User blog:Fangoffenrir/Assassins Creed: Creature of the Night.

introduction

My name Is John Ledra. I am a lycan-Vampire hybrid. I was born in a human village in Italy in 1433 and I am only 19 years old physically. I only know that my parents were a lycan and a vampire. My dark brown hair and yellow eyes hide beneath them a dark animal of the night. I never knew my father or my mother. I know that the vampires have some of the secrets of my past. So I fight for the Ordoghaz Coven, killing the Lycans swiftly and brutally. In my eyes, I am a Death Dealer. To Italy, I am an Assassin.

Chapter 1: another day in the life

May fifth, 1485. Dawn penetrated the window of my little place in Florence. It wasn’t bad, but I rarely stayed in one place for long. My face, or at least my human face, was all over the city. Many people have offered me shelter from the goodness of their hearts, and even offered me food before I had to leave. I always refused. I can’t eat human foods, so I have to feed on the blood of Humans or lycans in order to survive. I finally got out of my bed and got dressed for the day. My outfit consisted of an ornate robe left open to expose my clothing. It was worn over a black as the night. It helped me blend in with the darkness. It had a black vest with a white shirt beneath and black trousers with boots and black leather greaves and black leather bracers on my forearms. I carried a bag full of silver coins in hopes of forging new weapons. I got dressed, grabbed my bag of silver, and ran downstairs to say goodbye to the human family that kept me safe for the night. The wife gave me a quick hug and sent me on my way. Again, the guards here were always after me. This is why I resolved to leave Florence. I thought back to a previous offer of sanctuary. The night before, I was on the run from the guards who saw me kill a lycan in their human state. They thought I was an assassin and chased me. On the rooftops, I chanced by a true, self-trained assassin by the name of Ezio Auditore. He said I could always stay with him in his family villa. I resolved for the Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni. First, I had to get to a horse and carriage. After wandering past the blacksmith, I found one. I paid the man 200 florins to get me there and keep quiet about getting me there. It was late in the night when I finally arrived. There weren’t many people there, a comforting sight to someone like me. I stepped out of the carriage with my bag of silver in tow. I walked toward the Villa. It was a quiet little town. I knew the Villa was the largest building in the town. When I saw it, I was greeted by a man in a black hood and very light armor.

“Messer John Ledra? Glad you took up my offer.” He said. I knew this was the Assassin I had met the night before. His voice was cocky as he said this. “What’s in the bag?”

“Just some Silver. I need some weapons to deal with my targets and only the best will do.” I said. I wasn’t sure if I could tell him what I was or what I do. We met once and he offered me a place to stay. My dress was sometimes off-putting, but compared to what Ezio was wearing, my robes were totally normal. “I decided I’d like a more permanent residence. Formal training in assassinations would be a plus and of course to have something built.” At this point, I pulled out three scrolls with weapon sketches drawn up by Lucian when he was the coven’s weapon smith. Ezio took the scrolls and looked over them. He rolled them back up and gave them to me.

“These call do for silver and a lot of it. As for building these, we should wait until tomorrow.” He said. Ezio had a calm demeanor rare for someone who’s seen the difficulty of Lucians weapon designs. “Come. Let me give you the tour.” He led me into the main hall. We turned left and walked towards the armory. When we walked in, there was all the armor and weapons he had collected over the years. Odds are, the armor could fit me. “This is the armory. Here, you can take any armor you’d like before we leave for Venezia. I have a friend there who can build these weapons for you.” We kept walking until we reached an art gallery and then on to the bedrooms. He found an empty room and decided I should take it. “I had Mario set it up. This is your room. Tomorrow we head to Venice, so sleep well and visit the armory in the morning before we head out.” Ezio was kind in this respect. I put my silver bag by the door on the inside and got into the room. My assignments, it’s worth noting, come from Victor for the time being. His only condition is that I keep him updated on my progress. I took out a piece of paper and a quill. I sat at the desk that was there and started writing. Thankfully, he thought I was just another vampire. I wrote on about how I was staying in Monteriggioni and how I would soon be better equipped to hunt down the Lycans here and of course, in the tradition of the ancient assassins, I enclosed a feather coated in their blood. I ended my writing and proceeded to sleep after sending the letter off with a pigeon to Hungary. Lycans never sleep and Vampires do so during the day, but I sleep like any normal human. I went to the bed, closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.

When I woke up the next day, I found a belt next to my robe just like what Ezio wore. I put it on once I got dressed and made my way to the armory. I saw a strong metal armor with fancy designs as part of the metal. I put that on and looked over the weapons. I saw several swords and I decided to take the scimitar. I had a passion for unusual weapons. I had it in a sling attached to the Assassin belt I now wore. The bracers, greaves, chest guard and shoulder guards fit like a glove and thank god they were held on by strings of fabric that could stretch as I turn and my wings would create holes in the back that could be shaven down on a repair job. Or sliced clean by my wings. Ezio came down and caught me. “Ready to leave?” he asked. I nodded and we walked around trying to get out of the villa. When we just got outside the villa, a man ran up holding a letter. He gave it to me and ran off. I opened it and saw it was from Viktor. I could tell from his seal on it in blood red wax. I remember the words perfectly and I must say that Viktor’s handwriting is downright awful.

Messer John Ledra, I have reason to believe Venice will bring you more than just some new weapons. Two Death Dealers were murdered by a group of Lycan bastardi the night before. Be mindful of the night, my friend. And move quickly. There are also rumors that Lucian may be in Venice. His death will bring the war to a swift end. -Viktor. Now, I had to get to Venice and get my weapons. If I can find Lucian, I can make my case to leave the coven and try to live a normal existence. I started running towards the carriage. Ezio followed suit and managed to keep up. We left the gates and got to the carriage. I loaded my bag of silver and the weapon scrolls inside and took seat with Ezio at the reins. “In a hurry?”

“I’ll explain when we meet this friend of yours. We should get going.” With that remark, Ezio started the horses and we made our way to Venice. The ride was uneventful. I could have flown there myself, but the silver was heavy. Nearly halfway into our journey, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. Lycans, but not of Lucians breed. These were feral first-generation lycans, never able to take human form again. They were gaining from behind. I had to take great care to keep Ezio in the dark until I could explain. I told him to drive from the inside. I stayed up top and shifted into my hybrid form. My fingernails lengthened and sharpened into Lycan’s claws and my teeth sharpened as my face elongated into a muzzle much like a first generation lycan. My ears became like those of the lycans chasing the carriage, but slightly larger and more bat-like. Fur covered my body and I grew a good three-foot long wolven tail and out of my shoulders bat like wings cut holes in the back of my armor to grow in unobstructed. Thankfully, the excess metal was cut away. My feet elongated to allow a more lupine stance, shredding my boots in the process but leaving the greaves intact. The change took about one minute. Two Lycans were coming around the carriage. They both leapt on the top. I tripped one up with my legs and impaled its head with my wings. It shifted back to human form (first generations only did this when they died) and I let it fall off. The other one jumped at me, so I quickly took out the scimitar and sliced at its neck, sending the head farther than the body. I heard two more coming around. They both leapt up at the same time. I stabbed my scimitar into one’s head and grabbed the other and snapped its neck. Both died and became humans once more. I never did get that scimitar back, not that I regret it. I saw we were almost in Venice. I shifted back to human form and jumped back inside with Ezio. "What happened up there?” he asked.

“Bandits. Got pretty ugly.” I answered. The headless one was still hanging off the side. Ezio noticed it. I quickly shoved it off. But he still saw it.

“Naked bandits?” he asked. “what is Italy coming to?” Thankfully, we were just about there. I grabbed my bag and replaced my boots. I took the scrolls in hand and walked out. Venice was quite a contrast to Monteriggioni. It was crowded and difficult to get around in. I had Ezio handle Lucian’s scrolls and my bag of silver coins. We walked for ten minutes before someone followed us. He was playing a lute and would not leave us alone. Under most circumstances, I would have bitten him and let both the Vampirism and Lycanthropy viruses work against each other, killing him. However, I did not want this guy’s memories. Ezio threw out a handful of florins and the loot player went running. “I always carry a lot of florins with me just in case.” He explained. We walked further on, until we reached a building with what looked like a pair of wings on the roof. I had heard rumors of something like this even in Florence. This friend was clearly a brilliant inventor. He would be able to build these weapons, but the scrolls contained accounts of Lucians life as the covens weapons crafter. I suppose Ezio would have found out sooner or later. He knocked on the door three times. “Leonardo! Leonardo!” he shouted. The door opened and a man in blue and a red hat and cape stepped out.

“Ezio? So good to see you, my friend.” said the unnamed man.

“Leonardo da Vinci, I’d like for you to meet john Ledra.” Ezio said. “He seems to be very gifted, perhaps even an assassin order hopeful.”

“Actually,” I said “I have to explain that. But first, you should look at these.” I took out the scrolls that Lucian had written 88 years ago. Leonardo motioned for us to come inside. He had a metal forge and many drawings and paintings. Ezio laid my bag of silver on his table next to the scrolls. Leonardo took them up. He noticed some things automatically.

“This is not of the codex. It’s not even encrypted.” He said. He read through it quickly. “So this was written by a weapons crafter? But why is he so oppressed by…” he read the line again just to be sure “vampires?” He looked shocked. He picked up the weapon designs. “Finally something easy. It’s just a sword version of the hidden blade, but it seems to be mounted ABOVE the hand. Lucian seems quite clear on the use of silver.” Leonardo got right to work he molded the parts from the molten silver coins from my bag.. Building the weapon was quick and the bracers were finished and he gave them to me. I put them on quickly, put on my gloves and put the rings on my thumbs. The bracers had an ornate silver plate covering the mechanism perfectly. Leonardo approached me. “hold your thumb against your palm.” He told me. I did as he asked and the blade extended fast, catching Ezio off guard. It was collapsible, but the sides and tip were very sharp. The blade itself was about 18 inches in length and 1.2 inches in width. Moved my thumb to it’s normal position and the blade went back in. “Lucian calls it the Dead Man’s hand. I just call it a hidden sword. Now as for this war that Lucian mentioned in his writings, I believe you should tell me.” Under the decision that there was no way around it, I decided to explain what I learned from Viktor’s writings to me. Since I was born outside the halls of the Ordoghaz coven (the reason I’m still alive) I knew only scattered details.

Chapter 2: An answer for the order

“I was born here in Italy, but here’s what I know. In the year 502, three children were born to a Hungarian warlord named Alexander Corvinus. One bitten by bat to become the first vampire, and one bitten by wolf to become the first werewolf, and a third doomed to mortality as a human. While William, the werewolf, laid waste to the humans, the vampire, Marcus, took two humans to become vampire elders, rulers of the coven he and Viktor created. William was imprisoned and it was decided that only one elder should rule the coven. One rules for a century the other two lay in sleep until the century is over and the next is awakened while the old ruler is asleep. First, Viktor ruled. In 1300, Marcus took the thrown. Now the coven is ruled by Viktor after Amelia left. In 1202, Lucian was born. He was the first werewolf to be able to take human form, but he would not be the last. Viktor used Lucian’s infectious blood to create a new breed. Werewolves, but at the same time human. They were called Lycans, and they were Viktor’s slaves. In 1432, Lucian led a massive uprising against the vampires and he and his forces escaped. A good deal of Lucians men are here in Italy. That’s why I’m here. I work for Viktor, killing lycans. My advantage is that I can move through the daylight while Viktor and the death dealers cannot.” Leonardo was noticeably confused. Ezio had one question in the back of his mind that he had to ask.

“So, you are a vampire?” he asked.

To answer his question, I shifted to my altered form. My face pushed out into a lupine muzzle and my feet elongating, forcing a more animalistic posture. My claws tore through my gloves and fur covered my body. My ears became slightly larger and more bat-like. My wings and tail grew in and were both covered by grey fur. I opened my eyes seeing the room around me. I think now is a good time to point out that unlike the lycans, I can speak in my altered form, but my voice is more animalistic, although it can still be understood.

“Not exactly.” I said. “I am the child of a lycan and a vampire. The fact that I feed on lycans blood points to my more lupine features. Their blood also gives me their memories. And I can find them easier under a full moon.”

Ezio stayed firm. “What about the letter you received?” the assassin asked.

“Orders from Viktor. He thinks I am just another vampire of a different coven. He said to be on the lookout as he thinks Lucian is in Venice. If I can take him down, I can end this war and maybe find out the secrets of my past.” Ezio was confused, but Leonardo followed perfectly. “I f you wish to assist me, you’ll need silver weapons.” Ezio took out his sword and his hidden blades. He handed them to Leonardo. He dipped the sword in the molten silver and it cured to the surface. He forged a new dagger and many throwing knives and built silver hidden blades and even silver rounds for Ezios hidden gun. The whole process went on until the night. Ezio and I took to the rooftops. Lycans were typically clad in dark leather. I caught the scent of one of them. The full moon illuminated the Venetian streets and I could see more clearly. Nobody save for the guards were out at night. I flapped my mighty wings and took off into the sky. Ezio followed from the rooftops as best he could. Ezio seemed to see my target as well. He readied his hidden gun and aimed for the lycans ankle. He fell to the ground and I landed near to him. “I would have expected more from one who killed two death dealers.” The lycan on the ground stood speechless. I took him by the collar of his shirt in my right hand, held him up and readied the hidden sword on my left arm. He was panicking now. As the guards were coming in, Ezio took them out one by one with his throwing knives. “Viktor has reason to believe Lucian is in Venice. Where is he?” I asked as I held the blade to his throat.

“Why should I tell you?” he asked. This was hilarious. This guy was either very brave or very stupid. I was going to guess the latter.

“If you won’t tell me,” I said as I readied myself to drain his blood, “your memories will.” I sank my teeth into his neck and drank of his blood. A flood of images penetrated my mind. I saw this lycan standing with Lucian and someone I believed to be a female lycan. He said he would retreat farther north, as the nights were longer and that gave him peace. The unnamed lycan mentioned the death dealer in Italy who had killed off most of the lycans in Florence. Lucian dismissed it and left. I came back to reality. The lycan had given me all the information I needed. I shove my hidden sword through him and quickly retracted it. I took the body to the canal with Ezio following me. I dumped it and it sank to the bottom. I shifted back to my human form and wiped the blood from my mouth. Ezio looked at what I had done with disapproval.

“What about a little respect for the dead?” I am aware such practices were common in his order, but death dealers did not practice such things when dealing with lycans. But I snarled at him, causing the Assassin to back up a bit.

“Respect?” I growled, “What respect would HE have shown ME? He is and inhuman monster!”

“And so are you!” Ezio shouted. “But you can be better than them.” He muttered something in italian and ended his little eulogy with the phrase “Requiescat in pace”.

“We should go. I have to alert Viktor. He’ll want to know what I got from that lycan.” Ezio nodded and followed me. I caught the scent of another lycan, but it was constantly moving and I couldn’t track it. Ezio had the scent of lycans blood coming from his sword and his blades. Those guards must have been lycans.No wonder the death dealers didn’t see them. They were integrated into Venetian society. If not for my senses, this would be impossible. We returned to Leonardo’s place to say our goodbyes. Ezio got himself a ship back to Monteriggioni and I followed him on the ship. We returned to the villa. I got back to my desk in my room and began to write off another status update. Viktor, I have allied myself with the Assassin Order and already have made descent progress. Five lycans died last night in Venice and it will soon be cleansed as I did with Florence. However, I could not find Lucian. Before death, one lycan mentioned that he fled to the north with what he thought was a female lycan. If you have any information on that, send it to me so I may make a better informed decision -John Ledra

Hopefully, Viktor would relay something to me. But, I’m pretty sure he’s been keeping me in the dark. I never knew my mother or my father. I didn’t know which one was a vampire and which one a lycan. It all seemed irrelevant, but it kept me from sleep that night. I had to do something to counteract the boredom. I only had one pair of boots left. And one thing I hated was having to change my boots every time I shifted into my altered form. I took my last pair down to a taylor that was still open. I told him I wanted the front and sides to be able to open and close. He took my boots and said to see him in the morning. I walked on through the city still in my human form. I felt a very dark presence in the city. Near the gate, I saw a man in black armor atop a horse. The helmet was very ornate and looked just like a skull. He dismounted his horse and removed his helmet By his blue eyes, I could tell he was a vampire, but I couldn’t tell if he had a high position. His hair was grey, so maybe he was an elder. He approached me on the streets. “Messer Ledra?” he asked. His accent was thick and pretentious. Definitely in a position of power. Was this…?

“Viktor?” I asked him. He nodded. I could tell he thought this place was not very crowded and easy to stay concealed in. I used this to my advantage on my moonlit flights in my altered form.

“So, this is Monteriggioni? How quaint. You said Lucian was not in Venice?” He walked toward the villa and I followed.

“I found a lycan in venice that was close to Lucian. Thrasos, I think his name was. He said that Lucian and some lycan female were going up north.” If you’ve been paying attention, I actually got that from the lycans blood memories. But any vampire who tried would have died as no human would have survived a bite from both species. And only one vampire had ever fed from a lycan, but they died. I couldn’t tell viktor any of this. I knew of his hatred of the very idea of the bloodlines mixing from the Lycans’ blood memories. “I think there’s something your not telling me.”

“I have told all I feel is necessary. All you have to do is kill.” Viktor stood there still. We stopped when we reached the training circle.

“How long are you staying here in italy?” I asked. He packed light, So my guess was that he was staying somewhere close by. He usually travels light as most vampires do.

“About two weeks. I’ve been looking forward to seeing your actions myself.” Oh crap. I got all my info from blood memories, but mostly my interrogations succeeded. “Bear in mind, Lucian sometimes deceives his men in case they are interrogated. We’ll be on the lookout for him and his mate.” Whenever he mentions Lucian or his mate, his voice takes on a tone of disgust. Does his hatred for the lycans run that deep? I never dared ask him this to his face. He always thought of everything, so I didn’t ask how he planned to stay out of the light. I decided to leave the elder to his own devices. I quickly ran to the tailor, and my boots were ready. I saw that they had straps on the sides and front that would release when I shifted into my altered form and could be tightened when I shifted back to my human form. As glad as I was to save money on boots, it was still overshadowed by Viktor’s presence. Stealth is my strong suit, but I needed a pair off hidden blades beneath my swords. Fortunately, Ezio had two pairs of silver hidden blades made. I ran inside the villa to attach them. Once I found them, I slid them beneath the my palms and put the trigger rings on my pinkies. The straps of the bracers held them in place. I tested them by moving my hands to expose the palms. The blades triggered. I moved my hands back to their normal positions and the blades retracted. I walked to the codex wall and found that one page that listed different assassination techniques. I resolved to practice these in the morning. I still had to pass a few hours before sunrise. To do this, I decided to go off to the walls around the town. I left the villa with my new blades.