Chapter 32

Gasper observed Lucas again. The former knight was gazing at the door, his arms crossed and his eyes listless. Gasper knew that his gaze was noticed but ignored. It took a moment for him to realize that Lucas was the only one among them without a guard. Gasper had Master Rudolf while Viper had Marco. But the armored knight had no one behind him. Perhaps he was confident of protecting himself if something happened. He was supposed to be a Sky Warrior, after all. Gasper didn't really care. If something went awry, no one could be ensured of their safety, with or without a guard.

Viper was exchanging a few whispers with his lieutenant when Gasper moved his eyes away from Lucas. The chief of The Nest had a hissing tone to his whispers, eerie enough to bring shivers to one's skin.

Gasper waited until Viper finished then spoke. "Tell me about the other two chiefs, will you?"

"Certainly," Viper grinned. "They are actually quite peculiar. The two of them are siblings."

"They're siblings?" Gasper stared at Viper, bewildered. "Why aren't they in a single crew?"

"They're not true siblings," Viper chuckled. "They were actually taken in from the streets by a wandering Heaven Warrior when they were young. Apparently, their 'father' was always looking for talented youths to adopt."

"So they're not related by blood," Gasper said, nodding.

"Yes," Viper continued. "They consider each other brother and sister, and they used to have more siblings as well."

"Regarding that," Gasper said. "Where is their father and their other siblings?"

"Dead," Viper said. "The whole 'family' was in the Mali Kingdom 20 years ago, at the time of that purple plague. Their father caught it, and then his children. The two of them were the only ones who survived."

"I still don't understand," Gasper said. "Why haven't they formed one crew together?"

Viper sighed. "Their relationship isn't so simple. The two are often at odds, even though they would always unite against strangers."

"Their names?" Gasper asked. He hadn't heard much about the bandits of the west when he'd been in Black Dog's crew. He had mostly heard about Big Mountain and Viper.

"Harland and Edith. Edith is a year older, and her temper is the worst," Viper explained. "Harland is calmer, but he isn't less stubborn than his sister."

"Do they ever have real conflict between their crews?" Gasper said.

"Not really," Viper shook his head with a sneer. "They're just like quarreling children. They yell at each other, but no blood is ever shed between them. Their camps are in the same forest west of Ard. Their father had taught them how to survive in forests. Each of them has the skills of a ranger, so they chose to settle their crews there for safety."

"Hmm," Gasper nodded. "They can't balance the leadership between them in a single crew, so they chose to each lead their own, but they stay close to each other at the same time."

"Yes," Viper said. "They're the least likely to be wiped out by the Viscount. Their camps are deep inside the forest, and they are close enough to each other to fight together in times of danger."

There was a loud knock on the house's door. Marco went outside upon hearing it.

"It seems they're here," Viper said.

Gasper fixed his eyes on the door of the room and waited. A moment later, Marco entered first, followed by the two chiefs. The pair were middle-aged and had grim faces. Harland was tall with wide shoulders and a pale complexion. Edith had crossed scars on her cheek, braided hair, and her gaze was piercing as it fell on Lucas upon entering

"You damn knights do keep your words, after all," she guffawed, her voice thicker than Gasper had expected. "You put our conflict aside and came to the assembly."

"I was hoping you wouldn't," Lucas grunted.

"Why wouldn't I?" she grinned. "Do you think I'm afraid of you, Sir Knight?"

"I'm not a damn knight," Lucas said.

"Then don't act like an obstinate one," she snorted. "You should let go when your hand is weaker."

"You're too greedy, Edith," Lucas said. "If you think you can take what's mine, then you're just another fool."

"Can't you see your territory is too large for the number of men you have?" Edith said, grinning again. "The scales are tipped in my favor. Don't think that I'm afraid of your 'trained' men."

"My men are much better than the rats you lead," Lucas stared her down. His tone didn't suggest that he was simply angry anymore. There was a certain coldness to it. "If you ever think my men can't take your numbers, then bring your rabble and I will make their corpses my proof. You know very well that you wouldn't be the first to underestimate me and suffer for it."

"Can't we have some peace with you two?" Viper sighed emotionally. "We've already agreed to resolve this problem, haven't we. It's one of the reasons we're here today."

Edith just snorted again but didn't refute. She picked a chair and sat opposite Viper, while Harland sat opposite Gasper. Two lieutenants shortly followed the two chiefs into the room and stood behind them.

"Now to the important matters," Viper rubbed his hands together. "This is Gasper, the chief of the youngest crew in the basin." He pointed at Gasper. "He has joined us today in the hopes of forming a pact with us."

Gasper just glanced at Viper. They were the ones who'd invited him. He hadn't really shown any enthusiasm for their little pact yet. Viper was already twisting truths.

"Then has he agreed to our condition yet?" Edith eyed Gasper.

"We didn't want to be hasty," Viper said with a smile. "So we haven't informed Gasper of our agreement yet."

"What agreement?" Gasper said, slightly alerted. The other chiefs seemed to have already an agreed upon condition that was likely unkind. If it was anything simple, Viper would have blabbered about it before.

Harland grunted and leaned on the table, moving his face as close as he could to Gasper's. "You have to give up a third of your territory."

Gasper's face froze. He turned to Viper and fixed him with a stare. The latter just shrugged as if he was helpless. Gasper ran his eyes over the faces of the chiefs. Lucas stayed silent with nearly closed eyes, seemingly uncaring. Edith stared at Gasper with a sneer, and Harland was visibly awaiting a response.

Gasper suddenly let out a snort, and then he broke into laughter. "This is a jest, yes?" He stared each of them in the eye. "It must be a jest. It can't be anything else, because I have no reason to give you my land," he said, his voice icy and his face turning emotionless again.

Viper coughed, trying to break the tension. "You have to look at it differently, Gasper. You will give me the said third of your territory, while I will give Lucas a considerable part of my territory as well. Lucas, in turn, will let go of the piece of land that Edith has been vying for. Everyone will be happy."

"Except me," Gasper said. They were planning to rip his flesh off and divide it among themselves. He wondered where they got the gall to present such a demand.

"Well, you will have our protection," Viper said.

Gasper eyed him, and he felt like laughing again. Viper's words sounded quite insolent to him. "Your protection? I thought this was supposed to be an alliance. Why would I need your protection? If I needed protection, I wouldn't have become a bandit. The east is mine, and it will stay that way, all of it."

"You just sound stubborn now, Gasper," Viper said with a sigh. "It is indeed an alliance. But who would benefit more from it? You have about half the number of our men combined. We don't need you as much as you need us. The land you're going to give up is just to balance the scales."

"What if I don't need you?" Gasper leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "I don't see any absolute certainty from this alliance. If I blindly trust you to come to my aide in a time of need, then I might as well return home and farm the land like a peasant. I am no fool."

Viper grinned abruptly, as if he'd held back a chuckle, then he shook his head. "But you don't want to set yourself against us, do you?"

Gasper ran his eyes around the table again. Edith and Harland were staring at him, and Viper was wearing a cold smile. Lucas, on the other hand, was still unconcerned with the argument. They were threatening him now. 'Laughable.' He decided to learn something from his late chief, Black Dog. "I was wondering if this assembly would be of any use, but it seems that I was wrong. I suppose Robben Luwin would want to hear back from me then."

As soon as Gasper's words came out of his mouth, everyone's expression changed. Lucas's sleepy eyes shot open. Edith's sneer froze, and Harland's face stiffened. Viper seemed to be hiding his gritted teeth but he kept his, now, twitching smile. "Luwin has sent you someone?"

"Perhaps," Gasper looked at him with a smirk. "But that is nothing to concern yourself about. I suppose this pact won't come to be."

"Luwin will swallow you whole when he gets the chance," Harland said, his hands balled into fists.

"At least I will lose the game on my terms," Gasper smiled. "I will not be threatened into giving up what belongs to me. If Luwin gives in to greed after the dust settles, then I don't mind showing him my fangs."

"Is this your final decision?" Viper said, narrowing his eyes.

Gasper stood up and said, "if you want to become my enemies, then I will entertain you. But remember what happened to the last two crews that chose the path of blood. I will be taking my leave now."

"Wait," Viper said, grabbing Gasper's wrist.

Gasper shot him a death stare and rested his other hand on the grip of his sword.

"Don't misunderstand," Viper said, retracting his hand. "I just don't want you to be hasty. This is not over yet."

"It isn't?" Gasper raised a brow.

"Yes," Viper nodded fervently. "Why don't you sit again?"

"Only if you abandon every notion of taking what doesn't belong to you," Gasper said.

Viper nodded again. "Consider it forgotten."

"Very well," Gasper sat down again. "Now what?"

Harland was now leaning back in his seat and shaking his head. His sister was softly knocking on the table with her fingers while looking at Gasper menacingly.

Viper cleared his throat. "We can still form a pact with you," Viper said, pointing at himself and Lucas. "But the siblings would hardly get any benefits from allying themselves with you, so they won't."

Gasper understood the reason behind Edith's glare now. She and her brother had come here specifically for the land. They wanted Gasper to give up a third of his territory so that Lucas would let them have the piece of land they were vying for.

"However," Viper continued. "If you insist on allying yourself with Robben Luwin, we will have no choice but to . . . " He rested his hand on the sheath of his sword.

Gasper's heart skipped a beat. If they fought here, he and Master Rudolf may be able to take a few of the others with them, but they would certainly not walk out of the house alive. Thankfully, the chiefs didn't seem that intent on conflict at a time like this; otherwise, Viper wouldn't have reserved this threat until now. If they killed Gasper here, they would have a volatile crew in the east, and its new chief would certainly not trust them. There was no assurance that Gasper's crew would scatter and become theirs for the taking. And if it didn't, then they were likely to have a neighbor who was either hostile or always suspicious.

If Gasper were to guess, then Harland and Edith were inclined to cut his throat right here. They had nothing to lose and much to gain. But Viper and Lucas were standing in the way of that. They likely valued him as another ally for them.

He kept his composure though. It wasn't the first time he was this close to death. He came much closer to it in the past. "Robben Luwin isn't the most promising ally. If there is a better choice, I will take it."

Viper moved his hand away from his sword. "That is very good to hear. We need each other, after all. Lucas's men and mine are ready to come to your aid if you are ever attacked by the Viscount or Luwin. You have to be ready to come to ours when we are in need as well. That is our offer."

"It's acceptable," Gasper said.

Once they agreed, Edith leaned back into her chair like her brother. She looked at Lucas with a sneer. "It seems our conflict won't end today."

"Yes, it will," Lucas laid his hands on the table, his voice tranquil but decisive. "I will have no more of your little games. No more skirmishes. If your men step into my territory again, I will slaughter them like the animals they are. If you step into my territory, then I will cut your throat and let the wolves eat your corpse."

"Watch your words!" Harland growled, standing up.

"It's good of you to remind me, Harland," Lucas eyed him from head to toe. "If your sister gets herself killed at my hands, then I won't stop there. I will come for you as well, even if I have to burn your whole damn forest down."

Viper sat motionless beside Lucas, looking at Gasper helplessly, as if trying to avoid Lucas's outburst. Apparently, Lucas had come to this assembly with the intent of ending this matter for good.

Harland silently glared at Lucas. But his sister stood up and furiously kicked her chair to the side. The chair smashed into the wall with a loud crash. She glared at both Lucas and Viper then her glare moved to Gasper. She took a deep breath then turned around and strode out of the room. Her brother shortly followed her. A moment later, Gasper heard the door of the house being opened then slammed shut.

"I suppose she gave up?" Gasper asked Viper.

"She has been testing Lucas's patience for a while," Viper said. "If she doesn't know when to stop, then it will only end badly for her. But this means our pact with them will get a little complicated. I will need to talk to them again soon, after they've calmed down."