Do not let a Word define you

She stepped forward, onto the trembling footbridge. Her steps were solid, with her Power flowing through her. There was no hesitation, no lack of confidence. No recklessness either. All there was, was Her. As she moved with a purpose, she kept Control over the situation. There was no danger here that she could not handle. This she believed, and thus it Was.   On the other side, she felt him waiting. His arrogance washed her way and collided with her certainty. She put it aside, granting him no Power over her. She felt the sneer on his face without even looking his way, as well as the fear he tried to hide behind confidence. She cared not. This would end today.   He was still waiting when she stepped off the bridge, his armour reflecting the sunlight. His visor was up, so that he could look her in the eyes to intimidate her. She laid her focus on his sword instead. A hard clench around the hilt, knuckles white underneath the steel. A stark contrast to her simple hide, with a handful of decorations that flowed by her Will.   When she halted, he found it in him to speak. "So you have come after all. You always were a fool. Did you think you could beat me? I am Steel! Your blade is incapable of harming me. Surrender, or I shall take that which is mine and subjugate it to my will!"   She could hear the capital in his words, the single one. The only word he knew how to define himself. It was almost sad how eagerly he had fled into that idea, trying to define himself by his tools instead of his own Strength. She kept quiet. Just as he got ready to speak again, she looked up, in his eyes. He swallowed, hard, and brought down his visor. Signing his doom.   There was no hesitation when she spoke, despite knowing what she was about to do to him. That always had been her thing, a lack of indecisiveness. She made the decision long before she came here. As he took up a stance, getting ready to counter her, she Spoke instead. "No. You are Armour. That is all you ever will be."   She felt he wanted to scoff at her, bluster to compose himself. But before he could, she could feel his fear. Not see it, for his visor turned dark. The steel that protected him, turning against him. He tried to cry out, but found himself without air to scream, as his throat turned hollow and solid at the same time.   She did not feel the need to wait. While his armour continued to consume him, she moved past him. There were better things to spend her time on. All he was, all he had been, was a distraction. And in his despair as he felt himself fall short, he doomed himself.     He should have listened to that lesson long ago. Today, he had paid the price for refusing to do so.