After an hour of a heated argument, we finally came to a truce, and I decided to let Olivia stick around me. But, let's get back to the main issue.
I was explained that in this world, there are martial artists and dark mantles which I was already aware of by now.
But there is an organization on a whole different level of power: Ankarath. It was not just a small organization or sect that lived in hiding, but rather four clans that made up Ankarath.
These clans were not at peace, as they had a history of hostility towards each other due to their culture, power, and ego.
Each clan had considerable power over certain cities and countries, and the one I had joined was the Erebos Clan.
To contact a clan member or ask for help, you had to dial the service number of Novaris, an automobile company known for its production of luxury vehicles.
The four clans of Ankarath were defined by the words:
"Eye of the EAGLE, piercing through the SECRETS of every SOUL shrouded in DARKNESS.", the clans were named Altair, Arcanum, Anima, and Erebos.
Altair meant 'eagle' in ancient Arabic,
Arcanum meant 'secret' in ancient Latin,
Anima meant 'soul' in ancient Latin,
and Erebos meant 'darkness' in ancient Greek.
Cedric inquired, "I hope my explanations have allayed most of your doubts?"
"Most likely," I conceded. "But what exactly am I supposed to do? They recruited me for a reason, right?"
"Indeed," Cedric replied.
"The city is currently divided into two parts. The northern area is secured by two weavers of our clan, but the southern area is not under the protection of any weaver at present."
"So, you want me to eliminate every murk that appears in the south of the city?" I inquired.
"Well, it's not just the murks you must protect the area from," Cedric responded.
"The clans are in constant conflict with each other. As the other clans are now aware that this area is unprotected, they may try to take over the land and eliminate you, assuming you are just an elite trainee."
"Am I meant to be a watchdog, then?" I asked.
"No," Cedric clarified.
"Quite the opposite, actually. The land in question is never considered anyone's property. It is our duty to protect the people from the murks. However, the more land a clan secures, the higher it's standing in Ankarath."
"If the clans are responsible for governing the Ankarath, who is responsible for maintaining law and order? And why are they afraid to reveal themselves to the world?" I probed.
"It's because of the head of the Ankarath, known only as Rauhel, the soul god, he is an enigma," Cedric responded.
"I know nothing about him beyond his name, and only the four clan leaders are privy to information about him. They refuse to speak of him."
"How Fascinating", remarked.
Cedric slid a sleek phone across the table towards me, his eyes glinting with anticipation.
"This is no ordinary device," he whispered, his voice laced with excitement. "Crafted from rare elements, it possesses the power to detect the presence of a mantle. And it's more than just your average phone - it's your ticket into the clan."
I picked up the device, admiring its smooth surface and futuristic design.
"How does it work?" I asked, turning it over in my hands.
"The moment you open it, your biometrics will be recorded and stored behind layers of infinite firewalls. And don't worry - a basic tutorial on how to enter the clan will play automatically,"
"Normally this is done inside the clan to prevent outsiders from obtaining the information, but in your case, I doubt anyone would dare try to take it from you without three or four weavers by their side."
Cedric leaned in close, his voice low. "And one more thing," he said,
"There has only been one highly classified recruit in our clan, and you're the second."
"So, does this somehow affect me?" I asked, furrowing my brow.
Cedric rolled his eyes. "Isn't that obvious? Moreover, the personality of the first recruit is just filled with ego and he thinks of everyone as pieces of trash."
"Well, he's not wrong," I muttered, trying to stifle a laugh.
Cedric looked at me, puzzled. "Hm?"
"Nothing, so you mean to say that he would try to assess me if I am his equal or not or do I deserve this title or not?", I grinned mischievously.
"Precisely," Cedric replied, nodding his head.
"Don't worry about that," I said, winking at him.
"I've dealt with plenty of egomaniacs before. I'll just have to out-ego him."
The door creaked open, and Olivia shuffled in with several bags of junk food. She didn't acknowledge our presence as she made her way to her room, the sound of her footsteps echoing in the empty apartment.
With a loud bang, she shut the door behind her, leaving Cedric and me in eerie silence.
I turned to Cedric,
"Anyway, What's with my depressing and perfect identity?" I asked him.
Cedric let out a deep sigh,
"River Hart had a tough life. His father died in a drunk driving accident, and his mother remarried, forcing him to live with his stepfather and had another child. He experienced heartbreak, betrayal, and trauma."
As Cedric recounted the pain and suffering that River had endured, my mind raced, trying to comprehend the magnitude of it all.
His girlfriend had cheated on him, and he had caught them having sex in the university library.
His best friend and crush had betrayed him by getting together behind his back. The weight of it all was crushing.
Despite the hardships he faced, River was a fighter. He used the inheritance left to him by his father to start his own eyewear production company called Sightex.
The journey wasn't easy, and he faced financial struggles for a year, but his company eventually took off and became the best in the country.
However, the scars that River carried were too deep. He suffered from heart problems and sought therapy, but it didn't seem to help much. Three months ago, he took a leave to clear his head.
Unfortunately, two days ago, he got behind the wheel of his car and got caught up in a fatal car crash.
And now here I am in his position. I took a deep breath and asked Cedric the burning question,
"So you're telling me that River Hart, the guy with this handsome face and chiselled physique, couldn't get along with his crush and his girlfriend cheated on him?", I asked pointing at myself.
Cedric let out a deep sigh,
"Well, if he had added some muscles like you, broadened his shoulders like you, lengthened his hair until it flowed like a majestic waterfall like you, removed the dark spots and pimples like you, brightened his skin and eyes like you, and had a confident and playful attitude like you, then maybe he wouldn't have had such a rough time."
*Scoff…* I couldn't help but scoff at his response.
"Well, life just got a whole lot more fucking interesting for me,", I muttered with a grin.