Harmony's Creed: Brotherhood

by Gapeagle

Chapter 2: Grand Future

"So are you really going to allow me into a hideout of the Brotherhood?"

Vinyl placed a hand on Octavia's shoulder. "Not without a blind on. Sorry, but until the Grandbearer accepts you, ya not allowed to know where we meet."

"You should worry more about me joining you..."

"Maybe. But I'd be disappointed if ya don't after seeing what we do. Like I also said, ya got no life out here anymore."

Octavia considered this. The Brotherhood had not helped her in the slightest, so why was she giving them such an undeserved chance? The last lines from Vinyl's hidden mouth repeated themselves in her mind. She had indeed lost everything. If she joined the Brotherhood, even though they mistreated her before, would not that still be a gain? It was a tougher question than she anticipated.

"So how did all this Templar and Assassin war start?" Octavia asked.

"Eh, the Grandbearer knows our history better than I do. What I know it began with the Shadow King Sombra of the Northern Crystal Empire. Him and his wife, High Princess Platinum, found an Alicorn Artifact that controlled many things. They used it to take over the Old North and lots of Equestria before Equestria was here. Long story short, the Assassin Brotherhood was formed as a resistance to the Shadow King and we vowed to never let such Artifacts be used like that again."

"That raised more questions than answers!"

Vinyl shrugged. "Eh, like I said, I'm not the best at history. All ya need to know is this: magic is real."

"That's hard to take in..."

"You'll get used to it."

The simple response did nothing to assure Octavia. A frown grew on her face as they walked together through the Canterlot streets. Vinyl had already complained more than once that running on rooftops was better than wandering on the cobblestone. The Assassin seemed out of place and awkward when around other people. Octavia dismissed this as a side judgement, but it was noticeable.

"We're close," Vinyl said suddenly.

"Already? It hasn't been that long at all," Octavia stated.

"Well, we hide pretty good."

Vinyl then cut off some of her red sash and covered Octavia's eyes. After trying the ends behind the girl's head, Vinyl hummed in satisfaction. Octavia adjusted the sash by a little bit to make it not intrude on her nose.

"I can still see," she said.

"Whelp, that means I gotta knock ya out and drag ya there and ya will wake up on a table with some knives at ya throat and..."

"I can't even see the sun," Octavia corrected herself.

"That's more like it. Come along and watch ya step."

---

"All this time, I could have just stumbled across an Assassin hold?" Octavia whispered as she saw a door with the Brotherhood insignia stamped on it.

"Not really, we've been watched by half a dozen Brothers for a block now," Vinyl told her.

Octavia knotted her face at the thought that they were already being watched by a dozen eyes. Through the sash, she tried to spy out any Assassins on the rooftops, but she could see none. Vinyl popped her fingers before boldly walking over to the hideout's door and giving it one loud knock.

There was a pause, a long, dreaded pause. Vinyl simply hummed a tune as they waited. Standing there with the ineffective blindfold, Octavia was uncertain of what to do. Vinyl did not knock again and continued to wait.

Suddenly, an Assassin fell from the roofs right behind Octavia. The young woman jumped back as she felt the Assassin's wind blow by her. Vinyl walked up to the Assassin casually, a probable grin hidden by the black mask.

"What ya doin' here?" the female Assassin said rudely.

"I have a recruit," Vinyl said simply.

"Do ya huh? This scanger's 'ere to be an Assassin? Load of bollocks!" the Assassin pointed at Octavia.

"How rude!" Octavia huffed.

"That's right, Lyra. This ain't some normal girl either. The Grandbearer knows her," Vinyl explained.

"That's shite! Why 'ould the Grandbearer know her?"

"Why don't ya ask her yaself?" Vinyl sneered.

The other Assassin shut her mouth and simply scowled. Octavia could see the harsh glare from her sash. The Assassin's vibrant mint colored hair and bright golden eyes seemed much to joyful for the skeptical face.

"If ya say so, lass," Lyra finally spoke. "But if ya fiddlin' with me, ya gonna be whipped harder than a hide."

With that, she slipped off down the street. This left Octavia confused as the door was right there to be opened. Vinyl sighed in relief and cocked her neck to the side.

"You Assassins lack proper pronunciation of the Equestrian language," Octavia commented.

"Lyra's not Canterlotian. This may come as a shock for ya, but not all of us are refined speakers. Some of us just grew up speakin' this way," Vinyl crossed her arms.

"I could tell that Assassin was not Canterlotian. Never have I heard such an accent."

"I think it's fake," Vinyl shrugged.

The door was thrown open and Twilight, in decorative lavender ropes and slightly glowing eyes, walked through the doorway with a violent burst. Octavia was left standing as Vinyl humbly bowed to the Grandbearer.

Twilight did not take notice of Vinyl and stared right at the young woman. "It seems you cannot avoid us, cellist."

"Grandbearer," Vinyl began, "I've come to-"

"Please hold your tongue," Twilight silenced her. "You have overstepped your bounds, Sister. You do not have the rank to recruit. I shall deal with you later."

Vinyl bowed once more and entered the hideout with her head hung low. Twilight waited until she had left before addressing Octavia with a low voice.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"Vinyl Scratch told me that your Brotherhood would give meaning to my life once more. You know full well that you ruined my life. You broke into my home, interrogated me, pushed me against a wall, framed me for murder, and above all, made me lose all that I care about."

Twilight stepped closer. "Then why are you here?"

"What else can I do but be miserable on the streets? I know that I can be of use. I have not forgiven you for what you have done, but anything is better than the state I am in right now."

Twilight took hold of the blindfold and ripped it off of Octavia's face. "I know you can see through this. Vinyl's laziness is always evident."

She continued. "We should speak inside. There are eyes everywhere."

The Grandbearer took hold of Octavia's shoulder and led her inside the hideout. Once the door was shut, hardly anything could be seen but a long staircase that went far below the street level.

Vinyl was right inside and was speaking with Lyra. The latter broke off and bowed to the Grandbearer. Twilight waited for her to speak with patience.

"Grandbearer, Scratch says that this lass seen Lady Poloman," Lyra informed.

Twilight's eyes widened slightly. "Is this true?"

"Yes. When I broke away from prison, she was there. She shot the Royal Guard that was murdered," Octavia quickly nodded.

"But why 'ould she be there?" Lyra demanded.

"She was setting another prisoner free. A tall woman by the name of Starlight Glimmer. If you need proof, Starlight gave me this."

Octavia reached in her pocket and pulled out the Templar necklace. All of the Assassins took a step back as if the necklace was cursed. Then Twilight gently took it from the young woman and inspected it with care.

"Why is this in your possession?"

"Starlight tried to recruit me to the Templar," Octavia said with confidence.

"Well, ya made the righ' choice, lass," Lyra chuckled. "Much be'er than those wankers!"

"I guess I'm not the only one who sees potential in you, Octavia," Twilight smiled, showing her innocent teeth.

"Then she can join, right?" Vinyl jumped in.

"It's still up to me," Octavia reminded her.

Twilight placed a gloved hand on her shoulder. "You have already endured this secret war as a civilian. You are a former student of Celestia, just like me. The Empress picks her girls well. This is your choice, but I would accept you as Sister Novice. In my eyes, you are ready to undertake such a cause."

"C'mon Tavi!" Vinyl encouraged her.

"I'll join if you prove there really is magic in this world, otherwise, I see nothing to your cause," Octavia said flatly.

Twilight gawked at her at first, but her expression relaxed the next moment. She then slowly lifted her hand, which began to glow a pale purple. With a quiet snap of her fingers, all the lamps and torches in the hideout went up in bright purple flames, lighting all the room and stairs that surrounded them. The torches and fires kept going down the stairs and throughout the hideout, making the seemingly tiny place grow into a massive underground lair.

Octavia's heart left her as she saw all the arcanic flames appear from nowhere. She had never seen anything like it. Her mind tried to develop ways that it was all a trick of the hand, a hoax, but nothing seemed reasonable.

"How...How did you....?"

"If you join, I'll tell you," Twilight beamed.

"But..."

"It's a lifelong commitment, Octavia. There's nothing easy about being an Assassin. We fight, we endure, we survive."

"I..."

"Everyone will forget you, you will cease to be a mere cello player. Assassins are not meant to be glorified. We are shadows."

"How..."

"We fight in the dark to serve the Light. We strive for Harmony and the keeping of Freedom. Humanity rests on our shoulders. We carry the responsibility of guiding the future."

"Maybe..."

"Octavia Melody of Canterlot, will you take my hand. Will you seek to reborn as an instrument of Justice and Harmony? Will you use the Element's of Harmony: Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty, Honesty, and Magic in your life and hold to them like a compass?"

"Wait..."

"Octavia, will you join the Assassins and uphold the Creed? Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted."

Twilight extended her hand to Octavia. It was a small, friendly hand. With a deep swallow, she cursed in her mind and took the hand. A surge of energy passed through her veins from the wrist to her heart. Her hesitant eyes met the Granbearer's sweet, yet cold eyes.

"Today is the rest of your life," Twilight said nicely. "You will not regret this choice. You shall be trained as a Novice and incorporated into our ranks. You shall help us uphold Freedom and Harmony against those who wish to tear it down. We are not enemies of Order, but a moderator between the extremes. Today, Octavia, you become Assassin. Welcome to our Den, Sister."

---

"Welcome to the South Canterlot Den," Twilight gestured at the entire place.

Octavia gawked at the magnificence of the Den. Being thirty feet or so underground, it was still elegantly crafted. The ceilings were arched with tapestries hanging from them. Cushions were as numerous as the walls lined with various weapons. The style was far from Canterlot origin. The railings, the floor, and the tables seemed more like that of Saddle Arabia mixed with mysterious Eastern culture.

Incense burned in the corners of the room, giving the cold place much needed fragrance. The Den was fit for Royalty yet had the functionality of a barracks. With the large paintings came grindstones. With the myriad of books and tomes came weapon racks and bomb-making cabinets. With the cozy fireplace came a large training room.

Not a speck of dust seemed out of place. The place with all of its curving hallways and high walls was complete organization. Every book was numbered and ordered. Every type of weapon sorted with its like. Every cushion was next to one of its color. Even the Grand Royal Place did not compete with such neatness.

The Assassins themselves seemed organized pieces of furniture. When Octavia entered their Den, most simply stood or sat where they were, still and judging. Unlike Lyra, who wore a mix of white and mint robes, and Twilight, all the Assassins wore a variant of the color white. Not one had a mask like Vinyl's and not one wore a sash that was not red. It would be easy to call them clones of each other, but each one had some identity to their robes. Their outfits were far from uniform.

"This place is just as old as Canterlot herself," Twilight explained. "It was built during Commander Hurricane's reign."

"And it has stood through such time unscathed?" Octavia awed.

"More or less. It was sacked once, but the Templar who did that never were able to report where the Den was. We are specialized in keeping our Dens hidden. We couldn't let you leave with your memory if you decided not to join."

"My memory?" Octavia gulped.

"My powers are far greater than lighting candles," Twilight chuckled. "Not to boast of course. I don't like to boast," she added nervously.

"I still can't comprehend that humans can control magic. Will I learn this ability?" Octavia asked.

Some of the Assassins chuckled at the question. Twilight hushed them with a glare before smiling at the Novice. "No, I'm afraid not. You see, I'm called a "Bearer" for a very specific reason. I bear the Element of Magic."

An odd silence followed this reveal. Twilight just left it there and did not further comment on the Element. Octavia, however, was not going to let her throw out information.

"Well? Where is it?" she asked.

Twilight gave a long sigh. "I wished you didn't ask that... just...come with me."

Octavia quickly followed the Grandbearer through a winding hallway that led deeper into the Den. The Assassins that the Grandbearer passed all gave bows or a short cheer to encourage their leader.

Twilight halted at a large wooden door. She silently opened it and made the young woman follow inside. Once they were both in, she shut it. The room was large and round with two beds on either side and a large, circular table in the middle. At first, the table appeared normal, but as Twilight approached it, it came to life with a vibrant blue glow that formed mountains, hills, plains, and even Canterlot itself.

"What is this?" Octavia gestured.

"There is no proper name for it. We simply call it, "The Map." This was placed here after this Den was constructed, allowing all Bearers of Harmony to view any part of the world. Only those who wield Alicorn Artifacts can use its power. I, myself, have barely tapped into its potential. Long ago, a former Bearer of Magic was able to teleport anywhere on the world by using this map. Lately, I have started to believe it was a myth told by some foolish Brotherhood archivist."

"But...This is all fascinating, but how does this relate to the Element of Magic?"

"My Element allows me to use The Map. I can see what happens beyond the borders of Equestria. From here I can see movements made by the Templar and inspect my fellow Brothers. Do not think we can use it all willy-nilly, it takes energy. I can make it focus on a single street in Canterlot, but only for a few seconds."

"But where is the Element? Is it on a necklace? A ring? Is it a token-"

"Why do you press such questions?" Twilight suddenly became harsh.

"I am an Assassin, no? I deserve every answer."

"That is true. Here, look closely," Twilight sighed.

With the light from The Map, Twilight started to unbutton the top of her robes and expose her chest. Octavia was confused by the action until she saw it. There, where a human heart would be, was a jagged magenta crystal that jutted out from the ribs at a horrid angle. The pulsing crystal was far larger than a human heart, displacing her chest and organs, making her upper torso appear almost grotesque.

"This is the Element of Magic," Twilight quietly explained. "Look long and hard, Octavia. This is why I am a Bearer. These Artifacts are not some magical item to be played with. These things hold their own thoughts, identities, and goals."

"But...Your heart? How are you alive?"

"Because this artificial heart beats for me. My blood is forever tainted with the arcane. I have been granted the powers of Magic, but I have paid the price with the removal of my real heart."

"Was it painful?"

"To be chosen? Indeed. However, it goes away pretty fast," Twilight lightened up. "After the Element butterflies your ribs, you are too shocked to feel anything."

"I can't believe the Brotherhood allows those....things."

"Octavia, every Novice says the same thing. It's a sacrifice. I was willing to partake in it because I know that it's worth whatever pain I endure. I've lost my heart, but I still live. With every breath that comes from this Element, I shall use it to help protect the world. I hope you'll understand."

"This is all so disturbing..."

Twilight perked up. "Well, if you want, I actually preserved my old heart in a jar. I could show you it. Human biology is really fascinating-"

"No, please, Grandbearer, no..." Octavia dismissed the suggestion with a disgusted wave.

"As you wish. Maybe you should go speak with Vinyl. I have already scolded her for letting you come to our Den so easily, but I went easy on her because, well, I wanted you here too. We start training soon, so be ready. I shall inform the Bearer of Generosity that you have joined our ranks. She'd be exhilarated to make some robes for you."

Octavia only nodded and left the room with Twilight waving her goodbye. She felt a lump in her throat and clutched her chest fearfully. How could something like that exist? The very thought of seeing your own ribs torn open haunted her. She shook her head violently in an attempt to rid herself of the frightful images.

"What's wrong, Tavi?" Vinyl asked from the end of the hallway.

"I think we need a talk..." Octavia groaned.

~

Author's Note:

Still got questions? GOOD! They will hopefully be answered soon.

Sorry for the delay, the season 5 finale did a number on me.

Comments

[EpicShadowz]

And Octavia is officially an Assassin! Now to see her fail miserably at parkour for the first few months...

[badninja]

Well Octavia has learned something important but seriously Twilight you want to show people your heart? Good job on keeping it and understanding it's importance!

[Gapeagle]

6685993 "Faceplant!"

"Rainbow, be nice! You've done it too."

"Uh...No I haven't."

6686017 "What's wrong with showing them my heart?"

"Darling, do you really need me to explain?"

"I guess not..."

[Iron Comet]

She kept her heart...better than throwing it away u guess.