaking around pillars, in the center there was the man who they had been hunting. The governor. Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière. He held a flintlock rifle firmly, his attention was focusing on the entrances. Robert leaned over, making sure his head was still in cover.
Eventually they arrived at the [[Pantheon]], where the money was given to the Borgia captain [[Luigi Torcelli]]. Ezio infiltrated the Pantheon via the roof and killed Luigi, taking his clothes and impersonating him. Together with two Borgia guards, Ezio was able to carry the money to the right location - a feast Cesare was throwing in celebration of his conquests - and passed the chest of money on to the next guard.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Ezio was given entry to the party, but the guards soon found out that Luigi had been killed in the Pantheon, and they went out looking for Ezio. However, with the aid of Claudia's courtesans, he was able to remain undetected while following the chest carrier to the party.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Look at where he's looking, only focusing forward, if I could distract him, you could climb higher and assassinate him from there," Robert whispered to Charleston. He nodded calmly. Robert emerged from hiding while Charleston began to rush up the Colosseum.
Once there, Ezio overheard the Banker introduce himself as [[Juan Borgia the Elder|Juan Borgia]] to a courtesan. Ezio followed them both to where Cesare was giving a speech. Ezio avoided the patrolling guards and took a seat on a bench, killing Juan Borgia as he passed him.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Well, well, look at what we have here," Ronald said, laughing. The gun pointing towards Robert's heart, a precise aim if Ronald were to shoot the gun.
Ezio escaped and returned to the Rosa in Fiore, where a group of courtesans who had stolen the chest of money cried out that the Borgia guards had followed them to the brothel, and that they had gone after Claudia and Maria. Ezio rushed inside, only to find out that Claudia had already killed all the Borgia guards by herself using a knife.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"What are you planning Ronald?" Robert asked, leaning forward, his blade flickering light through the steel.
====Battle with the French====
"Planning? Oh, the planning stages ended around 2 years ago, after we had taken some prisoners," Ron answered with a grin on his face.
{{Dialogue2|Ezio|Once inside, your men can overpower the camp's patrols, correct?|Bartolomeo|Yes, but...|Especially if the patrols are taken completely by surprise?|Ezio and Bartolomeo forming a plan|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:Trojanhorse3.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio in disguise delivering Bartolomeo to Octavian.]]
Following the Banker's death, Ezio traveled to Bartolomeo d'Alviano's barracks, where he soon discovered that Bartolomeo's wife, [[Pantasilea Baglioni]], had been kidnapped by the Baron de Valois, commander of Cesare's French allies in Rome. Despite putting up a valiant defense of his barracks, Bartolomeo saw no feasible way that he could secure his wife's safety short of surrendering; Ezio however, had another idea.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
After Ezio eliminated a large number of French soldiers, Bartolomeo's mercenaries wore their armor, and took on the guise of a French patrol escorting a defeated Bartolomeo to the [[Castra Praetoria]], the base of operations for the Baron de Valois' forces.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Would these prisoners happen to be women?!" Robert asked, hearing the sound of a loose rock crumble.
Infiltrating the fortress, Bartolomeo and Ezio came face to face with the Baron, who very nearly killed Pantasilea, had not Ezio interrupted him with a shot from his hidden gun. Battle soon broke out, and with Bartolomeo's mercenaries engaging the French forces, Ezio was free to pursue the Baron and Pantasilea, eventually freeing her and killing him.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"And children, but what are you planning?" Ronald continued, his head turning around more often.
====Securing the keys to the Castel====
"I have nothing to plan, where are these prisoners Ronald?" Robert questioned.
{{Quote|It is time to pay a visit to Lucrezia's lover, Pietro.|Ezio on obtaining the key to the Castel.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
Not long after his victory over the Baron de Valois, Ezio traveled once more to [[La Volpe Addormentata]], where he and La Volpe discussed the latter's suspicion that Niccolò had betrayed the Assassins by guiding the Papal Army to Monteriggioni, and by informing Rodrigo and Cesare to stay away from the Castel during Ezio's infiltration. Ezio disagreed, but promised to look into the presence of a traitor.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
La Volpe later informed Ezio that Pietro Rossi, an actor and Lucrezia Borgia's lover, had the key to the Castel and that Cesare intended to kill Pietro over his feelings for Lucrezia. Locating Cesare at one of the city gates, Ezio witnessed the assassination of Francesco Troche, brother of Egidio, by Cesare's personal assassin [[Micheletto Corella]].<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Underneath the Colosseum, it's a shame though, you'll never get to see them--" Ronald said but was interrupted as the snick of blade struck his chest. Charleston had struck. Blood on his hands, Charleston charged forward, in hopes of finding an entrance that would lead underground, the only possible place where he could hide them. His feet pressing against the ground, the sound of a gunshot was heard. Charleston stopped in his tracks and smoke was seen emerging from Ronald's rifle, a smirk shown on his face. Robert quickly reacted, he extended his hidden blade and flung his arms into Ronald's face repeatedly. He quickly turned his attention towards Charleston. He knelt by his fallen friend's side.
Ezio then tailed Micheletto, who was to infiltrate the play that Pietro would appear in, and kill him. As he followed him, Ezio had his apprentices discreetly replace the guards Micheletto tasked with partaking in the murder.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Rest in peace, I will find her, I promise," Robert told the corpse. He scanned around, eventually finding a small entrance which led to a cave of some sort. He discovered children in one chamber, unharmed. But as he entered the next chamber, he found one woman, sobbing as her hands were bound by chains aswell as her legs. Robert approached her slowly.
"Are you Charleston's wife?" Robert asked softly. She didn't move, her soul was... broken.
Eventually, Micheletto arrived at the site of the play, the Colosseum. Climbing up the outside of the structure, Ezio made his way down from the roof to the backstage area below, picking off Micheletto's marksmen as he went. Ezio soon struck Micheletto, but spared his life when he learned that Pietro had been poisoned previously, as a means of insurance.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Ezio hurried from the Colosseum with Pietro in his arms, while his apprentices covered the retreat. After handing Pietro over to a doctor and receiving the key to the Castel from him, Ezio spotted [[Paganino]], a member of the Venetian thieves guild who had been present at the siege of Monteriggioni.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
==Chapter 4 - The Woman Bound By Chains==
The woman had been taken back to Paris the next day, she was lifted by the [[Italian Assassins|Assassins of Italy]] and thrown into a carriage. Robert stayed with her, she was accommodated properly and left for a "medic" to examine her. Robert approached the Mentor's quarters, his knuckles pushing against the door.
When approached, Paganino ran and Ezio gave chase. Ezio quickly caught him and reasoned that he was in fact the traitor, not Niccolò, though Paganino pressed Ezio's hidden blade into his own throat to kill himself before he revealed any more. Ezio raced back to Tiber Island to stop La Volpe from killing Niccolò.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Come in," Giacomo said. Robert entered the room slowly, his eyes red and sore.
[[File:EzioPromotion.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio being promoted to Mentor.]]
"The Governor's dead, but it wasn't just him that perished," Robert responded grimly. He lifted a feather, stained with the blood of Charleston.
Later meeting with La Volpe inside the Tiber Island hideout, Ezio ordered him to gather the Assassins, and bring Claudia as well. They gathered in the ceremony hall, and there Ezio offered Claudia a chance to join the Order, just as the others of their family had. She agreed, and was inducted into the Order.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
At the time, Niccolò also decided to step down from leading the Order, and to promote Ezio to the position of Mentor, realizing that Ezio was both a better leader, and "exactly what the Order needed." Ezio in turn appointed Niccolò as his trusted advisor, who then recommended he finish what he started. Ezio consented, and left for the Castel Sant'Angelo.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Charleston?" Giacomo questioned in disbelief.
====Fall of the Borgia====
"Shot." Robert answered, "he had let his guard down after murdering the Roland."
{{Dialogue2|Ezio|You'd better not stop telling me what you think. Why else would I seek the opinion of my most trusted advisor?|Niccolò|Go kill them, Mentore. Finish what you started.|Good advice.|Ezio and Niccolò discussing the Borgia.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:EzioClosingRodrigo'sEyes.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Ezio giving Rodrigo his final blessing.]]
With Cesare's supporters in Rome dead, the Brotherhood and its allies were in command of the city. Ezio was informed that Cesare had returned to Rome, and was meeting with his father in the Castel Sant'Angelo. Once again infiltrating the Castel, Ezio witnessed Rodrigo's attempt to poison his son, only to be murdered in retaliation.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
As Cesare hurried from off to obtain the Apple of Eden that his father had hidden away, Ezio entered the Castel and gave Rodrigo's body his blessing. He then learned from Lucrezia where Rodrigo had hidden the Apple, and raced out of the fortress.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"What happened to Charleston's body?" Giacomo pondered.
[[File:Assassini.jpg|thumb|250px|The Assassins making their final stand against Cesare.]]
"I gave him what he deserved, I buried him beside a tree in Rome, the wife didn't find out though, I made sure I buried him before the Italian Assassins came." Robert responded.
Ezio arrived at the Basilica di San Pietro, and took possession of the Apple before Cesare, with just moments to spare. Cesare arrived with a sizable contingent of Papal soldiers, though Ezio managed to escape them. Over the next few months, and with the help of his fellow Assassins, Ezio used the Apple to completely destroy what little support Cesare still had in Rome.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Eventually, the Assassins caught up with Cesare himself, who was awaiting reinforcements from Micheletto and his army by the gates of Rome. Cesare's forces were defeated, although their leader had retreated behind the city portcullis. He soon realized that he was not safe however, and was quickly arrested by Fabio Orsini on the orders of Pope [[Julius II]]. As he was dragged away, Cesare screamed that chains would not hold him, and that no man could murder him.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
"Tell her."
[[File:LeonardoEzioApple.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Ezio and Leonardo looking into the Apple.]]
<center><nowiki>----</nowiki></center>
Despite their victory, Ezio was troubled by Cesare's comments, and upon meeting with Leonardo, he confessed his concerns. At Leonardo's suggestion, Ezio decided to look into the Apple to see if Cesare's threats were true.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Upon doing so, Ezio quickly let go of the Apple, standing before Leonardo could question him and commenting that he had to leave immediately. Before he departed, however, Ezio left Leonardo a parting gift: a chest full of gold, in compensation for losing his patron.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Robert approached the woman's quarters but was interrupted by the Medic.
{{-}}
===Chasing Cesare===
"It's not a wise decision to go into there, she's mentally unstable at this point, I've tried talking to her but she just won't listen. She kept screaming at me to bring her husband." The Medic explained.
{{Dialogue2|Captain|Cesare’s escaped!|Ezio|When?|The guards were being changed. About half an hour ago.|Ezio discovering Cesare's escape|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)}}
Running from the Tiber Island headquarters, Ezio made his way to the Castel Sant'Angelo and was greeted by a scene of mass confusion. Questioning a guard, Ezio learned that Cesare had escaped, likely with the aid of an inside-man, but that Lucrezia had been left behind. Concluding that the best way for Cesare to escape the city was by boat, Ezio ran to the docks nearest the Castel.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
The docks were extremely busy when he arrived, and as such, Ezio was forced to use the Apple to learn of Cesare's location. Pointed to a red-sailed caravel on pier six, Ezio made his way there, only to find that it had already set sail. Ezio headed to the nearest boat and offered to pay the boat-master handsomely if he pursued the caravel. Ezio was surprised to see that it was [[Claudio]] who captained the boat, having been given money to do so by La Volpe previously.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"Her husband's dead, any idea what happened to her down there?" Robert asked curiously.
The ships were already nearing [[Ostia]] by the time Claudio's scoop caught up. Locking sails, Claudio gave Ezio the order to jump aboard and together Ezio and Claudio quickly overpowered the ship's crew, while Cesare watched helplessly from the secure wooden crate he had been hidden in. Upon docking in Ostia, Cesare was securely sent back to Rome.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"Well, while she was knocked out due to lack of sleep, we had a good chance to examine her. Her body had been beaten repeatedly and we had found traces of semen, obviously meaning that she was violated by Roland lately. We had found signs of whipping across her back and teeth marks which had been chewed into her breasts. Presumably by the children, too small to be an adults set of teeth." The Medic told Robert.
====Councilor to the Pope====
"The amount of sick and twisted shit that people get up to, I'll try and straighten her out, just let me in," Robert told the Medic calmly.
{{Dialogue2|Julius II|Cesare Borgia has been safely delivered into one of their strongest and most secure rocca!|Ezio|Where?|Ah, that's classified information, even to you. I can't take any chances with Cesare.|Pope Julius II speaking with Ezio.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)}}
By 1504, Ezio had become councilor to Pope Julius II, and was with him when the Pope received word that Cesare Borgia had been successfully handed over to King [[Ferdinand II of Aragon]], and his wife Queen [[Isabella I of Castile]]. When Ezio inquired as to where he was being held, Julius politely refused to answer, perhaps cautious of any attempts Ezio might make on the Templar leader's life. Later in the conversation, a tired Ezio nonchalantly suggested the name "[[Wikipedia:Swiss Guard|Swiss Guard]]" for the contingent of Swiss mercenaries Julius II was thinking of hiring as his personal bodyguards.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
The following day, Ezio called a meeting with La Volpe, Bartolomeo, Niccolò, and Claudia to discuss rooting out the Borgia diehards who still pocketed Italy. Together, they formulated a plan that would keep control of the Borgia loyalists until the time to strike presented itself.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"Alright but we'll have a clear shot through the back window if she tries anything," the Medic stated. Robert slid the door open, quickly avoiding the vase that had been thrown at him.
Following the meeting, Ezio and Niccolò met with a number of Rodrigo's former lovers and associates, including [[Vannozza dei Cattanei]] and [[Giulia Farnese]], as well as Cesare's wife, [[Charlotte d'Albret]]. On their way to meet Giulia, Ezio and Niccolò noticed they were being followed by someone, and had been since leaving Vanozza's palazzo. After making their way onto the rooftops, the Assassins were eventually able to lose their pursuer, although it took a lot of effort on their part.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"Where's my husband? Are you fucking mongrels deaf?!" The woman screamed at the top of her lungs.
During this mission, Niccolò repeatedly asked Ezio to use the Apple to more easily locate Cesare; Ezio consistently refused, not wishing to become dependent on its power at the expense of his own skill and experiences.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"Glad to see you're talking once more," Robert said calmly and sarcastically.
====Dealing with the Borgia diehards====
"You have some nerve showing that sort of attitude towards me, if I wasn't held at gunpoint behind this window I'd rip your balls off with your own dagger!" The woman continued to yell angrily.
{{Dialogue2|Bruno|The Borgia diehards! They sent someone to follow you and Maestro Ezio-|Niccolò|And?|Sure that you were out of the way, they have taken Claudia!|Ezio and Niccolò discovering Claudia's capture.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)}}
After leaving Charlotte's palazzo, Ezio and Niccolò were approached by [[Bruno]], one of Niccolò's spies, who informed the two that the Borgia had had them followed, so as to ensure they were not present when they kidnapped Claudia Auditore. Upon learning her location, the two quickly made their way to liberate her from her captors, only to discover they had been led into a trap; Bruno had been working for the Borgia for at least a year.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
Upon reaching the Borgia diehards' facility, Ezio saw Claudia tied to a chair, half-dressed and bruised. The leader of the diehards held a knife to Claudia's throat and threatened to kill her if Ezio did not leave Rome once and for all. Ezio refused and, together with Niccolò, quickly overpowered and eliminated the diehards.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"Listen to me very closely, your husband was murdered in action," Robert told the woman, her face seemed calm but she fell down to the floor and soon she was draped in tears.
After rescuing Claudia, Ezio learned that Micheletto had holed up in the Ludus Magnus in [[Zagarolo]], east of Rome. Bringing together a force of one-hundred apprentices and thieves, Ezio's forces quickly surrounded and overpowered the two-hundred and fifty strong force commanded by Micheletto.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"I need you to stay with me on this, please, I can help you find the main man responsible for the murder but I need you to co-operate with me." Robert said slowly. "What were they doing down there?"
Micheletto was taken to Florence, and was incarcerated in the cell atop the Palazzo della Signoria; the same cell that had held Ezio's father twenty-eight years earlier. There, he was tortured by Niccolò, [[Amerigo Vespucci]] and [[Piero Soderini]], the Gonfaloniere of Florence and Niccolò's "master." Despite learning nothing from Micheletto, Niccolò promised to continue in his attempts to prise any information from him, and parted ways with Ezio warmly when the latter was forced to return to Rome.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"They were doing some sort of experiment, they had this [[Pieces of Eden|thing]] in their possession. It glowed more than a million suns, I saw what would happen, it involved pain and torture, the King." The woman explained.
====Locking away the Apple====
"Where was the King?" Robert asked the woman. She reacted quickly.
{{Quote|I have more than played my part in your career and you must now return me.|The Apple to Ezio.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)}}
Days later, Ezio was awoken in the early hours of the morning by Niccolò, who informed him that Micheletto had managed to escape from the Palazzo della Signoria with the aid of a Borgia-friendly priest and the diehards. Ezio quickly realized that this could work to their advantage: if they could track Micheletto down, they could follow him to Cesare.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
Convening an emergency meeting, Ezio organized a manhunt for Micheletto that focused on the area surrounding Rome and Ostia. Later, Ezio was effectively ordered by Niccolò to use the Apple to locate Micheletto, but was only provided with a vague image of a Spanish castle.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"The Palace in Versailles."
[[File:EzioColosseumVault.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio walking out of the Vault.]]
<center><nowiki>----</nowiki></center>
Ezio was confused by this, and expressed his feelings to Niccolò, who recommended he ask the Apple why it wasn't showing him what he wanted. The Piece of Eden told Ezio that the time had come for him to relinquish it, so that future generations might make use of it, and also indicated [[Colosseum Vault|where it should be hidden]]. As a parting gift, the Apple informed the Assassin that Micheletto was making his way to Spain via the port in [[Naples]].<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
Before making their way to Naples, Ezio and Niccolò decided to abandon the Apple just at it had requested. Entering the Colosseum, the two Assassins made their way through the old [[Lairs of Romulus|lair of Romulus]], marking the way as they went, until they reached the entrance to the Vault.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
Robert passed the news onto Giacomo swiftly.
Ezio entered the Vault, placed the Apple on the central pedestal, and exited. As the door closed behind him, both Ezio and Niccolò noticed that the door seemed to vanish, instead taking the appearance of the surrounding wall.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
"We have him Robert, we finally have him!" Giacomo shouted with joy.
===Rescuing Da Vinci===
"Not yet I'm afraid, we don't know when, when's the next time he leaves the palace?" Robert questioned.
{{Dialogue|Leonardo|Salaì? Is that you? Ezio! I must be getting lazy in my old age. I did not know you had returned to Roma.|Ezio|Unfortunately, I cannot stay. I am here to charter a ship.|Leonardo and Ezio, shortly after the latter's return.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:ACBSP 2011-04-12 00-08-19-92.png|200px|thumb|left|250px|Ezio and Leonardo look upon an unfinished [[Mona Lisa|portrait of a smiling lady]].]]
With the Apple safely hidden away, Ezio met with Leonardo in 1506 to discuss his need of chartering a ship to Navarre. Leonardo interjected that he knew the name of a friendly ship captain, but was unable to remember it at the time. As the artist searched for his records, Ezio and Leonardo briefly discussed the ancient Greek scholar [[Pythagoras]], whom Leonardo was researching.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance">''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' - ''[[The Da Vinci Disappearance]]''</ref>
However, Ezio suggested he instead focus on his painting, and complimented a [[Mona Lisa|portrait of a smiling lady]] Leonardo was working on. Eventually, though he could not find the captain's name, Leonardo offered to accompany Ezio to the docks, though he was unable to leave the studio unaccompanied. As such, Ezio offered to bring back Leonardo's apprentice, [[Salaì]].<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
"Hm, if my Intel is correct, he should be leaving around January, though there is one problem, you can't just face him in the open, that'd be foolish. Contacts around the city have heard people's displeasure about the King's latest choices. If you were to sway them, they may form a crowd around the King's Palace about their displeasure." Giacomo responded with a grin on his face
[[File:ACBSP 2011-04-12 00-10-48-78.png|thumb|250px|Ezio meeting Salaì in La Volpe Addormentata.]]
"I'll get started right this instance," Robert said bravely, about to walk out.
Ezio found Salaì in La Volpe Addormentata, enjoying a game of [[Hazard|dice]]. Despite some initial resistance, Salaì eventually agreed to return to his Master's workshop with Ezio, much to the chagrin of three cloaked individuals who had been playing against Salaì.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
Once outside, the three individuals and several of their comrades, who were all revealed to be Hermeticists, attacked Ezio and Salaì. The two manage to defeat them, and Salaì remarked that only one individual could fight with such skill, correctly guessing Ezio's name. Ezio simply suggested that they continue on to Leonardo's workshop.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
"Before you leave, bring Theodore up here, he should be right down the steps, tell him it's urgent," Giacomo said, dismissing Robert straight afterwards. Robert told Theodore who went up there instantly. Robert sat down in a wooden chair and rested his arm on the table. The "meeting" continued for over an hour, curious as to what was happening, Robert went up the steps and pressed his ear up against the door.
Avoiding the throngs of Hermeticists between them and their destination, Ezio and Salaì returned to find the workshop wrecked and Leonardo missing. Salaì regretfully informed Ezio that he did not know the location of the [[Temple of Pythagoras]], which was likely where Leonardo had been taken.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
"He's too dangerous to keep, Theodore, remember what happened to the last person like him? He was on the verge of exposing the order, so we had to stop him!" Giacomo yelled angrily.
Looking down to the floor in sadness, Salaì spotted some writing on the floor, which suggested that Leonardo's artwork that had hung in the Villa Auditore had held clues to the location of the temple. At first Ezio was dismissive, commenting that all the paintings had been destroyed in the attack, though Salaì quickly responded that only two had been destroyed, and one had been sold (by Salaì himself to buy a "now out of fashion" doublet), leaving five more to find. These five, he said, were currently in the hands of Lucrezia Borgia, Duchess of [[Ferrara]].<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
"But he's done so much good for us, we can't just cut him off, just like that. It would be too suspicious!" Theodore responded hastily.
====Recovering the paintings====
"Are you undermining my decision? I know what I'm doing Theodore, I promise. Now leave." Giacomo told the man. Robert charged down the steps and sat down once more. Watching as Theodore stomped down the steps and resumed his post, his eyes just gazing at Robert.
{{Quote|I count five Leonardo da Vinci paintings you have stolen, and I want them returned.|Ezio to Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:EzioSeducingLucrezia.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Ezio seducing Lucrezia inside Delizia di Belriguardo.]]
Ezio made his way to [[Delizia di Belriguardo]], climbing over the palazzo's outer walls and overhearing a paranoid Lucrezia ordering the guards into high alert. Infiltrating the palazzo through the attached stables, Ezio confronted Lucrezia on the stolen paintings, clarifying that he had not come to take her life.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance"/>
Willingly, Lucrezia revealed that she only had one of the paintings left, as the rest had been taken after the fall of her family. Ordering her men to place the ''[[wikipedia:Annunciation (Leonardo)|Annunciation]]'' painting in a cart outside the palazzo's walls, Lucrezia was then thrust against the wall by Ezio, who began to kiss her neck intimately.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance"/>
==Chapter 5 - Why Have They Done This?==
Having rounded up the people, the storming to Versailles had begun. Robert marched down with them and a riot ensued. The crowd chanted and eventually more people were swept in. Robert knew it was time to strike. With a flick of his wrist, the blade came spring fourth. The crowd had heard the sound of the blade and quickly moved out of the way, leaving a straight passage to the king. Louis watched as in the blink of an eye, the Assassin's blade struck his chest. But not enough to finish the deed. Robert quickly drew his blade for another attack but the guards had seized around him.
At this, Lucrezia told Ezio that three of the paintings had been sold to Francesco Colonna, while the fifth went to an old flame of Lucrezia's named [[Patrizio]]. Ezio apologized to Lucrezia and then pulled back, revealing that he had tied her to the hanging drape. Lucrezia angrily called for her husband's personal guard, who pursued Ezio through the palazzo until he escaped out of a window, and into a bale of hay near the cart containing the painting.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance"/>
Five guards surrounded him, one went in for the first strike, he clutched the man's wrist and flung him in the way of another man's pistol. He kicked the dead body forward into the gunner and quickly charged. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sword, he swung it swiftly into the man's side, watching the man collapse solemnly. Before he could swing himself to face his other opponents, a gunshot was heard. The body of Robert smacked onto the ground, not dead, but unconscious.
Returning to Rome, Ezio made his way to the [[Vaticano District|Vaticano district]], where he followed Patrizio, who was hoping to sell the paintings to the Hermeticists. Ezio watched as Ercole Massimo belittled Patrizio for his racist views on Lucrezia's Spanish heritage, and then had him murdered when he tried to destroy the painting out of anger. Ezio pursued the Hermeticist Ercole had tasked with transporting the painting, and eventually retrieved it.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance"/>
Robert awoke to the sight of Louis in an enclosed dark room, just watching him as he felt the blood spew from his shoulder.
"Why have you done this, Robert?" Louis asked calmly.
Ezio then traveled to the home of Francesco Colonna, only to find that the house had been seized by the bank. He was told that the da Vinci paintings had been sold to an art merchant from Florence, who was waiting at the docks outside the Mausoleo di Augusto.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance"/>
Making his way there, Ezio was surprised to see that the art merchant was his sister's former love interest Duccio de Luca. Duccio immediately set about insulting Ezio for living in a "third-rate city" such as Rome, and then again for his sister being the Madame of the Rosa in Fiore. For his troubles, Duccio received a short, stout punch to the face from a now angered Ezio.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance"/>
"Why did you do it, Louis? Kill my father? I trusted you and yet you lied to me about something as big as that!" Robert exclaimed ferociously.
Duccio ordered his entourage to attack Ezio, though the Assassin was able to easily hold off his attackers. He eventually gained the information he wanted from Duccio, but the merchant pushed his insults even further against Claudia, resulting in a final blow, which knocked him unconscious.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance"/>
"I had to do it, he was plotting something big against France alongside the other Assassins, I'll free you Robert, but I need some answers of my own," Louis responded, kneeling in front of Robert who was trying to force his hands out of steel handcuffs.
After knocking Duccio out, Ezio made his way to the merchant's boat, which had been occupied by Hermeticists, to retrieve the [[wikipedia:Lady with an Ermine|third painting]]. Ezio swiftly eliminated them without being seen, and claimed the painting as his own. He then made his way to the Rosa in Fiore in order to ascertain a means of obtaining the last two paintings, which had been bought by a cardinal and put on display inside the Castel Sant'Angelo.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance"/>
"Why should I trust you, you've given me every reason not to?" Robert asked, trying to put his chin on his shoulder, in hopes of covering the blood.
====Infiltrating the art exhibition====
"Because your life is currently resting in my hands, do you not understand? All I need is the name and place of the Assassin Brotherhood," Louis questioned, he remained calm.
{{Quote|There is a viewing at the Castel Sant'Angelo later today. You will need an invitation. Fortunately, I know where you can procure one.|Claudia helping Ezio.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:ACBSP 2011-04-12 22-42-14-45.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio entering the art exhibition.]]
Upon reaching the Rosa in Fiore, Ezio spoke of the art exhibition with his sister Claudia, who directed him to the docks, from where one invitation was meant to be delivered. Ezio intercepted the [[Borgia Messengers|courier]] carrying the invitation, and met up with a group of courtesans on the Ponte Sant'Angelo, instructing them to steal the paintings he would mark.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
Ezio marked the frame of the first painting after distracting the guards on duty, then proceeded into the Castel for the second, backtracking along the same path he had used to escape with Caterina years previously. After marking the second painting in the upper chambers, he quickly left the Castel as cries over the theft rang out around him.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
"I'm not giving you the name of any Assassin, they had the balls to tell me the truth about you," Robert said in return.
[[File:ACBSP 2011-04-13 16-15-37-81.png|thumb|250px|Ezio discussing Leonardo's rescue with Salaì.]]
"They betrayed you boy, you know why your ''concealed dagger'' didn't work? Because they warned me you were coming, I wore extra layers," Louis told Robert.
Ezio returned to Leonardo's workshop, where the five paintings had been stored. Inside, he found Salaì already working to find any clues for the location of the temple, though he had found nothing. Salaì was on the verge of giving up, when Ezio prompted him to think of ways Leonardo might have concealed his work. Salaì remembered that Leonardo taken to working with invisible inks, and suggested that Ezio he use his gift of [[Eagle Vision]] to find any clues. Despite his annoyance at Leonardo for telling Salaì about his gift, Ezio did as was asked, and found small diagrams in each painting.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
After inspecting all the paintings, Ezio drew out each diagram and laid them on the table. Salaì immediately worked out it was a map, although there were probably pieces missing from the two paintings destroyed during the Siege of Monteriggioni. Nonetheless, Ezio managed the piece together the map, and located the entrance to the catacombs containing the Temple of Pythagoras.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
"I don't believe you," Robert spat.
====Temple of Pythagoras====
"If that's how it is, then I'm sorry Robert, I'll alert the guards to prepare for your execution," Louis told Robert.
{{Dialogue|Leonardo|Those are not Pythagorean symbols. 43 39 19 N 75 27 42 W. Nothing. The Cult of Hermes is wrong, the number is meaningless.|Ezio|It is not intended for us.|Leonardo and Ezio in the [[Pythagorean Vault]].|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:TToP 9.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio Auditore and Leonardo da Vinci exploring the catacombs.]]
Ezio entered the catacombs and made his way towards the temple. As he did so, he could hear Ercole Massimo beating Leonardo, demanding he open the door to the temple. Ezio ordered the Hermeticist to stop, and after a brief exchange of words, he was attacked by Ercole's allies. He dealt with them swiftly, before climbing up to Ercole and assassinating him with his hidden blade.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
Though Ezio suggested that they leave as Leonardo was injured, the other protested, saying that the "number" the Hermeticists had been seeking must be destroyed, lest another go searching for it. Reluctantly, Ezio agreed.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
<center><nowiki>----</nowiki></center>
In each room of the temple, Ezio and Leonardo found themselves confronted by a complex puzzle. The first room required Ezio to redirect beams of light, while the second had him redirect the flow of air into a large, fan-dominated, locking mechanism. In the final room, Ezio had to activate several switches, which directed streams of burning oil into a central plate. Once activated, the central plate lowered, revealing a large circular pedestal.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
Robert was dragged down onto a platform, Louis stood behind a podium and watched as four man began to tie ropes to Robert's legs.
Ezio and Leonardo recognized the symbols upon the pedestal as those shown to them by the Apple, albeit in the wrong order. Ezio watched as Leonardo rotated the pillars so the images fit, opening the door into the temple's [[Pythagorean Vault|final chamber]].<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
"Thy Father, forgive me for I have sinned," said Robert as the ropes began to be pulled. Robert screamed in agony as he could feel the ropes pulling his limbs apart.
[[File:TToP 8.png|thumb|250px|Ezio and Leonardo in the Vault.]]
"Get Sanson, it's obvious his limbs aren't being dismembered by these ropes," Louis said. It was awhile before a man entered the room, a familiar face to Robert as he pulled his neck up.
Entering the vault, Ezio recognized the architecture as matching that of the Vatican and Colosseum Vaults. He approached the central [[Vault pedestal|pedestal]] and placed his hand above it. A bright light activated above him and soon enough, the entire chamber was cloaked in a dim green light. Before them, six numbers and two letters repeated themselves: 43 39 19 N 75 27 42 W.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
Although Leonardo totally dismissed the numbers as nonsense, Ezio remarked that the numbers were not meant for their eyes. To distract him from the numbers, Ezio asked Leonardo of his other projects as he led him from the room.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance" />
"Theodore?" He asked as the man knelt down beside Robert and whispered.
===Finishing the Borgia===
"You've been betrayed, Louis was telling the truth and nothing more can be done," Sanson replied as he reached for his axe and completed his task. The people pushed themselves back in awe and all was silent. A man who believed he was helping the people of France was executed that day, and in the end, he stuck to what he believed was right. But was it worth it?
====Travelling to Spain====
{{Dialogue|Ezio|Where is he now?|Captain|Gone! I know he was in the town, asking questions, but he’s well-known here, and he has many friends, believe it or not.|Ezio and the captain discussing Michelleto's whereabouts.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)}}
Arriving in Naples on Midsummers Day, 1506, Ezio, Leonardo and Niccolò were met with a wall of silence from the local population when they questioned them about Micheletto. They persevered, fortunately happening upon a courtesan named [[Camilla]], who claimed to have spent the previous night with a man matching their description of Micheletto. She pointed them to the docks and to [[Valencia]].<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
Ezio, Niccolò, and Leonardo booked passage to Valencia, though the crossing took five days, as the sea was particularly rough, which lost the three any chance of catching up with Micheletto. Once they arrived however, they quickly learned that Micheletto had headed to the [[Lone Wolf Inn]], a place being described as "not for gentlemen."<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
<center><nowiki>----</nowiki></center>
Nonetheless, the three made their way to the inn and entered, only to be immediately set upon by ten men whose eyes were already accustomed to the darkness. Ezio and Niccolò fought off the ambushers, as Leonardo hid behind the bar. Ezio was then approached from behind and garrotted by Micheletto himself, though a well placed strike to the stomach from Niccolò's blade forced Micheletto to let go and flee.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
{{Quote|We had the courage to watch the dreadful sight for four hours ... Damien was a fanatic, who, with the idea of doing a good work and obtaining a heavenly reward, had tried to assassinate Louis XV; and though the attempt was a failure, and he only gave the king a slight wound, he was torn to pieces as if his crime had been consummated. ... I was several times obliged to turn away my face and to stop my ears as I heard his piercing shrieks, half of his body having been torn from him, but the Lambertini and Mme XXX did not budge an inch. Was it because their hearts were hardened? They told me, and I pretended to believe them, that their horror at the wretch's wickedness prevented them feeling that compassion which his unheard-of torments should have excited.|Giacomo Casanova}}
Although Micheletto had fled, one of his underlings had survived the Assassins' onslaught, and reluctantly surrendered his master's destination: the [[Castillo de la Mota]]. The next day, after a short rest, the three continued on to the Castillo.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
They arrived too late though, and Ezio learned from a lieutenant that Cesare had escaped, although they were not yet sure how exactly he had managed it. Ezio immediately demanded a fresh horse, but Leonardo's exhaustion and Niccolò's counsel convinced him to stay a while and rest.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
Within the month, they were back in Valencia, and found the city in the grip of Cesare's diehards. Disheartened by the turn of events, the Assassins contemplated their next move. Leonardo piped up with a suggestion, asking them to gather sulphur, charcoal and potassium nitrate, as well as thin sheets of malleable steel.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
==Sources==
''This is for anybody who'd like to know more about the historical accuracy I put into this.''
They complied, and in a short time, Leonardo managed to construct twenty small, hand-held [[bombs]], which could be thrown onto enemy positions after lighting the fuse. Leonardo then revealed to Ezio and Niccolò that he was returning to Italy on the next ship, as he was becoming homesick.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Galli-Bibiena Info on Giuseppe]
====Attack on Valencia====
{{Quote|Well, we don’t need the Apple to tell us what our old friend Cesare is planning.|Niccolò, on Cesare's plans.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)}}
Despite this setback, Ezio and Niccolò were determined to destroy Cesare's new army, and together formulated a plan. While Niccolò made his way to the diehards' camp, Ezio headed to the docks. Approaching the first ship, Ezio lit the fuse and threw it into the vessel, dismissive of what destructive power such a small device could possible contain. He was shocked when the device exploded, cracking the warship's mast and felling it, with splintered wood flying high into the air.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
Ezio continued to target Cesare's vessels, and in several cases, the initial bomb's explosion was followed by the detonation of the vessel gunpowder reserve; at one point, the explosion of one ship brought down the two on either side of it. All in all, Ezio managed to destroy twelve vessels with his ten hand-held bombs. He then met up with Niccolò on the corner of the street where the Lone Wolf Inn was located.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
Climbing onto the roof of the building, Ezio and Niccolò peered over the open skylight onto Cesare and Micheletto, who were discussing the recent turn of events. Cesare angrily belittled Micheletto, blaming him for what had happened and driving him to launch himself across the table at his Master.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
Cesare quickly pulled one of his pistols from his belt and shot at Micheletto, destroying his face completely. Ezio pulled back, hoping to catch Cesare as he left the building, though Niccolò, who had craned forward to get a better look, kicked down a tile in the process, and caught Cesare's attention. Drawing his second pistol just as rapidly as he had his first, Cesare shot at the Assassin, hitting Niccolò in the shoulder.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
Ezio briefly thought of pursuit, but Niccolò's injury was severe and required immediate medical attention. Finding a doctor, they learned the bullet had gone straight through, and that Niccolò would be sufficiently healed for travel in two weeks. Before Ezio left to pursue Cesare, Niccolò wished him good luck.<ref name="Brotherhood novel" />
====Siege of Viana====
{{Dialogue|Cesare|How did you find me?|Ezio Auditore|The Apple you stole from Mario Auditore led me here.|Cesare Borgia and Ezio Auditore|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
In 1507, Ezio finally located Cesare Borgia, who was leading the forces of his brother-in-law, [[John III of Navarre]], in a [[Siege of Viana|siege]] of the city of [[Viana]].<ref name="Brotherhood" />
[[File:CesareEzioViana.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Ezio trying to assassinate Cesare.]]
Ezio engaged Cesare on the battlefield, initially making an unsuccessful attempt to kill him with his hidden blade. Cesare made his escape towards Viana Castle, and Ezio was almost overwhelmed by Cesare's guards. Narrowly surviving an artillery strike, Ezio chased after Cesare, and followed him through the village.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Fighting past the battling guards, and climbing two burning siege towers, Ezio eventually reached the ramparts of Viana Castle. He made his way through another small group of guards, and engaged Cesare in combat atop the city walls.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
[[File:PaxR 6.png|thumb|250px|Ezio about to throw Cesare off the walls.]]
Despite a continual stream of soldiers attacking him, Ezio was able to whittle away Cesare's armor and overpower him. When Cesare angrily repeated his claim that no man could kill him, Ezio coldly replied he would leave it to Fate, and threw Cesare from the city walls to his death.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Later, a much older Ezio returned to the Sanctuary beneath the Villa Auditore to leave a clue to the password that protected the Vault's entrance, as suggested by Leonardo years previously. The clue was visible only to those who possessed Eagle Vision.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
===Search for the Masyaf Keys===
====Discovering a new purpose====
{{Quote|There, over two centuries ago, our then Mentor, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, greatest of our Order, established a library deep beneath the fortress.|Excerpt from the letter of Giovanni Auditore.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)}}
With Cesare's death, the Borgia and their plans for Italy were finished. Ezio focused himself on internal matters, forming stronger ways of communication for the Assassins from Sicily to Venice, and creating more standard training methods for new Assassin recruits.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/>
In 1509, Ezio happened upon some of his uncle Mario's documents, finding a letter written by his father Giovanni a year before Ezio was born, which mentioned a [[Altaïr's library|sealed library]] beneath the old Assassin fortress of Masyaf; the home of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who had been Ezio's spiritual mentor during his early years as an Assassin.<ref name="AC2"/> Driven by a will to find out more about the Order, Ezio left Italy in late 1510 and set sail for [[Syria]].<ref name="Encyclopedia"/>
====Pilgrimage to Masyaf====
{{Quote|None of you leave until the Assassin is dead. Do you understand?|Leandros sending his men after Ezio.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}} In May 1510, Ezio set out from Rome on horseback, accompanied by Bartolomeo d'Alviano and fifteen of the general's mercenaries. After fifteen days, they arrived at Bari, on the eastern coast of Italy. At Bari, Ezio chartered a ship, a freighter called the ''Anaan'', and set sail for Corfu, located between Bari and Athens.<ref name="Revelations (novel)">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)]]''</ref>
Along the way, the freighter was attacked by pirates, as it was carrying a valuable cargo of spices. Ezio joined the crew in fighting off the pirates, and assisted in capturing the pirates' captain, a man Ezio would later come to know as [[Al-Scarab]]. The ''Anaan'' arrived safely in Corfu, and Ezio promptly made arrangements to sail to Athens, and from there to Crete, and then Cyprus. Not long after departing from Crete, Ezio's ship ran into a storm, and was forced to dock at Chios for minor repairs.<ref name="Revelations (novel)" />
Finally, Ezio arrived at Cyprus, where he spent some time exploring the island, including the [[Templar Archive|Templar's archive]]. However, as he experienced more delays, it became apparent that the Venetian authorities stationed in Cyprus were intervening with his journey. Finally, Ezio took matters into his own hands and attempted to "acquire" a small ship of his own, so he could continue on to Masyaf.<ref name="Revelations (novel)" />
No sooner had he found a seaworthy vessel was he attacked by a mysterious man, whom Ezio thought he recognized. The commotion caused by their fighting attracted several members of the island's Night Watchmen, and Ezio, along with his mysterious assailant-turned-ally, fought off the guards. As the last man fell, Ezio was stabbed in the side and fell unconscious. When he awoke, Ezio found himself on a ship headed for Acre, manned by none other than the pirate captain he had defeated some months earlier.<ref name="Revelations (novel)"/>
Ezio arrived in the city of [[Acre]] ten months after leaving Rome. After spending a week there, Ezio was informed that the road to Masyaf was filled with foreign bandits and mercenaries. He also wrote a [[Ezio Auditore's letters|letter to Claudia]], informing her of his journey so far and that, should he not survive, she should not seek vengeance. Shortly thereafter, he continued his journey to Masyaf.<ref name="Revelations">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
[[File:EzioTheHangman.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio being led on the plank.]]
Ezio arrived at Masyaf in March 1511, and found the town to be crumbled and largely abandoned. Upon making his way to the fortress, Ezio was ambushed by the town's [[Byzantines|Byzantine]] Templar garrison, under the command of their captain, [[Leandros]]. Overrun and outnumbered, Ezio was captured by the Templars and lead onto a plank to be hung from the fortress' watchtower. However, as Leandros put the noose around Ezio's neck, Ezio attacked Leandros, threw the noose about Leandros' neck, and eventually escaped along the outside of the tower.<ref name="Revelations"/>
Ezio quickly made his way back to the battlements, where he retrieved his weapons. He then made his way beneath the castle, to the doors of Altaïr's library, where he learned from a worker that Leandros had the [[The Secret Crusade|journal]] of [[Niccolò Polo]] in his possession, which supposedly led to the keys needed to open the library's door. Ezio left the fortress, and pursued Templar Captain, who had escaped by carriage.<ref name="Revelations"/>
[[File:The Wounded Eagle 12.png|thumb|250px|Ezio about to kill Leandros.]]
Ezio managed to hold onto a rope trailing from the carriage, and dragged himself up to the carriage itself. Leandros escaped onto the carriage of one of his men, and the chase continued, with each carriage jostling for space on a narrow cliff path.<ref name="Revelations"/>
Eventually, a well-placed bomb sent Ezio's carriage over the edge, severely injuring him, though he persistently continued to follow Leandros. Fighting his way through the small village, Ezio confronted and assassinated Leandros, claiming the journal for himself.<ref name="Revelations"/>
====Settling into Constantinople====
{{Quote|Welcome to Galata district. For centuries it has been a home to orphans from Europa and Asia alike. You won't find more diversity anywhere else in the city. And for that reason, Assassins make it their home.|Yusuf welcoming Ezio.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
Having obtained the journal, Ezio made his way to [[Constantinople]] by ship, where he hoped to find those Masyaf Keys the Templars had not already obtained. As they neared the port, Ezio briefly spoke with a fellow passenger, a [[Suleiman I|young man]] who claimed to be a student. Ezio spoke to him of how he spent his own youth, until a woman on the ship caught his attention. Disembarking the ship, Ezio was greeted by the leader of the [[Turkish Assassins|local Assassin guild]], [[Yusuf Tazim]].<ref name="Revelations"/>
[[File:ACR Welcome 6.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio greeted by Yusuf upon his arrival.]]
Yusuf informed Ezio of the state of affairs in the city and of how the Byzantine remnants fought with the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]] for control of the city. Later, Ezio was introduced to some of Yusuf's men, and was advised to get new equipment.
When the two met again, Ezio was provided with an Ottoman [[hookblade]] and was taught on its use by Yusuf. The two then aided in the defense and reclamation of two of the [[Assassin Dens|Assassin dens]] in the city. Ezio additionally met with [[Piri Reis]], another [[Master Assassin]] in the city. Together with Piri, Ezio found Niccolò Polo's old trading post, which was inhabited by the Venetian bookseller Sofia Sartor; the woman who had caught Ezio's eye on the ship into the city.<ref name="Revelations"/>
Locating a secret passageway beneath the trading post, Ezio flirtingly suggested they both investigate, but was politely rebuked. He then entered the underground cavern, successfully obtaining his first Masyaf Key, as well as an encrypted map, which he eventually managed to decode with Sofia's help. Over time, Ezio started to develop feelings for Sofia, but could not bear to tell her about his Assassin affiliations.<ref name="Revelations"/>
====Working with Prince Suleiman====
{{Quote|For now, keep an eye on Tarik and his Janissaries. They spend much of their free time in and around the Bazaar.|Suleiman instructing Ezio.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
Ezio continued to aid the Assassins in the city while Sofia worked to uncover the location of the remaining Keys. At one point, Ezio disguised himself as a minstrel, and prevented an attack on the young Prince Suleiman at [[Topkapı Palace]]; whom he recognised as the "student" from the ship he had entered the city on. After becoming acquainted with Suleiman, Ezio helped to uncover those behind the attempted assassination.<ref name="Revelations"/>
[[File:Uneasy meeting 1.png|thumb|250px|Suleiman conversing with Ezio.]]
Their investigations led them to [[Tarik Barleti]], Captain of the [[Janissaries]] responsible for Suleiman's protection, and supporter of his father, [[Selim I]]. After observing an exchange of weapons between Tarik and [[Manuel Palaiologos]], heir apparent of the now-defunct Byzantine throne and member of the Templar Order, Ezio was tasked to kill Tarik by Suleiman.<ref name="Revelations"/>
Ezio carried out the assassination, only to discover Tarik had been working to apprehend Manuel and his associate - [[Shahkulu]] - "where they felt safest." Remorsefully, Ezio asked for Tarik's forgiveness, before delivering the news to Suleiman.<ref name="Revelations"/>
====Journey to Cappadocia====
{{Quote|There he is. The monster I came to kill.|Ezio when confronting Manuel.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
[[File:Setting sail 14.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio leaving Constantinople with Piri Reis.]]
After obtaining the four Keys still within Constantinople, Ezio traveled to [[Cappadocia]], the location given to him by Tarik, to confront Manuel Palaiologos. Before he could depart however, he was intercepted by Yusuf, who informed him that the Janissaries had raised the [[Great Chain]] across the mouth of the Golden Horn to prevent him from leaving the city. Yusuf provided Ezio with a sizable bomb, claiming that it was significantly more dangerous than their usual explosives.<ref name="Revelations"/>
Ezio proceeded to the port, where he destroyed the Great Chain with Yusuf's special bomb, and burned the numerous Templar ships that guarded the harbor using [[Greek Fire]].<ref name="Revelations"/>
Arriving in Cappadocia aboard Piri Reis' ship, Ezio sought to make contact with Tarik's spies, who were already in the city. However, he soon learned that many of Tarik's men had already been discovered, apprehended, and executed by the Byzantines. He arrived just in time to prevent the execution of the remaining spies, engaging and eliminating Shahkulu in open combat.<ref name="Revelations" />
[[File:Last Palaiologi 4.png|thumb|250px|Ezio facing Manuel Palaiologos.]]
With the spies safe, Ezio proceeded to detonate the city's ordinance supply and, in the ensuing panic, gave chase to Palaiologos. Confronting him at one of the city's docks, Ezio killed him and claimed the fifth and final Key. Before he could leave however, he found himself confronted by Suleiman's uncle and heir-apparent to the Ottoman throne, [[Ahmet]].
Revealing his own Templar allegiance, Ahmet demanded Ezio to hand over the Key, lest harm fall upon Sofia Sartor. Angrily, Ezio pledged vengeance should any harm come to her, then made his way back through the now smoke-filled city to his ship, and to Constantinople.<ref name="Revelations" />
====Fight with Prince Ahmet====
{{Quote|Now should be a time for remembrance and mourning, I know... but our enemies do not permit us that luxury.|Ezio before confronting Ahmet.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
[[File:Discovery 3.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio rallying the Assassins against Ahmet.]]
After arriving in Constantinople, Ezio hurriedly made his way to Sofia's bookshop. He found that the place had been ransacked and Yusuf, whom Ezio had asked to look after Sofia during his time in Cappadocia, had been killed. Declaring a renewed vengeance against all those who dared to cross the Assassins, Ezio collected the remaining Keys and prepared to ambush Ahmet during the exchange.<ref name="Revelations" />
However, Ahmet held Sofia hostage atop [[Galata Tower]], and Ezio was forced to give him the Keys in order to rescue her. The hostage turned out to be [[Azize]], one of Ezio's fellow Assassins, and Ezio saw Sofia was being hung in a courtyard.<ref name="Revelations"/>
After [[Parachutes|parachuting]] down towards her, and after ensuring that she was fine, Ezio boarded a carriage with to pursue Ahmet, who had already hurried off towards Syria to find the library and unlock its contents.<ref name="Revelations" />
After a lengthy ride through the country, which left Ezio essentially parasailing to hang onto their carriage, he managed to grab Ahmet and the two struggled as they both went flying off a cliff. Ezio subdued the prince and opened a parachute to save them both.<ref name="Revelations" />
As they both recovered from their rough landing, Ezio and Ahmet saw an army arrive with Selim at its head. Selim explained that the Sultan had chosen him over Ahmet, and proceeded to strangle his brother and throw him off a cliff. Selim spared Ezio, having heard good things about him from his son Suleiman, but ordered him to stay out of Constantinople.<ref name="Revelations"/>
[[File:Message 3.png|thumb|250px|Ezio speaking to Desmond.]]
After traveling to Masyaf with Sofia, Ezio used the five Keys to open the door to Altaïr's library. Ezio discovered there were no books, only the body of the former Mentor, with a [[Memory Seals|memory seal]] in his hand. The seal revealed Altaïr's final moments, and the location of [[Second Apple|his Apple]] at the back of the library.<ref name="Revelations" />
Ezio moved towards the Apple, but refused to take it, believing he had seen enough for one life. The Apple emanated a wave of light, and Ezio began speaking to Desmond. Acknowledging he was a conduit for a [[Synch Nexus|message]], Ezio removed his bracers and sword to declare the end of his life as an Assassin. He then encouraged Desmond to make his life's sufferings worth it, and told him to listen.<ref name="Revelations"/>
====Return to Constantinople====
{{Quote|Prince Suleiman knows of your return and has provided you with a safe-conduct. But his father is adamant that you should not remain long.|Azize to Ezio.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)}}
After their visit to Masyaf, Ezio and Sofia returned to Constantinople to set their affairs in the city to rest. Despite Selim ordering Ezio never to return, Suleiman managed to secure Ezio a brief visit, as long as he behaved himself.<ref name="Revelations (novel)" />
Ezio made sure that [[Dogan]], the new leader of the Turkish Assassins, was able to competently command the Assassins' Guild there. Ezio also oversaw the selling of Sofia's bookshop to Azize, the Assassin who had been kidnapped by Ahmet and held at the top of Galata Tower as a decoy for Sofia. The bookshop was used as an outpost for the Assassins, and Ezio stored the Masyaf Keys in the chamber where he had found the first key, underneath the bookshop.<ref name="Revelations (novel)" />
===Later life===
====Settling down====
{{Quote|I knew I would not have enough time to do everything. Now I worry I do not have enough time to do anything.|Ezio Auditore during his later years.|Assassin's Creed: Embers}}
[[Image:EzioAuditoreEmbers02.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio tending to his vineyard.]]
Ezio and Sofia married in Venice. They had a daughter, Flavia, in May 1513, and a son, Marcello, in October 1514.<ref name="Revelations (novel)"/> By 1524, a retired Ezio lived with his family in a villa in the Tuscan countryside. There, he tended to a vineyard, and often spent time in his study, writing his memoirs.<ref name="Embers">''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]''</ref>
====Final visits to Leonardo====
{{Quote|I’ll tell you a secret. All my life—while I thought I was learning to live, I have simply been learning how to die.|Leonardo's words on dying.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)}}
By 1519, Ezio had suffered a chest infection, and as a result developed a serious cough.<ref name="Embers" />This is likely hypersensitivity pneumonitis, also known as wine-grower's lung, due to his time in the vineyard.
A visit from Machiavelli revealed that their mutual friend Leonardo was dying. The pair traveled to Amboise in France to the manor Clos Luce, where Leonardo was staying.<ref name="Revelations (novel)" />
Ezio learned that his friend wished to travel outside of the manor to places like England or even back to Venice where he hoped to sell his submarine idea, seeing as he was disappointed with his patron's last creation, a giant mechanical lion.<ref name="Revelations (novel)" />
The pair stayed in France for another week, and visited Leonardo often. Upon their departure, rumors began to spread that King Francis was with Leonardo until he died, and had cradled his head. Ezio was disgusted by this rumor and believed that anyone, even a king, would do anything for publicity.<ref name="Revelations (novel)" />
====Teaching Shao Jun====
{{Quote|So I spent many years teaching men and women to think and act for themselves. First in Rome, then among our Brotherhood in Constantinople.|Ezio expaining his deeds to Shao Jun.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)}}
One day in 1524, Sofia left with Marcello to visit Claudia, leaving Ezio to watch over Flavia. As Ezio started harvesting the crops, he called for Flavia to stay where he could see her. However, as he worked, he saw a mysterious cloaked figure approach Flavia. Panicking, he sprinted over to them, seizing the stranger by the collar, but pausing as he noticed the [[Assassin insignia]] on the necklace she wore.<ref name="Embers" />
Afterwards, the Assassin introduced herself as Shao Jun, a Chinese Assassin, who had travelled to Italy with her Mentor to learn of methods to unite the Assassins of her homeland. However, Ezio refused to be involved, though he allowed her to stay in the villa for the night.<ref name="Embers" />
[[File:Embers ShotBreakdown 01.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio and Jun in Florence.]]
The following day, Ezio found Jun sitting in his private study, reading a letter he had been writing. Infuriated, he ordered her out of the room, and insisted that she leave the villa.<ref name="Embers" />
However, Jun thoughtfully recited to him the words that he had written, wishing to understand their meaning. Ezio finally consented and invited her to accompany him into Florence while he ran errands. On the journey there and back, he finally spoke to her of the importance of love in the Assassin Order, saying that if she could support that which inspired hope in her people, she would succeed.<ref name="Embers" />
However, the two of them were ambushed by a Chinese Imperial soldier in Florence. Jun explained that she was a concubine who had escaped by joining the Assassin Order, and the soldier who attacked the two worked for the Chinese Emperor. Correctly expecting another attack at the villa, Ezio had his family evacuate to Niccolò Machiavelli's home, while he and Jun stayed behind.<ref name="Embers" />
Ezio and Jun were able to defend against the attack later that night, and in the morning, Ezio gave Jun a small chest before her departure, telling her only to open it if she lost her way.<ref name="Embers" />
====Death====
{{Quote|I am home.|Ezio to Sofia in Florence.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)}}
[[File:ACE-V 14.png|thumb|right|250px|Ezio passing away on the bench.]]
In his final hours, Ezio chose to go to Florence with Sofia and Flavia while they went shopping. Ezio sat down on a bench, feeling ill, and shrugging off Sofia's concerns that he should have stayed home, stating "I am home."<ref name="Embers" />
While Sofia and Flavia went to buy groceries, a young man approached Ezio, thoughtfully berating the women of Florence. Ezio wearily responded by implying the man was the problem, not the city. Immediately afterward, Ezio began panting and holding his chest in pain.<ref name="Embers" />
The young man quickly grabbed Ezio's hand and told Ezio to have courage. He told Ezio to "get some rest," and then left. Ezio looked back at him angrily, but calmed down just as quickly. Breathing heavily, Ezio looked over at Sofia and Flavia, smiling, before resting his head against the back of the bench, and passing away peacefully.<ref name="Embers" />
==Legacy==
[[File:Ezio statue.png|thumb|100px|A statue of Ezio in the Assassin [[Dubai]] headquarters.]]
Ezio's actions had a profound effect on the Order. Due to his efforts, many cities around Europe came into Assassin control and influence, ushering in something of a Golden Age in Europe. His descendants continued to take a leading role in the running of the Order for almost five-hundred years after his death.<ref name="Brotherhood"/><ref name="Comic-Con 2011">[http://www.g4tv.com/comiccon-2011/panels-and-live-blogs/assassins-creed-revelations-panel/128/ ''Assassin's Creed'' Comic-Con 2011 transcript]</ref>
A statue of him could be found in "[[Mentor (2000)|The Mentor]]'s" [[Dubai]] facility in the 21st century, alongside with other prominent Assassins.<ref name="The Fall - Issue #3">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]'' - Issue #3</ref>
In 2012, Ezio's descendant, Desmond Miles, revisited his memories through the [[Animus]], in order to help the Assassins learn more about the incoming disaster, Minerva,<ref name="AC2" /> the location of a Ezio's Apple of Eden,<ref name="Brotherhood" /> and the location of the Grand Temple.<ref name="Revelations" />
==Personality and characteristics==
{{quote|Ezio's learning fast. He reminds me of you.|Maria to Giovanni.|Assassin's Creed: Lineage}}
Ezio was raised as a young Florentine nobleman, living during the 15th and 16th Century. He was brought up without knowing of the Assassins' existence, or of his heritage. A seducer of women and a playful man, Ezio possessed acrobatic skills far beyond those of his peers, barring his brother.<ref name="AC2"/>
Ezio came from an affluent background and had many friends until the deaths of his father and brothers drove him out of Florence. Forced to protect his mother and sister, Ezio became an Assassin, exacting revenge on the conspirators who had betrayed his family and plotted to seize both Florence and Venice.<ref name="AC2"/>
[[File:LMS 8 v.png|thumb|left|250px|A young Ezio is disarmed by a Florentine guard after protesting his father's and brothers' execution.]]
Initially, Ezio allowed his emotions to get the best of him, going so far as to disrespect the corpse of Vieri de' Pazzi just after his death. However, Ezio did manage to gain control of his anger and, by the time he had become a Master Assassin, could control it almost completely.<ref name="AC2"/> That said, Ezio was still prone to losing control of his emotions at the right trigger; in 1506, he beat up Duccio de Luca in a fist-fight, after the latter had insulted Ezio's sister, Claudia, for her position as the Madame of the Rosa in Fiore.<ref name="The Da Vinci Disappearance"/>
However, by the time Ezio confronted Rodrigo Borgia, he had become more dedicated to his role as an Assassin, ceasing to use revenge as a motivation. He became more focused on instilling a sense of fraternity among his apprentices, and a love of the cultures they would defend from the Templars.<ref name="Embers"/> He also spared the lives of any targets that he concluded had no need to die, such as Micheletto Corella.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
Ezio was also passionately loyal to his family, and was pained for the rest of his life after the Auditore execution. While he was able to lay the bodies of his fallen family to rest, he continued collecting feathers during his time in Italy, as a remembrance of his youngest brother. The feather collection was part of what helped his mother recover from her depression at the loss of her sons and husband.<ref name="AC2"/>
Ezio always put protecting his mother and sister above his safety and his allegiance to the Assassins, quick to defend his sister's honor from Duccio, and always ready to help his mother, even when she was helping her daughter lead the courtesans in Rome. Claudia thought Ezio a bit overbearing at times, as shown by her journal, but knew that he was trying to help regardless, and stood by her brother with the Assassins.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
Ezio became more quiet and distant during his late 40s, reluctant to share information regarding his early life with associates such as Salaì, but also being more open with those he knew better and cared for.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
Near the end of his life, although he was still as loving and passionate when talking to his family, Ezio was far more gruff towards strangers such as Shao Jun. Although Ezio eventually warmed up to Shao Jun, he explained that he wanted nothing more to do with the Assassins out of fear that the Templars would endanger his wife and children (this fear probably stemmed, in part, from the deaths of his father and brothers).<ref name="Embers"/>
It can even be said that Ezio had grown paranoid of strangers since, in comparison to previous seasons, he had not hired any help for the grape harvest despite his worsening condition. In addition, Ezio was shown to have grown somewhat forgetful, possibly increasing his uneasiness with strangers.<ref name="Embers"/>
Ezio also seemed to be aware, or at least have a feeling, that his time was growing short, evidenced by his confession to Sofia, "I knew I would not have time to do everything, now I worry that I don't have time to do anything," as well as his preparation of a final letter in the event of his death.<ref name="Embers"/>
===Equipment and skills===
{{Quote|Despite its age, its construction is rather advanced.|Leonardo da Vinci, commenting on Ezio's hidden blade.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:ACBSP 2011-04-10 18-35-16-91.png|thumb|240px|Ezio in his Roman Assassin garb.]]
Ezio was both a highly skilled Assassin and an adept Mentor. He learned and developed a vast array of skills, such as picking pockets, blending into crowds, armed and [[Fists|unarmed combat]], alternative or multiple weapon attacks, stealth and public assassination techniques, [[Freerunning|free-running]] and long-range combat.<ref name="AC2"/>
He was also able to use a variety of weapons, including two hidden blades, a sword, throwing knives and many more. Born with the ability to use Eagle Vision, Ezio could instinctively differentiate friend from foe. After talking to his captive father, he later inherited his father's [[Ezio Auditore's robes|Assassin robes]], which he would upgrade with various armor and dyes throughout his life.<ref name="AC2"/>
An explorer, throughout his quests, Ezio scoured the cities he visited in search of Codex pages and seals from the six [[Assassin's Tombs|Assassin's tombs]] spread across northern Italy. The Codex pages allowed Leonardo da Vinci to upgrade his weaponry, including the addition of a wheellock firearm and [[Poison blade|poison needle]] concealed beneath his left hidden blade.<ref name="AC2"/>
By collecting the six tomb seals, Ezio gained access to the [[Armor of Altaïr|armor Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad created]], which was later lost during the Fall of Monteriggioni. He also collected [[Assassin's Creed II Outfits#Capes|capes]] that had helped him stay incognito to city guards. The only exception to this was the cape bearing the Auditore family crest, which made him easily recognizable, due to his family's history.<ref name="AC2"/>
In 1500, during the Siege of Monteriggioni, Ezio lost most of his equipment, but was able to keep his original hidden blade. His hidden blade also underwent some alterations anonymously by Niccolò Machiavelli, though he merely replaced the former leather and metal bracer with a new, fully plated version bearing a different design. Also, the former blade was replaced with a newer one that bore a black tribal design running down the center of the blade.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
During his time in Rome, Ezio's usual attire would be replaced by a new outfit based on elements from both his father's clothing and Altaïr's robes. He became an adept user of the [[crossbow]], and also obtained the [[Armor of Brutus]] after stealing all the [[Scrolls of Romulus|scrolls]] from the [[Followers of Romulus]]. In addition, Ezio also acquired [[poison darts]] and parachutes, courtesy of Leonardo da Vinci.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
[[File:Over the water by ladyve-d2yevlv.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Ezio Auditore free-running over the Tiber in Rome.]]
Ezio had been a very skilled free-runner from a young age. He learned how to free-run under the tutelage of either his father or older brother, and was able to move quickly and efficiently in sprinting, climbing, and jumping. In addition, he was also an enduring athlete, being able to perform all these actions without being encumbered by his large variety of weapons and armor.<ref name="AC2"/>
Despite his advancing years, Ezio Auditore skill and speed as a free-runner increased significantly, being aware of all of his surroundings as well as planning his next move very quickly and carefully, as observed by younger Assassins such as Francesco Vecellio.<ref name="Project Legacy"/>
Ezio's speed and abilities gave him a legendary status among the Roman Thieves Guild, so far as going to convince some of the members to believe that Ezio's free-running skills were exaggerated, and blatantly impossible for someone his age.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
By 1511, Ezio still retained his athletic abilities and skill in combat. His Eagle Vision had evolved into [[Eagle Vision#Eagle Sense|Eagle Sense]], enabling him to track enemies, determine targets, and find [[Book Shops|lost books]] around Constantinople. He acquired the hookblade from his fellow Master Assassin and close friend, Yusuf Tazim, and quickly mastered its utility in free-running and combat.<ref name="Revelations"/>
He also made use of bomb-crafting after it had been introduced to him by Yusuf and Piri Reis. After discovering the ten memoir pages of [[Ishak Pasha]] scattered across Constantinople, Ezio explored the [[Hagia Sophia]] and recovered [[Armor of Ishak Pasha|his armor]].<ref name="Revelations"/>
After he retired, Ezio's physique degraded significantly.<ref name="Embers"/> By 1524, Ezio's stamina and agility had decreased to the point where he could barely run across his own grape field, whereas before he could sprint for three-hundred meters uninterrupted. If not for neglecting his training, then Ezio's drastic physical deterioration was due to old age and illness, though he retained his heightened sense of awareness.<ref name="Embers"/>
Even with his severe handicaps, Ezio was still able to overpower three Chinese swordsmen, who were presumably in peak condition, with only his fireplace poker. He was even able to use the poker as an improvised hookblade, using it to throw an attacker across the room before hurling it into his skull. However, Ezio was completely outmatched by the last enemy in terms of strength, and would have definitely been killed had the attacker not succumbed to the injuries inflicted by both Ezio and Shao Jun.<ref name="Embers"/>
Ezio took quite a beating for a man his age during the assault on his Villa, and this may have contributed to his passing not long after Jun's departure, though it is more likely that his heart simply could not handle the amount of stress he had gone through.<ref name="Embers"/>
===Romantic life===
{{Quote|A minute is all I need! [...] Wait... that came out wrong.|Ezio to Cristina Vespucci, 1476.|Assassin's Creed II}}
Ezio was known for his good looks, flirtatious nature and predisposition for womanizing.<ref name="AC2"/><ref name="Lineage"/><ref name="Renaissance"/> Though the latter part of his life was centered around his hunt for Rodrigo Borgia, Ezio shared multiple romantic relationships with a number of different women.<ref name="Renaissance"/>
[[File:Zw-ezio-cristina.png|thumb|250px|Ezio and Cristina kissing in her room.]]
By 1476, Ezio had had many encounters with various unnamed Florentine girls and courtesans before the execution of his family, insulting Vieri de' Pazzi by suggesting that [[Viola de' Pazzi|his sister]] seemed quite satisfied with the "handling" he had given her earlier.<ref name="AC2"/>
That year, Ezio was in a permanent relationship of sorts with Cristina Vespucci, though against the wishes of her father. Following his street brawl with Vieri de' Pazzi on the Ponte Vecchio, Ezio visited Cristina during the night, despite his brother's request otherwise. He was chased out by Cristina's father the next morning, and subsequently had to flee the city guards.<ref name="AC2"/>
Two years later, when Ezio returned to Florence, Cristina was engaged to Manfredo Soderini, though she admitted to still loving Ezio. Eight years later, when Cristina and Manfredo traveled to Venice for Carnevale, Ezio, posing as her husband, wrote to her asking her to come to meet him, to which Cristina complied. As both wore Carnevale masks, she did not recognize him until he kissed her.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
Cristina then removed his mask and asked Ezio how he dared kiss her like that, telling him she never wanted to see him again. When Ezio tried to stop her, she explained that if he really loved her, he would not simply have let Manfredo marry her.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
When Ezio returned to Florence again in 1497, he learned from a wounded Manfredo that he and Cristina had been attacked by Savonarola's men. Ezio tracked down Cristina and killed her assailants. As he proceeded to take Cristina to a doctor, she died in his arms, after telling him that she wished that they could have had a second chance together.<ref name="Brotherhood"/> Ezio wrote years later that he felt something "withered" in him after her death.<ref name="Revelations"/>
[[File:Tutti a Bordo 5.png|thumb|left|250px|Ezio helping Caterina onto the gondola.]]
Before meeting with Cristina during Carnevale, and while trying to find a way to Venice, Ezio accompanied his friend, Leonardo da Vinci, to Forlì. He was initially refused passage aboard the ship to Venice, but his fortunes changed after encountering Caterina Sforza, who had become stranded on a small island with no means of escape.<ref name="AC2"/>
Ezio rescued her, and she repaid the favor by granting him passage to Venice. She also told him that the next time he returned to Forlì, it would "be her pleasure" to entertain him. Moments later, after Ezio revealed to his close friend that Caterina was a future conquest and his type of woman, Leonardo informed Ezio of the ladies' identity and that she was married to the Count of the city.<ref name="AC2"/>
Also, at some point during his time in Forlì, Ezio encountered a girl named [[Amelia]]. During this encounter, Amelia and two of her friends were discussing whether anyone could beat their record in a horseback riding race. Ezio took on the challenge in return for a "private riding lesson" with Amelia should he prove successful, which he was.<ref name="AC2"/>
[[File:Ezio flirting with rosa.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio flirting with Rosa.]]
When Ezio arrived in Venice for the first time, an unknown young woman attempted to pickpocket him. Later the same day, Ezio witnessed the woman and a group of thieves attempting to scale the Palazzo della Seta. The attempt ended in failure, and the girl was shot in the leg by an archer.<ref name="AC2"/>
Ezio intervened, defending her from Emilio Barbarigo's thugs. Upon helping her to get to safety, he learned that her name was Rosa, and that she was a member of the city's Thieves Guild. At first, Rosa's attitude towards Ezio was very aggressive and unfriendly, but after he saved her, she became much more amiable.<ref name="AC2"/>
While trying to acquire the Golden Mask, Ezio was seen flirting with many of Sister Teodora's courtesans. After the Carnevale challenges, when Ezio went up to accept the Golden Mask as his prize for victory, he was accompanied by a courtesan. After assassinating Marco Barbarigo and seeking sanctuary in the brothel, Ezio flirted with Sister Teodora, who invited several of her girls to "comfort" Ezio.<ref name="AC2"/>
[[File:Caterina Sforza & Ezio.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Ezio and Caterina Sforza together in bed.]]
Since their first meeting in Forlì, Ezio's feelings for Caterina Sforza developed, and in January 1500, Ezio had an intimate encounter with her, sleeping with her in the Villa Auditore before it was besieged by Cesare Borgia and his army.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>
After her capture, Ezio sank into a state of near depression, where his feelings for Caterina conflicted with his suspicion that she was merely using him. Despite this impression, Ezio was determined to rescue her from the Castel Sant'Angelo, disregarding the insistence of Niccolò that Cesare and Rodrigo Borgia should be the focus of his attention.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
During their escape, Caterina hesitantly explained to Ezio that the night they had shared had only been in the name of politics, as she had needed his help in defending Forlì. Ezio continued to hope that his feelings for Caterina were reciprocated, though she soon informed him otherwise. Despite his subsequent decision to no longer pursue Caterina's affections, the two remained close allies for the sake of the Brotherhood.<ref name="Brotherhood novel"/>
[[File:Homecoming 3.png|thumb|250px|Ezio and Sofia Sartor.]]
While on a ship arriving in Constantinople, Ezio briefly saw Sofia Sartor, who was traveling from Rhodes and returning to her bookstore. He attempted to talk to her, but she was too distracted to pay attention to him. Later, Ezio met Sofia again at her store while searching for the Masyaf Keys. The two worked out a bargain: if she helped Ezio track down the keys, he would retrieve and give her some of the books the Polos had hidden.<ref name="Revelations"/>
In an attempt to keep Sofia away from the Assassin and Templar fight, Ezio kept Sofia in the dark about the purpose of his search, and attempted to keep his relationship with her platonic. However, as time went on, Ezio grew to admire Sofia more, and would often linger at her shop to be with her. Sofia also came to adore Ezio as well, asking him to be her escort to Adrianople (which Ezio had to reluctantly decline due to his search). She also arranged a picnic for the two of them in a park near Hagia Sophia.<ref name="Revelations"/>
When Ezio left Constantinople to assassinate Manuel Palaiologos, he asked Yusuf Tazim to keep Sofia safe. However, the Templar Ahmet, knowing of their relationship, dispatched a group of soldiers to kidnap her. While Yusuf managed to hold back many of the soldiers, he was eventually killed, and Sofia was captured.<ref name="Revelations"/>
Upon learning this, Ezio flew into a rage and attacked the Arsenal in great force with the local Assassins. He eventually submitted to Ahmet's demands however, as he still held Sofia, and gave up the Masyaf Keys. However, after being rescued, Sofia helped Ezio chase after Ahmet and retrieve what had been taken.<ref name="Revelations"/>
Ezio and Sofia eventually traveled to Altaïr's library in May 1512.<ref name="Revelations"/> Once Ezio decided to retire as an Assassin, the two left Masyaf, and got married, moving to a Villa outside Florence, where they resided with their son and daughter. In 1524, Ezio died of a heart attack, and his final words were in a letter addressed to Sofia, where he commented that the love he had for her and their children was what had kept him going in his old age.<ref name="Embers" />
==Trivia==
'''Assassin's Creed II'''
* The names "Ezio" and "Altaïr" have similar meanings and origins. "Altaïr" means "the flying one," while "Ezio" means "eagle." "Altaïr" also comes from the name of the brightest star in the constellation {{Wiki|Aquila (constellation)|Aquila}}, which also translates to "eagle."
* Ezio's Animus database only details his life before he became an Assassin, holding no information on his life within the Order; unlike his later ones in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''.
* Throughout the game, Ezio will remove his hood during cutscenes only if he is wearing his father's Assassin robes.
* If the player chooses to play Sequence 13 before Sequence 12 by clearing the DLC cache, Ezio's beard will disappear until the player kills Checco Orsi.
* In a very rare glitch, after completing the blending mission for Paola, Ezio's hood will appear down when it is supposed to be up. This shows that the character model for Ezio is the same as Desmond.
* While wearing the [[Assassin's Creed II Outfits#Florentine Noble Attire|Florentine Noble Attire]], Ezio has the same movement animations as Desmond, before switching to animations similar to Altaïr's after acquiring his father's robes.
'''Assassin's Creed II: Discovery'''
* Ezio's title is misspelled, where his biography lists him as "Ezio Auditore ''de'' Firenze" instead of "Ezio Auditore ''da'' Firenze."
* Despite taking place after the Battle of Forlì, Ezio is depicted without a beard.
'''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'''
* Although Ezio received the brand on his left hand's ring finger when being inducted into the Order, it is gone in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', and is still missing in ''Assassin's Creed: Revelations.''
* It is revealed that Ezio can speak some French, as there were ''"a couple of French girls in Firenze."''
** During his infiltration of the Baron de Valois' camp, Ezio is demanded by a guard (due to his peculiar French accent) what part of France he is from. He replies with "Montréal", which is a reference to [[Ubisoft|Ubisoft Montreal]], the company responsible for the ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' series.
* In art for ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', Ezio is shown with two identical bracers for his hidden blades; however, in-game, it is not possible to obtain a bracer for Ezio's right arm that matches the first one.
* Ezio is shown with only the left Plate Armor pauldron, while the other is missing. It is not possible to manage Ezio's pauldrons in such a way in-game.
* In the [[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' novel]], Ezio loses all his Codex inventions (the hidden gun, the poison blade, and the second hidden blade) during the Villa attack; but in the game, Ezio only loses the Armor of Altaïr, metal cestus and the second hidden blade.
** Interestingly, in-game, Ezio does say to Leonardo that he lost all of his Codex inventions, despite still having them.
* Ezio is able to perform a climb leap before the Villa Attack, but requires the [[Metal Cestus|Climb Leap Glove]] from Leonardo subsequent to being injured.
'''Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade'''
* Ezio briefly appears in the novel ''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''. At the beginning of the book, he is seen standing on the deck of the ship to Constantinople, before returning to his quarters to read Niccolò Polo's journal, ''"La crociata segreto."''
'''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'''
* Ezio does not wear a cape on his left shoulder as he did in the previous installments, though he did have prior to being captured by the Templars at Masyaf.
** A cape does show when he wears the Armor of Brutus outfit however, retaining the cape animation for it from ''Brotherhood''.
* ''Revelations'' is the only installment in which Ezio wears an outfit where the default appearance of his robes is not white.
* Ezio's broken second hidden blade can still be seen if the player activates them casually in the loading screen.
* Ezio may sometimes use Turkish terms when speaking to citizens, contacts and his apprentices.
* It is revealed that Ezio had some experience in playing the lute when he was younger, as he says that he "knows a few chords."
** When singing at the party, Ezio speaks of several notable people from his past, including Rodrigo, Cesare, and Lucrezia Borgia, Vieri de' Pazzi, Duccio, and Caterina Sforza.
** It is also learned that Ezio's knowledge in the Turkish language was somewhat lacking, commenting that it was "absurd," and that his Greek was "nonexistent."
'''Assassin's Creed: Embers'''
*It is still unknown as to what actually killed Ezio in the end. There have been rumors that the Young Man may have killed Ezio, or that it was Ezio's health failing him.
'''Soulcalibur V'''
[[File:Ezio-Re Soul Calbur V.png|thumb|200px|right|Ezio in ''SoulCalibur V''.]]
* Ezio appears in the fighting game ''[[w:c:soulcalibur:Soul Calibur V|Soulcalibur]]'' as a guest fighter. He wears his ''Brotherhood'' robes, and uses all weapon types at his disposal in said game.
* In his ''Soulcalibur V'' appearance, Ezio is seen wearing identical hidden blade bracers, similar to pre-release images of ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood''.
* Interestingly, Ezio has a Roman Longsword and a [[Stiletto]] dagger instead of his more powerful blades. Also unlike other characters, Ezio has only one set of weapons.
* Ezio's ''Soulcalibur V'' character art is taken from a [[:File:331px-5093223213_ede3fd9342.jpg|promotional picture]] for ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' featuring Ezio attacking Cesare Borgia.
* His profile image is likewise taken from his stance on the cover of ''Assassin's Creed II''.
* Ezio shares the same voice actor, [[Roger Craig Smith]], with one of the series' main characters, [[w:c:soulcalibur:Siegfried|Siegfried Schtauffen]].
* Ezio's story in the ''Soulcalibur'' world can be read [[w:c:soulcalibur:Ezio_Auditore_da_Firenze#Soulcalibur_V|here]].
'''Others'''
* [[Darby McDevitt]], lead writer of ''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'', said that it is possible that during Ezio's life, he could have had children without him even knowing so.
* Ezio's ''Assassin's Creed II'' outfit can be unlocked in ''{{Wiki|Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands}}'', via Uplay for 30 points.
* A Sackboy version of Ezio's outfit from ''Assassin's Creed II'' and ''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'' can be purchased for ''LittleBigPlanet'' via the PlayStation Store.
* In PlayStation Home, Ezio's Assassin robes from ''Assassin's Creed II'' is an outfit that can be bought.[[File:EzioMichael.png|thumb|250px|Ezio, as he appears in the ''Michael'' commercial.]]
* Ezio was featured in the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdWkKKSckNk&feature=youtube_gdata_player ''"Michael"'' live action commercial], part of the ''Long Live Play'' advertisement of Sony. There, he gives tribute to the gamer ''Michael'' for playing his part when "the Templars murdered my family", then chanted Michael's name in unison with the rest of the characters.
* Neca has manufactured highly detailed figures of Ezio. The white edition includes Ezio in his default robes with two hidden blades, though only the right arm one is removable. The black edition includes Ezio with a single hidden blade, his robes dyed in the Wetlands Ebony fashion, and the Missaglias armor. Later, they fashioned a figure that resembles Ezio in his default robes in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', though it was never included in any game version, and can only be bought separately.
* On the Xbox 360, it is possible to purchase Ezio's Robes from ''Assassin's Creed II'', ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', and ''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'' as Avatar Outfits for 400 Microsoft points each.
* It has been confirmed by writer Darby McDevitt that Ezio and Altaïr are not related but come from two different sides of Desmond's family, yet they do share the same face with minor differences, when Ezio is at a younger age.
* Ezio Auditore was [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLm6baXBtaY featured] in the Spike Video Game Awards of 2010 as part of his nomination for Character of the Year. When he was mentioned among the nominees, he addressed the crowd about his nomination, and how they should be cautious about the Templars.
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acFt1lQ7Kqs Another animation] was made in case he won, and was shown during the end credits of the show due to another winner being declared. Holding the Spike trophy, Ezio was named ''Best Dressed Assassin.'' Ezio then thanked the crowd and his associates during his time in Rome, and dedicated the award to Mario Auditore.
* Ezio appears in a short TV ad for ''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'', along with athletes {{Wiki|Adrian Peterson}}, {{Wiki|BJ Penn}}, and {{Wiki|Derrick Rose}}, from the NFL, UFC, and NBA respectively. Ezio is shown last, putting on his hood.
** During Ezio's interval, it states that he has done 90,793 hits.
* According to [http://www.4gamer.net/games/127/G012733/20111129033/ 4Gamer.net], Ezio's ''Revelations'' outfit can be worn by [http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Noel_Kreiss Noel Kreiss] in ''[[w:c:finalfantasy:Final Fantasy XIII-2|Final Fantasy XIII-2]]''.
* In [[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]], it is stated the Ezio is right-handed.
{{GalleryBox|Ezio Auditore da Firenze}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{ACII}}
{{AC2D}}
{{ACBrotherhood}}
{{ACFC}}
{{ACRevelations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Auditore, Ezio}}
Latest revision as of 01:58, 31 August 2014
Slate Vesper's Sandbox.
"Who am I? Why am I here? Why even bother waking up each morning? I don't have an answer, is it because these people need someone to protect them? Is it because they want hope? No, I know that's not it, the only reason is to take him down. The man who would try and take everything we believe and throw it all away. It's simple on how to end this, Louis must die and I'm the only person with enough balls to do it."
―A small narrative by Robert-François Damiens.
Assassin's Creed: Desperation is the first fan-fiction in the Assassin's Creed: Monarch trilogy and follows the story of Robert-François Damiens, an Assassin from the mid-eighteenth century who attempted to assassinate King Louis XV, a Templar affiliate. Described as a mentally unstable man, Robert-François thought highly of the persistence of Louis, though he harbored a certain hatred for the King. In time however, Robert-François would come to regret the chase after the French monarch, though he never revealed any names of those who had aided him on his own personal vendetta against the king.
The year was 1723, the wind whistled as it hit the windows, the dim light glowing from the lantern brightened the room just a tad. As thunder crashed against the trees and rooftops of houses, rats scurried throughout the Parisian streets and the gutters flooded with water, three men gathered at the center of a bridge that arched across the River Seine. Nobody was present nearby, inside during the that sort of weather.
"We must not let a chance like this go to waste, it's too important," one man explained, gripping onto the knife by his side.
"Are you sure this is right thing to do? What if they're right?" asked another, shaking in his boots.
"Does it matter? Let's just get the job done, Amir," replied the third.
I stared at them closely, watching their every move and wondered why they remained still. They weren't close, they weren't far apart either, and when they started to charge towards my home, I knew something wasn't right.
I burst out of the room, slamming the door behind me, before knocking on my parents' door heavily. I thought it was hopeless, but as I was turning, I heard it creak behind me. My father stood before me, and I still remember his brown beard and hair, and I could never forget his blue eyes. They shined brighter than anything I'd ever seen, it was amazing.
My father tried to calm me down, but suddenly he stopped. I wondered why, but it became clear after I heard the doorknob begin to rumble. I still remember his last words before they barged in.
"Son! Grab your mother, hide inside the closet. If you hear shouting and screams, don't come out!" He bellowed, I didn't hesitate, and I sprinted past him and shook my mother repeatedly. She eventually followed me, though she was half asleep, and we hid in the closet and kept the doors locked.
The sound of wails echoed throughout the house, but we dared not move. We remained there frozen, when all of a sudden, silence filled the air. I exited the closet to see what had happened when I found my father laying there, bleeding from the mouth, with two of the men by his side and Amir standing there with the knife.
"Where is it?!" shouted Amir, tears pouring down his cheek. He quickly ran away, smashing through the door and into the rain. My father laid there, helpless, and dead. I guess that's how this all started.
----
"How did you find yourself in this position?" asked a well-fitted man, sipping his expensive glass of fine wine.
"It's fairly simple, I've been across so many jobs, I don't know where to count. Been involved in the military, apparently I'm mentally unstable, got discharged, so I started working at the college. I was recently fired for misconduct though. Apparently, students don't like the smell of a roaring fire right next to the main building," the other responded, his rags reeking of booze and his feet as dark as mud.
"Robert-François, you're crazy, what are your motives for all these actions? Does it please you? Or are you, as most say, just deluded?" The man questioned, watching Robert closely.
"Alright, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you Giuseppe, I see shadows behind me. Everywhere I go, I do all these horrible deeds in the hopes of them stopping me, it's strange, I know," Robert told Giuseppe closely, gripping his arm.
"Even here, Robert?" Giuseppe whispered.
"Even here," Robert responded, noticing a man who clothed himself with a white garment, covering his face with a hood. Robert was quick to his feet, knocking over the stool, and the hooded man stood up straight. The mysterious figure was a tall man, with a jacket made of silk, and the shine of steel reflected from his wrist.
The steel launching from the man's wrist.
"I've had enough of your games, I see the hood every time I see the shadow! Who are you and why are you following me?!" Robert shouted in frustration. The Assassin quickly flicked his wrist, the steel of a blade launching out. His legs skipped across the table in front of him and he leaped like a cougar, placing himself on top of Robert, holding the blade to the throat of his frightened victim. The man just laughed, not only at the bartender hiding behind him but the expression on Robert's face.
"Relax, I'm not going to kill you. If I was, I would've done it by now. I guess you deserve to know, even if your friend here is aware that he won't survive with this sort of knowledge." The hooded man rose to his feet and aided Robert by helping him stand.
"I am Manfreddo Emenni, and I'm a part of the age-old Order of Assassins. I would tell you more, but this place isn't the most secure location for disclosing our secrets," Manfreddo said to Robert and Giuseppe, handing Robert a piece of paper and eventually slinking out of the pub.
"Are you seriously going to go?" Giuseppe asked, to which Robert nodded his head slowly, unsure of what had just occurred.
----
Once the sun was setting and the drunkards were beginning to emerge from their nests, Robert arrived at his destination. Recalling the events some time earlier, Robert remembered how Giuseppe decided to leave Paris, shocked from the Assassin's attack in the pub. Despite this thought in his mind, Robert opened the door quietly and peered inside, discovering it to be pitch black, and the wooden floors creaked as he entered.
It looked abandoned, though signs indicated that it wasn't; a chart in the distance being one and the dim lights as another. Cautiously, Robert entered the room, which was bright and surrounded by maps of Paris, plans and blueprints for various contraptions. There, Manfreddo stood by a door, seemingly on guard.
"The Mentor wishes to speak with you. Enter at your own risk though, nothing suggests he won't knock you out if anything goes wrong," mentioned Manfreddo, opening the door. Following this, Robert walked up the steps, where he could hear water leaking from the pipes on the ceiling, and one stray droplet bypassed his collar and snaked down his spine, setting the man on edge. He entered a small room, where the desk inside was located at the very center, and a bed resided behind it. Curious, Robert looked around, hoping to find somebody in the room, though he saw no-one.
Unknown to Robert however, "Welcome Robert, my name is Giacomo Casanova and I'm in charge of the Assassin Order in France," the man said, pushing himself down comfortably into his chair.
"There's more of you people?" Robert asked, his curiosity blooming.
"Did you think we could shape the course of Italian history from here? Or even Indian history, American history, just history in general? No, we're everywhere, though unfortunately, so are they," Giacomo responded cynically, the material of his armchair creaking as he tightened his palms around it.
"And who are they?" Robert continued.
"They are Templars, Robert. They killed your father and they will kill you too, given the chance." Giacomo answered, with a slight flash of his teeth through a curved grin, though no satisfaction showed on his face.
"So they're the bad guys?" Robert questioned, wondering how true this information was.
"Templars aren't 'bad guys' Robert. In respect, they strive for the same goals we do, but what makes them different is how they wish to bring forth those aims and what would happen once they achieve them," Giacomo told Robert.
"In that case, what do the Assassins and Templars strive for?"
"Peace, in all things. Though, as much as I'd like to discuss it, we'll need to talk again sometime tomorrow or later, as I've got business to take care of," Giacomo answered.
With his mind clouded, Robert left the building and began to ponder about all the conclusions to historic events that these two organizations may have played some part in. The assassination of Cleopatra? The fall of Cesare Borgia? The Third Crusade? Perhaps even the Renaissance? Robert wasn't sure, as only the future would bring the answers he sought.
Robert re-entered the hideout, and returned to the Mentor. He stood there, peering out the window and eventually noticed that Robert had let himself in.
"Greetings Robert, I trust everything's well?" Giacomo asked, smiling.
"I want in," Robert responded quickly, "I was up all night, thinking about what you had said and I realize that I need a purpose!"
"Everyone is here for a reason, I cannot just make you an Assassin, it requires dedication and time, even if you are an Assassin in a way, you're not a true Assassin until you die defending what you hold dear to you or unless you've done all you can do for your time," the Mentor responded.
"Then tell me what must me done, and I'll see that it's completed," Robert told the Mentor.
"I knew you'd say that, his name is Jacques Cassini, he's a Templar currently stationed in Lyons, kill him and then maybe I'll consider it," Giacomo said, sipping on his finest glass of Chardonnay. Robert gripped the handle but was stopped when he heard the fling of still hit the door.
"I didn't say you could leave, we still need to finish our discussion from yesterday," Giacomo told Robert, pointing him to a seat.
"Why do this? Why strive for peace when it's blatantly obvious that chances of peace are slim at best?" Robert asked, leaning forward.
"We need hope to get us through the days, if there's no hope, what point is there in leaving a warm bed in the morning?"
"What can you tell me about my target then, Jacques Cassini sounds familiar."
"He's a French Astronomer, though his work seems good what he intends on calling his next book isn't."
"And what is that?"
"Assassin Credo, so you must understand that this could compromise the Brotherhood, contradicting one of the Creed's three tenets."
"I know what must be done," Robert responded, pushing himself up from the chair.
"Take this, good luck," the Mentor said throwing a jewel encrusted knife on the table.
----
Robert mounted onto his horse in the midst of the night, bringing nothing but his newly given weapon. He rode off, waving the Assassins away, the moon was out, lighting the sky and also the path for Robert. It was hard to take in, the Assassins and Templars but Robert felt as though it was the right thing to do. He continued into the center of a chasm and all was sile
The Chasm.
nt. Robert stopped in his tracks, noticing the ground was shaking around him, he looked up and noticed men with large overcoats hoarding in rocks just above. Robert was about to mount back on his when suddenly a boulder comes crashing into the ground, knocking the horse down. Robert leaped onto rocks and glided by. Down came another, creating impact and blowing Robert to his knees. He got back to his feet and continued sprinting, he jumped across the large rocks crashing down to the ground and suddenly he felt an arrow strike his foot.
"They're going to kill me if I don't get out of this trench," Robert murmured to himself. He continued to charge down, a rock comes flying by, Robert leaps onto it, gripping the stone and eventually trying one leap from the rock to grasp the ledge of the cliffside hanging over the chasm. One hand managed to grip the ledge, he pulled himself up and charged through, barrages of arrows came from all directions. He sprinted into one of the men, throwing the the weight of his body against the other mans and using it to push him off the cliff. Robert's march continued to the next man, laying him to waste with a dagger to the chest. He was eventually stopped by the cliff's end, leading only to a river down below, the rest of the guards had Robert cornered. They readied their bows and quickly fired, just as the arrows were flying, Robert launched himself down the cliff and extended his arms during the "flight." He crashed down into the water, the pressure of the fall pushing him down to the bottom, he swam up and gasped for air and began to push himself back to land.
The journey was peaceful from there, before stepping into the Astronomer's manor, Robert decided to grab a drink at a Tavern not too far away.
----
Robert entered, the doors slamming against the wooden walls, the pictures flinging from their hangers from the sudden burst of air. The people there stood silent, noticing the jewel-encrusted knife in Robert's pocket, their eyes just looking at the diamonds. Robert sat himself down, leaning forward in exhaustion, he sighed heavily.
"What do you want?" Asked the barkeep, wiping a wet cloth down the bench, his breath reeking of booze.
"I need to rest, but I also need a name of a man," Robert told the barkeep, the his green eyes shining brightly, "he's an astronomer, goes by the name of Jacques Casini, perhaps you could help me?"
"Alot of people come here asking for Casini, you know what happens to them?" The barkeep asked, leaning over and quietly whispering, "they wind up dead the next morning."
"Just tell me where he is and --" Robert was soon interrupted by the sudden feel of a man's hand swiping his knife.
"You can't miss it, the grass on the lawn is filled with blood stains and its close by the burlesque house," the barkeep quickly said. Robert nodded and charged out the door, he saw the foot of the thief slide through a nearby alleyway. Robert's legs feeling a sting as he charged through the citizens, screaming as his shoulders went through their rib-cages. He turned into a dark alleyway, he saw a stair way ascending up to the rooftops. Robert hastily ran up the stairs, he found himself on the roofs, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Robert took one last step and then jumped down, crashing on top of the thief, crushing the man's spine.
"Spare me!" The man shouted in agony, his spine crackling under too much pressure. Robert snatched the knife off and held it to the man's neck.
"There's no mercy for the wicked," Robert replied, swiping his hand to the left, leaving nothing but a mark on the man's neck and the blood stain that surrounded it. Getting himself to his feet, Robert gazed at his hands, soaked with blood.
The burlesque house.
"What have I done?" He muttered to himself, he scaled the nearest building. Turning his attention across the city, scanning around for the burlesque house. He soon noticed a series of men entering a small and discrete area by a Mill close by. He noticed the moon was beginning to shine and that the drunks were beginning to wander the streets. Robert kept to the rooftops, avoiding any signs of brawls which were throughout the town between drunks and brutes. He arrived at the burlesque house and noticed across the street, the mailbox of a nearby manor was drenched in blood. Screaming could be heard, though Robert wasn't sure if it were the men getting lucky in the burlesque home or the murder of another man. Whichever answer it was, Robert wouldn't put up with it. He threw himself over the fence and gripped on whatever he could to scale the house. He crawled to a nearby window, opening it slightly so that he could hear what's inside.
"I don't care about the consequences, Roland, just get me out of this home," screamed a voice in fury.
"Why though? Are you not happy with the accommodation?" Replied the man named Roland, his voice being oddly low.
"Don't play me as a fool, I know the Assassin is coming after me, your denial is just aggravating me more!" The man proceeded to scream.
"Be reasonable Jacques, why would they attack you? You've done nothing wrong," Roland responded.
"These Assassin bastards won't stop 'till I am dead!" Jacques yelled, the sound of glass crashing against the wall was heard. Robert had heard enough, he pulled himself into the room and shut the windows.
"Assassin! Roland, help!" Jacques screamed, Roland had already fled from the room. The sound of Jacques' screams as the knife tore into his chest could be heard throughout the town of Lyon.
"Why me? I have done nothing," Jacques spat, blood spurring from his lips.
"This was my assignment, I needed your blood on my blade," Robert told him.
"You'd kill me, because someone asks you to? I hope you rot in hell Assassin," Jacques said, the sound of his heart beating stopped and all went silent.
"Reposer en paix," Robert replied, closing the eyelids of Jacques shut.
Robert had returned to Paris, his eyes fully open, reminiscing of when he was just a mere child, his father's bloodied up body laying before him. He shook the memories out of his head. Praying that these "visions" or "ghosts of his past" would fade away like every other memory. Robert now had the burden of a murder on his mind, his knife slicing through the man's neck and at first he felt nothing. Robert arrived at the Parisian Assassin's building, disguised well, looking like an average inn. He pushed open the door to Giacomo's office, the door swinging violently against the wall and back shut.
"I didn't expect to see you so soon, I would've thought you would investigate your target, no matter though, is the deed done?" The Mentor asked, smirking.
"Yes, I want to know why you would have me kill him, according to him, he was an innocent!" Robert exclaimed, leaning over and pounding his fist against the desk. The papers being blown to the ground on impact.
"I told you before, the piece of literature that could compromise the Brotherhood, a risk that is not worth taking!" Giacomo yelled, standing out of his chair.
"There has to be another answer then violence, you're holding out on me, I assumed so on the way there, and I knew so on the way back, now tell me," Robert responded, clenching his fists in case a battle were to ensue.
"Fine, there's no point in holding out the truth from you, before I continue, do you know the meaning of life?" Giacomo asked curiously, his eyes gleaming.
"No--" Robert said before Giacomo interrupted.
"You can, all we need to do, is find it," Giacomo responded.
"Find what?" Robert questioned, Giacomo sighed and shook his head.
"We don't know, but that's what I want you to find out, when you murdered Jacques, did he leave any evidence to anyone who may know?" He answered, sharpening his knife.
"Before I laid him to waste, he spoke to a man, goes by the name of Roland, any clues?" Continued Robert, thinking about possible connections.
"As a matter of fact, yes, Jacques was a close ally of Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière, the governor of New France, I'll send my spies out to try and locate this man, but before you even attempt at assassinating this man, you need to be properly outfitted and trained. Talk to Charleston, he's usually around the docks near the River Seine," replied Giacomo.
----
Robert was given some garments by Giacomo, a large white coat with a hood at the very top of it. He tied up all the knots on the black shirt he had recieved. Placing the belt with a strange insignia around his waist. He placed everything he needed on such as; the spaulder, the vambrace and even the newly acquired "wrist-blade" he had seen from his first encounter with an Assassin. He flicked his wrist and watched as the blade launched at top speed. Soon, when all the gear was ready, he was called out into the night. Before leaving he latched his cape to the spaulder, a black cape with the inner layer being red. Following the other Assassins who charged down the street trying to lose Robert. Through one alleyway, then another and soon, they found themselves on the roof. Robert catching them one-by-one until the very last remained. He was sent on a challenge to find and catch every one of these Assassins. The last Assassin leaped down into the river Seine, Robert followed. Robert continued the chase; charging through civilians, leaping over placed down crates and jumping through stalls. Once the last man had been caught, Robert was sent back to the hideout where he noticed Giacomo planning.
"Greetings Robert, I take it you're exhausted?" Asked Giacomo, grinning heavily.
"I'm good to go again, but before I do, I want you to answer something for me," Robert told the Mentor.
"I always listen to problem, I don't see why you should be different," Giacomo responded kindly.
"Before I left to put Jacques to an end, you said that they killed my father, why did they?" Robert questioned, treading carefully.
"Isn't it obvious, he was an Assassin, was being the keyword, he left before he was killed," Giacomo answered sincerely.
"Why did he quit?" Robert continued.
"You, it was because of you that he quit, he aided us in many attempts afterward but he never returned to becoming directly involved, he only supplied us with intel on our targets, a great man," Giacomo told Robert.
"Then how come he was killed? If he wasn't directly involved there's no reason why," Robert asked Giacomo.
"Exactly, we have a chance now, to strike back at Louis, the man who ordered your father's death, but Ronald stands in our way, that's why he must be stopped," Giacomo said. Robert nodded in agreement and the two began to plan. Robert began to train, his speed and agility being tested as many Assassins began to fire their arrows towards the Apprentice. The arrows came flying at Robert, he dodged many but one eventually hit, striking the arm. He didn't wait for it to recover, continuing his training, Robert began to learn proper ways of assassination; practicing on dummies. Robert leaped from one roof to another, laying his blade into one "dummy" and soon leaped down into a haybale. He noticed another dummy next to it, he quickly slithered his arm out and placed it swiftly into the back of his "false foe." Robert continued his march, climbing up the building and laying his blade into the "stomach" of the dummy, throwing it from the home and watching as it collides with the ground.
Robert was prepared and ready to depart, Charleston explaining where he was to go, a small hut on the serene country-side. Robert talked with Charleston, learning his story and how he had gotten to the position he was in. Apparently, Charleston had encountered the Templars before Assassins, discovering the plan of Jacques in the first place, rushing to Giacomo, he was impressed by how the young man survived an oncoming trail of guards which had discovered him by the tip of his toes.
"So, do you have any more family, Robert?" He asked, smiling happily.
"Well, it's a long story," Robert began to trail on.
It was around my nineteenth birthday, I was just celebrating living long enough, not a bloody care in the world. Though what did I have to care about, I had friends, a shit-load of women and more than enough money for some ale. Around my second glass, I saw a beautiful woman across the bar, and I mean stunning. Her hair, as dark as the night itself and her dress, as bright as lights. I approached her, making sure to dispatch of her friends, sending them to mine. I pulled my charm for the night. I decision I don't regret making either. I took it to her place and did "the deed." Details which I, as a gentleman, cannot disclose to anybody.
I soon discovered her stomach getting larger, I wasn't concerned at first until the mood-swings began to kick in. She was pregnant, at first I wanted to run away, but I couldn't. That child needed a father. I lasted the months, and when the time came, I was right there by her side. She died that day. Once she was gone, I couldn't keep the child, it needed a mother and a father but clearly I was not meant to be either. So I gave it to a friend in Venice, Italy. I rushed as far away as I can and didn't look back. I was struck by grief so hard that it felt like a hammer pounding at my chest repeatedly.
Around 6 months later, I returned to France and discovered my mother had been brutally beaten by an unknown man, her body? Chucked in the River to rot with all the fucking plague infested rats. Just thinking about makes my skin crawl, makes me want to lay my fist into the face of whoever's responsible.
"I'm so sorry to hear about all that Robert, but you must understand, it's not your fault," Charleston responded, patting Robert's back hard.
"I never said it was, I hope that one day I'll be able to find who's responsible and make him pay," Robert said slowly, breathing heavily on every word.
"I'll tell Giacomo this, he may be able to hunt down the person responsible for your mother's murder," Charleston replied, his face struck with grim. Robert and Charleston left the area, preparing for their next tasks.
----
Robert mounted onto his horse, to his surprise Charleston was accompanying him on the assignment. The too did not gallop, they took their time, communicating along the ride. They settled into a small villa and left the next morning. Riding through the serine countryside of Italy, Robert glared at the blood stained knife. The diamonds beginning to change color to blood red, not surprising since he had not washed it.
"It's never easy, Robert," Charleston said, "Taking the life of another is difficult, we expect it to be easy at first but then we see the flicker of terror in their eyes, a flicker of innocence and it makes us question why."
"This is different, I killed a thief so freely, it came to me naturally, like I was born to do this," Robert told Charleston, with a glimmer of fear portrayed on his face.
"I know my first kill wasn't easy, the poor sap didn't even see me coming," Charleston responded.
"Really? What happened?" Robert asked.
The night was grim, I was originally just an informant for the Assassins, didn't kill a soul and was happy. I opened the door, the lock had been ripped out of the door. I ran in as fast as I could, everything was spread on the floor; paper, books, pictures and even the shards of my grandmother's favorite vase. I looked for my beautiful wife, Bernadette, she was missing. I began to panic, I charged out the door, looking left and right repeatedly. He noticed a carriage in the distance, instinctively I charged after it. Leaping from building the building, I jumped down to the roof of the carriage, it began to sway, side to side. I felt the carriage about to tip, I place myself down to the ground. Gripping one edge of the carriage, I felt it go off two wheels, it thrusting up and down as it went over the rocks. I soon felt it become steady, my feet were gliding against the ground, my legs beginning to bleed, the sturdy ground tearing through my leggings. I manage to put myself back onto the roof of the carriage, I began to tear through the roof-entrance of the carriage, I soon felt it burst open, but it pushed me down to the ground. A large man made his way up to the top. He gives me a stern look, his face was solid as a rock.
I threw a punch, for someone of his size and stature he was swift. He gripped my fist and began to move his thumb around the knuckles, putting me down to my knees, he laid one more fist into my jaw. I quickly swept my feet, tripping him down to the ground. We fought on the ground, each inflicting some sort of pain to one another, then the carriage turned on a nearby cliff. We tumbled off, our backs striking the cliff face. I crawled to the man, I detached my blade from the bracer and held it to his neck.
"What do you want?" the man asked, grasping for any air.
"Where is she?!" I screamed, weeping.
"Gone," the man replied, grinning. Out of frustration and anger, I laid the detached blade into his chest. One stab. Two stab. Three. Four. Worst thing is, it was the best feeling I ever felt. It's been three years, I haven't found her to this day.
"You're not the only one who lost a loved one, you won't be the last either," Robert told Charleston.
"I'm sure, that's actually why I'm here, I was told she's somewhere in Rome," Charleston said.
----
The night was young, the Assassins horses trailed through the midst of the evening. The moon just shining over the monuments of Rome. Charleston and Robert settled in at a moderately small inn just on the countryside, surrounded by trees, seemingly making it invisibly to those who must not know of its whereabouts. A smash of glass on the floor was heard, Robert swiftly threw himself out of bed, he grabbed a nearby dagger sliding it gently into his pocket. He waited for the knob to begin rattling but it didn't. About to return to his slumber, a scream caught his attention.
"Charleston," he murmured to himself. He bursts through the door, charging through the corridor loudly. He crashed his elbow against the door, violently swinging it open. He saw a man, who's face was concealed by shadow. He leaped out the window, Robert followed him. The two engaged in a chase, charging through bushes and leaping over fences. The man reached back pulling out a Flintlock rifle, time for aiming was scarce so he fired. The bullet flew past Robert, the wind blowing on his ear. The man continued his sprint, eventually entering a small town. He took a step onto a small stall and leaped through a window. Robert followed, his feet gliding through the air and pounding against the wooden floors. The man, about to leap out from the window had poor timing. His knee striking the window and tripping him over the windowsill. Robert took no hesitation in leaping down from the rooftops and onto the "assassin." He held the blade firmly to the man's throat. Panting heavily.
"Please, don't kill me, I'll tell you anything!" Screamed the man, squirming.
"Who sent you?" Robert asked, trying to gain some air.
"Who do you think? He knows you come for him," the man responded.
"Where is he?" Robert continued to question, his grip on the man tightening.
"The Colosseum," the man replied, feeling the force of Robert's arm on his neck.
"Why?" Robert asked once more, frustrated.
"I don't know, now please, let me go!" The man screeched.
"You ratted out the man who employed you, how would I know you're not going to do the same for me? Rest in peace," Robert said. The man screamed as Robert slid the blade across his throat. Robert quickly rushed to the Inn, his attention diverting to Charleston.
"Are you alright, did he hurt you?" Robert asked, watching as Charleston covered his arm.
"He got me, but it won't be too bad, what happened with that man?" He asked.
"The Colosseum, I don't know what he would be doing there though, it seems like the best place to set up a trap," Robert said, gazing out the window.
"So we'll be there tomorrow?" Charleston questioned, Robert just smirked.
"Yeah, we'll be there."
The sun was rising, Charleston and Robert had put on their garments and made sure they were ready. They galloped to the Colosseum, their horses charging at full pace. The sun shined over the Colosseum, the mossy pillars became more visible and the rusty gates began to glow. Robert and Charleston entered, sneaking around pillars, in the center there was the man who they had been hunting. The governor. Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière. He held a flintlock rifle firmly, his attention was focusing on the entrances. Robert leaned over, making sure his head was still in cover.
"Look at where he's looking, only focusing forward, if I could distract him, you could climb higher and assassinate him from there," Robert whispered to Charleston. He nodded calmly. Robert emerged from hiding while Charleston began to rush up the Colosseum.
"Well, well, look at what we have here," Ronald said, laughing. The gun pointing towards Robert's heart, a precise aim if Ronald were to shoot the gun.
"What are you planning Ronald?" Robert asked, leaning forward, his blade flickering light through the steel.
"Planning? Oh, the planning stages ended around 2 years ago, after we had taken some prisoners," Ron answered with a grin on his face.
"Would these prisoners happen to be women?!" Robert asked, hearing the sound of a loose rock crumble.
"And children, but what are you planning?" Ronald continued, his head turning around more often.
"I have nothing to plan, where are these prisoners Ronald?" Robert questioned.
"Underneath the Colosseum, it's a shame though, you'll never get to see them--" Ronald said but was interrupted as the snick of blade struck his chest. Charleston had struck. Blood on his hands, Charleston charged forward, in hopes of finding an entrance that would lead underground, the only possible place where he could hide them. His feet pressing against the ground, the sound of a gunshot was heard. Charleston stopped in his tracks and smoke was seen emerging from Ronald's rifle, a smirk shown on his face. Robert quickly reacted, he extended his hidden blade and flung his arms into Ronald's face repeatedly. He quickly turned his attention towards Charleston. He knelt by his fallen friend's side.
"Rest in peace, I will find her, I promise," Robert told the corpse. He scanned around, eventually finding a small entrance which led to a cave of some sort. He discovered children in one chamber, unharmed. But as he entered the next chamber, he found one woman, sobbing as her hands were bound by chains aswell as her legs. Robert approached her slowly.
"Are you Charleston's wife?" Robert asked softly. She didn't move, her soul was... broken.
The woman had been taken back to Paris the next day, she was lifted by the Assassins of Italy and thrown into a carriage. Robert stayed with her, she was accommodated properly and left for a "medic" to examine her. Robert approached the Mentor's quarters, his knuckles pushing against the door.
"Come in," Giacomo said. Robert entered the room slowly, his eyes red and sore.
"The Governor's dead, but it wasn't just him that perished," Robert responded grimly. He lifted a feather, stained with the blood of Charleston.
"Charleston?" Giacomo questioned in disbelief.
"Shot." Robert answered, "he had let his guard down after murdering the Roland."
"What happened to Charleston's body?" Giacomo pondered.
"I gave him what he deserved, I buried him beside a tree in Rome, the wife didn't find out though, I made sure I buried him before the Italian Assassins came." Robert responded.
"Tell her."
----
Robert approached the woman's quarters but was interrupted by the Medic.
"It's not a wise decision to go into there, she's mentally unstable at this point, I've tried talking to her but she just won't listen. She kept screaming at me to bring her husband." The Medic explained.
"Her husband's dead, any idea what happened to her down there?" Robert asked curiously.
"Well, while she was knocked out due to lack of sleep, we had a good chance to examine her. Her body had been beaten repeatedly and we had found traces of semen, obviously meaning that she was violated by Roland lately. We had found signs of whipping across her back and teeth marks which had been chewed into her breasts. Presumably by the children, too small to be an adults set of teeth." The Medic told Robert.
"The amount of sick and twisted shit that people get up to, I'll try and straighten her out, just let me in," Robert told the Medic calmly.
"Alright but we'll have a clear shot through the back window if she tries anything," the Medic stated. Robert slid the door open, quickly avoiding the vase that had been thrown at him.
"Where's my husband? Are you fucking mongrels deaf?!" The woman screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Glad to see you're talking once more," Robert said calmly and sarcastically.
"You have some nerve showing that sort of attitude towards me, if I wasn't held at gunpoint behind this window I'd rip your balls off with your own dagger!" The woman continued to yell angrily.
"Listen to me very closely, your husband was murdered in action," Robert told the woman, her face seemed calm but she fell down to the floor and soon she was draped in tears.
"I need you to stay with me on this, please, I can help you find the main man responsible for the murder but I need you to co-operate with me." Robert said slowly. "What were they doing down there?"
"They were doing some sort of experiment, they had this thing in their possession. It glowed more than a million suns, I saw what would happen, it involved pain and torture, the King." The woman explained.
"Where was the King?" Robert asked the woman. She reacted quickly.
"The Palace in Versailles."
----
Robert passed the news onto Giacomo swiftly.
"We have him Robert, we finally have him!" Giacomo shouted with joy.
"Not yet I'm afraid, we don't know when, when's the next time he leaves the palace?" Robert questioned.
"Hm, if my Intel is correct, he should be leaving around January, though there is one problem, you can't just face him in the open, that'd be foolish. Contacts around the city have heard people's displeasure about the King's latest choices. If you were to sway them, they may form a crowd around the King's Palace about their displeasure." Giacomo responded with a grin on his face
"I'll get started right this instance," Robert said bravely, about to walk out.
"Before you leave, bring Theodore up here, he should be right down the steps, tell him it's urgent," Giacomo said, dismissing Robert straight afterwards. Robert told Theodore who went up there instantly. Robert sat down in a wooden chair and rested his arm on the table. The "meeting" continued for over an hour, curious as to what was happening, Robert went up the steps and pressed his ear up against the door.
"He's too dangerous to keep, Theodore, remember what happened to the last person like him? He was on the verge of exposing the order, so we had to stop him!" Giacomo yelled angrily.
"But he's done so much good for us, we can't just cut him off, just like that. It would be too suspicious!" Theodore responded hastily.
"Are you undermining my decision? I know what I'm doing Theodore, I promise. Now leave." Giacomo told the man. Robert charged down the steps and sat down once more. Watching as Theodore stomped down the steps and resumed his post, his eyes just gazing at Robert.
Having rounded up the people, the storming to Versailles had begun. Robert marched down with them and a riot ensued. The crowd chanted and eventually more people were swept in. Robert knew it was time to strike. With a flick of his wrist, the blade came spring fourth. The crowd had heard the sound of the blade and quickly moved out of the way, leaving a straight passage to the king. Louis watched as in the blink of an eye, the Assassin's blade struck his chest. But not enough to finish the deed. Robert quickly drew his blade for another attack but the guards had seized around him.
Five guards surrounded him, one went in for the first strike, he clutched the man's wrist and flung him in the way of another man's pistol. He kicked the dead body forward into the gunner and quickly charged. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sword, he swung it swiftly into the man's side, watching the man collapse solemnly. Before he could swing himself to face his other opponents, a gunshot was heard. The body of Robert smacked onto the ground, not dead, but unconscious.
Robert awoke to the sight of Louis in an enclosed dark room, just watching him as he felt the blood spew from his shoulder.
"Why have you done this, Robert?" Louis asked calmly.
"Why did you do it, Louis? Kill my father? I trusted you and yet you lied to me about something as big as that!" Robert exclaimed ferociously.
"I had to do it, he was plotting something big against France alongside the other Assassins, I'll free you Robert, but I need some answers of my own," Louis responded, kneeling in front of Robert who was trying to force his hands out of steel handcuffs.
"Why should I trust you, you've given me every reason not to?" Robert asked, trying to put his chin on his shoulder, in hopes of covering the blood.
"Because your life is currently resting in my hands, do you not understand? All I need is the name and place of the Assassin Brotherhood," Louis questioned, he remained calm.
"I'm not giving you the name of any Assassin, they had the balls to tell me the truth about you," Robert said in return.
"They betrayed you boy, you know why your concealed dagger didn't work? Because they warned me you were coming, I wore extra layers," Louis told Robert.
"I don't believe you," Robert spat.
"If that's how it is, then I'm sorry Robert, I'll alert the guards to prepare for your execution," Louis told Robert.
----
Robert was dragged down onto a platform, Louis stood behind a podium and watched as four man began to tie ropes to Robert's legs.
"Thy Father, forgive me for I have sinned," said Robert as the ropes began to be pulled. Robert screamed in agony as he could feel the ropes pulling his limbs apart.
"Get Sanson, it's obvious his limbs aren't being dismembered by these ropes," Louis said. It was awhile before a man entered the room, a familiar face to Robert as he pulled his neck up.
"Theodore?" He asked as the man knelt down beside Robert and whispered.
"You've been betrayed, Louis was telling the truth and nothing more can be done," Sanson replied as he reached for his axe and completed his task. The people pushed themselves back in awe and all was silent. A man who believed he was helping the people of France was executed that day, and in the end, he stuck to what he believed was right. But was it worth it?
----
"We had the courage to watch the dreadful sight for four hours ... Damien was a fanatic, who, with the idea of doing a good work and obtaining a heavenly reward, had tried to assassinate Louis XV; and though the attempt was a failure, and he only gave the king a slight wound, he was torn to pieces as if his crime had been consummated. ... I was several times obliged to turn away my face and to stop my ears as I heard his piercing shrieks, half of his body having been torn from him, but the Lambertini and Mme XXX did not budge an inch. Was it because their hearts were hardened? They told me, and I pretended to believe them, that their horror at the wretch's wickedness prevented them feeling that compassion which his unheard-of torments should have excited."
