Throwing the last messenger pigeon into the air, Ezio watched it go, silently sending his well-wishes along with it to Tessa Varzi. She was the last of this batch of apprentices who had yet to attain enough experience to become a full-fledged Assassin. Hopefully after this contract mission, he would be able to welcome yet another into the ranks of the Brotherhood. The escort mission in England he had assigned her wasn't all too difficult. A three-star rank, he had confidence in her abilities to see it through without too much mishap. Tearing his gaze away from the sky, Ezio passed a glancing sweep at the streets below, quietly pleased to see the unhindered bustle of civilians at work and shops flourishing now that Borgia's hold over the city was no more. It had taken days of methodical planning and execution to bring down each Borgia Tower littering the area, but it was well worth it.
This, he thought,
is why the Assassins' Order exists. To fight the tyranny of the Templars. And the Brotherhood will survive in the shadows for centuries to come.
Turning his back, the Mentor headed south, intending on staying at Tiber Island for the rest of the day. With Lorenzo here, he highly doubted the man would appreciate Ezio wandering off on less important errands when Medici took the time to come all the way out here. Across sturdy rooftops and stone walls he ran, neatly avoiding the few archers patrolling the area as he sprinted. They wouldn't shoot him upon first sight like the Borgia men, but it was good practice in times when he didn't get many chances to. If it were up to Michelangelo and if it wouldn't be viewed as an insult, Ezio would be cooped up in the Headquarters and shadowed every time he set foot outside Rome. There were a great many things Ezio could grumble about, like the twinge in his back - he's not old, dammit - but he wasn't going to spoil his day before it even started.
Landing lightly on the edge of a roof, he straightened, preparing to make a leap of faith into the pile of hay below when he caught a movement of an object that seemed to be heading directly for him. The Assassin paused, peering more intently into the distance as he tried to make out the approaching white...cloud. If seeing such a low-hanging cloud around these parts wasn't strange enough, this one had a face, which proceeded to drop a turtle of some sort as soon as it got close enough. The yellow-coloured being ignored Ezio's tensed frame, walking up unhesitantly to the man and held out a white envelope. Upon its visible surface was an elegant script not dissimilar to that of his mother's handwriting inked in gold. Ezio eyed the letter and its messenger for a second longer before accepting it with caution. Its task done, the little creature left together with its unusual stead, leaving him turning the envelope over to reveal a neat, unbroken seal.
Letter tucked securely in his medicine pouch, he leaped into the pile of hay down below and scrambled up another building, sprinting across the bridge as soon as his feet touched solid ground. It took him only a couple more minutes before he was walking through the doors of his designated office. As expected, Lorenzo was seated on the couch, traveling cloak tossed carelessly on the back of another chair. Acknowledging Medici's presence with a polite nod, Ezio didn't bother pushing down his cowl as he leaned against the desk and withdrew the mysterious envelope once more.
"Who is that letter from?" Lorenzo asked, a slight smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Is it Caterina?"
"No, my friend. A rather unusual messenger gave it to me, but he left before I could question him." Ezio replied, breaking the seal. "Or at least, I think it was a 'he'. I can't tell with animals."
The look Lorenzo gave him for that statement was incredulous, but he shrugged it off, pulling the letter out to read instead of giving a verbal answer. The letter was short and to the point, but the implications within made his brows furrow in concern. Well, wasn't it fortunate that Lorenzo decided to pay a visit today, else he would have left and everyone else would be notified a day or so later. Although his face was not visible, Lorenzo knew him long enough to know if he was troubled. Unceremoniously, the statesman took the piece of paper from his grasp and scanned it through.
"It seems Minerva's prophecy came true. She warned me that the time will come for me to decide if I should help in protecting not just the world fro the Templars, but the universe from a greater force than I - we - have ever encountered. If it is as big a threat as the letter says...I think my path is clear." Ezio took the letter back, reaching over the desk to grope around the drawer for a pen he knew was there.
"But, Ezio,
attendere prego! If you leave, who is to lead the Brotherhood? Not to mention there is still Altair's Piece of Eden to find!"
"My friend, you worry too much. There are many others who are up to the task. Michelangelo, for one. He is a better strategist than I am and one who has quite a lot of experience in planning operations. The Brotherhood will thrive under his command. As for the Piece of Eden, Leonardo is around to decipher the Codex, and my former apprentices are skilled enough if I do say so myself." Ezio smiled, pulling the man into a tight hug for a fullsecond before letting go. "Do me a favour. Tell the others I shall be unavailable for an uncertain period of time. And don't forget to give Tessa her new robes when she gets back from England."
"I shall fulfil your requests,
fatello mio. Go and serve the worthy cause."
Without another second's hesitation, he circled 'Yes'. The moment the tip left the paper, it folded in on itself, vanishing in a puff of smoke. A portal opened before Ezio, shining brightly as white light seemed to spill endlessly from it.
"Until we meet again.
Vittoria agli Assassini." Ezio said over his shoulder, then stepped into the portal.
For someone who had never used a portal before, the method of transportation was highly disorientating. Still, the discomfort rapidly faded away as Ezio took in his new surroundings. Smooth stone arches, large decorated pillars, and completely devoid of anything else. It reminded him of the Vatican's outer hall and he inwardly grimaced. His memories of that place weren't his most pleasant ones. He half-expected priests in dark robes to walk in anytime now. Or the heavily armoured figures of Brutes. Deciding not to linger too long, Ezio paced forward slowly, eyes shadowed by his cowl darting around the place in search for threats.
He hadn't gone more than a few meters when footsteps that wasn't his echoed down the empty hall. It didn't sound like four-legged walk, nor was it heavy enough to be larger than the size of an average human male. When the mysterious figure appeared in his line of sight, Ezio couldn't stop his eyebrows lifting in surprise. This dimension sure had lots of strange little beings. Or was it just his world that did not contain creatures like these? Once again, he quickly derailed his mind from that train of thought. The fact that there were so many dimensions in the universe besides the world he grew up in was mind-boggling, and not something he wanted to lose himself in now. Not when he was in unknown territory. Sometime in the future, maybe he could spare a day or two to mull it over pray his brain did not turn to mush. Leonardo was the genius who could take in all this strangeness and still keep his cool, but not Ezio. He was a man of practicality, not science and invention and otherworldly creativity.
The orange creature halted a few steps away, staring up at him as it spewed gibberish. "@!#?@!"
"Would you care to repeat that? Preferably in a language I understand?"
"@!#?@!" It repeated once more, completely ignoring Ezio's request as it turned and walked away. It stopped again, gibbered irritably as Ezio didn't move from his position.
"Okay, okay. I get it, no need to get worked up. Please, lead on."
Although he was now a little leery about getting into any more strange devices, the need to know what was going to happen now that he was here overrode his wariness. So he stepped in after the little creature, getting out quickly as soon as the door opened. The moment he stepped out, the smell of baked goods and assorted spices assaulted his nose. It smelled so much like the feasts held in Headquarters that his mouth watered. That and he had yet to eat lunch. The reception hall leading into the dining area was as grand as the foyer below. Ezio admired the interior as he walked through it, absently wondering if the exterior would looked grander than the Sforza Castle. Most probably, but he wasn't going to admit it aloud. Caterina would castrate him for debasing the home of her ancestors.
Upon entering the dining area, Ezio took in the green-haired men and women roaming around, the several uniquely dressed individuals -
and is he actually seeing a white wolf? - already occupying a place within, and the long tables ladened with food. Silently, he made his way towards the table on the furtherest end, claiming the seat right at the edge, where he was able to keep an eye others and most importantly, the main entrance. There was also no other exits at his back, so unless one could turn invisible, he shouldn't be snuck up on so easily. Shifting the sheath of his sword so it did not clip on either the table or seat, he reached out to snag a plate of fruit and a slice of cake. Probably not the healthiest lunch, but...cheesecake.
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