The Dawn of the Aurous Blade

~7~ Until our Final Breaths

Sophie grunted as another bomb rocked off the hillside and exploded 600 feet away from her. They were completely pinned with no help from her men. The same men that most likely drowned in the crash.
The three Morrettis had been holed up in the Pythia's palace. Surprisingly, Lucrezia was nowhere to be seen. Neither were her attendants nor her priests. Almost like she knew this was going to happen and prepared.

"I've never quite had a criminal with the same amount of audacity as you, Miss Morretti. Or would you prefer Miss Foster? Maybe even Keeper? The people seem to love every single one of those names except the one that suits you best." Vincenzo announced over the field.

Sophie bit her tongue, thinking her response through before asking, "And what would that best suiting name be?"

"Heinous bitch who doesn't know how to die." Vincenzo snarled.

He was trying to bait her out of her hiding spot. She knew that. But she had nowhere else to go but play his little game.
Weapons, she needed weapons. She needed men, weapons, and a plan. But all she had was the shoddy armor on her back and her father's gauntlets strapped to her wrists.
How did he find them so quickly?

"I always knew jealousy doesn't suit you. I know you wish the people love you the same way they love me."

Vincenzo shrugged, "I'll give them time. They will see who their true saviour is in time."
Time. We all needed a bit of that, didn't we?

"This is your last chance, Amalia. You may die here or come with me-"
"To die later?" She called out.
Vincenzo was quiet in response.
"I'm not playing your games anymore, Assassin. You have one hour to come to your decision!"
An hour?!

Sophie blanched, scrambling down from the windows as she met with Kassandra and Alexios were huddled in the corner of the sacred room of the Pythia, where she answers the prayers of the citizens. Where the gods now ignored any prayers of even their chosen mortals.

Sophie clamped her eyes shut, sending out wave after wave of pleas. Any person with an open mind would be able to hear them. Which made Sophie wonder if Vincenzo could hear them as well.

"We hold our ground." Alexios and Sophie turned to Kassandra, who leaned against the bookshelf to keep herself upright.

"We are Morrettis. We never bowed before and we aren't going to start now." Kassandra spat out black vile that was crawling up her throat.
And for once, Sophie agreed with Kassandra.

"Do you think that the Pythia might have something laying around we can use?" Sophie asked her brother.

Alexios thought for a moment before it clicked, "The Isle is right next to some of the biggest groves and farms in Inalia. They get so many different offerings and if we can combine it with oil from the olive groves, we might be able to make-"

"Bombs? Just say bombs, boy, don't explode your tiny brain there." Kassandra cut in.

Sophie snorted at Alexios' glare before getting back into the game, "So we booby trap the place? Won't the Pythia get really pissed off?"

She and Alexios froze, both of them meeting each other's gazes.

"Uh, what are two doing?" Kassandra hissed, but Sophie and Alexios kicked into gear. They began to booby trap the entire time not only to protect themselves from Vincenzo but also to piss off the Pythia. A win-win.

Sophie carefully handed Kassandra her cane, helping her to the small storage outpost behind the isle, the furthest point of Vincenzo's seize team now lining up along their southern flank.
"You stay here until Alexios or I come and get you." Sophie breathed to her aunt, carefully sitting her down behind the tools.
"I can fight better than both of you combined! Let me out there!"
"Kassandra." Sophie didn't spit venom or raise her voice. Her voice was wavering, pleading almost.
She didn't know if any of them would live through this. Kassandra's shoulder slumped, and she reached out for Sophie's cheek, "Alright then."