He noticed this but said nothing as I did so. I thought of what move he would do next and what I could do to combat it. Due to his strength, I could only play defense, considering his expertise and strength in this area.

If he was going to play to his strengths then I would play to mine.

I touched one hand to the other as we circled each other. I silently willed the door to open and felt the power complying as it flooded out, running through my body like a hot flush. I could feel the heat for a shorter time now and breathed out a sigh when the ache and tiredness disappeared. However, this time I didn't feel weak as I did it.

Then, Emut moved to me with his sword and I raised mine in response. He had expected my blow to be weaker, something I could tell from how soft his attack was. Instead, my blow was as hard as I could muster it to be and his sword flailed back slightly at this to which he frowned. I hit at his sword again which he effortlessly blocked as I pushed against him.

"You're suddenly awake." He teased, but his tone was laced with confusion and I smiled to myself before moving back.

"I would have been awake this whole time if your fighting skills weren't so boring." I teased, putting a hand to my mouth to fake a yawn. Emut raised an eyebrow at this, seemingly ignited by the challenge in my tone.

In no time, he had moved forward and I hit at him with my sword yet it missed. I let out a small noise when he dodged my attacks before he swiftly moved behind. It all happened in a second wherein Emut was stood behind me, a hand holding my armed hand down and the other holding his sword against my skin. I tensed slightly at the feel of his form behind me, struggling to get out of his hold but to no avail.

"Are you awake now?" He murmured and I shuddered slightly as his words tickled against my ear. I could smell his familiar earthy scent, the smell of sandalwood and pine invading my nose.

"No, you're still boring." I murmured back, fighting the blush that was heating up my cheeks. Emut let out a laugh at this and I thought I felt his warm hold tighten slightly around me before he stepped back.

"I'll work on that then." He said and I turned to meet his golden gaze as he looked down to me with a smile, his hand brushing through his brown hair.

"Oh you were amazing, Hanna!" Ayla suddenly was by my side, her cheerful voice in my ear and I flinched, looking to her with a smile.

"Thanks." I said, relieved that the blush was dying down and Emut nodded at her words.

"You've improved." He remarked and I smiled, feeling grateful for the praise. Emut was about to add something, but Abrax called him over and he looked to us apologetically.

"I'll see you later." He said before walking over to the boys and I watched as they seemed engrossed in discussion before turning to Ayla who was looking to my weapon.

"You were so cool with it." She muttered and I looked to the sword before tutting and pulling her by the arm over to where Maya was stood.

"What is it?' She asked and I stopped when we were near Maya who regarded us with a side look, her fringed dampened down to her forehead with sweat. They looked to me expectantly and I breathed out before speaking.

"I found out a power." I announced to which Ayla squealed and Maya turned to give me her full attention.

"What is it?" She asked curiously before reaching for her water bottle and taking a big gulp. Ayla looked to me eagerly and I looked down at my palms.

"I think it's some sort of healing power. I used it when fighting with Emut. It helped me keep going, even when I was tiring." I recounted and Ayla squealed again, making Maya nudge her in annoyance.

"That's amazing! And you were worried for no reason!" Ayla reassured me and I smiled at her words before turning to Maya who nodded in agreement.

"Make sure to stay this optimistic for the rest." She advised and my eyebrows furrowed at her words.

"The rest?" I questioned to which she rolled her eyes and gestured in the boys direction. I turned to see Demir and Emut playfully wrestling.

"You're not a defender, Hanna, you're a descendant. Us defenders- we're gifted with a single power as a medium between humans and descendants. You- well, you're a culmination of your mother. Just like Demir, you'll have multiple powers." She explained and I nodded at her words, sighing heavily.

"Just when I thought I had myself all figured out." I joked and Ayla stroked my arm.

"Every step forward is grounds for celebration." She consoled me and I smiled, thankful that I had at least made progress. I nodded at her words with a smile and Maya nudged me with her arm, holding her daggers up.

"Now, that your self-doubt session is over, help me practice my form."

****************

I walked out towards the empty courtyard, savouring the feel of the warm breeze through my wet hair. Ayla and Maya were yet to finish their washing up and, so, I made the walk to the beds alone.

Walking down the steps, I realised that the boys weren't done and made my way over to the bed. I placed the water flask next to the bedpost before sitting myself down.

I looked to the sky, dotted with white glimmering stars that blinked like the flickering of a candle flame. There were no clouds to be seen and the half moon bathed the courtyard in its ethereal glow. I looked around, taking in my surroundings and I halted when I saw a small wilting white flower, growing at the base of the palm tree trunk.

Biting my lip, I looked around only to find that I was still alone before making my way in its direction. I crouched when I reached, touching the shrivelled petals that felt as though they would crisp away under my touch. I was unsure of what would happen, but I knew that at least a try would be harmless.

I kept my fingers against the petals delicately, closing my eyes as I thought to the door in my head. It opened when I commanded and I felt the red liquid running through me and then to the petals, to the leaves, the stem and then through to the roots.

I could see the thin roots within the soil as it entwined with the roots of the palm tree as though they were embracing.

The red liquid provided sustenance for wherever it touched and I sensed the petals lift, becoming soft under my fingers. Opening my eyes, I felt the heated red haze run up the trunk of the palm tree before it rested against the thick leaves, causing a cluster of dates to grow at the stem, making me let out a gasp.

I fell back then, feeling weak suddenly. It was strange that I didn't feel weak when I had used my ability, during my fight with Emut. It only seemed to weaken me when I relayed it to other people or things, such as with Bomani and with the flower.

I inspected my work with heavy breaths, looking to the flower that was now upright and a bit larger before I turned my gaze to the palm tree that was now boasting a bountiful growth of dates.

"That's new."

I stood up abruptly, turning to look at Demir who was looking to the dates, a blank look on his face.

I nodded hesitantly before turning my gaze back to the flower.

"I figured out my power today." I said simply, looking to my palms and I heard Demir near as he crouched to touch the flower. Despite his broad frame, his movements were surprisingly gentle as he touched the petal.

"Healing?" He questioned and I nodded before realising his gaze was on the flower.

"Something like that." I admitted, knowing this power thing was a very unfamiliar territory.

Demir spared me a side glance before looking back to the flower.

"Wouldn't it be ironic if I asked you to heal the headache you give me whenever you talk?" He mused and I rolled my eyes at his words.

"Like I'd offer any help to you." I commented, watching as Demir stood to his full height, towering over me. I eyed him then, curiously, before biting my lip hesitantly.

"I saw you the other night, moving the bed." I rushed out before I could control it and I clenched my hands to my side as his smile died down, his blank gaze burning in to me. I couldn't take it for long and I looked to the side pathetically as I spoke.

"I remember you telling me about not liking the darkness. It's for your powers, isn't it?" I added meekly yet Demir's gaze didn't stray in the slightest.

At long last, he sighed before putting a hand to the nape of his neck, a tired look on his face.

"It's nothing new- the same old shit, a different place." He said bluntly, shrugging and my eyebrows furrowed at his words.

"But why to you?" I asked curiously as I was a descendant too and I never had that. He raised an eyebrow at my question, giving me a look that told me my question was utter nonsense.

"It depends on which God you are a descendant from, Hanna. Isis is the goddess of magic, healing and wisdom. Mine is..."

He didn't finish his sentence, turning instead to look down and I didn't push, knowing that perhaps it wasn't for me to know. Maya had told me that only Negus and Emut knew, making me all the more curious as to what it was.

Instead of pushing, I steered away from it, letting out a breath.

"You must lose a lot of sleep over it. I've seen you on the terrace right before sunrise sometimes. That must be really detrimental to your health" I remarked, thinking back to the times I had gotten up to go to the bathroom or for a walk and I had seen him outside, deep in his thoughts.

Demir let out a small noise, his eyes glancing to the moon.

"I find that your small talk is more detrimental. " He said playfully before moving to walk and I followed him as he sat down on his bed.

"But, you must have lost a lot of sleep over the past 2 days?" I asked curiously, watching as he smiled slightly.

"Perhaps." Was all he said, his voice bordering between indifference and vacant. At his words, I raised a palm towards him and he watched my actions intently.

"Then let me fix it." I suggested to which he raised an eyebrow.

"Are you being serious?" He asked, searching my gaze incredulously and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, Demir. It will give me a chance to practice." I urged to which Demir searched my gaze yet again to see if I was joking.

"You're so odd." He muttered and I rolled eyes before moving to him and raising a hand towards his forehead. He stayed silent as I tentatively touched his forehead, focusing on trying to hone the powers. Even now as he was sat and I was stood in front of him, we were around the same height.

I imagined the door opening and felt the shimmering red run down into my fingertips and to his form. He looked to me then, his silver gaze ensnaring and tangling with my own. His hair tickled against the back of my hand softly and his skin was cool under mine.

I could feel the heaviness in his head, indicating a lack of sleep to which I let the power run through him like a hot flush of water. I felt him tense slightly before relaxing as I felt the heaviness go away. Then, I allowed the red liquid to run deeper through him into the wounds along his legs before letting it run through the scars against his back, making me let out a gasp. His breath hitched slightly at this, his grey gaze holding mine.

"Hanna." He said in a distant warning tone, but he said nothing more, so I continued, revitalising whatever I could find.

"Stop, Hanna." I heard the harsh tone to his voice, but my eyes were shutting slightly. There was only so much left and I put in all I could muster as I-

Suddenly, I felt a hand grip against my own and felt myself be shoved back. This made my eyes snap open as I looked to Demir who was staring at me coldly, his hand gripping at my wrist.

"I told you to stop, didn't I?" He said bitterly, nudging my arm away and I moved back defensively, looking to him in confusion and hurt.

He sighed at the look on my face before touching at his forehead where my hand had been.

"You were draining the energy from yourself to heal me." He said simply and I stuttered as I looked to my palms.

"B-but I did it to the flower and to Bomani for their pains." I answered quietly and Demir tutted at my words.

"Aches and pains are one thing; scars are another. It's too much to erase years of affliction." He explained, sitting back down and I moved forward on wobbly legs.

"Like the scars on your back?" I asked tepidly to which Demir's gaze snapped to me in surprise. He looked as though he was about to ask how I knew that, but instead his expression dimmed and he nodded.

"Yeah, like that." He edged out sharply and I knew I had overstepped a line by speaking on it. I cursed myself for having said that out loud, so I cleared my throat with a cough, brushing my hair behind my ear.

"And the headache?" I asked meekly in an attempt to steer the subject to which Demir looked to me again.

"What?" He said curiously and I shrugged my shoulders lightly.

"Did it help the headache?" I asked again and Demir shook his head, a look of confusion on his face.

"Only someone as foolish as you would enquire about a headache after they nearly killed themselves." He muttered to himself in disbelief and I folded my arms at his words. An action I soon regretted when I felt the dizziness hit, but I ignored it.

"How would I have known that was to happen? I was just trying to help." I spat back indignantly to which Demir leaned back on his palms with a scoff.

"If you didn't know then don't try to help." He said bluntly, making me seethe yet he paid this no heed, turning to look to the sky and I let out a choked sigh before moving back.

"Forgive me for trying to be useful." I sad numbly before hurriedly moving away so as to not give him the satisfaction of seeing my sadness.

My sadness was mine and mine alone.

                    °°°°°°°♧°°°°°°

Hey, guys! Thank you for reading.

I hope you guys enjoyed it because I very much enjoyed writing it!

I will update every week (or twice a week), so there will be plentiful to read.

Please vote if you enjoyed it and comment on what you would like to see!

Much Love,

S.A.A