After the big upset about the cheater and the announcement that the competition had come to a close. Gabe and the remaining contestants were led through several hallways in the Stadium after the Battle. The other Competitors looked at Gabe with both fear and respect, no’one doubted he was the most talented among them. To have beaten a channeler a full realm above him and come out of the battle nearly untouched was enough to declare him the wonderkind of a major family if he was part of one. The Golden chaos family would no doubt scoop him up a fast as possible. the others kept their distance and their silence as they all walked together, unsure of his temperament and unwilling to bother him if he didn’t want to be bothered. The elder that led them wore the lose fitting Golden-Chaos family traditional tunic with Gold and red stripes, and had a haughty air about him as he walked chin held high. He didn't say a word until they reached a set of large Black wood doors with two silver rings to pull them open. "Please only enter when your name is called." The man said with a dry tone. He pulled a small piece of parchment from his robe pocket and called out the name on the top of the list. "Gabriel Hook." That was the name Gabe had given on the sign in form. It was no surprise to anyone he was being called first, he stepped up to the door and the man opened it for him. He entered into a large roomy office with a stoic faced middle aged Channeler setting behind a desk across the room. The door was closed behind him and as he looked back at it all he saw was sealing runes inscribed along the top. These runes would make it impossible for even an Ancestor Realm Channeler to listen in on the room. "Come sit." The Stoic man said, he had light brown hair and an average build. His face revealed Nothing, but his tone told Gabe he was full of himself. When Gabe came closer he could sense clearly that the man was a level ten elder Realm Channeler and wasn't trying to hide his aura at all. Gabe sat in the chair opposite the desk and the man smiled at him. "You young man are a very talented Channeler, one of the best I've seen. It's a shame you don't have any family backing." Gabe didn't let his expression change, but he smiled on the inside, who needed a family backing when you have a heavenly soul rune. He let the man continue. "Who knows how powerful you could become with the use of some of the best treasure lands and Purest Spirit energy the chaos continent has to offer. And we’re prepared to give you just that.” the man smiled, his wrinkled eyes not smiling with him. He rubbed his hands through his light brown hair and let out a sigh clearly thinking he already had Gabe hooked. “But first, we must give you your prize for winning the tournament." He reached into a space pouch just laying on his desk near a stack of paper and he pulled out the feather and the Neptune Anklet. The phoenix feather was copper and simple, but rare to find in a small city like this. it would be useful for a channeler’s cultivation since it increased their draw and helped their soul beasts purify energy. And It would be about ten times more useful for Gabe than it would be for any other channeler. The anklet however It was even more a thing of beauty than the feather, made from sky blue Aqua stone and sanded to a shine. It’s seamless and smooth surface looking like the surface of a still blue lake. Along its edges were long Lines of microscopic runes drawn in a wavy design that seamed to swirl as your eyes moved over them like an optical illusion. These runes were drawn with sprinkled fine quality Dragon blood. And mixed in that blood was pure spirit Crystal dust. Spirit crystals were powerful concentrations of Spirit energy. They took a crystalline form in the ground near high quality Treasure lands. Just a small one could supply enough Spirit energy for a channeler to cultivate with for a month nonstop. A high quality spirit Crystal could hold more then that, and have even purer Spirit energy. The purer the energy the faster it could help a channeler cultivate. And the more value the crystal had. For example a heavenly pure spirit crystal would cost more than a billion gold rings… and Gabe had only one gold ring to his name after selling and buying in this city for half a year. In this the wealth of major families could only be partially comprehended, as almost all the larger groups had a mine that produced these heaven grade crystals endlessly. To them a low grade crystal was just for the commoners.

But even a low grade spirit crystal When added to an enchanted Treasure or runes could not only amp them up a level but also allow them to be good for more than just one use. "It's quite a piece you know. At least for such a small town like this. In our family cities these however this band is as common as they come." The man said handing it to Gabe who immediately placed it in his nearly empty space pouch. Major Families all kept their own cities and lands, as a way to keep all of their resources inside the family. They were like big nations all on their own and only married out to other big families, to cross their wealth over. In this way the majority of the resources and treasure lands were controlled by the minority of powers and the common folk ate the scraps they didn’t want. What was big money to a farming city in the middle of nowhere, was nothing but dogfood to those who lived in a real city.

"I have to admit, something like this has never happened before." the Man explained after giving Gabe the treasure. "And we feel we owe it to you to make up for such an oversight about that cheating Bastard that could have killed you we had no idea he was not in the apprentice realm. So we've all agreed after talking over, to give you his second place prize as well. As compensation for our mistake." Gabe's eyes widened ever so slightly at the revelation as the man reached back into the pouch and pulled out Pitch black candle with a small light absorbing wick that made Gabe dizzy to stare at. It was so black that the room they were in darkened ever so slightly the moment he showed it. "So here you go." He said and gave it over the table like it was nothing. Gabe took it and looked it over, unnaturally hot and radiating with power These candles were found only in med quality Dark element Treasure lands and could only be lit once. After the first flame ignited on the wick it couldn't be put out, and would burn until there was nothing left of the candle. "I... thank you sir." Gabe said with respect and put it in his Space pouch with a grin, he felt that this gift was more of a bribe then a prize but who cared he could definitely use it. He knew what was coming next and waited for it. The man waved his thanks. "With this piece your power can increase even further. I am thrilled it is being used on such a talented young man as yourself." He never dropped his smile and finally took a deep breath and said in a forced friendly tone. "Now, back to the important business young man. As I'm sure you have already guessed we are going to accept you as an Acolyte." Gabe forced himself to smile as if it was what he wanted and not something that bored him more than if he was offered plain rice. But he didn't speak his mind and let The man continued. "We realize that your um... background might be a problem for us. But even if that fraud was speaking the truth, which I personally doubt. You don't have to worry about it, we will work out all the details." Making another Family house's Member even a banished one an Acolyte was frowned upon by all the Family houses. As their honor was at stake, and having one of their own under the authority and control of the other family houses was a disgrace. It also had Bad implications for inner family spying as an Acolyte could be ordered to reveal something about his family that was a secret. Gabe finally spoke in a reserved but hopeful tone. "I think I could really get behind this sir, but... it's such a big decision. I don't think I can make it so quickly." The man frowned. "You haven't already considered this? Or are you just playing hard ball." He rose an eyebrow. Gabe let out a sigh. "I wish I could say I was prepared, but I honestly haven't even thought about becoming an Acolyte. I would need time to think about it. I'm not into taking risks." He gave a nervous uncertain smile. Everything he had just said was a lie. But he had told enough of them in his life to Be well practiced. The Man grunted. "Well, if you want a deal I can shorten your Serving term, but not by very far. Say a hundred years. dependent of course that you accept this offer now and don't make us wait." Gabe gave a strained look as if he was really considering it. He knew that the instant he accepted a Spirit contract would be drawn up to specifications and he would be forced to agree to it. He was well aware that he could brake the contract after he made it, assuming of course he actually had that trait and he wasn't hallucinating it’s impossible existence somehow. But the moment he broke such a contract he would make an enemy of the Golden-Chaos family. And a powerful enemy that would probably never stop hunting him down was not something he needed in hs life. On top of that, he wasn't sure he wanted to reveal his Ability to brake Spirit contracts. As far as he'd ever heard there wasn't a single Channeler ever to brake one and live. Perhaps that was because they needed to Bond with an Avatar Realm Demon, and be extremely lucky. Two rare happenings on their own. Or maybe the people that could break a spirit contract were just really good at keeping it a secret, after all if word got out that spirit contracts could be broken then the whole system would brake down and people would start losing trust in the Contracts. thus the potency of the trait would lose some of it's power. What Gabe didn’t know at that time was that there were actually dozens of requirements to get the trait of breaking spirit contracts from a demon soul beast, each one more impossible and more secretive than the last, without following them to the tee the trait would never even awaken in a demon much less a human. And none of these requirements were followed by Gabe. Through a twist of fate and unbelievable luck, Gabe had bypassed the laws of the universe that kept this trait from getting into human hands, simply because his spirit beast was a demon stuck inside a bottle. Haunted objects were never supposed to give traits and so the laws governing a demon’s traits written by the all powerful heavens only had this one loop hole. And the universe would likely never be aware of it.

"I just can't bring myself to decide so quickly sir. I'm sorry, it took me a month just to decide if I was going to compete or not. If I have to pick now then I'm afraid I'll have to decline. It would be such a life change, I wouldn't know how to take it." Gabe made a fearful face that said he just couldn’t make a decision under pressure, and the man seamed to suddenly realize that he was dealing with a weak minded child. He restrained a sigh and waved his hand. "Oh no, don't do that. We aren't here to push you into anything you don't want to do. I'm willing to offer you a day, can you make a decision by tomorrow? Don’t feel any pressure to accept, we just want you with us because we think we can help make you very powerful in the future." Gabe knew the part about no pressure and not wanting to push him into anything were lies. He was well aware that if he didn't join them willingly then he'd become a target. They would have to keep him from getting into another family's pockets, he was just too talented to let be. It was a power game all families played. But fortune was with him and it just so happened twenty four hours was all he needed to escape that power game. "Oh yes sir! Thank you sir! If I can't make up my mind by then, well... I'll just take the leap anyway, it’s not like being an acolyte isn’t what I want." Gabe thanked him profusely. The man nodded wanting to hurry him along. "You can leave back through the way you came, when you make your decision just come back to the stadium any time I'll have someone waiting for you." He said and waved Gabe off out the door. He wouldn’t be letting him go if he wasn’t sure the boy would come back. But there was nothing to worry about, he wouldn’t let this rare find escape the Golden-chaos family’s grasp. Gabe left and held back a grin until he was outside the stadium. They may think he had nowhere to run to in this city but they were wrong.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

After going back to his temporary hotel room and collecting his stuff he snuck out through a pacific window he had been planning to use for the entire week. The window was in the inn's second story hall and led to an ally way that led to the busy City market. Before he left this window however He first went into his soul room and built the energy around the soul walls until he looked like a Low level tyke Channeler to anyone looking. he wasn't sure what kind of tail he had watching him but he was certain the Golden-Chaos family would expend at least someone to follow him and see where he lives, just in case he decided not to join them. Spirit contracts were Fickle at best when it came to forcing someone to sign. Most of the time they wouldn't even register an agreement if the Person was under duress. Sometimes it would destroy large portions of the contract against the Makers will, causing a large problem. As anything the Maker agreed to could be left intact and solid while what the Person in duress was supposed to agree to was gone and void. This kept all transactions honest and mutual, and wouldn't allow someone to force permanent slavery on whomever they wanted to, and spirit contracts also wouldn’t work on children ether. Gabe snuck out the window simply jumping down into the ally and walking until he reached the crowed. Once he was among the faces he kept walking and pored even more power into the energy around his soul room walls, this was extremely difficult as walking made it hard to concentrate but it was something he had practiced as he could see several uses for being able to change his Power level on the go. If anyone was paying attention they would have seen a Tyke realm Channeler turn into a tenth level Embryo Channeler right in front of them. The scouts sent to watch him by both the Golden chaos family and the green wood family were aghast when they sensed he was no longer in his hotel room. Scanning the very second they felt him leave, but all they found was a tyke realm channeler climbing out the window. They didn’t dare be careless however and while still searching for Gabe with their long range soul since they also kept track of this tyke realm. But to their dismay the tyke realm also vanished. Among a crowd of hundreds of people where even a totem channeler’s soul sense would get confused by all the shifting and moving bodies, the tyke realm they were looking for couldn’t even be found. This was the technique Gabe had used before, it used the power of his soul rune to confuse anyone following him. Changing his realm among crowds of shifting people back and forth. No low grade treasure or even high grade treasure could do this so quickly and so convincingly, the closer anyone looked at his hidden realm the more they would be sure it couldn’t be a trick. It was hidden well enough that no elder could sense it wasn’t real. Not to mention Gabe didn’t stop there. He had hidden clothes cashes all over the city in nooks no’one would find them, so while waling through the largest crowds and ducking into the darkest allies he changed clothes, hats, shoes, and realms, over thirty times each. Once even removing his mark completely and looking just like a mundane to anyone walking past. It was impossible for a follower to keep up. By the time he was finished he was tracker free and wearing a long white cloak with a shadowy hood up and a low grade artifact mask on that made his features look slightly different. No’one knew where he was now so he headed home.

He met Colin in their cleaned out Room at the cheep inn, in the shady part of town that they had first arrived to the city at. Colin was in meditation but woke when Gabe stepped over the runes he'd laid at the door. "So how did it go?" The man asked as he stood and washed his face in the water basin in the corner. He still wasn’t happy with Gabe and barely gave his master a glance when he came in. Gabe grinned at him. "I'm officially the most powerful Apprentice Realm Channeler in the city, that's how it went." He said with Giddy excitement rushing through him he’d always been behind other channelers his age, and now he could actually jump realms and defeat channelers much older than he was. Colin turned to him with surprise on his face but an an odd calm in his heart. "Huh." He said simply. Gabe was a bit disappointed with the response, but Colin was never one to praise others. "Anyway, we don't have long. I want to get out of this city before they start looking for me." Gabe opened the door and motioned for Colin to leave. "You just can't stay out of trouble can you?" Colin said as he dried his face on a soft hand towel and started for the door. Gabe felt a burst of indignation rise in his chest and reached into his Pouch. "I think These are worth the trouble." He told his servant as he held out both the Anklet and the Candle. Colin's eyebrows went up as he looked at them and he smiled. "I would almost agree with you, but it will depend on how much trouble we're actually in now that you have those."

The two Channelers walked the streets at their own pace, taking their time as no'one was chasing them... yet. They took the most busy streets to keep from being mugged and Gabe kept a very watchful eye on his Space pouch which was tied to the bottom string on his tunic inside his cloak. Finally they made it to the high standing side of town. Where mansions with large gardens and expansive lands were. This was where Matthew was staying. in a Mansion belonging to one of his distant cousins, a very low member of the greenwood family. The streets were much better kept here and the People that walked by were all very high level Channelers, with large ornate garments and adornments. They looked down on Gabe and Colin with strong disdain and didn't even approach them or speak. acting as if they were too powerful to bend so low. Finally after a very long walk through the well kept but arrogant part of the city the two apprentice realm channelers with less than expensive garb came to an estate fence with the Greenwood family's crest on it. There were actually several well known Family houses with Mansions in the city, Farming cities like this were where they sent their weak and unwanted members. Gabe put his thumb on a rune written beside the gate and felt an immediate scan of his body. This scan came from a head guard some ways away, he had been informed that the Wounderkind from the Greenwood family was expecting two visitors and immediately informed the master of the estate who was Waiting.

The gate opened by itself and Gabe and Colin started down the stone path leading to the impressive secluded mansion. There were Trees and greenery all around the estate and even a large water fountain poring clear pure water. From the road all you could see of the house was the expensive roofing, and the great size of the property. "You still sure we want to do this?" Colin asked. Gabe nodded vigorously. "Matthew is Nothing if not honorable, he'll keep his word. If not then I'll agree to sign an Acolyte contract with his family." He said it nonchalantly, but Colin almost tripped as he felt his heart jump. "What! You can't be serious. What good would that be? Why don't we just Go back to the Hellvine Family!" Gabe was well aware that Colin was still loyal to the family even after how he'd been treated. And they had even discussed the possibility of going back a few time in the last few months. but Gabe had vehemently denied the idea. The last thing he wanted was to come crawling back to those who had cast him out for dead. He didn't hate his family, but he didn't love them either. And maybe it was because he was so young when he was Banished, but he was not nearly as loyal to the Hellvine family as Colin was. "We won't have to be slaves to outsiders, we'll be welcomed back as Family members." Colin kept explaining the obvious. He didn't know that Gabe could Brake Spirit contracts and in his mind if Gabe was sworn to loyalty to another Family then so was he. In fact he'd be one of the lowest most disgraceful things a man could become. The servant of a servant. For a member of one of the strongest Family houses on the chaos continent it would be rock bottom. A new low in his life after all the lows he thought he’d already reached. and he would do anything to convince Gabe not to do it to him. "Relax Colin, there's more going on here then I can tell you. But just know that we will be treated well for the next stretch of our journey together, and you don't have to worry about anything. Things are looking up for both of us, not just me. And I promise I've got your back now, just like you had mine when you were the more powerful Channeler." Colin looked at him strangely. After hearing it said he was beginning to realize it was true. If Gabe had won the Channeler tests then he most likely was the stronger one of them. He didn't know what to say so he just turned forward and kept silent. His nerves were on edge still though, and he didn’t stop thinking about all the troubles Gabe had gotten them into in the past. Gabe was still immature and addicted to high stakes Gambling, He Never let a risk go by without taking it, and he never sat still for long enough to let Colin rest. but there was nothing Colin could do or say that would change Gabe. When the Brazen fool set his sight on something he followed through no matter what and without consideration of others. Colin decided he would save his strength for the next fight they would have, and prayed he would win that one. Who knows maybe Gabe would realize just how well things were going for them now and stop risking it all for no reason.