--- hours before the meeting---
Down into a sunken town where the swindlers thrived and the richest of merchants lost all their money and gold in pursue of entertainment. Eyes of prestige and glory were on a snake-faced handsome youth, who appeared to be no older than sixteen. He felt today's special host, master Paul, regarding him with a mixture of envy and spite. Both men fumbled the chance cards under their desks, carefully and skillfully.
Hearteater was but a simple gambler who has never known defeat. Or at least that was what people thought of his career. He stretched his shoulders for a bit. The feathered chest piece that hugged his skin, black as eel skin, swayed here and there every time he lurched or did the smallest of movements.
Beyond the avarice of Portelinian casino houses, to the darkest of chance dens, hearteater felt but a small piece of purpose at his work… to make everyone lose as much as their hearts desire. His hands twitched once again. Excitement filled him the more he felt the weight of his deck of chance-cards.
'One for spades. One for hearts. One for clubs. One for diamonds…' he kept mumbling from the inside, his mind devising strategies and hatching schemes. His opponent was but a mere merchant, who woke up in a sunny day fancying a change of his luck... or perhaps even fate. By the hearth, People were too ambitious for their own good. So one can only speculate their opponent's intentions.
Unknown to this golden chicken he found dwelling in the gambling den, his men were stationed right to the side with wrists on sword handles. People are too trusting nowadays. He grinned at his opponent, a greedy man whose entire wealth was built on the whipped back of enslaved children. The man's robes were so expensive that it amused his snake-eyes to no end.
"I do believe it's your turn, master Poll" Hearteater folded his deck skillfully while flashing an innocent smile at his opponent. He normally wore many masks… but for today, he opted for the 'honest' one.
"Tsk. I'm fully aware of the rules, deft hands" his guest for the night was as gullible as one could be. He puffed from the wood pipe, releasing a small cloud of aromatic smoke. 'maybe he is not as gullible as one presumes him to be, i've got half a mind to trick him now' With a twist of tongue, hearteater thought of his tactics.
"... Sha Lin, serve our guest some of our best ale" he nodded towards one of his faction members. Sha lin picked the wine-filled chalice and sauntered over to them. His leathered hat swayed every now and then, even when he served their guest.
"yes, sir" the wine pouring out of the chalice appeared to be as average as it could be, not something one would expect out of the word 'best'. Sha lin retreated to the side once again, back to his previous position, looking as emotionless as ever.
"hmmm. Augh—" the merchant spat after one sip, his expression spoke of his disgust at the taste.
"what the fuck did you just serve me?! You call this 'best' wine!"
"we don't drink it for the taste really… it's the most expensive on the menu, that's what makes it the best" the sarcastic naivety and easy manner in hearteater's tone and behavior caused a twist of outrage to show on his opponent's face. The powdering of freckles that made Paul's face somewhat to be on the pleasant side tightened with the air of his wrath.
"..." the merchant took a long breath and gulped, dazing the maid for a second. She quickly attended to him, only for him to whisper silently in her ears before sending her back with black eyes. It was as if all the previous emotions peaked through paul's pupils, never intending to go unnoticed.
"well, if you came here to lose your money. You might as well lose more of it. We are gamblers sir, aren't we?" the snake flashed a tremulous smile, one that was sweet enough to cut the heart out of the hollow atmosphere.
"you brat. Don't you dare deceive me" said Poll, through greet teeth and unsmilling lips. "... and if you think any of your fancy tricks will cause an error in my judgment, then you have been greatly mistaken." he puffed once again.
"tricks? I would never stoop so low as to deceive you, master Poll. One has to have no sense in him if so dares to trick a slave merchant." Hearteater ran his fingers repeatedly on the back of his cards. He licked his lips in anticipation of how this match would play out.
"we will see about that brat" Poll took his third puff in pure anger. "I know the eyes of a sly rat when I see one"
Hearteater swapped the cards in his hands and with a quick gesture, put the entire stack of paper flat on the table. The dull expression on his face betrayed his faith in Lady luck.
"hahahahaha. Brat you are not as smart as you think you are" likewise, Poll concocted his own set of tricks on the table. Whatever they were, they seemed to have worked, because hearteater lost this match. The latter observed the winning hand that Paul put down, with no change in face or manner whatsoever.
Today, Luck wasn't on his side. But hearteater didn't feel any pain or guilt for his loss. After all, one could always use actions instead of words… both were free in value, but the former yielded more… it was a satisfying result. people were so easy to deceive, way too trusting, way too vulnerable for all the good it does them.
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Hearteater swiftly kicked the underside of the table. Sha lin and his men brought their crossbows and pistols into the den and fired with deafening roars and so, chaos roamed the den for a moment. Poll and his innocent maid screamed in sheer pain as their bodies were sliced root and stem from the piercing shots. When the smoke cleared and the battle noises ceased, hearteater stood there with a cold look in his eyes.
"one for spades, one for hearts, one for diamonds, one for clubs…" he kept repeating as if unrelenting madness overtook the playfulness from before.
"Sir, we took down all his guards. The area is clear for now" Sha lin flicked his pistol and shoved it back into the holster.
"say… Sha Lin, do you like Portelin?" He looked around the den they rented. That was their business: renting dens and deceiving people. Whoever gets lured to chance his luck will be caught in their long-devised trap, and whatever their bodies and voluptuous pockets held would quickly find its way into his faction's vault.
Fist-sized holes were on the table and floor. The air stank of gunpowder and blood. Sha lin locked gazes with their men, urging them to commence the cleaning process.
Dirty as their work might be, people did way worse than them for fewer chances of reaping wealth and winning glory. Greed held them all tied-up together in the district of gamblers. It was a wonderful place for opportunistic people like them.
"... 'Like' is a strong word for this place" Sha lin, one of his most capable gunslingers, doffed his wide hat as pangs of sinful guilt washed away his feelings. They have joined hands since they started paddling for their new leader. The gunslinger surveyed the district, it was just as dreadful as the den they were in, especially with those high buildings and taverns sending waves of depression that stung even the bravest and most energetic of men.
"But you seem to like it, sir." Sha Lin noted his leader's gaze.
"In every community that ever existed, whether it's a pirate ship or a marine base or a lawless market or a gambling house… there has always existed this weirdly complex, political ladder that people make great efforts to climb. They say if you climb a hundred steps you will become a leader. And if you climb a thousand, you will be branded as an emperor. But if you climb it all the way through… what will happen?" Once again, hearteater, with his gambling attire, tightened the neck place of his hand-sewn cloak and broad chest piece. His hands were still holding the same playing cards from before. He spread them in a fan-like position, and using his nimble fingers, he started rearranging the order of cards. All the while, Sha Lin stood there thinking for a solution.
"I don't know, sir. I've never climbed that far" the gunslinger swept his eyes across their vicinity. It was the usual collection of flocked clowns; frightened women and their shrieking children, stinky men and their drunk companions. He has climbed the ladder himself, from the sewers of Portelin to the high-towered chance dens.
He never saw passion in his leader's slit-like pupils, no longing for love or intimacy, no greed for wealth or gold… he never knew what his leader, 'deft hands' or 'hearteater', wanted. Long have they formed a fractured partnership that grew with time, turning into mutual trust and respect. Together, they looted houses, scavenged the rich in their shops, hand-picked subordinates for their own faction and smuggled the goods whenever they were told by Yami. But, never for one time, has he seen the leaning figure of the man satisfied. Even at this moment, he's showing a stone face, but Sha Lin knew that it was one of the many masks his leader wore around his work.
"... Perhaps, we will reach godhood?" After some time, Sha Lin gave his best guess. He was never good at riddles and puzzles, specifically the ones his leader designed.
"godhood? Ahahaha, you Portelinians are funny people. You waited all that time to give me a silly answer" Hearteater stood near the mutilated dead body of Poll the slave merchant. His hands picked up the fallen stacks of cards and with both hands, started twisting them around his hand. He playfully twirled one card in particular around his upper four fingers with the thumb setting the motions of the trick. His eyes sharpened to a dangerous degree before launching the spade near the counter of their rented gambling house. Through the darkness, the spade traveled before the dying breath of a man was heard.
"this is…" Sha Lin noted the light black clothes the man wore, and where the spade landed… the neck was sliced all the way through. The man wore a surprised expression even in death, as if he was in utter disbelief.
"The feudal lord sent men for my throat, I'm quite flattered…" Hearteater retrieved the spade and wiped it clean with the end of his cloak. Most of the cards he held were normal gaming ones... some however, were sharp as razor. Deadly enough to cut through tough skin.
"you know… people are such stunted fools, they climb the ladder willingly and vigorously… days and nights they spent lurking around, lusting for power and wealth and fame, not realizing that their futile efforts serve nothing but an entertainment to those that hold the stairs in check. Those that sit at the top look down in contempt at their behavior. While they look up in envy and longing… such pitiful creatures we are" Hearteater's speech grew more silent as the chaos ensured in the surroundings once again.
"... Boys, clean that body" Sha Lin spoke loudly with orders, while landing his ear to listen quietly. His intrigue of the situation increased.
"Aye, vice captain" the men hurried to deliver. Their batch was the most numerous of the factions. So Sha Lin and hearteater had quite a number of men at their disposal. It was comedic to see this many cleaning a single inn.
"... Shall they try hard, they get noticed. Shall they shine brilliantly at the top, they will get rivals thirsting for their blood… it's only those that never climb nor show any willingness to, are the ones that stay away from the chaos… Only in such environments do gamblers such as myself thrive. Just like in a garden, the prettiest flower will get plucked and the ugly rotting one will also face the same fate. Those that are neither the prettiest, nor the tallest, nor the ugliest are the ones that shall decorate the garden and live for eternity"
Hearteater suddenly grabbed a card with both hands and tore it apart, it was a joker one…
"the devil, he ruined my plans, all of them…"
"the devil? Do you hate him, sir?" Sha Lin felt flabbergasted for a moment. Rivulets of sweat ran down his neck.
"No, I would even dare say that I quite enjoy him. I also happen to be a big fan of his work… it's just… not easy to deceive people like him or make them lose money"
"didn't you say that you were a gambler, sir? Why don't you try?" Sha Lin's eyes went back to their usual emotionless state. Ugly tales like theirs were told of every man with power in this city.
"even a greedy gambler knows his limits"
Hearteater turned around and brushed past his men, leaving the tent's crusty door behind his back. His hands clenched the cloak harder than he ever did before. People like him grew as drifters and money-grubbers, toweling at every chance they ever stumbled upon. Lately, he's been finding himself cornered far more often. Their reputation grew the more they played in that guy's palms. "how lothesome" he said in a quiet voice.
In the district of gamblers, Sha Lin and hearteater finally had their day of reckoning and chaos. They were told by the messenger birds to attend a meeting, one that hearteater had to prepare another mask for.
While marching, he kept chanting... The incantation never leaving his mouth for a second.
"one for spades, one for hearts, one for diamonds, one for clubs…"