THE DEVIL’S NEST

"So, let me get this straight... You ordered the capture and execution of Allen's apprentice, Setna's niece and Elazar's son...", Ana's voice was shaking, as if she was going to bite his head off.

"Yup, that's exactly what I did" Leone replied with a grin akin to a child who knew he was screwed and couldn't help but smile.

"Might I ask, what compelled you to commit suicide after all these years" Ana hissed,

"Is it that bad?" Leone replied an eyebrow raised.

"Allen's apprentice, fine, but Setna's niece and if that wasn't enough, Elazar's Son... I mean do you have any idea about how you are going to deal with this, you fucking moron."

"You may have a point," Leone replied causally completely unfazed.

"Why?" Ana asked shaking her head, "Why did you do this. You know full well I am not going to save your hide this time."

"I knew you couldn't fight Allen, still crushing on him are we" Leone chuckled, as Ana grew red in the face her fist clenched, "oh and Setna, you just don't want to face her do you, I mean you always hide when she comes around" Leone finished grinning,

*Whaaaam*

Ana punched Leon, throwing him of his chair onto the floor, "You fucking idiot..." Ana's eyes had teared up.

"I guess I deserved that one," Leone said now wearing a thin smile, a hand over his jaw.

"Now now, what's the matter, Leone you show up after all these years and right of the bat you are teasing our dear An," Allen walked towards them. Ana wiped away her tears trying to smile as she looked at Allen, Leone was grinning again as he got up, embracing his old friend after ages.

"It's been too long..." Allen voiced as he tightened his hold,

"Quite long indeed," replied Leone teeth gritted as he reciprocated the force,

"Last I heard of you, you were dead" Allen said through clenched teeth as he amped up his hold,

"You wanted me dead, so I merely complied, my friend" Leone was not letting up,

"You did well to fake your death, but alas I saw through it" Allen said his face growing red,

"Ah yes, but sadly you alone couldn't convince the elders could you" Leone was also growing red.

*SMACK*

Ana had punched both in the head.

"Can you two stop it with the competitions for once!" Ana was saying as she smiled.

Both Allen and Leone let go and burst out laughing... As all three huddled up,

"It really has been a long-time guys, I missed you..." Leone spoke out.

"We missed you too" Ana's reply was warm.

"So, what were you feeling distraught over my empty headed friend?" Allen said as he looked at Leone,

"Distraught ... Me ... You sir are even more full of shit then I last remember, have you forgotten about me already, I am hurt, you know" Leon's quipped faking tears as he finished.

"Well, you wouldn't take Ana's punch the way you did if it weren't something important, I know you too well Leone, so spill it" Allen answered as they all sat around a table,

"I was thinking that's all" Leone answered,

"Wow... That's new" Allen had his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Ha-ha... It seems you might just have gotten a bit good at these quips eh" Leone smiled,

"He wanted to commit suicide" Ana interjected.

"Ahaan, how so?"

"He ordered the capture and Execution of that Cyer of yours as well as Setna's niece and if that wasn't enough Elazar's son was in the mix too"

Ana answered as Leone ordered them all drinks.

"Wahahahaha, I see, Leone you are treading on very thin ice as usual" Allen replied,

"I am? You mad about Cyer then"

"No no of course not, if he dies so be it, but Setna's niece ..."

"And Elazar's son too" Ana added "What were you thinking?"

"I was planning a get to gather," Leone replied with a grin, "it's been awfully boring lately."

"I have met Elazar's son you know, and he isn't like Elazar at all, he is weak, and the kid is stupid to the point that even Leone here would be put to shame", Allen interjected.

"Ah, I wanted to check that out for myself" Leone smiled.

"He is ... Really?" Ana raised an eyebrow, "regardless, Why on Illis would you go after that Isis? Setna will…"

Ana gulped.

"As I said all for fun's sake"

"He took up a bounty for Elazar's son, double pures fetch a great amount of wealth, Cyer is an assassin so plenty of bounty on him as well, and lastly that niece of Setna, err... Isis was it, her kind is almost extinct so a good price on her as well" Allen thought aloud, his eyes squinted.

"You caught me," Leon replied smiling as he took a sip,

"But wait, it was all for money... Seriously?" Ana questioned with a quizzical look,

"No, it wasn't", Allen added as Leone raised his eyes still drinking, wanting to hear Allen's hypothesis.

"The truth is that the faction that had gathered in the desert was about to rebel against our friend here, they had amassed a good many, mages, worriers and such... So, Leo here decided that he wanted them completely crushed, for some reason he couldn't do it himself. So he purposefully had them deploy in the desert and leaked the info regarding the three, Assassin, double pure and... Isis." Allen finished with a smile,

"So, the three are strong enough?"

"No not at all, they would probably be killed if they don't escape at the first chance they get, so there must be a backup plan as well."

Leone nodded, "you never fail to amaze me, my friend." he said acknowledging Allen's deductions.

"So, what's the backup plan" Ana asked,

"I guess the cats out of the bag," Leone spoke getting up, "follow me then" he said grinning.

"Remember the training system they were developing back in the day?" Both Allen and Ana got up after Leone,

"Yeah..." Curious as to what he intended to show them. "Well, this has got nothing to do with them." Leone laughed as he took out a rather strange key,

"Dumb ass..." Ana blurted out,

"Now then, ... " Leone smiled as he held the door open, outside instead of the barrenness of the dessert was a snow-covered field,

"A warp key eh, pretty useful" Allen pointed out as he passed through, Leone following behind,

"Where did you get it?" Ana asked on the other side, looking at the key in Leon's hand.

"From the key smith himself of course." He answered pocketing the key

"You mean, THE key smith?" Ana inquired surprised.

"Yeah." he bit his lip, they were approaching a cluster of strange buildings, stalls and creatures.

"This is ... The devils nest?" Allen asked looking around at the poorly guarded area, in all the disorder around them though he could sense a strange sense of order...

"Yeah, this one is the real deal," Cyer said scratching his head, someone saw them and immediately drew his sword, both Ana's and Allen's hands raced towards theirs but before they knew it the man had planted his sword in the ground, kneeling before them,

"Lord Leone, welcome home."

"... WHAAAAT?" Both Allen and Ana exclaimed at the same time.

"Wahahaha, I will explain later guys, for now we mustn't stop", Leone said looking around as more and more people knelt around them.

"You have got some explaining to do" Allen said smiling now,

"Sure sure, and you, these two are my precious guests, relay the word, any disrespect towards them is disrespect towards me." Leone finished in a demonic manner, as they walked on,

"I am one of the leaders here at the nest"

"What is this nest anyway" Ana asked.

"It's well, simply put, the headquarters for most of the black marketing and illegal activity in the continent, gangs, bandits, organized thieves etc. etc. all look up to these guys because they sponsor and supply them" Allen answered as Leone smiled,

"Oh ... I see, so then why don't the wolves or any other governments attack here?" Ana asked as they walked on.

"Because no one knows its location, and even if they were to know, it would be hellishly difficult to get in here," Leone answered, "the journey across the protective layers alone takes many months"

"Then what about you?" Ana inquired raising an eyebrow,

"I got myself a neat key now don't I"

"Oh, yeah..."

"Anyway, you are one of the leaders here, congratulations, you owe us a treat, " Allen smiled

"Ary Ary, you became a master yourself, you owe me a treat as well," Leone answered,

"Ahem, so why don't you both treat me and let's get done with it" Ana pointed out,

"An did you really think we don't know about you" Allen grinned,

"Hahaha, Ana seriously now, just because I can't say it here doesn't mean you can slide it under the rug" Leone smiled as well patting Ana on the back, who replied with a blade aimed at his neck,

"Huh, so how are we going to do this," Ana asked temper raising.

"I have an idea", Leone answered as he simply turned to a building and using his key opened the door, "the nest is pretty large and well, let's take this short cut, "Leone walked through,

"Why didn't you directly open the first door there?" Allen asked,

"Because this isn't my area" He said as they approached an arena,

"This my friends is the game," Leone spoke as they entered, we will each fight a beast, and well the one who gets the most points wins" Leon said as he signaled a person at the counter to sign them up.

"What sort of beast?" Ana asked with a slightly worried expression,

"From S class to D, they keep several here" Leone answered as they made their way to the stands, filled with spectators.