Syndicate of tribulation

Chapter 25

Domo's POV

The training was brutal. Were they trying to kill us?

Was this their plan all along? Battle of the fittest. Those who survived training would be sent to 'murder island' to ultimately die anyway. What the heck is going on?

I feel worse for Eustace and Dax. They completed the least amount of tests which decided our training regimen, so while mine was hard, theirs was harder. I concluded that anyway from the state they are always in when we return back home.

Made me feel that persevering through the pain and suffocation on that initial day was worth it, if it meant training would be a little lighter.

I can't say the same about Tyro and King though, they completed all the challenges, yet I feel like we barely see them. I'm unsure what type of training they must endure but I do know that they come back late every night and leave very early every morning.

I always admired King, but she is only human – younger than me too. Their cruel regimen will 100% take a toll on her body, even if her training isn't as harsh this has to seriously be messing with her circadian rhythms. She has so many semi-healed wounds, and I haven't seen her eat or even talk since our training started.

The rest of us start training around 10 and then finish up by 9. It's long and hard but we eat and sleep as soon as we get back so our bodies can recuperate. The same cannot be said for the dangerous duo though [A/N: reference to book 1: King and Tyro].

Today was the last day of training. Every day, I had to work on my combat skills, strength, agility, balance and all my other weaknesses.

"You are due at the arena at 7 a.m., a car will pick you up. Be ready in your training gear" Blake had said last night, the first time I had seen King in 2 weeks. She looked exhausted, and though her eyes always had a sunken look, they looked worse. Tyro, I don't know why, but he pretty much looked the same – just angrier. I wonder what they went through.

I hugged her like I hadn't seen her in years and she let out a soft laugh which was followed by an airy cough. Was she sick? We ate dinner all together for the first time in a while and the table was pretty much silent. No one wanted to ask about anyone else's training, because we had no idea how bad anyone else's was. We just knew it was horrible for everyone, even people we once thought indestructible.

Yet, the tense atmosphere faded and chatter soon erupted. It was like we couldn't keep silent in this team, well more like family. I heard Tyro and King whispering next to me.

I just got dejavu.

"Let me see it later" Tyro whispered to King, "I'm not in the mood for you tonight, Tanya" was King's rebuttal as she rolled her eyes and ate her dinner. "Stop being such a baby, you know it's going to happen whether you like it or not, I just thought you would like a warning" Tyro voiced, before returning to his meal while King harassed him, verbally. However, she might as well argue with a wall because he was as unresponsive as one. She huffed before deciding to shut up as well.

No, no, no. Not again. My brain is coming up with ridiculous scenarios that I know cannot be true. Could it? I mean they were on an island together for a couple of days, and when the plane got attacked they were alone together for quite a while before we met again. We are all consenting adults, with certain... impulsive thoughts. No! I cannot even think about it without my stomach churning. I must be mistaken. I will find out tonight, for sure.

When we finished and cleaned up we all said our good nights.

It wasn't until a couple of hours after everyone's lights were out that I detected some light footsteps coming from around Tyro's room and slowly approaching King's. The door was opened and shut a few moments later and the footsteps ceased. He went inside. I waited a few seconds before leaving my room and creeping closer to King's door.