"Dear, Brother…" Legion sat down and crossed his legs next to Malady's fallen form. "You've come so far; much like I."

"I hope you finally find your peace as you walk by Alanna's side." He shivered as a biting wind brushed against his bare skin. "And please. Do not blame Elucard for this. He is not at fault. I know deep in my soul, he did not want this outcome."

Legion paused for a long breath. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. His love for his blade brother surfaced, while others such as his hatred for this Wraslyn, sunk deep below the fog of his mind. He could never forgive his new enemies for their transgressions against his family. He was still needed by Wiccer to be a soldier. Wiccer, the White Cloak. His sworn enemy…needed him…no…Elucard needed him to be a soldier. To be his blade. To be a father that must protect his child.

"Rest well, Malady. I look forward to our talks when I join you in the Roaming Plane."

Arrelion knelt next to Legion. "Are you ready?"

Legion rose to his feet and nodded.

The silver mage drove his sword into the dirt and channeled earth magic. With the flow of Magi, the ground swallowed Malady into his final resting place.

Legion whispered a prayer,

'The Rabbits gave me a brother

With him, we shared a blade

A friend and rival like no other

One I would never trade

Alanna watched us like a mother

The angel to which we prayed

In your death I will forever suffer

But your memory will never fade'

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

***

Lear winced as Essie plucked out the third shuriken stuck in his back. She tossed the throwing star into a pile with a light clang. She took out a cloth dipped in whiskey and dabbed the wound clean. She did her best to wipe away the excess blood from the yikahti's tiger-striped fur. Essie rubbed a mossy colored salve over his remaining wounds.

"That's the last one, Lear. Lay on your stomach so that the medicine can do its job." She turned to her companion. A young man that Mave assigned to her named Piper. "How's Elisa's leg, Private?"

Piper looked from the shadow elf's thigh with a pair of forceps in his hand. "I'll have these objects out of her in a jiffy, Lieutenant."

Kyzo plopped down next to Elisa and passed her a bowl of potato soup. Kyzo was also wrapped in his share of bandages. "How are you feeling, Elisa?"

"Do you mean physically or do you want to talk about how Elucard tried to have us slaughtered?"

Kyzo looked down at his food. "I-I meant physically—I guess I never figured Elucard would turn on us like that…"

"Dead of Winter did something to Elucard, he would never betray us," growled Lear.

Elisa gave Lear a solemn nod. "I think you are right."

Essie reflected back to his fight with Mave. "Elucard has always been troubled and was always morally grey, but he isn't malicious. He wouldn't switch sides against us."

Cade took a seat next to Essie. "Lear's right. This is the handy work of Dead of Winter."

A silence fell over the ARO members before Cade spoke up again.

"We must do everything in our power to rescue him before—"

Essie grimaced. "Before he kills another one of us."

Cade wrung his hands. "Yes, and before we lose him too."

Essie lowered her head. "We've had our differences in the past, Inle"

He nodded slowly.

"Differences…we were down right enemies." Essie fidgeted with a roll of bandages. "But, we are the Anti-Rogue Ops. We come from all walks of life. Criminals, misfits…assassins."

"We're willing to give you a shot, Inle," said Elisa, finishing the medic's thought.

Essie smirked. "Yeah, so don't screw it up."

"This one thinks you have a long road to proving yourself, Rabbit," said Lear, "But so did Elucard. He has gone out his way to save my life several times."

"How's Wiccer?" asked Cade.

"The runecloth is working its magic," reported Essie. "He will live, but needs some rest; we could all use some rest."

"I slain a few of the Rabbits, but if Elucard has any more under his sleeve, we could be in for some real trouble." Timber said, sitting down cross-legged next to Lear. She gave Lear a playful smile. "Next time don't try to deflect a hundred shurikens with your back."

The cat buried his head in his arms and with and let out a muffled sigh. "Don't remind this yikahti."

The weary ARO members let out a burst of laughter.

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