4 Years Ago
Inside the guesthouse in the Richie Family Estate in central Rayong.
Two boys are arguing inside, one is lying in a bed, and the other is on the side, looking somewhat pissed.
“Khyrum, what are you doing? Wake up, you asshole!” says Brandon, son of Lord Ethian Richie.
I just started High School 3 weeks ago but I still can't get a days peace with this bastard around.
I look at him as I lay on the bed from the corner of my eye.
“Hey asshole, wake up. I need to talk to you now”, he says now in a more forceful tone.
“What do you want, Brandon? I’m in no mood to deal with your shit today.”
It has to be known that although we live in the same Richie Family Estate, I’m not related to them. This makes me a pariah in the eyes of the Richie Family, except for Mister Ethian Richie. I only get contempt and abuse from the rest of them.
“I heard that Nox from Strike Team 3 wants to talk to you about joining his team. Supposedly, you showed great ability in the freshmen tryouts.”
Brandon can’t help but feel envious since I was chosen to join a strike team first instead of him.
The weird thing is I never tried out for a strike team.
Could someone have spied on me during my evening workouts? I usually try to do them when I know no one is around or in an isolated spot so as not to attract attention.
“I’m not sure if that's true, but even if it was, what does it have to do with you, Brandon?”
“What do you mean? What does it have to do with me? I’m the son of Sir Ehtian Richie, head of the Richie family and part of the Gravitaz Group.”
“It has everything to do with me. You're just a nobody who has attached yourself to us like a leech. If you screw up and fall flat on your face, how do you think people are going to look at us?”
“I want to make this clear: you are not allowed to join any strike teams or competitive competitions where you can make our family look bad. Understand?” says Brandon, now visibly agitated.
Looking at him, I know he won't let this go. He is such a jealous freak. I’m not even sure this news is correct, as no one has told me about it. But even if there is a minor chance of being true, I know he will not let it go. He has to be first.
“I was not going to join even if I asked,” I say, a little upset.
“You know that I don’t like publicity. I would rather keep a low profile and have a normal, boring life,” I say.
“But if there is ever an opportunity that I feel will benefit me in the future, I would think about it,” I tell myself.
“Don’t misunderstand Brandon. I live here, but it was at your father's invitation. That does not give you the right to tell me what to do.” “If you have a problem, bring it up to your dad,” I told him calmly.
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Ever since middle school, the treatment here has gotten worse. I tolerated it as I had no other place to go, but other than the living arrangement, I do not require or need of this family. When I was younger and needed them, they treated me like shit; now that I’m bigger and can fend for myself, I do not need them at all.
“I really should start looking for a place to call my own,” I think.
Living alone today can be very dangerous and very expensive, though.
We digressed from the standards after the invasion from about 1000 years back. There are no more self-ruling governments today in 3026.
The world today is run by a committee. The ten most powerful families and institutions formed and run the committee, and the world's military powers report to them. Who are the ten strongest families, you ask? Here is a list of the current ones and what techniques they control.
1. Gravitaz Family----------Earth & Gravity Techniques
2.Clan Azura---------------Flying & Lightning Techniques
3.House Nouvis-----------Heat & Plasma Attributes
4. Avis Grex----------------Wind Techniques
5. Zigmis Group-----------Fire Techniques
6.Clan Daisuke-----------Poisons & Stealth Techniques
7.House Cassiel----------Vitality & Healing Techniques
8. Thurmis Consortium-Cyborg Technology
9. Saux Dominion--------Plants & Nature Techniques
10. Astren Group--------Water Techniques
Technology is limited to the governing capitals and crucial areas of these major Families & Institutions. Everyone else lives like back in the 16th century, even though we are already in the 30th.
This has caused various areas worldwide to become lawless to an extent. The governing crucial cities and regions like war zones, military training grounds, industrialized labor areas, and spaceports usually get the most oversight. Everything else is a crab shoot. Unless you are part of a strong TGene household and can safely secure your living area, most other people have been herded into these governing cities.
But here, they live almost like slaves.
Here, they are told what to eat, how to live, and where to work. The governing family or institution sets the rules, and people must abide by them. Most of these cities have curfews, and all of them have extremely expensive living costs. You are working to pay for your food and lodging. You have no say in politics, and marriage within the city is strictly monitored. You can only marry within your rank, but if you have a kid with great TGene potential, the governing authority can claim them as their own. You get compensation for the child, but it's not much. Those families that try to run away or fight back are usually harshly punished or even eliminated.
People caught causing dissension are usually imprisoned and then either conscripted into the local military force, which is a pretty easy way to die or thrown out of the city, which is an even easier way to die.
When I think of these things, I tell myself, “Damm K, we need to make money first if we ever plan on leaving this place. We need to find a job or some way of being self-sufficient.”
Luckily, I have picked up three first-tier skills over the last two years. I have kept them secret all this time to avoid alerting curious onlookers.
I knew I was different but did not realize it until I was about 12. When my family started being overbearing, I decided to venture out on my own and get what I needed. That was the first time I started paying attention to my strength.
Most humans cannot manifest TGene skills before the age of 15 when they awaken. This ritual is the metamorphosis of our TGene code, but it's so diluted now that the traits don’t start showing up until after people turn 15 or older.
Strangely, I could manifest traits since I was 8 or 9. But I never took it seriously, as I was still under the head-in-sand philosophy at that age.