Two figures could be seen running on a dirt road leaving a dust trail behind them. These two figures were Kaiden and Emily.
After checking the bodies, that weren't torched, they decided to head home. That home was the Trosven family's home, Kaiden wanted to try to get rewarded for his efforts after facing a Level 1 Mage.
'I have three choices I can get rewarded, killed for being a Gremmen, or just make sure she arrives safely and run as fast as I can. A reward sounds nice, plus I saved one of the more promising, ones I hope.'
Kaiden was debating his options the whole way there.
"Are you okay? You seemed to have been thinking a lot."
"I'm fine, by the way, you said you were a Trosven, right?"
Emily was caught a bit off guard by that question but answered honestly.
"Yes, my name is Emily Trosven, an heir to the Trosven family. What is yours?"
"I am Kaiden, Kaiden Gremmen, I am an heir to the Gremmen family and possible patriarch to the family."
He answered after some hesitation.
Emily's eyes widened while looking at the boy next to her. She knew the Gremmen family all too well, they were enemies after all. For what reason she did not know, only the patriarch had that information, she just knew that they would have a battle every few years.
Her eyes sharpened after thinking about the battle that she might have to participate in. If she were to fight Kaiden, when he got his Elemental Organ, she knows that she wouldn't stand a chance. Once that thought crossed her mind she thought of killing him while he was still vulnerable, she would be praised for it too.
"Don't try it."
Kaiden answered that thought before she could for reached for a weapon.
"Can you read my mind now too?"
"Just good instinct you could say."
He killed many traitors in his ranks as Jay before they even thought of selling information or attempting on his life. He had always had a sixth sense when it was about him.
She decided to nod and leave it at that as she saw the Mansion's protective walls up ahead and ran faster. Kaiden only clicked his tongue in annoyance and used a rune to speed himself up.
When they arrived at the gate the guard stopped them but when he saw Emily he bowed and let her pass.
"He's with me, a guest from the Gremmen family."
The guard widened his eyes in surprise before reluctantly letting Kaiden pass and shooting daggers at him with his eyes.
'How friendly, I can't wait to deal with the overbearing patriarch.'
Kaiden thought sarcastically with a stern look on his face.
"So, what do you want?"
Emily asked nearing the mansion not looking at him.
"Good question, the most I'll probably get for saving a deadweight like you is two maybe even three copper."
She thought about swinging her weapon backwards but calmed herself and walked into the mansion.
While they were walking together a few members of the Trosven family immediately recognized Kaiden's iconic golden eyes and golden hair. It was the iconic Gremmen looks after all! They have also fought the Gremmen's for centuries to not recognize that.
They shot daggers of hate toward him but since he was Emily's guest they didn't do anything.
'It seems that she's actually important in this family and her opinion is held high, my family would have attacked on sight if a Trosven was in the house from how they speak of them.'
Kaiden's thoughts went on how vicious his family spoke of them but was cut short when he felt powerful presences up ahead.
He let go of his nonchalant face and put on a serious one as they neared a big door
"It seems that my grandfather has company, we are to stay at the side and bow until he is finished."
Emily told Kaiden and he just rolled his eyes and followed her into the room.
'Three powerful mages, I can't guess their level, at least 4 I think?'
Kaiden tried to understand their level but stopped to not catch any attention. He couldn't hear them either, there seemed to be a barrier or such to block such things.
The two of them walked to the side of the room and did different things. Emily sat on one knee lowering her head toward her patriarch Kaiden, on the other hand, sat cross-legged talking out a rune and tinkering with it.
Emily did a light cough but Kaiden was already focused on his rune, it was special to him after all.
Since he only had his Mage Mind to make runes all of them had been in the bottom tier of Level 1, yet he was able to make this one in the middle tier!
It wasn't anything specific, but it was a huge step for him.
'The question is how I was able to make this. I used the skin of a peak level 3 striking snake and some muscle from a level 3 grounded wolf. It made it stable and I just imprinted thoughts of sense into it. This should allow me to have a better sense of my surroundings by using the ground seeing as the ingredients are from the earth element.'
He was very lost in thought and didn't realize Emily staring at him along with a figure while a warm presence.
Soon a pressure hot enough to make him sweat slowly brought him back to reality.
Slowly Kaiden looked up at the face of the man, who had an aloof expression looking at Kaiden, Kaiden stood up and slightly bowed toward the man.
"Kaiden Gremmen greets the patriarch of the Trosven family."
"I know who you were the moment you entered through the gate."
A tired voice came out from the old man who looked at the young man.
"What does a Gremmen want here? Does your patriarch wish to take more resources from my area?"
The Trosven patriarch rubbed his temples as if something annoying entered his mind.
He looked at Kaiden again and swept him with his mind to scan him and Kaiden couldn't stop him even if he tried.
A tinge of surprise filled his eyes but annoyance soon took it over.
"So you don't have your Elemental Organ yet then? Yet here you are creating runes. Let me guess, this is the highest level you made so far because of such restrictions?"
He knew he guessed right seeing Kaiden's reaction and walked over to a big chair to sit.
As he sat on the chair a notebook popped out of thin air and he opened it. He nodded more and more as seconds went by until he finally closed the notebook and disappeared.
"Let me guess again, you want to be rewarded for your efforts in saving my granddaughter. Don't worry I will give you a fair compensation, both for your feats in battle and your impressive runes."
A cold expression appeared on Kaiden's face upon hearing those words. At that moment he knew that there was someone that watched him fight.
'Why am I a little upset at my fighting style being watched? As Jay, I wanted, no I desired for people to counter my moves and give me somewhat of a challenge.'
A slight wave of anger was held back, there was no reason to show anger to someone that could kill him with only a thought.
"Thank you for your compliments, I still need to perfect my martial art and create better runes."
A small laugh came from the patriarch hearing Kaiden's words.
"You created runes that have incredible functionality that others could take years to make and without an Elemental Organ too! From what I heard your martial art is mastered too."
"That is besides the point, I wish to make a deal."
With those words, Kaiden felt surrounded by Elemental Air. The Trosven patriarch immediately answered the question he had.
"This will prevent others from hearing. So about the deal, I will give you a few extra resources, in exchange, you start supplying me with runes for fighting when you are to become a Mage."
'He wants to fight my family and push them back. I can't say that I really care, I could easily counter my own runes and it isn't like I will be around that long.'
Kaiden had an idea as to what they were for but knew he was going to try to leave anyway.
'I can't stay in a peaceful environment forever nor one that pushes me towards a direction that is not mine.'
This was his reasoning for leaving what others would call a perfect life.
"Deal."
The Trosven family's patriarch smiled as he wasn't questioned and pulled out a token of sort.
"This is an oath, it will bind you to its word. If you are to break it, it will destroy your Elemental Organ."
"Terms."
A cold attitude can from Kaiden as he knew that it wouldn't be on him from that point. The patriarch put some of his Elemental Air into the oath and it glowed for a second before stopping and handing it to Kaiden.
Kaiden poured his conscienceness into the oath and words appeared in his head.
'I am not allowed to send ones that can cause damage on purpose, hurt the level, or slow the training of their centers of power. I can send as few as I want and only need to send up to the second level and below.'
'I expected worse, to be honest, this is a bit laxer than I thought it would be, still annoying though.'
Kaiden was thinking about it, he already agreed and did not want to make this difficult.
"As long as there is no time limit, then this is fin., Though I won't just be a tool, so I want to end this when I choose."
The patriarch looked at Kaiden applying pressure only to realize, after many minutes, that the boy knew how privileged he was in that situation which made him click his tongue and put more Elemental Air into the oath.
Kaiden smiled as he read that once he was at the third level, at the Plasmas stage, he could be free, and the oath would not bind him anymore. Though he now had to at least give one hundred fifty level 2 runes before stopping.
He didn't mind that though, and looked right at the patriarch with a slightly vicious smile.
"I agree to these terms."