If I wasn't nervous before then I was definitely now. I just hoped I wouldn't be the one to ruin our chances of obtaining the key.

Exhaling deeply, I thought of what Ayla had advised me earlier.

"Think of leaving those you loved in Earth. Think of those who were unjust to you, Hanna."

I thought back to the memories of Sue and Marie, both of whom I had to leave behind. They were there for my teenage years and, now, they were essentially erased from my life by a split-second decision.

However, try as I might, I felt no tears. Yes, there was sadness, but the memories and relations of Earth were faded and weak in comparison to the ones forged in Aaru. I couldn't find myself to regret leaving Earth and I let out a sigh of frustration.

If Demir heard me, he didn't choose to show it and the silence closed in on my ears as I clenched my eyes shut.

I could do this; I was the daughter of Isis, after all.

I rolled my eyes internally at the ridiculousness of my thoughts. A daughter of Isis? How was I able to confidently proclaim that? Indeed, she was my birth-giver yet the word 'mother' meant something else to me entirely; something that I hadn't experienced properly in my 20 years of existence.

The thought was slightly upsetting and I clung to it like a leech, thinking of how many times I would try to imagine my biological mother. The amount of times I had hoped she would rush into Debra's house and stake her claim on me, taking me away from the nightmares of living with them. We would move away from the rainy streets of Staffordshire and to a sunny bustling city- just a normal life in a normal city, those were the unreachable dreams of my childhood.

Debra had told me that I wasn't wanted; that I was purposely given away. That had stuck with me and I recall the nights of deep misery where I would question what was wrong with me. Why was I destined to live like this and why hadn't my mother wanted me?

I felt the warm build of tears welling in my eyes and blinked as quick as I could before my eyes dried the tears away. A single tear rolled down my cheek and I let out a sigh of relief at this, opening my eyes to see that Demir was turning my way the whole time, a blank look on his face as he gazed at me intrusively.

"I told you to turn away." I murmured, feeling embarrassed as I leaned over the water pit, watching as the tear dropped with a small splash, causing ripples to form in the small pond.

Demir shrugged indifferently at my words.

"You never said that I couldn't turn back." He retorted and I rolled my eyes at his words as he looked into the pit.

"What did you think about that made you cry?" He asked and I opened my mouth to say 'the thought of you', but chose against it. He had been through the same pains, if not more, with his own parental issues. In any case, now would be a good time to divulge; to release some of the pent up sadness.

"I thought of my mother or lack thereof." I answered awkwardly, letting out a small laugh at the end of my sentence and Demir's gaze snapped to me, his still grey gaze holding my own. I rocked slightly, feeling pathetic to have made such an admission when everyone in Aaru had been subjected to so many deaths and cruelties.

"It's stupid, I know." I muttered, stepping away from the water pit and Demir broke eye contact then, shaking his head.

"It's probably one of the only things you've said that wasn't stupid." He answered teasingly and I let out a small laugh before nudging him slightly.

"Your turn now." I said with a smile and he nodded before looking to my waist with a curious gaze. I watched, still, as he reached over and grabbed the dagger that Maya had given me, his large hand stroking against my hip. I let out a startled noise at this, jumping back with a slight red tint to my cheek.

"How about asking and being polite, Demir?" I said indignantly with a huff to which he raised an eyebrow.

"And, why would I waste my breath on meaningless formalities?" He replied back in his usual blunt manner and I opened my mouth to call him a neanderthal, but stopped short when he raised the dagger to his palm and cut right through without so much as a wince.

I watched as he raised his palm to the water pit, letting the blood drip into the murky liquid below.

"I knew you didn't feel anything." I muttered, watching it mix and turn the waters into a light purple. It was silent for a few moments as we waited with baited breaths, but nothing happened and I let out a deep sigh, turning to look to Demir.

Suddenly, the walls were shaking and I ducked as small pebbles and debris of sand fell from the roof. I rocked where I was stood, leaning my hand against the wall to balance myself.

"What's happening?! Were we wrong?!" I shouted over the noise of the rumbling as Demir swiftly pulled me into his form, his arms around my back and his cautious gaze on the surrounding chaos. I held instinctively to his upper arms, taking in his musky and peppermint smell.

I was acutely aware of our proximity, making me redden. Even more so when his grey eyes turned to mine, tangling my gaze with his own and I let out a small breath as his eyes traced my face.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I composed myself and smiled teasingly to which he frowned.

"What?" He asked bluntly to which I shook my head before moving in hurriedly when a rock fell behind. His grip tightened on me then like a snake with its vice-like grip. I smirked again then as I bit my lip thoughtfully.

"Wasn't this the same man who claimed he didn't care if I fell off the terrace?" I pondered mockingly and Demir rolled his eyes, his hair in his eyes as he looked to me.

"Don't flatter yourself, Hanna. I'd get an earful if I went back without you and I'm in no mood to entertain conversation." He quipped back just as quick and I shook my head with a small giggle.

"Oh, Demir, denial is the worst form of lying. If not to me then at least be true to yourself lest you forget how to distinguish between reality and delusion." I retorted to which Demir's eyes lit up, a small smirk on his face.

"And, pray tell, what truth do you choose to believe?" He asked poignantly, his fingers drumming on my back akin to the rhythm of my heart. I stilled at the contact, forgetting my words for a second before looking him head on.

"I'd rather not divulge; I think you'd prefer that too." I remarked and he raised an eyebrow playfully.

"No, go on, now that you've begun. Indulge me." He playfully challenged, his eyes glowing in the orange hue of the room. I looked him straight on as I spoke, my voice steady.

"The truth that you care about things more than you let on." I said simply and his fingers stopped drumming. Nevertheless, the look on his face stayed the same and I waited for his response. His eyes remained levelled as his hold loosened on me, making me feel cold.

"It's stopped." He spoke finally and I soon realised he was talking about the rocks tumbling. I nodded at his words, looking at him with a calculating gaze, but he ignored my gaze and, so, I didn't press further. Turning my gaze around to look at the water pit, but was surprised when it was gone and in its place, stood a small podium.

"Look!" I called to Demir before nearing towards the tall podium. He followed cautiously behind and I gazed in awe at the long shining key that sat atop the podium. Picking it up slowly, I let out a small gasp at the design; it was seemingly made all off ruby red gemstones with a symbol of a circle with an arrow through it.

"The symbol of Mars." Demir's voice explained over my shoulder as he looked to the key in my hand. I nodded numbly at his words before turning to him. My eyebrows furrowed when I saw he was looking to something in his hand.

"What's that?" I asked, gesturing to the red parchment paper that he was reading and he splayed it my way to show ink markings of a foreign language, a steely look in his eyes.

"The clue for the next key."

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

"How was it down there?" Ayla urged as we waited for Abrax to open the courtyard door.

We had left quicker than we had walked in and as soon as we had taken the last step out, the entrance had shut with a resounding thud that echoed into the night. Ayla had transported us back outside of the residence after everyone had their turn to look at the key that, until this point, was just legend.

"Dark and narrow." I stated, feeling those words were apt enough to describe the place and Ayla shuddered dramatically at my words as we walked into the residence.

We stilled as Bomani stood in the middle of the courtyard, between the adjacent beds, his arms folded and an expectant look on his face.

"And, where did you all venture off to?" He asked, tapping his shoe against the floor to which I gulped down the nerves.

Emut, on the other hand, let out a small laugh before moving forward and jutting his hand towards Bomani, showing him the glowing red key.

"We apologise, Ustaaz, but we wouldn't have left if we felt it wasn't urgent. We found it- the Miftah of Mars." He explained and Bomani gaped slightly before casting his gaze to the key. He almost looked as though he was about to touch it, but thought against it. Instead, he spoke, his face expressionless.

"And, you're certain that it was absolutely urgent to get it now?" He asked almost formally and Abrax moved forward at this, a serious look on his face.

"Absolutely certain, Ustaaz. We feared it may fall into the wrong hands." He added to which Bomani nodded.

"Very well, but don't expect to get anymore hours to sleep. You wake in 2 hours." He finalised before turning and walking through the main entrance.

Ayla let out a whine at this.

"Two hours? That's not enough." She complained and Maya let out a snort as we neared the beds.

"Don't be dramatic, Ayla. We're lucky to even have that." She said bluntly and I placed a hand against Ayla's arm in comfort before turning to Emut.

"What do we do next?" I asked before sitting myself on the edge of the bed to which both Ayla and Maya followed suit, seating themselves on either side of me.

Emut looked to the key as he spoke.

"We can't afford to waste time. We'll leave for the next key as soon as sun hits." He answered and I nodded in understanding as he pocketed the key before looking around.

"I'll keep this key with me and the next will go to Demir and so on. It's better they are kept separate if the worst comes." He instructed and I nodded yet again, just before cringing as Ayla squealed loudly.

"Well, if there are only 2 hours till sunrise then what's the point of sleeping? Let's stay up!" She said excitedly and I laughed at her energy.

"I cannot see why not." Abrax answered kindly, a smile on his face as he seated himself on the edge of Ayla's bed and faced towards us. Ayla reddened at this and I placed a hand against hers before speaking in a bid to draw the attention off her.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind, it's not like I'd be able to sleep now anyways." I answered honestly with a shrug. It would probably take me about 40 minutes to even fall into a deep sleep. Maya leaned back with a small laugh. 

"I second that! So long as we're prompt in the morning to get the next key, the better." She exclaimed and I poked her teasingly before turning my gaze to Demir and Emut.

"What say, Demir? Shall we forgo sleep for tonight?" Emut asked jokingly, slapping a hand against Demir's back to which he smiled slightly.

"Perhaps we can consider it a premature celebration for being right about the clue." He answered blankly, making both Emut and Abrax laugh.

I narrowed my eyes at them as they seated themselves next to Abrax on Ayla's bed which was planted right next to mine, where we were sat.

"Go ahead and have your celebration! We'll have ours soon enough!" Maya bit out scornfully before lying her form across the bed and leaning on her elbow. Ayla laughed in agreement, clapping her hands together and Emut shrugged with a smile.

"We'll see." He said simply and I nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we shall. I, for one, feel very confident. I mean, I did get the better team and you have... oh well, beggars can't be choosy." I said mock--sympathetically, leaning back against Maya's stomach, feeling the vibrations as she let out a loud laugh.

"Quite right, Hanna! We have the looks, the intellect and the laughs. Meanwhile, they have Demir." She joked and I chuckled at her words as Demir raised an eyebrow.

"You think I need looks or laughs to win? If those are your special weapons then this competition will be as boring as I had anticipated." He retorted and Emut laughed at his words.

"Boring, perhaps, but remember that we get whatever we want when we win." He added, turning his gleaming honey eyes to look at me and I rolled my eyes at his words.

"Oh, don't you worry, I've already come up with a list which includes having a hand-cooked meal by Abrax, for you to sew up all the clothes I've torn in training and for Demir to clean out the toilet." I said sweetly to which Abrax rubbed his hands together.

"I make really good lentils, if I do say so myself." He added in bashfully, making Emut side-eye him as Maya let out a small laugh, nudging me.

"I'm quite fond of your list, especially the toilet one. That is commendable." She complimented me and I watched as Demir's eyes lit up, the grey glow rivaling that of the moon. His gaze turned to me as he leaned slightly forward.

"Careful, I was thinking of going easy on you, but I might change my mind." He warned and I raised an eyebrow at his words.

"You can change your mind, if you wish to, Demir. We're not ones to enjoy the easy route anyway." I retorted in a challenging manner to which Maya let out a grunt of agreement and Ayla whimpered besides me.

"I don't want to clean a toilet." She murmured and Emut laughed, shaking his head.

"You won't have to. We'll save that for Hanna and Maya, seeing as they're looking forward to the harder route." He teased and I gaped at his words.

"And here I was, just giving you a sewing job!" I let out to which Emut shook his head.

"I don't even know how to sew." He commented and Maya huffed loudly.

"What is there you can do properly, Emut." She scolded and there was a moment of silence.

"Win." Emut muttered out and then the boys were laughing to themselves, making me roll my eyes.

"Fools" Maya muttered and I nodded.

"Absolute fools." I added and Ayla let out a sound of agreement.

"His lentils aren't even that good." She commented and I tutted at her words before poking at her ribs, making her giggle. Maya joined in shortly as Ayla's laughter carried into the depths of the night.

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

30 years earlier

"State your business." The gruff voice spoke out to which the measly man cowered, wringing his hands out anxiously.

"I- I have something that Malika Anouke may like." He spoke meekly, looking around the dirty alley which he knew would contain all the wrong sorts.

The gruff character let out a small snort.

"And, what goods would a grotesque human such as yourself have that will appease the high lady?" He retorted bitterly and the man floundered in his response slightly before rummaging through his pockets hurriedly.

"This- I had found it my ancestral home. It belonged to a great great grandfather of mine who had worked as a bandit in his time." He examined, jutting the small parchment out to the character. He couldn't see it's face that was shrouded by a hood and he didn't know if he even wished to.

"Bandit? What a filthy way of living." The hooded figure muttered scornfully before snatching the parchment. The man gulped down the nerves at this as he shook his head.

"He and a group of bandits were the ones who bound the Oracle for clues. I found this clue he had left for us about a key." He rushed out, in fear that the hooded figure would bore of him if he didn't get to the point and kill him. He knew them to be that ruthless.

He let out a sigh of relief when the hooded figure notably heightened in interest as it took the time to read the paper this time.

"The Miftah of Jupiter." It muttered in intrigue and the man nodded urgently. He was fearful of the High Lady as well as the dark creatures to which she surrounded herself with. Nevertheless, he too craved to be on the good side of power. Perhaps, he would be rewarded with gold or even a title for his finding.

"Did I not tell you I had something she would like?" The man muttered almost excitedly now and the hooded figure nodded half-heartedly, keeping its eyes on the paper.

'Indeed, you were right; the Malika would like this." He answered to which the man sighed in relief before opening his mouth to ask for his reward yet the hooded figure spoke again.

"However, I know something she likes better." The hooded figure added to which the man's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What?" He asked curiously and it was then he could see the small glint of white as the figure smiled.

"Blood." It answered before effortlessly dropping it's sword and slicing the man down the middle. It's smile widened when it saw the bloody mess in front of it before it turned its gaze to the paper. Yes, she would be very happy for this.

For now, the games had well and truly begun.