Archer watched a woman appear from one of the always nearby, and his jaw dropped when he saw her. She had striking white and black hair, her eyes were a mesmerizing mix of red and yellow.
The woman's stunning appearance and unique charm immediately captured his interest. He shook his head and introduced himself, "I'm Archer Wyldheart, and my Shadow Army said I should come here."
"Tiamat said you'd come, but not this soon," the woman said with a smile. "My name is Nyx Drakebane. I was once a daughter of the Drakebane Family, but they're all gone now."
Archer shook his head, "Your brother is at the College of Magic looking for you," he revealed while stepping forward.
Nyx looked at him with narrowed eyes before speaking, "Join me for dinner; I'm hungry for some chicken."
He laughed but nodded in agreement as Nyx led him through the dilapidated city, sending Fianna a message through the bracelet. The mature woman said she would wait by the entrance as the Shadow Creatures dealt with the monsters.
Pleased with that, Archer followed Nyx, who kept looking back at him with a knowing smile as they reached the city's eastern part. He glanced at the passing buildings and soon realized they were in the noble district.
The dragon woman continued walking until she reached a grand mansion. Nyx entered the grounds, and Archer followed closely behind. They entered a lush park surrounded by a small forest of trees that gave the estate a secluded, enchanted feel.
Archer observed Nyx stopping at a tree with a treehouse in its branches. She climbed up, and he followed suit. Inside, he found the space surprisingly cozy and spacious. A kitchen welcomed them on one side, while a living area welcomed them on the other.
He noticed a bookcase filled with old, well-loved books, adding charm to the place. While admiring the place, Nyx asked, "Would you like some soup, White Dragon?"
His stomach grumbled, causing him to reply with a smile, "Yes, please. Do you need any meat? I have a lot on me."'
Nyx turned to him and nodded, causing Archer to drop some orc corpses. When the dragon woman saw this, she smiled, "We can have a feast. I must prepare the meat."
She then gathered the bodies and dragged them towards the entrance before dropping them through the opening. Nyx climbed down, prompting Archer's curiosity to peak, and he followed her.
As Archer stepped onto the dry grass, he heard tearing and chopping sounds behind him. Turning around, he saw Nyx butchering the orcs, carefully storing large chunks of meat into a storage bracelet.
Suddenly, Archer noticed something approaching the city in the distance. "What is that?" he exclaimed.Findd new stories at novelhall.com
A mist weaved through the streets and entered every building before getting closer to them. Nyx finished processing the first corpse and then looked up. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the incoming mist.
"The Death Mist has returned," she murmured. "Interesting. Let's get inside White Dragon before something bad happens."
He followed her back into the treehouse before climbing back up and looking down when he reached the top. A red mist enveloped the orc corpses and turned them into sludge, shocking him.
The dragon woman shut the hatch and locked it behind her, explaining, "When the Swarm feels threatened, they release the mist. It's a deadly concoction they've developed, capable of killing even Demi-Gods."
An hour later, the couple nonchalantly reappeared, showing no signs of being bothered by what they had just done. Nyx was taken aback as she approached them, and upon meeting their gaze, she realized this was the person she had been waiting for.
***
[Back to Archer]
Archer found Nyx's story interesting, but that's when he asked, "Would you like to destroy the Swarm with me? They're all over Pluoria and need to be killed."
When the dragon woman heard his offer, she stopped stirring the stew and jumped up before walking over to him. As her eyes shone, she said, "Do you mean it? I've never left this city." His eyebrow raised, but he nodded, "Of course, I mean it. Tiamat once told me about a lonely dragon who lost her family and was waiting for me in the doomed city. When my shadows told me about this place, causing me to come earlier than expected.
Nyx beamed, "Can I fly in my dragon form?"
"Yes. I've just grown again and enjoy flying in that form; it's relaxing," Archer said while sitting down and getting comfortable.
A bay window on one side of the treehouse looked out to the garden with the distant mountains as a beautiful backdrop. He loved the view from this place and wished one of the
girls were with him.
As Archer recalled the Swarm's spell-blocking teleportation, he resolved to address it once the situation stabilized and Draconia strengthened. Shortly after, the soothing sound of red rain hitting the window filled the room.
He was beginning to drift off to sleep when he felt a weight settle on his lap. Opening his eyes, he saw Nyx standing there with a wide, eager smile, holding a tray with a bowl and a loaf of
bread.
Archer responded with a charming smile, "It smells delicious. I'm starving and can't wait to
try it."
Nyx beamed with satisfaction before fetching her dinner, allowing Archer to start eating. As
he brought the meat to his mouth and took a bite, various flavors exploded on his tongue, which shocked him.
Despite all the different tastes, he thoroughly enjoyed the food. He turned into an eating machine, devouring everything in front of him, which initially surprised Nyx but ultimately made her happy to see him enjoy her cooking.
She brought over more bowls as he continued to eat voraciously. Eventually, Archer ate so much that his stomach started to ache. Nyx spoke softly, "Even though we haven't spoken much, being with someone else has been good."
Archer nodded, understanding her sentiment. "We can talk more if you'd like," he offered
sincerely.