Word quickly spread through the crowd that a low level Apprentice who had Two Soul-Beasts was competing. And to Gabe's surprise he overhead someone saying that The Greenwood family's Wonderkind had been defeated. The Greenwood family was a Small but extremely powerful Family house, that was known for its honor and courage, their numbers didn’t match up to most families but the power of their members was well renowned in this region. He understood now why the man that fought him had been so Different. He smiled, A wounderkind was the most powerful prodigy of a Family in their realm, each family had only ten. Gabe really had done something to defeat the man, it proved he was at least as powerful as a Wonderkind, and he hadn’t even gone all out. He suddenly felt a boost of confidence for this competition.

Fortunately the field was still mostly a mass of confusion, and no'one that knew what Gabe looked like could find him, while those who didn’t know what he looked like were still calling him out for matches. He was soon challenged Four more times, and none of them were as hard to defeat as his battle with the Wonderkind. He simply used his Dark Death Boar and wiped the floor with them. When he got the correct amount of Red bands he headed to where the Healers were instead of the exit. The medical team was working on a large part of the field near the door and Hundreds of beds were laid out on the open field with over a hundred Life Chanelers presiding over them, life channelers made the best healers. Gabe saw one Girl he had put there passed out on one of the beds with a rune bandage on her stomach, he passed her with a stoic expression And walked down the rows looking from one face to the other. Men and women were being carried in and out every second and the loud crowd would make it hard for him to yell out for who he was looking for, not that he had a name to call out anyways. He searched down three rows before someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around to see the man he was looking for in perfect health smiling at him. The rate at which he had miraculously gotten better scared Gabe a little, he'd already been a bit edgy about coming. As this could easily be a plot to take his life after such a disgraceful defeat. Just because he was from an honorable family didn't mean he had honor himself. But Gabe didn't thank this Wounderkind was like that. And he wasn’t gonna just leave disrespectfully with the man waiting for him.

"You came." The man said. "I knew the prospect of a gift would entice you." He turned towards the exit. "Come leave with me." He said and started for the way out. Gabe was curious about this strange Man. and though he knew this could be some kind of trap, still felt comfortable around him. It was his demeanor and the way he held himself, he seamed genuine and humble it was unique to find such a person on all of primeway. Gabe walked beside the man as they talked. "You didn't tell me you were from The Greenwood Family." Gabe said. The man smiled. "And You didn't tell me you had Two soul-beasts with different Elements, men aren’t obligated to talk it’s something they do to waste time." Gabe shrugged what a strange saying, it sounded like a quote the way he said it. The man led them out of the large door that went into another hall this one heading north where the entrance was to the south. "As you've apparently heard, I am the Apprentice Realm Wonderkind of my family. My name is Matthew." The Wonderkinds of any family got large benefits and perks, and were treated with high respect even from some of the family elders, as it was often a Wonderkind that became head of the House when the old one Ascended or died. "I am Honored to meet you Matthew. My name is Gabriel." They shook hands while walking and fell into a long line of those leaving the arena, who were passing by the elders that took of the bands. "Gabriel, the honor is mine. I have not lost to a fellow Apprentice Realm Channeler in some time. Not since I was at the first level as you are now." Matthew looked at his own mark with thoughtful eyes. "You have taught me a lesson though. I am too confident. I am glad I came and learned that now while it is only a competition." Gabe was a bit shocked at how well Matthew was taking his loss, most from a high Family would feel as if their reputation was at stake for losing to an unknown, even a Dual Soul-Beast Channeler. "I would like to give you this." He pulled off a Small ring from his pinky finger. It was a silver ring with tiny unreadable runes drawn all around it in a circle. Gabe could tell even by looking at it that it was a rare piece. The quality of the runes was flawless. "This is a high quality Communication ring. I won it in a fight, and now you have won it." He handed it to Gabe. A communication ring was a device that allowed Channelers to Speak to each other from long distances. It would Channel the wearer's mental messages to whoever he wanted to speak to as long as they also had a ring on them or near them. They were fairly common items, but High quality ones were expensive as they took much more power to make, and would allow a much longer distance. This one could probably allow him to speak to someone a million miles or so away. "I.. I am grateful but I can't accept this. There is no need to give me anything, I am grateful for the match as well." Gabe tried to give it back, but the man pushed his hand away. "I admit there is more then just one reason that I am giving this to you. The first is truly because I believe you have earned it. And The second is that I wish to stay in contact with you. I do not consider our fight over, when I have trained more and I feel the time is right I will Challenge you again. The last is that I wish to impress you, as it is clear you are a true Prodigy. I do not believe you are connected to a family house ether, or I surly would have heard of you, I know the names of Every wonderkind in this region. My Family will also certainly wish to sign you as an Acolyte, even at the risk of gaining the Golden-Chaos family house's Ire. And Even if you choose not to accept to become an Acolyte, I would like to offer you an open door at my Family's home, and the use of some of our Treasure lands should you come. Of course this is dependent that you don't become an Acolyte of the Golden-Chaos Family ether." It was clear Matthew didn't want the Golden-Chaos family to have such a threat, such an offer was unheard-of. Gabe was a bit thrown by the offer, usually Families tried to Squash those who wouldn't join them or were a danger to them. But he could tell the offer wasn’t done with any ill intent. And he knew Mathew would keep his word about it. "I would be a fool to turn down an offer like that." Gabe said, putting the ring in his pouch. grinning at the thought of how much quicker he could cultivate with such resources, and still not be tied down to a family. "I do not plan on becoming anyone's Acolyte, but if it wouldn't be imposing I would love to stay with your family for a time. If I can bring my servant along also." Matthew nodded with a slight smile. "I did not think you were the type to subject yourself to others, but it is dangerous for you without any backing now that others know about your potential.” Matthew seamed to think for a moment and than calmly spoke with a hint of a smile in his voice. “I will make you an offer, as I would consider it a great misfortune if you were Dead before our next match. I will put you under my family's protection if you will tell me why exactly it is that Both your Soul-Beasts have Purple stripes Down their backs. And do not tell me you Bonded with them that way, One is a rare anomaly, but Two has a Cause." Gabe cringed inwardly, he knew the colors might catch someone's attention. He looked at Matthew with a straight face. "There is no answer I can give I'm afraid, but thank you for the offer." Matthew rose an eyebrow "That kind of answer only rises my curiosity, what secret is more valuable then An offer like mine?" Gabe smiled. "It's the only answer I have." He liked Matthew and trusted his sense of honor, but if even just a small Rummer was started about the pills he could make he'd be in more Trouble then any of his good fortune could get him out of. After the Two agreed on how and when Gabe would stay at Matthew’s family home, the two parted ways with another handshake. Gabe and Colin were going to leave with Mathew out of the city when the competition was over, And were welcomed to stay as long as they liked if they didn’t cause any trouble.

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Gabe took the long way home to throw off anyone that would follow him. He even used a few counter measures he thought up that would likely throw even a master tracker off of his trail. he returned to his inn alone, He had no idea why Matthew had decided to let him stay with his family, but it seamed like his Family was willing to go a long way to Keep Gabe from getting into the Golden-Chaos family's hands. Gabe wasn't familiar enough with ether Family name to know their inner workings, but he guessed the two were at odds with each other. Which left question as to what Matthew was doing here in the first place. Colin was still in meditation when Gabe entered the cluttered room. They had been living here for half a year now, which was far to long waiting in one place for Gabe, his sense of adventure was calling him. He was used to traveling, and this new unexpected offer was too good to pass up, it could also give a real boost to their cultivating. "Your a fool if you actually plan to go with that Wonderkind." Sisfar spoke up. Gabe was digging through a pile of his weak weapon stock looking for something to Upgrade with his spirit power. He wanted to have a bit of money before they went anywhere. "Why? You think he's dishonest? Because I'm certain he isn't." Gabe smiled unperturbed. The Demon laughed at him. "You've been out in the woods to long Kid. He's playing you! And even if he's not, you'd be a fool to let him take you so far away from the Yellow belly mountains. It could take a century to get back this close." Matthew had said that his Family's home was in the Treasure lands North of the Acid Desert was many, many more miles from Sisfar's supposed Treasure Chamber than this city. "You've got a point Sisfar, but from where I stand the Yellow belly mountains are still years away. And the travel between here and there only gets more dangerous the closer we get, and we can only push our luck so far out in the wilderness. I know going with the Greenwood family is also a risk, Matthew could be just as evil as the rest of the world I guess. But I like risks, look at where they’ve gotten me. And I have a lot more faith in my own judgement than in the judgement of a stupid haunted bottle." Sisfar didn't say anything more on the subject, he just grunted and left Gabe in peace as he channeled his Perfect Spirit energy into a Low grade Throwing knife that could turn itself invisible for a short period of time.

The elder at the exit had given Gabe a Green band around his arm in place of the red ones he'd won, and just like the red ones it couldn’t be taken off be anyone below the elder realm. They also told him to come back exactly two weeks later for the next test. Gabe wore the green band proudly to show it off when Colin Came out of his cultivation. "Congratulations!" The servant said He smiled politely and yawned. "Is that from the Apprentice Realm competition or the Tyke?" Gabe frowned. "The apprentice Realm! I earned it honestly." Colin nodded. "Good, that must be a first for you. How does it feel?" Some of the risks Gabe had taken on their journey had not been legal, or very moral. In fact the majority of the stuff they had acquired wasn't through honest means. Gabe shot him an icy stare. "Your one to talk." He said. And turned back to the knife that he was looking at mumbling about not being appreciated. "Oh. And before I forget. Get ready to move. We're going to be traveling after the Channeler tests." Gabe mentioned. Colin turned sharply at him. "Why!? You didn't do anything stupid did you? Did you cheat?" Gabe shrugged not even looking around. "Oh man, please don't tell me we're heading for those stupid mountains again." Colin groaned, he thought Gabe was done dragging them both through the wilderness. and he was hoping to stay in this city for the rest of his life. It wasn’t grate living but it was a lot better that spending every waking hour in danger out in the wild. Gabe sighed. "Actually we're heading somewhere else. With a new friend of mine." Colin rose an eyebrow. "Who? And where?" he didn’t dare get hopeful about any of Gabe’s ridicules plans. Gabe shrugged again. "A member of the Greenwood family. He offered me a place to stay for a while after I beat him in the tests. He even said I could have access to some treasure lands." there was a long pause. "And you accepted?" Colin said it like it was the dumbest thing he'd ever heard. Gabe nodded still only looking at the sword he was Channeling into. "Yes, he's an honorable man and this could be a big break for us, in fact this will change everything and speed up our plans by years, I’d have been a complete fool to turn it down. Now We can forget about our money problems and just focus on our Cultivation." Colin grunted. "Don’t you mean YOUR plans, I planed on staying here for a little while longer. And How do you know he isn't planning to kill you? Why would he even offer something like that, I've never heard of a family house letting a stranger use their Treasure lands!. He must think your a moron! Scratch that, you are a moron!!” Colin was getting louder and louder as he spoke. “This stinks so bad people can smell it from the South continent!" Gabe turned around. "I would agree with you it’s a ridicules offer. Something like this only comes along once in a lifetime, and my gut tells me that this is a good thing. Plus We've been on a lucky streak since the heavenly Rune came to me and I'm willing to Wager we're still on it even now. Just pack up and get ready to leave because after the Channeler tests we'll be in the Treasure lands North of the Acid Desert. No matter what else you have to say about it." Colin clenched his teeth and grumbled. "You’re still the same, I thought you were growing responsible. But nope, your still willing to risk both our lives in a Gamble like this. Still as much of a sucker for taking the biggest risks for the smallest short term gains. You are impossible to deal with!"Colin tuned away and went back to his cultivation. Gabe felt like defending himself, but decided not to. Instead he just brushed it off and continued his work.