In the capital, a young man was running while panting at the top of his lungs. He was being chased but he knew how to navigate narrow street lanes and make sharp U-turns making him a weasel slipping through the pursuers' grasps. The young man in a dark hooded robe was on the run both day and night and barely got any moments to rest.
'How did it turn like this? Those cunning bastards. I will get you for this.'
In truth, the young man was a very successful businessman who had rare items which he used brokers to sell thus growing his industry in the capital exponentially. He trusted his business partners but what would a child barely an adult know when he didn't have the power over his business like he was made to believe?
His business partners used silver tongues to twist the truth into half-baked lies that he never doubted. He signed papers as a trust agreement with them as they lied through their teeth. His business partners were brokers who sought clients and merchants who he used names of to supply to his clients since he was a minor. He wouldn't have the power to maintain his power if word got out. This is what he knew from their lies.
They soon got impatient and could no longer keep up their flawless deception toward the young man. They demanded the source of materials.
"You brat. You will not be leaving unless you leave the secret to your sources. It would be better to give it as soon as possible. Then we would have less time to waste on an orphan bastard like you. What an undeserving wretch."
The trusted merchants taunted him by disregarding remarks. Their words were not short of insults.
"If you value your lives then make a wise choice. It is my way of looking out for you since I have known you for some time. Please understand."
Those he had trusted were ones to use their snake-like tongues to make it look like they cared for him while their words held poison underneath.
"Just give it already. Do you have any idea how much I wanted to punch that smug face every time you looked cherry?"
Others didn't even hide their scorn while they scuffed at him. A look of distaste was visible on their faces.
"You might as well die, but that will be disadvantageous to us. So I will make your life a living hell."
"Hahahaha! Look at you looking like the beggar that you were. We made you as you are. Don't you think you should show some gratitude?"
The young man had been locked up and forced to endure all this horrible treatment. Reality fell on him and he soon came to terms with the fact that he was betrayed and deceived. Those he trusted hurt him in more ways than they could imagine. He was a child at the time he met them and he came to trust them thus the betrayal hurt more than needles stabbing his heart. It him hurt with each hurtful comment they made. If that was not enough they resulted in torture.
Cutting him and stabbing him and treating only fatal wounds. He was forced to endure burning and other forms of physical pain.
'I have had enough.'
When he thought that, he decided to run from there and found a way to bring the truth to light.
Moreover, he could never tell the secret he held. That was something that would not only risk his life but, telling his secret entailed more than just simply his life. He would never live a day of peace if his secret was revealed. He wouldn't die in peace either.
His plan was soon brought to a halt since was a wanted criminal by the public. They made it so that he was a criminal thus he was being chased on both sides. Those in authority would exploit it to their benefit thus even the security was bought off. He had an inkling as to how that was possible. A noble must have been involved.
'How dare they betray me? When I helped them rise to that position.'
The young man's name was Delvin. He was a commoner living and striving for his life in the capital. He was aspiring to make it big thus he worked his ass off to build a business while making connections all around. He was young and had no real-life experience thus was fooled by the smiling faces of hypocrites who worked together to pull him down.
He started as a simple jewel seller assistant. From there he learned about his ability to enhance jewels. Simple pretty jewels gained attributes that magicians could later turn into artifacts of specific use. They were rare as they could come, thus the place he worked became a best seller.
His greedy boss who thought it was nothing but a stroke of luck fired him and went off to work for nobles instead, feigning his ability to select the best jewels. However, That very shopkeeper was brought down his high horse soon enough when he realized things too late and he had been sent off to prison for deceiving nobles.
Moving from there he hid his identity as a broker boy who sold items in place of his master. It worked out fine since he would enchant any sought of rock. It was a sight never seen before in the capital. Magic stones were a natural occurrence and could not be crafted artificially. This made his so-called master a prevalent person thus he even got enough capital to set up shop. He could work on jewels and other stones. His business was one of its kind since it was not talent or skill, it was an inborn ability only he could perform.
As the growth of his business grew he worked with merchants who later found out was the seller. He made an exclusive contract with them thus he could supply to a broader audience. But growing up he found it strange he could have supervised his funds. This was when he didn't want to work much more and opted to live a life of luxury for the repayment of his hard work over the years.
His business partners gave different excuses for not getting access to them. Sooner or later they came off straight forward and that was when Delvin understood he had been fooled. His life was at risk at the time and trying to find and plausible solution he found out that the documents he had so signed gave all power and authority to the merchant.
The merchant was not an official worker but a nobles follower who was to work to find the source of the enhanced stones from Delvin. From the start, he had been fooled and manipulated. His work was taken advantage of and he simply lost everything in a few days. His status as the most aspiring bachelor who was upcoming with his successful business fell much faster than it rose.
Delvin learned the hard truth about the mask hidden behind faces.
'I was really stupid. I was so lame. How could…I fall for those petty tricks. I should have known better.'
Delvin run and navigated the street lanes where it was mostly busy thus making his tail much more difficult to track. He twisted and turned a couple of times until he bumped into a kid hardly visible due to their height. He swore he couldn't feel his aura but he was simply standing there. He was even more surprised since he became more noticeable after being bumped to.
Théoden was walking down the streets of the capital. Where there were bustling markets and shops. He was looking around when he bumped into a tall figure. A tanned man with light sky-blue hair and deep ocean-blue eyes. He was panting and seemed to be in a hurry. The man didn't even give him a second glance as he searched his surrounding as if finding a place to escape to.
"Sorry kid, excuse me for a bit"
Delvin had bumped into a kid who he didn't expect. His momentum stopped abruptly, he was short of breath but still needed to assess the situation at hand.
"..Kid?"
Théoden raised a brow at the outright comment. Théoden felt insulted by a stranger calling him a kid.
"Catch that scoundrel. I want him dead or alive. Bring the kid as well."
Behind the stranger were a few armed men giving chase. They had no intention of negotiating given the killing intent they gave.
"...Kid again?"
Théoden muttered under his breath while seething and fuming. His eyes were filled with anger and an intense red shade of his ruby eyes was apparent. He clenched his jaw and looked in the direction.
If one stranger was not enough, he had a whole group identifying him as a kid. Veins bulged in his forehead and he was angry.
"Looks like you got pulled into the mess. We got to run. Our lives depend on it."
"...."
"What are you waiting for kid?"
'I don't like this but I have no choice for now.'
Reluctantly Théoden moved his feet. He didn't like being pushed around much less being treated like an immature brat. He knew Mer was watching from somewhere lest his life come in danger so he went with the flow. To catch those behind this and determine in the tall dude orchestrated the whole situation. It seemed unlikely but he wouldn't be too careful. His social status demanded vigilance around the clock and keen observation of his surroundings and people.
Huff! Haah! Haa! Huff!
They had lost the tail after running with all their might and moving across the streets.
"Hi. Sorry kid. I will take you back since I got you in this mess. I'm Delvin by the way."