Under the night's dark sky, two mounted men led more than a dozen riders.

"We're drawing close," Master Rudolf said.

"Yes," Gasper said. He was handling the reins of his horse with his right hand. His left upper arm was heavily bandaged due to the assassin's stab.

Master Rudolf glanced at Gasper's arm and sighed. "During the battle against the mercenaries you should stay back. I can lead the assault. You won't be able to fight well with just one arm."

Gasper glanced at his injured arm as well, feeling a little bitter. The wound was noticed by his men a day after he'd received it, of course. He didn't need to give any of his men an explanation, but a myriad of rumors had spread in his camp. A wound that serious didn't come from a simple mishap during training. It was too obvious that it was inflicted by an enemy. He shook his head. "I have to fight during the next battle, even if with a single hand."

"Why take such a risk?" the old steward gazed at him.

Gasper smiled wryly. "Because I'm close. It is unfortunate that I'm wounded at a time like this, but the assassination attempt has helped push me forward."

"Close?" the masked old man couldn't hide the surprise in his voice. "To becoming a Sky Warrior?"

"Yes," Gasper nodded. "I only need one more spur forward and I will be there."

Master Rudolf paused for a moment then nodded. "It isn't too unexpected, I suppose. You've been in more than one bout of combat where you were too close to death."

"The next battle should do it," Gasper said. Then he looked ahead, spotting the lights around a familiar large house. They were at the outskirts of the village where the chiefs' assembly often took place. "Let's hope this assembly goes as expected."

?--------------------------------------------------------?

Lucas rode ahead of more than two dozen of his soldiers. His lieutenant, Avir, was riding by his side. He was heading to the assembly in Viper's territory.

These assemblies always left a bad taste in his mouth. He didn't know if it was because of the bandit filth that he had to reason with or if it was because he had to bear with the idiocy of the other chiefs.

"This is the first time you bring me with you to one of these assemblies," Avir said. He was Lucas's second-in-command and an Earth Warrior.

When they had left the Duchy's territory, Avir had been a young lad, but he had had enough talent to become an Earth Warrior a few years after their departure. Lucas believed that he would soon become a Sky Warrior like himself.

"Things are changing," Lucas said. "I don't like how unpredictable our coming days are. And I'm not on the best terms with the brother and sister of the west." He sighed. He had to mingle with bandits if he wanted to survive. These assemblies weren't very safe, he believed. And them being in Viper's territory didn't invoke any trust from him. "I also don't like that Gasper."

"Hmm?" Avir grunted. "The one from the east. Doesn't he command the strongest crew now?"

Lucas snorted, but didn't smile. He carried his solemn expression most of the time. "I doubt it. It hasn't been long since he established his crew. Even if he has two thousand men, I don't believe they can fight well enough to be a threat to us."

"Still, inviting an enmity with him isn't wise," Avir said. "We have enough enemies, don't we?"

"Yes," Lucas sighed. "I just don't feel good about him. There is a lot of change happening in the basin, and he's somewhat part of that change. Perhaps the threat of the young Viscount is making me too mistrustful."

Avir nodded. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

Lucas saw a nostalgic smile on his lieutenant's face, and he smiled himself, but his smile was apologetic instead of nostalgic. "Keep our aim in your sight. Our path might be long, Avir, but we will arrive sooner or later."

"Yes," Avir said. "I just can't help but think of our fallen brothers. So many have died. I hope it isn't all for naught in the end."

"That's why we need to be cautious," Lucas said. "Even if we have to leave the basin."

"Leave?" Avir chortled. "Where would we go? North, where the borders are scrutinized by Andross nobles? After all, we certainly can't return to Westwell's territory. The Duke has already found us there once. We can't risk going there again. We lost many brothers last time. Good brothers."

"Good brothers," Lucas echoed with a nod. He had set out with two thousand soldiers, but now a bit less than a thousand remained. Every life lost had pained him, but he couldn't waver. He didn't have such a choice. "But you have to remember that the Duke isn't the only danger in this world, Avir. He is too far, while the current dangers are too close. The best he can do is to send assassins after us or ask one of Maric's nobles for a favor. He can't bring his men all the way from the Warring Duchies' lands to the Maric Kingdom."

"I suppose," Avir said with a frown.

Lucas could tell that remembering the past pained his lieutenant too. Avir had only seen 27 winters so far, but Lucas had chosen him as his second-in-command after his previous one had been killed. He'd chosen Avir out of all his loyal men because he had good senses.

The other chiefs didn't know that Lucas had 20 Warriors under his command. And Avir was one of the youngest among them. Yet he had chosen this young Warrior to be his highest lieutenant.

"We've arrived," Lucas said, spotting the dark village. The moon light could perhaps help him see the houses of the village on another night, but right now he could only see the well-lit building at one corner of the village. It was how he'd known that the village was there in the first place. The light illuminating the large house dimmed everything surrounding it in comparison. Only it could be seen from this distance.

Soon, a rider came and welcomed them. He led them to the smaller house where the assembly would be.

Lucas and Avir both entered the small house and found every one of the chiefs present. Lucas was the last to arrive. He knew that Harland and Estor had passed by his territory before he'd set out, but he hadn't rushed. Caution was more important in the coming days.

"Lucas. Welcome," Viper was the first to speak, wearing a wide smile.

Lucas nodded and went to his seat, while Avir stood behind him.

Lucas exchanged nods with Gasper and Harland. The latter nodded begrudgingly, but he nodded nonetheless. Edith, however, simply ignored his arrival. Sometimes he thought of her as childish more than anything else. She was rash, angry, and loud most of the time. She reminded him of a certain young lad in his camp. A lad he cared for a lot.

He couldn't show weakness though, not to her and not to others.

The assembly soon commenced. Viper was the first to speak as usual. "Everyone should have received the letter from our merchant friend, yes?"

Lucas nodded, and the other chiefs did too. He had received the letter warning him of the impending danger from the Viscount and the mercenary band. He didn't know what to make of it though. It was too ambiguous. Informing them of the risk of the mercenaries then telling them that the latter were at their weakest right now, wasn't this merchant simply inviting them to attack the Red Rain band.

Lucas didn't like to play into someone's hands.

"What do you think of this matter then?" Viper continued. "You should all know that the new Viscount isn't too welcoming towards us."

"Let's just kill the sellsword," Edith said disdainfully. "The last one was too strong to kill. This one isn't. Let's make short work of him."

The new chief, Gasper, was the one to speak next. "I believe that the mercenaries are a threat to us," he said, running his eyes over everyone including Lucas. "We must swallow him whole before he swallows us. The lord of Ard is impatient, and he will need the mercenaries if he wants to wipe us out. Let's remove the threat of the Red Rain band and send the Viscount a clear message at the same time."

"I agree," Harland nodded. "Removing that Edgar and his band can deter the lord from making any rash decisions regarding us in the future."

Lucas scowled but held his tongue. 'A bunch of dimwits.'

Like a herd of sheep, they were complying with the merchant's disguised guidance.

"Shouldn't we be certain of the Red Rain band's intentions before acting?" Lucas finally said. "We shouldn't be rash ourselves, after all."

"Certain?" Edith sneered at him. "How can we be certain? And why?"

"We wouldn't want to kill someone who isn't truly our enemy, would we," Lucas said something that he, foolishly, thought would sound reasonable. But he'd forgotten who he was speaking to for a moment. He'd forgotten why he hated these assemblies so much.

Edith guffawed at his words. "Oh, the kind hearted knight is upon us yet again," she said amidst her laughter. "I've never known a bandit who refrains from killing peasants, except you, Lucas. But it doesn't mean that we'll follow your lead and show unneeded mercy. I won't risk letting the mercenaries get stronger because you're too craven."

Within his sealed mouth, Lucas gritted his teeth. It was true that his men had never hurt a single peasant during his stay in the basin. He would never stoop that low, after all. He wasn't like the piles of filth crowding this room.

Gasper who looked a little surprised spoke faintly. "Whether the Red Rain band is a true threat or not, we will have no other chance. We can't miss this opportunity to strike. If we do, they will become too strong for us to handle. We can't wait until they arrive at our camps to decide that they're the enemy."

"I agree," Viper nodded. "I also believe there is a lot of gold to be made from this. The mercenaries shouldn't be poor." Then his gaze landed on Lucas.

Lucas's mouth twitched. He wanted to say more, but there was nothing he could do if all the other chiefs agreed so vehemently. He glanced at Gasper and the tall masked man behind him. That masked one always caused his skin to tingle, as if he was the greatest threat in this small house, but Lucas mostly ignored the feeling. He was more wary of Gasper himself. The young man didn't threaten him with steel. The threat came from his words.

He'd taken a place among the bandits too quickly, and he'd even proposed trade with a certain merchant in Ard. The young chief's past was rather veiled, but he was daring in his ventures.

Lucas couldn't help but feel uneasy about him. But reality always suggested that his uneasiness was baseless. The merchant had delivered on his promises, and there was nothing solid to evoke suspicion on Gasper's part.

Lucas pressed down his worries and decided to listen to the plans of these fools for now. He didn't want to be left out just yet.