Ryker walked out. of the chamber into a corridor. There were several other rooms down the corridor on both sides.The corridor was finished by a window on the wall,that painted the corridor with a beautiful mosaic.
To the right was a spiral staircase that led into....
Ryker,a bit cautiously,walked down the staircase,that spiralled around a thick uniquely sculpted pillar.
Ryker found himself in a lounge,where there were several other young men dressed in the uniform similar to his.The lounge was spacious,with three black leather couches arranged to suit the seating of the team.There was a rocking chair by the fireplace,on which an odd and tough looking fellow sat.The lounge had two shelves,one leaning against the east wall,and another against the north wall,that was to his left. The fireplace was in the south eastern corner. There was an oaken door,leading probably to another place.
There were about six people in here.
"Hello,there!!" a smiling boy,about his age reached out a hand across his shoulders.
He had short slate grey hair and cheerful green eyes.He looked much like a clown,in a circus,was it for his funny looks.
"Welcome to Minerva!!" he trailed his hand in the air, putting emphasis on the word 'Minerva' with the way he spoke and his actions.
"The land of the gorgeous,the beautiful,the brave,the fearless,the wise,the cunning and the frightening!!" another voice cut in.
Hands across his shoulders,like the boy did,a girl spoke, emphasizing the words with her actions just like the boy did.She had long curly brown hair and big black eyes. She was clad in the same uniform like the one the girl from before was wearing.
"Cut it out!!" an authoritative voice broke their act.
The one who had been seated on the chair beside the fire stood up and walked towards them.He had long chocolate hair and striking golden eyes.He looked frightening. Maybe he was the one the cute girl talked about when she mentioned 'the frightening'.
He stood before the three of them and stared into Ryker's eyes,as of reading something from his eyes.
"Go easy on him,Oswald!!" a voice called from one of the couches.
Ryker guessed it was the one who was reading a book who had spoken. He had pearl white hair and silver eyes.He looked quite as intimidating as Oswald,the one standing before them, was.
"I know what I'm doing, Rinaldo!!" Oswald turned around and glared at the boy seated in the couch. Rinaldo,who was seated in the couch glared back at him,as if the both were having a glaring contest.
After a while of tension between them,Oswald turned around and looked at Ryker.
"Oswald Barlowe!!" he offered Ryker a handshake,which Ryker took immediately," Welcome to the team!!"
"Thank you!!" Ryker half whispered.
He then walked away and sat on his chair by the fire, again.
"Those two are always picking on themselves!!" the boy,who was beside him all the time spoke.
"You can't think them to be the very best of friends,can you??" the girl complimented.
Of course no one would.The two glared at each other like they had been enemies for a very long time,like they wanted to pounce and kill each other on the spot.Had you not known them,you could mistake them for everlasting foes.
"I'm Quillon!!Quillon Radcliffe!! Forgive my bad manners!!" the boy smiled and bowed, insightfully.
"And I'm Lorraine!! Lorraine Halcyon!!" the girl smiled.
Quillon and Lorraine looked very cheerful and they made a pretty good pair, together.The two seemed to be the cheerleaders in this group.
"Hi,Quillon and Lorraine!!" Ryker greeted,smiling deeply.
"That,over there," Quillon pointed at the one reading the book, " is Rinaldo Demetrius!! He loves to read and is the wisest in this group!The other one over there," he pointed at one who was sprawled wildly in a couch, snoring peacefully, " is Edric Gannon!! He loves to play his guitar and sleep,all day long after he's had a sumptuous meal!!"
"And the other girl,the one who visited you just now....." Lorraine was saying.
"I'll tell him myself!!" a familiar voice came from behind them. Waltzing gracefully down the stairs was the tough looking girl from before.Why was she walking like that when she had just seemed pretty tough moments ago.She stopped in front of them and said....
"I'm Jasmine!! I'm afraid I won't tell you my middle name!!" she said, sounding hurt by what she had just said.
Clearly,there was some reason she didn't want to tell him his middle name.Maybe it was embarrassing,maybe it sounded awful,maybe.... There were many reasons he could think of why she didn't want to tell him her other name.
"I understand!!" Ryker said.
He didn't know why he said that but it happened to escape his mouth.He didn't have full control of that word just then.
"This is our common room.We are going to have our meetings here,our discussions,our sessions and the meals....."
Suddenly,Edric the one who loved to eat jumped up from the middle of his sleep.
"Food!!Did someone say food,just now??" he asked, panting heavily.
"Nope!! Continue with your sleep,sly dog!!" Jasmine cursed lightly.
Edric flopped back onto the couch and was snoring again,like he had never woken up at all.
"I was saying," Jasmine continued," we are going to have our meetings,our sessions,the meals and our knife sharpening ceremony here!!"
Whoa!!Knife sharpening ceremony!!What was she talking about?? Judging by the look of utter surprise on his face,Jasmine ceased to say "That is when we sharpen our weapons!!"
Weapons!!What for?? Still,Ryker looked surprised,with his brows creased in a flood of questions.
"Clearly,you haven't understand what this place is," Jasmine said,whilst Quillon and Lorraine watched in silence,with their arms crossed, " so I'm going to explain briefly what this place is!!"
Ryker braced himself for the upcoming explanation.He was to understand it, nevertheless.