"Ugh." Kade opened his eyes with a splitting headache. It felt like a red hot railroad spike was being hammered into his skull. Each pulse caused his body to tense.

"He's awake!" A loud voice came from his right.

Gritting his teeth, he growled out "Don't yell! damn..." while applying pressure between his eyes.

A few seconds later, he was swarmed by Cal, Walter, and Ben.

"How're you feelin'?" Ben asked quietly with a frown plastered on his face.

"I have a splitting headache..." Kade replied, before looking down at his right hand. "And my hand is screwed. I think..."

"That's good. Before, you were like a zombie." Cal said with a soft sigh "You didn't respond to anything and the look in your eyes was blank. Like a, uh, thousand-yard stare."

Kade glanced at him briefly but held his tongue. Truthfully, he would rather return to that. The pain he was feeling was intense. So much so that he contemplated bashing his own head with a rock. He would do almost anything to get rid of the pain.

Trying to get his mind off of the pain, he asked questions to fill in his memories "How're the other two?"

Ben smiled "They are resting. The process was pretty exhausting for everyone, but we managed to save them. Thanks to you. Once they circulated their Altaris they realized that it held off the poison."

"Good." Kade replied with a small nod. "How long was I out?"

Checking his watch, Walter answered "Roughly eighteen hours or so."

Kade's eyes widened "Fuck..." He whispered under his breath before enduring the pain and circulating his Altaris. Eighteen hours was far too long. Who knew how much his channels would heal in that time?

The pain in his head intensified drastically, but he couldn't stop. He used his Altaris to sense the condition of his channels before relief washed over him.

His channels hadn't healed nearly as much as he expected, though, they did heal a bit. It was unfortunate, but acceptable with all things considered. He would just have to get another channel cleansing pill in the future.

That was part of the consequence for overextending himself. Still, it was worth it to save the kids and keep his conscience clear. He wasn't a saint by any means, but his heart wasn't an icebox. Not yet at least.

Enduring the pain for a second cycle, he collected a mass of energy and stretched his channels once again before exiting his meditation and collecting himself.

He whistled to call Obruo back before looking at the three in front of him and assessing them, he gave a few quick orders "Go get food and water. Stay together and be cautious. Don't engage any beasts."

They were going to be here for at least a few days to give them time to heal, and they would still need to eat in that time. It would be up to these three to provide the necessities.

The three of them couldn't be considered skill survivalists by any means. It would take all of them working together to succeed, and that would leave the injured vulnerable. Unfortunately, they couldn't forego food and water.

Obruo could take care of patrolling the area, and in the worst-case scenario, Kade could still fight even in his current state.

"Got it, boss." Ben replied before checking his watch "We still have a few hours before it gets dark, so we will head out now." He gestured the other two who followed him out of camp as Obruo trotted in.

Kade smiled at Obruo before giving him two quick pats "Good job, buddy. I'm gonna need you to keep it up."

*Awo Tiss* Obruo growled while shaking his body.

"I know bud, but I'm not healthy enough to do it myself. I need you." Rubbing the pup's leathery skin, he thought of a compromise "Next two beast cores are yours, given they aren't exceptionally unique."

*Tiss* Obruo responded by rubbing his head on Kade's chest before trotting back out of camp.

Kade watched him intently. Calling this a compromise was only partially true. He had watched the pup grow and could only marvel at the stark difference. Originally, Kade had taken the pup down with the weakest spells a mage could cast, and to call the canine weak was an understatement.

But now? Perhaps Obruo couldn't take down a full-fledged beast on his own, but he could certainly mess it up. His teeth were able to penetrate even the toughest hide and calling the pup elusive was fitting. He never failed to surprise their enemies and had consistently slipped away without him ever noticing.

He wasn't sure when, or even if, Obruo would evolve into a beast. Even so, the pup was constantly growing stronger. To his knowledge, Obruo hadn't done anything special to achieve his growth, and it seemed far too rapid to be natural. So, what else could it be if not the beast cores that he was consuming?

It made sense. Beast cores were just energy contained in a crystalized shell. Even humans could assimilate a core's energy for personal growth, and it should be far easier for a beast to do so.

Even if he couldn't be sure that Obruo would evolve, it was still an investment he could justify. Increasing Obruo's strength would make their hunts faster and safer. Plus, he was a good pup.

Releasing a sigh, he laid flat on the ground and stared at the sky. This choice, while he felt it was the right one, would make things more difficult for him. FwD needed money, and he was the primary breadwinner for the group right now. If he was set on supplying Obruo with cores, then he would have to find a way to increase his hunting speed and efficiency.

Before, he only managed to get fourteen cores in total, but that was mainly because he lacked lethality. His spells had been relatively weak and he had to use roundabout methods to kill most beasts.

Now, his offense was grade A with Yisik's arrow and Procyon. His crowd control took a huge step with Spirit chains and he even had mobility now. However, these improvements didn't increase his efficiency as much as he thought they would.

Sure, his hunts were incredibly simple now, and far safer than before. But he had to take things slow due to the increased consumption of Altaris. Not to mention that he was playing things far more cautiously than before.

Hell, one of the first beasts he killed was a lion that had dismantled a full team!

Truthfully, his current attitude wasn't bad. It would make for a slow, steady progression. He could climb to the top one step at a time in the safest manner possible.

But was that truly the life he wanted to live? Toil away slowly until he had sufficient strength? No. Hell no!

There were countless dustbags that had walked the well-beaten path and flew under the radar, seeking the same strength as the others but with half the fervor. By the time they obtained what they wanted, they were old and decrepit. Sure, they succeeded, but at what cost? Their life. Year after boring year. All so they could say 'I'm strong!' for a few years before they bit the dust.

He wondered. Would those same dustbags revel in the accomplishments of their peers who had fallen decades before them? Had they lived vicariously through them? Did they regret all of the things they missed out on? Or was their single noteworthy accomplishment worth it?

Those were questions he never wanted to ask himself. He didn't want to trudge along for a few years of false glory.

No. His goals were for simple reasons. He wanted to enjoy life to the fullest. Everything he was doing was for that reason. Even seeking power as a cultivator was all in the effort of removing any obstructions that could hinder his enjoyable life.

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After all, he could do anything he wanted when no one could stop him.

He wanted that as soon as possible. Not when he was too old to enjoy it. That being said, power didn't come easily. There were no shortcuts. It required a sacrifice in some form.

He could give up his youth as so many others did by taking the 'safe' path, or, he could brave the dangers that others weren't willing to face and grasp the opportunities that lay beyond. Each had its merits and drawbacks, but he already knew his choice.

Humans had a saying, 'The journey is half the fun.'. He wanted a lot of that fun, and he wouldn't get that by taking the safe path. Maybe he would fail and his burning inferno would fade into a memory spoken of by the dustbags of tomorrow, but he would enjoy every moment.

Furrowing his brows pensively, he returned his thoughts to the issue at hand. His hunting. If his overtly cautious methods were half of the problem, then his Altaris consumption was the other half. Of course, this would be solved in time as he cultivated and increased his Altaris pool, but adjusting his combat style now would serve him in the future.

'I've lost a lot of my ingenuity since learning first-level spells...' He thought, having found the final crux of his issue. He had more tools at his disposal now, but he became overly reliant on their effectiveness.

He could kill a beast with offensive spells now, but it might take three or more casts to do so. That was a lot of Altaris to expend when he only had enough for around ten spells. He had also become extremely one-dimensional.

Lock the target down with Spirit chains, cast Yisik's arrow, follow up with Procyon, then another Yisik's arrow. Repeat until dead. This method was tried and true, but it wasn't efficient. He had no doubt that he could do better, and from now on, he would.

Ideas flooded his mind as he slowly drifted to sleep, content with himself and his plans.

...

"Haaaaa." Kade breathed out a deep breath, his upper body straightening. Opening his eyes, a small smile flashed across his face.

Finally, after two weeks, he had finished cleansing his channels. The process was more rewarding than he had expected. His channels had grown in size, and his control had improved significantly. Even his mental faculties had improved, likely from the intense strain when attempting to help Trey.

This was a baptism of sorts. It seemed as though all of the important aspects of a mage had improved over this short time. Though, this fortune didn't come easy. It was rife with risk and it wasn't wrong to say that luck played at least a small part in his success.

His actions had been out of desperation and any misstep could have led to severe consequences. It wasn't wrong to say that he had risked his life multiple times in an endeavor to save others, and he won the gamble. More so, he managed to fight the hidden dangers within and grasp opportunity.

Risks held danger but often hid fortune as well. This was just one such case.

Now, it was time to acclimate to these changes. First, clenching his right hand a few times, he felt a slight pain radiate throughout. This was a lingering result of the backlash when assisting Trey. His Altaris had gone wild and shredded the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in his hand. With Ben's assistance, it had healed rapidly, but even with his healing, it took almost two weeks for the full function to return.

Standing up, he walked to the sleeping kids nearby and kicked them one after the other.

"Ugh, let me sleep!" Walter growled out with a raspy voice while turning over.

Cal had a similar reaction. Ben, as expected, fought his discomfort and sat up while rubbing his eyes.

They couldn't be blamed. Over the past week, they had handled all of the team's needs like hunting for food, gathering water, patrolling the surroundings, and keeping watch at night. However, that was a part of this life.

"Get up, you punks." Kade said as he dumped half of his canteen on Walter and the other half on Cal. "Everyone else is already awake."

Both of them flailed for a second before bolting upright and glaring at him. "Why did you have to do that?!" Cal cried out indignantly.

Kade smirked "Who told you to sleep so soundly in the wilderness?" before strapping his canteen to his belt "You've had it relatively easy until now, but that all changes today."

He hadn't taken his responsibility toward these kids' seriously. Before, he figured he could help them out a bit and they would survive until they parted ways. However, his mindset changed after being with them for a bit.

These were good kids stuck in a shitty situation. Every moment spent with them reminded him of his past with his brothers. It reminded him of all of the other kids out there struggling just as they had.

Until now, these five only had each other. Now, they had him, and soon, they would have his family.

"Gather 'round. We've got some things to discuss before we head out." He said before taking a seat and waiting.

The five others slowly came forward and sat in a circle.

He glanced at all of them briefly before taking a deep breath and beginning. "I won't lie. I hadn't put in much effort helping you five until last week. To me, you were just a bunch of foolish punks' that had came to Detrius in arrogance and latched onto the first lifeline when you realized how weak you were."

"But I see it differently now. You're here because you thought this was your only option. Desperation drove you here. You've only had each other. Loyalty and friendship has kept you all together and made you strong enough to survive until now."

A bitter expression crossed his face "Believe it or not, I've been in a similar position. Our past has more similarities than you'd guess." His eyes shot to Jay "Like you, I'm the leader of my group. Our decisions affect the ones that depend on us, and I've made some mistakes. Mistakes that I never want you to make."

"That being said." He straightened his back and collected his emotions "You have a choice to make. Join my faction and follow me. I'll teach you everything I know and we will face all of this together. Or, continue as you are and we will part ways right now."

Everyone's expressions change in various ways. Confusion and pensive thought reigned.

"Wait, why do we have to part ways now?" Cal asked indignantly "Can't you continue teaching us until we go back to Earth?"

Ben responded with a frown "We are an investment. Why should he take care of us and give us his knowledge if we are of no use to him?"

Kade sighed before shaking his head. Ben was very smart, but he was too calculating. He couldn't see the truth behind someone's intentions.

"That's not it." Kade said before his bitterness returned "I said that I've made some mistakes. One, in particular. Now, I have to live with the consequences for the rest of my life. I don't want to see you all make the same mistake."

Rubbing his brow, he continued "I can't prevent every mistake. We aren't omniscient. We can't know what will happen, but as leaders, we have to make the decisions. Sometimes, bad things will happen as a result of our decisions. But if you join my faction then I can minimize those mistakes and take some responsibility when bad things do happen."

His nostrils flared and his voice shook as he remembered painful memories. Standing at his brother's grave was haunting, and felt like a dagger to the heart. The responsibility he felt was immeasurable. Perhaps only Jay would feel this suffocating pain.

That was exactly what he wanted to prevent. He couldn't ensure that these five would live, but he wanted to lessen the pain caused by death.

"Teaching us what you know will still help us." Ben said, skeptically.

Kade nodded "True. It could also give you too much confidence and ultimately lead to your death."

Truthfully, Ben wasn't wrong. Kade could teach them for the next few weeks or months and part ways while patting himself on the back. If news of their death popped up in the future, well, that would be on them. After all, they weren't his responsibility and he had already done enough for them.

In most cases, Kade could justify that. He would feel no emotion at the death of an acquaintance, and certainly no responsibility regardless of the reason. But this was a bit different.

This small group of youths mirrored his own too much. Besides, they had been together for a month at this point and a bond had formed. Regardless of what they decided, he was invested in their wellbeing.

Going separate ways was just a way to sever that connection as soon as possible and minimize the emotional turmoil he might face. It was a little bit selfish, but everyone had to look out for themselves to a certain extent.

Jay, who had remained silent, turned his attention to the others. He started with Trey, who nodded heavily with a stoic expression.

Walter, surprisingly, gave a thumbs up with a goofy grin. Followed by Cal, who shrugged before nodding.

Finally, he shifted his gaze to Ben, who remained undecided and locked in thought. That was to be expected from the brains of the group, as there were many pros and cons to joining another faction.

It would limit their autonomy to a degree, and they would be forced to support the faction in some capacity. They would be tying their fate to another, and anyone with aspirations would be hesitant to do so.

That wasn't to say that there weren't benefits. For one, they would have support from someone stronger and more experienced than they were. All things considered, they were as green as could be. What they needed right now was support, and Kade's faction could provide that.

While it was far from the best faction they could join, the cost would likely reflect that.

"How strong is your faction?" Ben questioned.

"Weak." Kade replied honestly "I'm the strongest, and the others started around the same time as you all. We have six people, including me. One of which isn't a cultivator. Also, one isn't combat-oriented."

Ben nodded. In his opinion, this wasn't a huge issue. Most human factions would be considered weak right now, and a new, small faction had benefits too. If they joined now and the faction became powerful in the future, then they would undoubtedly hold an important position.

Besides, what they wanted didn't require a big, strong faction.

Kade knew what they were looking for. "My faction is made up of my family right now, and the family will always be the core of the faction. That's what I want you guys to join."

Ben furrowed his brows. "What exactly are you proposing?"

Kade replied with a smile "I'm offering exactly what you're missing. A family!"

They had talked about this frequently, usually when they were inebriated and emotional. By joining together they had created their own family, but there were countless other youths out there that were abandoned, abused, and struggling without anyone to rely on.

They entertained thoughts of starting an orphanage and adopting those troubled youths. Giving them a support system and a foothold to rise up in life.

They had never acted on it, until now.

Ben's expression shifted repeatedly before coming to rest with a soft smile. "Okay."