Overcome with emotion, I lay on my bed, staring blindly into nothing. Kail. I couldn't stop thinking about what he told me. It was gut-wrenching, shattering my heart into a million pieces, and I couldn't even hide it.

The broken look in his eyes.

My day had been going well. Meeting Wren and Elra had been a highlight, but when Kail told me about what happened the day was overshadowed by that pain that no human or borcan should ever endure.

He told me he had been young at the time, around 10 years old, still a child. His father - Evren - had been a warrior. While away in war he fought many times and in one particular battle he had slaughtered this orcan, as it turns out that orcan's husband had been right there witnessing the life leave his loved one's eyes. Driven by an unquenchable thirst for revenge he had tracked Evren down with the intention to kill him.

Apparently it hadn't been his intention to harm Kail, but Kail got in the way and a blow meant for his father hit him.

His young body had been young; the hit had been powerful and during the surgery to stop the bleeding the inexperienced doctors had messed up damaging his vocal chords. But his story didn't end there. Even after unintentionally scarring a mere ten-year-old for life, the attacker's rage wasn't sated. Consumed by his desire for revenge, he struck Evren dead, forcing Kail to watch his father die the same way the Orcan lost his husband.

Losing his father and voice to the bloodshed, Kail vowed never to fight. He dedicated his time to studying, cast aside as weak, and bullied during his teenage years. Yet he never gave up or hit back, never once breaking his promise, even when pummelled into the ground.

It had been a surprise when he laid his entire life story at my feet, opening himself up for whatever I might say. When I questioned him, his only response was, "You aren't a bad person. You just act it, but you should know that you aren't the only one who has suffered."

A solitary tear trailed down my cheek and a sob caught in my throat. I wanted to go home. Not Paris home, but home in England. Back to my family. Engulfed in my thoughts I drifted into the realms of sleep.

–

Ayanna came to greet us barely allowing us to eat our breakfast before pulling us along, a never ending stream of words blabbering out of her mouth about how amazing it was that she could show us around.

Following the obvious pattern of the borcan style, pastel purple domes filled a clearing but a lot of the area was based more with an outside approach. Empty, just like at the Balten, you could see the space that was meant for workers.

'Well we have two options, I can get someone to lecture you on the way everything is built or you can come with me and help repair one of our domes. The choice is yours.' she offered.

I shared a look with Andre and I think we both agreed - neither of us really in a mood for a lecture.

"We will help you repair it." He replied to us.

'Great. That is the better option.' A contagious smile appeared on her face, 'I didn't think you guys would be lame enough to want a lecture.'

Again she sped off, her blue short wavy hair bouncing behind her.

Shocked by what I saw would be an understatement, 'What the hell happened here?' I gasped.

The beautiful pastel purple construction was in ruins, the only thing remaining was a heap of glass and the broken bones of the building.

'An accident.' she replied vaguely.

"What accident can cause this?" Andre pressured. She ignored him, instead picking up a tool unlike anything on Earth and throwing it at me. Luckily, I managed to catch it, unlike Andre, who fumbled with the tool she threw at him.

'Come on.' She ordered, 'We have work to do.'

'Umm, Ayanna.'

'Yes, Ali.'

'We don't know how to use these.'

She let loose a long pained sigh, muttering about how useless we are, 'Just copy what I do. We are first off just removing the old stuff.'

An hour, or at least that's what it felt like, passed, and we had finally finished clearing the space. My back was close to breaking, and the lack of energy was most certainly due to the small breakfast we had been forced to have. Andre, as expected, was faring much worse, his body not used to any physical labour.

Throughout it, Ayanna had returned to her more bubbly personality, leading me to believe something must have happened. What really caused this building to collapse? I didn't have to wait long for the answer to come.

A second later, a norca arrived, barrelling towards us, flying the whole way as fast as any swift. As she drew nearer, I saw her face, and all the aching disappeared. Genuine fear. She was scared—terrified by what she saw. She stopped before Ayanna, panting. Sweat beading down her forehead as she kept glancing behind her frantically.

"Th-th-they..." she tried, "Th-they ar-are h-here," her whole body shaking.

Who is here? I thought, panic started to arise. Looking at Andre, who was clueless, I saw that Ayanna knew exactly what was happening.

"Where?" Her voice had frozen over, and a leader's tongue had replaced the smiling personality.

Trembling, the norca pointed to where she had come from, visibly unable to speak. With that, Ayanna took to the skies, disappearing before we could question her.

Andre rounded on the norca, taking her hand and softly questioning her. Whispering words of encouragement and reassurance, but to no avail, as she darted off, getting as far away from whatever was happening.

"Stay here," I told him before sprinting into the unknown. I needed to know. Were we safe here?

I wasn't sure of where to go but at the sound of voices I headed towards it, spotting Ayanna facing a group of borcans - all wearing armour, masks and black long capes. I stayed hidden not wanting to get involved.

'Why are you here?' Ayanna barked at them.

'You know why.' one of them laughed, 'It's nothing personal.'

I instantly disliked the guy, who I am calling Bob, he could have just replied to the question - I needed answers.

'Then why target me. You already wrecked my house.'

Dissimilar to the public opinion of me, I was actually pretty smart realising the house I had been repairing was hers. Can't really blame her for being so annoyed about it.

"You aren't exactly the strongest. It was you or your brother, and believe me, I would have gone after that prick if it wasn't for the Fiolan sector being so strategically placed." He was smiling; I could tell even with the mask.

'Don't you call my brother a prick!' she growled.

Maybe Bob wasn't so bad after all, her brother really was a prick.

'But you can't say he isn't one.' another of the cloaked Bobs said.

This was a weird interaction - it was like they knew each other.

'What do you want?' Ayanna was getting more and more frustrated.

'We will take The Orc down.' He spat, 'Starting with you.'

In an instant, he lunged forward, a hidden sword gleaming as it materialized in his hand. Though he was skilled, Ayanna was quicker, ducking low to avoid his strike. Still, unarmed and outnumbered, she was fighting a losing battle.

I remained crouched behind the dome, my heart hammering as I watched my new friend being relentlessly attacked. Every blow she landed was met with double the force. Where was her brother? Elra, Wren, and Tyke? The Orc they were after? Someone needed to come, and fast.

Suddenly, a blade slashed across her stomach. Thump. She crumpled to the ground, a bloodcurdling scream tearing from her lips.

"You are Fiola. They were never very good at fighting," he sneered.

He was wrong. She was exceptional, but against all five of the Bobs, she stood no chance.

He lifted his boot and pressed it down on her open wound. I wanted to look away as she groaned and cried out, blood pooling around her.

"Why do you follow him?" Bob demanded. "We all thought you were smarter than that."

Defiance still burned in her eyes as she spat in his face. Her wings, flattened against her back, were useless.

That's when the chilling realisation hit me: no one was coming. She was going to die.

"Well, who else do you suggest she follow?" I stepped out from my hiding spot, forcing an arrogant smirk onto my face. "You? What a joke."

Surprise flickered across his face, causing him to jerk back and release the pressure on her wound.

"Ali," Ayanna rasped, barely able to speak, "get out of here."

Guilt crept up behind me, I had just watched as this happened to her. I hadn't even really cared and yet she lay about to die telling me to save myself.

"Who are you?" Bob sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "Think you can save your leader? Think you're some kind of hero?"

"Eww, no," I shot back. "There's a reason I go by Ali, not Alicia." He looked at me like I had two heads.

He shook it off, clearly unimpressed. Honestly, I couldn't blame him. Why was I rambling about my name?

"Where are her wings?" one of the other Bobs asked, confused.

They all stared at me like I was some kind of freak. Maybe they should look in the mirror with their black outfits. Really?

"I wasn't born with them, duh."

Just then, Ayanna cried out, the pain clearly overwhelming her. The momentary distraction ruined any chance she had of diverting their attention.

"If you want to live, leave now," the main Bob commanded, his voice cold and authoritative. "I have business to finish here."

"Now, I would, I really would, but sadly, I can't."

I sauntered over, trying to mask my fear with bravado. "How about you leave instead?"

I knew this was going to end in a fight. Without thinking, I launched my knee up into where the sun doesn't shine, followed by an uppercut to his chin. One down.

But the surprise wore off quickly, and I found myself trapped in a circle of highly trained warriors. No weapons, no armour, no wings. I was at a severe disadvantage. Out of ideas, I glanced at Ayanna for help, but she was unconscious, the blood loss taking its toll. I needed to hurry; she was going to die whether I won or lost.

One of the Bobs lunged at me. I barely dodged, feeling the whoosh of air as his blade missed my face by inches.

That's when I remembered.

Yesterday we had built that Busol and for some reason I had felt the need to take it, I mean it wasn't hard, I was a pickpocket after all. I had kept it with me all day and had forgotten to remove it from my jacket pocket.

I laughed as the adrenaline and fear and maybe a bit of relief overtook me in a wave of emotions.

Removing it from my pocket, I fumbled to activate the thing, but I managed and the small weapon lifted up buzzing around like any bee would.

Zzzzzz. Zzzzzzz. Zzzzzz. It got in their faces, disrupting their vision as it was meant to.

Luckily I didn't have to wait for long as it emptied the paralytic chemical, and one by one, they dropped to the ground, immobilised.

I rushed to Ayanna's side, my heart pounding. Slinging her arm over my shoulder, I used all my strength to half-drag, half-carry her back to where Andre was waiting.