“Ve hev King Koda jus vhere ve vant him, cowering en de forest vith his men dying all around him,” said Commander Unrick, smiling with bloodthirsty satisfaction. He was the leader of the Estinian force occupying Stonewall. He was a weaselly man with a long nose, a thin minute-hand mustache, and a boney chin that matched his cheeks. At the tip of his chin, he sported a neatly trimmed tuft.
Unrick gazed out of a circular window as his siege machinery continued their horrific onslaught on the forest. Turning around, he sat back down at the desk within the room that once had been the office of Stonewall’s mayor. He spent a solid minute wiping his teeth clean of any remnants of pheasant meat before turning his attention to the two men that waited patiently to be addressed.
“Inle, vhat news of de Northern Shore do you bring me?” he finally asked.
Inle bowed graciously, as he had learned quickly to do in the presence of his volatile allies. They were easy to upset and quick to be offended, “My Lord, my High Blade has sent a large squad of our kin to capture the roads. Please allow him to make the report.”
Unrick nodded towards Legion, indicating for him to pick up where Inle had left off.
“My men have captured and burned several supply caravans and reinforcements heading to Koda’s front lines. We also shot down several messenger ravens both requesting more supplies and warning the front lines of the road being captured. We have effectively stopped all flow of support to Koda.” Legion reported. His voice was monotone and without emotion. It was unsettling to Inle.
“Dis es good news to hear! De Div’Rah vill be pleased vith my performance,” Unrick said, sitting back and smiling.
“As you can see, my Lord, we Black Rabbits are an excellent al–” Inle started.
“De Div’Rah vould indeed be happy vith you Rabbits, ef you could preform von more task.”
Inle looked at Legion before responding to Unrick, “What task would that be, my Lord?”
“Koda needs to die tonight. Can you do dat, Rabbit?”
“Of course that can be arranged, my Lord,” said Inle as he bowed pompously.
Outside the office, Legion glided gracefully but aggressively into Inle. Grabbing him by the collar, he slammed him against the wall, “Do not let this power trip go to your head, First Blade. I am High Blade; I am in command of this operation. I accept the missions, I deal with everything while the Silent Master is not at hand!”
Legion was fierce and a legend in his own right; one to be feared and revered. Inle knew this, but he also knew Legion was in no position to make threats. The Div’Rah saw Inle as the commander of the Black Rabbits and so long as they were to continue this campaign, Inle would be sure to play that part. He was a performer after all and he saw himself fitting this part perfectly. But he would have to handle Legion delicately all the same. Without Legion on his side, the rest of the Rabbits would not give him his due respect.
“My High Blade, I would never overstep my boundaries. I am simply the liaison of our clan for the Estinain people. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Do not play coy with me, Inle. I am fully aware of the kind of elf you are capable of being,” snapped Legion, tightening his grip.
“Let us not forget who is partially responsible for crafting me into that elf,” Inle hissed.
Legion narrowed his eyes and released him, “Take Dest and Vemrick with you.”
“Koda is but a mouse in a corner. I will go alone.”
“A cornered mouse will bite. Take them. The collective experience will be good for the mission.”
***
The moon was cloaked in a veil of clouds as it had been for the last several nights. The lack of moonlight made for excellent cover as the Black Rabbits slipped through the front lines of Koda’s forces. The trio moved around several foxholes, searching each one for Koda.
“Look how they slumber Inle, it would be a shame to not kill each one,” Dest mused as she loomed over a nest of soldiers sleeping in a huddled clump within the foxhole.”
Inle took a brief moment to watch a soldier stir innocently before going back to searching for Koda’s foxhole, “We have work to do, Dest. Don’t get distracted.”
Dest unsheathed her blade silently and chuckled, “Well, what about you Vemrick? Want to slit a few throats while we’re here?”
Dest’s smile disappeared as Vemrick’s response did not reach her ears.
“Vemrick?” Dest turned to find her companion missing. She swiftly scanned her surroundings, calling for Vemrick as loud and as far as her whispers could reach, but still no answer back from the elf.
Inle took in a long sigh, clearly annoyed with the performance of the supposedly experienced Dest and Vemrick, “Will you two quit fooling around?”
He, too, was met with silence; twice the silence as before. Quickly he spun around, blade at the ready. To his curious delight, he found three oddly dressed assassins. They looked like Black Rabbits, but instead of the traditional black and violet colors, they bore crimson and black uniforms. Inle’s curiosity got the best of him. His perplexed face grew a wide smile once he saw the bodies of Dest and Vemrick laying at the feet of the three strangers.
“Assassins from Varis?” Inle asked, tapping his sword on his shoulder in a casual manner.
One of the assassins removed her hood to show off her exotically beautiful shadow elf face. She twirled a dagger around in her fingers, “It’s been a long time, Shadow Kin.”
Inle’s pleasure was slowly turning into quivering rage at the sight of Elisa, “I see you are running with a new clan.”
Lear removed his hood revealing his keen yikahti eyes, “We be no assassins, Rabbit!”
Blayvaar lowered his mask and took a pair of daggers from a set of sheathes behind his waist, “We’re Watchers. Born and bred to hunt assassins. Now watch us work!”
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Inle was furious. Had Elisa trained Koda’s men in the Black Rabbit ways to hunt Black Rabbits? He did his best to mask his anger and simply bowed. A new show was about to start. His audience had taken their seats and it was now time to be the show stopper he was born to be.
Blayvaar, Lear, and Elisa rushed him, enclosing on all sides. Lear’s reach was longer, forcing Inle to deal with the yikahti’s rapier first. Inle spun into the inside reach of Lear, and struck the cat’s chest with an elbow, knocking Lear backwards.
Blayvaar sliced furiously with his set of knives, but Inle leaped and flipped over Lear, gathering distance away from the ARO members.
Elisa cartwheeled with a single hand to match the speed of Inle’s movements, finishing off with a graceful roundhouse kick at Inle’s head. Inle snapped his forearm up and blocked the kick, dropping his own body down and sweeping his leg into Elisa’s legs, tripping her backwards. Inle took advantage of his off-balance opponent and thrust a side kick into her ribs. The blow sent her flying into a nearby tree.
Inle spun his sword in his hand as he neared Elisa’s crumpled body, but was caught by a dagger driving into his side. Furious at the sneak attack made by Blayvaar, Inle viscously back handed the former thief. Blayvaar was knocked into the air, twisting like a rag doll and slamming into the cold ground. Inle raised his blade to strike down and finish Blayvaar, but Lear slid into sight, parrying Inle’s blade to the side.
Inle huffed in annoyance, attempting to reach for his weapon, but Lear slapped it further away.
“Before ARO, this yikahti was an accomplished swordsman, perhaps better than you, Rabbit.”
Inle feigned to reach for his blade again, but pulled out and threw several daggers into Lear’s throat and right shoulder. Lear reached for his wounds in shock, giving Inle ample time to grab his blade and thrust it into Lear’s stomach. Inle finished his advance by kicking the yikahti off of his blade.
Inle grabbed Blayvaar by the tuft of his hair and brought the elf’s head close to his, “Where is Koda?”
“Find him yourself,” hissed Blayvaar.
Inle glanced about his surroundings, no doubt the commotion from the fight would bring others to investigate. He was wasting time dealing with this nuisance. With a hefty backhand, he rendered Blayvaar unconscious, “Very well,” he whispered as he left to look for Koda’s foxhole.
***
The back of the forest was quieter than the front lines. Although the cold night enhanced how sound traveled through the forest, the rearward lines were relatively undisturbed by Inle’s skirmish with the Watchers.
The shadow elf crouched over the foxhole of Koda and his two tribal lords. Koda stirred in his sleep as Cass and Athar slumbered in the much needed peace that the unattacked forest provided. Taking out a thin garrote wire, Inle carefully wrapped it around the throat of the mage king, raising the two ends ever so slightly so that the wire tightened at a slow pace. At first there was not much movement from Inle’s victim, but soon Koda’s feet fidgeted as he began to choke and struggle.
“Drop him, Inle.”
A burning memory shot through Inle’s ears and drove deep into his mind like a meteor crashing through the atmosphere. That voice. A voice he could never forget. The voice that was carved into his heart, mind, and soul. But it could not be him.
Inle hesitated, haunted by the familiar voice. He turned around to face where it came from, nearly gagging on a flood of emotions.
“M-Master? Is that you?” whispered Inle. He raised his mask from his face to get a better look. He struggled to quell an enormous amount of questions and revived hopes and dreams.
Elucard’s cold, dead stare would have slain any common man, but Inle was no common man. Elucard signaled for the remainder of his ARO team to surround the smitten Inle.
The wire in the Rabbit’s hands slacked and Koda lurched forward gasping for air. Inle’s hands shivered as he tried to quell the clutter of feelings. Anger, longing, confusion, and love coursed through his heart and mind, “M-Master, you are a-alive? How can this be?” Inle sputtered.
Elucard attempted to step closer, but Inle snapped out of his stupor and snatched Koda by his collar and brought him into his arms. A sharp dagger rested under Koda’s chin, pressed hard against the king’s throat.
“I’ve seen your tricks my king. Make a move and I’ll bleed you dry, right here!” Inle threatened. The young elf had always had a firm grasp on his actions and emotions, but now he was a mess. His thoughts were erratic and this night had been a brewing storm of unpredictability and failure. How could Elucard be alive? Why did he wait until now to reveal himself? Inle lowered his mask.
“Inle, drop him. There is no winning this battle,” said Elucard, ignoring Inle’s questions and trying to reason with his former student.
“Master, you will be proud to know I am the First Blade now. I have sway in the clan. Come back with me and you can rejoin us. All can be forgiven, Master. We can be a family once more,” said Inle as he slowly backed away with his hostage.
“Let him pass!” Wiccer exclaimed, “Timber, keep an eye on him.”
Elucard gingerly kept up with Inle as the shadow elf retreated.
Inle recanted tales of a happier time for him, “You and I were an unstoppable team. Can you imagine what we could do together now? You can even be First Blade again, I wouldn’t mind. I’d do anything for you, Elucard.”
Elucard knew the situation was delicate. His student was as delusional as ever, but now he had Koda’s life at knife point.
“Inle I don’t want you to die this night. Not by their hands. You and I could be together, but not if my team kills you. You need to let the king go and come with me.” Elucard spoke as calmly as possible. Thoughts raced through his head as he tried to defuse the situation as best he could, with whatever words he thought would appease the delusional Inle.
Inle breached the clearing bordering the Estinian siege line. He pressed the dagger’s edge into the flesh of Koda’s neck until he drew blood.
“Is that true? You and I are no longer enemies?” a hopeful Inle asked his master.
“Inle, I only wish I could forgive you,” Elucard said.
“Even in death, Jetta twists your soul.”
Seeing that Elucard and Inle were now distracted with the baggage of their past, Calsoon slid a dagger down his arm into his palm. With a flick of the wrist the knife whistled through the air and impacted Inle’s steel mask with a loud ‘thud.’ Inle’s head reeled back in an awkward stumble. Elucard dashed forward and pulled Koda to safety.
Wiccer made a quick glance to Timber, “Now!” he shouted.
Timber let loose an arrow straight for Inle’s chest, but Inle was fractions quicker, grabbing the arrow just as it penetrated his leather armor. He danced lightly into the shadows making a gracefully bow, as if the theater curtains had drawn to a close.
Calsoon indulged the clown with a long and exaggerated bow of his own, “Until next time, friend,” he whispered under his breath.
***
Inle walked the streets of Stonewall, thoughts swirling in his head like a tropical storm. Too distracted to even see where he was going, he passed Legion leaning against the side of the local tavern.
“You failed your mission. Your Estinian friends won’t be happy about this,” Legion sneered, almost smugly.
Inle held his mask in one hand, the other held his heavy face. He was in no condition to be the First Blade tonight. In the past he had come to the terms with the fact that the love of his life was dead, but now that reality had been crushed into a fine powder.
“What’s more, you let Dest and Vemrick fall under your watch. They were useful veterans of our clan. I will not forget this failure, nor will the Silent Master,” Legion’s callous words continued.
Inle slowly raised his gaze to meet his High Blade. His eyes were sunken and watery from tears. His mental state was a shambled mess.
“What do you have to say for yourself, Inle?” Legion finished.
“He’s alive,” Inle choked out a short whisper.
“Who?” Legion asked.
“Elucard.”