Two men walked the dimly-lit and narrow pathways of the catacombs under the city of Florence. The floor was uneven, the stone walls were damp and dripped with water at some portions. Everything looked almost exactly identical, the two had no guidance other than the sparingly placed torches in corners to keep the darkness from consuming everything.
The silence was eerie and discomforting. One of the men wanted to break it and so, he spoke up, his voice acquiring a curious undertone in the environment:
“What the Master said...” His voice was faint, almost hushed. He adjusted his brown leather cloak before continuing, pulling it closer over his shoulder. “Is it true?”
“What do you mean?” the other grunted back, irritated by the small question. He had neither the time, nor the patience for anything trivial as he led the way for them both with torch in hand.
“The artefact...this Apple we're seeking... Can it really control the hearts and minds of people?”
“You will see for yourself, Emerico. And you will believe.”
Emerico knew there was no point in pursuing. He was but a novice next to his companion, the eminent Templar Luciano de Vicari. He was the one the Grand Master personally spoke to, he was the one responsible for this mission, for the safe retrieval of the artefact. Emerico was merely there to gain experience working alongside those who have already proved their worth.

The two eventually arrived to a gate of sorts. A guard stood at it clad in metal armour, holding his halberd with one hand.
“Halt,” he said upon seeing the approachers. His breath was subtly visible in the chilly air.
Luciano signalled Emerico to stay back as he strode forward to face the guard.
“We are here to claim the Apple,” he announced.
“The password.” The guard tilted the halberd slightly forward, its sharp edges glinting in the light of Luciano's torch.
“May the Father of Understanding guide us.”
“Welcome, brother. Follow me.”

Luciano and Emerico went after the guard who led them into a large open area, a great and much desired change of landscape from the narrow tunnels. The water that flowed down from the surface to these caves and catacombs culminated here in a small lake at the far end. Peculiarly shaped rock formations were scattered across the still solid ground, becoming more frequent as the three went on and not conforming to neither the ideals of man-made structures, nor the rough and unrefined beauty of Mother Nature's creations.

“I must say...this is quite a sight,” Emerico said as he marvelled at the almost sky-high ceiling and the monolithic formations.
“It is unlike anything this world has to offer, is it not?” Luciano added mysteriously. He believed the Templar teachings which spoke about entities and forces greater than any of them, long gone but still existing in the form of the powerful artefacts the Order so zealously hunted.
He knew that Templar workers spent weeks boring through the thick rock wall that separated the centuries-old catacombs from the then-unexplored area. It was fruitful in the end however—for the long-sought artefact was finally uncovered.

There it was, a small pedestal right at the edge of the ground before the lake, shaped similarly to the rocks but from different material. Two other guards stood in front of it, parting only when Luciano approached. As he moved closer, a wave of energy rushed through his entire body. He felt that everything he had ever desired in life was suddenly right in front of him. Power, fortune, truth, all taking shape in the blindingly incandescent golden sphere. All of it just waiting to be grasped...
“The Apple of Eden...” he muttered and almost without willing, extended a hand towards it.

Typically, the shadows were an Assassin's best friend. Their gift of seeing when there was no light to be shed was one that served them well, however these catacombs left much to be desired in the way of hiding places and room for combat. A pair of Assassins lurked far behind the sauntering Templars, carefully treading the cold floor of the dark halls with light steps and silent breaths.

The Assassins, tasked with tailing the Templars on information that they were headed to retrieve an artifact of immense power and influence, made sure to keep their distance for fear of spoiling their mission. The Brotherhood had been working for weeks to gather information on this rumored Piece of Eden, something that unfortunately the Templar Order was able to track down first. Because of the location of the artifact and the Templars heavy involvement in getting to it, the Assassins were unable to get someone on the inside. That is, until now.

Blue eyes glint in the dim light, shrouded by a hood that hides the deep brown hair of a deadly young woman. Elena Carrozza pressed herself up against the damp walls of the maze she traversed with her companion as they tailed their targets. Hearing footsteps stop ahead and voices pick up, she stops where she is and holds her breath to listen, signaling to her partner, Alessandro, to do the same.

Much to the benefit of Elena and Alessandro, it appeared from the conversation that their traveling Templar duo only met with one guard. After hearing their footsteps disappear, the Assassins slowly approached to where they found a now unattended gate.

"I fear there is only one way in and one way out of this confrontation, and this gate is it." Alessandro said in a voice that barely registered as a whisper.

"Then I suppose it to be in our best interest to enter it prepared so that we may leave it accomplished, no?" Elena quipped back.

Alessandro nodded, and the two entered the gate, returning again to their silent movements as they took in the change in scenery around them. The open area would have exposed them in no time had it not been for the strange stone formations that littered the ground, providing enough of a shroud for the trained Assassins to cover themselves on opposite sides of the large area.

Elena moved carefully from cover to cover, making up ground on the group of Templars that had moved ahead towards a pedestal, where another pair of guards stood. The Assassins were outnumbered, but they had their stealth on their side. She moved in close, just as the highest ranking Templar Knight outstretched his hand towards the shining Piece of Eden.

A pair of knives flew threw the air at lightening speed, hitting the guards on either side of the pedestal and rendering them useless to their cause. Three on two were now far better odds than five to two.

"Te chiedo perdono... but I cannot let you leave with that Apple, as it belongs in the hands of the Brotherhood. I'm sure you understand." Elena said as she stepped out from her cover, her blades extending from her gauntlets as she stepped forward, Alessandro doing the same to her left.

"So, if you don't mind, we'll be taking it off your hands."

The sound of knives cutting through the air in their flight and the subsequent gasps as the two hapless guards breathed their last breath all indicated one thing: the Assassins were here. Emerico and the captain turned around immediately, drawing their blades. Luciano however was too far drawn into the lure of the Apple, which he almost held in his hands by now.
“Deal with them,” was his short order.

The two engaged the pair of Assassins. The guard captain went after the man with rough battle cries and heavy swings of his halberd, while the apprentice occupied the woman's attention.

Luciano raised up the Apple. The wave of energy that washed over him before became constant, surging through his every vein. It was as if time itself slowed down around him. He then heard scattered whispers, which grew in volume and intensity in every moment. It was not long before he was completely overwhelmed, the Apple's power threatening to break his mind. Mustering all his strength, he broke away from its grasp and dropped the artefact.

All this did not last longer than a minute. As Luciano regained his composure, he turned to take a look at the fierce battle behind him. His people were being slowly but surely outclassed by the trained Assassins.
His gaze met with the first, the woman's. She held the Apple—which was rolling slowly on the rocky ground—in the corner of her eye. Luciano knew she was going to make a run for it soon. And so, he acted first.

He rushed straight past the artefact and into the woman with both of his blades in hand, knocking her back for a brief moment as she parried. Emerico looked at him stupefied.
“Take the Apple, go! I'll handle her,” Luciano told the apprentice, who nodded and took off a large pouch from the chain on his waist. He grabbed the Piece and headed off towards the gate they entered at with haste.
Luciano looked at the woman with a smirk as he readied for the duel.

It did not take long after the pair of Assassins revealed themselves for another rendition of a centuries old fight to break out between the two sides. Elena and Alessandro may have been outnumbered when they exposed themselves, but only two of the Templars drew their blades against them. The other was occupied with the Piece of Eden. Elena knew she needed to make quick work of the challengers in order to secure the artifact.

This, however, was easier said than done. Just as the Brotherhood had to each Assassin, the Templars were trained exceptionally well. Each putting up a remarkable fight, but in the end Alessandro was able to subdue the guard. Elena was still preoccupied with the apprentice when Alessandro lent his blade to her cause, allowing her to gain an eye on the Piece of Eden as it was expelled from the higher ranking Templar's grasp.

The distraction of battle and mission caused her to almost miss it, but she saw the man charging at her just as she was about to make a dash at the Apple. Her blades were raised a hair's breadth before her opponents would've reached her flesh, parrying his strike as she regained her footing.

"Alessandro, get that artifact!" Elena demanded, raising her gaze now to her challenger as Alessandro was already charging towards the exit to cut off the man and retrieve the Apple.

Alessandro ran after Emerico, but the Templar had already put a good distance between them. As they neared the exit to the open area and back to the hall of the exit, Alessandro tossed a smoke bomb from his belt. It landed ahead of his target and coated the area in a thick, black smoke. Alessandro closed the distance and leapt into the smoke, welcoming it like an old friend.

Elena looked at the man who now stood before her, weapons at the ready should he make any sudden moves.

"I suppose it is just you and I then? A duel to remember, I'm sure." She said, white teeth showing beneath her hooded head. "If you're lucky, I'll let you leave with your life. But that's all you'll be taking with you, the Apple is ours."

With that, she charged forward, using short, quick attacks against her opponent. Her attack was not particularly aggressive at this moment, she was fishing for his style, his weaknesses, his force. Their blades met time and time again, Elena using her speed and small stature to her advantage. If it came down to brute force, she would surely lose.

“I don't need your mercy, Assassin.” Luciano spoke with cold confidence as he deflected the woman's charge with the sword in his left and swung in a wide arc with the right which barely missed. “I won't give you any, either!”
It was his turn on the offensive. He alternated between quick stabs and long lunges, looking to overwhelm and break through her stalwart defence before she could even retaliate.

Reading the slight change in her movements, he could see some of the numerous attacks found their mark—but none was enough for a definite advantage. Quite the contrary. She broke away from his assault every now and then to launch quick strikes while he was still recovering. She was agile, and Luciano could feel the sting of her steel on himself more than once.

As the intense fight went on, he had to recognise that her style fared very well against his. She dodged more than she parried, barely allowing his blades to even get close to her. Her speed outmatched his, and the lightweight hidden blade was considerably easier to wield than the two lengthy swords.
However, her situation was a ticking time bomb. Luciano's barrage of attacks remained relentless, he knew it was only a matter of time before she faltered. One mistake was all he needed...

Meanwhile, Emerico stumbled forward in the thick smoke, coughing and panting. He could only see right around himself, he knew there was no chance to be fully prepared for the Assassin who was surely onto him by now. He focused forward instead, desperately trying to find the gate.
He suddenly felt a pull on his waist. The large Apple dangled on its chain, easily visible even in the smoke. He pulled out his blade again and turned, just when the Assassin managed to grab the artefact from the pouch. The brief moment he savoured the prize—or was unintentionally drawn into its aura of influence—was enough for Emerico to strike back and immobilise his foe.
A struggle unfolded as the apprentice attempted to wrist the Piece from the Assassin, who held it in the hand that had the hidden blade and thus was unable to simply stab Emerico. Neither of them seemed to notice that the Apple was starting to glow brighter...

The whole struggle was unheard by the two duellers. Luciano was slowly growing exhausted - and he read the same expression on his opponent as their faces were both painted with sweat. Finally he seemed to gain the upper hand as the Assassin could not dodge as deftly as she did in the beginning. He shoved away her bladed arm with an elbow as she prepared to spring it out again and pushed her away with full force in hopes of making her finally lose her balance, which would have allowed for an easy kill.

Suddenly, the earth quaked beneath Luciano. He looked around in surprise, only to see the massive walls trembling and the previously still water quivering in waves. He quickly found the cause of it all: the black smoke had settled ahead of him, revealing both Emerico and the second Assassin lying on the ground—the Apple once again free.
He heard the nearest large rock formation crackle and slowly split apart. A giant piece of it landed right between him and the woman, both just barely avoiding getting crushed underneath it.
“Figlio d'un cane!” he shouted furiously. With clenched fists, he took one last glance at his opponent before sheathing his blades and bolting ahead. He only stopped when reaching his injured, but still definitely conscious apprentice. “Emerico! Everything is collapsing, get up!”
“T-the Apple...” Emerico stretched out a shaking arm, pointing at the artefact.
“I've had enough of that pezzi di merda! Now come!” He offered a hand to pull the Templar up, who did not yet take it.
“The Assassins...they can't...they can't get it...”

For the first time in months, uncertainty filled Luciano's mind. As more and more of the rock formations collapsed, he was worried that their one exit might be blocked away soon. Carrying a weakened Emerico might just take too long, but who knew what else the sinister Piece of Eden was capable of when held...

The burdens of battle soon began to weigh heavy on Elena's shoulders, her blades not rising with as much verve as they had when the duel first began. Sweat speckled her face, and her breathes came in heavier gulps as she ducked out of the way of the impressive Templar's charges. Having been used to relying on silent, stealthy kills for so long, her fitness for drawn out combat against such a strong opponent was not at its peak.

Her fatigue was showing, and she could see in her opponent's eye that he knew she was growing exhausted. The best she could do was keep up her pace and hope for an opening to deliver a blow hard enough to allow for escape, but the Templar exploited her first. His shove made her falter, a position she had not many times found herself in. Preparing herself for what she expected to be an execution blow, Elena was surprised to find that the ground had begun to quake. An event that under normal circumstances would cause one to lose their footing, but in this instance it gave her enough of a shock to keep her upright.

The crackling and crunching of the walls and rocks around them meant only one thing: it was time to go. A large piece of stone fell from its previous place high above the two duelers and landed dangerously close, Elena only just able to roll out of the way after regaining her feet beneath her. Her eyes darted ahead to see Alessandro lying on the ground, the entire cavern falling in around all of them. The Templar with whom she thought would've surely taken the opportunity to kill her was already dashing ahead, towards his fallen comrade and towards the Apple, which now lie between the two fallen apprentices.

Elena propelled herself forward, dodging the rocks as they fell, seeking to squash her beneath their heavy weight. Alessandro had fallen into somewhat of a trance, lying on the ground staring at the Apple as it slowly rolled away on the quaking ground. Its glowing presence captured his attention, drawing it away from the wound in his side that seeped crimson blood from the blade of the Templar. As Elena reached him, his eyes did not leave the Piece to find hers.

"Elena, the Apple..."

Elena's eyes searched for the Piece of Eden, which was still the center of the Templar's attention as well. By now, it had become to dangerous to retrieve, lest they risk their lives.

"Alessandro, we're no good to the Brotherhood if we're dead! Now, come!" Elena pulled Alessandro to his feet, shoving him towards the gate as the place continued to crumble. Looking back over her shoulder, she wondered if she could possibly grab the Apple and still make it to the gate before everything caved in. Chancing the Templars retrieving it was something she did not want to risk.

Before the thought finished crossing her mind, a large crevice opened up in the ground behind them as the ground shook with violence. Falling into its depths went the Apple, along with the debris of rock and the water from the surrounding lake.

Turning back towards the gate, Elena passed a glance at the Templars, then charged at Alessandro, pressing him forward.

"Go! Go now!"

It was almost as if they were racing, each trying to force their entranced companions towards the sanctuary of the exit gate. Just as the great hall gave a mighty groan and a savage quake, the two pairs burst through the gate as the last of the walls caved in behind them. A cloud of dust followed their exit through the gate, marking the end of the great hall in which the Piece of Eden was trapped within. The catacombs, however, remained unmoved. At least for now.

There was no time. The quakes did not lessen, much less cease. Almost nothing remained standing from the formations anymore, but the forces the otherworldly artefact put in motion did not stop there. The very walls of the massive cavern started cracking with ear-shattering loudness, threatening with certain doom for any who linger too long. The Apple was rolling right into the depths of this madness and Luciano, breaking away from its ever-present allure once more, had to realise retrieving it was a lost cause.
“It's gone...” he said to Emerico, who was still on the ground. “Only our lives remain to be saved now. But not for long if we don't hurry!”
“No...” The apprentice's gaze was unnaturally fixed to the Piece still. “We must...have it...”
He got up on his feet slowly and started slogging towards it, ignoring all the fatal dangers in his way.

“What are you doing, idiota?!” Luciano made his way towards Emerico and grabbed him firmly on the shoulder. He resisted, trying to break away from the Templar's grasp, but then suddenly the ground split under the Apple and took it down to a rocky grave. “We leave. This is an order.”
Emerico was petrified for a moment before acknowledging the words with a silent nod. The two sprinted towards the exit, almost side-by-side with the Assassins who, for the first time, held a common goal with them. With mere seconds to spare before a giant falling boulder, followed by a sea of stone as the entire wall levelled, blocked the gate away, all four of them made it back into the catacombs. Yet, nothing changed on the fact that the sanctuary of the Piece of Eden...was permanently destroyed.

Luciano reclined on the nearest wall, hand on his chest and desperately trying to catch his breath. Emerico was even worse off as once the rush of impulses ran out, his legs gave in and he fell on one knee, holding himself with his remaining strength. None of this was usual for the able-bodied and strong apprentice, who felt like his energy was sapped away all at once.
“The instinct for survival...is truly the greatest...” he uttered.

Luciano had many questions to Emerico, but before anything, his attention was focused on the two Assassins who stopped just a few metres farther. He laid his free hand on one of his swords. He expected at least one of them to come leaping forward to finish them off now that they were the most vulnerable. Archenemies since the dawn of humanity, surely a pair of Assassins would exploit the weakness of a pair of Templars if they were capable to do so?
But neither of them came. Luciano heard the woman speak, her words echoing through the chambers. Was it about them or her companion, he could not know. All he knew was that someone somehow needed to resolve the situation. And if they would not...it was up to him.
“Can you walk?” he asked Emerico, who was starting to look slightly better.
“Yes, I think...ugh.” He took his mentor's hand and rose up.
Luciano unsheathed both swords now and beckoned Emerico, who also drew his weapon, to follow. They walked up to the Assassins.

“There is an easy way and a hard way out of this,” Luciano began. He saw that their condition was just as sorry as theirs. Yet, he knew better not to rush a trained Assassin head on, no matter how weak they seemed. It was time for a compromise. “All four of us have our lives to barter with...and we are willing to negotiate. Put your weapons away and share what you can bring to the trade. Or rise against us...and let us end this for good.”

Elena found herself doubled over in order to catch her wind after the mad dash for her life. Her companion, however, was not as sound on his feet. When she raised herself up, Elena discovered Alessandro had taken to the hard, damp floor of the catacomb hall. Lying on his back, his chest heaved up and down in a ragged motion. All the while his head was turned towards the now collapsed gate, eyes fixated on the rubble.

"Alessandro..." Elena stepped towards him, leaning down to check his wound from the encounter with the Templar before the quaking began. It was a decent gash, but a flesh wound at best. He would be fine. "Alessandro, get up." Elena quickly realized she was spending too much time paying attention to her disabled associate and not enough to the pair of deadly brutes that stood behind her.

Yet, Alessandro did not get up. His eyes stayed on an arrow's path to the crumbled gate.

"It is gone. We have failed." He finally spoke.

"Failed? We have escaped a deathtrap concocted by that unholy thing," Elena spat back, grabbing Alessandro's arm and forcing him to sit up. "Alessandro, look at me!" She took his face and forced it towards her own, breaking Alessandro's focus on the shambled grave of the Piece of Eden. Whatever that thing was, it was powerful. Perhaps a power that was better off buried under all that rubble.

"We have other matters to attend to, unless you want to see that that wound finds itself turned into a matching set." Elena turned, just as she heard the Templar's footsteps approaching behind her. Instinctively, she let the blades fall from her gauntlets when she saw their weapons were drawn. She expected no less. In fact, she was quite surprised to find herself still breathing after letting her guard down to tend to Alessandro, who now had managed to pull himself up to lean against the wall with a weak hand wielding a blade.

The words the high ranking Templar spoke surprised Elena once again. She narrowed her eyes towards the pair, suspicious of their offer. It was not like a Templar to offer to let an Assassin leave with their life. Still, glancing back at Alessandro, the offer was as tempting as it was suspicious. She sheathed her blades and signaled for Alessandro to do the same.

"The easy way seems to be the smartest given our overall condition, no?" Elena studied the brutish man for a moment. "I see no reason why our organizations should know that we have spared each other, spare them the details of mercy. What else is it you seek?"

The second Assassin was injured. Like a hound, Luciano smelled the blood—or rather, caught sight of the wound. He gave it a thought. Maybe he and Emerico could take them after all. Maybe they should, even. That was what a true Templar would have done: strike at the perfect opportunity and strike deep. Yet, something stilled his blade. There was a different hunger in him in that moment—hunger for knowledge.

“Of course. Secrecy is not a lie,” he answered the woman's offer with a small smirk that told nothing of his intentions. “But if we have to leave this place empty-handed, at least let us acquire some...enlightenment on the forsaken artefact. I am particularly interested in your companion's experiences.”

The ache to find out more was much greater in Luciano than how he presented it. He himself was affected by the Apple of Eden, although curiously in a much different way than Emerico or the Assassin. He wondered why. Perhaps he had the chance to discard the vast knowledge it held when it became too overwhelming, something the other two could not. While that was fortunate, it also left him none the wiser which was somewhat to his chagrin after all his expectations. And so, he hoped to hear something that could at least help him understand.

Meanwhile, Emerico stayed behind Luciano and listened silently. He had his own knowledge to share of course—but why would have he divulged it to his enemies when they were so keen on telling it themselves? There was a certain satisfaction in holding the cards in a situation. It was the Templar way, that of inexorable control. Something which would have been so much easier to obtain with the Pieces of Eden...

Elena eyed the man for a moment after his request, her gaze falling to the companion that lurked behind his superior. Surely he had some experiences to share as well, but with the state Alessandro was in, Elena wasn't in the position for making requests of her own without fulfilling others first.

"Very well," She turned to Alessandro, who was still supporting himself against the wall behind Elena. "Tell them."

Alessandro brought his gaze up from the ground and remained silent for a few moments more, mulling over the words to explain something that he himself did not fully understand. He could still feel the last burning twinge in his gut, pulling him towards the rubble where the Piece may possibly be found if one was determined enough.

"What you desire, I am not sure there are words for," Alessandro finally spoke. "That object holds a great power, one that captivated me and held me like the Pope holds the masses." His lip twitched at the reminiscing of the Apple's hold over him just mere moments before this one. "There is a pull it placed within me, I would have done anything to obtain the Apple and do as it wished me to do... It was as if the thing was as alive as you and I, communicating to me silently but intently." Alessandro shook his head.

"I would have died in there had it not been for the sound mind of mi amica here, as I'm sure your companion would have met the same fate without you to pull him from the influence of the artifact." With that, Alessandro pressed his lips together in a thin line and he let his shoulders relax, as if talking about the Piece's influence let some weight off of his shoulders.

Elena looked from Alessandro to the Templar, who she noticed was dripping with attention to Alessandro's words. No wonder it had been so hard to force Alessandro from the shambling chamber, if what he spoke was true. Elena worried that this was information that perhaps he should have misspoke to the Templars, but this knowledge may be harmless without the artifact itself.

"I feel we have held up our end of the bargain," Elena spoke up again. "As intrigued as I am about your companion's experiences, I can assume they be similar. Now, if we are done here, I need to get my friend to the sanitario before our armistice is ended. We may only tolerate each other for so long, after all."

Luciano was not quite satisfied with the Assassin's words - they confirmed what he had already thought, but did not tell much new. One part still grabbed his attention however: that which told of the Apple apparently being much more than a simple but powerful object. It spoke to him, the Assassin said, almost commanding him to do its bidding. Emerico, who stayed very silent throughout most of the explanation, also nodded decisively when this part was mentioned. There was little doubt of its truth and Luciano was equal parts amazed and terrified.
The Grand Master talked about the artefact as a tool when it was more of a sinister entity of its own. The Templar did not yet think about how to present his failure - was it really one, after everything? - to the Order's leader. The knowledge he had just acquired was seldom enough, and if he wished to retain his elevated position within the organisation, he needed to get something more. He knew it well - and already had a plan.

"Thank you for your eager cooperation. I see no reason why we should not act the same," he said when the Assassin was done with his speech and the woman asked for their help for one last time. "Come. One of Firenze's best doctors works in the district above us. He will no doubt take care of your partner's wounds."
He beckoned the two Assassins to go forward so that he and Emerico could keep eyes on them. They were more cautious however and walked with their blades visibly out. The atmosphere was tense, but silent and bloodless as well. No one made a sudden move.

The exit from the catacombs was a rusty ladder leading to a hidden door in the wall of a church. The ladder was narrow, they had to go up one by one. Luciano was the third one to step on it, Emerico right behind him. This was his opportunity.
Exploiting the few moments when the two Assassins were already up and out and he was not yet expected to appear behind them, he turned and whispered one word to Emerico:
"Reinforce."

He could only hope he was quick and silent enough for his little act to go unnoticed by the Assassins. Once all four of them were on the surface and started heading towards the doctor Luciano mentioned, Emerico suddenly stepped away in the other direction.
"It was a...pleasure. May we never meet again," he said before disappearing into the crowd with haste.
"I gave him permission to leave." Luciano jumped to explain quickly before the Assassins became suspicious. "He is still greatly perturbed by the Apple's effects, but unlike you, he is thankfully mostly unscathed. There is no need for him here anymore - it was best to let him leave to rest at home."
He then ushered the two to keep on going as fast as the injured one could keep up.

Emerico did not head home. Much less to rest. Instead, he hurried to a specific guard patrol post. Since the Medici took control, they have replaced most of Florence's armed forces with men loyal to them. It was only thanks to hefty financial incentives from Rodrigo Borgia and other powerful people that the Templar Order could retain a heavy influence among the ranks, able to use the guards for their own goals.
Emerico went for the closest, knowingly Templar-affiliated guard captain and was most relieved when he found him with his entire squad waltzing around the area in patrol.
"Messer, come quickly! A brother needs your aid."
"With what exactly, eh?" The captain, though loyal, was haughty enough to question.
Emerico quickly looked around himself then leaned closer:
"Hunting Assassins."
That was enough. The captain ordered his men to follow him as he went after Emerico.

Luciano held his promise and the two Assassins could soon hear the inviting words of the doctor who offered his services to any passer-by. He wore the usual black cloak and beak-shaped mask, standing at his small but well-equipped stand. Luciano knew him personally, he had visited him before. He was a fair and impartial doctor, seemingly unaware of the grand war behind the scenes. The Templar did not plan on dragging him into it this time either.
"Here he is. Just ask, and he will treat you properly," he said to the injured Assassin and slowly backed off. "The deal is finished."

He lingered around the area for a couple more minutes, anxiously waiting for Emerico to arrive. And he did - with the reinforcement.
"I hope we are not too late yet," said the apprentice.
"You are right on time." Luciano quickly beckoned him and the guards towards the doctor. "Let us strike."

"You have violated the law of the great city of Firenze. In the name of the one and only Dio, you shall be brought to justice!" The guard captain stepped up to the two Assassins with a harsh voice and a blade drawn, scaring both the hapless doctor and the nearby civilians
"The deal may be done..." Luciano walked besides him, armed and ready. "But this is the true end."

Elena was not eager to be ushered by a Templar to a doctor, but given Alessandro's state she did not know if they had time to make it back to their quarters or trusted associates before running into more trouble. With a sigh of discontent and an equally unamused look upon her face, she pressed Alessandro on in front of her and followed behind him as they exited the catacombs. What made her even more nervous was having the Templar's behind her.

As they walked, her arms remained tense, ready for the slightest movement or deviation so that her blades may extend again and find the flesh of the mutts that she knew were out to best her. When the apprentice suddenly left as they were in the streets, Elena's eyes narrowed and she stepped closer to Alessandro, not trusting the Templar's explanation as they continued towards the medical cart.

Once there, she was happy to see the Templar leave. Alessandro began getting treatment from the doctor, who from the looks of it didn't know an Assassin from a Templar from a goat. All the same, so long as his practices were proven. But not moments later, the sound of chinking armor moving in a steadily approaching beat caused Elena to swear under her breath.

"Merda."

Turning, she glared as the guard accused the two of criminal activity. Then, she laughed as the Templar stepped forward with the others.

"Bastardo. Scared to take on one and a half Assassins, so the Templars go running for an army? How doughty of you." Elena spoke, her feet not moving from the place she stood when the guard had approached her with his husky and charged voice.

Alessandro was still on the bench, wound half-dressed and doctor long gone. His eyes shifted across the Templar group as he stood up, wincing and grabbing his sword from its scabbard beside him.

"What are you going to do, arrest us?" Alessandro quipped through clenched teeth. One hand was placed on his bleeding wound and the other held out his blade. Elena shot him a sideways glance, as she still stood without a weapon drawn or any notion of hostility towards these 'authorities.'

"Jail is the best they can do, Alessandro. Put your weapon down."

Alessandro looked from the guards to his weapon, then lowered it with disdain. The pair of Assassins put their hands up. With the nearby onlookers that the spectacle had garnered, it was unlikely that the guard should be so careless as to attack two surrendering and seemingly innocent people.

The guards began to advance on them. Elena did not move, but kept her gaze on the Templar.

"So, what will you do now?"

The Assassins were trapped. While the woman could have possibly outrun all the guards, Luciano knew she was not going to leave his injured companion behind. The doctor was dutiful but not bold, and so he fled when he had the chance. Curiosity got the better of many citizens however, there was soon an entire circle of spectators around the stand. That was the one circumstance not in the Templars' favour—and the Assassins were quick to voice it.
“What about a public execution right here and right now, eh?!” The guard captain huffed angrily. The accusation of cowardice was the greatest blow to his pride. He reached for his sword, ready to pounce in any moment.

Luciano pulled him back firmly.
“Don't think I couldn't have killed you both down there,” he said confidently to the Assassins. “But us Templars have morals too. We had an agreement. I held it against my better judgement. And I will once again let you live...for now. Take them away.”
The captain signed four of his men to restrain the Assassins, not taking any chances for a sudden breakout.
“Heh, the Signor is merciful. He must have plans for you. May have been better off executed after all...” one of them murmured at the two pushing them forward to get them moving.

The crowd slowly started to disperse as the group of guards marched away with the captives. Luciano remained at the back with Emerico, talking in hushed tones drowned out by the bustle of the city.
“Excellent work. This mission is not so much of a failure anymore because of you,” Luciano praised his apprentice.
“Ahimé. All but consolation for the loss of the Apple...” Emerico held his head downwards in visible disappointment. He was unsure if it still was the power of the artefact speaking from him or if he truly regretted not doing everything to save it.
“Until we learn how to handle its massive potential, it is better this way.”
“Perhaps.” He looked up. “But I have to ask...why spare these two ratti?”
“Their lives are still not safe... The captain thirsts for blood. But they have to survive. They are good warriors. Honest ones. They would make valuable allies.”
Emerico looked at the Templar in disbelief.
“They will not convert.”
“Nothing is certain. The Le Stinche tends to have a profound effect on its prisoners...” The Florentine prison was one of the first of its kind to be able to keep inmates in for a longer amount of time instead of simply providing a temporary stay for the criminals who awaited their true punishment. “But I'm afraid I won't be able to see it for now. I have to go.”
“Where?”
“To talk with the Maestro. If I'm correct, he is leaving for San Gimignano today. I have to get his approval for the plan.”
“Buona fortuna.”

Rodrigo Borgia resided in the house of one of his allies when duties called him to Florence, something which happened much more often nowadays. Luciano heard he had a plot to be executed, but never bothered finding out the details. After letting the guards at the door know who he was and who he sought, the Templar was soon allowed inside. The Grand Master stood in the window in his usual red and black clothing.
“I trust you will reveal the Apple of Eden to me now,” he spoke, his voice not bearing opposition.
“We were followed. Your men were not enough to fend off the two Assassins and we were forced to fight them ourselves. The Apple's power was accidentally awoken and the entire place collapsed.” Luciano straightened himself, trying to retain his confidence. He was not used to reporting failure...and he did not dare to think about the consequences. “The Piece...the Piece was lost to the depths with everything else.”

“You lost the Apple of Eden?!” The Grand Master turned around, seething with rage. “You have failed me, de Vicari! You have failed the entire Templar Order! Did you come here expecting anything else than the worst of deaths...?”
“I did not come to beg for forgiveness or make excuses. I came to make the best out of a bad situation.”
“What are you waiting for then? What can you say that could possibly absolve you from your horrendous failure?”
“The two Assassins...we have captured them. And I have reasons to believe their Brotherhood knows the location of another such artefact.” Luciano kept a straight face as he spoke. He had nothing concrete to support his intriguing words, but he feared that without them, his plan would not be approved...or worse.
“Is that so? And how would you acquire the information?” Rodrigo was sceptic, but interested—his thirst for absolute power overshadowed everything else.
“The two are in prison now, with the threat of execution. With your permission, I can intervene and get them to aid our cause.” Luciano knew it was not much for a plan just yet, but he was confident in his success. “Of course, I take responsibility for everything happening. If they lay as much as a finger on a Templar, I will accept death as worthy punishment.”
“If you do not find the location, the same will happen.” Rodrigo threatened, but the real menace from his voice was gone. “Molto bene. I give you the chance to right the wrongs you have caused. Have your way with our enemies...and find me another Apple.”

Luciano felt very satisfied as he left the house and started heading for the Le Stinche. Not only did he avoid a harsh sentence himself, he also managed to gain the permission he needed. Yet, he had to realise that the hardest part was only now beginning: turning the two Assassins.

The scene back on the street had of course not been an ideal one. But if that scenario was not ideal, this one was dreadful. A paunchy guard pressed on behind Elena and Alessandro, forcing them down a small corridor until they reached a holding cell outfitted with the standardized metal shackles. How odd, she thought, to leave the pair celled together.

The less than interested guard used his meaty hands to shove Elena's far more refined arms (now stripped of their ornate gauntlets) into the cold metal grip of the cuffs, chaining her to the wall with little more than the threadbare prison uniform she was issued and the wall to lean against. Alessandro received the same treatment, though through his garments a bloodstain was already being added to the many that preceeded it. The prison guards were less aggressive than the Templar puppets of the street posts, but to be asked to care for an assumed criminal was a stretch.

Alessandro slid down against the wall after the guard left, hitting the floor with a soft thud and a grunt. The exhaustion was apparent on his face, his entire body actually. His eyes fluttered closed and he sighed. Elena frowned and looked to the guard who stood outside of their cell.

"Scusa," The guard looked over his shoulder at her, but did little else to acknowledge the woman, "This man needs the medico, surely you could escort him to see a doctor about his injuries?"

The guard let out a barely audible grunt and turned his gaze forward again. Elena narrowed her eyes at the man. "You wouldn't want your superior knowing you let a man bleed to death and make such a mess on your watch, would you?"

"Basta! You are to wait until they come to take you to your separate chambers. Then, you will be more concerned about yourself than your friend."

So they weren't being held together. That fell more in line with the separation of the prison's quarters, a wing for women and a different one for men. Still, she had a feeling she wasn't going to be kept with the petty thieves if the Templars could pull the strings in Le Stinche as well. Knowing Rodrigo Borgia's growing influence, it was not unlikely.

Not long after, another pair of guards approached. Elena was picked up and removed from her shackles rather raggedly, as Alessandro was served the same. Elena resisted, but was met with a club to her side as she was drug from the cell. Struggling, she could see Alessandro being dragged as well, but not because he was resisting: because he could not walk.

"Alessandro! Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine."

Those were the last words she expressed to him before the club met the back of her head and the blackness overtook her.

Elena awoke in a damp cell that smelled of mildew and bile. Both her feet and hands chained to a wall, she was enclosed by rock all around her and held in by a sturdy iron door. A dark figure appeared through the small window of the door, laughing as she roused.

"Good morning, Assassin. I hope you had a nice nap. You won't be getting any more sleep once the boss gets here."

Her mind was groggy, but one thing she knew now for certain: her fate was in the hands of the Templars.

The heavy gates of the Le Stinche parted before Luciano de Vicari who arrived determined to begin carrying out his one very ambitious, but equally potent goal. First however, he sought out the warden, the leader of the establishment and the one overseeing all the prisoners—a rather new, but dignified position nonetheless.
“Everything went without fault, I presume?” The Templar got to the point immediately after the customary handshake.
“Yes, the two...what did your friend say, Assassins were taken to their respective cells.”

The warden was a hardened man who had worked in prisons long before taking leadership of the Le Stinche. He was proficient in his duty, ruthless enough to be feared but not overly sadistic. There was but one flaw in him: he was not a Templar. Securing control over the largest and arguably best Florentine prison was of great importance to the Order, and initial plans were made to depose of the neutral warden and replace him with a loyal one. However, the man caught wind of it and reluctantly offered limited cooperation in exchange of being able to keep his position and his life.

“Who they are needs not be your concern, buon signore. I only need their security ensured, nothing more.”
“That I can provide. But I have to assure their well-being as well. This is a place for incarceration, not murder. If word gets out that the worst happened, the people will cry for justice.”
“It is a common interest for us both, believe me.” Luciano took out a small pouch of gold and handed it over to the warden. “Peaceful partnership like this is also a common interest. And it gets rewarded appropriately.”
“Get out of here, truffatore.” The warden grunted with repressed ire, taking the gold pouch. He despised being dependent on an outside influence. “Go and do whatever you wish with them. Just do it out of my sight.”

Luciano seldom cared for the warden's feelings or morals. He provided him with what he asked for, that was all that mattered. The Templar headed for the block below ground level. The cells there were the smallest and the filthiest, with thick stone walls and iron doors keeping away all light and all hope. Those thrown in here had no idea where they were within the prison or who inhabited the other cells on the floor either. The unforgiving conditions quickly broke the spirit of all but the bravest and most unyielding subjects, and such only the worst criminals and those awaiting execution were kept in these cells for a longer period of time.

Luciano stepped into the first cell through an open door. To his surprise, there was not one, but three people inside the small space: the injured Assassin with only his chains holding him somewhat upright, a doctor in a different outfit than usual busy at work and Emerico, arms folded and a concerned look on his face.
“How bad is it?” Luciano asked his apprentice, gesturing at the Assassin.
“He was barely conscious when they dragged him here. I called the prison doctor at once.”
“You look very troubled, amico mio. You fought Assassins before, even killed one of them... What makes this case different?”
“I...I don't know. When we...when we fought for the Apple, I think I realised how similar our struggles truly are. If things had gone different...it could very well be me in his place right now,” he spoke with surprising honesty. “But I should not think like this. This is weakness...”
“It is not.” Luciano reassured him, though surprised at his change of heart. He was even against sparing the two initially. Time truly matters, the Templar thought. “At least not this time. You understand him, and that will be crucial at getting him to question his own affiliation.”

“I closed the wounds as best as I could, Messer,” the doctor piped up. “But he needs time to heal now. And, may I add, a cleaner place would only aid his recovery.”
“Take him out of here.” Luciano looked at Emerico, who nodded and hastily left the cell to find guards to help carry the Assassin. “And make sure he knows exactly whose hospitality he can thank for his life when he wakes up.”

This was certainly the easier part, Luciano thought as he made his way to the second cell. Someone stood in its door from outside—the guard captain from the streets as the Templar recognised his figure.
“You took your time,” the haughty man welcomed Luciano less than politely. “Makes me think you are closer to our enemies than a Templar Knight should be...”
“None of your concern, capitano. Is she inside?”
“In one piece, even. A shame, I could have...entertained her during this tiresome wait.” He let out a snicker.
“You may leave now, your duty is over. I will make sure you are rewarded for what you did.”
The Templar did not want to deal with the cruel captain anymore. It was a shame some still did not realise that violence, while welcomed and useful, was not the only way to win someone's favour.

The Assassin woman was in a state much similar to her companion, albeit she certainly looked more alive. So much in fact that Luciano was sure she would have jumped on him right away if not for the short chains keeping her completely still.
“I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, your friend is fine. He has already been saved from immediate emergency and is currently recovering at the best quarters the Le Stinche can offer,” he said in a calm and matter-of-fact voice. There was no need to fake anything this time. “We saved his life. He is an Assassin...and we, Templars, saved his life. That should mean something, shouldn't it?”

He did not believe he could convince her of anything right away, but he did not have to. Time was on his side, at least for as long as the Grand Master was occupied with his plotting.
“The road from the central district to this place was rather lengthy. Your Brotherhood could have come to rescue you at any moment. There was quite a scene—they surely knew what was happening. But they did not come. They allowed us to take you to the ugly depths of prison for an uncertain fate. For me it doesn't seem like they value you for too much...”

“I value you very highly. Your skills are impressive and your sense of duty is in the right place. You have simply chosen the wrong side. Or did you even choose? Have you ever had a say in whether or not you accept being dragged into this age-old conflict? Or were you simply indoctrinated from birth like many others?”
Fortunately, he had a little knowledge about the Assassins which he could put to use here to make them appear in as bad of a light as possible.
“I offer you a chance for something different. Something better. I believe you and I are both destined for great things. Why let such trivial issues like affiliation stand in our way?”
He turned towards the door, ready to leave.
“Think about it. Listen to the voice of reason. I will see you again soon.”

A mumbling heard outside the thick door of her prison cell stirred Elena from a restless sleep she had managed to find herself in, slumped up rather uncomfortably amongst the chains and cold stone wall of her cell. The words were unclear, blocked by the iron and rock that surrounded her. She wondered if it was the guard who had been keeping an eye on her, the one from the street who she would find regularly opening the door of the small barred window to check on her. As if she had found some way to escape her shackles and burrow out of the fortified room. Idiota.

Much to her disappointment, the door opened and whom should be revealed to her is none other than the Templar Knight who got her here in the first place. Elena holds back the urge to spit at his feet on better judgement to avoid further punishment than she's already experienced. Even in these conditions, she must keep her wits and composure about her. Yet, she could not help but worry about what the Templars have already done to Alessandro.

And somehow, the man knows this is exactly what Elena is worried about. Even claims he has saved him. Her lip twitches with slight agitation. She cannot help but let out a laugh.

"Best quarters? He will succumb to the infection soon enough." She scoffed. Alessandro was probably already dead. This Templar was just using the promise of his safety to mess with her head.

Elena did her best to keep his gaze locked with her own while not saying much. When he mentioned the Assassin's neglect in attempting to rescue or even send a correspondent in to Le Stinche to save two of their own, she averted her gaze and glared hard at the corner of the cold floor.

"Choose the wrong side? In what way could I have possibly chosen the wrong side? Assassins fight for peace, freedom, equality. Templars only want to rule everyone and everything ruthlessly. Power is all you seek." The words were venomous. Questioning what she fought for, why she fought against everything the Templars did.

"Maybe you should evaluate your own Order's intentions. Though you seem the ruthless testa di cazzo anyway, eh? I surely hope Signore Borgia treats you well for being his little pet."

As he turned towards the door, she gave a small laugh again.

"I look forward to it."

The door shut and Elena was left to take in everything the Templar had said. One thing he said did raise concerns with her. Why hadn't the Assassins come to their aid here? Especially her brother? Surely he knew of her altercation and imprisonment in this place. It would be no great feat to stage a breakout, or at the very least place someone on the inside to work on an escape plan. Why hadn't this happened yet? How long had they been here already?

Nevertheless, the Templar was crazy if he thought Elena was going to become his ally just like that. Perhaps she could give him things to consider as well, though piping up too much may cost her a limb or her life.

Several floors up from the dark and cold prison Elena was held in, Alessandro woke to find himself lying on clean linen sheets in a room that looked more like a hostel than a room in Le Stinche. The only thing reminiscent of a prison cell was the window that was barred with iron and the door that had no handle from the inside. Other than that, it held minimal furniture. He looked down to find his wound was properly patched and stitched now. A clean change of clothes lie next to the bed on his left.

A knock at the door caught his attention as it opened and a familiar, yet not welcome face entered. The Templar apprentice, with food and a smug look upon his face. He was quick to explain that it was the Templar's doing that put him in these more than acceptable quarters and provided him with proper medical care, which would soon be arriving soon again to check on him. He then mentioned that Alessandro would be staying in these quarters to heal, and that there was much to discuss when he was ready to do so. As the Templar went to exit, he looked over his shoulder and let out the most important tidbit of information: they had also spared Elena.

The door closed and Alessandro sat on the bed, staring out the window as he pondered the circumstances and when he would be visited again.

The woman did not bend one bit—or at least, not nearly enough for any notable results. Luciano saw the defiance in her eyes when he was in her cell and realised immediately she did not plan on taking in his words, much less considering them anytime soon. Though he did plan on making similar visits after some time had passed, he was already doubting its effectiveness and started thinking of other ways from the moment he left the underground block.

This fact, though irritating, would not have usually been too substantial for the Templar who seldom held himself back when it came to achieving important goals. However, this time was distinctly different. The main issue was that he saw no other immediate options. There was direct torture using the wide array of tools at the Le Stinche's disposal, something very eagerly advocated by the guard captain Luciano rather detested—but he quickly threw away the idea. He wanted capable allies, not broken servants. One of the Assassins, whom Emerico wilfully tended to, already had a long road ahead of him to total recovery. And time was not something the Templar was lavished in...

Everything changed the next day. An event of great magnitude hit Florence, and news spread throughout the city like wildfire: the Pazzis, accompanied by other conspirators staged a coup against Lorenzo de Medici and his brother Giuliano at the Duomo during one of the most sacred celebrations, High Mass. Though the Medici ruler got away, the latter was not so lucky as his life was brutally taken from him in the ensuing chaos.

The moment the details of the tragedy reached him, Luciano knew exactly: this was the plot the Grand Master aided. The conspirators were all Templars, some such as Francesco de Pazzi were quite close to him throughout his rise in the Order. Worst of all, he was quite certain Lorenzo was also aware of this and was already planning retribution...which meant that the Assassin Brotherhood was getting involved as well. And Luciano de Vicari could not let the Order down when they most needed him.

He told Emerico to stay and oversee both prisoners, while he himself left the prison and delved into the city once again.

————

Two days have passed since the ill-fated conspiracy and its horrible consequences. Luciano did not spend much time in the Le Stinche, being throughoutly occupied—the assassination of Francesco at the Palazzo della Signoria later on the same day meant that there was a considerable void left to fill in the Templar ranks. Especially so since many of the conspirators had chosen to hide or outright flee the city to escape the retaliation.

There was much to be done. Most importantly, the Order sought to regain the upper hand and get one step ahead of their enemies again, which required large-scale reconnaissance, interrogations and many bribes.
One such operation resulted in Luciano getting his hands on a letter taken from a captured courier pigeon. Much to his surprise, it was about the conspiracy like most others—but the two imprisoned Assassins. An inside source wrote in detail about their conditions, emphasising that despite gruelling circumstances, they were both still alive and more importantly, did not compromise the Brotherhood. The last couple sentences urged the recipients to organise a rescue mission as soon as possible.

Luciano recognised the massive opportunity. He quickly ordered a replacement letter to be forged, seemingly coming from the same source but with entirely different content: letting the Assassins know that most unfortunately, their two peers have succumbed to the Templar torture and have expressed willingness to work with their enemies in exchange of freedom. Instead of a rescue, the source now called for a hasty infiltration into the prison and elimination of the dissenters before they could cause the Brotherhood anymore harm.

————

It has been an exact week since the scene and the public arrest of the two Assassins. During this time, they held themselves to their values adamantly and did not speak of any private matters, though there were no harsh attempts made at getting them to confess other than the regular questionings. At least their names were found out—Elena and Alessandro, respectively—and care was taken to keep them separate at all times so that they could not encourage one another.

Heading back to the Le Stinche, Luciano was most surprised to see the warden at the entrance of the underground block. After questioning him, this was the reply:
“The people in here did not see the sunlight in a week at least. They need to be given the chance.”
“Ah, sì. Caring for their well-being, I see.”
“I hope you have no intentions of stopping me, tagliagole.” The man was informed as much to know that Luciano was in one fold with the wanted conspirators.
“It would be very far from me to do so, buon signore.”
“Good. They will have an hour at the yard under constant watch, nothing more.”

As they spoke, the prison guards were bringing out the convicts one by one, leading them forward in a line. Most of them were hardened criminals: fraudsters, rapists, murderers. Elena, especially without her signature Assassin clothing, did not quite fit. Luciano's expression did not change when he saw her, but he could almost feel the accumulating hate she almost certainly attributed to him. He followed the row at the back with the warden, walking mostly in silence.

The prisoners were led to a large open area surrounded by the usual tall stone walls. There were several others there already, mostly those who had better cells or whose sentences were about to expire. The other Assassin, Alessandro was here too, and so was Emerico, the latter quickly making his way towards the Templar.
“Il mio mentore!” he accosted Luciano. “You have been away for a while now.”
“I wish I did not have to, Emerico.” He switched to a quieter tone. “But our Order is more fragile now than ever. We have already lost too many good men, and there are surely more to follow. I wanted to speak to the Maestro about the situation, but he does not want to see me, nor anyone else it looks like.”
“That does sound very distressing...” Emerico expressed his concern. “Things are heating up over here too. There have been a lot of riots in the recent days, more and more people are being admitted in here every day. Many are charged with aiding the conspirators. I was afraid someone will make the connection to you and I...”
“We had no say in this matter. But you are right, we have to be very watchful...”

While they discussed as such, Luciano kept a careful eye on the prisoners about to be released into the yard for their hour of relative freedom, and especially on Elena. He suddenly spotted a form in the line that was not there before. In the next moment, he also saw the flash of a blade in their hand...
“ASSASSIN!” he yelled as loud as he could, then rushed towards the unknown person with a drawn blade, followed by Emerico after he snapped out of his surprise. The Templar knew they came for Elena and Alessandro. Taking one brief glance at the side where the latter resided, he was sure there was another attacker approaching. He just hoped the guards over there would be enough for the time being...

The events of the world outside of Le Stinche did not fall upon the ears of those trapped inside it's walls, certainly not those in its depths. Elena was oblivious to the grand chess match going on between the Assassins and the Templars in the Italian streets, or at least, to the severity of its nature. Whispers could be heard between the guards outside her door as they switched their posts, but even these morsels of information were not enough to even intrigue her on finding out more. The dark cell was the only thing she knew for days, no company to break the deafening silence except for when her rations were delivered to her through the metal slot of her prison cell or she was questioned by a Templar guard. But even the Knight Templar who sought to break her allegiance did not visit her, which left her wondering what grand plan he was plotting next for her.

Alessandro's experience had been slightly better, but only in the way that his amenities were made fit for recovery of his injuries. At least he had regular company, so far the doctor came to check on him three separate times that he could consciously remember. Apart from that, nurses had been sent in to change the dressing on his wounds as well. This was as good as it got, for the rest of his time was spent locked up alone or ignoring the interrogation of the ignobile Templars with a silent brooding stare.

All of their isolation came to an end when the cells were cracked open and each was told they were to be escorted to the yard for recreational time. Elena was shocked to find she was being allowed out of her confinement... weren't the Templars worried that she would make a mad dash at the first opportunity? Nevertheless, she was not about to pass up the opportunity to trade the smell of bile and filth for fresh air and sunlight.

The chains were of course kept on her feet and hands as she was roughly removed from her cell. Her muscles ached from days of little movement, finally getting to stretch them as she filed into the line with the other prisoners brought her some relief. Looking around to get her bearings (as for when she was brought down here, she had been knocked unconscious) she noticed the high ranking Templar standing with a man who seemed to not be taking orders from him, but instead giving them. So, the Templars couldn't pull all of the strings in Le Stinche... maybe there was hope for rescue after all.

Elena's eyes caught the Templar's as she shuffled her shackled feet in unison with the other prisoners. Her face showed some exhaustion, bags beneath her eyes and a pale tone on her once olive skin. Eyes, however, still lit with passion and fire, which she locked in a deadly stare at the Templar as she was pushed forward.

---

Once out at the prison yard, Elena had to squint as her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the daylight. She heard a quick, sharp whistle and immediately knew its origin. Eyes scanning rapidly until she found his face, a large smile grew upon her own when Elena saw Alessandro standing about the yard with some of the other prisoners. Alessandro returned the smile with a large toothy grin of his own. Elena had thought him to be as good as dead, not trusting the word of the Templar that they had saved him and provided the medical care he surely had needed. It seemed she was now proven wrong.

What she wanted most was to run up to Alessandro and greet him with an embrace, however she was still being filed out by the prison guards with the other criminals and being lined up so that they could get one last check on them she supposed to make sure nobody was going to kill each other out here. Just as she was about to be given the okay to roam about, a familiar moniker echoed throughout the yard, and what quickly followed could only be described as caos.

---

Elena's first thought was that she and Alessandro were finally saved. The Assassin's had finally found an opportunity to come and free them from their captivity. Eagerly, she looked over towards Alessandro, only to realize in horror that the Assassin who had already found his was to her companion was about to plunge his blade into Alessandro's chest. She let out a scream, watching Alessandro counter the Assassin the best he could as the prison guards closed in on him. Turning, Elena came face to face with another familiar blade as it made it's way towards her.

"Fratello! Stop!"

But he did not stop. Instead, he continued forward towards her with his blade aimed at her heart. She drew her chained hands up in defense, but before the Assassin could make it two more steps in her direction, the Templars blasted him from the side and saved her from a deadly strike. With her own life out of immediate danger, she looked over towards where she last saw Alessandro seconds before. The prison guards were doing their best, but the trained Assassin was making quick work of them. Alessandro was fighting hand-to-hand with the Assassin and pleading with him to drop his weapon as Elena began to run towards the fighting pair.

"Drop your weapon Brother!"

Again, the Assassin did not stop. Moving as fast as her shackled feet could carry her, Elena ran and jumped on the Assassin from behind. Using the chains from her handcuffs, she pulled around his jugular to subdue him as Alessandro held down his hands. After a few brief moments, he fell to the ground, unconscious.

Elena held back the tears that threatened to break through after killing one of her own. She could not cry. Not now. Her attention turned back to the Templars who were handling the other attacker, and saw that they had managed to handle themselves. Elena looked to Alessandro before leaning onto him.

"Are you alright?"
"Si. And you?"

Elena shook her head. The Brotherhood had turned against them. For what reason? She did not know. What she did know was that she and Alessandro were not considered Assassins anymore. They were considered traitors to the Creed. That meant there was a bounty on their heads for all Assassins. Elena straightened up and looked at the high ranking Templar, the one who got her and Alessandro into this mess.

"Because of you! You bastardo! Our family turns its back on us!" She shouts. Alessandro puts a hand on her shoulder and holds her back.

"Elena. They, too, fought to save us. They could have let the Assassins kill us." Alessandro says quietly to her.

Elena huffs and blinks several times, remembering the split second the Templar charged in to save her from being taken by her own. Her gaze falls to the ground, and she swallows down a hard lump that has formed in her throat. Never in her life has she been caught in a position such as this. Now, she must do what she can to ensure survival, for the Assassins will surely strike again.

Her head comes back up and she meets the stare of the Templar again.

"Perhaps I was wrong about you."

The spacious yard was quickly filled with sounds of shouts, cries and clattering steel as a confused struggle unfolded upon the emergence of a new threat. The unarmed and chained prisoners, no matter how tough they were, knew better than to throw their lives away by getting in between the intense fights between the guards and the attackers. The thriftier ones realised the opportunity to make their escape once and for all, making a run through the Le Stinche towards its only gate. The situation was quickly devolving into an uncontrollable turmoil.
The warden saw it unfold as well and tried to organise his people before it was too late, barking loud orders wherever he went:
“In nome di Dio, don't let the prisoners get away! After them, guards, after them! Alert the rest!”

He was more than preoccupied with securing the incarcerated, and was unable to pay much mind to the ambushers who felled his men one after the other. That task was left up to the two Templars who both rushed the Assassin targeting the screaming Elena. Luciano reached him first, shoving him to the side with the same momentum. The momentary disorientation was not enough for a quick kill as the Templar hoped as the Assassin quickly broke free and pushed him away. It was at this moment that Emerico also reached the scene and so began the two-on-one standoff as Elena had taken the chance to run off, seemingly towards her friend and companion.
“Go...and...check on the other one,” Luciano ordered his accomplice, taking a moment to catch his breath now that the mad rush to save the woman from the initial strike was over.
“This one's dangerous... We defeat him together!” Emerico, unusual to him, showed defiance and wanted to fight besides his mentor, who left it at that with a nod. The two Templars now stood besides one another, blades drawn and ready to battle.
“Stand aside, luridi codardi. We did not come for you this time,” said the Assassin who held two daggers in his hands, no doubt accompanied by his hidden blades if they were needed. “We merely came to preserve the Brotherhood's honour and uphold its creed.”
“By that you mean killing those who stray from your chosen path?” Luciano asked with feigned anger in his voice. Making the opponent believe he was impulsive and easily overtaken by emotions usually made them underestimate him. “And you think yourself to be above us...”
“I will not explain the intentions of the Brotherhood to you. Your narrow, obedient Templar minds would not understand!”

The Assassin picked his target and charged at Luciano with the twin daggers. He parried one hand and dodged the other, holding the bladelock for just long enough for Emerico to deliver a stab from the side. Resilient, the Assassin shrugged off the attack and immobilised the apprentice with a well-timed kick. That gave him enough time to once again engage Luciano and strike at his right arm with great precision, allowing him to disarm and take one sword away from the Templar. With the same motion, he swung the newly acquired weapon to cut down Emerico, who was just deft enough to dodge out of the way. The weight of the lengthy sword caught the Assassin used to the light daggers off-guard however, and it took an extra moment for him to raise the blade up again. That moment of having his side turned was all that was needed for Luciano, who quickly ducked down and used his remaining blade to deliver a powerful blow at the Assassin's leg—forcing the Brotherhood warrior to the ground. Before he had any chance to regain his balance, Emerico struck as well and cut off the hand that held Luciano's sword altogether.

“Fanculo!” the Assassin cried out in pain, clutching onto his blood-squirting, mutilated arm. “Curses upon you, Templars... Know that the end of your day is drawing ever closer... Soon, your tyrannous rule over Firenze will be over...and the people will be free at last...”
“You can take your foolish ideals to the grave with you, Assassino.” Luciano raised his sword with both hands above the dying man. “The Order shall never fall!” And delivered the coup de grâce.

The two Templars looked over the yard once again. By the time their battle was over, it seemed like so were all others. The prison guards were almost all gone, each leading recaptured convicts back to their cells or mourning over their fallen brothers, for many patches of the dark green grass still lay coloured red by blood with many unfortunate souls released from their bodily vessels during the frantic struggle.

What truly mattered for Luciano however...was that the two Assassins stood as survivors above it all.

He made his way over to them, shaking the blood tainting his blade off before slowly putting it back to its sheath. Before he could have had a word to say to the two however, a visibly shaken Elena spoke first, shouting in a fit of rage that quickly dissolved into anguish.
“We had no deal in this. This was your Brotherhood showing its true colours,” he said, his head nodding at the corpse of the other Assassin who was either subdued by them or the guards. “You've served them with loyalty and honour. And they reward you by sending their own for your heads.”
He did not want to speak too much. The actions were more than enough for the message he wanted to carry across.

“I told you, Elena. I value you highly.” He turned to the woman personally after she admitted she was wrong about him. “Your allegiance does not define you, nor does it define us. It merely is a restriction to keep great people from joining forces and making the world a better place. Can you see it now?”
“This is not over yet though, I'm afraid...” Emerico chimed in. He did not know what caused the Brotherhood to declare the two as traitors either, but they did and that meant they were not safe anywhere anymore.
“It surely is not. Being outside is all but a death sentence... Come. We'll need a better place to discuss this.” He beckoned the Assassins. “Oh, and.” He reached into his pocket and raised up a key, which he threw over to the two. “These unlock the chains. You've no need for them anymore.”

Now with all four of them moving freely, the group made their way back into the Le Stinche's main building. On the way, Luciano heard the voice of two guards discussing through the wall in the room right next to the alleyway they were walking in.
“Are you sure they're still alive?” asked one with audible anxiety.
“I was there when they killed that maledetto assassino... Fierce warriors they were, I have to say!”
“This was all so unexpected. It was not meant to happen like this...”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, it's just—”

Luciano suddenly froze in place for a moment, then rushed into the room where the two guards were talking, pinning the first one violently to the wall.
“Che cosa?! What is...this all for, signore?!” grunted the pinned guard, struggling with breath.
“So you were the Assassin informant!” the Templar roared.
“What are you talking about? I never—”
“Silence!” He drew his blade and held it to the guard's throat. “Don't lie to me, bastardo...or your head will regret it!”
“It...it shouldn't have happened like this...”
By this time, the others were in the room too. Emerico held back the other guard from interfering with anything. Luciano made sure the two Assassins saw and heard everything clearly.
“You ordered the execution of these two right here! They'd have every reason to carry out the same on you right now!”
“They...they were to be rescued, I swear!”
“Ah yes, of course they were...” He brought the blade closer. Any sudden move from the caught informant and it would have done the job already. “Rescued from this cursed world, huh?!”
“The warden...he would not allow this to happen...” The guard's breathing quickened as death was looming on the horizon. “He would bring you to the tribunal for acting like this!”
“The warden has lost some of his best men today, all because of you... Do you really think he would come for your protection?”
“Don't do something you'll regre—” was all he could mutter before Luciano plunged the blade into his throat.

“I'm sorry you had to witness this.” The Templar turned back to the two as the now lifeless body of the informant slowly slid to the ground along the wall with a trail of blood. “But justice needed to be served. Let the Assassins know we will not tolerate their sins.”

There were no other sudden events on their path and they arrived to their destination shortly after: the warden's quarters. It stood empty, the poor occupant having a share of duties to attend to after this chaos. It was also the best-protected area in the entire prison. Emerico stayed to guard the door and make sure no one was listening to what was about to be said, while the other three walked in.
After they have all settled in, Luciano spoke up:
“The Assassin Brotherhood is after you. Now that they are increasing their foothold in the city as a result of the recent events, they will no doubt employ even greater forces to hunt you down.” His expression was deadly serious. “I, in the name of the entire Templar Order, extend you a hand of help and protection, without asking for anything but partnership in exchange. Will you take it?”

The perpetual calm that the Templar had for dealing with Elena was something to be envied. No matter how she cursed or what kind of scene they young woman caused, he steadied with a level head and enduring patience. Perhaps the Templar Order did have some desirable traits to be learned yet.

The glimmer of the key that would relinquish the pair from their captivity caught Elena's eye, but it was Alessandro's outstretched hands that caught the small piece of metal and made quick work of each of their chains. The weight that fell to the blood stained ground brought a great relief to Elena's wrists, which had formed sores from struggling against the restraints for the past days.

It was as curious as it was suspicious for the two Templars to let Elena and Alessandro move about unrestrained. It would be easier now, had they the strength or could rustle up some weapons off of the fallen guards, to engage their captors. However, this act further proved a growing trust in the pair, and so (though hesitantly) Elena moved forward to follow Luciano and Emerico back inside the walls of Le Stinche, Alessandro only a step behind.

The sudden stop and then jolt of movement by the party leader caused Elena to flinch, but she and the others soon followed him inside to find a guard pinned to the wall, blade pressed firmly against his throat in something more than a threat. From the ongoing conversation being had, it was quick to gather that this man was an inside informant in the prison. Supposedly reporting on Elena and Alessandro's condition during captivity, but from his blabbering in the face of accusations, it seemed he had reported for them to be disposed of.

Alessandro took a step forward in anger, wanting his own answers, but he was too late. The rat slid down the wall as he gagged on his own blood, falling into a slump as he hit the floor. Alessandro was angered, spitting on the corpse.

"Pezzi di merda."

"Don't be," Elena spoke up in response to the Templar's apologies, "He is better off that way."

The whole thing seemed to be too perfect to Elena, who still could not believe that the Brotherhood would turn on them and act out an order to kill. Especially her brother, her real brother, who held enough power in the Assassin ranks to stop any bounty that was on her head. Was he so foolish to believe she was a traitor to the Brotherhood? Or could he not convince the likes of Niccolo Machiavelli and the others? Nevertheless, the Assassins who showed up today had arrived with the intent to end both she and Alessandro's life. The image of the Assassin lunging at her in the yard just moments before this one beamed in her mind again before Alessandro grabbed her arm, breaking her from her conflicting thoughts to follow the Templar yet again.

Arriving in the warden's quarters, it seemed the two Assassins (or rather, exiled Assassins) were out of time to ponder the recent events that had fallen upon them. It did not take long for the Knight Templar to speak up, leaving his apprentice outside to guard the door. The words he spoke were true, and both Elena and Alessandro knew that. The two stuck close to each other, standing side by side as they have many times before. This decision would affect the both of them permanently. Alessandro looked down eagerly at Elena. His mind was already made, but he waited patiently for her to speak first, as he always did. Quickly taking in the situation around her, Elena realized two things: (1) They would not make it out on the streets on their own without aid if the Brotherhood had already made its mind up about them, and (2) they would not make it out of this room alive if their answer was not to the liking of the Templars or their benefit. It seemed her mind was made up without her doing much thought at all.

"It appears you have made an offer that we would be ignorant to refuse," Elena lifted her hand out to seal the deal, accepting the Templars offer and effectively severing her ties as an Assassin. Alessandro again followed the young woman's actions, repeating them himself and giving a satisfactory nod and a firm shake.

"Where do we go from here?" Alessandro asked, curious of his new role in the grand battle.

"Would it not be best to conceal our fate from the Assassins?" Elena piped up, wondering how hard the Brotherhood may pursue them if they do have a growing influence as the Templar admits. "All they know is that their agents did not survive here today, they do not know however, that their attempts at our lives were not first successful. Though they will soon find out, unless we have the warden fake our deaths."

"And," she said, realizing now that each were supposed allies now, "I suppose formal introductions are in order. I'm Elena Carrozza."

"Alessandro de Gonella."