After a few hours of walking through the forest, Archer noticed the afternoon sun high in the sky.
Suddenly, he felt his bracelet vibrating, alerting him to the presence of the incoming girls. With smiles on their faces, the three of them appeared in front of him.
Sera eagerly lunged forward and clung onto him like a koala, playfully biting his neck. Her actions elicited laughter from Ella and Teuila.
After showering him with bites, Sera released Archer and whispered in his ear, "I missed you."
Archer smiled warmly at her as Ella approached with a smile and also kissed him, followed by Teuila. They asked him how he was doing and what had happened so far.
He filled the three in as they listened intently. Ella was the first to speak. "Do you think what's happening in the town has something to do with all the undead you've encountered?"
Archer nodded. "Yes, it seems so. I fought some zombies earlier, and there were many more on the way here."
That's when Teuila chimed in. "The Kagia Kingdom was home to an undead cult that sought to bring ruin to the Southlands. However, I doubt it's them because they are more of a legend than anything."
The other three nodded and fell into contemplation, while Archer lost in his thoughts, failed to notice Sera stealthily approaching and leaping onto his back.
Startled at first, he swiftly regained his composure as he saw her arms wrapped around him, playfully nibbling his ear and evoking a slight moan from him.
Sera then hopped off, flashing a mischievous wink as she rejoined the other girls with a smile. Archer observed the spirited girl and wondered whether she would eventually calm down.
To his surprise, she didn't; instead, Sera continued to pounce on him as they explored the forest. This playful game of hers brought joy to Ella and Teuila.
The four of them stumbled upon a clearing with a massive hole at its center. As they approached, a putrid odor emanated from it.
They all jerked back in surprise as the foul stench invaded their nostrils. Ella was the first to react, saying, "It smells like a slaughterhouse."
Teuila didn't utter a word but covered her nose while stepping back, and Sera summoned her wings, hovering in the air.
He approached the hole once more and listened attentively.
That's when he heard a rumbling sound, and his Aura Detector alerted him to thousands of pings rapidly approaching them.
He glanced up at the girls, pointing in the direction of the town, and shouted a single word, "Run!"
Initially confused, the girls soon understood and took off running. Archer stepped back, raising one of his hands, and cast Meteor Swarm as the rumbling grew nearer.
The girls glanced back while running, witnessing bright orange lights descending from the sky.
Archer quickly caught up with them, scooping each girl up as he spoke, "Draconis."
His wings materialized, flapping forcefully as he soared out of the forest, just as the meteor collided with the clearing where the hole was.
The impact created a tremendous shockwave, causing him to crash to the ground. Swiftly, he enveloped the girls with his wings and cast Cosmic Shield.
As Archer came to a halt on the ground, he heard a giggle from one of the girls. Looking down, he saw a pair of sparkling ruby-red eyes gazing up at him.
A smile graced his lips as he released his hold on the girls. Teuila stood up and asked a question. "Arch, was that the same spell you used on those castles before we met?"
Standing up with a smile, Archer replied, "Yes, it's called Meteor Swarm. It summons rocks from the sky, causing extensive damage in a wide area."
Teuila nodded while Sera helped Ella to her feet. The four of them brushed off the dirt and debris from their clothes.
Archer handed each girl a health potion. Ella spoke, "What do we do now?"
As he was about to speak, they all felt the ground shake, and they jumped back to get out of the way when the ground exploded from under them.
Dirt flew everywhere, causing a massive cloud. Archer regrouped with the girls and waited for the culprit.
Six massive legs appeared from the hole, and its body raised out of the hole. Its six glowing red eyes stared at the four of them.
A massive spider-like creature rose from the hole and stared at them, sending shivers down their spines.
Archer stared at the thing with a smile and decided to fight it but was shocked when smaller figures jumped out of the hole.
They were tall, bulky figures that looked like a mix between a beetle and a gorilla, standing over six feet tall.
The beasts had massive claws, two large eyes, and two smaller ones. They possessed a set of long, sharp mandibles.
Looking around, they spotted the four individuals standing there in shock, their gazes fixed on the strange creatures emerging from a hole.
When he laid eyes upon these creatures, he immediately noticed their resemblance to the beasts from a board game back on Earth. 'Umbra Hulks.'
Ella spoke up, breaking the silence, "Arch, what are these creatures?"
Archer shrugged, indicating his lack of knowledge about their nature. However, Teuila's voice cut through, brimming with disbelief. "Dwellers of the Deep. They're real."
Sera looked at Teuila curiously. "What are they, Teuila?"
Teuila began to explain, delving into the lore. "They were legends, myths, and old stories spun by the elders to keep children in line. I never thought they held any truth."
Ella pressed on, seeking more information. "Well, how do you know it's them?"
"The older generations spoke of giant spider-like creatures, much like the one we see before us," Teuila explained.
As the massive spider emerged from the hole and advanced toward them, the four warriors prepared themselves for the impending battle.
Drawing their weapons, they readied for combat. Ella armed herself with explosive arrows and unleashed them upon the smaller creatures.
The arrows hit their marks, creating small explosions. As the smoke dissipated, they witnessed cracks forming on their carapaces.
Encouraged by this sight, Ella continued her assault while Teuila unleashed Deep Sea Blasts, effortlessly piercing the creatures' armor.
Not wanting to be left out, Sera joined the fray, casting Inferno Blasts and launching Infernal Bolts. Bright red flames cascaded down upon the beasts.
Meanwhile, Archer refused to remain idle. He whispered to himself as he maneuvered away from the group, "Draco."
A radiant white light enveloped the battlefield as he transformed into his dragon form, his towering figure casting an imposing presence.
Fixing his gaze on the spider-like beast, he released an earth-shattering roar that shook the ground.
A stream of fire erupted from his maw, engulfing the large spider-like creature and its smaller companions.
Archer charged forward, colliding with the beast. With ferocity, he sunk his teeth into one of its long legs, tearing it off with force and flinging it aside.
The creature retaliated, attempting to strike Archer, but sparks flew as its leg connected with his white scales.
Unfazed by the creature's onslaught, Archer brushed off the relentless leg strikes against his back.
Disregarding the pain, he unleashed his primal fury, tearing into the colossal creature with unbridled ferocity.
As Archer fought, the girls engaged in their own battle against the Umbra Hulks. Teuila skillfully dodged their claws while slashing at their fleshy joints.
With a swift maneuver, she brought the beast to its knees and delivered a Deep Sea Blast straight into its skull.
The massive creature collapsed to the ground, prompting Teuila to launch further attacks on the closest enemy.
Meanwhile, Ella unleashed a barrage of explosive arrows upon the hulks emerging from the hole.
Glancing towards Archer and the spider-like creature, she noticed the creature tightly embracing him while his tail thrashed against its body, eliciting a painful roar.
Her attention then shifted back to the ongoing fight, and she released another volley of arrows. The battlefield trembled as explosions rocked the surroundings.
Sera, with her newly acquired wings, soared through the air, feeling a sense of evolution since completing the marriage ritual.
She unleashed a stream of mesmerizing red fire that engulfed and incinerated the Umbra Hulks upon impact.
She swiftly darted in and out of the crowd, using her claws to slash at the creatures. After a relentless battle, the girls finally vanquished the last Umbra Hulk.
Teuila began gathering the hearts for Archer, managing to collect 131 of them. The three girls turned their attention to the ongoing fight as he hurled the giant spider across the forest, pursuing it relentlessly.
Using his wings to propel himself higher, he lunged at the creature crashing into it and digging his massive claws into its carapace.
He started tearing off the protective shells, causing the beast to roar in agonizing pain.
Archer's claw then pierced the fleshy skin beneath the carapace, unleashing Eldritch Blasts inside the creature.
With one last dying roar, it collapsed to the floor. Not finished with the beast, Archer approached the corpse, ripped out its massive heart, and ate it.
[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]
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