Fantasy Forest 3: Ressurection

15. The Ring

At about mid morning I got dressed and headed down to Talias apartment. She greeted me at the door with a smile as she ushered me in for our usual Saturday afternoon of gaming and shit talk. Earnest was already there on the couch. His curly hair was held back with a headband to keep it out of his face as he mashed buttons on Talias old school game cube controller. He must have lost the match because as I walked in he swore quietly under his breathe and threw the controller down on the couch.

"Hey! Don't break my game!" Talia warned him as she ran off to the kitchen for snacks. I went over and sat next to Earnest as he started up a new game. He didn't know anything about Seally and my adventure in the forest and I was hesitant to tell him. I smiled at him as I sat down and he looked at me funny for a second.

"Where'd you get that?" He asked as he pointed down at my finger. I was still wearing the old gold ring I had found the previous night.

"I found it." I stated proudly.

"Isn't it kinda old?"

"I think its neat." I stated and Earnest simply nodded as he went back to his game just as Talia came in and yanked on my shoulder.

"Are you going to tell him?" She whispered in my ear and I looked back at her and shook my head fiercely as I got up from my seat. "I think we should tell him just in case."

"In case of what?"

"In case something happens to you and no one believes me."

"We are talking about the same person, right? Do you think Earnest is just going to take our word for it? He is absolutely going to freak out, even more than you did."

"I did not freak out." Talia said with a pout and then she seemed to stop and think it over. "Well...maybe a little."

Just then the doorbell rang and Talia left to answer it as I went back to the couch. I heard her open the door and then I heard a very loud gasp. Both Earnest and I turned to see who it was and there was Seally in his usual robes looking a bit too out of place.

"There you are." He said when he saw me as he pushed his way inside. "I was looking everywhere for you."

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked surprised. I knew I was probably going to see him again but I didn't think it would be so soon and I didn't think he would actively track me down like this.

"Hey, you're the kid from before." Earnest chimed in as he got up to greet the guy. I grabbed his arm and pulled him back and he looked at me funny.

"You don't need to bother with him." I told Earnest. "He was just leaving." But this was apparently not the case as Seally walked and made him very comfortable in the armchair next to us as he sat there, his eyes fixed on me and Earnest as he seemed to evaluate us under an eagle like gaze. Earnest shrunk in close to me and whispered in my ear.

"What's with him?" He asked as he shrugged into my shoulder. Talia in the mean time was a frozen mess at the door but she had enough strength to at least close the door behind us and turn to face the group as her face was chalk white. I turned away from Earnest and went over to Seally where I tried to grab his arm and pull him away but he wouldn't move and he instead grabbed my hand with such force that I couldn't possibly pull away.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" He asked.

"You already met them." I told him.

"Not formally." He said and I sighed and tried to pull away again but his grip was rock tight.

"Thats Talia and that is her cousin Earnest." I said as I pointed at each of them in term. "They are my friends." I told him with a hint of a warning in my voice as if to say 'don't do anything weird'. Seally released my hand, satisfied, but as he did so his fingers grazed my ring and he looked down surprised. HE stared at it a second and then his expression soured. 

"Where'd you get that?" He asked me, his tone was harsh.

"I found it." I told him honestly. I was surprised by his tone.

"Where?"

"My room."

"When?"

"Last night."

"And what happened last night?"

"I don't know what you mean." I told him and he paused as if to think it over before putting his hand out.

"Give it to me." He ordered and I paused for a second before trying to slip the ring off my finger but it held fast.

"Its stuck." I told him and he took my hand and tried himself. I winced when he pulled hard and he immediately let go as the ring did not budge.

"Maybe some soap and water will help." Earnest said curiously, he obviously had no idea what was going on.

"Ill go get it." Talia yelped as she practically bolted for the kitchen. Seally said nothing as he patted my hand and stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?" I asked him and he looked back at me and smiled casually but his eyes were anything but happy.

"I have to go take care of something." He said and with that he was gone. At the sound of the door closing behind him Talia came shivering out as the kitchen. She saw he had left and breathed out a sigh of relief as Earnest looked between the two of us and then frowned deeply. 

"Ok." He said at last. "Someone please tell me what the hell is going on."