Year: 1479
Repubblica Fiorentina, Italy.

Ezio knocks on the giant door of Leonardo da Vinci's home, and opens it.

"Oh! Ezio Auditore! I... I didn't expect to see YOU again. What with all that's happened... Ah!" Leonardo says rapidly, now holding his head in his hands, shaking it. "Where are my manners! Welcome back!" Leonardo exclaims, seeming quite embarrassed at his previous word choices. To my surprise, Leonardo even gives Ezio a hug.

"Hello again, Valentina." Leonardo says, once the embrace is over.

"Hello, Leonardo." I respond back with a friendly smile.

"Now, how can I be of service?" Asks Leonardo, his eyes bolting from Ezio to I in a matter of seconds.

"I was hoping you could repair something of mine." Responds Ezio.

"Of course! Come! This way." Answers Leonardo, leading us over to large table.

"Ah, che pasticcio... Tutto il santo giorno che cerco... (Oh, what a mess... I've spent the whole day looking for...) Let me clear a space." Mumbles Leonardo.

"Alright, let's see it!" Leonardo says as Ezio hands him the pieces of Messer Auditore's blade and bracer.

"Fascinating..." Mutters Leonardo as he examines the pieces. "I don't know, Ezio. Despite its age, the construction is rather advanced. I've never seen anything quite like it. I'm afraid there's not much I can do without the original plans... Mi displace. (I'm sorry.)"

Ezio's hand now goes to try and reach for the pieces, but is pushed away by Leonardo's sudden words. "Wait, wait, wait!"

"What are you doing?" Asks Ezio with concern as Leonardo unfolds a scroll that Ezio must have brought with the pieces.

"The contents of this page are encrypted! But if my theory is correct... Based on these sketches it may very well..." Trails of Leonardo.

"It may very well what?" Asks Ezio quickly.

"Please, sit!" Orders Leonardo.

"Leonardo?" Pleads Ezio.

"Shhh!" Silences Leonardo as he examines the scroll now very closely.

Ezio now walks over and sits on the chair next to the table. I lean against the right side of the chair.

"Remarkable! If we transpose the letters and then select every third..." Trails off Leonardo.

Quickly, Leonardo begins to write and decoded the plans to fix the blade and bracer.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

More than an hour has passed until Leonardo finally picks up the newly fixed bracer and blade, bringing it over to Ezio. My eyes droop with tiredness, until Leonardo's triumphant voice can be heard.

"There! It's finished!" Leonardo says proudly.

"Hmm? What's finished?" Ezio asks sleeply. This entire time I had not noticed he was asleep.

"The blade! I managed to decode that parchment of yours. It showed me exactly what to do." Leonardo explains. "Now all that's left is to remove your ring finger." Leonardo says while removing a meat cleaver that was hung on the wall.

"Remove his ring finger?" I ask in a panicked tone to make sure I had not misheard wrong.

"Really?" Asks Ezio with question.

"I'm sorry, but this is how it must be done. The blade is designed to ensure the "commitment" of whoever wields it." Responds Leonardo.

"Bene. (Fine.) Do it quickly." Relies Ezio, placing his ring finger on the table.

"You can't be serious." I say to Ezio, even more panicked than before.

Before I know it Leonardo is holding up the meat cleaver. I turn my face away, but place a hand on Ezio's shoulder. The sound of the cleaver hitting the wooden table indicates to me that the deed has been done, but when I look back at the scene, Ezio's ring finger is still placed on the table.

Leonardo chuckles quietly. "I was only have fun, Ezio! Though the blade once required a sacrifice, it's been modified. You can keep your finger." Leonardo says, patting Ezio on the back.

"Incredible." Ezio says as he admires the blade that pops in and out of the bracer only when he moves his hand a certain way.

"Yes it is! Tell me: Do you have other pages like this?" Leonardo asks.

"I'm sorry, only the one." Answers Ezio.

"Listen- if you ever do happen across another one of these- please - bring it to me." Replies Leonardo.

"You have my word. And thank you for fixing this. It-" Begins Ezio, but he's cut off by the sound of a male voice coming from outside the door and a fist banging against it.

"By order of the Florentine guard: Open this door!" The voice booms.

I quickly looks up at Ezio, who returns my worried gaze, but then look to Leonardo.

"Eh, just a moment!" Leonardo calls to the guard.

"Wait here!" Leonardo tells Ezio and I quickly, handing Ezio the scroll.

The banging of the fist on the door becomes louder until Leonardo answers it. Ezio now leads me slowly away towards the corner of the room, where we are least likely to be spotted, but we can also hear the conversation.

"Are you Leonardo da Vinci?" Asks the guard.

"Sí. (Yes.) How may I be of service?" Leonardo responds and asks the guard.

"I need you to answer some questions." Replies the guard.

"Certainly." Leonardo says.

The sound of Leonardo stepping out of the home causes a bad feeling too arouse in the pit of my stomach.

"Come on." Ezio says, grabbing my arm. "The door is open, we can make a clean escape."