Ch 24: The Teams are Chosen

"Quickly, Inle, don't lose him!" Elucard dashed past a series of thugs, his blade slicing through the legs of the men that stood between him and his mark.

"Easier said than done, master! These men are as big as bears!" Inle leap-frogged over the goon in front of him and released several daggers that sank deep into the back and shoulders of the next man blocking his path. In the distance, Inle could see the weaselly man that was their mark run down the corridor of a dimly lit safe house.

"Bears; heh, I bet they are just as hairy too!" Chided Jetta as she kept pace with Elucard, nimbly flipping over and sidestepping countless guards. It had been a year or so since the Blood Forest and Jetta had made large strides in her role as a veiled mender. She kept up with Inle and Elucard. The three had excellent chemistry as a team.

A heavy wooden chamber door crashed open as Elucard ran in, sword at the ready. Jetta followed with Inle tagging just behind. A small, thin man huddled in the far corner, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. He shivered as he sputtered, "L-Listen, I can get the money, I just need a bit m-more time. I swear; it's all tied up in my various shops. I swear to Father that I'm good for it."

Inle balanced a dagger on the tip of his finger before tossing it and snatching it in mid air, "You pray to the wrong god, my friend."

Elucard slipped his sword's edge under the frightened man's chin, "You failed to pay for our clan's protection. We are tired of your excuses. Now it's time you pay with your life."

The man dropped to his knees, "Please, I–"

His pleas were cut short by a quick swipe across his neck with Elucard's blade. Inle drooped his ears in dismay, "Master, you killed the last one. This was my turn."

"No doubt you had your share from all those hired muscles I skipped."

Jetta scowled, folding her arms, "We shouldn't revel in taking lives even though we must. This isn't a game. We don't kill for sport."

"You're right, Jetta," Nodded Elucard, "Let's head out."

Inle rolled his eyes beneath his mask, clearly annoyed, "You're just the medic. You don't even carry a weapon. Who are you to talk down to me about taking lives?"

Jetta snapped her head back to Inle, "Excuse me?" Jetta walked up to Inle and thrusted an index finger into Inle's chest, "I may just be the medic, but I am just as much an accomplice in these murders as the both of you."

"Murders? That implies we've committed a crime. Jetta, you still don't understand the work we do, even a year after you've become a Rabbit?" snarled Inle. He moved dangerously close to Jetta, lowering his masked face to meet hers.

Jetta shoved him back, "I do what's asked of me. I keep you alive! Nothing more than that."

Inle took out a dagger and thinly grazed the side of her face with its point, "Dear Jetta, perhaps Alue fogs your mind. Distance yourself from our family, and you also become lost in that fog."

"A'lunis sik mereth J'Dio sh'lunis Alann alanoon!" Jetta spat.

"What was that?" Inle said, his voice now raised.

"Hope is my beacon in Death's shadow," Elucard said with disappointment in his voice. He stepped between Inle and Jetta and raised a hand to mediate between the two, "Inle, that's enough." Elucard turned to Jetta, "Relax, Jetta. Every now and again it's good to let out a bit of steam. Our work no doubt hangs heavy in our souls."

Jetta nodded and bowed to her friend, "Elucard, you are right, I didn't mean to–"

"It's alright Jetta, no harm done," Elucard shot a glance at Inle, "Inle?"

Inle bowed his head, "Forgive me, master, I was out of line. I ask forgiveness from you as well, Jetta." Inle's voice seemed a bit sharper as he spoke Jetta's name.

Elucard returned the bow in respect to his student, "It's fine. Our team functions best when we are all in accordance with one another. We're going to have our differences, but we need to leave that aside when it is time to get a task done. Master Legion speaks highly of our teamwork. Let's continue to earn that praise."

***

The Black Rabbit compound was widespread with commotion as both recruits and assassins gathered in front of High Blade Legion. He raised his hands to simmer down the whispers, "The rumors are true. We have been given a task larger and more important than any mission this clan has ever been given before."

Immediately the whispers started back up. Theories of what the mission could be spread like wildfire. Voices began to call out to Legion to lay the clan's curiosity to rest.

"We've been given the task to assassinate King Jaelyn during the Lost Dawn Completion Ball!" A sweep of silence fell over the crowd as Legion gave the announcement.

Malady stood in the back leaning against a pillar. He found this announcement more interesting than most. To him, it was a clear chance to finally prove that his students were the most finely skilled assassins in the clan. However, the past failures of his pupils to defeat Legion's students left a foul taste that lingered in his mouth. Nevertheless, this was his chance to gain the Silent Master's favor. Perhaps he could even aspire to become First Blade; a position that was still vacant with Vada's absence — and most importantly—leave him in a strategic spot to someday become High Blade.

Malady's voice broke through the utterly flabbergasted crowd, "And who, dear Blade Brother, shall be the lucky Rabbit to fell a king?" He continued before Legion could answer back, "May I suggest my apprentice, Tesha? She is a cut above the rest and has proved to be both equally precise as she is lethal."

Before Legion could consider the suggestion, the rice paper door slid open behind him. A collective gasp resonated amongst everyone in the retreat. The Silent Master had made a rare appearance.

Legion immediately collapsed to his knees, bewildered by the clan master's presence. The Silent Master gazed at his subjects as they all quickly fell prostrate before him. Most had never seen the man who commanded the High Blade.

He was an elf like most of his Rabbits. Unlike most elves he had large imposing muscles that rippled through his body. He had a shaved head that was nearly bald, although short silver hair could still be seen. His eyes were black with a slight edge of near-white irises hugging his pupils. Decorative tattoos covered his arms and half of his face which was accented with a thin scar crossed diagonally over his lips. He was robed in black and violet silks. A pair of short swords were sheathed on either side of a red sash around his waist.

The Silent Master held quiet briefly before speaking, "The first attempt on Jaelyn's life was a failure. I was betrayed by my own tribe. However, I have since forsaken those traitorous fools. This clan is my tribe now. You are all my family." He paused for a moment and gazed out at the crowd, "I have taken some time to deliberate who should carry the weight of this mission on their shoulders. One who has shown promise over these years, one who was trained by our most skilled fighter, most of all, one whom I can trust." The Silent Master motioned his finger, "Elucard, come forth."

Elucard's eyes widened with disbelief. Inle patted him on the back and whispered for him to hurry.

The Silent Master continued as the young elf hustled forward, "Elucard, each test we've given you was performed with prowess and finesse. You've proven to be a student of our ways and philosophies. You've grown from the whelp you once were to the assassin you are today. You and your team of two others shall travel swiftly and silently to the gods-forsaken city of Lost dawns. You shall carry out your duty to slay Jaelyn and thereby cement your own legacy. When you return victorious, you will take your place alongside your former teacher, Legion, as my First Blade."

Elucard was stunned.

"What say you?"

Elucard looked back to Inle and Jetta and then smiled as he bowed before the Silent Master, "May Alanna coat my blade with the same honor you bestow upon me. Like a shadow, my team will descend upon our enemies and drown them in their own blood."

The Silent Master smiled thinly, "Very well Elucard, reap the night."

A dull blade smashed against a heavy iron buckler. Wiccer danced backwards as Avren recoiled from the block and struck out with an attack of his own. The training sword deftly sliced through the air, but missed its mark. No longer forced to reside within walls of the run-down temple, the Long Whisper Division of White Cloaks now had a barracks and headquarters built within the newly formed military district of Lost Dawns. There, a training ground was built in a lot outside the barracks, which was a common place to find Wiccer and Avren in the early hours of the rising sun.

"You're getting better each day, little brother."

Wiccer smiled, "Better than you," he said as he spun around, slashing at Avren.

Avren caught the blade with his own sword, and with the twist of his wrist, sent Wiccer's sword flying out of his hand.

"Not quite," he laughed.

Wiccer walked over to his sword sulking before getting back into a defensive stance in preparation for another round, "How's your girlfriend doing? No doubt she's been bored held up in the city. I'd imagine she wants to get back to her clan so she can stab us in the back."

Avren smirked thinking about Elisa's new hobby of trying on pretty dresses to impress him. Afterward she would steal the ones she liked. It was true that Elisa was not meant to be a caged bird, but the opportunity to use her in the field had not quite presented itself. Avren suggested that she become part of the Guard, and each time he brought it up she would laugh in his face.

"White doesn't suit me," she would say. Avren did his best to convince her otherwise. The White Cloaks had learned just about all they could from Elisa, and he knew that she needed to continue to prove herself useful or she would quickly find herself back in a cell.

"Although, she might prove of some use if she were to go back to her clan," Wiccer said as he ducked under a quick attack.

"How so?" Avren deflected a brutal slash with his shield.

"What we need are a well trained set of eyes and ears on the Rabbits. If Elisa is too afraid to tell us where their compound is, the next best thing is for her to be a spy in their little rabbit hole."

Avren nodded before crashing his shield into Wiccer's chest, bowling him over, "I'll run it by her. Could be more danger than she's up for."

"You're really starting to care for her!" Wiccer laughed, mimicking a hugging motion with his hands and puckering his face.

"Hey, we're just mutual partners. It's purely business."

"Business and sex," Wiccer snickered, picking himself up off the ground.

Avren smacked him on the back of his head, "Enough out of you. Hand me that water skin." Avren took a long drink and wiped the water from his mouth with the back of his sleeve, "Speaking of business, we have an order from the king."

Wiccer sat and rubbed the back of his head, "The city is buzzing about the ball that is coming up. Is that what the order is about?"

Avren nodded, passing him a scroll, "According to Elisa, the Roots are buzzing too. No doubt word will get out to the Rabbits. The king is throwing a ball to celebrate the city's completion. Jaelyn wants us to provide security and he wants us personally to be at his side."

"That's a big honor. The Rabbits wouldn't risk such an appearance with that much security. It would be foolish."

"A chance we can't take. Best to be prepared all the same. The ball is three days from now. So get your finest tunic pressed and use your ceremonial saber. This could be a night to remember."