“He is a crooked nail. Nothing but a defective tool in this state. Completely ineffective to us,” The Silent Master’s low growl of a voice passed through the dark quarters. Legion knelt before him, Inle stood off to the side, enamored by the presence of the legendary High Blade and the Silent Master.

“Blinded by the words of the girl, my Silent Master. She is a fragment of his past with great influence over him. Moreover, she has defied our teachings, giving her even more control over his mind. Elucard is just the symptom, Jetta is the virus,” Legion spoke frankly.

The Silent Master turned to Inle, “You have seen this venom affect our First Blade? How can I be sure you are not merely jealous of his affection for her?”

Inle chuckled at the concept of being jealous of Jetta, but bowed his head reverently, “Jetta was, at first, a harmless comfort to Elucard. But over time I have watched as she rotted away in his mind with one blasphemy after another.” A look of disgust spread across his face, “The longer you allow people like Jetta to fester within our clan, the further away our Elucard will become.”

“Legion, he is your apprentice, so it falls to you to deal with this problem. Kill the girl.” The words left Silent Master without emotion or pity.

Legion’s eyes widened, knowing full-well what an act would do to his relationship with Elucard, “Master, Jetta’s loss to Elucard may do more harm than good. Allow me to banish Jetta. Within time, Elucard will forget about her as he once did, but if I kill her, Elucard will lash out. He will lash at m–”

“No!” interjected Ryjin. He was disgusted by Legion’s weakness, “I allowed you to spare a life once before. The life of scum who directly worked against me—against our clan! No, I will not allow you to show mercy once more. You will kill this girl and make an example out of her. We will not have another…another Avalon!”

“I will do this task, my master, but Elucard must not know it was me. If he does, it will tarnish…” Legion knew that killing Jetta would shatter any trust or love Elucard ever had for him. He was like a son to him. Destroying that relationship would be the end of Legion. He would need to keep this secret, even if it killed him to do so. The Silent Master was right, he showed great weakness when he spared Malady. He would need to keep his reputation intact or he feared he would be the next target in Ryjin’s sights, “…my influence over him.”

The Silent Master rubbed his chin, “The boy will overcome whatever pitiful affection he has for the girl, but your secrets are yours to keep. He will not to find out from me who killed her. Legion, send Elucard and Inle on a mission. Have it be an evaluation of Inle’s accumulated skills. When they return, the deed shall be done.”

Inle and Legion bowed.

***

Elucard and Inle perched in the shadows looking down at Galdo’s butcher shack. Galdo was a mercenary that had a knack for poaching jobs from the Black Rabbits—an action the clan had taken notice of.

“Listen up Inle, Legion has seen fit to have you complete this mission as a final test to ascend from being my student, to my colleague.”

“Yes, Master,” Inle said, nodding intently. A wild ball of several emotions hung in the back of his mind. This was the night that Jetta was to be taken out of the picture. His master would be set free of such a twisting weight. Inle was free as well…to be with him.

“This Galdo is not to be taken lightly. What he lacks in speed and agility, he makes up ten-fold in power and resilience,” Elucard continued.

“Yes, Master” Inle replied as he fingered through his satchel full of tools and weaponry.

“Stay light on your feet and keep moving. We’ll tire him and take him down before he has a chance to fight back,” Elucard said, taking a mental note of a large gathering of clouds moving in from the east.

“Master,” Inle pointed at the door to the shack, “Movement. This could be our opening.”

“Aye, well spotted, Inle,” Elucard whispered, quickly turning his attention back to the cabin.

Moments later, a towering man with thick, muscular arms covered in matching dragon and demon tattoos exited the shack. Hoisted over his shoulder was a massive chunk of steel, shaped into a jagged sword.

Elucard signaled Inle to drop from their hiding spots and follow his lead. Their feet strode along the grass as if gliding in the shadows. Elucard silently drew his blade and drove it straight into Galdo’s back. Inle appeared in front of the giant man and struck into his lower chest.

Galdo cried out in pain before swinging his thick sword in a wide arc at the two assassins. Blades in hand, they nimbly dodged the attack, regrouping some feet away.

Low to the ground, Elucard gestured to Inle. The shadow elf complied and dashed forward, slashing at Galdo’s legs, spraying blood from long cuts. Galdo roared ferociously and caught Inle by the throat with a titan’s grip.

Inle gasped for breath and clawed desperately at the giant’s arms. Galdo mercilessly slammed Inle into the ground. Elucard made his move, jumping and slashing downwards Galdo’s right shoulder. Galdo barely flinched as he backhanded Elucard away, sending the elf flying into a large tree.

Galdo raised his sword over his head and brought it crashing down toward Inle’s crumpled body. At the last moment, the Rabbit shoulder rolled away. Recovering, Inle slid behind the man and cut through his tendons, bringing the incredibly large man down to his knees with a thundering crash.

Elucard shook off the daze and lunged at the fallen mercenary with a series of muscle slicing swipes aimed at the behemoth’s chest and arms. Galdo grunted as he tried to stand, but fell back down as Inle skewered him in the back.

Galdo fell to his hands scowling at the two Black Rabbits. Elucard sheathed his blade, bowing to Inle, “Do the honors.”

Inle nodded, dropping his blade in a savage arc, cleaving Galdo’s neck almost entirely free of his body. The giant’s head hung by what few threads of muscle fibers, tendons, and veins tethered it to his mutilated body.