All Because of Ronodin

Chapter Nine: Ashenlance

For what felt like the millionth time that week, Seth woke up from being unconscious. This time though, he was lying in a bed with grey covers and a grey blanket. It was soft. Much softer then the floor. He sat up and studied the room around him. 

Once again, rugged stone walls and stone floors. No windows. The only source of light came from the few torches around the room. Throughout the room were identical beds to the one Seth was lying in. The only difference was that personal items were slipped under the beds. Clothing, photographs, books, and more. This was the dormitory Kai had talked about. For young members of the Unseen. Around twenty beds were placed in the room. That was a lot of members. 

At the foot of Seth's bed was a pile of clothing. A rough gray leather uniform. There was a chest pocket on each tunic proudly displaying the Unseen symbol. An eye that was perfectly solid on the right side, but as it faded to the left it slowly became fainter and fainter until it was invisible. As he shifted through the pile he found something that almost made him faint again, but in joy. Vasilis! The blazing, fiery sword was right there! Seth quickly sheathed it again, glad to have it back. He gave it a pat. 

Having nothing better to do, Seth sat up. He snatched the a pile of clothes and quickly changed into it. It was surprising comfy. Just then, Seth noticed a necklace around his neck. He grabbed it and studied. it was made of iron and had the Unseen symbol engraved in it. A reminder to all members. 

He walked to the door and gave it a try. It opened without so much as a creak. Seth felt relived. He wasn't trapped. The hall was full of more stone, more torches, and no windows nor people. It felt deserted and creepy. He walked a few steps forward, when a door randomly burst open and two kids burst out almost running straight into him. 

The first was a girl. She wore an identical uniform as Seth. She had dirty blond hair that swished freely behind her back. Her big green-gray eyes peered at Seth with much interest. She looked quite cheerful and had her Unseen pendant clearly visible. The second was a tall boy with raven black hair and dark eyes. He was extremely pale, and wore a knowing smirk on his face. He had arrogant eyes that seemed to x-ray deep into your soul and said I know all your secrets, so don't even bother hiding them. 

"Uh, sorry." Seth stammered, taken aback by their presence. 

"No need to be." the girl said waving her hand in the air. "I'm Ilaria. This is Raz. You're Seth Sorenson, correct?" 

"Yeah. . . uh, if you don't mind me asking . . . where am I?" Seth asked.

"You're in Ashenlance. The 'ultimate' hideout of the Unseen." Ilaria giggled. "The elders are so dramatic." 

"The elders?" Seth wondered. 

"The founders of the Unseen." Raz said. His voice was smooth and persuasive. He could have tricked a person into walking off a cliff. 

"Are we in a mountain?" Seth inquired running his fingers along the wall.

Ilaria nodded. "Deep in the Himalayas." She smiled. "The Unseen don't settle for anything under utterly mysterious." 

"It's so empty here, but the room has twenty beds." Seth said, hoping for an answer. 

"Everyone else are on missions. The only kids left in this place are me, you, Raz and two other kids, I think." Ilaria answered. 

"I don't mean to be rude, but . . . What's to eat?" Seth finally admitted that he was starving. 

"We can get you food at the cafeteria." Raz said. "Then we can give you a tour." 

"Sounds like a good plan." Seth agreed. 

Ilaria and Raz began to walk further down the hall. Seth followed them. They turned past a few corridors and not a single thing about the place changed. It was all identical besides the uneven stones. 

"So, why did you join the Unseen?" Ilaria asked, conversationally. 

"The Alderfairy." Raz answered for him. "All of the new guys join because of the Alderfairy now-in-days." Seth could tell Raz did not like him. 

"When did you guys join?" Seth asked, to be nice.

"Oh, I joined last year." Ilaria answered. "During that Dragon War. I used to live in Humburgh, but then, you know, it got destroyed by giants. The Unseen took me under their wing after that. Told me how unfair the dragons conditions were and all of that. Whose side were you on again? One time I heard you were an ally, the next a wild card and then an enemy." 

"I was . . ." Seth answered carefully. "A little bit of all of those." 

"So you were a double crosser to all sides?" Raz demanded, spitefully. 

Seth frowned at Raz. "When did you join the Unseen, Mr. Arrogant?" 

"When I was a baby." Raz answered, vaguely. He did not elaborate so Ilaria did for him.

"He was abandoned by his parents. One of the elders found him on some mountain. They took him in and taught him their ways. He's definitely going to be an elder when he becomes older." she explained. 

"Oh," Seth replied. 

They arrived at the cafeteria. It was a cavernous room with tables everywhere. There was a large stone counter on the left side of the room and behind it was a kitchen full of . . . witches? They cackled and cooked and gossiped greedily. Seth had a feeling Muriel would enjoy this sort of place. The witches were stirring things in giant, rusty pots and the smell that was emitted was alluring. Sitting far away on one of the tables was a figure sitting alone and staring at the threesome.

"Whose that?" Seth asked, eyeing the person suspiciously. 

"We don't know yet." Raz said. "He's been here for a few days. We haven't said anything to him yet. Probably a quest for us to complete as practice. The elders do that a lot."

"I feel like I know him. . ." Seth murmured, but the other two weren't listening. They were judging the food that was laid out on the counter. "I'll be back," he told them.

"You not talking to him are you?" Ilaria asked.

"I am," Seth said, and before they could tell him otherwise, he began approaching the figure. 

The figure's gaze remained on him the whole time, slowly yet carefully watching him come, step by step. When Seth arrived he took a seat beside the randomer. 

"What's up?" he asked. "Staring here all day long's fun, no?"

He sensed the figure smiled. "Haven't changed much I see." the randomer pulled off his hood. "Nice to see you again, Seth."

Seth gaped as he stared at his former enemy. The Sphinx.

"What is wrong with you?" Seth said, annoyed. ''Never able to stick to one side? Does anyone not hate you now?"

"Other peoples opinion of me is not a problem for me." the Sphinx said. "When they need me, it changes entirely. I'm sure you know that yourself."

Seth frowned at him. "Are you sure you're not stalking me?" 

The Sphinx rolled his eyes. "I'd thought you'd ask me other questions, based on what's going on now." 

"What's going on? The Alderfairy's purge?" Seth demanded. 

The Sphinx smiled. "You don't know? Kendra's has come in search of you."