I say my name and get another paper. This one shows my name and Kaaraleey's name, just like the last one. There are two new names, Caaruum Greey and Bexx Raagh. Snorting, I skim through the other information. A big scheme is printed, taking up almost the whole paper. Apparently we're group 11, and are supposed to be in Hall 5 in 40 minutes. I haven't seen Kaaraleey since last night, before I got taken away. For some reason, none of us got kicked out, even though I wish we would have. Instead we only got a warning, and we had to sleep in some sort of cell-like-thingy. Maybe I should go look for her? No, I'll just go eat something.

The gray clothes we got fits baggy around my body. I don't mind though, it's quite comfortable compared to the itchy old shirts and broken boots I usually wear. Not to mention that it's harder to tell where everyone's from now, hopefully that will help with all the discrimination.

"Nhooraay!" a voice calls for me. It's Kaaraleey; she's jogging towards me, a small smile plastered to her face. "I thought they expelled you."

"Nope." I eye her while she pants, her hands on her thighs. Then she wrinkles her nose.

"Where did you get those? I picked up your clothes yesterday."

I shrug. "I got them from some guard."

"Oh," she says. "Should we go eat? Do you need to take a shower?"

"Eat," I say and walk to the dining room. It's just as crowded and loud as last night, if not louder. Today the chaos isn't ass messy though, now that everyone wears gray only everyone's hair and skin show colour. It sooths me, hopefully no one notices me from the fight before. The food's good as well, cooked eggs and milk. I've never eaten it before and so I should be more excited about it, I've never got food this good before. But eating isn't anything I care about. I can get through a day without it.

"Did you check the paper?" Kaaraleey asks, stuffing her mouth with eggs. I nod. "I'm kind of nervous. This guy, Caaruum, he's in my school class."

"So?"

"He –it's just that I don't talk that much with anyone." Embarrassment spreads across her face, and she looks down at her plate. "And for some reason he always talks to me, even though I don't want to. I don't know; it's just going to be awkward." I hum in response, and thankfully she doesn't seem to care.

⧫⧫⧫

It's hard to find Hall 5, even though we search with the help of guards and maps. I have to do the talking, since Kaaraleey refuses. The only thing she does is to ponder around like a lost lamb, stressfully pulling at her light auburn hair. And when we finally arrive, she grabs my shoulder, relaxing. I shake her off. The room is big with windows and mirrors, unlike from what I've ever seen before. Many seem to think the same way, gazing at the ceiling and whispering to each other. 50 people don't look as much as I thought it would. Everyone's spread out, plenty of space for moving and do whatever we're supposed to do. Kaaraleey keeps close to me, and I let her. I don't know anyone else here.

A girl walks in, her hair long and dark, as is her skin. She's tall and toned, wearing the same white clothes as everyone before. The so-called microphone is attached to her ear.

"Welcome to your first training session," she says and walks to stand in front of the long mirrored wall. "I am Saabry and I will be your trainer for most of your time here. Before we start doing anything, I would love for you to find your pairings. I will call your names and point for a place where you should go. You'll see what I mean when we start." Saabry reads peoples names of a paper, direction them to different spots in the room. Beside me, Kaaraleey is tugging at her hair again.

"Nhooraay Ruuh, Kaaraleey Rrah, Caaruum Greey and Bexx Raagh; you go over there." I tense at the sound of my name, but follow her directions to one of the windows far away from us. Two boys are already standing there, one tall and one not so. The shorter one is a curly golden blonde with big kind eyes, a friendly smile on his lips. He almost looks like a child. The other one is muscled with olive skin and cat-like eyes, burning through me. Ashy hair straight and somehow styled. Maybe he brought some product with him.

"Kara!" the blond one laughs, pulling her into a hug. He's a little taller than her, but not by much, though compared to the giant guy beside him he looks nothing but short. Kara cringes but tries to hide it while she hugs him back softly.

"Caaruum," she says. The blond, Caaruum, lets go of her and turns to me, giving me his hand. I take it for a second.

"Nhooraay."

"Caaruum, but you already heard that." He smiles at me; revealing a gap between his front teeth. I try to smile back.

"So you must be Bexx?" I say to the last guy; he smirks in response, stroking the stubble on his chin. I squint my eyes at him.

"I guess I must be."

"Now that everyone's found their pairings, I want all eyes on me. Okay, kids?" Saabry says, her voice carrying through the hall like a siren. She can't be much older than 25, so I wouldn't say that kids is the best term to use for us. "As you were informed of before, the first practices are fighting techniques. If you are supposed to go to war somewhere in the future, you need to know how to fight, right? –"

"But aren't we going to use are powers?" some random person says, interrupting everything. Saabry shoots an intense glare at them.

"No talking while I am," she says. "But yes, you are going to use your ikooraash as one of your methods. Here we train possible warriors, and warriors have to know how to fight in all situations. And for all we know, there could be situations where you will not be able to use your power. If you don't know how to defend yourself during those scenarios, then you'll die. That simple."

"She definitely doesn't talk like all the others here," Bexx says, nudging my side. I smack him away.

"Now part up so you stand face to face with someone from your pairing." Kara hurries in front of me before anyone else can get a chance. I silently thank her, not in the mood to talk to some guys. Saabry continues, "During your first training sessions this is how you will stand; facing each other with no other distractions. Got it? So don't go crazy or get nervous. We start easy.

"One of the most important things to think about while fighting is to tighten your core and legs. Without a tight core your balance sucks, and without strong and firm legs you will just fall over. And to fall over is the last thing you want to do; it gives the enemy an extreme advantage because when you're on the ground you can't use your body the same way. You could pretty much say you loose most of your strength. So right now I want you to strengthen you core and legs, and begin walking circles with your partner. Remember to keep eye contact; it will keep you focused. For this training at least. I will be walking around and check how you're doing."

Kara's way too nervous for her own good; it looks ridicules. I try to focus on keeping my stomach tight and pressing my feet against the floor, but it's hard when all she does is wobble. Can this girl even walk without falling? I get the answer when Saabry comes to focus and gives her a push. I stop in my step, surprised, as Kaaraleey falls to the floor.

"You're way too scared. What is your name?" Saabry says and helps Kaaraleey up. She looks embarrassed, flushing pink.

"Kaaraleey Rrah," she murmurs, searching for something at the hem of her gray shirt. She doesn't seem to find it before Saabry speaks again.

"Okay Rrah, you see, there is nothing to be afraid of. We're all walking around, no ones going to hurt anyone." Yet. "Just keep your mind focused, here let me help you." She puts one hand on Kara's back and one on her stomach. She flinches slightly, but shakes it away with a roll of her shoulders. "Now tighten the muscles here, exactly where I'm holding ... there you go! Continue –continue –continue, good job. Now try to do the same with your legs. Feel the muscles, and then walk. You?" Saabry waves me over. "You circle with her again."

I do as said and follow around Kara. She looks better now, not as floppily as before; her lips a firm concentrating line. The practice is a dance on roses for me. Horseback riding has given me many years of balance and leg training, and for the first time in my life, I actually feel the slightest proud of myself. Even though it comes from being better than the girl in front of me. The sound of others getting pushed to the floor by Saabry is irritating. She scolds them; saying they weren't straining their muscles enough, or too focused on the person they're training with. I should feel sorry for them, but I can't find it in my to do so. Then someone bumps into me and I'm dragged right out of my firm concentration. I expect it to be Saabry and her pushing manners, but it's not.

"Whoops," Bexx smirks, voice filled with anything but apologies. I know people like him; insecure bullies with nothing better to do than harass others. Angry heat draws to my sunken cheeks, but he takes it for something else. "Didn't think you'd blush about that."

"I'm not blushing, asshole."

"Then what's that red in your face."

"Blood, what else?" I spit and turn my concentration to the practice again. He snickers behind me.

"Why are you so grouchy?"

"Because you are interrupting me."

"I'm not interrupting!"

"Hey, man. Just let it be," Caaruum says, thinking he's coming to my rescue. I sneer at him.

"I don't need any fucking help."

"I was just –"

"You know what? I don't even want to be here." I work quickly through the room, trying to ignore the boiling anger in my chest and the eyes following me. Why am I here? Why did my fucking brother force me? Tears run down my cheeks when I run up the stairs and I feel like exploding. I haven't cried for months, even though I think about it all the time. I can't break before their eyes; I can't show them I'm not as strong as they think. I can't. But now I'm alone, and when I slam the door shut behind me, I explode. My insides are straining and my throat throbbing as screams and sobs leave without permission. My legs wobble and I sink, letting the chilly floor swallow me whole.

I'm cold.

I'm alone.

I'm worth nothing but my own sorrow.

I hate myself.

Nothing I do is right. Everything I try goes wrong and even though I want to more than anything, I can't save my siblings from our home. I can't help them, and they can't help me. He thought he did, Maaxoo thought he helped when he manipulated me into going here. But he didn't. He only made it worse for everyone. They need me back home. They need me for protecting them from the only evil thing in our lives.

With nothing but a blank mind I rush downstairs again, almost tripping on every other step. I don't care; it doesn't matter. Nothing does. Nothing but Maaxoo and Kkaalo.

"Is there no one working here?" I yelp in desperation, almost falling to my knees again. "Hello!"

A small man in white clothes peeks out from behind a corner. He's gray and wrinkly all over, like a rotten potato. He squints at me with small black eyes, judging my cracked open surface. "Yes?"

"I need to go home!" I beg to him, pouring out everything to make him understand. "I need to! My brother and sister, they –they can't be alone, I need to save them. I have to!"

"I am truly sorry miss," he says, his voice squeaky and annoying. "You are not allowed to leave right now. Would you like so-"

"No! You don't understand." I hate that I have to convince him to help me, that I have to show everything. That he looks at me and pities me. No one needs to pity me. I don't deserve that. "I have to go home."

"I am so sorry miss, but I cannot make that happen. You already agreed –" I cut him off by running away. Fuck him. Fuck this place. Fuck everything.