BAM
"Ah," young Trebor fell to the ground after losing a sword fight with his elder brother, Roid, the firstborn of the house.
"I told you, Trebor. You are much more suited to studying. Leave the fighting to people like me. It's not like I won't be there to protect you when you need me," Roid said.
"Stop teasing brother Trebor and fight him seriously," Leia shouted from the side.
"Come on little sister, I am your brother too. Why do you always only take his side?" Roid said.
"But you are already 20 years old. While brother Trebor is only 15 years old. I will obviously take the side of the weaker ones," Leia said.
Trebor's heart hurt a bit when he heard his little sister call him weak. "Once more, brother," he said and continued fighting with the wooden sword.
"Ah, did your cultivation base increase once more, Trebor? You are hiding your power, aren't you?" Roid said.
"Yes, I reached the 7th Qi Condensation realm yesterday," Trebor said.
"No wonder! You will catch up to me in no time. But…" Roid hit him on the leg with the sword and dropped him to the ground.
"Sigh, you win brother," Trebor said.
"Hehe, go study your plants. I'm late for my merchant studies," Roid said and left.
"Are you okay, brother?" Leia asked. She was barely 7 years old and looked so cute.
Trebor patted her and said, "I'm fine. Big brother will never hurt me."
Trebor then went to study the Alchemy ingredients like he always did.
The business was booming for the Gassain. Years passed in a flash and they gained more and more, both in money and in power.
Roid was now the commander of their private army, while Horom was still the head of the family with his high cultivation base and merchant skills.
"Son, are you ready?" a woman spoke to Trebor. She looked young at a glance, but her age showed through her wrinkles.
"Yes, mother. I promise you I will pass and make the family proud," Trebor said.
"Don't worry about that child. You already make us proud," his mother said.
"Hoho, where is our little alchemist?" Horom walked into his room with Leia behind him. She was now a fully grown lady.
"I can't believe brother Trebor is going to join the academy. He got a direct admission too," she said.
"Of course, that's my son for you," Horom said.
"I should leave now father," Trebor said.
"Yes, good luck son."
Trebor left his family's house and went to the Five Professions Academy. There he spent his days going into the different classes, learning about alchemy, growing as an alchemist.
He spent years in there, while occasionally returning back home. His family was going at a tremendous rate and this was truly great news for him.
After a few years, he finally graduated from the academy and chose to take the Teacher's examination. He passed it with flying colors.
He then went on to teach the school. Within a month of joining, he got the bronze badge. He was so popular beforehand as a student, that it translated into him being popular as a teacher too.
Things were going well for him, incredibly well… until he went back home one day and stumbled upon his father and brothers arguing.
"We can not let this go on for much longer, father. The Emperor keeps making new laws, closing ports, and attacking our shipment just because he can't see us growing?" Roid asked in anger.
"I know you are angry, son, but anger only ever brings one to doom. Think with a calm mind. We are currently the strongest noble family. We have both the finance and the strength to rival the throne."
"Not only that, but we also have the backings of the other family, and that scares the emperor. He thinks that because we are strong, we will go for his throne," Horom said.
"What? Why the hell would we want his throne? We are doing fine on our own," Roid said.
"But he doesn't know that. The Emperor is a jealous man, but he is also a powerful man. If we do anything that seems threatening to him, he will bring his entire army on us."
"We are treading on a slippery slope here, son. We take a single wrong step here and we will slide down to the bottom of the slope," Horom said.
Trebor was in the room, but he was not part of the conversation at all. He only listened to his father and brother speak up on the problems. He never had the political expertise at all, so speaking wasn't a very good choice for him here.
"Then what can we do?" Roid asked.
Horom thought for a moment and said, "Sigh, I will go and talk with the emperor. I will let him know that we do not wish to fight for the throne and that our loyalties have always lied with the Wyan Dynasty. I will even offer up tribute if I have to."
"At least, that should be enough to calm the Emperor's jealousy for now," Horom said.
"Sigh," Roid took a deep breath and said, "I'll go. The people in the family are ready to go to war. You take care of them, father."
"I want to help too, brother," Trebor said.
"No, you go back to the academy. Father and I were the ones who made this happen, and we will be the ones who fix this."
And so, Roid went to the emperor to speak to him about how harmless the Gassain were, while Trebor went back to the academy.
Trebor went on a 4-day long Alchemy session and when he came out, he finally checked a message from his father that he got on his talisman. A message that would change his life for the worse.
"Your brother is dead. He was killed by that damned Emperor. We are going to attack the emperor and take revenge for your brother."
"Should anything happen to me, take care of your mother and sister."
His father, who advocated peace between the Gassain family and the Wyan dynasty was now taking a path of violence for his dead son out of anger.
And that anger was going to doom them all.