Unknown

Atrox missed his lunch that day because, by the time he was able to complete five carts and drag himself to the hall, the food was already finished. He was the last to go there.

Hungry, tired, and far too irritated, Atrox made his way back to his chamber wing and his tunnel, dragging his cart with him. Every muscle in his body ached, and his mouth was dry. He felt as if he would fall over at any time.

"I don't know I can feel pains in my bones," Atrox groaned.

He met others, ragged and nearly falling over, on his way. He finally understood why the workers were like zombies, and that was why he was baffled by those two. How did Tiber and Syla do it? How were they looking so alive?

Maybe he'd ask them when he got the chance later.

He sat on his cart and rested for a while, breathing through his mouth to regain as much energy as possible before he started the second five carts. He didn't know what the punishment was, but he really didn't want to find out either.

His stomach groaned and bit at him painfully, but he shrugged it off. He should be used to hunger—and he was—but not with working so hard without eating something substantial.

"I'd better get back to it, or I'll really just sit here," he thought. His body protested, but he still dragged himself over and lifted his pickaxe.

'Clang! Clang! Clang!'

He completed three carts before he started considering skipping the remaining two for the day. "Any punishment they want to give me will simply not be worth the pain I'm feeling right now," he thought.

It felt as if heavy stones had been tied to his limbs, and each step brought so much agony that he clenched his teeth. But when he got to his wing, he found a man he hadn't seen before standing over the body of a woman, her back a mass of blood.

The man was one of the overseers tasked with ensuring everyone submitted their allocated carts. "I thought it was supposed to be Taiwo?"

He watched as the man brought down the leather whip, its tips braided with metal.

'Flam!'

Atrox saw flesh tear like paper as it hit and he shuddered. The woman moaned and whimpered in pain, too low, as if she'd already passed out.

The overseer sneered, his eyes cold. "Take her away, and when she wakes, tell her to continue working." His eyes passed over them all. "That's all you're good for. Do your work, or I'll make you like this—or worse."

He swept out of the chamber, almost making a dramatic exit, but he stumbled, caught himself, and shot them a glare before disappearing.

No one thought it was funny—except that Atrox heard a snorting laugh from a tunnel that sounded familiar. He threw himself into his work after that.

While fear of the unknown might be one of humanity's greatest fears, once it was known, it might be just as terrifying.

Atrox liked his flesh where it belonged.

Atrox didn't remember much after leaving the mine that day. He remembered that the moon was high before he was finally done, and fortunately, there was food this time. He quickly ate the abomination, then remembered seeing a bed and falling onto it.

When he pried his eyes open the next morning, he groaned as the light made his head ache. He heard the tent flap open, and instinctively, he looked around but didn't see Tiber and Syla.

"They've probably gone back to that pool. Should I join them?" he wondered. His body didn't want to, but he dragged himself there. He stank and wanted to wash off the dirt from the day before. His body was tender and hurt in ways he hadn't felt in a long time. It brought back memories of when he first began training.

Tiber and Syla were already training when he arrived. They froze when they saw him. Tiber shot Syla a knowing look, and she turned to glare at him as if he'd done something wrong.

He ignored them and focused on his training, trying to find the same peace as the day before. He managed to, but not for long, as he broke out of it himself. He dragged himself into the water and sighed as the cold water closed around him, a soothing balm to his sore muscles.

Suddenly, he heard, "She died yesterday."

Atrox didn't open his eyes immediately, but when he did, he saw the two of them watching him carefully.

"The woman?" he asked calmly.

Tiber nodded, his face somber. "The monsters got her—attracted to her blood, I'd say. They only found her hip bones on the ground."

Syla scowled. "Or she went deeper into the tunnel intentionally. That's what a lot of people do, you know. When they can't take it anymore, they kill themselves. It's an easy way to get out of this."

Atrox splashed water on his face and nodded and thought 'itwas something I would have done days ago, and I understand them perfectly. Still, it chilled'

Syla continued, her face tight. "And it's worse because she was bullied into sharing her resources. To think the overseers probably know about this!"

Tiber gestured at her and shook his head in warning. "Stop, or you'll get in trouble if anyone overhears you! And don't forget the overseers are Squires—and stronger ones, even more so than our wing leader."

She grumbled but switched the topic to something else, asking if they'd finally start feeding them something other than the bile they were given. Tiber was ready to disagree, and they launched into their usual argument.

Atrox tuned them out. 'So there are bullies here? I should have expected that, but it's not really my business. The only thing that's my business is to stay away from the overseers at all costs. I don't want to be made an example of'

He quickly finished his bath with the others and headed to the great hall to eat.