The Arrow Strikes

Angelo smiled quietly and calmly sat beside her on the couch, sitting forward out of habit the way of an Assassin blending with the civilians. around Roma. "Maestro said some things about it," he said softly. "But I would like to know the full story. If you're willing to tell it."

Alexandria nodded and begin to tell Angelo of her story, "Like I said to you before, my parents hated me. As for why they hate me, it's because of my eyes. I have red eyes and to them red eyes are the eyes of the demon. Because of this superstitious view, I fell victim to my parents abuse." She gripped tightly to the blanket as she try to calm herself.

"My childhood was full with pain and suffering. I was abuse both physically and mentally by both of my parents. I guess you could say my sanity snapped by the very abuse my parents brought upon me and my second personality, AL was born. Through out the years of my childhood, AL keep me sane by taking over my body when I can't handle the abuse any longer. Then, one day, I meet a young fox kit, injured because of the trap the hunters had set up. I nurse him back to health and named him Akatsuki because of his red fur. He became my companion, my best friend in my hard life. For once, I have someone I could play and talk with. I'm happy and I plan to keep my furry friend a secret from my parents."

Alexandria nearly choked on her saliva as she try to hold her tears from falling to her cheek, she stumbled on her words, "B-but I can't keep him secret forever. My parents eventually found out of Akatsuki and they did something so cruel... They..." At this, Alexandria can't hold back the tears and they fall on to her cheek.

"They killed him infront of me... That was the time, my sanity truly shattered. I killed my parents in cold blood. I never regret killing them because at least I know I would never have to face them again. My second personality represent my hatred, my grief, sorrow, anger and suffering." She sighed as she rested her head on the couch, "For six years I survive in the street by pick pocketing various of people. AL help me a lot during my life as beggars on the street. She intimidate a lot of people from killing me with her sheer strength and the fact she had massacre twenty people because they made fun of me."

She sighed again, "I guess you could say it's my parents fault that AL existed. Maybe just maybe if I have a normal childhood, AL wouldn't have existed..." She whispered, her bangs covered her eyes as she looked away in shame.

Angelo calmly rested a hand on her arm after a moment. He didn't know what to say, or even if he could. He let silence rule them for a while before he swallowed and began to speak. "It might not be the same," he rumbled softly, gently withdrawing his hand. "But at times, I feel the Templar blood in my veins rise to a roar. Especially when I come across someone who says the wrong words." Angelo swallowed and swiped his tongue across his lips, his head bowed to stare at the floor. "I cannot count how many people I have killed that did not deserve to die, before and after I became un Assassino." His voice grew quiet and his eyes closed. "Ho rotto uno degli inquilini del Credo."(I have broken one of the tenants of the Creed)

Alexandria nodded. She too have her own fair share amount of killing innocents as well. Sometimes, AL bloodlust and disregard to people around her bleed to Alexandria a bit when she's angry or wanted revenge. "I myself have broken the Creed countless time particularly when I'm angry. AL's personality bleed into me a bit and I just killed them without second thought..." She trailed remembering the eyes of the innocent people she had killed through out her career as an Assassin.

Angelo swallowed and took a deep breath. "Maestro thinks that the Assassin in me is stronger than the Templar," he said softly with a shrug of his shoulders. "I don't see how." He was debating on whether or not he should tell her what Ezio had shared with him a while ago, about a bond.

"Who knows. Even I sometimes doubt myself if I'm worthy to become an Assassino." Alexandria said softly, looking at the bracers on her arm. "However, I'm glad to be able to serve the Brotherhood..." Alex mumbled.

Angelo nodded slowly and took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. "I'm glad that you are back," he rumbled softly. And in truth, he was. Ever since he'd met her, he felt like he belonged with the Assassins of Rome and not like an outcast because his father had been a Templar.

"Thank you and I'm sorry if AL scared you." The dual colored hair assassin said, glad that Angelo accepted her. Most Assassin tend to avoid her because of her cold personality and her red eyes. They even nick name her the Arctic Demon. "Is Maestro around?" Alexandria asked to Angelo.

Angelo gave a shrug. "I fell asleep while looking out for you," he said simply. "He should be in his study, though. We can go look, if you want."

Alexandria shook her head and give a small smile to Angelo, "It's okay. I'm just wondering where he's at." She looked at grandfather clock nearby and sighed, "It's getting late..."

Angelo chuckled softly and then looked over to the desk where the missions came in. He rose to his feet and walked over to the desk, looking through the piles of letters. One caught his eye. It described a man as having a scar across his left eye. It seemed like rage took him as he swiped the letter from the desk and began to read the contents. "This man," he began slowly, eyes narrowing hard. "I know him. He's the bastardo that made Roma unsafe for madre. He is the reason she was sent to Venetsia."

Alexandria looked at Angelo who just rose to his feet and went to the mission table, confusely. "Is something wrong, Angelo?" She asked, albeit hesitantly. She wonders what made Angelo looked so angry as he browse through the mission letters. It must be something big if it invoke such anger to Angelo.

Angelo looked briefly at Alexandria before focusing his eyes back on the letter he held in his hand. "I need to execute a Templar bastardo," he said, a sudden growl rising to his voice. He took the letter and carefully tucked it into his tunic before spinning, throwing his hood up over his face. Somehow, at that moment, he truly looked like a Templar himself. It was fleeting, however, at least to those who barely knew him. Angelo froze, as though feeling the Templar blood in him boiling. He carefully looked over at Alex and blinked his eyes slowly, fixing the black cloth that hid most of his face. "Ti piacerebbe venire con me?"(Would you like to come with me)

"Sarebbe il mio piacere." (It would be my pleasure) Alexandria said, "When shall we depart?" She asked as she rose from the couch, feeling refresh even after she gone berserk earlier today. She is itching to get her hands on the Templars just to get her frustration out.

"Now," Angelo stated, making his way out of the hideout before whistling for his horse. The black stallion gave an answering neigh and came trotting from the stable, tossing his head up with a snort. Angelo stroked the stallion's head before swinging aboard, gathering the reins and turning the horse around. "According to the letter, the man I seek to kill is somewhere in the countryside." That was fine. Angelo did best out in the open, anyway. With a small call from his lips, the horse began to move forward, his hooves clopping against the stone ground beneath.

Alexandria followed Angelo to the stable. It's a good thing she had herself equipped before she meet Maestro. As Angelo mount his black stallion, Alexandria walked to her white stallion and take his rein before mounted it up. She listen to Angelo and nodded, "Very well. Let us depart." She put back her hood and give a gentle pat to the horse. The horse, which she affectionately name as Sakura walked forward as they followed Angelo to kill the Templar.

The buildings past by as Angelo began to think of what to do once he found the man, of what he would say. The stallion snorted and tossed his head once, chomping the bit anxiously. "Calma, Bello,"(calm, beautiful) Angelo soothed, giving the stallion a pat on the neck.

Alexandria recall the little fox she had kept as companion. It was rather sad that she prefer animal companion rather than man before she meet Maestro and join the Brotherhood. Sakura whined and give an uneasy neigh as if sensing her inner turmoil. She carassed her mane and whispered, "Vacci piano, ragazza. (Easy there, girl) I am fine, just remembering something from the past." She looked at Angelo and said, "Angelo, tell me who the Templar is and what role he play in their forces."

Angelo glanced back at Alexandria for a moment before returning his stone cold gaze to the front. "Alberto Milan Abeli," he said with hatred in his voice. "He's a Commander in the Templar Order and a very dangerous man. He found me out and then went for madre. Maestro Ezio had to help me get him away from her, and then we sent her to Venetsia for safety." Malice dripped from his voice at that moment and his hands tightened on the reins. "Ho intenzione di strappare il suo cuore."(I'm going to rip his heart out) He growled, his words sounding very much like something a Templar would say.

"Vedo." (I see) Alexandria said, noticing how much hatred in Angelo's voice when speaking of their target. It seems that particular Templar was the one responsible for the relocation of Angelo's mother. To be honest, Alex was jealous of the relationship Angelo had with his mother. However, she squashed the jealousy. Now its not the time to think of that. "Ho intenzione di strappare il suo cuore."(I'm going to rip his heart out)

At this she smirked rather sadistically, "Sarò felice di aiutarlo a strappare il suo cuore." (I'll be glad to help you rip his heart out)

Angelo's shoulders shook for a moment. Then fresh air struck his nose and the clopping of hooves on stone became hooves against dirt and grass. They were out of the city. Angelo took a deep breath of cool air and let out a sigh. The stallion beneath him snorted and tossed his head for a moment, ears flicking each way. "Calma, Bello," he said softly, patting the horse's neck for a bit before gathering the reins again. He carefully scanned the horizon. Angelo took out the letter and unfolded it again, reading the location. "Il Colosseo." He said, tucking the letter away again. "That is his last known location."

Alexandria slowed down her horse and gently pulled the rein to make her stop. She looked at the massive building infront of her and thought, 'So this is where Alberto last seen.'

Her eyes shifted to the entrance of the building and raised her eyebrows seeing four guards standing infront of it. She looked up and saw quite a sum of archers were station there. She speaks in low voice, "Alberto is still inside. There shouldn't be this many guard if he isn't here."

Angelo nodded in agreement, having noticed the guards before. Perhaps that was why the stallion was so nervous for. "We leave the horses here," he said softly, carefully sliding from the saddle onto the ground. Once his feet hit the ground, he pulled his hood further over his head and whispered to the stallion that he'd call once he had need of him. The stallion snorted in agreement and lowered his head, beginning to nibble on the grass. "Do not follow me directly. Take a different path and signal me if you find him. Non impegnarsi. È molto pericoloso."(Do not engage. He is very dangerous)

"Ottimo." (Very well) Alexandria nodded as she dismounted her horse. Following what Angelo had done earlier, she whispered to Sakura's ears and the horse gave a neigh before she left them both alone. She gazed at the magnificient building infront of her and thought, 'Pity this building will be stained by blood soon.'

She put back her hood over her head and was ready to infiltrate the colloseum. Her minds were spinning, trying to think of the way to enter the building without getting caught.

Angelo studied the large building. He could very well see that the archers had a specific pattern along a few of the higher areas along the wall. However, the guards on ground were stationary. He'd seen this type of behavior in the guards before, when he had come here to kill his father. He looked over at Alexandria and used his hands to motion what he was thinking. There were two sides that were unguarded by ground guards. An easy way to climb up. Then his hands told her that the archers had a specific pattern of movement that she should study before making a move to get past them. Finally, he told her to climb as high as she could and find a way down that didn't involve touching any guards if possible. He would meet her up top for further discussion of their plan.