As the general of the Carnevaran army, Ashes had one objective; to keep the kingdom safe. And no old prophecy would be getting in the way of that. Once declared the prophesied damnation of the kingdom and now the driving force behind its safety, Ashes’ job was her life. Her past as a gladiator and her present as the leader of the Carnevaran military made the kingdom the strongest in the region, a fact that allowed her peace. From long nights drinking the tavern dry with her partner Hael, to bloodying the battlefield under the king’s orders, her life had fallen into perfect domestic monotony. When a typical errand to the northern border leaves her with new knowledge of the neighboring kingdom of Artemea, she finds Carnevara’s position as the strongest kingdom in the region threatened. Under the guidance of the new General Carob, the Artemean army had become competent. Newly organized, skilled, and efficient in battle, their growth over such a short time had exceeded worrisome and become threatening. Her weariness of the army they shared such close quarters with had nothing to do with her past and everything to do with her job. No matter what Hael said, she had to strike before Artemea became the fall of Carnevara. War was inevitable, all that was left was to see who would be the first to light the match. And no one even thought about the prophecy anymore.