The bard finished his song with a flourish, and the crowd erupted into applause. He was certainly talented and his song was a fitting tribute to my deeds. I quite liked it, I had to admit. I turned to him and spoke, "Your song is impressive. Your skills are remarkable. I thank you for it."

The bard bowed deeply, "I am humbled by your words, Mighty Aether. It was an honor to compose it for you."

The rest of the banquet was a blur of joyous activity. The soldiers and villagers drank and danced, their spirits high from the victory against the shades. I joined in the festivities, interacting with the humans in a way that I never had before.

Despite my size, the villagers welcomed me with open arms, showing no fear or hesitation. They asked me questions about my powers and the places I had seen in my travels. I was happy to oblige, telling them stories of my adventures. This reminded me of the group of adventurers I had come across and shared the bonfire with a while back. I wondered how they were doing.

As the night wore on, most of the villagers grew tired and returned to their homes, leaving behind the soldiers to continue their celebrations. I sat back and watched as they sang and drank, their voices ringing out in raucous song.

As the night turned to dawn, the revelers slowly made their way to bed, and I too retired for the night. Lying down on the soft earth, I felt a sense of peace. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, the embrace of the elements causing a smile to make its way across my face.

****

As the sun began to rise, I watched as the villagers started to gather to say their goodbyes to me and the army. The bard approached me with a smile, "Mighty Aether," he said. "I plan to spread the song of your deed across the plane. I want every tavern and inn to know of your bravery and heroism."

I chuckled heartily. "Spread the word as far as you like, little one. The more people know of our victory, the better. Perhaps it will inspire others to fight against the Shades."

The bard's eyes shone with enthusiasm. "Thank you, mighty Aether. I will sing your song with pride and joy wherever I go."

I nodded, a large part of me felt content and prideful that my deeds would be remembered for generations to come in this world. All the more reason to kick the disgusting vermin off this plane, I inwardly noted before replying, "I look forward to hearing it."

The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow over the land. As everyone started to gather their things, I found myself surrounded by some of the more curious villagers, some asking hoping to catch a final glimpse of me, while others brought me gifts as a token of their appreciation, mostly food that I devoured happily, albeit its small size made it almost impossible for me to taste anything. I still smiled warmly at them and thanked them for their hospitality.

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It was then that the general called out to the troops, "Get ready to march, everyone."

And so the army began to make its way back, the villagers waved us off, shouting their goodbyes and words of encouragement, while some started to offer me their prayers directly.

As we left the village, I decided to walk alongside the army instead of flying. It was a pleasant change of pace, and I enjoyed the feeling of solid ground beneath my claws. The scenery around us was beautiful, with rolling hills and lush forests stretching as far as the eye could see, the land here was yet to be tainted by the Shades' nasty aura.

Occasionally, we would pass small villages, and I could see the curious looks on the faces of the villagers as they caught sight of me.

As we continued our journey, I struck up a conversation with the general who was riding by my side. "Tell me, how are the southern kingdoms faring against the shades?" I asked him.

The general sighed and looked at me gravely. "It's been a difficult fight. Our Moor kingdom is the main line of defense, and we have been holding our ground, but it's taking a toll on the people. To the east, there's another kingdom called Aranthus, and they're also fighting alongside us against the shades. Behind us, there are two kingdoms, Kaelandria and Valtoria, that supply both us and Aranthus with soldiers and supplies. They know that if either Moor or Aranthus fall, they'll be next."

"So, the southern kingdoms are in an alliance of sorts?" I asked.

The general nodded. "Yes, we have to work together to fight the shades. It's the only way we can hope to survive."

I nodded in understanding. "I see. And what are the plans for this southern alliance's defense against the shades?"

"Well, mighty Aether, the heads of the kingdoms have chosen to gather in the borders between Moor and Aranthus. They have built a temporary commanding camp from which they send their orders and oversee the battlefields."

"Hmm, so right now we are heading toward?"

The general nodded, "We'll be joining them there," he replied. "We'll march straight to the border between Moor and Aranthus and meet with the other armies there and regroup. The royals have a much better understanding of the situation than I do, so forgive me for that, great Aether. But I believe the plan was to launch a coordinated attack on the Shades and push them back."

I nodded and asked, "And the villages and towns that lie in between? Won't they be in danger?"

The general sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, yes. But it's a necessary sacrifice we must make to protect the greater good. We'll do our best to minimize casualties, but we cannot avoid them completely."

I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I see. Well then, let us continue our journey."

And so, we marched on, our journey causing us to pass closer to the borders with the Shades. It was the closest way, according to the general, and most of the Shades we encountered were small fries that were easily dispatched by the soldiers. I did not need to make a move.

The terrain became rougher and the weather grew colder as we moved further east. The dark aura more prominent in this area. Occasionally, we would come across small villages and hamlets, but they were mostly abandoned, the people have fled to safer places. We even came across a few battalions, that thought they were under attack when met with my intimidating figure. The misunderstandings, however, were always quickly cleared by the general and his men, and we managed to continue our journey, undisturbed.