Nine school friends were playing games together when one of them suddenly said, "Hey… look, there's smoke."
Curious, we walked toward it. As we got closer, the smoke grew thicker. I began coughing badly. Then, without warning, it expanded and surrounded us. We tried to run, but the smoke pulled all nine of us inside.
Everything went dark.
Our bodies were filled with extreme pain, as if we were being torn apart. We couldn't see or hear one another. Time lost all meaning. The pain felt endless.
After what seemed like five to seven hours, a bright light appeared.
We woke up lying on the ground.
The sky above us was unfamiliar. Giant trees towered around us, and strange birds flew overhead, making sounds we had never heard before. It didn't take long to realize we were no longer on Earth.
After a few hours, one truth became clear—we had to survive.
We hunted animals, searched for food, and learned how to live in this dangerous world. The days passed slowly as we adapted.
Three days later, everything changed.
That night, strange powers awakened.
One friend was surrounded by wind. Others gained control over lightning, fire, water, and ice. One could teleport. One shot lasers from his eyes. One could transform into anything.
Eight of my friends gained powers.
I didn't.
Later, we understood the truth. The smoke had been a wormhole. Passing through it caused unbearable pain, and from that pain, powers were born.
One of my friends transformed into a plane. We climbed aboard and began exploring the world.
After flying for three hours, we spotted a small village and landed nearby.
We tried to speak to the villagers, but their language was different. They looked similar to us, yet slightly changed.
Suddenly, panic spread. People began running. A small boy ran toward us, his face filled with terror.
Then a group of fifteen people attacked the boy—and then us.
The first attack was aimed at me, the ninth one. As it struck, I felt something strange awaken inside my body.
My friends fought back. Compared to them, the attackers were weak. They were quickly defeated. We were injured, but none of the wounds were serious.
A man who appeared to be the village leader stepped forward.
"Who are you people?" he asked. "You are not from our village."
We were shocked when he spoke in Urdu. He was the only one who could understand us.
We asked him who the attackers were.
"They are members of the Dominion of Ash," he said. "They rule this world. They destroy villages and kill innocent people for fun. Wherever they go, only ash remains."
He continued, "There is a group that resists them. They are called the Ember Guard."
He explained that the Ember Guard was small, made up of survivors who refused to submit. Because of their limited numbers, they couldn't protect every village.
Then he looked at us seriously.
"If you truly came from another world," he said, "come with me. The Ember Guard needs your strength."
As we prepared to leave, that strange sensation returned.
My power still hadn't awakened.
But it would.