Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

Looking down, Kong Zhi's expression barely changed as he saw Nie Xia and his soldiers fighting along with the beasts. 

"A small group of human soldiers? Along with one of the commanders it seems, interesting. The front line is taking quite a few losses but that is to be expected. Still, those beasts are putting up a bigger fight than I thought. Fifty thousand are already dead, no doubt that tree and your mother have done a big part. But fifty thousand is just a small fraction of a million men."

Kong Zhi then knelt down.

With his warhammer in one hand and the chains in the other. he whispered into the ears of this scarred beast.

"Soon, the forest will be under my control, this place you call your home will be mine."

The Hel-Fire Dragon's eyes turned back, glaring at him murderously. The beast produced a low growl to which Kong Zhi yanked the chain, pulling the head back until their eyes were inches away. 

"I wonder how it would feel to see your own mother killed. Especially by you, her own kin."

Pushing the head away, he steered the dragon through the air, watching the battle from above. His face barely changed as he studied the situation. 

Suddenly, he looked up and smiled as Matron Shuang came barreling towards him. 

"I've found you! Release my child or I will turn your very being into ashes!" 

Her voice thundered as flames spewed out of her three heads. 

"Come then, I want to see just how you're going to kill me."

With the Hel- Fire Dragon under his control, he yanked the chain, forcing the beast to fly forward. 

"Do it, attack her!"

He yelled at it, pulling the chain even harder. 

The beast was unwilling, hesitating as it looked to its mother but it had no choice. Each head opened its jaws, breathing out three streams of fire. Compared to its mother, this attack was weaker but Matron Shuang backed off. 

She stopped, flying idly as her eyes centered on this demon.

"You degenerate bastard! Using my child as a shield?"

Kong Zhi followed, stopping in the air as he looked at her. 

"This is war, beast. Sacrifices should be made."

"War? You're nothing more than a power- hungry lowlife. And I am no beast, I am the Matron."

Her speed nearly doubled as she shot towards them, closing the distance in a matter of seconds. But Kong Zhi was ready, swinging down his warhammer. Loosening his grip, the warhammer slipped out, extending until he grasped the end of the shaft. 

The Matron flew down, avoiding the strike as one of her heads raised up, trying to take a bite out of him. Kong Zhi yanked the Hel- Fire Dragon's chains, veering to the side before flying off. 

And then a game of chase began as the two dragons pursued each other, flying higher and higher into the skies. From the ground, they only appeared as small silhouettes from which their flames would blaze about like fireworks. 

The skies and the land had then split into two battlefields. 

Down below, Nie Xia's group fought wildly but together, the pressure of facing tens of thousands was shared among them. Of everyone, Nie Xia faced the most pressure but he was also the most prominent. 

So much so that even the beasts could not help but respect this human. 

"One Thousand Kilogram Slam!"

Power built up within his body as this commander raised up his shields and slammed them onto the ground, causing it to crack and shudder. A shockwave blew out, launching hundreds away. Those closest to him spit out blood as their organs ruptured and their bones were broken. 

"Gah! He's so strong! What kind of monster has that sort of strength?!"

"What?! Even with our bloodlines activated?!"

"It doesn't matter! There are so many of us, he won't have the strength to fight us all!"

Even as they tried, Nie Xia was a powerhouse, smashing down demons to a pulp. With his soldiers watching his back, he was free to move as he wished. He was a bull, one that could not be stopped. 

But the demon soldiers weren't going to falter so easily. 

Nie Xia charged forward and leaped into the air, his body bulged and flexed as he raised his shield over his head. 

"Quaking Smash!"

He roared out loud as he descended, hitting the ground with his shields and caused an even bigger rift to open up in the ground. 

In that moment, a large shadow was cast over him as a beast followed up on the attack.  It hooted and howled loudly as the beast jumped over him with their arms raised, following his movements and smashing down with both fists. 

"The Silver Fur Ape!"

Nie Xia looked at the giant ape in surprise. The rank 7 beast was humongous, ten times the size of the commander. With its shining silver fur, the ape howled loudly while beating its chest and began smashing down on the demons. 

"Man fight good! Fun!"*

The ape's words were simple but nonetheless, it wasn't difficult to see that the beast took a liking to Nie Xia. He laughed loudly, fighting alongside the ape. 

"Good, good! Ahahahah!"

Together, they thrashed even more soldiers. The beasts were beginning to push the demons back but such a change did not last long.

"Siege Engines! Ready the Siege Engines! Move all of the beasts to the front!"

As the demons shouted to each other, they quickly moved, bringing the chained creatures that they captured to the front. 

"What are they doing?"

The beasts of the forest and Nie Xia's forces all stopped in confusion, finding themselves face to face with the chained creatures. 

The Silver Fur Ape turned silent, its eyes glared intensely at a few of them, specifically several younger apes. But their necks were collared and their bodies were thin and scarred. It then roared out loud at the demons. 

"Release! Children!"

The demons were silent, keeping a wall of these bound beasts as a shield. In the meantime, six giant cannons moved forward, large but not well made. Created from iron, they were simple in design as a squad of twenty men controlled it. They loaded in a cannonball before activating it. 

At the back of the cannon was a red gem that began to glow until it sparked and exploded, shooting the cannonball over the armies and between the two lines of beasts.

"Damn it! Behind me!"

Nie Xia planted his shields together, protecting his men as the other beasts were puzzled over these cannons. 

Spiraling through the air, six cannonballs crashed into the ground and burst out in flame and shrapnel. Those closest to it were blown back by the shockwave. Unlike Nie Xia's group, the beasts did their best to defend though Elder Shu's roots were quick, slithering through the ground before shielding everyone from the blasts. 

However, the same could not be said for the other side. 

When the dust subsided and Elder Shu's roots returned, the devastation revealed itself. The ground before them was decimated, blasted apart by the exploded shells. Most harrowing of all this were the bound beasts who could not shield themselves. 

They bled heavily and the broken shrapnel pierced their bodies. Many were gravely injured, falling to the ground in pain. The shock itself, rocked their bodies, cracking their bones. It was somewhat quiet, save for the whimpering of them. 

The many beasts of the forest looked at the scene with shock and rage. The ape was howled as loud as it could, banging on its chest angrily. 

The commotion was so great that the two enemies in the skies stopped and looked down. The Matron saw it all.

"You cruel man, you would do this? Using children as a shield?" she questioned him.

Kong Zhi looked at the scene below him before looking at her straight in the eyes.

"Sacrifices should be made, it is inevitable in war."

Swinging his warhammer, he pulled on the chain and charged forward, reigniting their battle.