I was taken aback by his words, not entirely sure what he meant. "What does that mean?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You'll find that out sooner or later," he said enigmatically, gesturing with his hands towards my back. The gates behind us creaked open once more.
"For now, you are accepted here."
I rolled my eyes at his dramatics, knowing full well that he was just trying to sound mysterious and important.
"And may I know who you are?" I asked, attempting to keep my voice steady.
"Asking the clan head's name is an offensive crime.", Suddenly, several more assassins emerged from the shadows, their eyes filled with hostility towards me.
Despite the gravity of the situation, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer number of these formidable fighters.
"Clan Head? I thought you said this was just a branch of Ankarath," I said, turning to Olivia, who had been standing silently in the corner.
"It doesn't matter what you call it," the man on the throne interjected.
"Some call this a clan, while others call it a branch. The terms are insignificant. As for my name, it's better for you not to know it at the moment."
With a wave of his hand, the man signalled for the assassins to retreat, and they disappeared back into the shadows as quickly as they had appeared.
As I turned to leave, my mind racing with confusion and uncertainty, a sudden realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I had no identity, no money, and no place to call home. How was I supposed to survive in this unfamiliar world?
Without hesitation, I spun around to face the imposing figure on the throne once more.
"One more thing," I said, my voice filled with confidence as if he was the waiter in a hotel and will provide me with any kind of ethical service.
"I've got no identity, no money, no place to live, no food to eat. Will I be provided with those facilities or not?"
The man regarded me with a cool gaze, his expression inscrutable in the dim light of the temple.
"Those things will be taken care of," he said, his voice low and commanding. "You need not worry about them."
With those cryptic words, I found myself back outside the temple, the massive gates closing behind me with a resounding thud.
I was still reeling from the encounter when I spotted a nervous-looking young man standing before me, his glasses slipping down his nose and his frail frame shaking with apparent anxiety.
"You know," I said to Olivia, turning to her with a baffled expression, "I don't have the faintest FUCKING idea of what just happened in there."
Before she could respond, I turned to the boy and asked him, "And who are you?"
"Uh, afternoon Mr River Hart," he stuttered, "I was given the responsibility to help you with, uh, like, general information and your new identity."
"Then why are you shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, my friend? Don't worry, I won't bite," I said with a grin, looking at the nerd boy in front of me.
"W-well, it's just that... you're... you're..." he stammered, his glasses slipping down his nose.
"Don't be shy, I love to hear compliments about myself," I said, striking a pose.
"He means to say that you're a highly classified recruit and the only one to meet the clan head on the first day," Olivia chimed in, trying to be helpful.
"Ah, of course, the perks of being me," I said with a chuckle.
"So, what've you got?" I asked Cedric, the frail-looking nerd.
"Please follow me," he replied, bowing slightly.
I decided to walk beside him and casually placed my hand on his shoulder. "So, what's your name?" I asked.
"C-Ce-Cedric," he stuttered.
"Why are you so scrawny, my man?" I asked him, looking him up and down.
"I'm not really good at controlling the flow of Qi," he replied.
"That's a bummer," I said with a shrug. "And why did you come to me personally? Shouldn't I be getting the VIP treatment?"
Cedric hesitated for a moment before leaning in and whispering in my ear.
"I was running away from some guys in the training sector and lost my ID, so I took a file from the head's bench and ran out of the sector in excuse of urgent matters."
"…", I stood there speechless for a moment, trying to process what I had just heard from the nerd.
"Well, well, well. You certainly know how to make an entrance, Cedric," I said, finally finding my voice.
Cedric shifted nervously on his feet, his glasses sliding down his nose. "I'm sorry, Mr. River Hart. I just--"
"Relax, Cedric," I interrupted, patting him on the back.
"Your secret's safe with me. I mean, 'cause you are now one of the reasons am going to die soon."
*Ahem* "T-Thank you, sir."
"Don't worry, Cedric. Despite my good looks and fascinating style, I'm actually a pretty nice guy not like those playboys."
Cedric looked at me sceptically. "Uh, sure."
'Why is this life so fucked up?', I thought.
"But please don't fret I might not seem like it, but I'm pretty confident in my abilities", he said.
"Yeah, I can see that",
As we walked through a labyrinth of pathways, the towering door came into view, guarded by two imposing figures. We approached the door and without any resistance, the guards allowed us passage.
We entered a vast factory bustling with activity, the air thick with the scent of grease and steel. It was a hub of innovation and manufacturing, with the sound of machines working in unison as the soundtrack to our journey.
The hum of the factory machines slowly faded away as we entered the black luxury sedan, the Novaris logo shining in the sunlight.
Cedric smoothly took the driver's seat and handed me an envelope from the glove box.
"These are your documents," he said, "with your name, and your new permanent address, additionally you own a small eyewear firm from now on."
I eagerly opened the envelope to find my new identity, my own company, and a staggering twenty million aurums deposited into my account.
Cedric drove the car smoothly through the streets of the bustling city, passing by towering skyscrapers and bustling crowds and heading straight towards the Sunset Grove Society, the place where my new apartment awaited.
"Are you excited to see your new place?", Cedric asked.
"Yes, very much so", I replied, trying to keep my emotions in check.
Finally, we arrived at the society, an elegant and modern building rising high above the city.
Cedric parked the car and we made our way inside, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the grand lobby.
"This way, please", Cedric gestured towards the elevator.
We took the elevator to the top floor and as the doors opened, I was greeted by a breathtaking view of the city.
"Fascinating", I said, marvelling at the view.
Cedric led me to my new apartment, a luxurious penthouse with modern dark wood furnishings and a sleek design.
"Here is your new place. Everything you need will be provided for you", Cedric said as he handed me the keys.
"It's perfect," I exclaimed, "We'll have enough time for exploration. There are a lot of things that I should be aware of, but I'm certainly not."
"Uh, sure, I'll answer all your doubts and give an overview of your current situation," Cedric replied.
"But first, why are you here?" I asked, turning towards Olivia.
"Am not busy with anything, just tagging along," she replied.
"Well, she might not know, but she's going to be the one you're under the supervision of," Cedric stated.
"What?!" we both exclaimed, staring at him in disbelief.
"I'm not living with this old hag," I said, stepping aside.
"Who're you calling old hag, huh? Just a few hours ago, you were head over heels for me!" she shouted back.
"Well, I wasn't aware you were such a dumb bitch," I retorted.
"Dumb? I'll have you know that I graduated top of my class and I am an elite trainee in Ankarath", she said, with a smug expression.
"Top of the class? Elite trainee? That's like saying you're the tallest dwarf," I quipped.