Chapter 289: I am here now

We continued forward, and after several long days of travel, we finally arrived at the command camp.

The soldiers stationed there were prepared for our arrival, and they welcomed us with open arms. The camp was massive, with countless tents and buildings stretching out for miles.

As I was led towards a large clearing in the middle of it all, I scanned the surroundings in interest. Somme of the soldiers scurried around in awe of my massive figure, causing me to feel amused.

It didn't take long before I made it to the large opening area, there I saw who I assumed to be the Kings gathered in a circle, surrounded by their advisors and guards. They all raised their heads to face me, their expressions a mix of awe and fear. I could feel their eyes on me, assessing my every move. I walked towards them, the ground shaking with each step.

As I approached the group of kings, one of them stepped forward, lowering his head in reverence. I looked down at him, taking in his appearance. He was a man of regal bearing, with a thick beard and piercing blue eyes. He wore a crown adorned with sapphires, and his robes were a deep shade of crimson. "Great Aether," he said, his voice respectful but tinged with fear. "We are honored by your presence. Thank you for coming to our aid."

I inclined my head in acknowledgment, as the King spoke, "I am King Medi, the monarch of the Moor Kingdom. We are forever indebted to you for your aid, Great Aether."

I let out a deep rumble of amusement, "Your gratitude is unnecessary, King Medi. I am here to fulfill my duty as a dragon, and to rid this plane of the filth the Shades have brought upon it."

The King nodded his head slightly, before he straightened up and gestured towards the others. "Allow me to introduce my fellow monarchs," he said. "To my left is Queen Elara of Aranthus, and to my right is Ambassador Galen representative of the Eastern Kingdoms."

I nodded my head slightly in acknowledgement, my figure towering over the kings and queen. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," I rumbled in a deep voice.

The monarchs looked up at me with awe and respect, and the air was thick with the weight of their gratitude towards me. It was quite easy to sense their sentiments.

"We owe you a great debt, Aether," Ambassador Galen said, his voice laced with sincerity. "The tale of your bravery and strength in battle have reached us already. You saved countless lives and turned the tide of this war."

My expression remained stoic, though I did appreciate the recognition. "As I said, I simply fulfilled my duty."

Queen Elara stepped forward, her piercing blue eyes fixated on my figure with clear admiration. Her long, silver hair cascaded down her back, adorned with intricate braids and jewels. She wore a flowing, white dress that billowed in the wind, revealing her grace and elegance. As she spoke, her voice was soft and filled with awe and worship. "Nonetheless, you are a true hero, mighty Aether," she said. "I am sure that the stories of your deeds will be told for generations to come."

I lowered my head slightly and let out a deep rumble of amusement. "I am no hero," I said with a hint of disdain, "but a dragon hunting disgusting Shades." My eyes scanned the area around me as I spoke, taking note of the preparations and fortifications made by the kingdoms.

I then continued, "Enough of that, Queen Elara. I am here to see the progress of this war. It is about time we end it." I said and glanced at the other monarchs, along with their advisors.

"Yes, great Aether," King Medi spoke with a hint of nervousness, he then ushered for the guards behind him to bring something forward. My eyes narrowed as I scanned the object they brought, it was a large map laid out before me.

King Medi continued, "This is the map of the battlefield, the borders of the kingdoms, and the location of the Shades' stronghold." He pointed to different areas of the map as he spoke.

I stepped forward and narrowed my eyes to examine the map more closely. Although still small for me, I still managed to read through it with no problem. The details were precise, and I could see the different fortresses and outposts the Shades had taken over along the border. I also saw the different routes the armies were taking to engage the enemy.

I turned to face the Kings and Queen, "What is your plan?"

King Medi took a deep breath and began to explain their strategy. "We have been engaging the enemy on different fronts, trying to wear them down. Our strongest army is currently on the eastern front, trying to push back the Shades from our borders, progress there have been smooth, since we managed to use our navy as reinforcements to push the bastards back. We also have another army fighting back against their advances from the west, but it has been hard and slow."

I listened intently, studying the map as King Medi spoke. "I see," I said finally. "You are indeed making progress, but it is too slow."

Queen Elara nodded and replied with a serious tone, "That is why we have called back all of our main forces, and we are planning to launch a single massive attack to pierce straight through the Shade's territory and unite with the northwestern kingdoms."

Ambassador Galen continued, "The kingdoms in the northwest are also preparing for the attack. It will be a simultaneous invasion from both sides, which will hopefully not give the Shades time to fight back."

I listened intently to the plan and nodded my head slightly in understanding. "And how confident are you in this plan?" I then asked.

King Medi sighed heavily before responding, "To be honest with you mighty Aether, not very confident. But desperate times call for desperate measures. It is only a matter of time before the Shade forces overwhelm us, so we have to act fast. Although we could continue the stalemate in the west and our slow invasion in the east, this is only possible since the Shade's main forces are busy with the mid-northern alliance. Should they fall, we will be next."

Queen Elara nodded in agreement. "We know that this is a risky move, but we have no other choice. We have to try everything we can to save our people and our kingdoms."

I nodded my head, understanding the gravity of the situation they were in. However, that was no longer the case, and I couldn't help but smile at their lack of confidence in their plan.

"You need not worry anymore," I said with the confidence befitting a dragon. "For I am here now."