Efreet in a rescue

When Antonio and I got to the camp deep in Italy's forest we met two stowaways in the caravan, both from Tiber Island, I knew them both though their fairly new and waiting to prove themselves. One of them was Emilia which was the best of class with the hidden blades and stealth but arrogant in many ways in the world of real combat. The other is Fiore, I don't know much about her but she was found being led by some Templars from what I heard. For a while we all played dumb like they weren't here until one stuck their head to far up and I slammed my fist down on her head. They then got out and introduced themselves to us.

"So why are you with us? Children have no place on a mission like this. You should go back now before I make you." I said a little angry but I mostly said it for the concern of their lives, if Ezio is sending both me and Antonio and assuming the rest of the best he can muster than this must be big.

"Hey I can kill with the best of them!" Emilia yelled.
"This is the best of them and even I can tell you aren't in their leagues" Antonio said.
"Yeah and your in the presents of Antonio the smartest one of us" one of the assassins said.
"Don't forget the devil himself Efreet" another assassin said. I didn't quite like it when they called me a devil, it reminds me of my past, something I hoped to forget by now.
"Yeah right, like were suppose to believe that a guy in the mask is Efreet, almost no one has seen his face and those that did are sworn to secrecy about it. For all you know this is a decoy." Emilia said. Though it didn't piss me off I had to do something for she was getting on my nerves a little.
"Stop" is all I said and the caravan stopped almost immediately. "You're coming with me" and I grabbed the back of her hood and dragged her out.
"Don't be to ruff, she is a sister" Antonio said while he started to read a book. I tossed her and we separated about 3 feet.
"What's your deal" she yelled getting up.
"If you want to join the team then try and kill me in any way. You get 1 free shot before I attack you." She seemed hesitant about this, me asking her to kill me; a sense of doubt took her as do every one I face, I don't think I that scary of a person. Off the battle field that is.

She gained confidence and tried to hit me a hidden blade, the fool. I wrapped my arms around her striking arm and fell backwards. I heard the men gasp I think but all I did was get up and put my boot on her throat. She started to get frantic and tried to move my boot with no successes until she pasted out. Most of the other men thought I killed her but none of them spoke up thinking they would be next. After that it was a quiet ride until she woke up nearly there. She then feared me, or maybe had a rival like respect for me.

When we unloaded at the camp I motioned them to come with me and Antonio and they followed without hesitation. We went strait to the commander's tent and I told them to stop and stay here before we went in. Antonio looked at me with a glare as if to make sure the talk we had while Emilia was out. We found out that Fiore's father was kidnapped by the Templars and that was why she was there and Emilia was there as a tagalong and friend support.

"I see you all came quick enough, I take it you had no trouble?" the commander asked.
"No but there was a last second change to the roaster. Ezio thought it would be a good idea to add them to gain real battle experience" Antonio said.
"What" he said confused and angry.
"Like I said, last second sir"
"Where did you get these orders?"
"We were on a mission in a base deep in Italy. That's where we met the new recruits." Antonio answered.
"And you expect me to buy they both have assassin training under their belts?!" the commander said in near rage. Antonio must have gotten worried or something and looked at me nervously and must of thought I was nervous to. I admit I was nervous to for the children, it was a matter of their pride that I was nervous about.
"Well sir, one is ready to come and join, she is a master in hidden blades and stealth, her name is Emilia. The other one however, is more complicated. Her father was captured by Templars, which forced her to leave the guild and become a courier. Her name is Fiore." Antonio said in a quick lie to reassure him.
"I see, have them both come in here" and then we left the tent and motioned them to come in but I held on the Fiore's shoulder.
"Act like you where forced to be a courier to the Templars but you just escaped that roll. The cathedral sends them a letter every week, the next one is at noon" I whispered to her and then let go of her shoulder. What ever lie she makes up from there is her deal.
"You think they are going to be ok?" Antonio asked. I nodded my head and headed to the center of the camp with Antonio following shortly after. We later heard a rifle shot and then patrols came out of the woods consisting of assassins. We later saw Emilia come to us in smiles.
"I'm in! Thank you guys so much. He told me to patrol with you guys while he debates on Fiore's situation" she said. I didn't quiet like it but we decided to grab our gear and head out.

A few hours Fiore came to us and said she pulled off the lie and we headed back to camp for some rest. The next day we headed into the woods and waited tell noon. I loaded my crossbow while Fiore got to the meeting place. When the messenger came we crossed our fingers in hopes he didn't run because of a new handler. He didn't and we all sighed in relief. Once he handed her the letter and started to walk off I shot him with the crossbow which made him fall down of extreme pain for I put some acidic stuff on it, a new product I received. As soon he hit the ground the other assassins were on him like a blood hound smelling his favorite meal. Antonio got to Fiore first and they had a worried look on their faces from what I could tell. All I heard was Antonio say '… is bad'. I decided to have a bit of fun.

"Well, you have been the bearer of bad news for a while now" I said but then Fiore gave me a angry yet serious look on her face. I didn't know what was going on until I looked at the paper. I would have slapped my self if I was in her boots. They had plans of a invasion of Rome. Antonio threw down the paper and ran to the commander. I picked the note back up and ran as fast as I could to camp.

It took a while to get back to camp but I sent a letter to Ezio explaining the situation and asked to send Amatore and explained the lie we put in play to tell him and sent him the plans on a separate bird and let them go. After that it seemed like a long day in the snow. Antonio was sent in a carriage to do something soon later and I sat down near the fire and soon later Fiore sat next to me and asked me to describe the house her father was in so she could tell the captain and later Emilia came. By the time I was finished explaining the place Antonio shows up with Amatore. Fiore gets up to sit next to Emilia and Amatore sits next to me.

"Hey Efreet, how are you doing" he said.
"Confused mostly. So why are you here?" I replied
"Ezio said he needed me down here immediately for a important mission. Something about a sister being a templar currier" I almost laughed. Its almost a shame how easy it is to lie to him.
"Yep. Its getting dark you know" that made him look up and he left. Presumaly to go to the captains tent. Antonio was called there earlier so that must mean a plan of a attack is in progress. Now I won't be bored twiddling my thumbs every time I see a guard.

After a while, when I was done sharpening every weapon I had on me, Antonio gave me the part I play in the attack and studied it. I decided to sharpen the rest of the armories blades before I went to sleep. When I woke up I was confused on what to do besides wait in line for breakfast rations, everyone else was already doing something. Near noon we got in position and I was at the front of the south gate with Antonio.

"Are you ready for this Efreet? You seem out of practice to me" he joked. I was on the verge of snickering when I looked at him but his face went from happy joke time to kind of frightened and cleared his throat. I'm starting to wonder if my mask is the problem of people fearing me. I used a gun I was given as a signal to start the raid and then Antonio looked at me confused.
"You use guns?" he asked.
"No, this was just the signal or something. I prefer the silent approach to things like this"
"Like that one time at fort Bishop"
"Oh come off it. You didn't even know that they where testing cannons at the one window I was climbing" as I finished the doors opened and what looked like 50 guards were behind it. I let my blood thirst of boredom get the better and jumped in the middle. Most people thinks that's just plain suicidal but to me it was like being a way from something for days though it was right next to you and you couldn't touch it and then the day came were you final can touch it. This was that day.

The guards were average at best so it was some what of a slaughter and then Antonio showed up so he could share some of the spotlight and we were back to back but before I knew it he looked up and he had that 'I got a plan cooking in my devious fires' face on him.

"You think you could handle yourself with these guards for a minute or two?" he whispered to me.
"I could manage, why?" I asked.
"You'll see" and then he faked someone and started climbing. Apparently this gave these guys confidence which made them cocky, which makes it easier to kill them. I killed most of them and before I knew it Antonio was behind me again and we killed them until archers started shooting the building.
"Efreet run into the building now!" he yelled and I guess I did as I was told, I jumped threw a window, shoved guards into walls (and broke a few), weaved threw furniture and almost left the building until I noticed something on a table but I was going to fast to stop and look and when I did get out side the whole thing fell and 5 guards came out which fell quickly. The mission was done but something didn't feel right. When stuff was done falling I went to the rubble. Antonio was about to leave until he noticed me throwing boards out of the way.
"Hey man you going?" he asked.
"No, there's something here. I think" I replied.
"What?"
"I don't know but…" I found the remains of a table and right there, as if some one knew exactly this was going to happen, knew exactly I would find the paper at this angle and pick it up. When I saw who it was addressed to I shuddered and became very angry.

Dear Avir Seirre
We take into account you were a great warrior at one time and in recent events you have proven even greater. We ask your cooperation and join the Templars once more, with free access to all things you wish to access. You have been a faithful tester of The Dagger of War and all we ask is that you simply return this item to us in reasonable time. Note if you do not give us the item in demand you will be hunted like a dog and be given a dishonorable death. By the time you read this you will be given 1 year to meet this task.
Have a nice winter.
Signed by Fredrick Holstren

I tried to stay calm but I could barely fold the letter without shaking my hands out of rage. But the strange thing was I didn't know why I was angry. Was it the letter or the person who signed it? To be honest I was a little scared for this unknown anger. Antonio put his hand on my shoulder and I stated to calm down and but the letter in a pocket.

"You alright?" he asked.
"I don't know anymore" I told him. "Right now I just need a drink of something made of fruit"
"Well we have plenty of stuff like that back at camp so come on. And remember, I'm a pretty good listener" he said and we final went back to camp. I put the matter of the letter in the back of my head, we won this battle and there's no use stressing on something else.

We had a celebratory party and there was a drinking contest which looked like fun until the Captain came up to us, with a despair cloud to cover a city.

"We need to get back to Rome, immediately. All assassin's are being called to the Tower for some unknown reason" he told us and then walked off to tell some others. This seemed bad and before we knew it the camp was packed up and ready to go. This seemed strange but most of knew what those plans had in them were true. We were going to be invaded and everyone who could still fight was coming home. That ride back had to be the most depressing and longest ride in my life.