As Sam and John arrive back at the farmhouse they saw that the main house was still burning as the duo arrived as John once again shut his eyes before opening them as he saw only one blue figure inside the flames blurring what he could see.

“There's one person inside… no idea who, that means someone is either already dead or missing!” John shouted hoping that was the latter that was the case.

“Granny! Applebloom!” The two heard Applejack yell out before she rushed past them and broke through a burning wall to save the one person that John mentioned. A few seconds later, she kicked the door down and ran out of the house with Granny Smith in her arms.

John the looked to Applejack before he said “I only saw one figure inside… Applebloom’s missing or...” he then stopped talking.

“Or what?” Big Mac said, having managed to catch up with a patched up Twilight in his arms.

“Dead,” John replied solemnly.

The two Apple siblings paled at that idea. “Those bucking BASTARDS!!!” Applejack shouted in anger. “Killing a filly before she even had a proper chance to live!” Before she could rant any further, an arrow with a piece of parchment on it hit Big Mac in the shoulder, sending him to his knees.

“What the heck,” John said as he looked towards where the arrow was fired from seeing nothing.

“Let’s check the paper that was on the arrow,” Sam suggested. “There might be something important on it.”

Big Mac pulled the arrow out of himself and examined the note. “You guys may want to read this,” he said in concern before handing the note to John for him to read.

Hello Last members of the Assassins,

If you want to see little Applebloom alive again, give us the Honesty of Eden. Otherwise she will not be the first of your clan to be killed.

This is your only warning.

There was then an intricate symbol at the bottom before the words ‘Grandmaster of the Templar Order’ were wrote below.

“Honesty of Eden? What is that?” Sam asked.

“No idea,” John replied with a shrug “It’s not a Piece of Eden I recognise.”

“Piece of Eden...What?” Applejack said confused.

“They are powerful objects that I mentioned, but they normally are looking for the Apple of Eden from what I remember,” John admitted.

“Why do I feeling that the Apple of Eden shouldn’t be hidden here at Sweet Apple Acres?” Sam said. “It would be too obvious.”

“Besides if they knew about it, I bet they’d have asked for it by name… and the only thing I know of to do with Honesty is the Element stone.”

“Applejack, Big Mac” Granny said. “Your parents had a secret cellar under the barn floor. If you want to find any clues for this Piece of Eden thingamajig, check there.

“Should have guessed you’d know of their parents past lives or was you once an Assassin as well?” John asked curiously.

“I wasn’t one of the ones that took assassination assignments, but my Eagle Vision perception was second to none,” she said. “I could sniff out traitors and Templars like it was nothing.”

“So you knew what I was on about before when I mentioned Eagle Vision.”

Twilight stumble awake. “Who knew what?” She asked groggily.

“Don’t worry about it Twilight,” John said nervously.

“I knew about the Eagle Vision, yes, but I said nothing, because, up till now, everyone didn’t need to know,” Granny said.

“You WHAT!?” Twilight blurt out. “What did I miss!? And What is going on!?”

“Twilight!” Sam shouted, shutting her up. “Get your act together and see about informing the Princess!”

She nodded and vanished in a flash of lavender.

John then looked to everyone before he said “I think we need to make a stand, Miss Smith are there any other Assassins still alive you know about that are in hiding?”

“I’m not sure,” she said. “If anything, I was the last Assassin...until now.”

“Okay, so we’re starting from scratch then,” John sighed.

“Pretty much,” Sam said. “We’ve got a veteran, two new members, and one cop. And I won’t count myself, mostly because I may be assassin class, I’m not an Assassin.”

“So counting yourself out of the Brotherhood then?” John asked.

“I’m already a Samurai! I don’t need to align myself to another form of service to the people...or in this case, ponies.”

“Do I need to point this out but who do you even serve right now? Face it you need someone to follow.” John pointed out with a smirk.

“ALRIGHT!!! You made your point!” Sam snapped. “Now can we find what clues we can concerning Honesty of Eden?”

“I guess so, Miss Smith could you show us where we need to go?”

Granny nodded and carefully walked to the barn with the group behind her. She entered the barn and pointed to a large stack of hay bales. “The trap door should be hidden under these,” she said. “Now, I’m a bit tired. You go look through the place while I rest here.” She then sat down on a hay bale.

“You sure it’s safe to be out in the open right now?”

“Listen, I may be old, but I’m not defenceless.” She lifted part of her dress to show part of a hidden dagger strapped to her leg.

“Just be careful, you're the only experienced Assassin here now.” John admitted as he began to clear the hay bales away from the trapdoor.

Sam, Applejack, and Big Mac helped clear the hay until they all found the trapdoor. Applejack lit a lantern and led the way into the secret cellar.

“What do you think we’ll find?” Sam asked, carefully trying to not trip.

“No idea.” John replied.

“Well, we should find out soon,” Applejack said. “We’ve come to a door.” Without hesitation, she opened the door and a bunch of torches lit up on all the walls. The light revealed a large, well furnished room. There were two mannequins (or poniquins, to be a bit more literal) that had Assassin uniforms that seemed to be roughly the size of Big Mac and Applejack.

“Looks like someone wanted you both to join them,” John admitted.

“Talk about foresight,” Sam muttered in amazement.

Applejack, however, took notice of a note on a table. She picked it up and read it, bursting into tears part way through. She then handed the note to Big Mac, who then went to hugging her sister after he read it.

“Umm… something we need to know about?” John asked.

Big Mac handed the note to Sam, who read it loud enough for John to hear.

My Dearest Children,

By the time you read this, your mother and I, and possibly your grandmother, are already dead. We are (were) the last Assassins of this age. While we have kept you from learning of the Brotherhood for most of your life, one of our unicorn brethren had a vision of the next age...concerning you. It will be inevitable that the Templars will eventually come after you. When they do, it will be up to you and any of your friends (both of and not of Equis) will need to rebuild the Brotherhood.

Do know, that your mother and I love you all with all of our hearts.

Nothing is true, Everything is permitted.

Your father,
Applejack the Patriarch

P.S. Your mother and I only had the time to prepare Assassin Armor and weapons Macintosh the Strong and Applejack the Honest. If any more decide to join, armor and weapons will have to be made for them.

“Well, that's just peachy.” John groaned.

“Quite a responsibility placed on their shoulders,” Sam commented.

“Not like we had responsibility placed on our shoulders before,” Applejack said. John and Sam looked up at her and saw that she and Big Mac had already donned their armor, hoods, and hidden blades.

“How do they fit?” John asked.

“It’s as if Ma and Pa knew how we would grow and end up like,” Big Mac said.

“I did find this in the pocket of my outfit,” Applejack said, showing a small piece of paper. On the paper were the words, ‘In all honesty, the Apple never falls far from the tree. Look to us when you need the Artifact of Honesty.’

“What could that mean?”

“I’m not sure,” Applejack said. “They either mean their grave or...”

“Yes?” Sam asked.

“Ma’s jewelry box!” Applejack exclaimed with a snap of her fingers. “It’s stored in the top room of the barn and was larger than what she needed for what jewelry she did have.”

“Hiding something in plain sight,” Sam said. “Simple psychology, works every time.”

“No need to use those fancy words to say that it was smart,” Applejack said, somewhat smartly.

“Trust me it’s almost impossible for Sam to make anything sound smart, and somehow he just managed to do so,” John joked.

“Hey! Don't talk about my teeth like that!” Sam shouted. “I'm already aware that I have dental hygiene problems!”

“What does that have to do with your intelligence?”

“Oh, right.”

“I should say that Sam ain't joking about Ma and Pa hiding the thing close to them being clever,” Big Mac added.

“It’s common for Assassins to hide things, would you want your kids knowing the truth if it could get them killed?” John pointed out.

“It makes sense,” Applejack said. “I may not like it or even want to do it myself, but it may sometimes have to happen. The truth can destroy as well as build up.”

“That's true,” John admitted.

“Alright! Enough philosophising!” Sam said. “Let’s get to finding the Eden piece and get Applebloom back!”

Applejack and Big Mac nodded in agreement. The group left the secret cellar, and found Granny Smith still there, but dressed in a set of Assassin robes. “I knew this day would come. I couldn’t tell you, as I had to let you see to believe.”

John then looked to the group before he said “I should be honest with you all. I think I may already have two Pieces of Eden.”

“Ain’t no surprise there,” Applejack responded. “You wanted to keep us safe, just like Ma and Pa.”

“Not to sound horrible to you, but you barely know me and Sam… heck we barely know each other.”

“Hey, after that traumatizing incident involving haggis, you needed someone to help you deal with the odd yet frightening dreams,” Sam said. “I had to be that person. So don’t say I don’t know you.”

“That never happened, you're talking about someone else,” John groaned.

“Oh right, that was your brother.”

“I think you were drunk and can’t remember but nobody said that.”

“It’s not my fault that naps make me drunk.”

“Break it up you two!” Big Mac warned. “Let’s get back to the issue we’re dealing with.”

“Alright, okay! Let's get to the barn’s attic or whatever it's called.” The group, minus Granny, climbed a nearby ladder into the loft, finding everything that was there well organized. The jewelry box was on top of a few heavier chests, thanks to the organization.

John just looked to Applejack and Big Mac before he said, “I think you should open it.”

They had no arguments to that. They opened the jewelry box, finding a lack of jewelry, but the Assassin sigil was in its bottom. They brushed over the sigil and it lit up with an orange light. The fake bottom opened and revealed a bronze sphere with a small apple shaped slot.

“So that’s the Honesty of Eden?” John said curiously.

“I guess so,” Applejack agreed. “Ain’t seen it until now.”

“So now what?” Sam asked. “Try to rig a trap in the trade of Applebloom for this?”

“This isn’t our choice Sam, it’s theirs.” John admitted.

“I think waiting for Twilight should be a good start,” Applejack said. Trumpets were then heard just outside the barn. “Well speak of Tartarus and it shall appear. I think we may have some help on this.” She then quickly went down the ladder to inform Twilight of her discovery.

John could only look at her before shouting, “Applejack don’t!” The sound of combat was then heard.

Big Mac hurried down the ladder to help his sister. John and Sam followed him out of the barn to find Twilight tied up like a turkey, and Applejack in a vicious fight with a few soldiers dressed in armor that had the Templar cross on it. Both Big Mac and Sam joined in to help.

“I had a bad feeling this was going to happen,” John said angrily as climbed back up as he grabbed the Piece of Eden before climbing back down the stairs once again to the group before shouting “Stop right now!” as he held the Piece of Eden up. The fighting stopped as everypony and one looked at him.

“I don’t know what overbearing idiot started this but I can tell you this, the Piece of Eden that is here is not real! It’s a fake for one thing if it was it would have done something as soon as someone touched it, however I will make you an offer, return the one you have taken and I shall not hunt each of your order down, and you don’t want a trained Assassin Master hunting you all down I assure you,” John bluffed.

The Templar Knights looked at each other before a Templar Peacekeeper started laughing. “Nice try at the lie,” she said. “The reason why it won't work is because it is missing a component.” She then opened a pouch on his belt and pulled out…

“How in all of known and unknown existences did you get your hands on the Element of Honesty!” Sam shouted out.

“Let's just say, Celestia is a bit too trusting,” the Peacekeeper answered. “She hands the Elements of Harmony to a guard, and it gets handed to us. Bingo, Bango, Bongo!”

John just looked to Sam before he nodded as he thought I’m only going to have one shot at this. “What do you want?”

The Peacekeeper placed the Element back in the pouch. “There is only one thing I want.”

“I’m guessing it’s not world peace,” John said.

“That's the collective goal for all Templars,” She said. She then pulled out a small crossbow. “But for me personally, I just want you filth washed off the face of the land.”

“I’m assuming you mean humans and not ponies,” John mocked his hand reaching towards his pistol, I might only have two bullets left, I better make them count.

“How dense are you, Assassin? I mean filth as in all Assassins!” She pulled the trigger on her crossbow, as the arrow struck John in the chest right on his heart as he collapsed onto his knees.

Sam's eyes twitched before they lit up in anger. “You!!!” He shouted before charging her and starting the fight anew. While he was busy with her, Applejack and Big Mac kept on the others so he could deal with his friend's killer.

However before they started a gunshot rang out before the Templar Peacekeeper fell to the floor a bullet hole through her skull before John’s voice said “What was the thing about not fighting someone who’s got nothing left to lose?” as he stood up ripping the bolt out of his chest as the wound healed over and he walked towards the stunned Templars and stopped as he stood over the dead body picking up the pouch that held the Element of Honesty.

“This is your last chance, put down your weapons, surrender and tell us where you took Applebloom before I start talking heads, and there are a few of you so it can go on for a while.” John added with a sadistic grin.

As soon as The remaining Templars saw this almost all of them dropped their weapons and dropped to the floor shaking in fear.

John then looked at the five that were still standing readied their weapons, “Looks like some of you are eager to die.”

The five ponies all looked at each other as they charged John. He then quickly grabbed his sword as he decapitated the first, thrust his blade directly through the armour of the second almost as if it wasn’t there which caused the other three to back away slowly as John asked them “You willing to tell you what we want to know?”

Two of the remaining soldiers looked at John before shouting “Not on our lives!” before charging once again only for John to thrust his sword through the neck of the first and shoot the second through the heart before he said with a smirk “shot through the heart and you're to blame,” as he turned to the last standing soldier.

The last Templar, a Warden, looked around and saw the surprised look that Sam had, the shocked look that Twilight and the Apples had, and the fleeing forms of his “comrades.”

“Maybe you’ll cooperate with me,” John said as he reached back under his jacket pulling out a revolver he knew to be empty. As he kicked the remaining templar to the ground as he just stood on him holding him to the ground before he added “ever played Russian Roulette, this gun has one bullet in,” John admitted as he span the empty chamber as it locket into place, “How lucky are you?”

The Templar just started at John frozen in fear.

John only smirked at this has he said “No answer, okay,” before pulling the trigger once as only a click was heard.

This caused the pony to flinch before he shouted “I’ll talk, I’ll talk! Just no more!”

John then looked to the others before saying “ask away.”

“Where’s Applebloom!?” Applejack shouted.

“What makes you think I know?” The warden replied.

“The farm is attacked twice by the same ponies,” Sam commented. “It doesn't take Sun Tzu to realize that they are connected.”

“Who?” Applejack asked.

“I'll explain later.”

“You think if I knew I’d tell you,” the Warden replied trying to show a shred a bravery.

John only sighed before he leveled the revolver with the Warden’s head again before pulling the trigger as it clicked again causing the Warden to flinch again, “Don’t try our patience this only has three empty chambers left.”

“They took her to the Catacombs under Canterlot!” the warden shouted out in fear.

“That's better,” Sam said. “Now, is Princess Celestia and the other ruling alicorns aware of the Templar Order?”

“If they were, we’d be destroyed for what we did today,” the Warden pointed out.

“Back where we came from, such things happened and were either overlooked or there was a “reasonable” explanation,” Sam pointed out. “Then again, this isn't where we came from, so what do I know?”

“Can someone untie me?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, why don’t you go and untie the one that led us right to you,” the Warden mocked. “How do you not know she’s not a Templar that betrayed you?”

“That wasn't directed towards you,” she said. “Also, do you really think I would be dumb enough to betray my friends like that!?”

“Power corrupts, once you get a taste of it, you’ll do anything to attain more,” the Warden replied.

“Then why hasn't the oldest and most powerful pony, Celestia, gone and made the world her personal play toy or whatever?” Sam asked.

“How do you know she hasn’t?”

“The Templar Order wouldn’t exist or be in secret if she did, right?”

John the sighed before he said “Keep trying to turn us against each other and the last rounds will all be shot into your skull. Understand.”

“I… I understand,” the Warden replied now shaking in fear.

“So, how are we gonna go about saving Applebloom?” Big Mac asked as he helped Twilight out of her restraints.

“Now what to do with this one,” John said looking down at the Warden.

“I think he should help us.” Everyone froze in shock at Applejack’s words. “What?”

“Why should we even consider letting a Templar help us?” John asked.

“Well, while I could tell that he wasn't lying, he may just be hoping that we'll decide to walk in blind,” she said. “If we take him with us, then we can have him lead us. Not to mention, he may already be considered a traitor for telling us as much as he did.”

“And I’d assume those who escaped would tell their leaders about my seeming inability to die,” John pointed out, “Wouldn’t they assume he did so out of knowledge he wouldn’t survive if he didn’t?”

“Let's also say, it's a gut feeling,” she said. “He may act willing, but I feel he's far from it.”

“What do you mean by that?”

*cough*Brainwashing*cough* Sam said.

“So what would you have me do, after we do get Applebloom back he’ll still know too much that could endanger you all.”

“Assuming what Sam said is correct, once he's free, have him join us.”

“...maybe we should leave that choice to the only one of us here with real experience,” John suggested.

“We'll see about that once Applebloom is back,” Granny said.

“I guess even I’ll have to back up on my stance now I guess,” John chuckled as he released the Warden below him.

“There we go,” Applejack said. She then turned her attention to Big Mac. “Now I think while we're saving Applebloom, you need to stay here.”

“I guess we do have some new gear that needs sorting through,” John pointed out as he gestured to the weapons that had been left along with the armour on the dead templars.

“I was thinking that he can keep an eye out for unwelcome visitors and keep that idiot of a Samurai in check,” Applejack corrected.

“Yeah,” Sam agreed before suddenly realizing what she said. “Wait, what?”

“Bit slow on the uptake there weren’t you Sam?” John smirked.

“Applejack’s idea is a good one. Johnny, Sur Bucket Head, and herself can go find Applebloom, while Mac, myself, and Silk-for-Brains watches the farm.”

“Now, I'm thinking everyone is just picking on me.”

“There's so much worse they could do… but there's one other thing I realized earlier,” John admitted.

“What’s that?” Twilight asked.

“That Templar earlier that had the Element of Honesty, said she was handed it, she didn’t have the others, so does that mean the Templars have all of them except the one we hold?” John suggested.

“That can be an additional goal while you're there,” Sam said. “Retrieve or find where the Elements could be. After all of that, give Celestia a tongue lashing for being too trusting.”

“Don't you dare!” Twilight growled threatening.

“I wasn’t going to… but she needs to know whoever she handed them to betrayed her and assisted in having Sweet Apple Acres burned to the ground, assisted in the attempted assassination of Applejack and myself along with Applebloom’s kidnapping along with the treatment you were subjected to for simply knowing us.”

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, only to pause. “That...actually makes sense,” she muttered.

“And the thing that makes this worse is the man who did this must be close to Celestia for her to allow one of Equestria strongest defences to be passed to them, meaning it’s somebody close to her… maybe Luna or someone in her close family perhaps.”

“I highly doubt Luna is in with the Templars,” Sam said. “She already regrets what she did as Nightmare Moon. Why would she make it worse by siding with an organization that is worse than that?”

“I wasn’t implicating her I meant it would be someone she trust almost unconditionally, she wouldn’t hand them to any random guard.”

“John, she could trust a manticore to not try to eat her, even if she is partially chewed up and ready to be swallowed by it.”

“Enough arguing!” Applejack shouted. “The more time we waste, the closer Applebloom comes to death or worse!”

“Alright then,” Sam said. “Get going then. We'll see about getting things fixed up here.” Sam then did the ‘shoo’ gesture.

“Okay I get it,” John replied before looking to Applejack and the Warden before he said “Shall we get moving?”

“Sir Bucket Head first,” she said.

“I have a name you know,” The Warden replied in annoyance.

“What is it then?” Sam asked.

“My names Dark Haze,” the Warden replied.

“Well Dark, you’ll lead us to wherever Applebloom is and if you survive you may get a chance at redemption.”

“You, drive a hard bargain.”

“It’s not a bargain,” John replied as he finally placed his revolver back under his cloak.

“Fine, I agree to your terms as long as you don’t kill me,” Dark Haze replied in defeat.

“Good, now let's move,” John ordered as he, Dark Haze and Applejack made their way towards the Canterlot Catacombs.

“Well,” Sam said, turning to Big Mac and Granny. “Wood, nails, and blueprints to rebuild?”

Author's Notes:

Technically, this chapter was written up a month or so ago, but it took forever to publish it.

What can I say? School and work takes a lot out of me.