Assassin's Creed: Renaissance

Chapter 50

The man who hadn't spoken yet raised a hand. "Exactly. Lodovico..."

"—and Checo," said the other, "at your disposal!" He laughed dryly.

"Bastard!" Katerina yelled. "I've heard enough! Where are my children? Let them go!"

Lodovico bowed ironically in the saddle. "Of course, ma'am. In exchange, we would like something from you. Rather, it belonged to your late unfortunate husband. It was research he had done for... some of our friends." His tone Suddenly became firm, "I mean a certain map!"

"And a certain apple," Checo added. "Oh, yes, we all know about it. Do you think we're fools? Do you think our employers don't have spies?"

"That's right," said Lodovico. "We have to give us the Apple of Eden, too. Or should I slit the throats of those kids and let them go with Daddy?"

Katerina stood there, listening to what they had to say.Her emotions returned to calm.When they were finished, she yelled, "Bastards! You think you can threaten me with such indecent means? Scum! I won't give you anything! You want my baby? Take it! I There are plenty of ways to make a few more!" She said, lifting her skirt towards them.

"I'm not interested in seeing you act, Catalina," Checo said, turning his horse's head, "and I'm not interested in your place either. You'll change your mind, and we'll only give you an hour. Until now, your cubs will be safe in that squalid little village down the road. Don't forget - we could kill 'em and come back to smash your city and take what we want - so you might as well take it Our generous offer, save us both some trouble."

After speaking, the Orsi brothers rode away.Katerina collapsed against the rough wall of the parapet, gasping for air, amazed at everything she said and did.

Ezio came to her side. "You would not sacrifice your children, Katerina. No cause is worth such a sacrifice."

"Not just to save the world?" She looked at him, lips parted, pale blue eyes widening under thick red hair.

"We cannot be like them," Ezio said curtly, "some things must never be compromised."

"Oh, Ezio! That's exactly what I wanted to hear!" She put her arms around his neck. "Of course we can't sacrifice them, my dear!" She stood up. "But I can't ask you to take the risk of saving them back."

"Let me try it," Ezio said.He turned to Machiavelli and said, "I won't be gone for long—hopefully. But whatever happens to me, I know you'll protect the Apple of Eden with your life. And, Caterina..."

"what?"

"Do you know where Girolamo hid the map?"

"I'll find out."

"Find it and protect it."

"What are you going to do with the Orsi brothers?" asked Machiavelli.

"They were already on my list," Ezio said, "and they are the same as those who destroyed my family. But I now understand that what I want to do is not revenge, but to work for a greater cause. "The two clasped their hands tightly and looked at each other.

"Good luck, my friend," said Machiavelli firmly.

"Good luck to you too."

It wasn't difficult to get close to the village Checo had inadvertently mentioned, although he described it in an uneducated way as a slum.The village was small and poor, like most villages in Romagna, and it seemed that it had only recently been flooded by the nearby river.On the whole, though, it was clean and tidy, with houses mostly painted and new thatched roofs.Although the waterlogged road separates a dozen houses that are still surrounded by mud, everything seems to be in order, but it seems that there is no relationship between contentment and happiness.The only thing that separates San Salvaza from a peaceful village is that it is packed with soldiers of the Orsi brothers.Ezio pondered: no wonder Checo felt that it would be all right to tell where Bianca and Ottaviano were being held.The next question is, where in the village will Katerina's children be kept?

This time Ezio wore a double-edged dagger on his left armguard, the firearm on his right arm, a light long sword hanging from his belt, and only a peasant's woolen cloak on his body. The hem of the cloak falls below the knee.He pulled his hood up so that no one would recognize him, and then dismounted a short distance from the village, watching warily for Brother Orsi's scouts, clutching a bundle of firewood from an outhouse, on the back.Then he bowed his head and walked into the village of San Salvaza.

The residents of the village tried to work as usual, but they couldn't turn a blind eye to the soldiers.Needless to say, none of Orsi's mercenaries took very well with them, and almost immediately recognized that Ezio was not from the village - though the soldiers were unaware of it - and supported him as much as possible.Ezio managed to reach a house at the end of the village, which was larger than the others and had a wider courtyard.An old woman returning home from the river told him that one of the children was being held there.The enemy soldiers were fairly scattered, much to Ezio's gratitude.Most of the soldiers are busy attacking Forli City.

Ezio knew he had to hurry if he wanted to save the children.

The doors and windows of the house were closed, but when Ezio walked around to the courtyard behind the house, he heard a young and determined voice scolding loudly.He climbed up to the roof and looked out into the courtyard to see Bianca Sforza - like a miniature version of her mother - berating two sullen Orsi guards.

"They'll just find you two moaning faces to guard me?" she said solemnly, her back straight, showing no sign of fear like her mother. "Fools! You two can't do it alone! My mother is strong, and she won't let you hurt me. You know, we Sforza women are never timid! We may look beautiful, but eyes can deceive Damn. My dad knew it too late!" She took a breath, and the two guards looked at each other in bewilderment. "I hope you don't think I'm afraid of you either, because then you're dead wrong. If you touch my brother's hair, my mother will chase you to the ends of the earth and eat you for breakfast! do you understand?"

"Shut up, you little fool," yelled the older guard, "unless you want to have your ears pulled!"

"How dare you talk to me like that! Anyway, it's ridiculous. You don't want to end well, and I'll be home in an hour. In fact, I'm getting tired of it. You're waiting Have nothing else to do when you die?"

"Well, I've really had enough," said the older soldier, reaching out to grab her.But in that instant, Ezio pulled the trigger of his firearm on the roof, and the pellet hit the soldier in the chest.The man was kicked off his feet—his coat was soaked in blood before he hit the ground.Ezio was surprised for a moment, but he guessed that Leonardo's gunpowder mixing skills had improved again.In the chaos of the soldier's sudden death, Ezio jumped off the roof, landed on the ground with the grace and strength of a leopard, and swiftly charged his double-edged dagger at the young soldier, who frantically drew An ugly dagger.Ezio's dagger slashed precisely at the man's forearm, severing his tendons like ribbons.The man's weapon fell from his hand, pointing downwards into the mud—and before he could reach out to block it, Ezio's double-edged dagger plunged into his jaw, piercing the soft tissue of the mouth and tongue, piercing the cranial cavity.Ezio calmly drew his dagger, letting the corpse lie limp on the ground.

"Just the two of them?" he asked the unflappable Bianca as he quickly loaded the next pellet.

"Yes! Thank you, whoever you are. My mother will reward you handsomely. But they also took my brother Ottaviano..."

"Do you know where he is being held?" Ezio asked.

"They've got him locked up in a watchtower—over the Broken Bridge! We've got to hurry!"

"Take me there, but don't run too fast!"

He followed her out of the house, down the road, and finally saw the watchtower.They came just in time, for Lodovico himself was dragging a sobbing Ottaviano along.Ezio saw the little boy walking with a limp - he must have sprained his ankle.

"You!" shouted Lodovico, seeing Ezio, "you'd better give the girl to me and go back to your mistress—tell her if she doesn't give us what we want , we'll get rid of them both!"

"I want mother," Ottaviano cried, "let go of me, you wretch!"

"Shut up, brat!" Lodovico snarled. "Ezio! Go get your Apple of Eden and your map, or the boy will die!"

"I want to pee!" Ottaviano cried.

"Oh, for God's sake, shut up!"

"Let him go," Ezio said firmly.

"If I don't let go, what can you do! You can't get close to me, you idiot! If you make any move, I'll slit his throat, and it's as easy as blinking an eye!"

Lodovico dragged the little boy in front of him with both hands, then freed one hand to draw his sword.Just then, Ottaviano tried to break free, but Lodovico grabbed his wrist.But Ottaviano was no longer standing between Lodovico and Ezio.Ezio seized the opportunity, popped the firearm, and fired.

Lodovico's rage turned to disbelief.The pellet hit him in the neck—severing the carotid artery.Eyes bulging, he let go of Ottaviano, then fell to his knees and clutched his throat—blood gurgling from between his fingers.The boy came running and threw himself into his sister's arms.

"Ottaviano! It's all right!"

Ezio stepped forward, but kept his distance from Lodovico.The man was not yet dead, and the sword was still in his hand.The blood soaked his jacket and showed no sign of stopping.

"I don't know with what nasty tricks you used to beat me, Ezio," he gasped, "but I am sorry to tell you that no matter what you do, you will lose the game. We O Brother Elsey is not the fool you think. If anyone is a fool, it's you—you and Katrina!"

"You are the fools," Ezio said coldly and contemptuously. "Do you think it's worth dying for a bag of silver coins?"

Lodovico made a face. "You won't understand, friend. You've all been duped. Whatever you do now, the Grand Master will take his spoils!" His face was contorted with pain.Bloodstains spread. "You'd better kill me, Ezio, if you still know what kindness is."

"Then die with your pride, Orsi. It means nothing." Ezio stepped forward, widening the wound on Lodovico's neck.Moments later, his life ceased to exist.Ezio walked up to him and closed his eyes for him. "Rest in peace," he said.

But he had no time to waste.He turned to face the two children, who were staring at him wide-eyed. "Can you walk?" he asked Ottaviano.

"I can try it, but it really hurts."

Ezio knelt down to watch.His ankle was not broken, but it was sprained.He let Ottaviano ride on his shoulders. "Be brave, little one," he said, "and I'll get you both home safely."

"Can I pee first? I really can't help it."

"hurry up."

Ezio knew that it would be no easy task to carry the two children through the village.He couldn't get them to dress up, they were too fancy - and anyway, the soldiers should have spotted Bianca's escape.He replaced the firearm on his wrist with a Shiver, and put the firearm back in his pack.He took Bianca's right hand with his left hand and walked towards the woods on the west side of the village.He climbed a hill from where he looked down on the village of San Salvaza and saw the soldiers of the Orsi Brothers running towards the watchtower, but no one seemed to think of looking in the woods.Ezio thanked himself for the respite, and after a long trek, he took the children back to his tie-down position, put them in the saddle, and mounted the horse himself.

Then he rushed towards the city of Forli in the north.The city was silent.It's too quiet.Where did Orsi's troops go?Aren't they preparing to attack the city?It all seemed unbelievable.He kicked the horse's belly to quicken his pace.

"Take the north bridge, sir," said Bianca, who sat in the front seat, holding on to the saddle bridge. "That's the shortest way home."

Ottaviano nestled in his arms.

As they approached the walls of the city, he saw the southern gates open.A small contingent of Sforza soldiers emerges, escorted by Caterina, followed by Machiavelli.Ezio immediately realized that his fellow Assassin was wounded.He urged his mount forward, and when he came to the side of the procession, he dismounted quickly, sending the children into Katerina's arms.

"In the name of the Virgin Mary, what's going on?" His eyes shifted from Caterina to Machiavelli and back again. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Ezio," Caterina said, "I'm so sorry, so sorry!"

"What happened?"

"The whole thing is a hoax! To keep us off guard!" Katerina said desperately. "They took my child, just to divert our attention!"

Ezio turned his gaze back to Machiavelli. "But the city is safe?" he said.

Machiavelli sighed. "Yes, the city is safe and sound. Orsi's men have lost interest in it."

"What do you mean by that?"

"After we had driven them off, we relaxed for a while—but only for a while, to regroup and tend to the wounded. That's when Checo launched a counterattack. They must have been planning it! He attacked I fought him one-on-one, but his soldiers sneaked up on me from behind and I barely escaped. Now I need your courage, Ezio: because Checo took Eden apple!"

Ezio was silent for a long time in shock.Then he said slowly, "What? No...that's impossible." He glanced wildly around. "Where did he go?"

"After he got what he wanted, he retreated with his men, and his army split into two. We don't know which army took the Apple of Eden, and we are too tired to help A really effective pursuit. But Checo himself led a force into the mountains to the west..."

"So it's over?" Ezio exclaimed.It occurred to him that Lodovico might be right—he had really underestimated the Orsi brothers.

"Thank God we still have the map," Katerina said. "He didn't dare spend too much time looking for it."

"But if he has the Apple of Eden, he doesn't need a map anymore?"

"We cannot sit by and watch the Knights Templar triumph," Machiavelli said solemnly, "absolutely not! We must stop them!"

Ezio saw that his friend was pale, obviously seriously injured. "No—you stay. Katerina! Take care of him. It's time for me to go! Maybe there's still time!"

(End of this chapter)