"Hanna! Ayla! Get up!"

I opened my eyes to Maya hovering over me and let out a startled noise. Maya rolled her eyes at this before reaching forward and flicking Ayla's forehead, making her whimper.

I let out a giggle at this, sitting up slightly before tapping Ayla's shoulder to which she opened her eyes tiredly.

"We're here." Maya said before exiting the carriage where I could hear the boys outside.

"Do they ever rest?" I muttered the question and Ayla let out a noise of agreement.

"They're like machines." She added and I stood up, exiting the carriage. Ayla followed suit and I squinted against the sun as I looked to the surroundings.

There was a cream coloured building with palm trees towering out the side. It was a one-floor building, which stretched more horizontally than it did vertically.

"Let's grab our bags." Ayla spoke and I nodded distractedly as I looked around. With a final look, I moved towards Ayla who was trying to reach our bags from the top of the carriage, jumping on the spot. I let out a laugh at the sight as did Emut.

"Need help?" He teased to which Ayla let out an incoherent grumble before nodding. He smiled at this before moving forward and reaching up, causing his top to ride up, showing his tanned stomach.

"This one yours?" He asked, pulling at a black bag and Ayla nodded her head.

"That's Hanna's." She said, gesturing to me and I reached out my hands as he passed it to me, making sure to thank him.

"The green one's mine." Ayla pointed to the one on the far right and Emut picked it up effortlessly before passing it into her hands and making his way over to the entrance.

We followed suit, with our bags in tow and waited as Emut knocked against the iron gate. After what seemed like a decade, the door was opened by a mousey man, speaking a foreign tongue.

Emut responded back to him in the same language and I stood intrigued, watching the impressive display. The man then moved from the door to allow us entry.

I looked around as we entered at the large bare courtyard, one that was considerably bigger than the one at home. There were no plants or crops, save for the palm trees at the side and the whole ground was hardened sand. The house itself had one big entrance, with steps that lead up to it.

"It is wonderful to see you again, students."

I swivelled at the sound to see a tanned man stood at the top of the stairs as he looked to us. His black hair was cut close to his scalp and he was sporting a black moustache. He wore a robe of some sort, with a large cloth belt over it. His brown eyes scoured across to gaze at the 6 of us and I fiddled with my hands nervously.

"As well as some new faces." He continued sternly when his eyes landed on me and I did my best to give him a smile, but at best, it probably looked forced.

Emut stepped forward first and I watched as he bowed slightly before speaking.

"Ustaaz, Negus may have notified you of our arrival." He said, his eyes looking to Bomani to which Bomani nodded slightly before descending the stairs. The sound of his shoes echoed against the courtyard.

"He did, but the details, I have not yet been told. Emut, come with me to my study and we will discuss this further." He instructed and Emut nodded. Bomani then turned to look to the rest of us, a firm non-expressive look on his face.

"The rest of you will have 10 minutes to place your things in the storage room and also to recuperate from the journey. Abasi will show you where it is. When these 10 minutes are complete, meet back here, ready for your training." He finished, flapping his hand towards the mousey male who was apparently called Abasi. He then proceeded to begin walking off without another word and Emut followed after him.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding before looking to Ayla in terror. She let out a giggle as the rest of them followed Abasi to the storage room.

"Scared yet?" She teased as we walked through the main entrance and towards a small room with cupboards scattered everywhere.

"Scared is an understatement." I muttered with a sigh before placing my bag into a cupboard that Ayla opened. The room felt stuffy to say the least and I felt the urge to quickly leave.

"Don't worry, Hanna, you'll do fine." Abrax spoke from behind, placing his bag in a cupboard and I smiled in thanks.

When all the bags were back, we exited and I looked around in confusion. The place was small compared to home and I briefly wandered where we would be sleeping.

Abasi lead us through to two washing rooms before gesturing to one and then the other, speaking again in a foreign language. Demir nodded at his words before turning to Abrax.

"The males washing chambers is the one on the left." He translated and Abrax nodded before entering.

Maya walked into the washing chambers on the right and Ayla and I followed. There were stools situated near a washing tap and Maya sat down on one before opening the tap and washing her face and arms.

I sat on the next one hesitantly and Ayla nudged me before opening the top and washing her hands.

"It'll wash away the journey." She explained and I nodded before opening my tap and placing my hands under the water. I was surprised by the icy coldness to it, thinking back to when I had jumped in the River Trent. Without a further thought, I splashed it against my face and let out a small gasp at the coolness. Ayla giggled at my surprise and I glared at her playfully before sticking my arms in the water and throwing it to her.

The water drenched her neck and the bottom portion of her face and she closed her eyes in surprise.

"Oh, I can't believe you did that!" She squealed before putting her own hands in the water and throwing it to me. I ducked at that, letting out a gasp when it landed all over Maya's hair who looked to Ayla with a deathly stare.

"Ghabbiya!" She shouted before grabbing the water and throwing it in our direction and I let out a squeal when it landed on both Ayla and me.

Maya let out a loud laugh at this which was interrupted when I threw water that landed in her mouth, making her laughter turn to a gargle. Both Ayla and I collapsed in tears at this, leaning against each other.

"You threw it in her mouth!" Ayla burst out through her laughter and my stomach ached as I looked to Maya who glared at us. She advanced then, pushing us both of our stools and I let out a small squeal as she rubbed her wet hands through Ayla's hair, making it stand up on ends.

"Hey!" Ayla screeched through the act and I stumbled to my feet, running to the entrance.

"Where do you think you're running to, Hanna?!" Maya's playful voice shouted from behind me and I let out a scream when I felt her nearing before I ran out of the door and straight into Abasi, landing square on top of him.

I heard Maya's loud laughter behind me and Abasi reddened under me as I stumbled to get up.

"Sorry!" I let out, helping him up and he smiled sheepishly, waving it off with a hand. Maya moved forward and spoke to the man in foreign tongue, probably explaining what I said and it was then that Ayla ran out, sorting out her hair with her slender fingers.

"Maya, it looks so bad now." She whined with a pout and Maya rolled her eyes, turning away from her conversation to give Ayla a look.

"Relax, it's not as though there is anyone here to impress." She grumbled out and I nudged her with a raised eyebrow. She looked to me in confusion before she realised that there was someone here who she, indeed, wanted to impress.

I laughed at this as well as Ayla's bitter look before reaching forward and sorting out her hair. She smiled in thanks.

"Demir and Abrax have gone to the courtyard already." Maya spoke what Abasi had just told her and I nodded before moving back and examining my handiwork. When all the hair was neat again, I moved towards the courtyard and they followed suit.

I saw Abrax, Demir and Emut in the courtyard, setting up shelves of weapons for the training session. I could see Bomani was gazing at them, observing their progress and I gulped down the nerves as I moved to him tepidly. Maya and Ayla made their way over to the training area.

Bomani's gaze switched to my form as I neared and I smiled as best as I could before clearing my throat with a cough.

"Hi, you may not know me, but I'm Hanna. It's nice to meet you." I greeted with a smile and Bomani bowed his head slightly at the greeting.

"I know who you are, oh chosen one. Tell me, how has your ability training been going thus far?" He asked formally and I stuttered slightly before sighing. He watched as I did so.

"I don't think I even know what my abilities are, let alone if they can be trained." I explained my predicament and Bomani nodded before gesturing to the side. I followed him as he walked.

"It seems that not allowing your abilities to flourish when they had first come about means they are dormant within you now. It'll take some focus to channel them." He answered and I nodded sadly at his words. We halted near the shade of a palm tree before he turned to me.

"What must I do?" I asked almost pleadingly and Bomani clasped his hands behind his back before looking to the palm tree.

"First you must look to this palm tree." He instructed and my eyebrows furrowed at his words, but nevertheless I did as he instructed.

"Now what?" I asked, facing away from the training area and Bomani placed a hand against my shoulder.

"Close your eyes." He answered and I followed, feeling the darkness take over as I closed my eyes. I stayed silent as he spoke again.

"In the midst of living in Earth, you've lost your purpose. You lack focus and clarity- two things which you will direly need." He muttered and I grimaced slightly at my shortcomings. I could hear his voice near as he spoke in hushed tones.

"Your powers are a part of you and you have subconsciously suppressed them behind a door, if you will. What you need to do is open that door." He explained further and my eyebrows furrowed at his words.

"How do I let those powers out?" I asked, listening to the flapping of wings as birds passed in the sky. I felt a flick on my forehead and let out a small wince.

"Balid, you are thinking too ahead. No wonder, you are finding it difficult." Bomani criticised me and I folded my arms in indignation.

"How am I thinking too ahead?" I asked to which Bomani tutted.

"Think of it with a young infant who is learning to walk. You must first allow them to learn to stand up without assistance. Only then can they take their first steps. Then, they can begin walking and, finally, they can run. You wish to walk without learning to stand first." He explained and I let out a relenting sigh before dropping my arms to my sides.

"What is the first step then?" I asked to which Bomani let out a small grunt of approval.

"The first step to release the powers that you are suppressing is to imagine the mental door with which you have suppressed them." He spoke wistfully and I raised an eyebrow at his words.

"The door?" I asked and he let out a small chuckle.

"Yes, imagine a door in your head- the look and the feel of it, any detail you can add to it." He explained and before I could protest, he spoke again.

"You have 2 hours." He said and I let out a small noise, but I could hear his footsteps as he walked away.

2 hours? Kill me now.