Seth was uncertain whether he wanted to be part of these "Lambs," but felt as though he wasn't being given a choice.
"My name is Vorn, though I'm better known as Crusher. I'm the leader of this group, the Lambs."
Seth was going to ask what exactly this group was, but Vorn seemed to know already what he wanted to know.
"The Lambs are an underground group of Anointed, one of many, in fact. The Penitents that I mentioned earlier are another group, our rivals. There are constant battles that take place between us, until they're inevitably broken up by the king's guard.
However, Rosebury is not the most secure city, so I personally believe that the Lambs are the strongest group of Anointed in town."
Seth was confused for a moment. He wondered how there were so many groups of Anointed that he had never heard of.
There were always cases of crimes committed by criminal Anointed; however, it was always on a small scale. Nothing ever seemed organized. Nothing happened to suggest that large groups of Anointed often battled against each other.
Vorn continued.
"Now, your brother, who seems to already be a strong man, will most likely run into the Penitent Order, or perhaps already has, since we haven't found him ourselves. The likelihood of him joining them is high, since joining a group is the only way for an Anointed to successfully survive."
Seth thought about his brother. Abel had always been more of a lone wolf, a young man who enjoyed solitude.
Would he truly join an underground organization?
"Why can't an Anointed survive successfully without joining a group?" he asked.
Vorn hesitated before answering, as though he was afraid of giving away the information.
"Well, I've already decided that you'll be one of us, so there's no point withholding information."
I haven't even agreed yet.
"First of all, and most obviously, is the fact that you will get caught. These black eyes stand out, and you will most certainly end up exposing yourself to someone who decides to rat you out.
The other reason is the essence called Blight, the power used by the Anointed. You will not be able to learn how to properly utilize it without a mentor, which can cause life threatening complications."
He mentioned Blight before. How come I've never heard any of these terms?
"You'll learn about Blight soon, but for now, it's important that you understand who the Lambs are and what it is that we do."
Seth sat in silence, listening to the large man intently.
"There are many underground organizations in every city, but I will only speak of those who in our town. All of us have different goals and aspirations. Some, like the Fangs or the Roses, are nothing but criminals, with no goals other than acquiring money through illegal methods. Their members are weak, but their numbers are high.
Then, there are groups like the Penitents and the Lambs. We are more ambitious, both with different goals, though both of us strive towards one thing: power.
The way that we go about acquiring this power is different, but it inevitably makes us rivals, and we have been for years.
Lastly, if you'd like to include them, we have King Prophet Jacob's Guard, the Anointed order of the government whose goal is to combat underground organizations like ours.
The Penitents are our most immediate rivals, and, of course, there are many others who chase after power, but the Guards are the biggest rivals that we face."
Seth felt as though he was beginning to understand these underground organizations, but he still had many questions he wished to ask, for example,
how all of these organizations were able to stay out of the public eye, and just how much power they had.
"I'm sure you've got a lot you'd like to ask,"
Vorn said, as though he could read minds.
"But first, we must come to a mutual understanding. Your goal is to kill your brother, something you will be most likely to achieve if you join our ranks. We will look after you, ensure that all your needs are met, and on top of that, we will teach you how to use the powers of the Anointed."
He paused for a moment, looking Seth deep in the eyes before continuing.
"All that we ask is that you follow us and swear to make our enemies yours."
As Seth heard the words, the desire to achieve his newfound goal surged through every fiber of his being.
He believed Vorn. If Abel joined any of the other organizations in Rosebury, then it was likely that through joining the Lambs, he would find him.
And if I find him, I will take his life, with certainty.
Seth needed to hear no more, and Vorn must have sensed it in his face as he held out his hand for Seth to take.
Seth grabbed the large hand and shook it.
Vorn smiled, and even then, his face looked menacing. Then he stood up and addressed the members in the room in a loud, bass-filled voice.
"Everyone, welcome Seth, a new recruit of the Lambs," he said, and the men and women cheered and applauded.
Seth felt no regret at his decision; in fact, he felt welcomed.