Assassin's Creed: Renaissance

Chapter 46

It was Midsummer's Day in 1487 AD.Ezio could hardly believe it: he was approaching his 28th birthday.Now he was standing on the Fighter's Bridge, leaning against the railing, looking gloomily at the murky water in the canal below.As he watched, a mouse appeared in the water, swimming toward the hole in the bank with a cabbage leaf stolen from a nearby vegetable stand in its beak.

"Here you are, Ezio!" came the cheerful voice, and before he could turn around to say hello, he smelled the musky scent of Rosa. "Long time no see! I almost thought you were avoiding me on purpose!"

"I've been...very busy recently."

"Of course. What would you do without Venice!"

Ezio shook his head sadly, while Rosa leaned comfortably on the railing beside him.

"Why the stern face, handsome man?" she asked.

Ezio looked at her blankly and shrugged. "happy Birthday to me."

"It's your birthday today? Seriously? Wow! Congratulations! This is so sweet!"

"I don't think so," Ezio sighed. "Ten years have passed since I saw my father and brother die. I also spent ten years hunting down the killers, hunting down my father's list." and those I added later. I know the work is nearing completion—but I still don't understand what it's all about."

"Ezio, you have spent your whole life working towards a great cause. It makes you lonely and withdrawn, but in a sense, it is your vocation. Although the means by which you achieve your goal is by killing, you have never Killed people who didn't deserve to die. Venice has become a lot better than it used to be, and it's all because of you. So be happy. Anyway, since it's your birthday today, I have a gift for you. Looks like my Perfect timing!" She pulled out a fairly formal-looking journal.

"Thank you, Rosa. I didn't expect you to give me such a birthday present. What is this?"

"Just something I happened to get.... Here's the shipping log from the arsenal. It's also listed on your black sailboat that sailed to Cyprus last year..."

"Are you serious?" Ezio reached for it, but Rosa deliberately put the journal back. "Give it to me, Rosa. Don't play tricks."

"If you want to get something, you have to pay the price..." she said softly.

"Okay, you have the final say."

He embraced her tenderly and long.Her body limply leaned against him, and he took the opportunity to snatch the diary away quickly.

"Hey! That's not fair!" she laughed. "But I'll save you some time. Your sailboat is due to return to Venice—tomorrow!"

"I'm curious, what's on their boat?"

"I think the man in front of me will find out soon, don't you?"

Ezio smiled. "Let's celebrate first!"

Just then, a familiar figure hurried over.

"Leonardo!" Ezio was taken aback, "I thought you were in Milan!"

"I just came back," Leonardo replied, "and they say I can find you here. Hello, Rosa. Sorry, Ezio, but we really need to talk."

"Now? Can't wait a moment?"

"Feel sorry."

Rosa smiled. "Go boys, have fun, I'll be right here!"

Leonardo pulled a reluctant Ezio aside.

"Better be a good thing," Ezio muttered.

"Oh, it's really a good thing." Leonardo comforted him.He led Ezio through several alleys, and finally returned to his workshop.Leonardo made a hasty round, brought some wine and stale cakes, and a stack of papers, which he threw the last onto a wide trestle table in the center of the desk.

"I sent the pages of your ancient book to Monteriggioni as agreed, but I couldn't resist doing some research myself and documenting my findings. I don't know why I didn't discover these connections earlier, but When I put the pages together, I realized that the marks, symbols, and ancient letters on them could be deciphered. This is indeed a significant discovery—it means that the pages are connected!" He himself broke off the story. "It's over warm! Mind you, I'm used to San Colombano, and Veneto is like mosquito piss."

"Go on," Ezio said patiently.

"Listen to this." Leonardo took out a pair of glasses and put them on the bridge of his nose. He flipped through the documents and said, "The prophet... will be... when the second fragment is brought to the floating city... show up..."

At those words, Ezio drew a sharp breath. "Prophet?" he repeated: "'Only a Prophet can open...' 'Two Pieces of Eden...'"

"Ezio?" Leonardo took off his glasses, showing an inquiring expression, "What are you talking about? Did you think of something?"

Ezio looked at him.He seemed to have made up his mind. "We've known each other for a long time, Leonardo. If I can't trust you, there's nobody I can trust...Listen! My uncle Mario mentioned it a long time ago. He and my father Giovanni both Deciphered some of the pages of this ancient tome. There is a prophecy hidden in it, a prophecy about some secret ancient tomb where something is hidden—something of great power!"

"Really? This is amazing!" But then Leonardo thought of something, "Look, Ezio, if we can all discover these secrets in the ancient books, how much do the people you solved know?" What? Maybe they also know about the existence of the tomb you mentioned. If that's the case, it's not very good."

"Wait!" Ezio thought, "What if that's why they sent that galleon to Cyprus? To find that 'Piece of Eden'! And bring it back to Venice!"

"'When the second fragment was brought to the floating city' - that's right!"

"I remember! 'The Prophet will appear...''...Only the Prophet can open the tomb!'...God, Leon, my uncle told me about this ancient book, but I I was too young and conceited to think it was just an old man's fantasy. But now I see! The murder of Giovanni Mocenigo, the death of my loved ones, the escape of Duke Lorenzo, and The tragic death of his brother - it was all part of his plan - to find the grave - and his name is at the top of my list! The one I haven't been able to cross out - 'Spanish'! "

Leonardo took a deep breath.He knew who Ezio was talking about. "Rodrigo Borgia." His voice was almost a whisper.

"It's him!" Ezio paused. "The sailboat will be back tomorrow. I intend to welcome them."

Leonardo hugged him. "Good luck, my dear friend," he said.

In the early morning of the next day, Ezio put on the ancient weapon and put on the bag containing the throwing knife, stood in the shadow of the colonnade near the pier, and carefully looked at the group of people: they were wearing plain uniforms to avoid attracting attention, only the Both have the coat of arms of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia.Those people were carrying a small, ordinary-looking crate, and they were walking off the black sailboat that had just returned from Cyprus.They all wore lambskin gloves as they carried the box, and one of them, under surveillance, carried the box on his shoulder and was about to leave.But then Ezio noticed that several other soldiers were also carrying similar boxes on their shoulders, five of them in total.Could it be that all five boxes contained some kind of precious relic, such as the second "Piece of Eden", or were four of the boxes just bait?And the soldiers were almost identical in appearance, at least from the distance where Ezio was.

Just as Ezio was about to leave the shadows and follow behind, he noticed another figure watching them from a similar hiding place.He suppressed a cry of surprise: he recognized the man as his uncle Mario Auditore.But he didn't have time to say hello, because the Borgia soldiers with the boxes had already set off, escorted by others.Ezio followed, keeping a safe distance throughout.There was just one question that kept bothering him: was that man really his uncle?If so, why did he come to Venice, and why at this time?
He was forced to let go of these thoughts, and followed the Borgia soldiers, trying to keep the soldier carrying the original box within his sight—if only the "Piece of Eden" was really hidden in it up.

The soldiers came to a square, and there were five ways to leave the square ahead.Each soldier carrying the box was escorted to a different path.Ezio climbed up to the nearby building, watching their route from the roof.With keen eyes, he saw that one of the soldiers had left the escort, turned into the courtyard of a brick house, put the crate on the ground, and opened it.A sergeant quickly followed.Ezio jumped onto a nearby rooftop, and listened carefully to their conversation.

"The Grand Commander is waiting," said the sergeant, "pack carefully. Hurry up!"

Ezio watched as the soldier took out something wrapped in straw from the box and put it into a teak box brought by a servant in the house.He said "big group leader"!In Ezio's experience, the Templar minions could only have referred to one person when they mentioned this title - Rodrigo Borgia!They are apparently changing the containers for the real holy relics, further deceiving people.But now, Ezio knew whom to target.

He returned to the ground and stopped the soldier carrying the teak box.The sergeant had returned to the escort and was waiting outside the courtyard.Ezio had ample time to slit the soldier's throat, dragged the body to cover, and donned his uniform, cloak, and helmet.

When he was about to pick up the box, he couldn't help but want to see what was inside, so he lifted the lid.But at this moment, the sergeant appeared at the gate of the courtyard again.

"hurry up!"

"Obey sir!" Ezio said.

"Damn it, brace yourself. This is probably the most important thing you'll ever do. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Ezio returned to the center of the escort, walking with the rest of the soldiers.

They passed through the northern part of the city, from the Molo district to the San Giovanni and Paolo Cathedral Square. The latest work of Master Verrocchio, the equestrian statue of the mercenary captain Corioni stands in the center of the square.They turned north and finally came to a house overlooking a canal.The house is located on the terrace, and its appearance is very inconspicuous.The sergeant knocked on the door with the source of his sword hilt, and it opened instantly.The group of soldiers let Ezio in first, followed behind, and closed the door, before inserting the heavy latch.

Ahead of them was an ivy-covered loggia, and there sat a hook-nosed man of fifty-seven, dressed in a gray-purple velvet gown.The soldiers saluted.While doing so, Ezio avoided those icy blue eyes so familiar to him.It's "Spanish"!
Rodrigo Borgia to the sergeant. "Is it really in the box? You're not being followed?"

"No, sir. Everything is going well..."

"continue!"

The sergeant cleared his throat. "We did exactly what you ordered. The mission to Cyprus was much more difficult than we expected. At the beginning... there were some troubles. In order to succeed, we had to abandon some... followers. But we have returned with the relic, and brought it to you in the most discreet manner, as you directed, my lord. According to our agreement, my lord, we look forward to your generous reward."

Ezio knew that he could not allow the teak box and its contents to fall into the hands of the Cardinal.But like many rich people, the cardinal was a bit reluctant when it came time to fork out money.Ezio seized this opportunity, and unleashed the Poison Blade on his right arm and the double-edged dagger on his left arm, stabbing the sergeant's exposed neck lightly, but enough to send the deadly venom into his veins.Ezio quickly turned around, facing the five soldiers in charge of guarding, with a sharp dagger in one hand and a poisonous blade in the other, he made deadly blows again and again with quick and precise movements.Moments later, all the guards fell at his feet.

Rodrigo Borgia stared at him and let out a long breath. "Ezio Auditore. Very good, very good. Long time no see." The cardinal still seemed composed.

"My lord the Cardinal." Ezio bowed sarcastically.

"Give it to me." Rodrigo pointed to the box.

"Tell me where he is first."

"What him?"

"Your prophet!" Ezio glanced around. "Looks like no one will come." He paused, and then said in a serious tone, "How many people died for it? Just for that." What's in the box! Look! There's no one here!"

Rodrigo laughed softly.The sound was like the rattling of bones. "You claim you don't believe in prophecy," he said, "and yet you're here. Don't you see the Prophet? He's already here! I am the Prophet!"

Ezio's eyes widened.This man is crazy!But how grotesquely insane is this, as if to triumph over reason and the laws of life itself?Unfortunately, Ezio's contemplation gave the enemy an advantage.The Spaniard drew from his robes a light but sharp long sword with a pommel in the shape of a cat's head, jumped up, and pointed the point at Ezio's throat. "Give me the apple!" he yelled.

"This box contains just an apple? Then it must be quite special," Ezio said.Then his uncle's voice echoed in his head again: Piece of Eden. "Come here and get it yourself!"

Rodrigo slashed at Ezio with the sword, splitting his tunic with the first blow and bleeding the blade.

"Did you come alone, Ezio? Where are your Assassin friends?"

"I can deal with you without their help!"

Ezio hacked and thrust with his two daggers, and parried Rodrigo's blows with the bracer on his left arm.Though his Baneblade missed, his double-bladed dagger pierced the cardinal's velvet robes, staining the tip with blood.

"You little bastard," Rodrigo yelled, "I seem to need help to subdue you! Guards! Guards!"

Suddenly, a group of soldiers with the Borgia coat of arms on their coats rushed into the courtyard and surrounded Ezio and the Cardinal who were confronting each other.Ezio knew that there was not much venom left in the Baneblade.He fell back to fend off Rodrigo's reinforcements when a soldier stooped, picked up the teak box, and handed it to his master.

"Thank you, warrior!"

Despite the number of enemies, Ezio fought calmly and rationally, as he was determined to get back the box and its contents.He put away the two ancient weapons, reached for his throwing knife belt, and threw with deadly precision, first knocking down the "warrior", and with the second throwing knife, Rodrigo's rough The box held in both hands.

The Spaniard stooped, picked up the box, and turned to run, when—whoosh! —another throwing knife sliced ​​through the air, clanging and hitting the stone pillar inches from Rodrigo's face.But the throwing knife was not thrown by Ezio.

Ezio turned sharply to see a familiar figure with a beard standing behind him, smiling.He seemed to be older, his hair was graying, and he had put on weight, but he was as athletic as ever. "Uncle Mario!" he exclaimed, "I knew it was you I saw!"

"I can't leave all the fun to you," Mario said. "Don't worry, my nephew. You're not alone!"

(End of this chapter)