14: Vendi, Vidi, Vic

Assassin's Creed II Guide - Walkthrough

Sequence 14: Vendi, Vidi, Vic

Sequence 12 and Sequence 13 are corrupt, according to Rebecca Crane. Ten years have passed since the end of Sequence 11, but apparently nothing overly important happened during the two missing sequences. That is, save for two things: Ezio grew a beard, and Rodrigo Borgia became pope, and is thus now the most powerful man in Italy.

Before you can get started, you must collect all 30 Codex pages if you haven't already done so and plaster them on the Codex Wall. The location of every Codex page has been marked on all of the in-game maps, regardless of Viewpoint synchronization. So before you can start Memory 1 of Sequence 14, you must travel to Florence, San Gimignano, Forli, and Venice and collect all of the Codex pages you missed in those cities. A counter below Ezio's health and social status in the top-left corner of the screen notes how many Codex pages have been collected.

Every Codex page now appears on the maps.

Refer to the in-game map by pressing the Back/Select button while in one of the cities to pinpoint the locations of any uncollected Codex pages. It might help to set a custom waypoint by moving the cursor over the nearest Codex page icon and pressing the A/X button. This way, the page will remain on the Mini-Map and you won't have to keep opening the map to make sure you're headed in the right direction.

Most of the Codex pages are watched over by a group of guards. This far into the game you should be more than familiar with how to go about getting past them. Hire a group of Thieves, Courtesans, or Mercenaries and order them to lure, distract, or fight the guards blocking the door into the room with Codex page container. Or, you can take them out with some quick Hidden Blade work.

There are five Codex pages in Florence, two in San Gimignano, three in Forli, and six in Venice. Return to Monteriggioni once you have all 30 codex pages. Leonardo can be found in the Villa Chest Room; speak to him to have the Codex pages deciphered.

Collect all 30 Codex pages to unlock Sequence 14.

Once the Codex pages have been deciphered, approach the Codex Wall and press the B/Circle button to add the Codex pages. Speak to Mario to begin the first memory.

Memory 1: X Marks the Spot

Approach the highlighted pedestal in front of the Codex Wall and press the B/Circle button to set the Apple of Eden upon it. Then, stand in the marker in front of the wall to begin rotating the Codex pages.

Start by pressing the Y/Triangle button to activate Eagle Vision and reveal the markings on each Codex page. The Codex pages plastered on the wall will depict a map of the world when rotated appropriately. The map will reveal the location of the vault.

Use the RT/R2 and LT/L2 buttons to rotate each Codex page. Start by forming the edges and corners of the map using the outer Codex pages. Then, rotate the Codex pages inside the borders to form each continent.

Rotate the Codex pages to form a map of the world.

Memory 2: In Bocca Al Lupo

Speak to Mario in the Codex Wall room once you're ready to begin. Note that you will still be able to free-roam once you have completed the Sequence 14, so there's no need to complete everything before seeing the ending of the game.

Rodrigo Borgia, now the pope, is your target. Borgia is inside the Sistine Chapel; you must enter the Vatican, find a way in to the Sistine Chapel and kill him.

Start by climbing onto the stack of crates nearby. From atop the crates, jump to grab hold of the wooden post above. Jump over to the second wooden post and then onto the suspended wooden platform. From the wooden platform, jump to the horizontal protrusion on the wall and climb up to the long, wooden post. Jump to the side from the top-most grip point to grab hold of the wooden post. Pull yourself up onto the post and from there jump up to grab hold of the trim along the wall. Move as far to the left as you can using the grip points there. Perform a climb leap from the last, horizontal grip point to reach the grip point above, and then climb up to the top of the tower.

Scale the castle wall ready for a fight.

There are four guards patrolling on top of the tower. Two of the guards are standing close enough to the sides of the tower to be assassinated from the ledge. The other two guards are walking back and forth in front of the gate. Assassinate the two closest guards from the ledge with your Hidden Blade, then climb up onto the tower and take out the two remaining guards with a Double Assassination. Flip the lever next to the gate to open it.

Two more guards patrol this area. You can take them both out with your Hidden Blades if you're quick enough. Once the two guards have been dealt with, Free-Run up the crates and wooden posts along the east side of the area to reach the balcony. Kill the guard on the balcony and then interact with the switch to open the gate below.

Five guards patrol this next area. It's best to just run in there and take out as many of them as you can with your Hidden Blades before they can react. Finish any remaining guards with Counter Kills or combos and then climb up to the top of the tower at the west end of the area and hit the marker there.

On the way to the Vatican

During the cutscene, Ezio drops from the top of the tower onto the back of the horse that is conveniently present below. During this bit, it's best to move quickly while avoiding the guards along the wall as much as possible. Though it may be tempting, avoid running them down, as they can chop at the horse's legs to knock Ezio off. You need to gain a good amount of speed to cross the gap coming up, so swerve around any guards in your path, jumping over crates in an effort to avoid them.

Tap the A/X button to gallop while moving along the wall. When you reach the sizeable gap beyond the first gate house, keep going forward; if you have enough speed, the horse will easily clear it. On the next section of wall, continue avoiding guards, jumping over any barrels and crates along the way, and head straight for the lowering gate. You'll have to abandon your horse if the gate closes before you can pass through. If this happens, kill the guards, then Free-Run up the crates to the left of the gate and climb up to the top of the tower. You'll have to continue the rest of the way on foot.

Once past the second gatehouse, speed to the next one. The third gatehouse is closed, so you have no choice but to abandon your horse in order to continue. Kill all of the guards along this portion of wall first before attempting to climb to the top of the gatehouse, otherwise they'll give you a hard time by continuously pelting you with rocks. You can take them out quickly if you have a Smoke Bomb; just throw the Smoke Bomb down and then go to town with your Hidden Blades.

Getting to the other end of the wall on horseback

On top of the gatehouse, assassinate the guard at the other end and then perform a Leap of Faith into the pile of hay along the wall below. Assassinate the patrolling guard when he walks in front of your hiding place, then hop out and make a beeline for the two guards who are walking side by side further ahead. Take them both out with a Double Assassination, then quickly turn to the Seeker and kill him with your Hidden Blade before he can react.

Free-Run up the crates and barrels to the left of the gate and climb up to the top of the tower. Assassinate the archer there from the ledge and then pull yourself up. Hit the two guards at the other end with a Double Assassination, and then the guard walking along the wall below with an Air Assassination.

Climb up onto the next tower and assassinate the guard there. There are just short of a dozen guards in the area below. It's best to just take them all on, because you won't be able to activate the switch above the gate unless you are Anonymous. Again, throw down a Smoke Bomb if you have one so you can take them out with ease.

Entering the Vatican

Once the guards have been dealt with, climb up the scaffolding at the south end of the area and flip the switch on the balcony to open the gate below. You get into the Sistine Chapel without being detected. There are several guards patrolling the halls beyond the gate; you'll have to Blend with the groups of monks to avoid being seen.

Fast Walk to the first group of monks down the hall. The other group of monks in this hall continuously circles the central divider. Wait with the first group of monks until the strolling group of monks is in view and approaching the north end of the divider, then Fast Walk to the strolling monks and Blend with them. Stray from the group when they reach the gate and use your Hidden Blade to stealthily assassinate the guard standing there. Flip the lever and continue into the next section of hallway.

There is another group of monks standing just beyond the archway. Move forward and Blend with them. A guard continuously circles the east-most divider in this hallway. Wait with the first group of monks until the guard passes by and is behind the divider before joining the second group of monks further down the hall. Move on to the third group when the guard passes by a second time. A second guard circles the west-most divider in the hallway; wait until he passes by, at which point break from the group and assassinate him with your Hidden blade while he's behind the divider. Be quick about it, otherwise the first patrolling guard might spot you.

When the patrolling guard has been taken care of, walk around the divider to the two guards standing nearest to the lever and hit them with a Double Assassination. Pull the lever to enter the chapel.

Borgia is preaching at the other end of the chapel. You must get close enough to him to perform an Air Assassination. Walk across the boards and onto the second wooden platform, then jump over to the third platform and start across the rope bridge. Jump onto the hanging wooden platform, walk to the edge and perform an Air Assassination on Borgia below.

Assassinating Rodrigo Borgia

It's not over yet! Borgia still has some fight left in him -- and he wields a Piece of Eden! Ezio is able to spawn four clones to fight alongside him, though they are almost completely useless. Borgia is able to effectively block most of your sword swings, while Ezio's clones seem content to stand idly by while you continue to whale on him.

This is going to be a lengthy fight regardless, but the quickest way to deplete his health is while unarmed. Borgia can't be grabbed while you're wielding a weapon, but can while Ezio is unarmed. Press down on the D-pad to select Fists and press the B/Square button to Grab hold of Borgia. You can Punch, Headbutt him, or Throw him to the ground and kick him while he's down.  The quickest way is to Throw him to the ground, then equip your Long Sword and get a few slashes in before he gets back up. Rinse and repeat.

The Ezios take on Borgia.

Once Borgia's health has been completely depleted, a cutscene will ensue. After the cutscene, approach the pulpit and activate Eagle Vision to reveal the two switches that will open the way to the vault. Interact with each switch and then climb down the steps and continue to the vault entrance.

You must defeat Borgia in a fistfight to proceed. As one would expect, this is an exceedingly easy task. Just Grab him, Throw him to the ground and kick him while he's down. Keep this up and the fight will be over in no time.

With Borgia out of the way, enter the vault and hit the marker inside to trigger the endgame cutscene.

Sit back and enjoy the ending. Be sure to stick around for the credits -- the action's not over yet!