The night passed uneventfully, and as the sun rose, we continued our journey. Soon, however, I quickly sensed something was amiss. The air felt thicker, and a dark aura hung heavily over the land as if it were trying to suffocate us. As we moved forward, the terrain beneath us continued to worsen, what I assumed was once lush greenery and crystal-clear streams were replaced with lifeless, dry, and cracked land. The ground was barren, and nothing grew there, not even weeds.

The further we advanced, the more the corruption spread, as if it were swallowing up everything in its path. The skies darkened, and the air became more humid, making it difficult for us to breathe. The sun was blocked out by an unnatural mist that seemed to cling to everything, the trees were covered in a dark mold, and the river had turned black as if ink had been spilled into it.

Truly, it was a dead land. Seeing the devastation brought by the Shades only served as a reminder of how dangerous the damn vermins were. They literally sucked the life out of the plane. I clicked my tongue in annoyance.

It was as if the very essence of nature the mana itself, had been drained away, leaving only the skeletons of once-thriving trees and the cracked earth beneath my feet. The corrupted land stretched out for miles, and the danger it presented was evident from the unease that radiated through the army.

I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to steady my own nerves before addressing the soldiers. "Stay alert," I said, my voice carrying over the hushed whispers of the troops.

The soldiers began to whisper among themselves, some of them muttering prayers under their breath. Fear had once again started to grip their hearts, and I could sense it in the air. The corruption was taking its toll, both mentally and physically.

As we moved forward, the terrain grew more treacherous, and the ground became unstable. The mortals had to be careful as we navigated through the broken land, as one misstep could result in a deadly fall. The rivers had turned into acid, and the stench of sulfur lingered in the air. The only sound we could hear was our footsteps and the sound of our heavy breathing. The once mighty army had been reduced to a group of tired and frightened men. A silent sight escaped my mouth, they were quickly reaching their limits.

Still, I had no choice but to push them forward, our destination was still far away, and we had to reach the Northern army before it was too late.

"This land is cursed," one of the soldiers muttered, his voice trembling.

Another nodded grimly. "We must push on, no matter what."

****

As we continued our journey, my mind kept wandering back to the previous battle. What could I have done better? What could I have done to end it faster? What should I have used? Thoughts like this kept swirling around my mind as I replayed the fight over and over again.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Before I knew it, signs of life began to reappear on the land, alas, it was nothing normal. Bizarre fauna and trees with sickly colors made me frown. The soldiers knew better not to approach them, or so I thought.

It wasn't until I heard the screams that I realized, a few unlucky bastards had fallen into a trap of corruption when they had unknowingly come into contact with a strange-looking plant that had seemed harmless at first.

Its petals had shone with a soft violet light, luring them in. But as they touched it, a sudden numbness had taken over their bodies, and before they knew it, they were writhing on the ground in agony, their screams echoing across the dead land.

A few of them had managed to break free, but it was too late for the others, as the corruption had already taken root within them.

"Ah, damn it," I cursed, as I approached the trapped soldiers, I could see the flower had taken its toll on them. Their skin was a sickly green hue, their eyes glazed over with madness. They twitched and convulsed on the ground, their bodies wracked with pain as the corruption took hold of their minds and bodies. The corruption was one of the Shades' most potent weapons, slowly eating away at the land and its inhabitants.

"Stay back!" I spoke to the soldiers who had gathered around, their weapons drawn. Hearing my voice, the men hesitated for a moment, their faces twisted in fear and disgust at the sight before them, before they complied.

It was already too late for the corrupted mortals, even if I were to attempt to heal them, their bodies would not be able to handle the clash of powers, and they would simply explode. The only mercy I could grant them was that of death.

I waved my tail, causing the earth to shift beneath their feet before it swallowed them whole. A few dozen men were gone just like that. The soldiers let out a collective gasp, their eyes wide in shock and horror, but they dared not say anything.

"Be careful, all of you," I warned, my voice grave. "The corruption can be subtle, and it can take hold of you before you even realize it. Stay close and do not touch anything."

The generals relayed my orders to their men, and we continued on, the air thick with tension and fear. The land around us was twisted and distorted as if it were alive and breathing. I led the way, my senses on high alert, ready for anything that might come our way. A part of me wished to just fly over and resume the battle by myself, why lead the mortals through this, it was naught but a waste of time. I quickly shook my head and rid myself of such thoughts.

Along the way, the corpses of animals, monsters, and men littered the landscape, their eyes hollow and lifeless. The sky above was dark and foreboding, with swirling clouds that seemed to mock us as we marched.

The closer we got to our destination, the more intense the corruption became. I came across creatures that defied all logic and reason, twisted and monstrous beasts that seemed to have been birthed from the very fabric of nightmares. Some were fused with the very ground itself, while others lurked in the shadows, waiting for their next unsuspecting victim. Alas, none of them were much of a challenge as the giant Shade was. I easily took care of most of them, while the army fought on with the small fry.

They did suffer a few casualties, but it was nothing as bad as the previous battle. Still, I was getting restless. The pace was too slow with the mortals.

'I wonder how Sidus and Breta are doing,' I inwardly wondered.