Elucard sat on the old stump that overlooked the gentle stream. The woods were silent, save for the odd kingfisher that eyed a minnow. Elucard watched quietly as the bright blue-feathered bird speared the surface of the water with its beak, before turning his head back to his task at hand. He twiddled a small, thin dagger in his hand. With a bit of practice and a lot of dexterity he spun the blade around his thumb and walked it between his knuckles. He took a distant pleasure in this mindless mannerism. It kept his thoughts away from any worries and stress that he had been confronting in his current life.
“Tea?”
Elucard looked up to find his master, Legion, offering him a white, porcelain cup. Elucard sheathed his knife, carefully took the small cup, and sipped the hot liquid.
“Mint,” he said with a wide smile. He warmed both his hands around the cup. “This is nice.”
Legion plopped himself on the creek’s bank, dipping a toe into the cold water. “Trouble at work?”
Elucard cocked his brow. “Why does there have to be trouble? Can’t a student visit his master without a hidden agenda?”
Legion hid his grin with a dark glare. “Oh, just here for the tea, are you?”
Elucard took a quick swig of his drink, which he nearly choked on. He scrambled his brain for a question to steer his snooping teacher away from his morning. “You know what I’ve always wondered?”
“Hmm?”
Elucard crept closer to the age-worn elf. “Why were you named Legion? Malady, I understand. He was the son of the Silent Master. But it never added up why you were called Legion?”
His master chuckled. “The great Black Rabbit mystery finally comes to an end.”
“No one’s ever asked you this before?”
“I’ve heard rumors swirl in the clan, but all were too frightened to ask the gruesomely scarred, giant-sword-wielding assassin.”
“This has to be good. Your old master called you Legion because you were to be High Blade and command a legion of killers?” guessed Elucard.
Legion looked up and rubbed his chin. “No… but that would have made sense.”
Elucard sat cross-legged next to his teacher. A wonderment lit in his eyes he had not had since he was a boy. “You weren’t given the name in the Black Rabbits?”
Legion pulled out two blueberry stuffed scones from a small basket beside him. He drizzled a dab of honey onto each before passing one to the eager hands of his student. “My mother named me after my great grandfather, Legion Bladeheart.”
“Wait.” Elucard blinked in confusion. “That sounds like a warrior tribe name.”
“Correct. My mother was of the warrior tribes; one of the few that remained at least. She chose not to migrate to other lands with her tribe. She foolishly left them to marry my bastard father.”
“Legion is a family name, then!” realized Elucard.
“When I was smaller, my mother used to regale me with stories of her tribe’s many conquests when Long Whisper ran foul with orcs and ogres.
Legion was the name given to my great grandfather, for he fought with the might of one thousand elves,” explained Legion with pride swelling in his heart. He laughed after catching Elucard’s face stricken with amazement. He wrapped his arm around his student and pulled him in for a long hug. “I told you my story, now it is time to tell me yours. Do not make me guess, Elucard.”
Elucard lifted his head and sighed. “Are you aware of the coming war?”
“It is hard to ignore the hundred odd troops marching into the city.”
“ARO has been tasked to work alongside a Southtail unit. We have to go behind enemy lines and secure enemy territory.”
“Yes, an excellent way to showcase your training.” Legion nodded
“I know I can do this and I know my men can do it too…” Elucard trailed off.
“But you do not trust these new soldiers to carry their own weight,” gathered Legion.
“I know nothing about this Mave or her harekins. How am I supposed to trust someone with such an important task if we know nothing of each other?!” Elucard threw up his hands in aggravation.
“Well,” started Legion, “your first task would be to get to know these… hare-people?”
“Harekins. Rabbit folk from Southtail,” corrected Elucard.
“Right…” Legion took a sip from his now cold tea. “Meet up with these harekins, assign them into pairs with your own men and together you will all build a working relationship.”
“Hrm.”
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“If I never took a chance on you, do you think you would be as skilled as you are today?”
Elucard raised an eyebrow in honesty. “No.”
“Consider these new troops like recruits. Bad habits or not, they need to be given the benefit of the doubt that they can help out ARO,” said Legion.
Elucard broke his scone in half. Crumbs fell to his lap. He held silent, munching on the pastry before deciding to admit he had acted like a child.
“Yes, I suppose you are right.”
Legion ruffled Elucard’s blonde hair. “Who did you choose for this mission?”
***
“Timber, Elisa, Kyzo, and Essie.” Elucard paced down the line of his soldiers, nodding to each one as they saluted him. “I’ve hand picked you four for this mission. Each of you brings something desirable to this table.”
Elucard halted in front of the kanis. “Timber, you are ARO’s best shot. Your eye is deadly and you are more than experienced enough to know when you release your bowstring and when to hold it steady. I want you to be our hawkeye on this mission.” Elucard looked behind his shoulder to
Mave and her three harekin soldiers who stood stiffly at attention. He had to admit, they were a cut above the rest when it came to discipline.
Each rabbit squared their shoulders level and heels clicked together in a neat, tight row. Each was adorned with the Skyborne colors of black and blue. Even Mave herself was no longer dressed in her flamboyant threads, but a sleek black jacket with a navy blue trim. Patches lined down her sleeve marked her unit, country, and rank. Mave caught Elucard’s eye and winked. Elucard shook his head and continued his assignment.
“Timber, you will be with Corso.”
Mave rapped out a short command and a Harekin dressed in a drab, brown habit—the only one out of uniform—shuffled to meet with the wolven marksman.
“You’re a monk?” Timber greeted Corso. “I figured I’d be paired with another archer or a spotter at the least.”
Corso stared at his feet, but gestured a sulking nod all the same. Together they formed a separate line to the side of the other two.
“Elisa,” called out Elucard.
“Yes, sir!” the shadow elf piped up and snapped to attention.
“Although I was still a recruit with the Black Rabbits, your files reads you were arrested as a terrorist against the city of Lost Dawns.”
Elisa began to sweat. “That was a long time ago, Captain…”
“This White Cloak report states that you are proficient in poison applications, demolitions, and a master of sabotage and espionage.”
“It’s true, I was trained in those aspects as a Black Rabbit. It was why I was sent to cripple the city alone.”
Elucard cracked a smile. “I admit we’ve poorly utilized your skills, then.”
Elisa lowered her head, unsure if she should be proud or ashamed of her deviant past.
“I want to pair you with Quinn Silvertail. He too specializes in sabotage and other chaotic professions. Elisa, we will never underestimate your prowess again.” Elucard placed a firm hand on Elisa’s shoulder.
She revealed her devilishly violet eyes as a shorter harekin in a black and muted-blue coat stepped forward. He let loose a cocky grin and folded his arms.
“The world ain’t ready for us, elf!” spoke Quinn as he stuck a toothpick in his mouth. He placed his hands in the pockets of his cobalt blue jacket. As he trotted forward, the many grenades dangling from the bandolier jingled. He let loose a roguishvsmile, his one silver tooth glinted in the morning sun. “New Estinia is going to learn the meaning of havoc before the war is through.”
Elisa tilted her head, unsure of what to make of her new partner.
“Kyzo Haze!” Elucard shouted.
“Yes, Master!” Kyzo barked.
“You have shown promise in your training. Rising to the challenge in both combat and stealth.”
Kyzo beamed.
“But where you excel in practice, you lack experience in any major mission,” said Elucard. He watched as his apprentice’s large smile morphed into a small frown.
“I need a steady blade to rely on this mission. One not to falter in the face of insurmountable odds and stay sharp and cunning when called upon.”
“I don’t know if that would be me, Master…” Kyzo’s voice shook with doubt. He had participated in smaller missions around the country and served in several range patrols, but he was still untested in anything truly dangerous like the rest of the ARO veterans. “Maybe you should have picked Lear or Rulan?”
“No, my student, I want you by my side. Someone I can depend upon when the flames grow more intense than the courage of Rulan or the darkness grows dimmer than Lear’s moral light. I need someone I can always count on.” Elucard lowered his voice and inched closer to Kyzo’s pointed ear. “In a time where I have no one I can truly trust, are you the one I can count on? Would you betray me like everyone else has?”
Kyzo glanced at Elisa and slid his sight towards Essie. Both failed to stay by his master’s side when they went undercover during the ghost fox mission. Elucard was right. He was needed. Kyzo had more purpose than just another infantry soldier. When the chips fell, would Kyzo do what it took to rescue Koda, even if it meant harming those he cared about? Could he be the soulless Black Rabbit that Elucard lived as?
“I await your answer, Kyzo,” Elucard whispered.
Kyzo grit his teeth and swallowed hard. “Yes, Master. You can always count on me.”
Elucard nodded in approval. He gestured to a harekin at least a foot higher than the others. The bulky rabbit wore blue leather armor. Belts were strapped around his legs, chest, and arms holding knives and other small weaponry. His vambraces featured barbaric, pointed studs and a brown eyepatch covered a hideously burned eye that accented his already brutish appearance.
“Bruce Brawnwood, you’re up chum!” chirped Mave.
The lumbering blackguard of a soldier stuck out his hefty hand to Kyzo, who did his best to put on an unintimidated front.
“I don’t bite, lad,” Bruce chuckled. Even though his words carried no malice, the deep bass in his voice made every word sound like a threat.
Kyzo gave him a hesitant grin and shook the rabbit’s hand.
Bruce yanked Kyzo close to him and winked his only good eye. “I break!”
Kyzo turned a ghastly white matching his hair.
Bruce let out a deep belly laugh and walked to the line with the others.
Elucard turned to his last soldier. “Es, we need a medic and I’d rather have someone battle hardened than someone green.”
Essie nodded and hustled to join her companions
Elucard and Mave marched over to the team of soldiers.
“Alright, buckos,” Mave addressed the elves and harekins. “You’ve been assigned your field-wives and field-husbands, so remember to function as a good couple should. Our commanders have seen fit to have the Anti-Rogue Ops attached to our unit. They will be trained to ride with us and together we’ll be joining them in a little holiday behind enemy lines.”
Elucard picked up the briefing from there. “Our primary objectives will be to assist in the capture of key points of interest for the Cypress Alliance. We are to sabotage fortresses, disrupt supply lines, and all around be a damn pain in the ass to the Estinians.”
The soldiers grinned and hooted.
“Once we’ve made our way across the map, we’ll be tasked with breaking the king out of prison and securely escorting him back to the safety of our army.”
“Are we to expect any support from the Cypress Alliance or a way to pull out in case of failure?” asked Quinn.
Mave shook her head, grimly. “‘Fraid not, little brother. Once we pull our ripcords and leave the safety of our saddles we are on our own for the rest of the campaign.”
“No one to find our bodies, no one to mark our graves,” muttered Corso under his breath.
“Well then, enjoy the luxury of the city and get to know your partner. Because they will be your priest, sibling, parent, and lover for the rest of our journey together!” ordered Mave. “You’re all dismissed.”
Elucard watched the soldiers disperse and turned to Mave. “I suppose we should learn to get along with each other as well.”
“Why yes, Elucard.'' She took off her hat and bowed. Her long ears flopped to the ground. “You can buy me lunch!”
“I didn’t offer to buy you lunch, Mave,” grumbled Elucard.
“You didn’t... but you implied it.” Mave raised an eyebrow and released a stupid grin. “I think I’d like a salad,” she said as she walked off to the training field.
Elucard rolled his eyes and followed in a defeated drag.