The town square of Varis City was bustling like a festival. Traders peddled balloons and roasted snacks. Clowns and jugglers entertained on the sides of the streets. Minstrels sang jingles of silly tales in up beat tunes. Peasants crowded around a large wooden platform with the Long Whisper lords and Inle Ebonpath standing on top of it. Their necks were inside nooses, preparing to be hanged. Off to the side on top of a stone second platform sat King Koda and King Dallin on their respective leather-bound thrones. Dallin calmed down the excitement of the crowd with a raised hand, before calling out to the six lords.

“Any last words?”

Athar’s face was pale with fright, he pleaded to Koda to listen to him, “My king, I regret how I wronged you. Please show mercy!”

Dallin leaned his chin on his hand, “What say you, my friend. Will you show mercy to these criminals?”

Koda stood so all could see him, “When Ryjin Leafsong attempted to assassinate my father, my kind and just father spared the Leafsong tribe from the same fate their kin shared. I won’t be so foolish. Your families will be stripped of their lands, their wealth, and titles. They will be exiled from our country and I will find new lords to take their place. Consider that my mercy!”

The former lords gasped as a trapdoor fell beneath them and their ropes snapped taut. The gallows creaked as the six elves hanged dead from their nooses.

Dallin looked at Inle, repeating the same question to him, “Inle Ebonpath, any last words?”

Inle’s face held still and cold. He showed no fear or any emotion at all, “My final words are for Elucard Freewind!”

Dallin looked down to Elucard and nodded, giving permission to walk up the steps of the gallows.

Elucard ascended the wooden steps. He paused for a brief second to watch the swaying bodies of the former noblemen before coming face to face with his student. Several years had passed since he considered the young shadow elf as an ally and a friend. Perhaps even more than a friend. Had his life not turned into a mess, he could have been happy. Happy with Inle, Jetta, and his world within the Black Rabbits. But life has a funny way of pulling you away from the comfort of your happiness and burying it under pain and suffering. For when you survive what life throws at you, you become a stronger person.

“What do you have to say, Inle?” Elucard asked Inle. At first Elucard made no effort to make eye contact with Inle. It wasn’t shame nor hate. He dared not look at a former life when he still secretly longed for it.

Inle gave a meek smile, “I was once masked, but no longer am. I think it would be fair to stand on equal footing,” the words were familiar to Elucard.

Elucard finally glared with his cold magenta eyes into Inle’s, he was not playing any games with Inle.

“Please, master…”

Elucard gave a long sigh, but then lowered his mask and removed his hood. Inle smiled again and looked lazily at Elucard’s features. He was now older and more refined, but Inle still found him the handsome elf he had fallen in love with.

“Is that all, Inle?” Elucard asked, impatiently.

“A final request?” whispered Inle.

“What is it?”

Inle leaned into Elucard, the rope around his neck tugged, but he was as close as he needed to be. Inle brushed his lips against Elucard’s and kissed him. At that moment, for those few fleeting seconds, Inle was at peace. Even amids the chaos of war and despite the hatred carved into his heart, he still had feelings for his master.

Elucard closed his eyes and remembered a simpler time as a Black Rabbit, but then pushed away those memories as he pushed Inle away, “Goodbye, Inle.”

The trapdoor fell beneath Inle’s feet, but before the rope could go tight, a dagger whizzed past Elucard and severed the rope. Inle fell underneath the platform, in complete shock. A strange cloaked figure grabbed him and together they sunk into the shadows as if they were being transported through a void.

The town square was in complete disarray. Dallin and Koda barked orders to the guards to find and recapture Inle. Elucard stood in silence, locked in a stupor as memories of being a Rabbit clashed with being part of ARO. He would have his vengeance whether Inle lived or died. He knew it was all coming to a close.

***

Miles from Varis City, within a lush forest, a shadow seeped from the ground. Growing rapidly until its darkness overtook the surrounding area. From that shadow two figures formed from ashes. Inle was still collapsed on his knees, his arms bound tightly to his sides. The remains of a noose hung limp around his neck. The stranger cut his bindings and threw the noose to the side. He helped Inle stand up before lowering his hood and unraveling a black scarf from his face. It was Calsoon.

Inle stumbled backwards in bewilderment, “Y-You’re one of Elucard’s Red Rabbits! I recognize you from the night in the forest, when I tried to assassinate Koda!”

Calsoon bowed gracefully, “At your service, Inle.”

Inle stepped closer, looking at the shadows that webbed around the forest, almost choking it, “You are no normal elf.”

Calsoon raised his hand to cover his face then moved it away to reveal a new scaly black face. Straight black horns protruded out of his head, slightly curved towards the tips. His eyes were the color of burning amber instead of his normal icy blue. He grinned, exposing deadly pointed teeth. His hands were now sharp claws and he had a thin, long barbed tail.

“You’re a demon!” Inle exclaimed. He had heard old wives’ tales of demons taking the form of others to spy on men from the bards in his troupe. However, they were just that, old wives’ tales. Inle was still taken back from the reveal. He collected his wits, “Why did you rescue me?”

Calsoon licked his fangs before speaking, “This world that we live in is a complex chess game. You and everyone you know are the pieces.”

Inle squinted his eyes, carefully choosing his next question. This demon spoke in riddles, but if he asked the correct questions, he would see the answer, “Then who are the players?”

Calsoon let out a cackle, “Ah yes, a fine question, my friend. Come with me and find out for yourself!”