The Elsewhere Saga: Brotherhood of Glass
Episode One: Evolution
Chapter One: The Brotherhood Begins
We were so naive then.
We always believed that when the demons arrived, their armies of nightmares and monsters would rise up out of the underworld in a wave of shadow and ash. We never believed they would descend from the skies above in flying temples, taking the appearance of beautiful beings made from pure light.
We believed them to be gods when they first appeared. Even after they began their conquest, many still believed this. Not without reason: These beings, inhumanly beautiful, possessed abilities so far beyond our understanding we had no choice but to fear and revere them. With a wave of her hand, even one of these celestial entities could cause a mountain range to crumble to dust. Others could control the very living creatures we spend decades carefully manipulating to our specifications, and those beasts even we could not harness. Others still could peer through the veil of time itself.
In hindsight, we should have seen through their ruse. They were not gods: they were locusts. Our entire existence was nothing more than kindling for the bonfire that was their empire. Everything we knew, merely another sacrifice to their dark goddesses. From the very beginning, they regarded us as little more than a curiosity at best, or an annoyance at worst.
Some worshipped them; some ran from them; many fought them; none survived them. Our greatest warriors fought valiantly, but theirs were too strong, their machines too great. Our numbers were culled like wheat at the harvest. To make matters worse, the planet itself was dying. Our fledgeling existence was coming to an end at the hands of these unfathomable cosmic deities, and nothing could be done to fight them.
In our naivete, we believed that these demons were unthinking, unfeeling entities of pure destruction. We never believed they could be capable of compassion, of love. In the end, the only thing that could stop the demons were the demons themselves. One of their own numbers turned against her own kind, sacrificing her future as a great conqueror to aid us: small, insignificant beings who could offer nothing in return. But despite this, she fought for us. She valiantly lead an army of human and Gem alike to beat back their invasion and save our world. She sacrificed everything for our sake.
If not for Rose Quartz, the Earth would no longer exist.
August 3, 1307. Principality of Westshire, Wales.
In the silence of the dusk, the only sound in the forest was the clopping of hooves against a dirt path. A brown mare galloped through the woods, a knight in shining armor upon her back.
The knight glanced at the sides of the path as he rode. In the grass below the trees, many bright pink flowers sprouted from the ground. In their center appeared to be a tiny pink crystal. This knight had travelled all throughout the country, through the nine kingdoms and beyond, and the only place these flowers grew was right here in this forest.
He was told, to reach his destination, all he had to do was follow these flowers. Sure enough, as he drew closer to the heart of the woods, he happened upon a crossroads. Only one path was lined with the flowers, and that was the path he took. Soon, he arrived at a clearing filled with them. And that was where he saw her.
She was standing in a meadow surrounded by the flowers. All the pink of her flowers, skin and dress were silhouetted by the orange evening sky. She turned around to face him, her pink hair billowing in the breeze.
"Hello again, Jonah," she said, her voice soft and gentle. "I've been expecting your arrival."
"My lady," he said with a curt bow. Quietly, he pulled a pitch-black gemstone from out of his saddlebag. It was the size of his fist, smooth yet faceted. He held it close to his breast as he walked over to her. "I was instructed to bring this to you," he said.
Her expression turned to one of sorrow. "Oh, poor old Jet," she said, taking the gem into her hands. "You were always such a kind soul. I will find some way to return you to your senses, I promise." She tenderly placed a kiss on the black gemstone, then formed a bubble around it, sending it away to join the others.
Jonah removed his helmet, revealing his long brown hair in braids like Rose's own. "I am truly sorry about your friends," he said.
"Thank you very much," Rose said. "I'm glad you and all of your brothers are doing all you can to...collect everyone." She looked solemnly to the side, before turning back to Jonah. "You are truly a very brave man."
"My lady…" Jonah said. "I may be brave, but I will never be as strong as you."
Rose Quartz stepped closer. "Why do you say that?" she asked. Jonah was a tall man, though he didn't even come up to Rose's chin.
"You are so much more than I can ever be," he said. "You are a timeless goddess, and I am but a mortal." Rose responded by laughing lightly. "Am I funny?" he asked.
"Jonah, what is so wrong with being mortal?" she asked. "Humans have come so far since I arrived on this planet. Once you foraged for food and rested in tents woven from plant fibers, now you've built castles that reach the very skies, and I'm sure you will reach much higher in the future!"
"I know," he said. "But as brave as I am, as mighty as my people are, I can never compete with you. You are of iron, and I am of glass."
Rose looked at him with a smile. "Oh, Jonah. You are far stronger than you realize. Tell me, how did you manage to overcome Jet?"
"Well," Jonah said, "first we set down a layer of wooden spikes to-"
"No, not like that," said Rose. "I meant, how did you and all of your brothers-in-arms finish the fight?"
"Together." Jonah said.
"Exactly," said Rose. "That is the true power of the human race. While alone you are not as strong as a Gem may be, but together, you can accomplish anything."
Jonah closed his eyes, reminiscing on the battle he had just come from. The beast that had once been Jet fought hard, but he and his comrades fought together. In the end, the monster was vanquished. "Our power lies in our unity," Jonah said. "Alone, one human is weak. But together…" Jonah took Rose's hand into his own. "...we can accomplish anything."
"Exactly," said Rose.
"My lady," said Jonah, "I promise here and now that I will fight in your honor." He knelt at her feet, his sword planted on the ground. "I, and all of my brothers, will fight to protect those who are in danger, to save all Gems who were corrupted by the will of the Diamonds, and to make this world a better place for all who call it their home."
A pink light emanated from Rose's gemstone as she summoned her shield. "Sir Jonah of Westshire," she said. "Do you swear to fight not only for my honor, but for the honor of all who inhabit this Earth?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear to treat all mankind as your equal, no matter where they come from?"
"I swear."
"And do you swear, no matter what happens, to forgive those who would seek to do you harm, should they seek your forgiveness?"
Jonah hesitated for a moment, before saying "I swear."
Rose placed the shield over Jonah's left shoulder, and then his right. "Then rise, Sir Jonah of Westshire." He did so." I hereby declare you as Sir Jonah, first human knight of the Crystal Gems, and the first of the Brotherhood of Glass."
Jonah beamed. "I will not let you down, my lady," he said, planting a kiss on the back of her hand.
"I know," she said quietly.
July 9, 1888. Morgantown, UK.
Several figures dressed in lavish coats sat around a long table in a darkened room. A soldier with a flintlock pistol and saber on his belt stood guard at the door. One of these figures stood up, walking to the front of the room, where he began a speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Brotherhood," he said. "After much consideration, I have decided it is necessary to reevaluate the status of our organization."
"And how is that, Doctor?" asked a man at the table.
"I have discussed the state of our world with the board of directors as well as the governments of Britain and the United States, and all seem to have come to the same conclusion: the Brotherhood of Glass can no longer exist."
A hushed murmur ran through all those present. "Do you mean to say we're being disbanded?" a woman asked.
"Not at all," he explained. "As I'm sure you are well aware, our world is changing. With the advent of motorcars, electricity, and steam engines, it is estimated that we have reached a vital part of our evolution: something Garnet has referred to as a 'singularity.' To my understanding, this is a point in a people's evolution where advances in technology reach a heretofore unseen level, increasing at an exponential rate."
"And what exactly did you have in mind, Arthur?" asked another man.
"The ideals of the Brotherhood shall persist long after we are gone," he said. "Though I now find it necessary to renew our methods. We have been looking at this far too small. Surely you understand? With our newfound advances in technology, it is only a matter of time before humanity ascends to the very heavens themselves!"
"Now, Dr. Westshire," said another man, "Surely you're exaggerating."
"Hardly," continued Arthur. A man in a suit handed him a document along with a quill and ink, all of which he placed on the table in front of him, "As I have said, the world is changing, whether we like it or not. Therefore, we must change as well. With all of your signatures, the Brotherhood of Glass will be rechristened to the Bureau of Alien Investigation, Neutralization, and Experimentation. Amethyst suggested the name. We shall simply be known as BAINE."