Amen woke up the next morning with her heart in her stomach. Today was the fight. She sat up, her torso was covered with bandages, across her shoulders and chest. She ran a hand through her black hair, her green eyes apprehensive and filled with thought. She'd trained all her life to prevent this form happening to herself, and now she was freely walking right into it.

The door to her room swung open, but she didn't care to cover herself. The bandages did that. Jessamine Longbranch strolled in, wearing a red, ruffled dressed covered in white roses, and looked Amen over. She smirked evilly, knowing her warrior was top class.

"Get ready," Longbranch threw the new tunic and the wizard accompaniment placed some armor in the corner. "It's time to depart for our victory."

Amen grunted in reply. Longbranch, satisfied with the answer, left Amen alone, slamming the door and locking it from the outside. Amen slid the white, long-sleeved shirt on over her bare torso. She thought about it and shoved the linked chain mail over it before the tunic. She put on the tan leggings and armored boots. She took a dagger and strapped it around her waist. Her outfit was emblazoned with White Roses everywhere. She walked out of the room and was looked over by Longbranch.

"That's it?"

"Your not too confident in me." Amen retorted.

Longbranch snapped her fingers, amazingly enough, with those fingernails, and several wizards closed in a box around Amen. They walked from the castle, passing the Red Rose on the way, and to the arena. This is it, Amen thought.

--

The arena, empty just a couple of days ago, was now filled with screaming people. Seas of red and white, speckled with little areas of silver, crowded the stands, ready for entertainment. Without a second to spare, the three warriors were escorted to the arena by their sponsors. Wylie led Ellen by the back of the neck, causing Jack to glare. Hastings led Jack by the shoulder, and Amen walked in front of Longbranch, who smirked. With a pat on the shoulder, Hastings and the other sponsors left the warriors standing there, looking at each other.

Jack drew Shadowslayer, his arm shaking slightly, but not a lot. Ellen grasped her sword firmly, both casting awaiting glances at Amen. The green-eye warrior shrugged, waiting for the signal to go.

"Go to!" D'Orsay declared.

Immediately, Amen leaped forward, black flames dancing in the air as her sword materialized in her hand, directly at Ellen. The younger warrior was moving for her too, knowing she would be the harder target. Amen easily overpowered Ellen, pushing her back until she fell over. The black haired warrior easily dislodged the sword from her grip and pointed a flaming tip at her throat. Ellen glared hatefully up, as Amen lowered her sword and walked away, earning a boo from the crowd.

Ellen, pride bruised, jumped to her feet, lunging after Amen with a dagger in hand, poised to stab. Amen easily spun around and grabbed Ellen's hand, expecting the attack. Amen twisted her wrist, sending the dagger flying and sent a concussion to her chest plate, not hurting her, but blowing her back some. Ellen lay still, breathing heavily. The crowd was shushed, watching intently. Amen hoisted her sword over her shoulders, looking unimpressed.

"Is that all 'ya go?" She said in a loud voice.

The crowd broke out into jeers and cheers. Cheers for Amen, jeers for Ellen. Some chanted for her to get up and take revenge on Amen, others knew it was hopeless and chanted for Amen to go after Jack. Amen stood back as Ellen got to her feet, sword in hand, and watched her and Jack fight. The two were very good, but neither could quite get the other. Amen waited till the half hour was called and walked to her side of the arena, where Longbranch stood, waiting.

"What was that?" She demanded, as if Amen would actually answer.

"What does it look like?" Amen spat accusingly. "I'm letting them save me some trouble. If my life is going to be measure in thirty minute limits, I may as well enjoy it an watch them fight."

"Listen to me, stupid warrior," Longbranch, grabbed her tunic and pulled to face her. "You get in there and kill those two, or you won't be going out next half hour."

"Whatever." Amen brushed the threat aside, knowing victory meant too much to Longbranch to let her come out.

She stood, ready at the edge of the arena, waiting for D'Orsay's signal.

"Go to." D'Orsay said.

Jack and Ellen charged at each other, while Amen watched. Jack had already used magic once, but then he slipped again when he turned Ellen's sword into a bunch of flowers. Amen slapped her forehead and shook her head.

"Hey, Jack!" She called to the red-gold haired warrior, his blue eyes lit up as she talked to him. "Stop with the magic, 'kay?"

Jack nodded, and went after Ellen again. Ellen threw the flower aside and charged Jack with her dagger she'd recovered after going after Amen. Her attacks forced Jack backwards, sending him tumbling over the edge to the ground below, out of sight of the crowd and wizards.

"Woah!" Amen shouted, sprinting for the drop-off. "Jack!"

Amen leaped off the edge and flipped to the ground. Ellen slid down and ran over to him, apologizing numerous times. Amen dropped to a knee next to him.

"Are you okay?" Amen asked. Jack laughed at her.

"You're playing for another team, but you still watch out for me." He said.

"Always, stupid," Amen bonked him on the head. "Does anything hurt?" The roar of the bloodthirsty crowd reared up from behind them

"I think I broke my leg." Jack said, groaning in pain as he tried to move it.

"Well, we can't stay back here for long," Amen said, picking up Jack's arm and slinging it over her shoulder. "Up and at 'em, buddy."

Amen lifted Jack up, his injured leg held tenderly off the ground. She gripped his arm over her shoulders and grasped the back of his belt tightly. Ellen took the other arm, wrapping an arm around his waist. Slowly, they pulled Jack over the ridge, crowds booing as they walked, together, towards the wizards.

--

"What is this?" D'Orsay shouted. "You're still fighting!"

"We won't fight!" Ellen shouted. "We won't kill each other for your amusement!"

"What are you doing?" Wylie pointed a finger at Ellen. "I want you to-,"

"Shove it, Wylie." Amen said. "Nobody gives much of a crap."

A taunting "ooh" went through the crowd, steaming Wylie. He stared at Amen, anger raged in his blue eyes.

"Would you like some ice with that burn- oops- burns?" Wylie was barely holding himself in his chair.

He flung his arm out and cast a charm at Ellen. Amen said the counter charm, blasting Wylie with blue fire. The old wizard fell backwards in his burnt chair, his hair singed and face contorted in pain. Amen smirked.

Hastings joined them on the field, tending to Jack's broken ankle. Amen kept her eyes on the wizards in the box, watching them carefully. Angered, charms began to fly, spells were cast, and magic was whizzing through the air. Hastings threw up shield to protect them and Amen muttered counter charms incredibly quick and countered with attack magic.

The crowd fled as soon as the first of the wizard fire broke out. They trampled over each other for the fear of being a casualty in the epic rebellion.

Amen left Jack to Ellen, who was capable of holding him up, and joined Hastings with the shields and countering. The other Silver Dragon supporters had gathered in the arena, forming a circle around the warriors, protecting them from the wizards as they advanced out of the wizard box an upon them. Claude D'Orsay didn't participate in the fight, watching, amazed, from the wizard box as a horrified look was upon his face.

--

Charms were flying faster than even Amen could keep track of. A charm never touched her, but their shields were being broken before they were even thrown up. A bead of sweat dropped down the side of her face, stinging the cut that had appeared on her face from a spell that came a little too close. The green-eyed warrior kept a close eyes on a few wizards while she kept other at bay with her sword and magic.

Wylie, out of the corner of her eye, was muttering a powerful spell. She could tell because of the enormous pulling sensation that came from him, and the power that crackled like thunder near his hands. Amen ran in front of him, sword brandished to stop the attack from coming. Suddenly, a noise behind her caught her ear. It sounded like moaning, groaning, screaming in pain. Something shifted it's great weight, mumbling to itself before heaving itself up. A great cry emerged from nowhere, and only she could hear it. She'd completely forgotten the battle.

"What is that?" She whispered, as the fight around her slowed down.

The sound of great wings beating against the sky rose into her ears. The whistling wind filled her ears, blocking out all noise from the battle. The cry emerged again, and suddenly, everything fast forwarded to place and a shout woke her from her daze, the sounds from before completely gone.

"Amen!" Jack shouted helplessly.

"What?" Amen said, but didn't have time to react.

Wylie's spell had hit her dead on. A powerful beam of magic caught her shoulder, sending her back and rolling to a stop on the ground. She painfully lifted herself off the ground with the help of Hastings. The magic had broken right through her little armor, severely damaging her shoulder. The cloth was ripped apart, the chain mail was completely vaporized, and her shoulder was bloody. Blood soaked through the little that was left of her tunic sleeve. It drenched her entire arm and it was completely useless.

"This one will kill you, little Warrior!" Wylie screamed. "I told you I'd put you in your place!"

Wylie began to mutter the same charm, the pulling sensation and crackling resumed. Amen, holding her one hand up, murmured her own spell, a whitish aura enveloping her hand, but that wasn't enough. The spell could only be used when the aura was blue, and she didn't have enough strength after taking that last blow. Shutting her eyes to the battle, Amen concentrated on gathering the last of the energy left in her decrepit Weirstone. The sound of the wind filled her ears yet again, and strength pumped through her veins. Her eyes burst open, a bolt of blue lightning colliding with Wylie's beam of magic.

Amen pushed against the lightning, hoping to push Wylie back and make him lose control of the beam. The Red Rose wizard pushed forward, hoping to do the same. Amen's arm shook violently with weakness, her final leg of strength was buckling. Suddenly, Wylie pushed forward with a pulse of power. Amen's arm was knocked aside, taking the blow from Wylie's beam directly in the chest.

A sickening crack silenced the entire fight as Amen's motionless body rolled, face up, across the blood soaked earth. No sign of life came from the broken figure of the warrior, a great cry was emitted from Jack.

The earth shook violently, causing structures to break apart in it's wake. A fissure clawed its way through the earth, thousands of warriors pulling their way out of oblivion. They brandished weapons from over two centuries, dressed in garb not known to this era, but they all had one thing in common. They all had flaming red-gold hair. Jack's hair.

With great force, the army of warriors pushed the wizards back. Some wizards made the mistake of trying to drive the warriors back, but in a close combat fight, warriors will always prevail. Wylie was struck down, arm bleeding, by a warrior and fled. The group of warriors, led by Jack's ancestor, Susannah Downey, addressed D'Orsay on the matter of the hierarchal system. They told D'Orsay the amendments that would be made to the Rules of Engagement, while a small crowd formed around Amen's still body, whose faint breathing showed she was only weakly clinging to life.

"Amen!" Jack said, as Ellen dropped him next to her.

"Amen." Linda said, resting a hand on her cheek. "Amen, can you hear me? Oh, please . . ."

"Ugh," Amen groaned in pain. "Jack. Linda . . . I'm sorry, but could you not talk as loud?"

"Whatever you say." Jack said.

Another crack filled the air and Amen shut her eyes in pain. She reopened them and saw into clear pools of blue and gold flecked. Linda rested a hand on her chest and gasped in horror.

"It's-," Linda began.

"My stone." Amen said painfully.

Hastings dropped to a knee next to her. He placed one hand on top of the other and hovered over her chest. Green light enveloped his hand as he tried to heal her, but it was no use. Another crack scratched through the silence.

"It's no use, Hastings." Amen said, pushing his hand away. "You can't help it. It's too broken."

"What?" Jack said. "No. What's wrong? Why can't he help you?"

"Amen's stone is breaking, Jack." Linda said sadly. "She can't live without a stone."

"There has to be something we can do!" Jack protested. "We can't just sit here and watch you die!"

"You have to." Amen said grimly.

She lifted her good arm weakly and pulled the pendant out of her neckline. The usually bright blue and gold swirled stone was now dull, cracks spreading ominously over the fragile crystal. Amen looked at it carefully before dropping it back on her chest. She exhaled deeply, looking up at the blue, peaceful sky beyond the Ghyll.

"You can't die," Jack said. "You can't!"

"Jack, I-,"

"You can't die." Linda interrupted. "You won't die. Not for me."

"What?"

"Wylie was trying to attack me with that spell when you jumped in the way. I thought you'd be okay, but then you completely spaced." Linda said. "And he hit in you in the shoulder. I knew you wouldn't recover in time for the second attack, and now you're-,"

"I know." Amen said sadly. "I'm dying. And now I've let you down."

Amen's eyelids became heavy. Slowly, the darkness closed around her as they closed. The sky was fading fast, and her breathing was slow. She felt cold except for a warmth on her hand.

"You could never let me down."

A final, screeching crack reverberated through the room, silencing everything. Even the warrior army, which was just finishing it's work, turned at the sound. After a few agonizing seconds of silence, a shuddering cry broke out. Jack was sniffling, shaking his shoulders, tears streaming down his face. Ellen was behind him, rubbing him on the back as if to comfort him in someway about something she could never understand. Linda wept softly, tears falling down her face and landing on the dead warrior's cheeks.

The undead army approached the scene, curious as to why there was such mourning on the peak of the rebellion. They saw the motionless warrior and immediately put their heads down, a warrior's honor. Susannah Downey, examined the body.

"I would appear the world has lost something great." Susannah said quietly.

In the midst of mourning, the pendant on Amen's chest glittered with a bright light. Green light speckled around the cracks, as if shining from within the crystal itself. Hastings' was, too, mourning when he noticed the strange light, eyeing it cautiously.

The pendant hovered off Amen's chest and hung suspended in the air, as if held by some invisible person. Green light streamed through the cracks powerfully, sending rays of green light through the cracks from within.

"But you all must know, when something great dies," Susannah smiled triumphantly.

The pendant began to glow brightly now, green light was pouring through the cracks and even inside the broken crystal as well. Suddenly, another chip was cracked in the fragile crystal, and flew off to the ground. Another piece fell off, shattering on the ground like glass. Green light poured through the fresh openings, as if something alive were inside and breaking through an egg.

As if triggered by the first few pieces falling, other shards began falling away from the source of light. Jack picked his head up to the sound, amazement covered his face. Fewer and fewer pieces covered the light as they broke apart. Color reappeared in Amen's face. Jack touched his aunt's shoulder, making her look at the stone.

"Something incredible is born."

The final piece gave away around the light, sliding off and shattering on the ground. The new pendant shone brightly around the closed circle. The stone was a brilliant, lime green color, green flames danced inside it. Power flowed through it like none any of them had seen before. The shine dulled a little as the pendant slowly floated down to Amen.

As soon as the stone touched her chest, Amen's emerald green eyes sprang open and she sat up abruptly. Her breathe was coming in shallow ragged gasps as she placed a hand over her chest, feeling the pendant. She picked it up and looked at it, confused and curious at the same time.

"Amen!" Jack shouted, awkwardly giving her a hug with his broken ankle. "I thought you were dead!"

"Am I not?" Amen asked.

"No." Linda said.

Amen practically pushed Jack off at the sound of the enchanter's voice. Amen whipped around to look at her, a goofy smile plastered across her face. Like near-death experiences happened daily. Which in Amen's life, they kind of do.

"No, you're not." Susannah Downey said, offering Amen a hand.

Amen took the warrior's hand and lifted herself off the ground, helping Linda off the ground when she was balanced.

"You're very much alive."

"How?" Amen said. "Not that I'm ungrateful or anything."

You didn't die," Susannah said. "You're merely reborn as what you were born to be. Both a powerful wizard and a great warrior."

"Both." Amen repeated.

She remembered faintly about reading something about an ancient, extinct type of Weir that were great warriors with powerful wizardy. What were they called?

"An ancient Weir lineage long extinct has resurfaced again in you." Susannah said. "Killed off in a ruthless genocide fueled by fear. They were killed in fear of their power."

"Why me?"

"You recall your Weirbook," Amen nodded. "Then names are colored based upon you Heir. Your name up until this very moment has been half blue and half gold. But, you remember you grandfather's name was written in a color you didn't recognize?"

Amen recalled the fact. Her grandfather's name was written in a light green that glittered brightly.

"That is a Weir known as the Dragonriders. They are an old lineage known for their prowess in both warrior and wizard powers. You, Amen, are a descendant of the last known Dragonrider and Heir to his power."

Amen was stunned silent. Apparently, so was everyone else. Even long after the undead army was gone, nobody could find the words to describe that moment of truth. Everyone was still digesting the fact that only Amen could die and somehow be reborn better than she was before dying.

--

Amen emerged from the private room dressed in a pair of jeans, usual studded belt, white long sleeved shirt under a blue t-shirt. Her pendant was tucked away in her neckline, feeling the power flow from the stone as it rested against her chest. She stomped into the fields where tons of tents had been hours before and saw Jack. He was wearing a pair of jeans, white t-shirt, and a red jacket left un-zippered. Jack was talking to someone wearing a pair fo jeans and a white blouse. Amen smiled savagely, knowing who it was as soon as she saw the blonde hair.

Jack saw her and nodded, making an excuse to walk away and leave Linda to her thoughts. The blonde enchanter looked up at the sky, unaware of the Dragonrider creeping up behind. With a quick movement, Amen latched onto the enchanter from behind in a tight embrace, laughing hysterically as the blonde screamed in surprise.

"Linda Downey!" Amen shouted, despite being right next to her. "What's up?!?!?!"

"Glad to see dying hasn't killed your sense of humor." Linda laughed, freeing herself of Amen's hold and pulling the black-haired Weir into one of her own. "While you're being funny, I'm still recovering from shock."

"Shock?" Amen cocked her head to the side.

"I thought I'd lost you." Linda stepped away, Amen, completely serious, holding her at arm's length by the shoulders. "But I know better."

Amen's serious face broke into a smile. "If I'm not going to worry about me, somebody has to."

Linda smiled, wiping tears out of her eyes. Amen smiled back, emerald green looking back into blue. Amen moved her left hand to Linda's cheek, cupping it softly. She leaned forward and closed the distance between them, placing her lips softly on the enchanters. Linda, initially surprised, eagerly returned the kiss. Separating, Amen's face flushed with color, at a loss for words. Linda laughed, a crimson blush covering her face as well.

"Wh-what's so funny?" The usually articulate Amen stuttered.

"You're cute when you blush." Linda said, poking Amen's nose and walking happily away.

"What?" Amen muttered. "Hey!"

The black-haired Rider raced after the enchanter. Throwing her arms around her shoulders, Amen dragged Linda back to the others without protest or struggle. With that goofy smile on her face, Amen never noticed Jack reluctantly slipping Will and Fitch twenty dollars each, or Hastings' envious glare.

"What's up with them?" Ellen whispered to Jack.

Jack smiled. "They're happy."

"Happy?" Ellen inquired.

"Very." Amen intruded, making the two warriors know that she was well aware of their conversation. Both warriors flushed and looked away.

"Get off me!" Linda pushed Amen playfully off. "You're heavy."

"Well!" Amen faked hurt.

With a smile, she rejoined them as they left the Ghyll and began the long trek to civilization. Linda slips her hand inside the Riders, holding tightly as they descend the face of the mountain. Amen, her emerald green eyes filled with mischievousness, casts a wayward glance in her direction. The blonde enchanter sighs and gives the other a light tap on the arm. Maybe this tournament wasn't such a bad thing after all.