Ameera tried her best not to get her spear and slit everyone’s throats.

She rested her chin slightly over her interlaced fingertips, her sharp eyes scanning the war room filled with elves with big mouths and small brains.

“Another human!? What could this even mean?” Yelled the one who had a scar on his left eye.

“Ashfell was defeated! This shouldn’t be happening!” Yelled another.

“We all know how things ended the last time a human arrived.” Lieutenant Sylion shot a look at her.

Ameera’s finger twitched. She inhaled sharply.

_Control_.

That was the difference between them and her. She was the general. He was just a pawn sitting at her table.

Her fingers brushed across her hijab. A strong reminder of who she really was. Not an elf. Not some entity born into novelty. But a _human_— who carved her own place among them. Etching her dominance over magical beings.

She leaned back, crossing her arms in front of her chest, letting the others speak.

“Avalorn is in no shape for another war, General.” said an elder elf, his dark eyes weary. His beared had streaked white with time. “And if that human causes a ruckus… Oh lords save our fate!”

“What do we do, General?”

“Is he truly the one from the prophecy?”

Despite their nonsense, their fear was justified.

Every time a human entered the realm, the fate of Avalorn changed.

In her case— A War. So many lives. Lost.

They were victorious. But at what cost?

Then there was Aiden. Was he really a threat? Were they really going to charge into another battle?

He was just a teenager.

But so was she. Yet she fell into the Ashfall’s trap and unknowingly triggered a century-old stalled war.

Her fingers curled around her sleeve. Regret pressed against her shoulders.

Was Aiden bound to make the same mistake as she did?

“We must act— now!”

“Enough.”

The war room fell silent. Ameera didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t have to.

“Hasty decisions are not going to take us anywhere, Lieutenant.” She leaned forward, “If anything, it’s going to render us weaker than we already are.”

“Easy for you to say!” He spat “You’re just siding that human. The one from your kind!”

The table gasped.

Ameera sprang up the table. She swung her spear and aimed right at his throat. Her deep purple cloak flew behind her. Miniature army figurines rolled of the table and clattered onto the ground.

A sheen of sweat trickled down the side of Sylon’s forehead.

“I think I’ve made it clear before.” She glared, the dimly lit room casting shadows on her face.

“I _know_ what humans are.”

The faces of all those who mocked her, criticized her hijab at school flashed into her mind, fueling her anger.

“If he’s any threat, I’ll deal with him myself.”

“Ameera!”

She stiffened. Her grip on her spear tightened.

Nobody had called her by her name. Not since the late General. Her mentor. Another casualty of the war.

Ameera felt her armor tighten around her chest.

“Stop this madness. This is highly inappropriate!” Commander Azrik scolded.

“Apologies, Commander.”

She descended from the table, shooting the lieutenant a glance before returning to her seat.

Commander Azrik sighed, rubbing his temples. “Now is not the time for petty accusations.”

The other members muttered under their breaths.

“Indeed. Perhaps we could consider stationing the army in the heart of Avalorn.” Nodded another elf, his gold rimmed round glasses catching the glint of the faint light.

“Wouldn’t that panic the townsfolk?” The lieutenant interjected. “This consequences… could be disastrous.”

For once, Ameera didn’t argue. He had a point.

The members turned their heads at Ameera, waiting for her approval.

“Very well, then.” She nodded, “Send the troops to patrol the borders. Quietly. No shows of force necessary.”

She gazed at Commander Azrik on the other side of the table.

“Commander Azrik, see to it that Lady Commander Nara groups the reinforcements. I want them stationed in Lyros within a span of 5 days.”

He nodded, letting her words settle in the room.

“And the human?” Said a small voice.

Ameera exhaled. It was always about him wasn’t it?

“We keep a watch on him. For now, he has no means to pose us as a threat.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Lieutenant Sylon open his mouth to protest, but kept quite. His expression soured.

“Anything else?”

The members shifted in their seats, muttering in agreement.

Ameera rose, her chair skidding against the floor as she did.

“Dismissed.”