"General Xyzen was a _fool _to_ _choose you as his heir!" Lieutenant Sylon spat.

Ameera relaxed her jaw she hadn’t realized she’d been clenching. Her grip around her spear tightened. The old elf was one sentence away from the jab of her spear.

"I’m afraid you’re not **fit** to speak his name, Lieutenant." She replied, her voice even. _Controlled._

“The Council of Elven Elders may call you _General_, human. But I don’t think of you as one.”

He scowled, the scar on his left eye shaping his intimidating demeanor.

Ameera stood at her ground. Unfazed.

_Control. _The late general used to say_ That’s the difference between you and them._

Thé sapphire leaves trembled. The silver oaks stood silent.

“Your disapproval is noted.” She deadpanned, “despite it’s insignificance.”

"I’ve had ENOUGH!" The elf charged.

Ameera summoned her spear to morph in a sword. It’s blade burnt hot white.

CLANG!

Their swords met.

“Traitor!”

"You’ve been misled.” Ameera kept her voice even, "I have **not** betrayed this Kingdom."

Lieutenant Sylon swung his blade at Ameera’s head. It’s edge missed her hijab by centimeters.

Her sword shifted into a spear.

She turned and jabbed the Commander’s shoulder.

He screamed.

"You let the Ashfell civilians enter the border!”Sylon charged again.

"Children. Women. Elders. What was I supposed to do!”

Ameera slid through his feet from below, dodging another attack.

“Turn my back on them? Is that what you wanted?”

"We lost a valuable comrade!" Sylon swung his blade.

Ameera ducked.

The spear shifted into double ended sword.

She spun it in a rotation and thrust at his feet.

_CLANG!!_

Sylon blocked the blow. He stumbled.

"And I made up for it." Ameera aimed his neck. "I fought alongside Avalorn. By General Xyzen’s side."

The last part felt bitter in her throat. Her grip on the double end sword trembled.

"At what cost?" The elf snapped. He thrust his blade at her chest.

Ameera deflected.

Guilt added a hundred pounds to the blow. Heer feet skid against the dirt.

"Astrik’s dead. Lady Evaline’s dead**. **General Xyzen **dead****"**

**"SABT, YA SYLON!" **Ameera slashed her sword at him.

But it passed right through him.

The elf’s body thinned.

_Dead._

Ameera’s lips cracked a trembling sigh. Were her eyes playing tricks on her?

No.

He was gone.

“Where are you!” She yelled, her breathing ragged.

Her chest heaved inside her armor. Her Hijab threatened to come out loose.

Ameera let loose another shaky sob.

She pushed herself to stand upright. The sword flicked into a spear and back to a sword.

“Where is your _Karamah _**_(Arabic for honor/dignity)_**_ _you boast of so much?”

_Control. _General Xyzen’s voice echoed in her mind _That’s where your power lies— Control._

She didn’t. Another sob built inside her chest. Her vision blurred.

“Where is you _Karamah_!”

_Control, Ameera. _The voice in her head echoed louder.

She dropped on her knees. The silver dust swirled up around her.

The blade from her hand clattered down beside her.

The blade glinted, reflecting her grey eyes. Tears brimmed around the edges.

What she saw in there was no longer the new General.

_Just a broken girl with too much to loose._

__

__

The side of her hijab slightly loosened. She bit her lip, controlling her tears from threatening to spill.

"A human like you never deserved to breath the same air Avalorn breathes." Sylon’s voice spoke.

A shadow towered behind her. Ameera could sense the tip of his sword hovering at the back of her neck.

Elven magic. She should’ve seen it coming.