Ten days later.
On a sunny afternoon, outside the Naval military outpost north of Babilim.
Talal disembarked his horse outside the walls and placed it in the stables. He headed to the gate, where Numair and Hilal welcomed him.
They approached and hugged him, as they hadn't seen each other for a while.
Numair crossed his arms, smiled and said, "How are you, Talal?"
"I lost my major financial backing. How about you, Numair?" Talal said.
"What? Your father finally decided to abandon you?" Numair asked jokingly.
"Disowned, to be precise," Talal replied sarcastically.
"Shame, we can't buy as much as we want anymore," Hilal joked.
"Jokes on him. I already earn plenty on my own," Talal joked.
Numair and Hilal laughed.
"This reminds me of the time when we were young. Remember when we joined the wrestling arena?" Hilal asked.
"We lied to everyone by saying Numair is the worst fighter around, and we placed a fortune on him," Talal said.
Numair laughed and said, "Those were good times, we gained much wealth, and I got to beat people while I was at it."
"We almost got killed because of it," Hilal said.
"True, but. You can't deny we didn't have the best time of our lives with all the dinars we gained," Talal said.
"It's even funnier to remember we almost lost our lives because of Hilal," Numair said.
Talal and Numair laughed.
"What was the name of the girl he bedded?" Talal said.
"She's called Anna, the plump daughter of a noble," Numair said.
Hilal frowned, looked at Numair and said, "I'm surprised you still remember the tiniest details of the embarrassing moments of my life."
Numair wrapped his arm around Hilal and said, "As your elder brother, my sole purpose is to make your life miserable, little brother."
Taz approached them. She was wearing beige garments and strapped her sword to her back.
She smacked Talal's bottom as she walked by, which resulted in a loud clapping noise. Talal jumped a little, startled by the love tap. She went past them and smiled back at Talal.
Hilal and Numair looked back at Taz as she entered the building and then at Talal.
Numair approached Talal with a wicked smile and said, "Are you thinking what I am thinking, Hilal?"
Hilal smirked and said, "I am." He approached Talal and said, "Now we know why we never saw Talal all this time."
Numair chuckled and said, "Our dear leader was busy attending to the arrows."
Talal chuckled as he stepped back and said, "I have an excellent explanation, men."
"We sent multiple letters to your home, but you never wrote back, Talal," Hilal said.
"The times I had to lie to my sister's face when she asked where you were," Numair said.
"I was busy…discussing battle strategies," Talal lied.
Meanwhile, with Taz.
She went inside the meeting room and found Fadi and Roheen inside.
Fadi stood up, hugged her and said, "It's good to see you again."
Taz smiled and said, "Same to you, Fadi."
"Hail, Luna-wolf," Roheen said.
Taz looked at Roheen and said, "Hail, Biluda."
Roheen glared at Taz.
Everyone took their seats.
Fadi looked at Taz and said, "When do you want your sword back?"
"Depending on where we might go, I might not need it," Taz said.
"I heard we might go northeast," Fadi said.
"Baghdad?" Taz wondered.
"Maybe, I'm not sure," Fadi said.
"How's everyone?" Taz asked.
"They wanted to meet you. Shame we couldn't reach you," Fadi said.
"I had a queer journey after the trial, but after that, I was too busy decorating my new home," Taz said.
"New home? Where did you move?" Fadi asked.
"West district, in the good parts," Taz said.
"I heard the houses there were expensive," Fadi said.
"Remember Hajras?" Taz asked.
"Yeah, the fat boy from our past," Fadi replied.
"Turned out he owns a house there and gave it to me for free," Taz said.
"By any chance, is the house small and has a couple of bedrooms and a small living room?" Fadi said.
Taz squinted her eyes and said, "Yes… how did you know?"
"That's not a house used for living. See, the nobles, especially the younger ones, purchase these tiny houses to have privacy with their mistresses," Fadi said.
Taz leaned on the table, covered her face, sighed in frustration and said, "I'm going to kill that cunt."
Fadi chuckled, then said, "I told you nobles aren't trustworthy."
Talal, Numair, and Hilal entered the room as they laughed together, and the brothers took their seats.
Talal crossed his arms and said, "The meeting will now start."
Everyone adjusted themselves.
Talal stood straight, crossed his arms behind his back and said, "We received our new task from the generals. Our mission is to eliminate a group of thieves."
"Where are they?" Roheen asked.
"They operate in the city of science, Baghdad," Talal replied.
"If they're within the walls of Baghdad, then isn't this the guards' job?" Fadi asked.
"That's why I said they operate. After they finish their thefts, they run outside the city walls and hide in their camp," Talal said.
"I feel that the guards tried to go after them and failed," Numair said.
"Correct, that brings us to our next point. Their leader is the infamous Ali Ras Al-ghoul, a revolutionary," Talal informed.
"Didn't he almost cause a war between Mesopotamia and Kemet? When he stole the plans for forbidden traps and gave them to Al Hayja," Roheen said.
"That's the same man, though now he's stealing documents about scientific research and selling them to neighboring nations," Talal said.
"It seems he's planning to break the balance of power," Taz said.
Numair looked at Taz and said, "Care to explain?"
"Kemet and Mesopotamia didn't go to war yet, because we stand on even grounds, but that's not the case with the other nations. They won't attack either of the world's powers because we are leagues ahead of them in weaponry, battle strategies, and, most importantly, the possession of hunters," Taz informed.
"What's your point, Tanaz?" Numair asked.
"If the other nations became even with the world's powers, then war would be inevitable. Kemet and Mesopotamia are wise enough not to attack each other, but we can't trust the others to do the same," Taz replied.
Numair looked at Talal and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
Talal looked at Numair, nodded in Taz's direction and said, "She's correct."
He looked around the table and said, "Any further questions?"
They remained silent.
Talal rested his arms and said, "Then this meeting is over. We are departing three days from now."
They all left except Taz and Talal.
He approached Taz, sat on the table's edge and said, "Something wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm enjoying my new seat at the table," Taz joked.
Talal chuckled.
Taz sat beside Talal, held his cheeks, kissed his lips passionately and said, "I worry we can't be alone during our mission."
Talal smiled and said, "I understand your concern, but we must act like soldiers in the outpost."
Taz chuckled softly, kissed him again and said, "I couldn't care less. You're mine."
Talal chuckled softly and kissed Taz as he gripped and squeezed her thigh.
As they were unaware of their surroundings, Roheen walked in. She froze at the scenery in front of her.
They stopped kissing, and Talal cleared his throat. He looked at Roheen and said, "You could've knocked."
Roheen looked at Taz in spite and said, "I need to discuss important matters related to our supplies."
Taz stood up, smiled at Talal and said, "I'll see you later, dear." She left the room as Roheen glared and closed the door behind her.
Roheen approached Talal and growled, "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Talal crossed his arms and said, "As far as I know, I am perfectly well."
"Is this an attempt to get your revenge on the high priest?" Roheen argued.
"My father can go fuck himself," Talal growled. He stood up, approached Roheen, stared her down and said, "And you need to choose a side. If you don't, I have no reason to keep you as my vice-leader."
"That girl attracts nothing but misfortune and danger. She dug her claws deep into your mind and made you go against the temple," Roheen angrily said.
Talal gripped Roheen's collar and threatened, "Any offense towards her, I'll consider it an insult to me, and I will not be merciful to anyone who dares slander her. Did I make myself clear, Roheen?"
Roheen stared at Talal and slowly nodded.
A while later, with Taz.
She walked through the streets of Babilim and carried both swords with her. She soon reached a blacksmith's workshop.
It was a sizeable workshop without walls in the front.
The blacksmith who managed the workshop was a bulky man with a brown skin tone. He had short nappy hair and a short thick beard. He wore dark garments with burn holes on his shirt and had a gold nose ring.
He sat on the floor in the middle of his workshop and ate fruits with his odd pet, an old female orangutan.
Taz approached them and said, "It is true what they say. Times of peace are a smith's worst enemy."
The smith laughed and said, "Good thing I have more skills than smithing."
Taz looked at his pet, bent towards it and chirped, "How are you, Latifa?"
Latifa stood up, wabbled to Taz and hugged her.
Taz hugged it, rubbed its back and chirped, "I hope Hakeem has been feeding you well."
Hakeem chuckled and said, "The old girl is eating well. Don't worry about her."
Taz let go of Latifa, turned to Hakeem and said, "I need you to fix and sharpen my blades."
Hakeem stood up and said, "Bring them to the table; let me inspect them."
They went to the table, along with Latifa.
Taz pulled out her curved sword, placed it on the table and said, "This one has nicks, and I think it's bent."
Hakeem grabbed the sword, unsheathed it, looked at Taz and said, "You couldn't have bothered yourself to clean it?"
"I…. was busy," Taz lied.
Hakeem dipped the sword in hot water, wiped the filth off it and brought it back.
He inspected the sword and said, "I never thought I'd see one of my works in this horrible shape." He looked at Taz and said, "What did you fight out there?"
Taz crossed her arms and said, "Jinns and a Qutrub recently."
Hakeem stared at Taz, raised his eyebrows in surprise and said, "Are you the one they call Luna-wolf?"
"How did you know?" Taz wondered.
Hakeem placed the sword on the table and said, "Because the rumor mentioned my creation's design in detail."
Taz chuckled and said, "There's no point in hiding it. Yes, I am the one who got stuck with that bad title."
Hakeem wore his leather apron and said, "It does align with your goal."
"Still, no one takes me seriously," Taz said.
Hakeem pulled out his hammer and said, "A word of advice, If you're willing to listen."
"Go ahead," Taz said.
Hakeem crossed his arms and said, "People are attracted to mysterious and influential figures. Take the emperor of Kemet, for example. He rules a territory twice the size of Mesopotamia, yet no one has ever seen him. Do you know what his people call him?"
Taz furrowed her eyebrows and said, "…. What?"
"He is called the one who stands above all creation, and some radicals refer to him as a god," Hakeem said.
"That's absurd!" Taz argued.
"The world is full of oddities. As far as we know, the claims about the emperor might be correct. Do you understand what I'm telling you, Tanaz?" Hakeem said.
Taz stared at Hakeem and said, "Do you want me to mask my identity, Hakeem?"
Hakeem stared back in silence.
Taz exhaled audibly, chuckled and said, "What do you suggest, Hakeem?"
"I can make you a mask made out of silver, and I'll add my touches to make it look fearsome," Hakeem said.
"The works of a master class smith like yourself isn't cheap. How much is it going to cost me?" Taz said.
"Five thousand dinars, including your weapons repairs," Hakeem said.
"Three thousand, and I'll tell my cousin to recommend you to his friends," Taz haggled.
"Depending on who he is, I might accept your offer," Hakeem said.
"His name is Hajras, also known as the fox," Taz replied.
Hakeem shook Taz's hand and said, "We have a deal then."
"How long will you take to finish?" Taz asked.
"When are you going to depart?" Hakeem asked.
"Three days from now," Taz replied.
"It'll be done before your departure," Hakeem said.
Taz handed all her weapons to Hakeem and left after exchanging farewells with him and his pet.
Three days later, near the naval outpost.
The team waited for Taz to arrive outside the gate.
Numair, Hilal and Fadi stood by their horses and chatted. Talal stood strides away from them and stared in the direction of Babilim.
Roheen approached Talal and said, "She's late!"
"Tanaz told me she had to pick up her weapons before leaving," Talal said.
Roheen sighed and walked away.
In the distance, they spotted a random masked individual walking toward them. The mask was basil green and shaped like the face of a demon with golden thorns diagonally engraved on it.
Talal approached, drew his sword and threatened, "Mesopotamia is no place for demons."
The individual took off his mask, which turned out to be Taz.
She smiled, looked at Talal and said, "You felt threatened?"
Talal sheathed his sword, sighed and said, "Who in their right mind would make a mask like that?"
Taz wore her mask back and said, "The craziest yet the most creative blacksmith in all of Mesopotamia."
She passed by Roheen and glared at her. Roheen looked at her up and down as she stepped back.
She then went to Fadi and said, "Are you ready?"
Fadi chuckled and said, "With a demon watching over me, I am as ready as ever."
They departed to Baghdad; each rode their horse.
A week later, near Baghdad's western walls.
They reached the city of science after a long tiring week.
The city was shaped like a circle and surrounded by a large water canal on the edges. It had thick stone walls, and the inner walls were shaped like a circular maze. In the center was a large palace with a sizeable sky-blue dome with lush gardens.
They housed their horses in the stables and walked towards the gate.
The guards asked them to show their medallions, but Taz decided to show them the team's medallion, not the arrows'.
Though the guards were wary of Taz because of her mask, Talal assured them she was with the military.
They went inside and headed directly to the palace. When they reached the outer palace gate, they were stopped again by the royal guards and were asked to show their medallions.
Yet, the royal guards refused to let Taz inside, worried by her unsavory mask. She showed them her team's medallion.
The guard approached her and said, "Your mask is vile. If you ever want to get inside, take it off!"
Taz sighed and showed them her other medallion belonging to the arrows.
They quickly stepped aside and apologized.
They went into the palace's plaza and headed to the building.
They reached the palace's inner gate and were met with three royal guards with their swords drawn, and one of them had his magic activated.
Taz quickly stepped in front of Talal, who was in the lead and drew her sword to challenge the guards' offensive posture.
One approached slowly and shouted, "Retreat or face your demise, you vile creature."
Talal tried to approach, and Taz extended her arm to block him.
She stared at the guard and growled, "Threatening an arrow is punishable by death!"
The guard approached, engulfed his entire body with fire and shouted, "I'm not stupid enough to believe you're human!"
Taz approached him, clad her left arm with lighting and growled, "I am warning you!"
Fadi ran to Taz and shouted to the guard, "She's with us and one of us!"
The guard flung a fireball at Fadi, and Taz rapidly moved, struck it with the back of her sword, and dispelled it.
She aimed her palm at the guard and shot him with lightning. He read her movement and blocked the lighting with his silver glove.
They rushed toward each other, and their swords clashed.
They exchanged flurries of strikes and kept their distance close to prevent the other from using projectile magic attacks.
The guard struck his sword down on Taz, and she blocked it with her sword. She tilted her blade, and the guard's sword slipped downwards.
She struck his nose with the hilt of her sword and stunned him. She quickly clad her fist with lightning and hit him with an uppercut backed by reinforcement magic.
He stepped back, dizzy and lightheaded.
She rushed him again and kicked his liver with a round kick supported by reinforcement magic.
He fell to his side and grunted as his mouth foamed from the lack of air.
She sheathed her sword, got on top of the guard, grabbed his collar, and hit him mercilessly with her fists.
The guard's blood spewed, his nose shattered, and his jaw broke as Taz brutally struck him.
The other guards tried to step in to prevent Taz from killing him.
She aimed her palms at them and threatened, "I'll kill two more if I have to."
The door behind the guards opened, and came out a man tall and broad. He had long-braided hair, a short thick goatee and wore white royal robes.
He had none with him, yet he felt more dangerous than an entire army. He had no weapons, but his claws were felt on everyone's neck. His stare alone was enough to make boulders shake in fear.
This man was known as the king's right arm, equal to a mighty beast, the bringer of dread, and the embodiment of Mesopotamia's pride.
Prince Haider, the fourth.
Taz looked at him and couldn't help but quiver and breathe rapidly in uneasiness.
She got off the guard's stomach and backed off slowly as she didn't want to enrage the beast who stood before her.
He approached her, glaring at her. His steps shook the floor beneath him, and his posture was that of a great general, not a royal.
He kept approaching Taz and said, "I sense the blood of royal Jinn in your mask. If you carry their ambition, I'll kill you myself."
Taz quivered and spoke in fear, "The mask serves to make enemies cower. I don't dare carry ill will against our ruler."
Taz was pushed toward the prince by his Jinn. She wobbled in his direction, and he gripped her neck and lifted her to his eye level.
He glared at her and growled, "Where's your pride as a warrior!? You dare call yourself an arrow and tremble at the sight of your foe."
Taz tried to shake herself out of his grip and said in frustration, "You're not a foe! Your existence is a punishment to mankind!"
He dropped her, looked down at her and said, "Perceptive…."
He looked at Talal and said, "Son of Aegis, I've been waiting for your arrival."
Talal approached him slowly and said, "Apologies for her actions. She intended to protect us."
Haider turned around, returned to the gate and said, "I know."
Talal went to Taz and whispered, "Are you okay?"
Taz panted, looked at Talal and said, "A man like him should not exist…."
He lifted her and said, "Come on, let's finish our meeting with him."
They followed him inside and went into a great hall.
Haider sat on his chair, and his guards stood by his side. The team stood before him.
He looked at Talal and said, "I assume the generals told you our current problem."
Talal stepped up and said, "Yes, Prince Haider. I was informed of the presence of Ras Al Ghoul in Baghdad and his thefts."
"Do you know why the guards couldn't catch him?" Haider asked.
"I assume they followed him beyond the city's walls and fell into one of his traps," Talal said.
Haider looked at his guards and signaled them to leave the hall.
He looked at Talal and said, "Everyone on your team should leave except the arrow."
Talal looked at his team and nodded to them.
They left, leaving only Haider, Talal, and Taz in the room. However, she was standing behind Talal in fear of Haider.
Haider leaned forward and said, "The revolutionary stole something important to us. He took and used the essence of a hunter."
Talal approached him and said, "I thought the essence had a slim chance of success. Who did he use it on?"
"Himself," Haider said.
Talal's eyes widened, and he said, "This is…."
Haider leaned back on his chair and said, "He may have the might of a hunter, but he doesn't have the skill of a proper one."
"How can we fight someone like that?" Talal said.
Haider looked at Taz and said, "You have an arrow on your team; use it."
Talal looked at Taz. He looked back at Haider and said, "Is one arrow truly enough against a hunter?"
"If your arrow is worth the title, then yes," Haider said confidently.
Taz and Talal left the hall in uneasy silence.
They met with their team outside and stood around in a circle.
Numair approached and said, "What did he say?"
Talal sighed and said, "We need to discuss this someplace discreet, away from anyone's hearing range."
Hilal crossed his arms and said, "Baghdad is a crowded city. I can't think of a solitary place in here."
"I know a place here, abandoned and large. Might be perfect for us to stay there," Roheen said.
"Sounds good; let's go there," Talal said. He looked at Taz and noticed she was looking back at the palace.
He called for her, and she didn't respond. He approached her, held her hand and said, "Tanaz!"
She gasped, shuddered and looked at Talal.
Talal leaned closer and said, "Come, let us get far from this palace."
She nodded.
They went out of the palace grounds and headed for their next destination.
They soon arrived at an abandoned palace colored red. It had a spiked fence and grim-looking walls.
Talal looked at Roheen and said, "How is this palace still standing?"
"The caretakers kept it in condition all these years and chased away all who dared step near," Roheen said.
"Those caretakers might be dead from the looks of this palace," Hilal said.
"You'll see when we get inside," Roheen said.
They went to the door, and Roheen knocked thrice.
She looked back and said, "Don't look at her face until I tell you."
An old woman opened the door wearing dirtied rags and covered her head with a white veil.
Roheen looked at her and said, "I came seeking asylum in your house."
The old woman tapped her cane on the wooden floor and said, "What haunts you?"
"The tongue of man," Roheen replied.
"What are you willing to offer for our protection?" The old woman asked.
"What do you desire, ancient one?" Roheen asked.
The old woman looked at the rest, and they were looking at the floor to evade her gaze.
She walked to Taz, touched her shoulder and said, "This mask is dangerous, young woman."
Taz kept her head down and said, "The mask's purpose is to strike fear into the hearts of my foes."
"You wish to trespass into the domain of men?" The old woman asked.
"I wish to conquer it," Taz replied.
The old woman erotically touched Taz's chest and said, "If you wish, I can make your dreams come true."
Roheen turned to Taz and shouted, "Tanaz, Don't…."
The old woman looked at Roheen, gestured for her to be quiet and said, "Shhhh…."
Roheen's tongue was tied, and she couldn't utter a letter.
The old woman looked at Taz and said, "What do you say, Jinn slayer?"
Taz looked at the old woman, shocked that she knew about her incident. She thought the old woman would look terrifying or unholy. Yet she saw a beautiful woman, pale with bright blue eyes and white hair.
Taz preferred men, yet she would've made an exception for that woman. She would throw everything away to be with her.
Her efforts, wealth, goals, dreams, principles, and faith.
She felt it in her bones If she surrendered her body and soul. All she would get was relief and pleasure.
Why fight? Why survive with free will? Why should she even exist without serving such a master?
All she wanted to do, was to get on her knees and lick the path this woman walked on; may she get the faintest taste of her feet.
She would be even more glad to lick the stool she defecated on; may she get a taste of her insides. If anything, she wanted her mouth to be that stool, to get a fresh taste of this woman's bodily filth.
At that moment, Taz fell into this woman's trap and had her mind captured by her.
Taz's medallion lit up, floated before her face and shook violently.
The woman stepped back in fear and said, "You're an arrow!?"
Taz's Qareen manifested next to her.
It looked at the woman and threatened, "Let go of her mind before I send you back to the pits of hell!"
The woman smiled and retorted, "I'll never let go of a strong slave!"
"Talal, what the fuck is happening next to us!?" Numair shouted.
Talal looked at Numair and said, "Step back! Let the Qareen handle it."
To which they all did.
The Medallion sparked strongly and shot the woman with lightning. The Qareen teleported next to the woman and slammed her head on the wall.
The Qareen threw her in the medallion's direction and got reshot with lightning. It teleported next to her, pushed the woman's head onto the floor and said, "Let go!"
The woman tried to shake off the Qareen's hold and shouted, "No!"
Talal ran to Taz and threw her dagger near the Qareen.
The Qareen grabbed the knife and shoved it into the woman's head. She screamed sharply and loudly, then slowly faded into ash.
The medallion calmed, hung on Taz's neck, and its light faded.
The Qareen stood up, stared at Roheen, teleported next to her, pinned her on the wall and growled, "You knew this would happen!"
Roheen grabbed Qareen's arm and said, "Jinns are unpredictable. What you're saying is foolish."
Taz snapped back to her senses and saw the mess around her. She noticed Roheen being pinned by a strange creature and went to intervene.
She pushed the Qareen back and was stunned to see how similar it looked. She removed her mask and said, "What are you?"
The Qareen approached her and said, "I am…."
Taz quickly aimed her palm at it and said, "Keep your fucking distance."
Fadi intervened and said, "Don't shoot it!"
The Qareen looked at Taz, pained and hurt that his companion didn't hesitate to damage it.
Talal approached and said, "That's your Qareen, Tanaz."
The Qareen cried, stepped back and said, "How could you?"
Taz rested her arm, approached the Qareen and said, "I never saw you before…."
The Qareen stepped back and said, "And you will never see me again."
Then it vanished.
Taz gasped and placed her hand on her heart as she felt a part of her vanish.
Numair picked up Taz's dagger and said, "One hour in this city, and I already want to leave it."
Hilal approached Talal and said, "What is the consequence of killing that Jinn?"
"It attacked an arrow and got killed. Nothing will happen," Talal said.
Talal went to Taz and said, "How are you feeling?"
"….I can't describe it," Taz replied brokenly.
They left the mansion grounds disappointed.
They had no choice but to go to the military base near Baghdad. It wasn't the best option but their only safe one.
On their way, Taz was noticeably distracted.
Talal held her hand and knew deep inside she was in no shape to fight. He felt lost and saddened for her. Her very first hour in this city gave her more than she anticipated.
He pondered on what the Qareen accused Roheen of. He had known Roheen all his life. To think she would betray him to this degree or even break the iron rule of his team.
It was unthinkable, and if it were to be true. He had to adapt quickly or forfeit this mission entirely.
Though forfeiting would've been good if it was an option for him.
They reached the base after a tiring walk.
It was located outside of the city.
It had high stone walls and an iron gate. It had the flags of the allied tribes placed on the poles next to the entrance.
They went inside, and Talal parted to talk to the officer managing the base. He set up a place for his team and took one of the meeting rooms as his own.
He returned to them, told them about his agreements with the officer, and commanded them to rest for the day.
Though deep down. He wanted to rest, to take time to prepare for this unfavorable situation.
He told Taz to head to the officers' quarters and to stay alone no matter what happened.
She left, wobbled and held onto the walls she walked next to.
Talal told his officers to keep an eye on her and protect her from harm.
They dispersed.
Talal looked at Fadi and told him to come with him, as he needed a private word.
They left the base and went to the city's river line as Talal needed something to soothe his mind. To his pick, it was the sound of the flowing water.
Fadi stood beside Talal and kept quiet as he noticed Talal's worried look.
Talal sighed, crossed his arms behind his back and said, "Fadi, how far are you willing to go for survival?"
"I… don't understand," Fadi replied.
Talal looked at Fadi and said, "Are you ready to die?"
Fadi looked at the river and said, "I am not sure. Before my daughter was born, I had the urge to fight the bloodiest battles, but now I feel reluctant to fight a mere thug."
"So, you wouldn't feel bad if I told you to flee with your life?" Talal asked.
Fadi looked at Talal in shock, turned to him and said, "What are you trying to say, leader!?"
Talal turned to Fadi, then said, "The odds were against us from the start. Add to that the current condition of Tanaz; the odds of survival are even slimmer."
"We can't give up; there has to be a way," Fadi said.
"That is my responsibility to find out how, but I wanted you to be prepared for the worst case. If we lose against our foe, flee and never look back," Talal said.
"Have you told the rest about this?" Fadi asked.
"No. I have known Numair and Hilal for a long time; they would prefer to die with me. Roheen, on the other hand, I don't know if I can trust her anymore," Talal said.
"… She wouldn't betray us," Fadi said,
"She doesn't wish to betray us, only one of us," Talal said.
"How can you know that?" Fadi asked.
Talal sat down, faced the river and said, "Sit."
Fadi sat next to him.
Talal curled his legs, spread his knees, rested his arms on his kneecaps and said, "Remember when you first joined us?"
"Yes," Fadi replied.
"You constantly pestered me on how to become a competent officer and told me it was your dream to become a team leader," Talal said.
Fadi chuckled and said, "I remember it well."
Talal looked at Fadi and said, "This is what being a team leader is like. You must keep your team alive, no matter how slim the odds are." "But the most critical skill as a leader is understanding your men and their mindset."
"I understand," Fadi replied.
"Roheen has always seen the world as good and evil, nothing in between. The good side will always be the temple for her, and the bad side will always be those who aren't with the temple," Talal said.
"But Tanaz is religious," Fadi said.
"Roheen thinks my care for Tanaz is why my relationship with my father fell apart, but I always did what I have done…. prioritizing my team's lives over everything," Talal said.
"That's not enough to make her act this way," Fadi questioned.
"I also had an affair with Tanaz," Talal said.
Fadi looked at Talal, stunned and said, "I thought you had no time for women."
Talal chuckled and said, "It happened suddenly. I saw her sitting beside the bar table alone in a tavern near my home while I was with my mother and younger sister. After my family left. I talked to her, and our relationship developed from there."
"I do understand the spark of romance, but why Tanaz?" Fadi asked.
"I'm not sure," Talal said.
"Even when we were kids, Tanaz was always the odd girl in the group, and she would pick fights with boys. Even when I think about it, she was more aggressive than anyone I knew then," Fadi said.
"She sounds more like an animal than a girl," Talal chirped.
Fadi laughed and said, "I guess so."
They both stood and faced each other.
Talal took off his silver bracelet, handed it to Fadi, and said, "Take it and wear it. Show it to Numair; he'll know what it means."
Fadi glanced at the bracelet, looked at Talal and said, "Isn't this proof of your military rank?"
Talal walked past Fadi and said, "Tell everyone I'll return to them after a while. If Roheen asked, tell her I must study our approach before we start our mission."
Fadi looked at Talal and said, "What do you want me to tell Tanaz?"
Talal stopped, turned to Fadi and said, "Tell her I'll fix my mistake." Then he left.
Fadi returned to the base and met Hilal and Numair in the courtyard.
He approached and said nothing.
Numair approached him and asked, "Where's Talal?"
Fadi raised his clenched fist, showed them his wrist and said, "He said you would understand what this means?"
Numair crossed his arms, looked at Hilal and said, "It seems we're going to stay here for a while."
Hilal looked at Numair and said, "The situation is direr than we thought."
Numair looked at Fadi and said, "Inform Tanaz. You'll find her in the officers' quarters."
Fadi went inside the building and climbed the stairs. He walked through a short corridor, entered a room on his right, and found a man reading papers beside the desk.
He approached him and asked, "Are you the overseer of the quarters?"
The man looked at him and said, "Indeed, are you an officer?"
"I am, but I wanted to ask about which room my teammate is staying in," Fadi said.
"For what purpose, officer?" The man asked.
"She was injured in battle," Fadi lied.
"What's her name?" the man asked.
"Her name is Tanaz, and she's one of the generals' fighters," Fadi said.
The man looked at a document and said, "The arrow dwells in the fifteenth, through that corridor," The man said.
"Thank you," Fadi replied.
Fadi went to the corridor next to the overseer and walked through it until he reached the fifteenth room.
He knocked on the door and called for Taz.
He waited for a moment until she opened it. She was a mess, her eyes were red, and her cheeks had white stains from tears.
Fadi looked at her and said, "Are you feeling well?"
Taz leaned on the door frame and said, "No."
"What happened to you?" Fadi asked.
Taz sighed and said, "I…. don't know. I feel vulnerable, saddened and weak."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Fadi asked.
Taz opened the door for Fadi and stood aside.
He went into her room.
It was a bit larger than he was used to seeing. It had a wooden floor and beige walls. It had a desk on its far end and a bed beside it.
It had a square table in the middle with three chairs on a red and beige carpet.
He sat on the chair in the middle, and Taz sat opposite him.
Fadi leaned forward and said, "Did your Qareen come back?"
"If you mean that deformed version of me, then no," Taz replied.
"I wonder why you threatened it; I thought you knew about its existence?" Fadi said.
"This was the first time I've ever seen it, but why do you talk like you have seen it before?" Taz said.
"Remember our first mission together? When I found you lying on the beach, the Qareen was there with you," Fadi said.
"It was?" Taz wondered.
"That's not the first time it was seen. When the royal army found you, they also mentioned your Qareen confronting them," Fadi said.
"Why would this creature protect me?" Taz asked.
Fadi leaned back, sighed and said, "You don't know what Qareens are?"
Taz shook her head and said, "No…."
Fadi placed his left leg over his right and said, "We're going to have a lengthy discussion about this matter."
The End