Kade opened his eyes as he rolled his shoulders. The first thing he did was check his status. A bright smile blossomed on his face before it turned into a weird grin.
"HAHA, finally!" He exclaimed while clenching his fist "No excuses now you old coot, it's time you teach me a few spells!"
He had finally reached level 5 after three weeks of hard work that felt torturous. He hadn't cast a spell in three weeks. Instead, all of his time was spent cultivating, reading, and cleaning.
Even after reaching level 5, he would still have to read and clean. However, now he could begin learning cool and useful spells too. In reality, this meant that he would become busier, but any form of entertainment was welcome.
"Teach? When did I ever say that I would teach you spells?" Wompus hissed "I said that after reaching level 5, you could begin to learn basic spells! Books and struggle will be your teacher!"
Kade immediately frowned, his expression slowly warping to display his despair.
"More reading?" He mumbled as his enthusiasm deflated rapidly, causing him to fall back and sprawl out on the ground "Eh, how hard could it be? I learned all those inferior spells through a book."
He wasn't as upset as he let on. His only gripe was with how difficult it would be to balance his time. He was already reading two monstrosities, but he couldn't drop either. The information within was far too valuable.
"Haha." An unfamiliar laugh resounded through the room "Are you lacking the time to teach, Wompus? If so, I can make some time to teach young Kade a few spells."
Kade raised a brow as he looked to his right to find a tall, muscular red man. He hadn't noticed the man's presence before he laughed, but the man knew his name so he had likely been around long enough for a casual conversation.
"You are?" Kade asked in confusion.
"I'm a good friend of your grand master Wompus. You can call me Uncle Tron." Tetron said with an amicable smile
Kade allowed his gaze to dart to Wompus, seeing his goofy grin before turning to look back at this, uncle Tron.
"Thank's for offering, big red, but I'm sure the old coot has his reasons for making me read." Kade replied politely once he realized that the red man seemed to have some connection with Wompus.
Tetron coughed a few times before collecting himself, though his eyes still twitched imperceptibly. 'This little... How can he have the jewels to mock the two of us?' Despite his thoughts, he kept his emotions contained. His plans hinged on the disrespectful young man, and he wouldn't give up over something like this.
"My offer remains, should you find yourself overworked then feel free to seek me out." Tetron spoke, feeling exceptionally proud of himself as he tugged on his goatee.
"Will do." Kade replied with a nod as he climbed to his feet and headed for the door. Before leaving, he stopped and turned around with a curious expression. A few moments later, he spoke.
"Oh, by the way, take off your shoes at the door next time." He said before disappearing through the doorway.
Tetron's jaw dropped in disbelief but snapped shut after his irritation boiled over and he was forced to clench his jaw. The gall of that youth!
"Pfft HAHAHA!" Wompus couldn't stifle his laughter any longer. It had taken everything he had when Kade called the great and respectable Tetron, Big Red.
At first, Wompus hated the brat's penchant for goofy and rude nicknames. However, they had grown on him and he found his slightly endearing now. But there was no doubt that it would irk Tetron to no end, which he happily welcomed.
"Do you seriously allow that weak human to call you an old coot?" Tetron asked as he frowned deeply. None could forget the chaos this old mage reaped in his younger days. Few would dare to even think of an insult, much less spout it so recklessly.
Wompus shrugged "It's fitting. I'm old and a bit weird. Besides, I know he is just being genuine. I prefer him this way, rather than if he put on a facade and sucked up like everyone else."
Tetron raised a brow as some of his irritation turned into curiosity "Isn't such reverence something we deserve as powerful cultivators?"
Wompus nodded "Indeed. Though, how many of the people that grovel before us honestly feel admiration? I'd wager that the number is close to zero."
"Obviously. I wouldn't doubt that those bugs prostrating before me would cut me down the first chance they got. However, unless they are stronger, they will always be forced to bow their heads." Tetron said with a majesty he hadn't shown this day.
"Our power isn't infallible, Tetron. Call them bugs all you want, but can you ensure that none will ever best you in some way?"
"Of course not, but what harm could they do? They only achieve success because I allow it." Tetron shook his head.
"That doesn't irk you? Never knowing exactly how the people around you feel about you? Always having to guard against everyone? Because it causes me to want to vomit at the thought of another trying to manipulate me for their own desires." Wompus said with thick disdain
"Where is this coming from, Wompus? Twenty years ago, you'd have been the first to force another to bow. Is your flame waning?" Tetron questioned with a mix of sadness and pity.
Wompus, however, smiled "I've just grown wise. Otherwise, how would I have pulled one over on you today."
"Bah." Tetron waved his hand dismissively "Don't get too prideful, it won't happen again."
They stood up and Wompus led him toward the door. "Don't be so sure, my friend. It will make your fall all the more embarrassing."
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
...
Kade was none the wiser as he was fully focused on planning his path. His days would change slightly to accommodate learning and practicing higher-level spells. Overall, he would be busier than ever.
And as all busy people knew, time could pass in the blink of an eye.
-
Kade released his breath as he stretched his torso, faint popping sounds ringing in his ears the further his body extended. Turning his right-hand palm down, a spell trace flickered before a gust of wind blasted, lifting him from the ground and to his feet with a burst.
'Not too much longer now.' He mused with a prideful grin.
Today marked the third month of his training and soon it would come to an end. He had made remarkable progress compared to his previous advancements. Though, he didn't know how he stacked up to the common cultivators of the Yonkel Faction. Regardless, he was satisfied with his pace.
The training had taught him many things, even about himself. The most important being how suited he was to the class. While he didn't enjoy the slog that came with reading the info dumps, that was the price to pay for greatness. And oh how he loved the power.
It was intoxicating.
Humans weren't ready for such power, but honestly, what being would be? Altaris allowed cultivators to become something more than they were, and he doubted that anyone would be completely responsible when they could control lightning.
He pulled the robe top back onto his shoulders as he ran his hand through his hair, which had now grown significantly to form a shaggy mess on his head.
He turned and headed for the door of the training room, blasting the wall with a few wind blasts, causing it to open wider with each strike. Stepping through the doorway, his steps halted.
In front of him was a small man, resembling a human in many ways. However, the sharp teeth, verticle pupils, and odd-shaped ears gave away the fact that he was anything but.
After observing the new face for a moment, he turned and walked down the hall. In his time here, he had seen quite a few foreign faces. He never bothered with them.
The only aliens he became acquainted with were Big Red and others that took the initiative to introduce themselves. Or the rare times Wompus required it of him.
Opening the closet, he flicked his wrist, causing his hand to swish and a spell trace to form. The supplies he used daily flew out of the closet and began moving on their own.
This was the only spell that Wompus had fully taught him. Autonomy. It allowed the caster to imbue inanimate objects to complete only the most basic tasks.
The spell was niche and complicated due to the strict requirements when it came to the intent infused. He doubted he could have learned it himself, and had no desire to originally. Though, it did prove useful.
With his chores being taken care of, he left toward the market. Upon arriving, he went to a familiar store and stepped inside.
"Yuukah." He called out with a smile
A short, chubby alien peaked over the counter "Good afternoon, Kade." She called out sweetly "Are ya here for the usual?"
"That's right." Kade replied with a nod "But, add an extra portion of Morel's on the side."
"Sure thing." Yuukah replied before disappearing followed by rapid tapping sounds.
Kade took a seat while he waited. This was his favorite restaurant on the base. They served a mix of foods from many different planets, including many from Earth.
Surprisingly, Yuukah had taken a fancy to Morel Mushrooms and went through quite the effort to persuade one of her suppliers to find a way to cultivate them year-round.
Kade was delighted at this fact. Morel mushrooms were one of his favorite foods, but even on Earth, they were difficult to find which was only exacerbated by the fact that they were seasonal.
Now, he could eat them daily. He even instructed Yuukah on some cooking methods in appreciation for her as a fellow enthusiast.
Soon, the plump Yuukah appeared in front of him with three large bags on a floating cart. She held out her hand.
Kade handed her a metal card for her to scan before he put it back into his pocket and grabbed the bags. "Thanks, Yuukah. See you later."
"Mhm. Eat well." She replied as she patted her tummy.
Kade chuckled before leaving. He took his time on the way back. He hadn't been here long, but he was growing fond of the area. The few people he interacted with were very polite and welcoming, and life here was convenient.
Stores were open 24/7 and you could find almost anything someone could want. Travel was simple with an abundance of options like public transportation or self-piloting hovercrafts.
Even the atmosphere was enchanting, with everything being a mix of futuristic and historical designs. In a way, he reminded him of the United States in the fact that it was an amalgamation of many cultures.
Even though he liked this place, he would be leaving soon. The Yonkel base would likely play a large part in his future, but for now, it wasn't home.
He itched to return to Earth. To see his family, and to experience the excitement that they would get into.
By the time he broke free from his thoughts, he was already back at Coot manor. He made his way to the lounge where they usually had their meal.
Rounding the corner, he was taken aback slightly. There were far more people than he had ever seen in the manor at one time. A few faces he recognized, like Graak and Big Red, but many that he had only seen in passing or not at all.
They were sat on mats on both sides of the room with a wide berth in the middle. He found Wompus sitting at the far end like the head of household would at a dinner table, with Big Red sitting slightly off to the side.
After the moment of surprise, he walked down the berth and stopped in front of Wompus before placing the bags down and emptying the contents in front of the old coot.
He didn't notice the gazes of those around him, some of which held praise, while others seemed to find the sight peculiar.
Then, Kade plopped down in front of the Archmage and whistled. Followed by Obruo running into the room and taking his spot at their impromptu dinner table.
"You picked up extra morel's this time, right?" Wompus asked with a bit of anticipation as he pulled the lid off one of the containers.
"Of course. Two servings aren't enough." Kade replied as he unwrapped a slab of meat and put it in front of Obruo.
The spectators watched on, dumbstruck. They were people with some measure of both status and power, yet they were completely ignored. Not just by the unfamiliar human, but also the Archmage himself.
Even more disconcerting, the vast majority of them had, what they would consider, a deep relationship with Archmage Wompus. Yet they had never shared a meal like this with the master. What right did this human have to do so?
Only Graakas and Big Red remained mostly unfazed. They both knew how close the pair had become, and after spending enough time with Kade had grown to appreciate his boorish charm. Even Tetron's excessive pride was lost to the nonchalance of the young mage.
"You sneaky old coot!" Kade shouted as he swatted at the old man's hand angrily "Eat your portion first before digging into the extras!" He chided while fumbling for the extra side of mushrooms.
"Arrogan-" One of the spectators began but was cut off when he heard the Archmage cackling
"You snooze you lose, brat." Wompus said with the tray of mushrooms in hand "Just accept this as your last lesson of the camp."
Kade frowned "I'll teach you a less, you senile old bastard!" Kade howled as a spell trace formed.
Everyone's eyes nearly popped out of their head as they watched.
A tray of food flew into the air sending the contents flying. Spotting the mushrooms, Kade cast another spell causing the bowl to fly his way. Until everything froze in midair.
"Ah, my dinner!" Wompus cried out as he waved his hand, causing the food floating in the air to return to his tray and collect into their respective piles.
He glared at Kade "That was dirty. You don't mess with other people's food."
"Said the dust bucket that stole the damn mushrooms." Kade mumbled as he returned the glare.
"Ahem." Tetron cleared his throat with a smile that he was struggling to hide "Kade, Surely you have noticed everyone gathered here?"
Kade glanced over at him "Yea, you all can go get your own food."
"Haa." Tetron facepalmed and sighed "That wasn't... Nevermind. Everyone is here for something other than having a meal."
Kade narrowed his eyes as he stuffed a mushroom into his mouth "Stop being so vague and just spit it out, Big Red."
*Swoosh*
*Crackle*
In the blink of an eye, three attacks were launched with Kade as the target. They were far too fast for Kade to react, he hadn't even noticed them until it was too late.
However, he seemed unperturbed as multiple barriers formed around him. Three, to be exact.
He scanned the room to find three people that had risen from their mats and were staring daggers into him.
"Rude." Kade stated in a relaxed tone. "If only looks could kill."
"Father, why did you protect him?" A tall, thin female alien asked indignantly
"Enough. Sit, Kellanoir." Tetron replied, his staple majesty having returned.
He choked down his frustration. Today, he had intended to bring his plan together. Unfortunately, Kade seemed to be a master when it came to oblivious destruction.
Kade allowed his eyes to shift around the room. He had taken note of these people when he arrived and though he was curious why they were here, he had no plans to delay dinner. Unless Wompus demanded so.
Though, he knew that what caused them to attack was his casual way of speaking which the strong liked to interpret as disrespect. But why should he restrict himself and put on a facade when they were guests? If the owner of the manor didn't care, then he didn't see an issue.
"You too, Phendral, Onodar." Wompus said before turning to Kade "See, I warned you of this. Others won't appreciate your way of conversing."
"Ahem, 'It's not disrespect, it's a lack of excessive respect'." Graakas chimed in mimicking Kade.
Kade grinned and raised a thumb "That's right, you finally get it."
Did the big alien think he could get a rise out of him with childish mocking? What a fool.
"Bah, regardless. While it's their problem, they have the ability to make it your problem. Do you follow?" Wompus preached.
Kade nodded "I get it. I just don't like it."
Wompus gestured in a wild and goofy manner as if to show frustration before seemingly giving up on the situation and returning to his food.
Tetron took the chance to continue where he left off "Anyway. Part of the reason that everyone has gathered is to be a witness."
Kade raised a brow "Witness to what?"
Tetron smiled "An offer. I have a proposal for you, Kade."
Kade finally showed some interest as he placed down his utensils. His eyes darted to Wompus for a moment before he gave Tetron his undivided attention.
"Alright, I'm listening."
Tetron straightened his back and allowed a portion of his aura to spread as his demeanor became serious.
"I, Tetron Yonkel, would like to personally invite you to join the Yonkel faction. Furthermore, I invite you to join my family through wedlock with my daughter, Kallanoir Yonkel."