MEMORIES OF ASSASSINS 02 RECOLLECTIONS

Allen stood arms crossed looking at the bulletin board. They were in the den's hall, it was a lively place, a bit too lively considering almost everyone around was a professional killer, by name and by organization. Mostly acting as mercenaries unless or until the organization required a specific task done, in that case the different groups all over the continent worked together, or the group tasked, operated with supremacy, such that the other groups either had to help or remain un-involved.

The assassins had always remained shrouded in mystery, it was highly likely that the assassins themselves, most of them had no knowledge regarding the other groups or the chain of command other than its existence and the ones they had faced directly.

Allen stood searching for a mission to take up, "Assassination of a noble!? Naah, "Protection of the said noble" not really... "Sabotage a weapons factory" hmmm... I will pass... "...

"Yo Allen, you takin up the noble protecting job? ", an assassin who had come around asked,

"Nope, it's too boring..." "Well thank goodness, because I am taking up the assassination,"

"Oh, I heard Sip's squad might take up the protection."

"Sip eh... I guess we will just have to see who is better."

"Haha, remember nothing personal, okay" Allen said waving the other one off who was announcing,

"Yo Sip, let's see who succeeds,"

It wasn't uncommon for Assassins to take up opposing missions, and it for them to go to any lengths to complete their objectives. Usually incapacitating the opponents was enough. After the missions were over, they went back to their cheery selves, not holding any serious grudge. To them it was a simple game, they could be playing against each other one day and alongside each other the next. Assassins worked in Groups and there were loners as well. They were ranked based on mission completion and difficulty.

The Master Assassin over saw everyone, followed by the S class assassins to which Allen belonged, these assassins were disclosed to information regarding the other assassin groups and the entire organization. As the rank trickled down the access to information became more and more restricted.

The group to which Allen belonged had roughly seventy assassins of which five were Class S. Three of the five S class assassins had formed a team, they were Allen, Leon and Ana while the remaining two were loners.

"Rescue captured general, boring ..." Allen was still looking at the jobs available. "Assassinate head of tribe, wonder which tribe it is... Southern snow? ahh the wolf wants to stretch its claws ..."

"So why not take it? It's paying well too", it was Leon,

"A matter of policy my friend, do not indulge yourself with the wolves if it can be avoided." Allen answered dismissively.

"Al You're still scared of them," Leon replied with a light laugh,

"Scared?! Well yes most certainly, but cautious more than scared" Allen answered turning around.

"Oi, you two lovers at it again, at least flirt around when you're alone, " came a woman's voice as she walked past Allen pushing him as she went, Allen shook his head smiling,

"Ana, Ana dearest it's true that I do love Leo but the one in my heart is always you!!" Allen said faking a serious expression with a hand on his forehead pushing up his blond hair for extra dramatic effects.

"Why don't you say you love him too and get it over with An," Leon was sneering. …Clang... A knife raced through the point where Leon's head was a moment ago, Leon had evaded easily in time, the knife struck a beam behind him,

"Ary Ary, I struck a nerve didn't I," Leon laughed it off, a second later he was running all over the place at full speed being chased by Ana who had a crazed look in her green eyes, a dagger in hand.

"They're at it again, eh?" the guild master had entered the hall and was standing next to Allen, Allen looked at him, bowed his head slightly,

"They keep the place so lively though" Allen said watching the two run around,

*Trsshhh* both Allen and the master looked in the direction the sound.

"Allen all the expenses these two cause, will be deducted from your entire group you know" the master, who was a considerably old man said smiling, Allen's eyes grew wider, "and they just smashed the rerion mirror ... Oyy you two, STOP"

Allen was yelling as he chased after the two in order to stop them."

The other assassins were laughing looking at the trio at it again,

...

"Three hundred thousand credit, roughly." Spoke a construction worker standing at the exit talking to the master with whom stood the trio, Ana was red in the face embarrassed, Leon looked like he was having difficulty controlling himself from laughing and Allen grew pale as he heard the bill. The master thanked the worker paying him.

"Now then you three... "He began

"Master we are sorry" the three spoke in harmony, practiced to perfection.

"I don't need your empty apologies brats; I have a job for you... It's an order from the elders", the three straightened, listening to the details.

...

"Say, Quite a pinch we got ourselves into this time, eh?" Allen mused while stroking his hand through his hair,

"You can say that again. Still it's gonna be a hell lotta fun, No?" Leon was grinning from ear to ear.

"I suppose, so want to have contest?" Allen replied smiling as well.

"You thinkin what I am thinkin" Leone said with an impatient expression. "Considering your perverted nature, it would be highly unwise for me to answer that with a positive response, but to a point yeah" Allen laughed lightly.

"Ha ha, why don't you leave the gags to those who are actually good at them" Leon answered with a thin smile, "anyway seeing as I am going to win... What should I have the loser, I mean you do" Leon added,

"Oh, have you forgotten our last little game?" Allen also wore a smile on his face as he answered.

"You just got lucky" Leone said dismissing the statement

"Hmmm... Let's make this interesting then"

"I am listening" Leone raised an eyebrow.

"During this little endeavor let's not use magic above class 3"

"Huh, want to win with a disadvantage so that you can boast about it? Al when will you understand"

"So what? You afraid?"

"If you want to play it tough how about no magic at all" Leon was smiling

"Ahaan... well if that's what it takes to show you once and for all the difference between our abilities the. Sure ... It's a deal, and loser has to do whatever the winner says restrained with in the standard conditions"

"Allen your too easy you know that ... " Leon was laughing ... "This is gettin-"

"WILL THE TWO OF YOU SHUT UP ALREADY" Ana looked really aggravated, "WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HIDING"

"A.. Ana..." Leon tried to interject,

"AND YOU TWO, KEEP BICKERING LIKE KIDS, IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK TO TAKE THINGS SERIOUSLY FOR ONCE"

"Ana, dear" this time Allen tried, " I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP, DONT YOU FEEL THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF SHAME CALLING YOURSELF THE TEAM LEADER" "Ana will you please listen" Allen got through,

"WHAT?"

"We have a guest" Allen answered,

"Guest?"

"Yeah, the same one we were playing hide and seek from," Allen answered smiling,

"Ooh..."

"I guess they must have real sharp ears to have heard your delicate voice" Leon interjected laughing,

"I guess I was a bit too loud..." Ana spoke a bit red in the face.

Behind her, outside the little cave that they were in stood a wolf scout, his eyes wide and he himself in shock, the three were looking at him.

"If I were him, I would try to run right about now..." Leon said smiling and waving at him. Hearing his words, the scout started off with a sprint or tried to, when he felt an arm around his shoulder.

Allen had him, arm slung across him as if they were great friends,

"Hey scout," Allen said as he pressured him easily to sit down with him, the scout was in cold sweat,

"Say mister scout, if you live long enough after this, I recommend changing professions" Leon said from inside stretching his arms yawning. The scout hurriedly nodded.

"You want to go home? Want us to let you be?" Leon continued, as Allen and the scout looked at him,

"Y-yes please"

"What say you, team leader" Leon asked Allen, Allen shook his head.

"Scout, go back to your forces and report what you saw, after that I suggest you get as far away from here as you can."

"Tha-thank you," the scout said sprinting of as soon as Allen let him go.

"Isn't he going the wrong way ... Anyway, was that a wise move?" Ana inquired,

"It doesn't matter. Now about our game..."

"Count me in as well" Ana said as she looked at Allen who looked at Leon who in turn looked back...

"This aint fair... You know ..." Leon complained.

"I know..." Allen replied shaking his head.

"So, I am in or what?"

"Ann, I couldn't refuse you even if I wanted to" replied Allen hand on his forehead pushing his hair up for a dramatic effect.

"So not fair," Leone was saying under his breath.

"Hold of the enemy onslaught till sundown while that good for nothing group evacuates... Eh" Leone spoke looking at the sky.

The white wolves had tracked an assassin's den and had launched a full-scale assault on it, the den master had sought it better to evacuate requesting the elders for assistance who had in turn ordered, Allen's den master to assist.

"They aren't going to help us out at all are they?" Ana was looking at the maps laid out before them.

"They don't have to, if the enemy gets past us, they have to fight regardless so let's not let that happen and show them what real assassins are like." Allen's voice was motivated.

"We aren't really assassinating here you know." Leon added looking at Allen "but still three of us against a small army, just like old times eh,"

"Back then Ana wasn't with us,"

"What?" Ana turned to face them.

"He is talking about when I left the white wolves and they had sent an entire army after me and my men"

"So, you had men to help you as well, right?"

"Naah, I ordered them to disperse and escape while I kept the heat on me, so it was me alone until Leo showed up."

"Wow you guys go way back."

"I guess so..." Leon answered smiling, "Now then shall we start the blood fest" Leon said as he made his way out along with Ana, they were greeted by an army preparing to launch an assault.

"What's the plan?" Ana inquired,

"The place they have to cross is a valley, the assassins from the other group closed it of with land sliding. I am guessing they will cross through the forests on both sides of the hills, also through the ruins of that city that allow a passage through the valley," Allen was pointing at the map, "the plan is to meet them on all three fronts."

"Dibs on the city" Leon interjected,

"Guess it's the forests for us An," Allen said smiling, "gather there," Allen indicated at a lone tree on top of a hill a bit far away, the kill count will be kept by a magic counter."

Each cast a spell on the other two such that they could see a golden zero next to their heads,

"Let's go"

And the three sprinted in three different directions, as the white wolves pushed forward.

...

Several hours later

...

White wolf base camp

...

... 13:34 pm ...

"Sir, urgent report," a young wolf officer was standing attention in front of a middle-aged commander who was laying with his legs on a table chewing on a piece of straw.

"What is it now?"

"Sir, we have already sent several batteries across the available routes but none of them have made through, survivors have returned from the left forest and the ruins claiming them to be haunted..."

"What about the right side?"

"Sir, all men reported missing, presumably dead, not a single survivor..."

"What the hell!" The commander sat up straight, "have the men burn down the entire forest"

"Sir that might get rid of the enemy, but it will impede our movements" The officer replied coolly "but if that's your order."

"Wait, That's true. Right, move the army, Stop attacking with batteries, tell them to concentrate on the ruins but keep up the pressure on the forests. This might be our only chance. We cannot let up." The commander ordered

14:18 pm

Left/east side of the forest

"Sundown in 4 hours eh," Allen said to himself as he wiped his sword clean of blood and took a deep breath, he was surrounded by corpses. "I have been at it for 6 hours already, damn tiered, and they just keep coming. Looks like I will have to use other methods." He wiped the sweat of his forehead as another group of soldiers appeared

15 minutes later

"Sir, the east forest has lit up in flames, our movements there are now next to impossible."

"Ah, I see, so they couldn't keep up with the onslaught." The commander nodded, divert forces towards the ruin and… Wait, what about the west forest?"

"Sir same as before, no survivors returning, all who enter go missing."

"I see. Well concentrate on the ruins."

"Al you son of a bitch, what are you doing here? You were supposed to be in the west forest!!!" Leone was yelling at Allen as both finished of fallen enemies.

"Gah... It's not my style to kill fallen foes but the count goes on, Leo hold your horses' mate, they are too strong in number here, they were getting through. I took care of the forest and besides we didn't agree on not changing positions."

"You cheating little," Leon took a deep breath "Oh well plenty here for both of us, do me at least this curtsy. Go to the other side of the ruins." Leon said killing more soldiers

"Sure."

... 17:34 pm ...

"Sir, we are finally getting men over on the other side, it seems the enemy in the ruins can't keep up."

"Finally, but what off the west forest?"

"Sir troops refuse to enter it anymore. No one got through and no one got back."

"The bloody hell! Push through the ruins for now"

"Sir yes sir."

... 18:00 ...

Leon and Allen got to the designated place both exhausted and soon enough came Ana as well.

"Before we reveal the count, Allen cheated. But still seeing as Ana was competing, I put in double the effort"

"I did not cheat. I did what I had to. Regardless of our game we had a mission. And I did pretty well too"

"Hah, that's so unfair. Very few enemies entered my side of the forest. And after increasing the influx to an acceptable limit they stopped all together. I didn't get a good location." Ana was complaining.

" Well, the scores are 526, Ana," Leon announced.

"523 Allen, wait it's still increasing. 524, 25, 26 ... 526 as well," Leon commented looking at Allen,

"Guess they got caught up in the fire. Oh well and your score is, the same 526."

"It's a tie. What do we do now? do we all lose?" Leo was shaking his head.

"Nah I would feel better if you say we all won." Allen commented.

"This is so unfair. I got stuck at the worst point on the map. Oh well, so as we all win, we all get to have the other two do something right?"

Yeah.

"Let's get back to the den for now."

…

"Sir the reported location of the enemy is vacant, they fled while we were engaged in the valley."

"Damn it."

"Sir our total casualties are 1578, 526 are still missing they were the ones sent to the west forest. Of the remaining, 340 were sent to the east forest their bodies have be burnt due to the flames. And the rest were eliminated in the ruins."

"Damn it all, An utter defeat."

....

"So how will we be doing this?" Leone asked the other two as they sat around a table drinking a purplish liquid.

"Write it down on a piece of paper and pass it to the one it is meant for." Allen said as he took out a paper and a pen.

So did the other two.

...

"WAIT WHAAAT ??" Ana was screaming. reading the paper Leone had written.

"What does it say?" Allen asked amused, an eyebrow raised. Ana wide eyed looked at Leone shaking her head.

"You do realize if I live through this, I am going to actually kill you."

"What does it say?" Allen repeated!!

"You know Setna, the loner S class,"

"Yeah. The scary one over there ?!"

"Exactly," both Leone and Allen looked at the table furthest in the hall, in a dark corner. Where a red-haired bandaged woman of dark skin sat. She was exceptionally beautiful but despite that no one approached her because of her intimidating outlook. She was looking at a piece of paper herself, drinking the purplish liquid as well.

"Well, what about her?" Allen continued,

"Our Ana has to bring her to the center of the room and kiss her on the lips" Leone blurted out laughing, Allen joining in, while Ana clenched her fist. As she got up and walked over to her.

Setna's eyes rolled towards Ana. They were cat like, orange in color.

"Setna, come with me a sec." Ana said extending her arm.

Setna looked up.

"Whatever you three are doing. Try to keep it to yourself." She said her voice soft with a nomadic grace, fitting her appearance.

"I would, but this task involves you. So, if you please." Setna shook her head standing up. She was wearing a dessert cloak. Taking Ana's extended hand, Ana led her to the center of the hall so that everyone's attention was on them.

"What are you intending to d-" Setna was cut of by Ana's lips that caught her unaware, the whole hall went silent. Eyes wide.

As if expecting a bomb to go off.

Setna too wide eyed stared into Ana's green ones, lips parting.

Ana's face was red, as she started to back of, She felt she couldn't, her head was stuck in place by Setna's hand that pulled her closer.

It was Setna who was now in control, forcing Ana to her will as she continued the kiss Ana had initiated

Rolling, wrestling.

Their tongues interacted while Ana tried to break free but was held in place by the surprisingly strong grip of the woman in front of her.

Finally, after what felt like forever to Ana, she was let go, immediately jumping back and without a word running out of the hall.

Her eyes in tears.

Setna stood there as howls and whistles erupted all around.

A moment later they were silenced by Setna glare. Her intimidating aura enveloping the place.

She gracefully walked towards Leone who was choking on his drink. As she stood next to him, he got up. The mischievous grin that was his trademark across his face...

"SLAPPP"

Setna slapped him on the face, Leone's grin turned into a thin smile.

As Setna closed in and whispered.

"Consider your debt repaid and thank you" proceeding to walk back to her own seat.

"Wait. Seriously?? "Allen was now choking on his drink as well. "She asked you to do it HOLY SHIT! Who knew."

After a while Ana returned to the room holding Allen's paper in her hand simply looking at him.

Allen smiled and nodded.

As she sat back down, no one dared whistle or taunt.

"What did you ask her Allen?" Leone asked!!

"It's kinda like an I owe you, for the future. Nothing much "Allen answered smiling.

"Damn you're no fun. "Leone said shaking his head, "now my turn."

Allen opened the parchment form Leone.

"Are you fucking crazy? Do I look like that sort of a person?"

"That's what makes it interesting, my friend and it would be good for you too" Leone answered.

"What?" Ana inquired.

"He wants me to take on an apprentice."

"Hahaha like that will ever happen." Ana said drinking from her mug.

"Oh, but he has to do it." Leone pointed out.

"Fine. Alas, I guess I have no choice." Allen said, his hand on his forehead pushing back his hair dramatizing the whole seen. He then Proceeded to open Ana's note the moment he did Ana started laughing. He himself looked at it, an eyebrow raised.

"What is it? I am guessing she asked you to do the same thing." Allen replied as Leone opened Ana's parchment as well.

"WHAT THE HELL, have you lost it, aint no way in blazing hell am I doing this " Leone was exclaiming.

"But we have to." Allen said as he made his way towards the center stage as well, Leone shook his head following. The both of them faced each other, being likely the most handsome men in the room the female assassins were especially interested in them. Leone removed Allen's shirt as Allen did Leone's, standing shirtless they held on to each other's hand's fingers intertwined. Both of them closed in, only their eyes revealing their disgust, other than that their act perfect.

Kissing the base of the neck next to the shoulder, Leone traced his tongue up to Allen's ear, nibbling on it as he approached.

Allen had his hand locked on the back of Leone's hair, looking like passionate lovers, they brought their noses together.

"She is evil." Allen whispered,

"That she is. But in a way she has outdone herself" Leone answered smiling." To the viewers it seemed as though they were professing their love. And then they simply backed up, put on their shirts and went back to their seats.

The whole hall erupted, the men howling like mad with laughter, the women joining in shaking their heads, eyes filled with the scene that had transpired.

"You guys really are the liveliest bunch here." The bar woman said as she replaced their empty mugs with filled ones, laughing herself.

Well now, that's over. Leone said as he opened the last note, that was from Allen. "He wants me to run for the master's seat with him," He added before Ana could ask.

"But then, the both of you will have too" Ana began,

"I know. But it just doesn't sit right with me if I don't compete with Leone." Allen answered. Leone shook his head.

" I guess we shouldn't have had the contest. But oh well. Let's enjoy the days we have"

Just then the door opened, Lord Allen, a man called immediately as he entered.

"Grandeur is that you." Allen replied looking at the man with a smile.

"Lord?" Ana asked

"He is from Allen's men, the ones that went rogue with him." Leone answered.

Allen excused himself, walking off with the newcomer as the doors closed behind him.