Ch. – 8 Protected

It’s been almost a year since Lina came home attacked and nearly died but this was also the year when Lina said she would have to leave. Kaiden had forgotten that and was very saddened to hear that she would be leaving in a while. However due to her ties to Setat she made a promise to come back for his awakening, also she and Raz had finally admitted feelings for each other but it was a slippery slope. They always had a unique relationship, seeing how he was recently promoted to second in command of the 3rd Legion and was now a vice-general and Lina’s dubious past.

Lina had revealed her past to both Kaiden and Raz but they accepted her with no issues. Lina was once a child soldier from the old Azlia Empire before there was a coup and the soldiers escaped. Lina unfortunately escaped and was forced into an assassination force, known as the [Twin Blades]. The [Twin Blades] were known across Zerte for the ‘efficiency’ of their work, nobles, adventurers, soldiers, and even royalty weren’t safe from their reach. However they were available for more than just removing people. They sometimes offered protection… for a price. On average it would cost five hundred gold for one person, this person would be protected for half of a year from assassination, murder, and from other types of attack. Thus the meaning of [twin blades], one blade for killing, one blade for protecting.

Lina was a high ranking member in the group and so she had to move from kingdom to kingdom. As she was traveling she ran into the mercenaries that Christian was a part of. Christian was a guard for hire who was hired to protect a merchant but as assassin she bypassed Christian altogether to reach here target. At that time they were enemies, but the next time he successfully defended his client and she was left in the dust. A few months later they had decided to be at peace with each other, understanding the work of the other and not holding it against each other.

“There was one time your dad stabbed me, finished his route to the city he was hired to go to by his client. Then he rode back sat next to me lying on the road and asked me. ‘Hey you still alive?’ and all I could say was ‘no.’” As she laughed.

She said after that day they became friends, and she actually took a leave of absence from the [Twin Blades] (With permission of course) to travel with him. Then they met others who would join them into becoming a group of mismatched mercenaries. That all ended at the fall of Kimala empire though, half of the mercenary group hired to defend the walls died so their group disbanded, but promised to regroup again.

Lina left to rejoin the [Twin Blades] and life continued but she came to cherish those memories with Christian and the group.

But now was the time, her deal with the group was coming to an end and it was time for her to return. Next week her ‘vacation’ would be over. That week she told Raz that if she could she would continue to protect Kaiden but if she couldn’t Raz agreed to have an eye out for him.

On Lina’s last day she everyone went to greet her at the door and everyone hugged her. No words were said except ‘See you later’. She pulled out a scroll that shined brightly and then disappeared.

“What was that?” Kaiden asked stunned.

“A [Teleportation] scroll, not very common but used by some in a hurry, but it has side effects depending on the quality. Some make it so you can’t move for three days after you use it.” Christian said.

“Oh.” Kaiden said in astonishment.

“Use only in extreme cases.” Maria told him as they headed home.

“Ready for training now Kaiden?” Christian asked him.

“Yeah what are we doing today?” Kaiden responded.

“Were doing shield reaction today, you don’t want Zona to hit you in the head again do you?” Christian asked him.

“Oh yeah, that would be bad.” Kaiden responded, last week Kaiden raised his shield too slow and got struck across the head with a practice sword, luckily Zona was able to drop the speed before it hit.

Nowadays Kaiden trained three hours with his dad at the barracks with new recruits, and veterans every day. While still going to maintain his orphanages and business deals with Eldys. Kaiden was now richer than before as he amassed close to eight thousand gold in the last year. Eldys’s contracts had gone up since he began to employ and teach workers. Now they had their own potion brewery and herb growing farm.

Also Kaiden had opened another orphanage that was in the [East workshop District] but recently Kaiden had run into issues there. A local workshop wanted to expand their space and was part of the [Craftsman Guild] and tried to force Kaiden out of the district. So Kaiden decided to have a little chat with the guild head seeing as how his son was a classmate of Kaiden. In the [Craftsman Guild] office Kaiden went in to ‘convince the guild Maestro to help against the aggressor.

“Hello sir, I Am Kaiden Tala Greywolf here to speak with Guild Maestro Rowan.” Kaiden said to the receptionist. She looked at him funny until she went through her schedule saying he was a priority meeting.

“Right this way Young Master Kaiden” she said in an awkward tone. Leading them into the door of the Guild Maestro.

“Sir this is Kaiden Tala Greywolf, He’s here to speak with you.” she said to him as he looked up.

“Please come in, Leave us Anna” he said as Kaiden went in and sat down. Rowan looked at him and didn’t think much of Kaiden since it was his son who made the intro.

“So what can I do for you Kaiden?” Rowan said.

“There is a man in the [Craftsman Guild] who is trying to shut down my orphanage in the [East Workshop’s District] and I would like you to intervene by telling him to stop.” Kaiden said respectfully.

Chuckling Rowan said, “Yes, I’ve heard but why should I stop him? He is a good craftsman and has many who work for him. Why should I stop him for an orphanage?” He scoffed.

“Well there are many reasons, but I’ll sum it up for you. I’ll destroy the [Craftsman’s Guild].” Kaiden said plainly.

“Hahaha, are you threatening me? This guild is connected to every craftsman in the city, work in the city is regulated by us. So how do you plan on changing that?” He asked.

“Well simple, I’ll take apart your crafts one by one, as you might not know I own a part of the Eldys Healing potions. I can convince him to stop buying glass from the craftsman of the guild and have him buy from a new source. Say… unaffiliated craftsman to the guild. Slowly your glass workers will be leaving the guild since they will not be making money from the largest buyer of glass bottles in the city. Then as for the blacksmith and armorers in the guild the third legion, the largest legion in the city, will suddenly have a new program hiring their own blacksmiths and becoming trained by master blacksmiths… I can continue if you’d like.” Kaiden smiled as Rowan became stiff.

He had heard that there was a partial owner with much influence to the return of Eldys the Potion Merchant, and his son told him that Kaiden was endorsed by General Ivan to join the Royal Academy. Who know what other connections Kaiden had built. Losing the blacksmiths and armorers as well as the glass workers would account to over 60 percent of the guild. He was now certain, the boy in front of him was not just any child.

“However I’m not here go just force you. I have another proposition for you as well.” Kaiden said.

“What did you have in mind?” Rowan asked nervously.

“Simple, the orphanage of course, I want the kids to have a future in life so if some craftsmen need assistants, protégés, messengers, or anything of the like. Just come by the orphanage. Also I can offer an exclusive contract to the glassworkers of the guild an exclusive contract of 30,000 cases of potion bottles at least per year for three years.” Kaiden smiled a grimace. Rowan understood, ‘take this ‘generous offer’ in exchange for your help or else.’

“Well Young Master Kaiden you have a deal. I will officially declare the guild as a patron of the orphanage.” Rowan smiled lightly.

“Sounds good to me, also I should say you might want to increase the amount of glassworkers, Eldys will be expanding in the coming years” Kaiden smiled.

Three weeks had passed since then and the merchant had stopped hawking them, in return Kaiden gave them the contract. Also due to Eldys’ shrewd negotiation he managed to get them at a good price. However there was a day that Kaiden didn’t know about, Eldys came by his house and told his parents that the craftsmen who had tried to shut down the orphanage had done something.

“He did what?!” Christian said.

“He’s hired a group of thugs to attack the orphanage and Kaiden. But of course this was done through back channels and the beggars came to tell me. What should we do? Kaiden can’t know about this.” Eldys said.

“Eldys do you know when they will attack?” Maria asked.

“Tonight, it was a rush job, he hired a group of thugs called [Scaled Snakes]. They have a shady past from what I gathered.” Eldys told them.

“Ok, Eldys go home and stay there until tomorrow, we’ll take care of this.” Christian said.

“Are you sure? I can find some way to help.” He protested.

“NO! They’re targeting our son, we’ll handle this. Christian can you prep our armor.” Maria told them.

Christian then headed upstairs and came back down a moment later. “Kaiden will be home in an hour Christian go pick him up and train him hard so he won’t hear us tonight when we leave out.” Maria instructed.

That day Kaiden felt like he was being sent through hell and back as that day was a strength day, where all they did was train their body with weighted swords and sand bags. Kaiden slept that night like a rock.

“You ready?” Christian asked as he stood downstairs waiting for her. Christian was standing in full plated armor and was equipped with his Steel sword and a steel shield on his back. Maria came down in her black leather armor and was in with her bow across her back.

“Yeah let’s go.” Maria said as Christian led the way. They made their way across the east alleyways towards the [East Craftsmen’s District] and laid there in wait near the orphanage, they were about half a league from the orphanage when they saw the thugs heading their way. As they neared they stopped in front of Christian and Maria. In front of them the leader stepped out surrounded by twenty men in shoddy armor.

“Who are you?” The leader said.

“Who we are doesn’t matter but what matters is how much you get paid. Right?” Christian asked.

“We have our money already. So if you’re in our way we’ll have to remove you.” He smiled as he pulled out his sword.

“Even for double the gold?” Maria asked. Then the group of thugs stopped and looked to their leader.

“We could, but it how would we explain this to our employer after we’ve already accepted payment? Sorry but we have to follow through or else people will look down on us. ATTACK!” The leader said.

“Shame, Christian if you you’d please.” Maria said. As Christian stepped up on the road and he took his shield and slammed it down.

“[Earth Crater Wave]!” Christian shouted. From his shield a wave of earth started to surround the incoming mercenaries. Christian then moved forward and casted it again and again. At the end there was a large wall around them.

“Now then let’s hurry up. “ Christian went to the front and prepared for them. The leader of the men led the charge and attacked first.

Christian held his shield and held his ground as Maria prepared her arrows. With lightning speed and accuracy she filled the thugs with arrows, five down. Christian used his shield and smashed the one nearest target, the shield crushed his ribs and pierced his heart. The next one he chopped off the next targets arm and left him screaming. He then used [Molten Slash] and sent a spray of molten earth from his blade stopping the three near him. Their screams could be heard as Maria filled another three targets behind them.

By now the others had realized that these two weren’t your average pair. Christian was able to force them into a guaranteed chokepoint, at the same time slightly raise Maria’s height without the mercenaries knowing, and they were blocking the exit perfectly. Now the number had dropped more than half, and were looking to their cowering leader for help. The leader was adamant on surviving and he was willing to sacrifice his team to do it.

“Charge!” The leader said as he led a fake charge against Christian. As he was slowing down because he thought his men were following he realized he was alone. The men behind him were all sanding still while they dropped their weapons and begged for their lives. Maria killed him and was about to kill the others when Christian stopped her.

“Now then… you have two choices. Quit this life and become soldiers or do something more honorable or I can kill you now…” Christian said. One by one dropped their weapons so Christian let them go.

“We should have killed them, they were after Kaiden.” Maria pouted as she put her bow away.

“We might need them for ‘later’” He said as Maria became silent. Christian motioned for them to leave the area since guards would be coming now. They rushed home and made sure they weren’t followed.

The next morning news of the mass of dead bodies was heard around town, some knew what happened and some didn’t but in the end it wasn’t good for the craftsman who send the thugs. First he was kicked out the guild for some internal reasons, the family of the craftsman were then bankrupted, and then the craftsman’s savings were claimed by the kingdom for not paying taxes. Obviously there were others who were also protecting Kaiden’s interest without his knowledge. It was actually quite sad but Kaiden wasn’t responsible for any of this in anyone’s eyes.

At the royal academy the fire style was still being lectured on but wasn’t being taught. Kaiden obviously asked why and the reason was due to the need to control mana, the conduit sword was needed, and no one in the academy was allowed to teach it. Since the year before the basic styles of iron and water were taught to them, the classes were now just practice time. Sometimes beginner knights would come by and be training partners to five students at a time. The knight would always win but it was obvious they would.

Healer classes were now more difficult, this term they had to remember a hundred or so plants, their useful parts, the actions of those parts, and lastly the use of them in combination with others. In other words Kristian was having a good time with access to all the knowledge he had. Kaiden was feeling good with school and was happy that next year he would be awakened and he could gain his abilities. Kaiden was now trying to figure out how to continue his work with all his money he wouldn’t have to work. With his parents still being a target or he being a target he couldn’t just go out and be an adventurer. So the possibilities dwindled a bit, his options were to continue studying, become a soldier, a healer, or join the mages college.

The idea of studying was nice but he needed experience if he was going to of help when the disaster hit. The [Mark of Krieg] was a story told in school and was very similar to the story Raz had told him years ago. There was a difference however, the lesson said that there was a theory that the disasters had a building effect. So the first one was the dragon’s attack and the second one was an army from the nether world, a place where there were no governing, leading, or conscious gods. It was a place of creatures that attacked other worlds in the hope of stealing power from them. To repel them took the people of Zerte almost fifteen years to repel them finally and another twenty to fully close the portals in which they came through.

This knowledge was concerning to Kaiden, if every age was a building of disaster then how bad would it be this time? Kaiden worried and no doubt Raz and the others were worried as well. There was some hope though, The Kingdoms of Zerte, no matter how big or small had an ancient agreement when the [Mark Of Krieg] was ever discovered or made public the rulers were forced to help with whatever they could. As proof of the legitimacy of the mark Krieg himself would show himself and tell them the truth, however it was only during the time of disaster he was permitted to show himself.

The upcoming disaster was what made his decision harder that it would have been normally. With his options being vital in leading up to his survival in the future and to the future of those he would protect in the future it was becoming harder and harder to find a solution. At one private lesson with Zigg he told him what he was feeling except about the [Mark of Krieg] of course.

“Well there’s always the possibility of being a [New Specialization] although there hasn’t been a new specialist in about a three hundred years so it’ll be a pretty interesting path.” Zigg said to him.

“What’s a [New Specialization]?” Kaiden asked, this was something he never heard before.

“Ah sorry, well to make it simple it’s like creating a new [Specialization]. Classes are what display as your abilities. [Specialization] is when you are a branch of that class.” Zigg explained.

Kaiden was intrigued about it but never heard of creating his own style. Zigg further gave examples that [Warrior] was a class but [Archer], [Swordsman], or [Defender] were a [Specialization] and when combined they became a [Specialist], these were people who had decided to follow a specific path. Those who created a new specialization will still be part of a class unless it’s something unrelated to even the main three.

New [Specializations] and [Classes] could only be made if declared in front of a temple of life and if the goddess granted permission to the creation of it. If granted the followers of the goddess would put out a declaration to the land of Zerte that the creation was successful and that it was legitimate. Nowadays few tried to make new classes and specializations due to the fact most had been discovered and that there was a class for almost everything.

Kaiden knew now that what he wanted to do was create a new class. It was going to be difficult and challenging but it was what he wanted. The new class was going to be something he could use for the upcoming battle, as well as help the people. Kaiden had found his answer and left his master Zigg as they finished class.

At home he began to plan. The type of class, specialization, fighting style, and even ideology that would become part of his new class.

For the next year Kaiden trained his body, mind, and expanded his knowledge on everything he could. He was almost ready for his awakening, in one month he was going to have his awakening. Kaiden had learned finally what the awakening would entitle.

The ceremony went in order of the children preparing to take the awakening to stand in line and drink from the divine water that would be created with the high priest’s power, after they awaken they will choose their class. The specialization would be created by itself on the person’s ability and could be changed through training or magic. After the class selection they are presented to statues of the [Goddess of Life] and [War Spirit Krieg]. There they would shine and be given a small piece of advice for their future.

Kaiden was going to be the few students who would be awakened before their last year of school. Zona and Emmitt were going to be the few who would become awakened students. As such they would all begin classes on awakened abilities, how to use their stat rings, and what it is used for. Kaiden had always felt that it was strange that nobody could explain to him what the stat ring did. His parents had always told him not to worry about it, that it was not very convenient to explain something like the [Stat Ring] to them. From what Kaiden could gather the [Stat Ring] could sometimes be enchanted or altered to another object but still respond to [Stat Ring] so that was good to know.

There were children and families coming from all around in preparation of the awakening. There were at most four awakenings a year so it was a timely event for such things. This particular day Kaiden was in the barracks with some veterans practicing sparring, Kaiden was getting beaten to a pulp but he was used to it, the soldiers had turned his training sessions to a gambling session. They would bet gold as to how long he would last, oddly enough it was his father who was taking all the bets.

On the way home from such a day Kaiden dropped by the headquarters of Eldys’s Merchant business. It had expanded quite a bit and Kaiden had now owned thirty percent and his parents owned fifteen percent of it. Although they advised and recommended contracts Eldys had been putting in all the work. Kaiden had come in to see about training some of the older orphans who had already gone through the awakening into becoming soldiers, adventurers, or even guards for merchant caravans. Although Kaiden only wanted to do it if they attained an intermediate rank in at least a particular style first.

The meeting was quite lengthy, but in the end they decided not to recruit children but instead give them a chance. On the other hand they made it so that everyone who left the orphanage was able to protect themselves. It was Kaiden’s influence that most of the children who grew up in the orphanage that they became honest citizens and didn’t turn to thievery and banditry. Eldys had opened up two more orphanages in another city called across the West storm Kingdom and was preparing to travel to the city of [Vestom] where the orphanages were located to surprise the kids and check on the orphanages. Kaiden had advised him to take at least fifty men with him due to fame as a merchant.

There had already been an attack on Eldys’s life from other merchants jealous of his wealth. Luckily Eldys was well liked and had a large information network to protect him. Kaiden was also attacked one day but luckily a Guard who recognized him stopped it before it got bad. Since then Kaiden had to be extra careful, especially since his family was now high profile.

A few weeks went by and it was soon going to be his awakening, Kaiden came home early from practice to see his house on fire. There was an attack on his parents and they were fighting outside of the house with some armed men. Suddenly one of the assailants charged at Kaiden. Kaiden was shocked by this and was frozen for just a moment before he finally reacted to jump out the way. However it was too late Kaiden was stabbed through the abdomen and was on the floor bleeding and could feel the warmth of blood leaving him. After who knew how long Kaiden could hear his mother and father shouting next to him, there was a darkness that surrounded him, an abyss of cold never before felt… then there was light.

“How you doing Jack?” a voice said as a figure stepped to him. A familiar form he wasn’t expecting came out and reached him.

“Leo?” Kaiden said astonished.

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A/N: Sorry for a short chapter, Working on the next one The Awakening is next. Thanks for reading.

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