Wiccer groggily woke up. His surroundings were alien to him, but he recognized that he was in an infirmary. His brother lay in an adjacent bed across from him. Elisa sat sleeping in a chair at Avren’s bedside. Wiccer slipped out of the sheets and jumped out of bed. It cost him dearly, as his head spurted with a burst of pain and his leg buckled underneath him. He crashed resoundingly to the floor.

Wiccer gingerly inspected a heavy wool bandage wrapped around his head and grasped his throbbing leg. Reaching for a crutch leaning against the wall, Wiccer hobbled to his brother’s bedside.

“Avren, what did they do to you?” Wiccer quaked with heartache as he looked down at his brother. A deep, crimson red seeped through the bandages on his chest. His once ebony features were now deathly pale, his breathing a weak wheezing. Avren slowly motioned his hand up. Wiccer shivered as he grabbed it with both hands, “Avren, you’re going to be okay. I’m going to make those Rabbits pay for this!”

Elisa awoke to find Wiccer collapsed in depression and shock, “I’m sorry Wiccer, I truly am.”

It was clear that she had been up all night and day by Avren and Wiccer’s side.

Wiccer burst out in a depressing chorus of tears, “How can you say that! You’re one of them! You’ve always been one of them!”

Elisa shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. She just wanted to be there with Avren, “I am not one of them! I never could convince you…”

“Then why did you protect them! As far as I’m concerned you did this to Avren. If my brother dies, it will be on your hands!”

Elisa’s lips quivered with anguish, “Wiccer please, Avren is…is…”

“What? What is he to you other than someone to lay with?”

Elisa burst into tears, “He is all that I have!” she turned to Avren, gently caressing his face, “…All that I want,” she sobbed.

“Wic-Wiccer” Avren’s voice was a shriveled husk of what it once was, “Enough. Do…do not be blinded by your hate.”

Wiccer shivered in rage, “Do you not hear yourself, Avren?”

Avren attempted to tighten his grip, weakly pulling Wiccer close to him, “E-Elisa is one of us. Y-you need to gr-grow as a leader. K…keep a clear mind,” Avren’s grip fell loose, his breathing began to slow.

“Avren, please. Don’t leave me, not you too!” Wiccer tightly squeezed Avren’s limp hand. He bawled into his brother’s chest. Elisa did her best to comfort him.

“I-I love you little…” Avren rasped with his final words to his younger brother.

***

Elucard leaned on Inle. The patch job done to his wounds was wearing away as the trio made their way through the woods. The cold rain washed away any chance that they could be tracked, but the heavy water pounded upon their weary shoulders, weighing down their clothes. They had traveled all day and all night, but were still another night’s travel away from home.

“I hope Jetta finds some shelter soon,” said Elucard. His cold breath wisped in the air. He struggled each step of the way, both physically and mentally. His mind was fractured like glass scattered all over the ground. Jetta’s words pierced him like a lance.

Jetta…He still saw her as the child he remembered – innocent, pure…naive. His life as a Black Rabbit wasn’t easy, but it was simple. He merely took orders and would someday die by the blade. He was growing into this life. However, this all changed the day that Jetta came back into the picture. His promise to her bubbled to the surface and complicated his once simple life. She spoke a truth that he once would have lived by. It was not the code of the Rabbit, but the law of the rest of the world. It did not comply, but it made sense. But she could not possibly understand the sacrifices he had made. She saw him as who he had been, not who he was in the present. What did he see himself as? Who he was? Who he is? Who he could be?

Damn her!

“Master, I’m proud of what you accomplished back there,” Inle said, breaking Elucard’s train of thought, “You are a legend now, both famous among our people and infamous among everyone else.”

“Infamous for the wrong reasons,” Elucard whispered in a daze.

There was a silence between the two. Inle felt the sting of his master’s words. He stopped, the rain still pouring on their heads and shoulders. Inle lifted his mask. His cool and tired silver eyes locked onto Elucard’s tired magenta ones.

“Elucard, my master, listen to me. Whatever doubts you have in your life, your actions are praised by the true people that care for you…and love you,” Inle said.

Elucard stared down at his muddy feet, slightly light headed from his loss of blood. He raised this student on the philosophies of his master, Legion; the same philosophies that turned him into the efficient assassin that slew a king. Inle was the prime example of a perfect Rabbit.

“Inle, if you were asked to, would you kill the person you were closest to?”

Inle smiled weakly. Closest to him? His family was long gone and the only person he felt true affection for was the person he was holding in the downpour. He loved Elucard more than just as a brother. He saw the Black Rabbits in a light of chivalry and servitude. He yearned for a way to mix his love for Elucard with his love for his clan; a sentiment, it seemed, that Jetta did not share.

“Elucard, a blade is only as sharp as the Rabbit wielding it. You taught me this, Master. Do not let the heart lead where the mind will not follow.” Inle put a gentle hand upon his master’s cool, wet cheek. He slowly moved his unmasked face closer to Elucard’s, “Unless that heart leads you to me,” Inle whispered, raindrops bouncing off his nose.

Elucard was exhausted, locked within Inle’s hypnotic charm. He had feelings for his student, but could not requite the feelings Inle had for him, “Inle, I can’t…”

Inle moved slowly until he could feel Elucard’s breath. With his other hand he removed Elucard’s soaked through hood.

“Inle…” Elucard’s worn eyes sunk within the shadow elf’s. A moment in time froze for the two men.

“Guys, over here, I made a fire!” Jetta called from a short distance to the east, “Let’s replace those bandages, Elucard!”

Inle quickly moved away from Elucard, clearly annoyed by Jetta’s ill-timed interruption. He fastened his mask and whispered into Elucard’s ear, “I will wait for you.”

***

Under a thick canopy of branches and leaves, the fire blazed. Elucard slept peacefully by its warmth. Fresh bandages hugged his ribs. Inle watched the elf with a sense of fondness as Jetta cleaned his wounds.

“I can tell that you care for him very much,” Jetta said, gesturing over to her best friend.

Inle grimaced from a rush of pain as an alcohol soaked cloth burned a tender gash in his arm, “More than you’ll ever understand,” Inle responded with a slight chill.

Jetta was briefly silent, taken aback by the insult, “I’ve known Elucard since we were children. He’s my best friend. He’s like an older brother to me. I think I’d understand.”

Inle turned to face her fiercely, “Then why do you torture him so? Why won’t leave him be?”

“What are you talking about? I would never hurt Elucard!”

“You play with his heart and mind with your heresy. You think I can’t see the turmoil he’s in?” Inle snapped.

Jetta bit her lip, her heart rising in her throat, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was hurting him. I only want to help him.”

Inle sighed heavily, “Jetta, I don’t know what Elucard was like as a child, but he’s a Rabbit now. It’s one of his greatest achievements, and when we return he’ll be honored as our First Blade. But he won’t be able to function if you keep twisting his conscience with these thoughts.”

“Twisting? I’m trying to be rational. I want Elucard to–”

“I suggest you keep your ideas and philosophies to yourself…for Elucard’s sake and for yours,” Inle said, interrupting her.

A silence cut deeply between the two. Only the soft pattering of the rain bouncing off the leaves could be heard. Jetta had only wanted to help Elucard. It had never crossed her mind that she was ‘torturing’ him. No, she could not be torturing him. She was purging the infection from his mind. Elucard still saw the good in her words, but it was clear that arguing with Inle would get her nowhere. She needed to keep her path steady and illuminated, for Inle was like the rest of the Black Rabbits, an obstacle that would keep her from moving forward.

“Get some rest, Jetta. We have a long road ahead of us,” Inle said.

Jetta finished tying off the bandage around his arm and lightly smiled at Inle. I must stay strong for Elucard. I must.

***

The clan roared in celebration as the three returning victors entered the retreat. Elucard made his way to Legion, his High Blade, and knelt in respect, “Master, it is done.”

“What did you feel, Elucard?”

The clan went silent and awaited his response. Elucard paused. He was reminded of the last time he stood here. He was asked the same question before. The proper response would be the same as before. Satisfaction.

But this was not what he felt. This was the biggest mission of his life, a kill that would raise the bar for all Rabbits. This was ‘it.’ The moment in his life he had worked toward. To be respected, praised, loved. And yet he didn’t want this.

Did Jetta’s words have so much weight in them? He tried to reflect on Inle’s words instead. His student, a brother in arms, the friend he could always count on. Inle understood everything that he was going through. They fought and bled for the same cause. Everything he built, Inle strived for and supported. Inle’s words were what really should have held the most weight in his heart. Then why were Jetta’s more important to him?

“Elucard, we’re all waiting,” Legion said, breaking through the awkward silence.

“Satisfaction,” Elucard said, rather mechanically.

Jetta hid an annoyed sigh, while Inle started a cheer for Elucard. The compound erupted again. Elucard stood, admittedly pleased with the excitement, Legion leaned into his ear, “We have much to discuss about your future.”

“Yes, but first there is some business that must be dealt with,” Elucard nodded before scanning the many faces of the clan.

Elucard snaked through the crowd until he was standing opposite of Malady. Malady was leaning against a pillar. He begrudgingly smiled, “Welcome home, Elucard. It is good to see you alive and well.”

Elucard lifted his chin in displeasure, “No thanks to you.”

Malady scoffed, “What do you mean? We all wished you a fortunate mission and a safe return.”

“Enough with the lies and the scheming! You sent your apprentice ahead to tell the king of our mission and laid a trap for us!” Elucard shouted furiously.

A resounding gasp fell over the onlooking crowd. Legion pushed forward, “Elucard, is this true?”

“It is,” Elucard said sternly, crossing his arms.

Malady sneered, “Quite an allegation!”

Elucard pulled a bloody magenta scarf from his garb and dropped it on the ground, “I took this from your traitor of a student after I spilled her guts.”

Malady scowled at the sight of Tesha’s scarf, but gathered his composure, “Clearly Tesha sought to sabotage you out of jealousy of your success. Either way, I had nothing to do with it.”

“Liar!” Elucard yelled aggressively.

Legion got between the two quickly, “Elucard, enough.” Legion turned to Malady, “Your petty rivalry is tearing this clan apart.”

“Rivalry? Rivals are equal, you’re just some stooge my mother chose to be my sparring partner,” growled Malady.

“Leandra didn’t choose you because you would have made a weak leader! You see that, don’t you? You hold onto your childish grudges and let them taint your future!” Legion spat. His frustration with his Blade Brother flared into anger.

“Don’t you dare mention her! You want us to end this? I would challenge you to a final duel, but how would that look dueling the High Blade? However, I will challenge Elucard instead.”

Elucard’s eyes widened in fear.

Legion, pushed Elucard behind him, “No, not Elucard.”

Malady flashed his teeth, “You don’t want to end this rivalry?”

Legion glanced over to see Ryjin standing by his quarters. The Silent Master made a small nod as if approving Legion’s future actions. Legion unsheathed his massive blade and thrust it into the stone ground, “I am your Blade Brother before I am your High Blade. It is my duty to end this before any more needless blood is shed. In two days, we will fight in front of everyone, to the death.”

Malady drew a sword from his back and thrust it in the ground, inches from Legion’s, “Accepted.”