System in Assassin's Creed

Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Juno

[Current Balance: 149,470,598 scudi, 40 baiocchi

---Previously---

’Interesting,’ Alaric thought, resisting the mental probe effortlessly. ’What’s the difference between this Apple and the one I found back in London? This one... it feels much more potent, more... aware.’

He reached out a hand towards the glowing artifact, and...

---Now---

the moment his skin made contact, the world froze.

Reuben and Flavia stopped mid-breath, the faint glow of the chamber ceased its pulsing, even the dust motes hanging in the air became perfectly still.

Only Alaric remained unaffected, standing beside the now inert-looking Apple.

A voice suddenly boomed within the vast chamber, echoing from the very walls, yet seeming to originate inside Alaric’s own head.

It was ancient, powerful, and carried an unnerving, artificial, metallic quality.

”WHO ARE YOU?”

Alaric smirked, unfazed by the sudden intrusion or the frozen time. ”Hey Juno,” he replied casually, as if greeting an old acquaintance. ”You got it all wrong, it’s... how are you?”

The voice, Juno’s, replied instantly, laced with cold disdain and immense power. ”RETURN THE APPLE OF EDEN TO ITS PLACE. IT IS NOT FOR YOU. THERE IS SOMEONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHO IS MEANT TO WIELD IT, TO PROTECT THIS WORLD FROM THE SECOND DISASTER.”

”Yeah, yeah, Desmond Miles, I know,” Alaric waved a dismissive hand at the empty air. ”And conveniently, when that happens, you get freed from your digital prison. Nice try.”

There was a pause, a sense of surprise, almost outrage, radiating from the unseen entity. ”YOU... YOU POSSESS THE SAME NEUROTRANSMITTERS AS EVERY SINGLE HUMAN I HAVE OBSERVED. WHY CAN I NOT... INFLUENCE YOU? WHY CAN I NOT CONTROL YOU!?”

Alaric picked up the Apple. It felt warm, thrumming with contained energy, yet inert in his grasp now that Juno’s attention was focused solely on him. He tossed it playfully between his hands.

”Simple,” he replied, his smirk widening. ”Because I have the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.”

He met the unseen presence with his blazing red eyes. ”Duh? You think you’re the only one who can mess with time and minds ’round here?”

Silence....

A heavy, confused silence filled the chamber. Then, Juno spoke again, the metallic edge sharper, tinged with disbelief. ”MANG... EKYO...? WHAT NONSENSE ARE YOU SPEAKING? THAT MEANS NOTHING! RETURN THE APPLE, NOW!”

Alaric caught the Apple firmly in one hand. ”Or what?” he taunted. ”Gonna come out and stop me? Show yourself and square up!”

More silence....

Alaric continued, his voice dripping with mock sympathy.

”Oh... right. I forgot. You can’t, can you? You’re imprisoned. Trapped.” He looked down at the golden sphere one last time. ”Well... it was nice talking to you, Juno. Really.”

He mentally opened the System interface. ’[Sell].’

[+ 225,500,000 Scudi](£70,468,750)

[Current Balance: 374,970,598 scudi, 40 baiocchi](£117,178,312)(3,749,705,984 R)

’I knew it felt different,’ Alaric thought with satisfaction as the Apple vanished from his hand. ’The price is nearly double what I got for the London one...’.

As the transaction completed in his mind, the world snapped back into motion as time has resumed.

Instantly, the golden glow from the pedestal vanished. The blue lights along the staircases and corridor flickered and died. The entire Vault plunged into absolute darkness, accompanied by the low groan of dying machinery.

”Huh?” Reuben and Flavia exclaimed simultaneously, startled by the sudden darkness and the cessation of the strange energies.

Alaric smirked in the pitch black darkness. With a flick of his wrist and a surge of will, a large, bright ball of fire ignited above his head, casting flickering orange light across the central platform and pushing back the oppressive darkness.

”Well...” Alaric said cheerfully, looking around the now dimly lit, silent Vault. ”That was quite eventful. Let’s go!”

Confused and slightly unnerved by the abrupt power failure, Reuben turned to Flavia in the firelight. ”You alright?”

Flavia nodded, still looking around the massive chamber with wide eyes, but she reached out and took Reuben’s hand.

”Yes,” she replied softly, a slight tremor in her voice replaced by warmth as she looked at him. ”Yes, my love.”

Alaric, who heard the exchange clearly, felt a familiar pang.

’Damn...’ he thought, turning towards his makeshift bridge. ’When’s it my turn?’

---

Outside the Basilica di Santa Maria in Aracoeli, the night remained deceptively calm, though the piazza was no longer empty.

A ring of about fifty Roman soldiers, alerted by earlier reports from a nervous civilian about strange tremors emanating from the Capitoline Hill, had surrounded the ancient church.

They stood uneasily, lanterns casting long shadows, murmuring amongst themselves.

”Are you sure that report was true, Marco?” one soldier asked his companion, peering nervously at the Basilica’s dark facade. ”Shaking? This old church?”

”That’s what the Sergeant said,” Marco replied, shifting his weight. ”Some old woman swore she saw the statues tremble. Probably just seeing things, but orders are orders. Make sure no one’s hurt, check for damage...”

”Seems quiet enough now,” another soldier muttered nearby. ”Maybe it was just a-”

His words were cut off by a deep, powerful rumble originating from beneath their feet. The ground vibrated intensely, stronger than any normal tremor. Loose stones skittered across the piazza.

”Merda!” Marco yelped, stumbling slightly. ”God must be angry!”

Another soldier crossed himself frantically. The rumbling continued, as a low, grinding sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of the hill, lasting for what felt like an eternity but was likely only a full minute before finally subsiding, leaving an unnerved silence in its wake.

The fifty soldiers stared at the Basilica entrance, weapons held a little tighter now, eyes wide with apprehension.

Just then, the broken main doors of the Basilica creaked open further. Alaric emerged first, blinking in the relative brightness of the piazza lanterns after the darkness of the Vault. Reuben and Flavia followed close behind.

The moment Reuben and Flavia saw the ring of soldiers surrounding the piazza, their eyes widened in alarm. Before any of the soldiers could properly register their appearance or react, Alaric acted instantly, grabbing both Reuben and Flavia by the arm and pulling them swiftly into the deep shadows beside the Basilica’s entrance, hidden from immediate view.

Alaric pressed them against the cold stone wall, a smirk returning to his face. He looked at Flavia. ”How good are you at running?”

Flavia, still processing the underground chamber and the sudden appearance of soldiers, blinked but replied quickly, ”I’m confident.”

Alaric nodded, then looked at Reuben. ”Alright. In the count of three, throw every smoke bomb you have towards the largest groups of them. Aim for maximum coverage... and let’s not kill anyone.”

Reuben nodded, reaching into the pouches at his belt. He quickly checked his supply, there were plenty.

”Three...” Alaric whispered, peering around the corner.

”Two...” The soldiers were starting to murmur again, pointing towards the slightly open doors.

”Now!”

As Alaric darted out from the shadows, Reuben unleashed his arsenal. Not one or two, but twenty small, potent smoke bombs flew from his hands in quick succession, arcing through the air and landing strategically amongst the clustered soldiers around the piazza.

Poof! Hiss! Poof!

Thick clouds of acrid smoke erupted instantly, engulfing the soldiers. Coughing and sputtering filled the air, along with confused shouts and clattering equipment.

”Go! Go! Go!” Alaric urged, already sprinting across the piazza, pulling Flavia along with him while Reuben followed close behind. They plunged into the thickest part of the smoke cloud.

Soldiers stumbled blindly, choking, unable to see or organize. Alaric navigated them through the chaos effortlessly.

Flavia, true to her Assassin training, moved almost silently despite the urgency, her footsteps were light on the cobblestones. Reuben stayed right with them, his enhanced senses helping him avoid collisions in the smoke.

They burst out of the smoke on the far side of the piazza and didn’t stop running, ducking downside streets and alleyways, putting as much distance between themselves and the Basilica as possible.

They ran for several minutes until the shouts and confusion behind them faded into the general sounds of the Roman night.

Finally, in a deserted side street several blocks away, Alaric slowed to a stop. He and Reuben were barely winded. Flavia, however, leaned against a wall, panting heavily, trying to catch her breath.

Alaric waited patiently for her to regain some composure. Once her breathing evened out slightly, he spoke.

”Right then. Let’s find an Inn for now,” he suggested calmly. ”We can talk things over, figure out the next steps over a meal.”

Reuben let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

”Finally...”

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