"Don't mind them. They're just salty." Dheera chuckled before settling beside Aahan. "So, which clan are you from? I didn't see it mentioned on the list."
"Clan?" Aahan asked, confused as to what Dheera was getting at.
"Clan, you know, like the seven great clans?" Dheera continued. "Most of the Rathis come from these clans, and they have served to preserve the peace of the human realm for thousands of years! We also call them as bloodlines."
It was the first time Aahan had heard about clans, let alone about the Seven Great Clans or Bloodlines that Dheera mentioned. However, it soon clicked him. When the ID was scanning him, something about Bloodlines was mentioned within it.
He immediately took it out, and as he read his information, Aahan realised he didn't have a bloodline, and it was marked as 'Unawakened'. Unbeknownst to him, Dheera was also reading Aahan's bio, and when he read 'Unawakened', he got confused.
"That's weird," he mumbled.
"Me not having a Bloodline is weird?" Aahan asked, wondering if everyone had a bloodline.
"No, there are a lot of people who don't have a bloodline, but you're the first one whom I have seen being called an 'Unawakened'," Dheera replied. "Mostly people without a bloodline usually have something like 'unavailing'."
As Dheera kept staring at him like he was an alien or something, Aahan got uncomfortable and decided it would be best to get the discussion away from him and his bloodline.
But Aahan still wanted to know more about Dheera and bloodlines in general because he had become a part of a world he knew nothing about. Judging from how open Dheera had been with him, Aahan decided it was best to ask him about their mystical world.
"What about you? Which clan do you belong to?" he asked.
Dheera looked pleased that Aahan asked him as he rose and proudly banged his chest. At that moment, Aahan realised that one's bloodline was something they were proud of because Dheera's actions were similar to a nationalist's when asked about their nation.
"Marutiya, that's the clan I belong to, and in case you didn't know, it's the bloodline of Lord Hanuman!" Dheera proudly proclaimed, puffing his chest.
"Are you for real?" Aahan raised an eyebrow. "As far as I know, Lord Hanuman was a celibate who dedicated his entire life to bhakti¹ for Lord Ram?"
"Ah, it's my fault. I should have explained it better," Dheera mumbled, rubbing the back of his head before continuing. "Having his bloodline doesn't mean we're his children. It's just that we have received his blessings."
Although Dheera cleared up Aahan's confusion, his response gave birth to another question. After all, Lord Hanuman was known to bless anyone who offered him their sincere prayers. So, did it mean everyone who worshipped Lord Hanuman was a part of his clan?
Aahan gently asked that question, expecting Dheera to lash out. Instead, he started laughing.
"I'm afraid it's not that simple, my friend," he replied. "It's a long story, but I'll give you the short version. Around 3200 hundred years ago, the progenitor of our bloodline, Paruna, was blessed by Lord Hanuman and as a part of that blessing, he received a portion of Lord Hanuman's power."
Dheera continued, "Technically, we should call ourselves Paruna's bloodline, but since the strength we possess was a gift from Lord Hanuman, we named our clan after him."
"That's... one hell of a tale," Aahan replied, impressed by Dheera's narration. "One of these days, I would love to know more about your bloodline."
"Of course, but now let's focus on the tests ahead of us," Dheera said as he got up. "After all, the next part of the test is one of the most difficult."
As he said that, a siren went off, signalling the end of the first round. Aahan looked around, and out of the hundreds who participated in the first task, only fifty-two qualified for the second round of tests.
The rest of the doors were still shrouded in crimson, and people dressed in better-quality armour could be seen rushing inside those portals. It was safe to assume that those still stuck inside the fissure weren't as lucky as Aahan was.
"Congratulations to those who qualified for the second round," the Instructor yelled at the top of his lungs. "You have been promoted from being rats to brats! Sadly for you, one test isn't enough to gauge your abilities and strength."
Aahan could only wonder what the Instructor meant, but he had a feeling they wouldn't like what was about to happen.
"For the second round, you'll have to work in teams of three," the Instructor smiled. "You'll have to face a series of demons, and you'll receive points for each victory. However, if even one party member loses or cannot continue, all three of you will lose your qualification, which'll be the end of your journey."
"So... choose carefully, or so I would have said if the teams were already predetermined based on your performance in the first round!" the Instructor laughed, clearly enjoying the look on their faces.
The Instructor continued explaining to them about how the teams were formed. The gist was that the fifty-two qualifiers were divided into three groups of fourteen people based on their position from the first round.
Each team would contain a member from one group of qualifiers. This meant each team would have a member from the top 14 qualifiers, followed by the next fourteen qualifiers and then a member from the final fourteen.
Then came the rules of the second round. Similar to the first round, they would have to enter another fissure, but this time, they would be accompanied by teachers from the Ashram.
The teachers would score them and ensure their safety if things went south. After all, they would be facing a relentless horde of demons, and the presence of a teacher was required to ensure no permanent harm came to the students.
"And finally, you all can use the store to get whatever you deem necessary for your conquest in exchange for the KP you earned," the Instructor informed them. "However, a spending limit of 250 KP per person exists to maintain fairness. May Lord Ram's blessing be upon you!"
***
Chapter Glossary:
1. Bhakti: The word 'Bhakti' translates to Devotion or faith towards a deity or a philosophy.