Even as I fly high, far away from the ground, I can feel myself feel sicker as I know we are approaching Imaria. The heightened defenses of my dragon form do nothing to protect me from the disgust of having to deal with elves, even if I am about to kill them.

“Ugh, the land of Elves, if possible, I would rather never again take a single step in it, but then, how else would I rid the world of their disgraceful presence?”

I can feel Bereul shifting on my back and hear his reply.

“You could just send me and the tengu, I'm sure the two of us are enough to get rid of the elves for you. Isn't that right?”

The tengu looked like he was floating beside me. What a strange way of flying, I wonder how he can keep up with my speed without even flapping his wings. He comments lazily.

“Hmm? Us two? No, no, just me would be more than enough. For some reason, I can easily separate an elf from their soul with little more than a snap of my fingers. I wonder if it's because of their attunement to nature? It's way easier to manipulate their souls than any other race's. Really, if you want, I can rid the world of elves for you, but I suppose that after that you would owe me a pretty big favor.”

I chuckle at the tengu. His offer is actually quite tempting, but some things have to be done with one's own hands.

“Heh, you sure know how to offer me what I really want. But, no, while I do not care about how much debt I have with you, I want to do it with my own hands. Besides, being relieved of their lives without so much as a hint of pain... The kind of death that you would give them is way more than the elves deserve. Besides, it's too soon. If the world is rid of that plague, then what am I to do with that boiling rage inside of me?”

It was almost comical to see the floating tengu, lying in the air, completely relaxed, shrug at me.

“Well, that wouldn't be my problem, unless you decide to burn me to a crisp, which really would be extremely ungrateful to say the least. Oh! I can see those huge weird trees that the elves love so much. This is definitely Imaria. Shall we start?”

I nod at him, then take a deep breath. I let loose seven fireballs in different directions, then head to the ground. Once I touch my paws on the ground, I wait until Bereul dismounts me before undoing my transformation. I look around catch a glimpse of a few elves, who quickly hide themselves. Oh, this is perfect.

“Elves of Imaria! The time has come for you to truly pay for your crimes! I am Aurelya, the Hollow Mother! Through the cruel acts of your people, my two sons were cruelly taken from this life. It is time for all of you to pay dearly for this. As you so foolishly pinned your hopes in an irredeemable man, now you will truly feel the weight of the sins he has made all of you bear. Yes! All of you! Those who did nothing to save my son are just as guilty, except of a murderous cowardice, instead of action. Burn!”

I concentrate and intend the flames I have created with my fireballs to expand. Through my connection with the fire I can feel the lives of elves being claimed by it. Ah, how good it feels! I look up and see the complex magic circle being drawn in the air by the tengu. Are those flaming souls? The strange, bluish fog-flame with which he is drawing the circle is almost mesmerizing. From somewhere among the trees, an incredibly fast arrow flies in my direction. Bereul steps between me and the arrow and stops it. The impact made by the arrow when he blocked with one of his axes was almost scary. Arrows shouldn't pack that much punch, except in the case of very few people and Aurelya just so happened to know one of these people. So he's here.

“So you're here, Miandrill Miredine. Isn't it rude to not show your face to old friends?”

A laughter seemed to echo throughout the forest, then among one of the bigger branches of a tree I saw Miandrill step out of hiding. Surely enough, it was him. Miandrill Miredine. A friend of centuries ago, when we both fought to resist the Calamity Dragon, Tyrant Dramborax. He would latter on become the supreme commander of the Imarian army. He did not lose that position when his best friend, Teldarion, took control of Imaria. He was involved in every single one of the more spectacular victories of Teldarion's forces in the opening years of the conflict he brought to this continent. Then, when he realized Teldarion was no longer the man he once knew, Miandrill betrayed him. Having been locked up, he was eventually freed by a daring raid that included Gaareul and his companions, members of the very small elven resistance and dwarves from Greshe Khaaran. He then joined Gaareul and put his formidable martial abilities to defeating Teldarion, but never led an army against him.

“Old friends? All I see is a mass murderer and someone who I cannot believe is helping that mass murderer. I will see both of your hearts pierced by my arrows.”

He then disappeared among the trees.

“My lady. Please, leave your protection and the elimination of Miandrill to me. Focus on your flames.”

Oh! How reassuring. I will do just that, but I guess I can also banter a little with our opponent.

“You know. Maybe this was all just foolish of me. I guess I should have accepted your invitation to meet with your so-called best friend all those hundreds of years ago. Then maybe my soul would have realized I was face-to-face with my most hated person, my nemesis. Then, when I killed him, none of this would have had to happen.”

Miandrill's voice came from the trees, along with a few arrows, one after the other, all of which Bereul prevented from my hitting my heart or throat.

“Perhaps that would have been for the best. Then, I would have killed you and after those centuries, the innocent city of Meliria would not have had to be sacrificed to your blind rage.”

I laugh loudly at that in order to provoke him.

“Oh, you figured that I was the one who did that? Impressive!”

By that time, I could see a few elves running in panic, their clothes caught in my fire. Their lives had ended the moment a single ember of my fire touched them. Miandrill's voice started sounding angrier and more panicked.

“Of course! Who else has that murderous fire that you do? I thought you had sworn to never use it again after you destroyed that forest while fighting with Dramborax. But I suppose once you decide that life is not worth anything, then what is a measly broken oath? You rebuke us elves for Teldarion while you murder us, but look at you now!”

I did, I looked at me, and I know that the way I am now is good. Aurelya is dead, I am only an embodiment of vengeance now. While I briefly contemplate that, Bereul deflects a few more arrows and I can see that the magic circle in the sky is not glowing. It is done.

“Rise! Fallen people of this forest, kill your kinsmen and bring me all of your treasures which were made in Greshe Khaaran.”

The tengu's voice is carried through the whole forest, almost as if the wind itself thinks it important that everyone should hear what he is saying. In response, the burnt corpses of the dead elves around start moving. The still living elves I can see cannot help but stare at this scene with horror in their face. Yes! Show me more! Squirm and suffer!

“What is this? On top of everything else, you are cooperating with a necromancer? How low can you get?”

Oh, he sounds very distressed. Good, just a little more...

“Oh, I can get pretty low. I wonder if I can get the tengu to search specifically for your daughter, you only have the one, right? If I remember correctly... you rarely shut up about her all those years ago. I think you were the youngest elf father in thousands of years, right? Does she have children? I wonder how bad you might be hurt to see you grandchildren, as undead, tearing apart you daughter. Or maybe... The other way around might be better?”

He lost it. Miandrill charged from the trees, two swords in hand rather than his bow.

“Aurelya! I will kill you!”

He wouldn't get anywhere near me. Bereul rushed to meet him and they immediately started clashing weapons.

“You won't. Have you forgotten that you never won a spar with me? Now that you have abandoned your bow, you have no chances of killing either of us.”

Miandrill directed a glare full of anger at Bereul at he attacked and Bereul parried. I wonder if his rage is a hundredth of mine?

“Except, now you're old! And I have a reason why I can't lose!”

For a moment, I almost held my breath. Now that I think about it, didn't this feel exactly like when we fought against Dramborax's knights? Somehow, Miandrill would always pull out the miraculous result. What if he did it right now? Losing Bereul would be write the blow to my military prowess, as any army under him was formidable.

After a furious series of attacks by Miandrill, Bereul was completely off-balance. For a moment, it seemed like his heart would be run through. Then, it happened.

“Father, no!”

A burning corpse of an elf woman grabbed Miandrill's arm and stopped him. He looked at her, confused, not even realizing that it was a corpse talking to him.

“Calima, are you? Wait, you're not...”

Before he could even finish, his head was lopped off by Bereul. There would be no miraculous result today. The tengu was lazily floating to the ground. Even though he is wearing a mask, why does it feel like that bastard is smiling right now?

“Phew, that was a close one, friend. Too bad you didn't get to beat him in honorable and fair combat though.”

Baereul shook his head.

“No. I am not here for honorable and fair combat. I want only results. Thanks for the help.”

The tengu waved it away.

“Oh, don't worry, it's just that for now I suppose you're more useful alive rather than dead. Now, time to get these corpses to collect the treasures of Greshe Khaaran for our little tribute of goodwill to the king.”

Well, that was the reason why we came to this terrible place. Killing elves was just a side-effect, really. And we got the nice bonus of getting rid of a very problematic opponent early on. Good.