Cavallari had sharp eyes. He was good at spotting the armed Borgia search parties that roamed the countryside, and he was good at avoiding them, too. He could move silently and melt into shadow. There were several moments when Ezio lost sight of him. He wondered if the thief could be made to see sense about the need to take up arms against the Borgia. He was daring, intelligent, athletic – he would make a fine assassin.
If only you could trust him as far as you could throw him, Ezio reminded himself.
A distant howl echoed across from the ruins, suggesting a pack of the Followers of Romulus. Ciro turned his head in the direction of the noise, alert as a hunted fox, but there was no fear in his eyes as they glittered in moonlight.
I would like to see La Volpe slay ten of those crazy bastards in as many seconds, Ezio thought grumpily. He might look for their lair, later.
Assassin and thief reached the north-east part of the Antico district, and stood in the moon shadow of the Colosseum.
Ezio rested a hand on Ciro's shoulder and pointed to the highest part of the structure - the still-standing north segment of the ancient amphitheatre's outermost wall. "Reach the east end of the highest wall," he said to the young man.
“Easily done,” said Ciro. “But I thought you wanted to challenge me.”
"You had best watch your step, Ciro Cavallari." Ezio smiled. “That is only the first part of our race. After that, go down through the centre tier and touch the ground where the banners and the crocifisso stand. Then, climb up again – the winner is the first man on the westernmost end of the second-storey walkway.”
"If you say so.” Ciro shrugged. “Are we going to climb, or just talk all night?"
They looked at each other, and sprinted for the stone walls.
***
Ezio ran up the stone column between two arches at ground level and jumped. The momentum carried him up several feet, through which he barely used his arms except to steady himself.
Instinct guided him to each handhold and he lost himself in the pure joy of climbing. He breathed deeply and smelled moss and ancient stone. He felt that he could climb blind if he had to.
A few climb-leaps in quick succession, and he pulled himself up onto the walkway of the third storey. He ran east a few paces, his arms and hands glad of the relief; then he swung himself out through an archway, back onto the stone facade to climb again.
Here the texture of the wall alternated between limestone and newer brickwork. Climbing fast, Ezio reached one of the square windows on the fourth and highest level of the wall. He quickly edged his body east, to where he knew the overhanging ledge that ran around the top of the wall had collapsed. This way, he would not have to deal with hoisting himself up over the overhang. It was more dangerous - his hands loosened crumbling stone more than once – but it was faster. He pulled himself up on top of the Colosseum, and crouched.
An eagle circled overhead and Ezio felt that all was right. For a moment it was as though he saw from the eagle's eyes, piercing and predatory, aware of everything that moved. When the moment passed, he couldn't see Ciro, but he knew where he was.
The thief had elected to sprint east along the ground before climbing, and he was now directly below their first landmark. Ciro was much closer to it than Ezio, but he still had to climb – and manage the overhang at the top – while Ezio had only to run.
Fill: Assassin and Thief [3/6]
Cavallari had sharp eyes. He was good at spotting the armed Borgia search parties that roamed the countryside, and he was good at avoiding them, too. He could move silently and melt into shadow. There were several moments when Ezio lost sight of him. He wondered if the thief could be made to see sense about the need to take up arms against the Borgia. He was daring, intelligent, athletic – he would make a fine assassin.
If only you could trust him as far as you could throw him, Ezio reminded himself.
A distant howl echoed across from the ruins, suggesting a pack of the Followers of Romulus. Ciro turned his head in the direction of the noise, alert as a hunted fox, but there was no fear in his eyes as they glittered in moonlight.
I would like to see La Volpe slay ten of those crazy bastards in as many seconds, Ezio thought grumpily. He might look for their lair, later.
Assassin and thief reached the north-east part of the Antico district, and stood in the moon shadow of the Colosseum.
Ezio rested a hand on Ciro's shoulder and pointed to the highest part of the structure - the still-standing north segment of the ancient amphitheatre's outermost wall. "Reach the east end of the highest wall," he said to the young man.
“Easily done,” said Ciro. “But I thought you wanted to challenge me.”
"You had best watch your step, Ciro Cavallari." Ezio smiled. “That is only the first part of our race. After that, go down through the centre tier and touch the ground where the banners and the crocifisso stand. Then, climb up again – the winner is the first man on the westernmost end of the second-storey walkway.”
"If you say so.” Ciro shrugged. “Are we going to climb, or just talk all night?"
They looked at each other, and sprinted for the stone walls.
***
Ezio ran up the stone column between two arches at ground level and jumped. The momentum carried him up several feet, through which he barely used his arms except to steady himself.
Instinct guided him to each handhold and he lost himself in the pure joy of climbing. He breathed deeply and smelled moss and ancient stone. He felt that he could climb blind if he had to.
A few climb-leaps in quick succession, and he pulled himself up onto the walkway of the third storey. He ran east a few paces, his arms and hands glad of the relief; then he swung himself out through an archway, back onto the stone facade to climb again.
Here the texture of the wall alternated between limestone and newer brickwork. Climbing fast, Ezio reached one of the square windows on the fourth and highest level of the wall. He quickly edged his body east, to where he knew the overhanging ledge that ran around the top of the wall had collapsed. This way, he would not have to deal with hoisting himself up over the overhang. It was more dangerous - his hands loosened crumbling stone more than once – but it was faster. He pulled himself up on top of the Colosseum, and crouched.
An eagle circled overhead and Ezio felt that all was right. For a moment it was as though he saw from the eagle's eyes, piercing and predatory, aware of everything that moved. When the moment passed, he couldn't see Ciro, but he knew where he was.
The thief had elected to sprint east along the ground before climbing, and he was now directly below their first landmark. Ciro was much closer to it than Ezio, but he still had to climb – and manage the overhang at the top – while Ezio had only to run.