Typically, the shadows were an Assassin's best friend. Their gift of seeing when there was no light to be shed was one that served them well, however these catacombs left much to be desired in the way of hiding places and room for combat. A pair of Assassins lurked far behind the sauntering Templars, carefully treading the cold floor of the dark halls with light steps and silent breaths. 

The Assassins, tasked with tailing the Templars on information that they were headed to retrieve an artifact of immense power and influence, made sure to keep their distance for fear of spoiling their mission. The Brotherhood had been working for weeks to gather information on this rumored Piece of Eden, something that unfortunately the Templar Order was able to track down first. Because of the location of the artifact and the Templars heavy involvement in getting to it, the Assassins were unable to get someone on the inside. That is, until now. 

Blue eyes glint in the dim light, shrouded by a hood that hides the deep brown hair of a deadly young woman. Elena Carrozza pressed herself up against the damp walls of the maze she traversed with her companion as they tailed their targets. Hearing footsteps stop ahead and voices pick up, she stops where she is and holds her breath to listen, signaling to her partner, Alessandro, to do the same. 

Much to the benefit of Elena and Alessandro, it appeared from the conversation that their traveling Templar duo only met with one guard. After hearing their footsteps disappear, the Assassins slowly approached to where they found a now unattended gate. 

"I fear there is only one way in and one way out of this confrontation, and this gate is it." Alessandro said in a voice that barely registered as a whisper. 

"Then I suppose it to be in our best interest to enter it prepared so that we may leave it accomplished, no?" Elena quipped back. 

Alessandro nodded, and the two entered the gate, returning again to their silent movements as they took in the change in scenery around them. The open area would have exposed them in no time had it not been for the strange stone formations that littered the ground, providing enough of a shroud for the trained Assassins to cover themselves on opposite sides of the large area. 

Elena moved carefully from cover to cover, making up ground on the group of Templars that had moved ahead towards a pedestal, where another pair of guards stood. The Assassins were outnumbered, but they had their stealth on their side. She moved in close, just as the highest ranking Templar Knight outstretched his hand towards the shining Piece of Eden. 

A pair of knives flew threw the air at lightening speed, hitting the guards on either side of the pedestal and rendering them useless to their cause. Three on two were now far better odds than five to two. 

"[i]Te chiedo perdono...[/i] but I cannot let you leave with that Apple, as it belongs in the hands of the Brotherhood. I'm sure you understand." Elena said as she stepped out from her cover, her blades extending from her gauntlets as she stepped forward, Alessandro doing the same to her left. 

"So, if you don't mind, we'll be taking it off your hands."