AN ASSASSIN’S FUNERAL

Allen had a trace of a smile on his face, as he slowly nodded to himself.

It was a cozy little room, Allen's office. A bookshelf on one side adjacent to a window that permitted the sun to peer in, a wooden floor and a small desk tucked neatly along it, another shelf to the further end with some artifacts with doors on either side.

Cyer was dead, even though Allen had his reservations with that one, he still took to him. Accepting him into the guild, he took him as an apprentice. Cyer was a promising lad.

Allen exited his office, walking calmly, he entered a lively hall. People were drinking and dining, laughing and crying, fighting and prying. His guild hall was always this lively.

Allen moved to the bulletin boards as his Assassins raised their heads, looking at him, the clamor shaping into a mummer and then that to silence as Allen went to the ranking charts, placing his finger on Cyer's name he moved it to the rank of a Den Master.

Allen had several dens that his guild occupied, located far and wide. A den master Assassin was one who would have autonomy over one of these dens. It was another way of saying Cyer had graduated from his apprenticeship.

The hall burst out in cheers, people who had made bets were paying up. There was a lively clamor again as all eyes still rested on Allen.

"I would like all of your attention," Allen started in a light voice. "I have a few things to say."

There was silence in the hall as everyone settled down to listen to him, everyone except a group of five assassins who were still eating, slurping their food. The silence in the hall only making the sounds they were making more prominent.

Allen put a hand on his forehead, shaking his face in disappointment.

Ignoring the nuisance, he continued,

"Cyer, who was my apprentice until yesterday, is no longer such."

There was pleasant cheering, "Furthermore, He was promoted to den master, based on the evaluation of his, judgement, skills, loyalty to the creed and lastly because he completed his hundredth assignment," more claps followed.

"A bit of bad news is that, Cyer is dead." Allen continued in the same tone.

Most of the older assassins, just shook their heads, while the younger ones were shocked. A lot of smiles turned to frowns as a few handed back the money they had won along with what they had lost.

Assassins dying was not that uncommon and for those who dabbled with death, it was even more so easier to digest the death of a comrade. It was only those that they were close with that they lamented, and Cyer as most saw him was an outsider. He was already an assassin when he joined Allen, apparently Allen had no choice but to accept him.

"And seeing as my own apprentice and a den master has passed away, I would like to hold a funeral."

This time everyone, even the noisy bunch at the back momentarily froze.

A short funeral ceremony was normal but to hold a mass. A gathering of assassins. It was as though asking their enemies to attack them if they dared.

To hold such an event Allen must be plotting something big, that much was clear, or so thought the killers in the room, but if there was one person they trusted, it was their master. His word was law and each one of them owed their lives to him.

"As such I want all members of our guild, to gather at the location that I decide... other than the assassins I warrant myself, I expect none to be absent," Allen paused and looked at all the surprised, confused and quite a few unconcerned eyes,

"Convey the message and send for Grandeur immediately. Also Tell Lina to report to my office."

There was a silence that prevailed, everyone held their breath still looking at the master, who raised an eyebrow, his eyes focusing on the main door as a gentle tremor was felt beneath their feet.

With a rattling noise the door burst open as hooded assassins tumbled in, their arms laden with heavy crates, which upon, one of them tripping, all, made their way to the floor.

Allen took another sigh as he quickly turned towards his office.

"Master Allen," a voice sounded as behind the three tumbling assassins a more graceful one walked in.

"Yes..." Allen replied through gritted teeth,

The rest of the Assassins in the hall, were still a bit taken aback.

"Mistress Setna has a message for you."

"Setna.... Eh." Allen replied, his resent apparent. "Well after you have settled in, come to my office, Will someone show them to some rooms?" Allen added. Going back to his office.

It was almost an hour later that there was a knock at his door.

Allen looked up from a rather messy table, laden with maps and memo pads, a journal, and several quills.

"You are one of Setna's assassin, right?" Allen began, he was acting uncharacteristically rude for some reason,

"Indeed Master Allen, my name is El-"

"Not important," Allen cut in, "What does she want?"

"Ahem..." The Assassin in front of him smiled, as she looked at the maps piled on the table.

"The mistress said to tell you, and I quote, "Behave until I get back." the assassin proceeded then to hand Allen an envelope, "The mistress also requested that you take care of the four of us."

Allen upon receiving the envelope looked at its contents briefly,

"Make yourselves at home, you will find a ledger in the main hall, if at any point anyone of you needs to leave the guild building be sure to mention the reason and time period. As long as you do that, I have no issues." Allen said in a flat tone before gesturing with his hand for the Assassin to leave his presences, as if shoo-ing her away.

With a pleasant smile on her lips the Assassin gave a small courtesy bow before leaving the room.

It was only a moment later that there was another knock at the door,

"Enter," Allen's voice called out again.

This time an assassin still in her combat wear walked in, dressed in black, her hood rested on her shoulders, a red strip curved along the boundary.

"Lina my love, Welcome home" Allen's voice had found passion again, as he gave a slight bow of his head in acknowledgement, his out stretched hands grasping the sides of his desk.

Lina smiled giving a courtesy and a bow, her eyes fixed on Allen's, as the master Assassin, straightened up and walked towards the bookshelf.

"Over here, dear," Allen said as he reached out to the top shelf drawing out a small box, blowing the dust off of it.

Lina walked in close, "I rushed here as fast as I could master, you summoned?"

she spoke out, her voice curt, as her hand moved to get her hair out of her eyes, she had short hair, almost boy like but silky smooth, and naturally straight.

Cut in a precise way, everything about her was measured.

Allen without looking at her, opened the box withdrawing two seals, he attached them to two specific envelopes other than Setna's one.

He held up the envelopes to Lina who extended her hand towards them.

Her hand in turn was taken by Allen who pulled her closer, their faces within an inch of each other's, Lina rolled her eyes as Allen tried to speak.

"Are you still mad?" Allen spoke out loud, as Lina tried to pull away gently. Allen pulled her closer forcing a kiss but before he could,

The breath in his lung got knocked out, a knee to his stomach, followed by a kick between his legs.

"With all due respect," Lina grunted as she manhandled Allen, "Master" as she kicked. Pushing the sucker punched Allen away, "Why would I be mad at you?"

Allen stumbled back, falling to his knees, a wheezing sound escaping him as he fought the pain.

"It would be stupid to be mad at you, you can't help it around women, can you?"

Lina smiled, picking up the envelopes.

Allen was a womanizer, he would woo almost every woman he met, by then all the female guild members were aware of the fact, their respect for Allen as the master aside, his antics were ... well known within his guild and the response wasn't all ways as gentle as Lina's had been. Although it was always accompanied with a smile.

Every single lady and most non-single ones in the region might have had an "encounter" with Allen, believed his guild members.

Allen gathering himself dragged his body to the chair sitting down, taking a moment he looked back at Lina as though nothing had happened,

"Scumbag," Lina whispered, remembering how she had at one point, like so many others actually thought Allen was serious about her.

"What was that?" Allen replied with a friendly grin,

"Oh, I was just wondering what the reason was that you called me for other than sexual harassment, of course," Lina finished.

Allen chuckled a bit before shaking his head, his expression dead serious,

"The envelopes in your hand contain something rather valuable, I need them delivered to Leone and Ana. They must not fall into any other hands, seeing as you are the most skilled in this sort of thing, I chose you," Allen spoke briefly in a rather commanding voice.

Lina nodded, despite her affairs with this man, if at any point he demanded she would without a thought lay down her life for him, the master's word was absolute and Allen despite being who he was, was still her master. She owed a great many things to him.

"Where will I find them?" Lina inquired.

...

There was another knock at the door...

"Ana, you will have to find, Leone is probably in the devil's nest, You have a month. And Lina, please don't die." "Come in," he continued in a louder voice.

An assassin? dressed in white walked in, contrasting completely with Lina, although he had a red strip along his hood as well, and his hood was drawn along with the black mask, that hid his face completely.

"Grandeur," Allen nodded.

"I hear Cyer died" the voice was tampered due to the mask. So, it wasn't his, but it still flew out naturally,

Lina became curious, this was her first-time seeing Grandeur in person, she knew him by name, but apparently, he was not in the guild, he was not even in the creed as far as she knew only that from time to time he visited and that Allen had told them he could be trusted,

The other thing that caught her attention was the death of Cyer.

"The kid is dead?" she began as Allen gave her a meaningful look, turning around to stay.

"Some other time dearest, for now please leave us be," Allen spoke as Grandeur walked in and sat down in the chair facing Allen, giving a nod as he crossed Lina. Who in turn nodded, and with short courteous bow, exited the room, gently closing the door behind her.

...

Grandeur removed his mask with a sigh, showing a completely burnt face.

"Didn't want the miss seeing this," He added.

"That fresh?" Allen inquired

"Obviously, thats what you get hitting it out with draconian folk, fire and ice. What the hell were you even thinking sending me in that deep! Anyways you called me in cap'n."

"Hah, it's been some time since anyone called me that," Allen answered smiling a genuine smile. Reminiscing some memories, he waved his hand through his hair as he so often did, "How are the boys?"

"All good, all good, they are all awaiting your orders Allen, why not just..." Grandeur began his hair were blonde although of a whitish shade. His eyes blue.

"At the rate things are going, I might just have to. In any case I have a job for you,"

Allen spoke cutting him off, his voice shifting tones. As he unknowingly tapped his fingers on the table. He was tense, even though he was trying not to show it, but Grandeur saw and with an understanding smile nodded.

"As you know Cyer died," Allen began stating the fact blandly with his finger pointing at a mountain range on the map, "In Zasha's territory"

"That little shit, raising hell even in death."

"Yes well, I suppose you probably are already aware, he was from the dark continent."

"Yes"

"Well I want you to bring back his remains, before they get them to Philip."

"As I hear it, there is nothing left of him," Grandeur answered.

"If that is the case then bring his sword and dagger, they were forged in that continent and are invaluable to me. Not only will there be Zasha's wrath, you will also have to worry about Assassins from the dark continent, who would be there to retrieve the same artifacts. Kill them if you have to." Allen finished.

Assassins from the Dark Continent were a breed apart, Cyer who was just an apprentice level was better skilled than most. Full-fledged assassins were mythical even among other assassins.

Allen knew of only one in person and even though they were an idiot, Allen had no doubt in their skill set, after all they were the fifth S-class assassin in his old guild, along with himself, Leone, Ana and Setna. He might even have to seek their help.

"Understood" Grandeur stood up, "patch me in on as many details as you can."

"Obviously," Allen replied as Grandeur got up and left the office, Grandeur was not an assassin under the creed. He had been Allen's second from his time among the wolves, and this was a man he could rely on for anything. Even though he had absolute trust in his guild, his old men were something else.

Now alone again, Allen brooded over the maps once more,

"Where is the fifth piece from my side?"

He spoke aloud. Wondering where the fifth S-class assassin was. They were known as the nameless assassin, the reaper, the shadow. So many nicknames for them, for an assassin they, rather their work was quite infamous. Save a select few, no one knew what they were named or what they looked like. And for the life of him Allen could not remember the name, maybe Ana knew, Maybe Setna. he had to call for Setna as well.

Muttering to himself. The last audibly legible words that he uttered were "your turn."

...

Outside, in the main hall, Assassins began to prepare, a war was impending.