Chapter Twelve: Echoes of Authority

Azzrael's eyes, once a tempest of anger, gradually calmed as he rested against the makeshift bed in my tree house. The storm within him seemed to subside, replaced by a weariness that spoke of battles both fought and yet to come.

"You need to go to the military base," Azzrael asserted, his voice carrying the weight of duty. The urgency in his tone hinted at the responsibilities that tethered him to a world beyond the sanctuary of the tree house.

I glanced at him, my irritation bubbling to the surface. "Rest for a day, at least. Look at your wound before you go charging off into battle," I urged, a semblance of concern coloring my words. The general's health seemed more critical than the urgency of his mission.

But Azzrael, true to the nature of a soldier, insisted on his duty. "I can't afford to wait. The situation may have escalated, and every moment counts," he argued, the resolve in his voice unwavering.

My patience wore thin, and I shot him a death glare. "Rest," I commanded, my tone cutting through the air with an unexpected authority. Azzrael, despite his military rank, nodded obediently—a reaction that sent a shiver down my spine.

The silence that followed was pregnant with the weight of unspoken understanding. Azzrael, a battle-hardened general, now found himself under the reluctant care of a survivor in the midst of the undead apocalypse.

"Look at you, taking orders like a recruit," I remarked, breaking the tension with a touch of humor. Azzrael's expression softened, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"I guess even commanders need someone to keep them in check," he conceded, the acknowledgment of vulnerability hanging in the air.