Assassin's Creed: Renaissance

Chapter 53

The man who greeted Ezio at the Monastery of the Wetlands was quite a typical monk - plump and rosy-cheeked, but with fiery red hair and mischievous shrewd eyes, and an accent that reminded Ezio of Mario One of his mercenaries: the Irishman.

"Bless you, my brother."

"Thank you, monk."

"I am Brother O'Callaghan."

"Can you do me a favor?"

"That's why we're here, my brother. Of course, times are tough. It's hard to think with an empty stomach."

"You mean your wallet is empty."

"You have misunderstood. I am not asking for anything from you," the monk spread his hands, "but God helps those who are generous."

Ezio produced a few florins and handed them over. "If that's not enough..."

The monk looked at it and thought about it. "Oh, good, I've started to think about it. But the truth is, it's those who are more generous that God really helps."

Ezio produced a few more coins, until Brother O'Callaghan's expression brightened. "The Order appreciates your generosity, my brother," he folded his hands on his stomach, "what are you looking for?"

"A monk with a black hood—he's missing a finger."

"Well. Brother Guido only has nine toes. Are you sure it's not the toes that are missing?"

"Pretty sure."

"There's Brother Dominique, but what he's missing is his entire left arm."

"No. Sorry, but I'm sure he's only missing a finger."

"Hmm." The monk said, lost in deep thought. "Oh, wait! I did see a monk with nine fingers and a black cloak... yes! That's right! We saw it last time we were in a monastery in Tuscany for the Feast of San Vicenzo he."

Ezio smiled. "Oh, I know that place. I'll check it out. Thanks."

"Be careful on the road, my brother."

"I will."

Ezio made his way across the mountains towards Tuscany to the west.Although the journey was long and difficult, as autumn was approaching and the climate was getting colder, his uneasiness reached its highest point when he approached the monastery: long ago, the assassination of Lorenzo de Medi It was there that one of Chi's co-conspirators - Jacob de' Pazzi's secretary Stefano da Bacononi - died at the hands of Ezio.

Unfortunately, the dean who came to greet him was the same man who had witnessed the killing.

"Sorry," Ezio said first, "could you..."

The abbot recognized him, and now stepped back in horror, exclaiming, "May all the Archangels—Uriel, Raphael, Michael, Saraquel, Gabriel, Lemuel And Raguel—may they show their power and protect us!" He turned his gaze to Ezio, as if from heaven. "Evil demon! Go away!"

"What's wrong?" Ezio said in amazement.

"What's the matter? What's the matter? You are the one who murdered Brother Stefano. On this holy land!" A group of monks gathered nervously in the distance, and the dean turned to look at them. "He is back! The Slayer of monks and priests is back!" he announced in a thunderous voice, and fled, the monks following him.

The guy was clearly terrified.Ezio had no choice but to give chase, but he was not as familiar with the monastery as the Abbot and the monks.Finally he had enough of wandering the unfamiliar corridors and cloisters, so he jumped onto the roof, trying to see where the monks were going, but this only sent them into a more intense panic, and they began to scream: "He's coming! He's coming! Beelzebub is coming!" He had no choice but to climb down and return to the normal tracking method.

At last he caught up with them.Panting heavily, the abbot scolded in a hoarse voice: "Go away, devil! Stay away from us! We have never committed a crime like yours!"

"No, wait, listen," Ezio said almost as breathlessly, "I just want to ask you a question."

"We haven't summoned demons! We don't want to go to the afterlife yet!"

Ezio raised his hands, palms down. "Please, calm down! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

The dean wasn't even listening.He rolled his eyes. "God, God, why did you abandon us? I'm not ready to join the ranks of your angels!"

After saying that, he turned and ran.

Ezio had no choice but to throw him to the ground.The two of them got up together and dusted off their bodies surrounded by a group of staring monks.

"Please, stop running!" Ezio begged.

The dean trembled. "No! Have mercy! I don't want to die!" he said incoherently.

Ezio tried to keep his face straight, and said: "Listen, Monsieur Abbot, I only kill those who have committed murder. Your Brother Stefano is a murderer. He died in 1478 Attempt to murder Duke Lorenzo." He paused and took a few breaths. "Don't worry, Mr. Dean, I believe you are not a murderer."

The dean's expression calmed down a bit, but there was still doubt in his eyes.

"Then what do you want?" he said.

"Well, listen to me. I'm looking for a friar dressed like you—a Dominican friar—and he's missing a finger."

The dean turned away. "A finger missing, you say? Like Brother Savonarola?"

Ezio memorized the name. "Safonarola? Who is he? Do you know him?"

"I know him, sir. He's us . . . was one of us."

"and then?"

The dean shrugged. "We suggested that he go and live in the mountains for a while. He's not... well suited here."

"As far as I know, Mr. Abbot, his seclusion is probably over. Do you know where he might be going?"

"Oh, my God..." The dean tried to think hard. "If he ends his seclusion, he'll probably go back to Santa Maria in Florence. He used to do research there. Maybe he'll go back there."

Ezio let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Abbot. God be with you."

Ezio had an odd feeling about returning to his homeland after so long.He has so many memories to juggle.But this time he has to go it alone.He cannot contact old friends or allies for fear of alarming his enemies.

Apparently, while the city remained calm, the church he was looking for was in turmoil.A monk ran out in terror.

He approached to talk. "Okay, monk. It's all right!"

The monk stared at him with wide eyes. "Go, friend. If you value your life!"

"What's going on here?"

"Soldiers from Rome occupied our church! They chased away my brother monks and asked some inexplicable questions. They kept asking us to hand over the fruit!"

"What fruit?"

"apple!"

"Apple? Damn it! Rodrigo beat me!" Ezio whispered.

"They also dragged one of our fellow Carmelites behind the church! I'm sure they wanted to kill him!"

"The Carmelites? Aren't you Dominicans?" Ezio turned away, walking cautiously around the outer walls of the Santa Maria Maggiore.He moved silently like a mongoose confronting a cobra.When he came to the wall of the church garden, he quickly climbed up the wall.Even he, who was used to seeing big scenes, held his breath for a while.Several Borgia guards were beating a tall monk desperately.He looked about 35 years old.

"Tell us!" cried the leading guard. "Tell us, or I will make you regret that you were born in this world! Where is the Apple?"

"Please! I don't know! I don't know what you're talking about!"

The leading guard approached. "Confess! Your name is Savonarola!"

"Yes! I told you! But you beat me so hard I don't even remember!"

"Tell us, and your suffering will be over. Where's the damn apple?" The leading guard kicked the monk viciously in the groin.The monk cried out in pain. "Anyway, priests like you don't need that place." The guard sneered.

Ezio watched the scene with concern.If the monk had really been Savonarola, the villains under Borgia's command would have killed him before Ezio could ask the truth.

"Why do you always refuse to tell the truth?" the guard sneered. "If my master hears that we have tortured you to death, he will not be happy! Are you trying to get me into trouble?"

"I don't have any apples," the monk whimpered. "I'm just an ordinary monk. Please let me go!"

"No way!"

"I don't know anything!" cried the monk pitifully.

"If you want me to stop," said the guard, kicking him in the groin again, "tell me the truth, Brother Girolamo Savonarola!"

The monk bit his lip, but still stubbornly replied: "I have told you everything I know!"

The guard kicked him again, then let his accomplices grab him by the ankles and drag the monk mercilessly across the cobblestones, banging his head against the hard stones again and again.The monk screamed and struggled in vain.

"Idiot, have you had enough?" The leading guard leaned closer again, "You lie again and again, just want to see your creator, don't you?"

"I'm just an ordinary monk," said the Carmelite, whose robes were cut and colored like a Dominican. "I don't have any fruit! Please..."

The guard kicked him again, still aiming at the same spot.And then again.The monk's body twitched in pain, and he couldn't even shed tears.

Ezio had had enough.He jumped off the wall and became a vengeful ghost, swinging his poison blade and double-edged dagger in anger.In just one minute, those Borgia villains either fell to the ground and died, or lay on the ground in the courtyard in the same pain as the monk, moaning endlessly.

The monk wept and hugged Ezio's knees. "Thank you, thank you, my savior."

Ezio stroked his head gently. "Calm down, calm down. It's all right now, my brother." But Ezio looked at the monk's fingers.

Ten fingers were intact.

"You have ten fingers," he whispered in disappointment.

"Yes," cried the monk, "I have ten fingers. And I have no apples except the ones that come to the monastery every Thursday!" He stood up, dusted himself off, and regained consciousness a little. some, and then said angrily: "In the name of God! Has the whole world gone mad?"

"Who are you? Why did they come after you?" Ezio asked.

"Because they found out that my last name was really Savonarola! And how could I have betrayed my cousin to those rascals?"

"Do you know what he did?"

"I don't know anything! He's a monk, like me. True, he's chosen the stricter Dominican order, but..."

"Is he missing a finger?"

"Yes, but why would someone..." There was a gleam of brilliance in the monk's eyes.

"Who is Girolamo Savonarola?" Ezio demanded.

"He is my cousin and a devout believer. I humbly thank you for your deliverance and would like to repay you in any way, but will you please tell me your honorable name?"

"I... am just a nobody," Ezio said, "but tell me your name."

"Fr. Marcello Savonarola," replied the friar obediently.

Ezio took it to heart.His thoughts raced. "Where is your cousin Girolamo?"

Marcello thought, obviously struggling. "My cousin does... have a unique perspective on the service of God... he's preaching his own dogma... you should find him in Venice."

"What is he doing there?"

Marcello straightened his back. "I think he's gone astray. He preaches the coming of hellfire. He claims he can see into the future." Marcello looked at Ezio with pained eyes in red sockets. "If you really want my opinion: he's talking nonsense!"

(End of this chapter)