chapter 1109: want to come along

once archer was done kissing darla, he climbed out of the car with the older woman as she spoke, "i will text you once i sort the kids out, babe. is that okay?"
he nodded in agreement before she walked toward the entrance, and when the blonde vanished, he teleported to the domain. archer reappeared on the balcony of the treehouse as the sun was setting.
while standing there, mavis appeared with a smile and asked, respectfully, "is there anything i can do for you, master?"
archer turned to the brownie and said, "bring me as much ale as you can; i want to drink while watching the sunset."
the tiny creature gave a quick nod before vanishing into thin air. with a weary sigh, archer sank into a nearby, comfortable chair, letting its warmth and softness surround him. he closed his eyes and reached out with his senses as he relaxed.
that's when he notices the familiar presence of ashoka, nyx, and maeve, training diligently below.
'good,' he thought with a faint smile. 'they're taking my warning seriously.'
while watching them, mavis suddenly reappeared and dropped a barrel of ale next to him, which made archer laugh as he thanked the creature, "thank you. now take a break."
the brownie nodded as she vanished just as he started drinking while watching the three women fighting down below. while resting, he expanded the domain until it was the size of earth.
he soon felt his mana running low, a dull ache signaling he was low on mana. archer closed his eyes, focusing inward, and slowly felt the familiar rush of energy as mana began to flow back into his body.
but exhaustion settled in as archer continued to push himself, expanding his mana even further. he tried to fight it, but his vision blurred, and his limbs grew heavy until finally, he collapsed while succumbing to mana fatigue.
the world faded into darkness, and his last thought was a quiet vow to be more careful with his limits next time. archer was sleeping comfortably on the chair as the women finished training.
ashoka stepped onto the balcony and smiled at the sight of him fast asleep. gently, she took out a blanket, draped it over him, and whispered in a caring voice, "rest well you sleepy dragon."
the tiger woman retreated into the treehouse as the weather grew harsher, leaving archer sheltered beneath the sturdy roof above him. hours later, he stirred with a quiet yawn, noticing the moon still hanging high in the night sky.
'why am i always waking up so early?' he wondered, shaking his head with a hint of frustration.
after stretching, he felt a series of satisfying cracks ripple down his spine, prompting a relieved sigh. quietly, he made his way into the dimly lit treehouse, where the three women lay sound asleep, their soft breaths the only sounds in the stillness.
deciding to use the quiet, he set about preparing tea and breakfast. with practiced ease, he used mana manipulation to heat the water, reaching for a cup as steam began to rise, filling the air with a warm, comforting scent.
with his tea brewed and toast ready, archer sank onto a nearby sofa, letting out a contented sigh. midnight sprang onto his lap, playfully nipping at his ears. the unexpected sensation sent a shiver down his spine, stirring up memories of his time with sera.
the ant queen said she'd explain when he visited next, which caused archer to sigh, 'you
sneaky woman.'
following that, he ordered the nightmare assassin ants to capture the surrounding cryptids before getting back to wasting his mana. half an hour later, several crashes were heard as the bigfoots appeared just outside the shield.
archer's grin widened as he dismissed the barrier, setting midnight gently back on the ground before striding toward the downed creatures. in a swift motion, he appeared beside the
largest one, pressing his foot firmly against its neck.
the creature thrashed, trying to escape, but his grip was unbreakable. realizing it was
hopeless, the creature stilled, glaring up at him. archer leaned in, his voice cold yet mocking, "why were you watching me?" he asked, his tone sharp. "and were you planning to make a
meal out of my fluff ball?"
'strange human, why do you have pointy ears?' a young woman's voice echoed in his mind.
archer removed his foot while letting out a deep growl that rumbled through the forest. he replied, "i'm not a human. i may look like one, but i assure you that i'm not."
the bigfoot-like creature stood up and towered over him, but he wasn't bothered as it spoke, 'i can see that now. what are you doing so deep in the forest?'
"look around me and tell me what you see," archer responded with a grin. "if you call this place your home, then you will know."
that's when the surrounding creatures glanced around with wide black eyes before falling silent. while they did this, midnight rushed around the clearing as the bigfoots now left her
alone.
"the trees are alive like they used to be many moons ago, and the soil is fresh,' the bigfoot creature muttered before looking at him, 'what did you do?'
archer chuckled at the creature's shocked expression before explaining, "i healed the land from all the damage humans have caused. now, why were you trying to attack me?"
the bigfoot creature looked into his eyes while answering honestly, 'we wanted to take you
back to our people who would have eaten you.'
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