On the Xadian side of the breach, primal terror swept over everyone. From above, a familiar yet distorted howl rang out, echoing off the landscape. It was a dragon. A dragon, made of black and purple smoke. A dragon, looking like a terrifying after-image of Regem Draconis.
"No…!", Tani gasped, anger and tears rising in her throat, "Necromancy!" She started throwing rays of wind and lighting at the monstrosity.
"Steel yourselves!", shouted Temek to the lower ranks, " Take aim and fire at will!"
Magical missiles of all kinds streaked skyward, impacting and fizzling against the massive, turbulent body of the shadow, still descending menacingly.
When the gestalt tore open its maw, there was an all-consuming blackness, then a solid tube of lighting descended into the ranks, vaporizing elves where they stood.
Horror was etched into the commanders' faces.
"This is the price of colluding with humans! Betrayal!", belted Astilliar, appearing almost out of nowhere, "We must counter-attack!"
"Where have you been, Legate?!", Janai demanded.
"Are you insane? Dawdling like this? We cannot sit here and watch our people get slaughtered senselessly! We need to attack!"
Janai shook her head, pointing downward into the breach. A small group of humans was running toward the Xadian side, led by Helmond. "They are not attacking, Legate, this is not…"
"We cannot risk them infiltrating our ranks, Prime Legate! Don't be a fool!", the rough-hewn moon elf yelled in her face, "If you are too cowardly to take your duty seriously, I will take it on myself!"
"You will stand down!", Janai bellowed over the din of more dragon fire, "I refuse to believe…"
The shadow swooped over them, its massive talons ramming into Legate Tani. She was knocked over the edge, unconscious. With abject horror, the Legates watched as her broken body landed in sharp, jagged rocks, hundreds of feet below, her limbs splayed unnaturally.
Astilliar turned, drawing his blade. "You may watch, then, as I save us all, sun worshipper.", he spat, then him and his personal guard descended toward Helmond's detachment.
As Janai watched him leave, she extended a glance into the distance. Sol Regem's minions had taken the excuse. They were now attacking the humans openly, ballista bolts and spells streaking through the sky.
Unless they could manage some sort of miracle, they were now at war, for good.