Aldred's blade, a sinister amalgam of dark energy and steel, plunged deep into the chest of a towering demon.
"Shatter."
With a whispered command that seemed to echo with the weight of centuries, the sword shattered, its fragments scattering like a swarm of vengeful spirits.
Each shard became a missile of destruction, seeking out the heart of every demon within reach.
The air filled with the eerie sound of the blade's fragments whistling through the air, a chorus of death for their foes.
"By the elven stars..." Elralya breathed, her usual composure slipping as she witnessed the devastating efficiency of Aldred's weapon.
Her eyes, wide with a mixture of fear and admiration, flicked to Aldred, reassessing the man who had become their unlikely ally. "His power had grown since last time I saw him."
Aldred, retrieving the fragments of his blade with a mere gesture, watched the demons' ranks thin with a grim satisfaction. The blade reformed in his hand, its dark energy pulsing as if eager for more destruction. His gaze, however, was not on his fallen enemies but on the horizon, where the demon captain stood.
The captain, a hulking figure adorned with scars and trophies surveyed the aftermath of Aldred's.
With a snarl, he reached for a massive weapon that lay at his side—a great axe, its blade blackened and etched with runes that seemed to shift and writhe in the dim light.
"I challenge you to a duel strong human," the demon captain growled, his voice carrying across the battlefield, a challenge that silenced the murmurs of the elves and demons alike.
He hefted the axe, the muscles in his arms bulging with the effort, and began to advance towards Aldred.
The demon increased its speed and raised the axe, about to chop Aldred in half.
A grin plastered on the demon's face. However time seemed to stand still as Aldred's body engulfed by the light and then went through the demon captain.
The demon captain widened his eyes. When it looked down, it saw a massive hole that destroyed his stomach and chest.
He fell with a plop.
As the demon captain fell, the battlefield momentarily fell into a stunned silence, the remaining demons halting in disbelief at the sight of their leader defeated so effortlessly.
Aldred stood, his figure bathed in the fading light of his recent transformation, the reformed blade at his side pulsing with dark energy.
The elves watched in awe, their respect for the human among them deepening with each passing moment.
Before Aldred could react, the demon moved with a speed that seemed to blur the lines of reality itself. It launched a devastating attack on the engine core, unleashing a surge of dark energy that tore through the air, ripping into the heart of the ship. The impact was catastrophic, the resulting explosion sending shockwaves through the still-frozen tableau of elves and demons alike.
Half of the engine bay was obliterated in an instant, the damage severe and irrevocable.
As the dust settled and Aldred's time magic waned under the force of the explosion, the demon's figure became indistinct, shimmering as if ready to phase out of existence.
"This is only the beginning," it taunted, its voice echoing ominously.
"The true war has yet to come." And with those chilling words, it vanished, leaving no trace behind except the devastation it had wrought.
The spell fully dissipated, releasing the elves and demons from their suspended state into a scene of utter ruin.
The remaining demons, sensing the loss of their strategic advantage, began to retreat, disappearing into the shadows from whence they came.
The elves, meanwhile, were left to grapple with the immediate consequences of the attack. The engine bay, once the beating heart of the ship, now lay in ruins, its core damaged beyond simple repair.
The engine bay, once a marvel of elven engineering, lay in smoldering ruins, its vital mechanisms shattered beyond immediate repair. The elven captain, Anariel, surveyed the damage with a practiced eye, her expression grim. Her hands, clasped behind her back, betrayed none of the turmoil that churned within her.
The ship, a proud vessel that had sailed the stars for centuries, was now crippled, its heart torn asunder by demonic malice.
Anariel turned to Aldred and Elralya, her gaze steady. "This destruction is beyond our capability to repair swiftly," she said, her voice carrying the weight of command. "Even with our best artisans and mages, we are looking at no less than two months before the core can be restored to a semblance of functionality."
Elralya, her face shadowed by the flickering light of the emergency luminescence, nodded solemnly. "And without the core, we are not only stranded but vulnerable," she added, her voice tight with concern.
"I will put my force around here to protect you during that time."
Anariel glared at him. "We do not need any help."
Elralya's usually serene composure cracked, a rare flash of anger igniting in her eyes. She turned sharply to face Anariel, her posture rigid with barely contained frustration. "Captain Anariel," she began, her voice steady but laced with a cutting edge, "Aldred has fought alongside us, shed blood with us, and now offers his continued protection in our hour of greatest need.
And yet, you greet his offer with disdain, without so much as a word of thanks."
The air between the three thickened, charged with the tension of the moment. Aldred, standing slightly apart, watched the exchange quietly, his expression unreadable. He had come to expect resistance from the elves, understanding their pride and centuries of self-reliance, yet Elralya's impassioned defense stirred something within him.
Anariel, taken aback by Elralya's outburst, paused, her gaze shifting between her and Aldred.
"Elralya, you should know more than anyone else why we cannot accept Aldred's offer."