"Grand Lord Kajika, we all heard our god Chronovoid's declaration! Should we fight the vile elves and claim our victory?!"
I look at the female warrior who's complaining. We've lost most male warriors by now, the elves apparently preferring their thicker haunches. I look down. I see my slim, matte black, draconic legs.
I wish my whelp lives to see her mother grow powerful. I wish that she grows powerful, too.
I am eternally grateful to you, Chronovoid.
We dragons are NOT mere MEAT.
Yet we must remain civilized.
We musn't act like the elves.
I look back up.
"No, Eolra. We'll wait for them to attack as we always have. All the moreso now that Chronovoid has declared our way of life both good and just."
"Grand Lord! We cannot risk that! If they send everything they've got, we'll lose everything!"
"What if they negotiate? It's what I believe the hyrajiian will do, for he is not a stupid man who would fight against fate itself. We'll wait until—"
*wheeew-tkNK*
"OUT!!!"
I throw myself to one side; my other warriors are doing the same.
#THOOM#
The Mana fragger goes off in spectacular fashion. I watch the dragon I was just talking to, Eolra... Split into two very distinct pieces.
Then—
*wheeew-tkNK**tkNK**wheeew-tkNK*
*wheeew-tkNK**wheeew-tkNK**wheeew-tkNK*
*wheeew-tkNK**tkNK*
*tkNK**wheeew-tkNK**wheeew-tkNK*
*wheeew-tkNK**wheeew-tkNK**tkNK*
*tkNK*wheeew-tkNK*
*wheeew-tkNK**wheeew-tkNK*
Oh, my god.
Chronovoid.
*tkNK*
Save us all.
*zz*
As if my prayer was answered, the dozens of Mana fraggers simply vanish.
I stand, not believing I'm still alive.
Now is not the time for revelry.
"ATTTAAAAACCCKKKKK!!!!"
And now, my call to arms.
I raise my head up high.
I breathe in much air.
And I exhale, loudly.
###ROOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR###
...
##RROOOOOOARRR##
##ROOOOOOOOOARRR##
#ROOOAR#
#ROOOOOAR#
Okay. Alright.
I turn toward those who conducted such a vicious sneak attack. I eye the thousands of marching soldiers in my view, their mass invisibility spell now fading. Should I respond in kind?
...
No! I am not an elf. I am a DRAGON. My word is NOT law. My claws and teeth are my justice.
I feel something on my head, my spine, my legs; it's everywhere.
I ignore it.
My powerful body breaks into a sprint. I cannot furl out my wings lest I lose them— should they be my escape? Not today. Never again shall I run from my enemies. My god Wills it.
I feel the sensation upon my body intensify. My senses sharpen, my body lightens, my running speed increases.
I finally realize what's happening. I'm changing. Just as Chronovoid promised. I throw myself toward the impending battle with an even greater ferocity. My charge includes every iota of strength I can muster.
"GOD HIMSELF is on my side, you forsaken elves, and YOU SHALL KNOW HIS FURY! For his fury, it too, follows MINE!"
I breathe in, then out, still running as I make myself known.
###ROOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRRR###
I leap into the fray.
*chang*
*shhing*
*chok*
*ting*
My claws strike steel and chip. My scales take blades and shatter.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
I look around me mid-fight. Thousands. No, tens of thousands. Hundreds?
...
Uncountable finely-decorated elves are surrounding me.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/164.png]
I am alone.
My tribe is coming, but I have charged in too fast.
Too fast—
Have I?
NO!
I swipe down with my claws, swing around with my tail, and cut down shields with my horns. I stand well above these soldiers, my grand power more than enough to deal with them even without my god's assistance. Injuries I may take, but many shall perish long before I fall.
*shhhre*
*klun**prak*
*throd*
*ding**tok*
*chok**thewp**shrk*
*ping*
*shreeet**tknk*
Yet, I feel my already great strength growing at an unbelievable rate. Just as my god had promised.
I shred through the battle with mostly rage, but a bit of amazement. My powerful form itself rises further above the throngs of armored soldiers. Each swing of my claws claims yet more lives than the one before it.
*flun*
*jink**krik**THONnnn*
*TANG*
"Kff!"
*thod**thrak**thuk*
*tlud**prk*
*THOD**shrep**thn*
"GE—"
*tunk**thruk*
*krnch*
It's a glorious battle; an incredible feat, but no different from those of my past. We can last a long time— and we WILL kill many. Yet, I know their mages will soon strike.
When they do, MUST I back down?
I am a DRAGON! I REFUSE!
I tear my way deeper.
*SHRUN-KRNCH*
"Da—"
*thrud**shrip**thrk*
*SHINK-THK**krAK*
"Goh!"
*CHOD**thup**thrk*
"Augh!"
*klang**thok*
*thok-thokthok*
*DRANG**KRNCH*
"Kf—"
*thrak**thup**krink*
No. I am not leaving an open retreat.
Today, those mages shall die, and I shall be THE ONE to claim their corpses!
As I push through the endless tide of armor and weapon, I feel the elves' nicks on my scales becoming shallower. The injuries I've already sustained are closing up.
*ting*
*tink**thrap*
*ruuu**thui*
*ckuk*
*plid**taktaktak**thrk*
I roar at them for not dying fast enough.
##ROOOOOAAAARRR##
Then, I cleave sideways through several. They've become too frail to hold back my claws.
*SHRONG-thrap-thrup-shruk*
"Au—"
"No!"
"Fuck!"
*THUD**thrk**thap*
"Erk!"
"Huagh!"
"F—"
#KRNCH#*krak**thrak*
"..."
*ssssPTH**kraDINnnnn*
YES! THIS IS MY MOMENT!
I finally break through the line.
*DRAK-THAP*
"AGH—"
Behind them, a gap, then a second line of soldiers.
I walk out into this vast opening.
What... Is this?
They haven't done this before!
The wall of soldiers behind me turns. The soldiers to my sides, they also turn. All sides lower their weapons and raise their shields into a prickly wall of spears.
The sound of their movement is so loud.
#CHUNK-CHAK#
*chaka-chk-chka-shk-chak*
What are they doing?!
I look up at the hill ahead.
The entire hill.
No, the one next to it... And the one after that.
And it just... It just... Keeps... On... Going.
How?!
How many mages IS that?!
They all raise their hands like praise to the gods; a red fireball in each hand. The sprawling contingent of mages' spellcasting forms a wall of flame. Their flame bathe the landscape with a blazing red and orange light.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/164b.png]
I can run from a thousand. I can survive five thousand. I look down at my thickened, shiny black legs, and I know— I'm stronger. Yes, I'm stronger, but. Am I strong enough for THAT?
Then I realize: it matters not. I am here to protect all of our tribes today. Without me, the others will lack a uniter. Worse, they'll be without a champion to lead the charge.
We have lost far too many.
I'll place my trust in god.
But. Should I stand here and take it?
No.
I am a DRAGON!
I will tear you. Limb. From. Limb.
Even if I must do it from here.
Mere trust. Is it... Enough?
Dragons trust raw power.
I raise my head up high.
I breathe in much air.
And I exhale, flame.
Except— it's not.
#FHEWWWWWWWWWWW—#
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/164c.png]
A blindingly-hot beam of what could only be PLASMA shreds the air. Just as it shreds my enemies.
#—WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW—#
I carefully turn my head, treating thousands upon thousands of mages to my newest and most powerful weapon. I'm bestowing many an instant death.
#—WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW—#
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/164d.png]
Row after row, column after column of those DAMNABLE mages fall, as though I'm mowing down mere saplings.
#—WWWWWWWWWWWWwwHEET#
Finally, my plasmic breath runs out.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/164e.png]
I stand tall and examine the burning wreckage of the elven mage units. At least eight out of ten have been vaporized by my plasma! The remainder flee in all directions.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/164f.png]
That's right; run. Run! And DO NOT come back.
I scream at them, in more of a roar than a voice.
##TELL ME! Who now ignites the countryside?!##
I look down and am startled by what greets me. I'm standing so tall above the soldiers. My shiny claws themselves are taller than the soldiers' terrified forms.
I did not even notice.
I raise my foot to stomp them— but stop.
No, this is enough. Any more would be an unjust slaughter.
I lower my foot into its original position, then adjust my grand posture.
#ELVES! My god has declared your defeat THROUGH ME! Retreat and repent, and only then shall you be saved from death under the grand claws of my grander form! Only in submission shall you be saved from the blazing plasma of my glorious dragon breath! You have two choices! RUN FROM ME!#
I lower my head and yell as loud as I can.
##OR DIE!!!##
My voice is as bone-rattling as I'd hoped. Perfect for my grand declaration. To my surprise, they instantly launch one last rock from a trebuchet at my immense form.
I cannot be bothered by this. I WILL not bother to strike back.
Sometimes? Soldiers don't listen to orders.
The rock hits my chest.
No— the bomb. It detonates.
##KEWWWSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH##
It shreds everything.
My scales. My horns. My claws. My flesh.
It shreds the soldiers beneath my feet, too, then expands outward. It shreds even the trebuchet it was fired from.
I chuckle to myself.
"Hr, hr..."
#KOFF#
Your weapon was not ready, hm? Good. Then I have done enough. I have given my life to warn my brethren of what is to come. I shall fall valiantly.
But I don't.
Despite the huge chunk carved from my chest, the bomb does not fully destroy my body. My blood flows freely, but where my blood lands on flesh? It forms into new flesh, and then scales. I'm healing at an impossible rate.
Astonishingly, I feel my body strengthening further as I stand firm. My form soars above the already tiny, but now very dead soldiers. My toe claws push them aside like sticks on a beach as my feet expand to an immensity I never imagined possible.
In a panic, they launch dozens more of these new weapons. All at the same body they could not fell with one.
I won't move. You cannot harm my people, who at this moment stand under my enormous shadow. In fact— neither shall you harm more of your own.
This, I DECREE!
I stretch my wings out wide. My beautiful, black framed wings with their red membranes. I wrap them around the many incoming bombs, slowly pulling them close to my scales, making sure not to set them off early.
Yes. I know this blast will be more powerful. I also know— that I, too, am more powerful. Saving the enemy from themselves is a privilege of the strong. Saving the enemy from themselves is also the sole and singular way to turn enemy...
####KEWWWSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH####
Into friend.