Assassins and Templars [Company Members]

Jayr looked about in curiosity; searching for a specific high point she could use to watch Yata without being in the way. Finding what she was looking for she took a running start, ran a good several feet up the wall, and then grabbed hold of the top and hoisted herself up the rest of the way. She perched herself on top of the wall, able to see the whole obstacle course from her vantage point.

She watched Yata go in silence, though a small grin was on her face: he definitely had skills already, she couldn't deny it. She knew the more he did this the better he would get, too. Soon no obstacle would be able to stand in Yata's way that he couldn't over-come. Jayr also found herself wondering how many more people would get a chance to run this obstacle course: how many more people would be willing to join their cause? It was no secret that the Templar's were dangerous, so the more people they could get the better – and she was willing at this point to take anyone who was interested so long as they weren't a super young child.

Shifting a bit she kept watch on Yata, allowing her mind to continue to race with random thoughts...

Yata practiced with stealth and assassination techniques until they felt as easy as doing tricks on his skateboard. He knew how to freerun and climb too, so now it was time to get used to guns.

Yata never figured he'd use one, since he considered himself a weapon. But the thought of gunplay was pretty exciting. On another side of the room was a range with a few weapons already there. There was a police issue Glock on the table, along with a book on how to care for pistols. Yata sat on the table and began to read it.

It explained everything about pistols and maintenance. Yata read the book 3 times. He knew how to take the pistol apart, and put it back together. Yata knew every inch of the pistol; all of it's parts, springs and mechanisms. He practiced on the pistol on the table until he could do it by memory and without assistance from the book.

Yata let off several shots at targets down the range. His aim was pretty bad, but with his excellent eyesight he quickly began to catch on. There were even fans in the range to simulate shooing outside, where the wind would be blowing. Yata learned how to aim and compensate for the wind.

Yata next went into the room with the books. He read several of them, and as they were old, he was careful with them so that he didn't damage or ruin them. Many detailed battles between Assassins and Templars way back in ancient times. The Templars seek to create a perfect world, although their interpretation thereof - emphasizing purpose, order and control, over the freedom of individuals – directly contrasts the ideals of their sworn enemies, the Assassin Order.

Whereas the Templars sought to save humanity from itself by controlling free will, the Assassin Order fought to ensure the survival of freedom, as it allowed for the progression of new ideas and the growth of individuality. The Order believes in a strong set of values that strictly govern their way of life, referred to as "the Creed". This Creed consists of three tenets:

"Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent."
"Hide in plain sight, be one with the crowd."
"Never compromise the Brotherhood."

Yata kept seeing a saying over and over throughout the books as well. "Nothing is true, everything is permitted." He didn't understand the meaning of the phrase. Nothing was true? Everything was permitted? He looked through many of the books to try and find meaning behind it all, and found it after an extensive search. One of the books were blank, but with Eagle Vision the words became clear.

Nothing is true:

The world around us is not an absolute reality. We as human beings are actually underequipped to fully perceive our environment. What we experience is a small part of the overall. Already, we were born missing something and as a result, our worldviews are inherently skewed.

Everything is permitted:

In the absence of an absolute reality that we may or may not be able to perceive, we may pick and choose what we want out of our lives. What someone values highly, you could very well consider junk. And both of you would be right because it is subjective. One object ends up being interpreted differently by different people.
Because your reality is subjective, what you see is your responsibility. Every one of your choices in life is your responsibility. You might not like the hand life deals you, but you still have the chance to play, walk away, etc. All you need to do is open your mind beyond the possibilities that were directly presented before you.
Everything in your life is your responsibility. You have the freedom to see and hear what you want to and no one can take that away from you. Live your life the way you wish to live it. But if your lifestyle is ultimately discordant with your neighbors, expect ramifications.

It was deep... and Yata held onto this. He could feel his life changing. He felt like he needed to be involved in this war that would probably never end. Perhaps he could make a difference, leave a dent, be remembered as a real asshole that foiled too many Templar plots.

After so long of reading, Yata felt like he was reborn. He'd trained hard in this room, he'd studied hard as well. There was still a lot more to learn, most of which would have to be through experience. He felt like he was ready to get started though.

"So Jayr, there anything else? There some kind of introduction speech or something you have to make?" Yata asked, stepping back out onto the obstacle course.

793 + 1,503 = 2,296 word count

Eagle Vision Post Count: 3

Jayr watched Yata for several minutes before leaving him to his tasks. He was studying, learning, and already she could tell that he would make a fine Assassin. While there was often a trial period of sorts that many initiates had to go through she wasn't going to drag this out: Yata had skills, he had dedication, and from the way she could tell that his demeanor was changing he was committed to the cause.

So while Yata studied and learned Jayr went about making several preparations: which ended up not being difficult at all considering how ready and waiting Darkman had made the fifth floor. Jayr had every intention of keeping with the Assassin tradition – and it was time to accept the first initiate into the Assassin Order so that they could try and start anew.

When Yata asked her his question she nodded, a serious look on her face for once instead of the usual grin. ”In days of the past we required the cutting off of ones ring finger to show commitment during the initiation ceremony: the hidden blade would not work without it being cut off after all. However, in these times we simply burn the finger to show commitment... It's time for you to make that commitment, Yata. I saw you studying, learning the words, learning our ways...“

She would motion for him to follow her as she lead him into a mostly empty room. From the walls hung the Assassin banner, repeatedly evenly up the way. At the end of the room was a slight raised platform from which a carefully placed fire sat in a brazier. A pair of tongs was heating in the fire. She would take her place near this fire, waiting for him to join her if he did. She would then begin the same Creed that had been spoken many times in the past.

”Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember....”, she would pause, giving him a chance to speak and respond. ”Where other men are limited by morality and law, remember...” Again she could give him a chance to speak, to respond. ”We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassin's.” It was at this point that she would pull forth the hot tongs from the flame: and if Yata would hold out his left hand she would place the same burn upon his ring finger that she had placed upon countless others.

She would place the tongs back and then would proceed to motion for Yata to follow her. She would lead him to a window with a modified ledge; beneath of which was a comfortable place to land. They were high up, the fall would not be a deadly one. ”Take the leap of faith, Yata... And with it you become a full fledged Assassin.”

Cut off the ring finger? Then that would explain why she didn't have one on her left hand... She said the removal of the finger showed the commitment of the Assassin, and a Hidden Blade wouldn't work without one. They no longer did things that way in these modern times though.

Yata followed Jayr into a room that looked to be for ceremonies. The same symbol on the back of his jacket were on the banners hanging from the walls. Yata went with her to the back of the room, where a pair of tongs were being heated in a fire inside of a brazier.

She said ”Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember....” to which Yata replied "Nothing is true."

She said ”Where other men are limited by morality and law, remember...” to which Yata finished "Everything is permitted."

When she pulled the tongs from the flame, Yata held out his left hand. This wasn't like a crew or a gang of friends; this was something he was going to be a part of for the rest of his life. He had nothing else; he was never going back home, he was never going back to school, and were he to score a girlfriend, that remained to be seen. Right now, all he thought about was being an Assassin and taking out as many Templars as he could.

The tongs clamped down upon his ring finger, and the sizzle from the burn could be heard. As Yata was already skilled in manipulating fore from his Red Aura, the burn didn't hurt very much, but he still bit his lips and looked slightly pained.

Nest was the Leap of Faith, something else he'd read about. Jayr said to jump and in doing so he'd become a fully recognized Assassin. Yata performed the leap just as he'd seen it drawn in the books, seeing the safe white area to land in through Eagle Vision, swearing he could hear the cry of an eagle as he fell to the ground, and landed in the designated zone...

[Exit]

347 + 2,296 = 2,643 Word Count

Eagle Vision Post Count: 4