“What are you going to do about them, Dad? The two guys that argued were called Marvin and Joshua, why did you only grab one? Oh, and one, I think it was Joshua, who said Big Dom gave the mission that caused so many deaths." I said in a rush.
My dads head snapped to face the creepy guy who frowned, then pulled a tablet out of his jacket and started tapping away on it. After a few minutes, he finally spoke.
“My Lord, Joshua was found dead on the scene by local law enforcement, with a hatchet in his skull. Marvin was arrested by the police and then transferred to our custody when we prepared for departure. This big Dom according to police reports is the cousin of Joshua, his full name is Dominic Lopez. A gang member from a Small-time gang. The police are not concerned about him yet.”
“Gang member? Not leader?” I asked curiously.
“That is correct, My young miss, his father Robert Lopez is the gang's leader.”
My father scoffed and looked annoyed. “One of you two go buy a cargo plane for my daughter, her car will need it from now on and more currently for her return trip to America.” he turned to me before continuing. “Kenna, as a scion of our clan, it now falls to you to seek justice for a member of our noble clan being attacked on foreign soil. You will go to the noble clan in charge of the American territory in Washington, D.C. and find out who rules New York and demand answers to why they allowed one of their common clans to attack a noble in their territory!”
“Forgive me for asking the obvious question, Dad, but why would they answer me? Or give a shit? Aren't they a noble clan as well? Why would they even bother to see me when what feels like yesterday I was just a university student?”
“Ah, yes, I should tell you how the systems’ high society works,” he said as he turned And walked over to the door before continuing. “I am a Baron-Tak, I am closer than most think to reaching the rank of Viscount. This would mark our entire clan as a Viscount clan. America is what we would call an upstart territory. We sent members of our clan there years ago, but due to their betrayal, they had to build their territory from scratch. And today the highest-ranked clan in America is a baron. They are located in Washington, D.C. and rule over the many knight rank clans across America.”
“Dad, you're not making any sense, that doesn't even explain anything!”
He sighed heavily as he withdrew his hand from the doorknob.
“Alright, I'll try again. The system has been on this planet longer than the written word, including Sumerian. But for a clan to grow in power, they must possess land. The more land the clan owns, the higher their rank, it is why so many wars are fought over land. It is also why the English sent sailors out to find more land, like America. Settling there was meant to raise our clan to viscount or even a Viscount-Tak. But a greedy little... Yes, well you know American history, red coats and blue coats. The Civil War was about a lesser clan trying to become the dominant clan. Didn't work, of course. On the bright side, we managed to get a good chunk of land in Australia, We are still expanding there, we will be a viscount clan and if we manage to sneak across Australia fast enough then Viscount-Tak is achievable. Oh, I can't forget the land we have on the moon and Mars. But I digress.
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“Dad, you keep adding Tak onto these ranks, what is that?”
“Tak is like a knight but for nobles or a rank between the ranks mortals know”
“What do you mean, mortals?”
“Oh? I didn't tell you? The more powerful a clan is, the longer their lifespan is. I am already over a thousand years old with a lifespan in the hundred thousands, and because you are a member of this clan your lifespan is just as long, you haven't even reached a hundred yet, a long time to have fun right?”
He suddenly clicked his fingers and pointed at me like he had remembered something important.
“Perks, everyone who is initiated through a trial by fire, much like that warrior attacking you, gets a small perk. Perks are mysterious and powerful things. Four small perks can be combined to make a medium perk but don't get excited; they are very hard to acquire… For example, in the thousand years I have been alive, I have only managed to acquire the one small perk I received in my initiation and the one small perk I was rewarded from a very difficult mission. It took me five hundred years to expand my soul-bound land to its current size and have the city of Inverness built on top of that land before the mission was completed.”
He gave me a knowing look before continuing. “I bet you are wondering what you can spend your small perk on.
Well, I spent my first small perk on the land that the mansion is on, keeping the soil fertile and water clean. It is how I made my money, employing families to work the land. Also, how I keep us all fed. The soil is enriched to grow crops faster than normal and encourages the food to be healthy for the body, even a mortal one, and improves the taste of any food grown on the land.”
My father grinned at me as if waiting for me to get curious about his second perk, but as I opened my mouth to ask, he continued before I could.
“My second small perk went to the mansion. It was a hut back then, and through the power of soul binding which activates the soul system for the bound land, vehicle or object. With the hut, I gained the soul system and was able to over the years acquire the points to upgrade the land and the hut into what it is today. Besides that, I have seen a lot of interesting ones over my time, and I am looking forward to seeing what yours will grant you. Alright, rest now Kenna, it will take a week to get your plane sorted and you on your way. And with your new strength you can, with a little effort, wipe out that traitorous American clan… ya know, if you feel like doing that.”
He then turned and opened the door before he stepped out of the room, the other three followed him before the door closed, and I was alone.