Powerful

3. This World is Not Meant for You

"First stage of training," announced Hendo, standing up from one of the cut out seats on the wall, and taking a few steps towards the group to better engage with them. "Physical. You're gonna learn to push your body to its breaking point. Throughout training you'll be ranked according your your ability, but not only that, it will be on how you develop your skills, and for showing courage as well. If you wanna be a coward, you'll drop in the rankings, and at the end of stage one, you'll be cut from initiation."

"What do you mean, cut?" Asked Bobby, frowning in confusion.

"Well, there's no going back to your own homes, so you'd live factionless," said Hendo.

"But that's ridiculous," exclaimed Lia. "Someone should have told us."

"Why?" Asked Virgil, suddenly reminding them all of his presence. "Would you have chosen differently? Out of fear?"

There was silence. No one dared to answer that question.

"You should never be so afraid of failing that you don't try in the first place," said Hendo, eyeing the group of initiates intently. "Learn to believe in yourself, push yourself to do better. That's the only way you're gonna get through this."

Virgil and Hendo began working with each of the initiates, teaching them basic hand to hand combat skills, and survival skills. Before long, they'd moved on to a row of punching bags, with each of them instructed to train their skills there before beginning actual combat. Most of them had a long way to go, particularly the transfers, but the two trainers had close to five years experience under their belts by now, and knew how to get the best out of their charges.

Virgil could feel the calmness slowly returning to the long training hall where they were working, and relaxed himself. It was going well, until he overheard a conversation being had between several dauntless born initiates, and suddenly, the uneasiness was heavy in their corner of the room once again. He drifted over towards where they were speaking, eyes on the electronic tablet he was holding, but ears tuned towards what they were saying. He was thankful to see that Trent and Hannah were across the other side of the room - he hadn't missed the anger and worry emanating from the two of them as they'd hurriedly entered the training hall that morning, and they didn't need Mason, Daniel and co. winding them up any further. They were bad news.

"They're dangerous, man," Mason was telling the group, as he worked with his punching bag.

"Are they though?" Frowned another, Scott. "We don't know anything about them."

"I can promise you they're dangerous, they're trying to hunt them down and kill them all, at least that's what I heard," Mason continued.

"Mason doesn't know what he's talking about," a third, known as Angel, rolled his eyes, turning back to focus on his own punching bag.

"He does," said Daniel. "Shut up, Angel."

"Wait, what are you guys even talking about?" Asked a fourth member of the group. Virgil recognised this one as well. His name was Diogo, and he was trouble as well.

"Divergents," said Scott. "And I'd believe Mason if I were you, Angel, Diogo. He knows the Dauntless leaders, even Paul."

"What do you know about it?" Asked Diogo, now curious. All eyes turned to Mason, and the brown haired boy held up his hands defensively.

"Woah, I don't know much at all. Just that they're dangerous, they're not like normal humans, but they pretend to be. Paul wants to get rid of them. But you didn't hear me say that."

"Dude if you're not supposed to spread it why you telling us?" Angel eyed him cautiously.

"This isn't classified information," said Mason, a little haughtily, and the rest of them rolled their eyes.