The Necklace: The Trial Realm

Chapter Seventeen: The Crazy Train

"Phew," Yael stops just outside the door, doubling over to hold his stomach. "you guys were right." He breathes deeply before standing back up, his eyes scanning back to the gymnasium doors. "I should start working out." He coughs out a sigh.

Noah and Bob both laugh, but I'm too distracted. My head is still on the other side of the doors where the main and strongest Custodes are gearing up for something. Something I desperately want to know about. Something I'd do anything to be a part of.

"You literally ran for less than a minute." Noah chides Yael and his lack of athleticism.

Bobs nods. "Yeah, more like fifteen seconds, and that's being generous."

Yael argues that he would of course tire faster than the both of them thanks to his large frame and extra muscular weight, but I ignore them, turning back to the door to peek in through the small window. They are all still being super weird all of their backs turned towards me. I practically press my face into the glass.

"Woah, what are you doing?" Yael gasps, rushing to my side. "They'll see you spying." He grabs my shoulders and I expect him to pull me away from the door, but he just adjusts my position, pulling me down to where there is a crack in the door large enough to put your eye up to and be able to see just fine. "There, that's better."

"What are you?" Noah asks in her monotone, and Yael chuckles to himself quietly.

"I keep telling people I'm cool." He says.

I grin, happy for this view. "I think you're supposed to let other people tell you that you're cool." I say, pausing for his huff. "Which, by the way, you really are."

As much as Yael can sometimes embarrass me with how much he doesn't care about what anyone thinks of him, including the instructors and those in charge, sometimes it comes in handy. Like now. He doesn't mind breaking a few rules, and he's willing to help me when I do it too. That's a true friend.

They walk up the hall together, leaving me to my spying spot in peace.

I can only see the backs of the people in the back of the groups, but I watch anyway, looking for any clue as to what's going on that has them so worked up. I can hear the rumble of Serge's deep voice, but not what he's actually saying, but the more he talks, the more people's bodies begin to shift. I recognize Maxum towards the back, his humongous broad shoulders and wild curls unmistakable. I follow his arm down to where he is holding someone's hand, I can only assume it to be Iris since someone is standing behind the person blocking my view.

Serge shouts something, and Maxum's hand slides away, pulling his hair up into a bun on the top of his head, which means he's about to fight. They all are. Their groups spread out and I've finally got a better view.

A few of a person I did not expect to see.

Courtlyn and all of her bald beauty, because yes, she does still look gorgeous without it, is in the middle of one of the huddles. I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me before that she was part of one of the main groups at The Hub. Maybe I just hadn't seen her as being strong enough to be on one of the three groups, and I hate myself for how arrogant that sounds. Just because we've had our differences doesn't mean she can't still be a bad ass Custode.

Everyone begins to stretch, not a soul talking or smiling. They are beyond focused and it only makes me jealous to be out here instead of in there.

Serge appears again, dragging two large bags from a back room, opening them up.

All of the other Custodes move towards him, grabbing things out of the bag at random. They each come away with strange looking weapons, some like hooks, some daggers, some even have long pole-like things, but they all have something and all of the weapons are a sparkling silver.