Other than a raised eyebrow, Mannik didn't respond to the female's outburst. He ate a steak quietly, and poured a stream of water into his mouth from the pitcher. He sputtered and coughed, before giving her a small glare when she spoke next. "You really do think we are a bunch of mindless savages, don't you?" His dark hair waved around as he shook his head. "Of course I know how to play chess. Good luck finding a chess board down here, though. Wood is rare. Hard to carve the figures into metal."
He eyed her evenly. If he wanted to be a jerk, he'd take the strip of cloth as well, since technically, it could be used as a weapon. He doubted Adelmar would use it as one, however. He silently checked her mask, tilting her head, before strapping his own one on and leading the way out.
He led the female through many more turns than he would usually take, and blindfolded her a few turns before every stop, leading her gently by the elbow. Other than a strange pack of dogs which Mannik scared off with a carefully placed shot into the leader's skull, the two weren't bothered.
Once the rounds were made, a group of seven children were staring at Adelmar. Raids rarely took the people of Below into family homes, so kid clothes were a rarity. Most of them wore huge adult clothing wrapped with belts, while others wore rags. Still others wore clothes that had been ripped apart and badly sewn to other parts. They all had thin bodies and cheeks that sunk in. Some of their stomachs were enlarged with parasites, it was rarely from kwashiorkor. They had protein and salt in their diet, it was the basics of life they were starved from: Fresh fruits and vegetables, and the sun. So far, Mannik was the tallest person in Below, standing almost a head if not more, taller than everyone else. Each generation seemed to get shorter and shorter. Again, there was no proof behind this, but the majority thought the lack of sunlight had something to factor in.
Another thing that was strange, is that by looking at them, it would seem like they were all related. Big brown and chocolate eyes seemed the most common, Mannik's dazzling green standing out brightly. His pale skin and dark hair were the only things shared with the other people of Below. And Sarah Imhoff's bright red hair was unheard of.
Mannik tried a few times to get the classes attention, but the children were too engrossed with Adelmar. The boys sniffed her and touched her soft skin, one even reaching up and gently tugging on her cheeks to stare at her white teeth. The girls seemed fascinated with her dress, holding the corners up to their chests, and looking down at themselves, picturing wearing the fabric themselves. A million questions came from all directions, too jumbled to make out.
The soldier gave up trying to get the class's attention, rolling his eyes and scowling at Adelmar as if she'd brought all this down on him on purpose. "Okay, guys! I gathered you've noticed we have a guest from Above with us. Just for today..." He spoke as loud as he dared in the cramped basement he'd brought them to. "So...We'll go one by one, and get these questions out of the way...So we can get to our real work."
A boy near the back, with strange ice blue eyes was the first to speak up, though his tone seemed hostile. "Why are you here? What do you want?"