CHAPTER 23: Ninth Icon (1)

Alex shook his head ruefully. 'Sadly those are the only three stances I know. Sometimes when I think of the final two of the Five basic stances I think I should have gotten those instead.'

Hani Suppression Stance is a technique that's used to, forgive me my lack of words but, suppress the Hani Ranked give out thereby reducing their presence and making themselves less noticeable.

Everybody, whether Ranked or normal releases their Hani unconsciously which makes them a beacon that ever Ranked can notice a mile away.

It's almost impossible to sneak up on a Ranked for that reason as they can sense the Hani in a person's body before the person gets within striking distance. Because of that a Stance was created that when used will suppress the Hani Ranked give off. It also helps them against monsters and beasts since that's one of the ways they track Ranked.

The last of the Five basic stances is the Conduction Stance. This is an offensive technique which coats the user's weapon in Hani so as to increase the durability and strength of that weapon.

Like Hani Shift Stance Alex didn't know this technique, but it was this technique that the hooded figure that he fought in the woods used which made his weapon glow.

"Alex, they're calling us over."

I opened my eyes to see the female student beckoning Alistair and I over.

"He's now ready for you," she said as soon as we reached the desk. She then nodded at the male student who had come back and was now standing next to the desk. "He'll show you to his office."

The student turned around and a hall to the left of the desk, Alistair and I looked at each other before we followed him.

It had not been long since we headed down the hall that we saw another student walking toward us. I was honestly surprised to see the person as I had only seen two people since we first entered the Iconic Hall, so I began to think that those two at the desk were the only people in the student council.

Soon we started seeing more and more people passing by and entering different rooms around the hall.

"Alex." Suddenly whispered Alistair. "Did you notice something weird about this west wing?"

I thought for a moment before shrugging. "No, I haven't, what is it?"

Alistair sighed and looked at me with pity. "In total we've almost walked a kilometer since we entered Iconic Hall. This building is not that big." He then looked around with a thoughtful look. "I suspect that this wing is spatially extended by a formation."

As soon as Alistair said that I looked around and realized he was probably right. We had been walking too long for us to still be in the building, so it was probably spatially extended.

With this knowledge the Iconic Hall took on a new meaning in my eyes. As a student that studies Runic systems I was in awe of the amount of skill necessary to create something like this since formations are just a system of runes.

"We're here." Said our guide as he stood and opened a door to his right.

He then turned and looked at us. "Go in."

Without hesitating I walked inside with Alistair right behind me.

I heard the door close behind us with a click as I looked around the room.

We had entered what seemed to be a reception area that had an expensive looking red carpet and multiple couches arranged at one end of the room.

"Excuse me." 

Suddenly I felt a breeze on my neck and heard a small voice speak into my ear.

I turned around and pulled my daggers out as a feeling of death came over me.

"Eek!" 

I looked down in confusion and saw a petite girl standing there and shivering. I looked around and saw no one else around before I looked back at her. 'Is this girl the one that spoke? No, it can't be, I felt the breath on my neck and she's way too short to have been the one to say it."

"Were you the one that just spoke?" I said hesitantly. 

The girl nodded her head and looked up timidly. "Yes it was me."

I looked at Alistair and saw a troubled look on his face. "How did you get behind us?" Asked Alistair.

"What do you mean?" Said the girl as she tilted her head to the side. "I walked over from the reception desk to greet you."

It was then I noticed a desk at the far end of the room. 

I then looked back at the shivering girl warily. 'How didn't I notice her before? When I entered the room I looked around but didn't see her or the desk. What's going on?'

"This is strange," said Alistair sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "We didn't notice you."

She then looked at me and mumbled under her breath. "So you're only at this level."

"What did you say?" I asked, as I hadn't heard her clearly.

"Nothing." She said quickly. "Anyway my name is Rachel and I'm the secretary of the Ninth Icon." She then turned and walked towards her desk. "He's ready for you now."

Rachel sat down behind the desk and inclined her head at a door to her left. "He's through that door, knock before you enter."

I nodded at her and walked toward the door.

'This is it.' I thought with growing excitement as I knocked on the door.

"Come in." Said a voice deep from behind the door.

I turned the handle and pushed open the door.

'Bright.' That was the first thought that came to my mind the moment I entered the room.

At the far end of the room was a huge pane of glass that covered the whole wall, the window let in so much light that it was hard to make out anything in the office.

"Welcome Alex Shampa and Alistair Brown." Suddenly boomed a voice. "I've been expecting you."

I squinted my eyes and managed to faintly make out a desk that was right in front of the window wall. 

*CLICK*

Alistair and I turned around and saw that the door had closed behind us.

We then glanced at each other before we turned around and looked back at the Ninth Icon.

"Hahaha, don't just stand there, come closer. Or are you scared of me?" Said the voice teasingly.

I slowly took a step forward then stopped.

"Why are you stopping?" Called the voice again. "Come closer so I can see you clearly."

'What do you mean see me clearly,' I fumed in my mind. 'You are a First Tier, there is no way you can't see me clearly. You're just trying to intimidate me.' I then took another step forward and began walking toward the desk. 'You don't need to try to intimidate me, since the moment you called for me I've been quaking in my boots.'

I stopped eight meters away from the desk and stood there with my hands behind my back. Soon Alistair arrived next to me and stood there quietly.

All was quiet in the room as the figure behind the desk sat there and looked at us. Then after a minute I heard his voice again. 

"I've heard that you've wanted to meet me for a long time, since both of you entered JS 1 if I'm correct." The figure then stood up and walked to the window and stood there with his back facing us. "Now you're meeting me, I'm a very busy person so I don't have much time to spare, so whatever you want to say this is your chance."

I nudged Alistair forward and gave him a pointed look.

Alistair sighed and slowly stepped forward. He then cleared his throat before speaking. "First of all, why did you agree to meet with us now?"

The figure chuckled and called over his back. "Why do you think so?"

"I have my guesses," replied Alistair slowly. "But I'd like to hear it from you.'

"Hey Alistair!" I said as I looked at him in alarm. I then walked closer to him and muttered under my breath. "We don't want to piss him off, if we do we won't even know how we died."

"I'm not offended." Said the figure at the window with a laugh. "In all honesty I"m impressed by how fearless he is," his voice then took on a cool, almost dangerous tone, "in fact almost too fearless if you ask me."

His voice then became carefree once again. "But it's all good, the reason I decided to meet both of you is because of an incident that happened earlier this week, two days ago to be exact."

I folded my and looked at the NInth Icon blankly. "What incident are you talking about?"

"The police raided a building close to the slums that's owned by a suspected drug dealer named Mr. Toeeb, they were looking for a shipment of drugs that he was supposedly going to receive that night."

"And....?"

The figure's voice took on a more serious tone.

"Well, they didn't find any drugs there, all they found were children's clothing."