Chapter 286: The end of a battle

As I watched the battle unfold, I knew I had to act. I flew down towards the battlefield, my sharp claws and teeth glinting in the sunlight. The Shades caught sight of me and tried to attack, but I was too fast for them. I swooped down and picked them off easily with my massive size, my water mana making quick work of their defenses.

My appearance caused the humans to momentarily pause in shock and disbelief. They did not know whether I was an ally or an enemy. I then flew down from the skies and landed in the middle of the battlefield, my massive wings creating a gust of wind that scattered the Shades. The humans, surprised by my sudden appearance, subconsciously pointed their weapons at me.

"Warriors of the Southern Kingdoms, do not fear me. I am Aether, a dragon from the plane beyond. I have come to aid you in your fight against the Shades," I spoke in a deep, rumbling voice. My voice caused them to pause in shock and disbelief, but I had no time to tend to them, and so leaving those words behind, I jumped back into the fray of battle.

I savagely tore at the Shades, swiping with my claws, snapping with my teeth, and whipping with my tail. They fell before me like wheat before a scythe. With my dragon breath charged up, I opened my maw wide, and it crackled with power. A dazzling light surged from my jaws, illuminating the battlefield like a star. The Shades stumbled back, momentarily blinded by the brightness.

The searing blast of my breath weapon roared forth, engulfing half of the battlefield in flames, reducing the Shades to ash. The smell of burnt flesh and scales wafted through the air, and the remaining Shades howled in terror.

As the light and heat faded, I could hear the human soldiers cheering and shouting, their morale renewed by my presence and the destruction I had wrought. With a renewed fervor, they surged forward, their weapons striking true against the remaining Shades.

I continued to fight alongside the humans, my massive size dwarfing them as I swooped and glided through the battlefield. Despite their small size, they fought with incredible courage and ferocity, their swords and spears glinting in the light of the sun. I found myself having a newfound respect for them.

I called upon the elemental elements, and they gladly complied, summoning torrents of water to crash down on the Shades, washing them away in a torrential flood. As the Shades struggled to regain their footing, I followed up with a barrage of rocks and boulders, hurling them with tremendous force and crushing the enemies beneath them.

Despite the ferocity of the Shades, they posed little threat to me. Their slimy scales could not withstand my claws and teeth, and my size allowed me to shrug off their attacks with ease. It was their sheer numbers that were the biggest issue, but with the help of the elements, I was able to thin their ranks and give the humans an opening to strike.

As the battle raged on, I watched as the human soldiers rallied around me, their eyes alight with hope and determination. We fought back to back, our weapons and claws cutting through the Shades with ease, and I had to take extra care of my large size, in order to not accidentally trample on my newfound allies.

The desolate plain was covered in black scales, and the ground was slick with the blood of the fallen. The jagged mountains loomed on the horizon, and the sky was filled with dark, roiling clouds. The Shades were relentless, their numbers seeming never-ending, but I stood firm, knowing that I was the human's only hope. A rare sense of responsibility or their safe being filled me.

I called forth the elements of water and earth, creating whirlpools and geysers that swept the Shades off their feet, and pillars of stone that crushed them beneath their weight. My cosmic mana flared to life, sending waves of energy that disintegrated the Shades' slimy armor, leaving them vulnerable to the human's attacks.

They continued to fight with reinvigorated intensity, their weapons striking hard as they followed my lead. I watched as they took down Shade after Shade, their morale boosted by my presence and my magic.

Despite the chaos around us, I never once lost focus, and I was always aware of the Shades' movements and attacks. They could not harm me, but I still had to protect the humans who fought beside me.

Minutes turned into hours that passed, and the sun slowly began to dip below the horizon. The Shades had retreated, leaving behind a battlefield strewn with their dead. The human soldiers were battered and exhausted, but they looked at me with eyes full of a mixture of emotions, gratitude, awe, respect, and worship.

We had won the battle, but the war against the disgusting bastards was far from over. But for now, I stood amidst the fallen, a beacon of hope for those who had survived.

It was then that a human general with a silver insignia on his armor approached me, his head bowing low in respect, and his eyes seemed to gleam in worship as he gazed at my large form. "Thank you for your assistance, great dragon! Without your help, we would have surely perished today." He straightened himself and continued, "We are the soldiers of the kingdom of Moor, called to defend our borders against the Shade menace. We did not expect them to launch a full-blown raid on this side, and we were caught off guard."

I nodded my head in acknowledgment, "I am Aether, and I come from beyond the stars as your salvation."

The surviving soldiers began to whisper in hushed tones amongst themselves, their tones excited as they stared at me in awe.

"We're saved!"

"The heavens have not forsaken us!"

The general was no better, as he bowed once more to showcase his gratitude, before he extended an invitation to me, "We would be honored if you would accompany us back to our headquarters, where we can rest and organize a banquet in your honor. The kingdom of Moor owes you a great debt, and we wish to show our gratitude."

I hesitated for a moment, but then nodded in agreement. It was best to coordinate the attacks with the humans to efficiently push back the Shades, "I accept your invitation, General. Lead the way."

With that, the human army gathered their fallen and started on their way toward their headquarters, with me flying overhead behind them.