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.