The Free Plain

Garo and his wolves ran in the direction of the settlement. As difficult as it was to run towards a bunch of creatures wishing your death, the source of social and material support and the arrival of troops was invigorating enough to influence his choices. He, and presumably those around him, would end up running at the battle from slightly behind the goblin mass that now fought tooth, claw, and rusty sword against the well-trained spearmen.
Upon reaching behind the mass of goblins, Garo rose his sword, his wolves in tow, and yelled.

"HAAAAA!!!!!"
Full charge and with a battle cry that served only to disrupt the goblin's cohesion by adding a disorienting new flank from which there now was a disturbance, Garo slammed into the back of the nearest goblin facing away from him, his sword impaling the creature from its beast. Undoubtedly several little green heads would look back at the new scuffle, scrambling their organization for a brief moment. Hopefully, such a moment could be exploited in some way.

Tomosha sauriv rekisixi.

The dragon noticed the goblin beast riders approaching for a counter attack but the settler group itself had received reinforcements. Now tired of watching from a hill he lifted himself out of his spot and took flight towards the left flank of the goblin mass. The scales on his body sparkled with each flap of his wings as he closed distance with the enemy. He landed out of range from the goblin's melee and as he hit the ground it trembled from such a forceful landing. One of the riders responded by turning his beast to face the dragon and tossed a spear at Jarkoopi's body. The spear did nothing more then scratch one of the scales on his torso and then fall to the dirt.

"Wux siofme wux shilta svent ve!?!?" He spoke with a loud booming voice in hopes of terrorizing the goblins. (And maybe some settler troops.) Then he gave a laugh at the puny lesser creatures. The dragon's maw opened up to a small smile and between his teeth were small arcs of lightning.

The young man who had been working his way through the right flank of the goblin hoard stopped as he cut down the nearest opponent. When he stopped, he slouched a bit, and his stare went blank, as if he weren't really there. Unlike the others, he wasn't surprised or shocked at the appearance of a dragon. In fact, he didn't seem to register it at all.

Ignatius, however, did notice the dragon, who had luckily landed on the opposite side of the field. He watched light blue sparks course over the dragon's scales, and the grin he bore was not a good sign, though for which side he could not tell. Still, he couldn't help but be a little amused. It had been a while since he had last seen a dragon, and he had left the company of the last one on... Not the best of terms.

His attention was drawn back to the battle by the shouting of the Goblin leader and the riders passing around their flank. Oh yes, the battle. Almost slipped my mind. Bringing his hand up once more, it glowed, and for a brief second one could almost see tiny ethereal threads connecting it to the young soldier. Almost instantly, the soldier stood at attention. Turning, he slipped through his fellow warrior's ranks to confront the rear assault. No sooner had he entered the fray than a poison spearhead went directly for the commanding beastman's jugular from behind. Using his own spear, he deflected the blow and sliced the attacker's neck, then drove his spear home in its mount's skull.

He entered furious combat with two of the riders after that. Ignatius waved his hand furiously, helping the soldier parry and block the two-front attack. He did not see, however, the lone goblin who had been knocked off his mount creep up behind his soldier. By the time he noticed, the poison tipped spear was lodged deep in the young man's torso, the point poking out from his chest. As the goblin pulled it out, the boy slumped to the ground, and Ignatius lowered his hand. Tough break kid. Really thought you'd make it. But the deal was I'd help you win the battle, and can't do that when you're dead, so... His hands both glowed a deep purple, and as he raised them high, the soldier sat up suddenly. As he worked his way to his feet, he seemed like a puppet being lifted by its strings. Raising his spear, he went right back into battle, helping defend his commander.

The dragon's jaw opened fully a spewed large blue bolts of electricity at the riders who some had tried to flee but with no success (because they're surrounded) others retaliated by chucking crude spears, axes and knives at his torso. The thrown weapons mainly hit him but simply lacked enough power to pierce the dragon's thick hide. A single spear found a way past his defensive scales and managed to draw blood, the wound was extremely minor. When the lighting contacted its targets the energy arced between the rider's metal equipment and those who had it had their nervous system and muscles get fried. About 5 riders went down with this and 3 of their beasts.

Once again the dragon laughed aloud, this time more evil and maniacal.

Thanks to the help of several volunteers, the beastman commander managed to survive and defeat the flank attack with nothing more than a minor scratch as a result; the poison-tipped spears worrying him little considering he was highly resistant to poisons of all kind. It took a special kind of toxin to kill him and those goblins certainly did not possess it!

"Their manoeuvre has been defeated! Press the attack!" He yelled, raising his sword and all-but throwing aside his own men as he pushed back to the front to join the combat personally. In response, the soldiers let out a war cry; each of them willing to defend their hope for a new future with their very lives. They pressed onwards and soon the Goblins were being pushed back - on the very verge of defeat.

Within a few minutes, the Goblin line would be broken due to the stalwart wall of Free Plains men and the shock of their being a dragon on the field. The beastman knew the dragon would have to be dealt with somehow, but until that moment they had been unable to appreciate the magnitude of the situation. Now that battle was ending, it would suddenly dawn on many of them just what they might be up against next...

"Don't worry about the dragon! If it was going to attack, it would have already done so!" The commander growled. "Right flank! Forget about the fleeing goblins! Push left and envelope the remaining! A hundred gold for whoever finds and captures their chieftain!"

Their chieftain, of course, had already fled.

"Ihk wer klewar axun, si ocuir wux re thric munth munthrek, sjek sva shio."

As the remaining goblins fled the dragon did not give chase nor did he even care for the fleeing enemies. He was however interested in how the one being had started speaking in his own tongue. Jarkoopi eyed the remaining human forces from his current location, not wanting to get close to another but more well equipped and trained enemy.

"I do also speak Common, but not as much as Vs'shtak." He said this in case Ignatius could not understand his previous statement.

Smoke from the distant wildfire filled the sky. Hot ash fell from the sky, drying out the remaining moisture in it. The mountains would hold the smoke back, forcing it to lower. Whatever power that was controlling this had obviously lost control as the fire began to spread.

Something was amiss at the base of one plataeu. Either way, a wildfire was growing and poisoning the air in the Free Plain and surrounding lands.

"You fought well, Commander," said Vale, who was using a cloth to wipe clean his sword. "And speaking of something else happening tonight, I separated from the group I came here with. I haven't seen them for several hours but I know they are here somewhere. That fire is a little concerning, for it means they may have been consumed by it. Or been the ones to cause it. I imagine they'll come here eventually though, since your settler's camp is the only sign of civilization for miles."

The man nodded to himself, patting a soldier on the shoulder before stepping off away from the rest. His concern was something more... Reptilian.

"What is a dragon doing in these parts? What is a dragon doing crashing into a battle for no reason than to stand there and look menacing? Do you not take the fight these people fought seriously? Do you see such affairs as a joke?" Vale asked, as he strode up to the dragon and the man he was speaking to.

The murder passes through the sky like a black cloud.  A shadow, which seems to suck light rather then obscure it, follows beneath.  The crows descend upon the field and begin to feast on the dead.  Flesh is torn and blood runs anew.  The smell begins to worsen and the squabble of birds fighting over tasty eyeballs fills the air. Those crows that have satisfied their hunger perch in the tree's, watching the human survivors.  Those who observe these creatures may confuse them for ravens, for they are much larger then normal crows.