I will be updating weekly now so make sure to add to your library to get the notifications!

S. A. A

                           °°°°°°°♧°°°°°°

"I think she's conscious now. Call Arun."

I could hear the clambering of footsteps and opened my eyes slowly, squinting then when the light coming from the window felt too bright.

I tried sitting up but the searing pain in my head made me lean back down and I clutched my head as I let out a small wince. I felt a slender hand on my shoulder and looked up slowly to see Ayla, her face marred with blood and sweat.

"Just lay back for now." She said simply, her voice low and my eyebrows furrowed at her words before I looked around the room.

We were in some sort of medical room, that much I could tell from the medicinal jars that lay strewn across the wooden table across from the bed that I was laying on.

"What happened? What am I doing here?" I asked Ayla to which she looked down slightly in sadness, her lips in a thin line, but the sound of footsteps interrupted our conversation and I looked to the door to see Abrax coming in with Arun slowly behind him. He gave me a smile before walking over and placing a large hand against Ayla's shoulder.

"I've informed the others also." He let out to which Ayla nodded, a smile on her face as she looked at him.

"You hit your head pretty hard there." Arun's voice made me turn my gaze to the other side of the bed and I watched as Arun grabbed a gauze and fresh linen bandage before moving towards me.

I chose to not say anything and instead pursed my lips as he undid the bandage that was already on my head, feeling the throbbing pain heighten in intensity, but the feeling of a small slender hand in mine distracted me slightly. Tightening my hold, I smiled as I kept my gaze on my lap; it wasn't hard to guess who it was.

"You can squeeze my hand if the pain gets too much." I heard the soft joking lull to Ayla's voice and let out a small laugh which was cut short when Arun pressed a wet cloth to the now exposed wound.

I squeezed Ayla's hand instinctively and she responded with tightening her hold. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from the hallway yet again, but I kept my gaze down as Arun continued his ministrations.

"You're awake."

I looked up to which Arun let out a groan of disapproval, but I paid it no heed when my eyes met Emut's somber gaze, his eyes as dull as the sun that was slowly slipping into the dunes.

He walked in with Demir and Maya following him, both with dark expressions on their face and, now that I looked around, I felt the dark cloud that hung above the room, clinging to each individual. Noticing my look of confusion, Emut moved to my side as he spoke.

"What do you remember of last night?" He said simply and my eyebrows raised in confusion to which Emut's gaze flitted to Ayla.

"Last night?" I asked, looking around and it was only when I looked down to the burgundy dress on my body- did I tense up. For it was now a deeper shade of red.

"Take care of Babu for me." She said softly and I screamed, covering Khalid's eyes when the man in front of her buried the sword deep into her chest.

"I lied. I'm Hanna Aset. I'm... I'm the prophecy." I whispered tearfully and, for a second, I saw her eyes gleam with something more before her face became heavy in my hands and her eyes glazed over.

"We'll be safe here, Babu." I said, stroking his back, but I was met with silence. My hand stroked wetness and I looked at it to see my hands coated red.

"Babu- he's in the bush... dead. Please get him.

I felt my heart thump against my chest as I thought of the memories and I raised a shaky hand to push away the hair that was matting itself down to my forehead.

Usually, at this point, I would complain about the heat and head to the showers. Yet how could I when I felt so cold inside? How could I complain about the heat when all I could think about was the warmth of Faridha's smile as she fussed over me. Or, the feeling of Khalid as he held onto me tightly, as though I could protect him.

"They're dead." I let out, feeling the emotions flooding back at once at the revelation, all of which had been suppressed before I woke up. I watched as Arun stilled in his movements of wrapping the bandage around my head, sharing an uneasy glance with Ayla, but Emut nodded at him to continue and so he did.

I replayed the flashbacks of last night in my head and it was only when I thought of the way that they had violated Faridha's body, did I let out a small sob.

Ayla moved closer, handing me a cup of water, but I pushed it back with a palm, shaking my head.

"They killed them." I let out, through sobs, my voice hoarse and I felt Ayla's hand as she stroked my hair back.

"Hanna, I-" Ayla began but I cut her off with the memories that hung in my head like a shadow.

"I watched them kill her." I snipped out quietly, feeling as though saying it aloud would get it out of my head. The room descended into a dark silence for a moment before it was broken by the sound of a scoff and I looked up to see Demir, sat on the window sill, his eyes gazing vacantly into the distance.

"People die. Deal with it." He said bluntly and I felt as though his words had smacked me in the face; the sheer casualness to his words was overwhelming. I looked to him, gaping like a fish before turning my gaze to Emut who would have usually admonished him at this point, but he kept his gaze steady, letting out a sigh as he brushed his hair back with a hand. I watched in shock as he nodded, a stony look on his face. I leaned forward, not caring for the pain that it elicited in my head nor for the sound of disapproval that Arun made as he tended to a wound on my arm.

"You can't possibly think that." I stuttered out, recalling how close Emut was to her and watching how they had laughed together. Emut tutted, turning to me, his hand still clutching at the hilt of his now bloody sword.

"We can't always save everyone, Hanna, but that doesn't mean I like it." He let out in a frustrated tone and I shook my head at his words, looking around the room to see the agreement in the eyes of everyone in the room.

"Only the strong stay alive- it's sad but true." Maya let out strongly, rolling her eyes at my behaviour as though I was acting out of the ordinary.

But, to me, it felt the only sane thing to do and, now, looking to the faces around the room, I only felt more detached than I had when recalling what happened.

They were accustomed to this, that I could tell from the maturity at which they were handling the loss. But, the feeling of loss was one such feeling I had never experienced. How could I have felt it when I never had anything to lose? Nothing to call my own?

I suddenly felt as though maybe my previous way of living was lucky. For, if that were still my lifestyle, I wouldn't feel the dull ache that was running through me nor would I see their vacant eyes searing into my soul.

Ayla moved closer, placing a warm hand against my back. I looked to her glassy blue eyes and she gave me a kind smile, one far too different from her usual playful one.

"They wouldn't want us to be sat here crying over them. They'd want you to be happy." She reassured me and I shook my head, my mind replaying the memories

"Take care of Babu for me." She said softly

I leaned away from Ayla's touch, suddenly feeling as though the warmth of it was too much.

"No, they wanted me to help them. I could have helped them." I said numbly, thinking back to the sword that had been so effortlessly chucked out of my hand or the arrow that should have struck me but instead struck Khalid.

Emut moved towards me, placing his firm hands on my shoulder and I looked up morosely to meet his determined gaze.

"We may not have been able to save them, but we can save the people, as a whole. It's what they would have wanted." He spoke in an assured tone and I recalled the disdain in Faridha's eyes as she looked to the Chigaru- no ounce of obedience.

I lifted myself off the bed fully this time to which Arun protested yet again. Shakily standing to my feet, I met Emut's determined look with one of my own.

"I want to do this. I want to help." I let out, feeling a renewed sense of vigor in me along with the desire for burning avengement. Emut nodded sternly at my words.

"That's what you're here for." He spoke gently yet firmly, but Demir scoffed at this, finally turning his gaze to Emut.

"Here for what? To be killed? She's not strong enough." He let out callously, his cold eyes flitting to mine for a moment before returning to Emut. I reeled back at the harsh words, feeling the vigor dampen like a flame doused with rainfall. I looked down to the floor as I spoke.

"But I need to do this." I said quietly, my voice coated with determination and desperation. I didn't know how to describe the feeling that was churning within me: the ache to do more. I felt helpless yet again and the desire to satiate the fire was relentless.

Maya let out a small sardonic laugh at my meek words, her face scrunched up in anger as she looked at me as though I was but a mere speck of dirt. Her hair was still in a braid, albeit it was messier now and she had taken off the makeup and changed out of her dress, leaving her looking like the warrior that she was.

"There's a big difference between 'need' to do this and 'can' do this. You need to do this, but I can do this. I'll kill them all." She ground out, snapping her head back to the side.

Emut gazed at her sternly, folding his arms.

"It's like how Negus said, Maya- we can only succeed if we think like a unit." He said, firmly to which Maya let out an aggressive grunt, her eyes glowing like green ember.

"Look at her, Emut, and then tell me she guarantees our success!" She said, her hand snapping out to point at me and I watched, heated, as Emut instinctively raised his gaze to look at me. Maya continued, her voice a morose grumble.

"Your coveted prophecy, Emut, and she let those dear to you die. Tell me you're not disappointed; that you don't have a fickle of a doubt." She accused, her eyes flitting back and forth between Emut and I. The room was silent now, with all those in attendance watching the bitter scene play out. I stilled at her words and stayed silent in fear that Maya would again chew into me with her harsh yet truthful words.

Emut broke the eye contact we had, choosing instead to look down. He sighed heavily then, brushing a hand through his hair tiredly.

"Death is inevitable; it is something that not even the prophecy can control, Maya. I can and will not hold doubt over things like that." He finalised, but the look in his eyes was sad and the guilt I felt came back two-fold. Maya tutted at his words.

"But-" she said but Emut continued, giving her a firm look.

"We work as a unit, Maya; we don't divide ourselves." He said simply, repeating Negus's words and Maya nodded begrudgingly at his words yet the look of hatred on her face towards me was still apparent.

I huffed at her gaze, still feeling the hollow guilt within me. Moving forward with a slight stumble in my step, I swayed from side to side slightly with the spots that were clouding my vision. Ayla noticed this and grabbed hold of my arm, helping my movements. I smiled softly in her direction, but it didn't reach my eyes.

"I need to do this, Ayla- for Khala." I said slowly so that only she could hear, gauging her reaction and wanting to confide in someone about the desperation that was growing within me. I stilled when she bit her lip in hesitation. She noticed this and tightened her hold on my arm.

"Hanna, please don't take it in a bad way, but I agree with Demir and Maya." She said and I moved to get out of her hold, but she tightened it, looking at me with her glassy blue eyes.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Hanna." She explained and, although I knew her words were true and coming from a place of concern, I still pushed out of her grip and she watched me with tentative eyes. They all watched me then as I stumbled towards the door and away from them.

I exited, knowing then where I was when seeing the library opposite me and made my way the open area of the courtyard.

They were right, all of them yet now I felt disdain at their words. I would usually find myself nodding in agreement at their words and trying to persuade them that I was not what they thought I was. So, why was today any different?

"I lied. I'm Hanna Aset. I'm... I'm the prophecy." I whispered tearfully

It was different this time because uttering those words to Faridha was a promise. I could see the hope light her eyes as I said those words and I knew the weight of them. I sighed deeply when the evening air hit me as I walked towards the fountain and sat down.

I had already broken one promise to her; this made this promise all the more crucial to keep. If not directly, I would inadvertently fulfil her wishes of a free Aaru- a notion she had so diligently hoped for.

Yet all I felt now was discouragement.

Discouragement from the words they all spoke and in my own abilities. I knew the extent of my capabilities. I had been training for 2 months now and, still, when the opportunity arised, my weapon was snatched out of my hand so effortlessly. I hadn't even put up a fight and not because I didn't want to, but because I simply couldn't.

Try as I might, I could not do anything. I tried to run, I tried to hide and I tried to fight. But, they both died, all the same.

Because I was weak.

Faridha placed hope in me to protect Khalid and I almost laughed bitterly at the misplaced trust. I reached out and stuck a hand in the trickling fountain water, feeling a little calmer at the cool feel, but the calmness did not last long. Not when the flashbacks of blood and murder still plagued my mind.

Even if I chose to forget it, the blood on my gown was there to remind me of last night's terrors- ones I knew would infiltrate my sleep and nurture my nightmares.

Staring numbly at my lap and the blood-stained gown, I didn't notice the tear that slipped down my cheek and onto the burgundy material. It was only when my tears mixed with red that I broke out of my trance and stood up abruptly.

Hurriedly and without thought, I made my way to the hallway stairs and to the first floor where I knew that only a shower and a change in clothes would alleviate my anxiety.

But it wouldn't make the pain go away.

                        °°°°°°°♧°°°°°°

Hope you guys liked it! Let me know how it was!

I will be updating weekly now so make sure to add to your library to get the notifications!

S. A. A