Chapter 621 I Won't Be Long
Sia answered with a tired voice. ''Bad. There are too many beasts roaming the land. Orcs and goblins have overrun Ghostwood Grove.''
When hearing this, Archer asked curiously. ''Don't you have enough troops?''
Sia shook her head as she replied. ''No. We're waiting for reinforcements because the Duke can't spare any soldiers as they're being used to protect the towns and villages.''
Archer's grin widened when hearing this, and he leaned close to Sia, whispering into her pointed ear. "Well, if my wife requests assistance, I'd gladly clear the entire grove for you, provided the reward is worth my efforts."
When the older dragon-kin woman heard this, she shivered but nodded. ''Can you help me, please? If you do this, you can request anything, my husband.''
His grin grew wider before he leaned forward and stole her plump lips. The two kissed in the foyer as the maids and guards watched, feeling awkward. When they separated, Archer realized this and started laughing.
After the show of affection, Archer spoke with a smile. "I won't be long."
He said goodbye to Sia, who was watching him with a grateful expression as he stepped outside; the cool breeze brushed against his skin, and he could feel the anticipation building within him as he summoned his wings that shimmered in the Frostwinter sun.
Archer jumped into the air with a powerful thrust, soaring above the sprawling landscape. As he flew southward, the scenery transformed from the familiar cityscape of Valoria City to a lush expanse of verdant jungle.
His heart quickened with excitement as he saw the untamed beauty of the wilderness below him. With a mischievous grin, he quickly swooped down and dived below the thick canopy of trees.
The branches whipped past him, the rush of wind echoing in his ears as he plummeted toward the forest floor. With a resounding crash, Archer landed amidst the foliage, the soft earth cushioning his fall.
He took a breath of the rich scent of the jungle, the air alive with the chirping of beasts and the rustle of leaves. Archer glanced up and spotted a thick wall of vines and broad leaves blocking his path.
With a huff, he summoned his claws and started tearing the foilage so he could walk and find the monsters. After traveling for half an hour, he picked up dozens of pings ahead of him, which improved his mood.
When he got closer, he realized it was a goblin village and couldn't be bothered with it, so he summoned Nyctros and twenty creepy-looking shadow beasts. Once the commander saw Archer, he bowed along with the others.
''My prince. How can we assist you today?'' A deep, menacing voice was heard.
''There is a goblin camp ahead of me. I want you to kill them all and bring me their hearts as I make my way there.'' He replied.
The shadow commander bowed, but Archer remembered something he wanted to ask when he first summoned him. ''Oh, Nyctros. Is there any more of you I can summon?''
"Yes, my lord. You can summon one more, but I'd suggest becoming stronger first. I'm enough for now, but once you gain more of the shadow army, you will need additional commanders." Nyctros honestly answered.
Archer nodded before transforming into his Shadow Prince form, and he felt the familiar surge of power coursing through his veins as he embraced the darkness within him, letting it consume his form.
His body seemed to stretch and elongate, his limbs merging with the shadows. His figure stretched into a towering silhouette, standing over the foliage with an otherworldly presence.
Glowing violet eyes pierced through the darkness, their intensity illuminating the surroundings with an eerie light. From his mouth emanated a radiant glow, casting an ethereal aura over his sharp teeth.
The glow pulsated with raw energy, adding to the menacing charm of his shadowy form. As Archer surveyed his surroundings, the jungle seemed to cower, acknowledging the formidable force that now stood before it.
When the nearby beasts sensed the deathly presence of his new form, they fled in terror. He ordered his shadow creatures to depart, and they obeyed, vanishing into the darkness.
Shortly afterward, Archer heard the piercing screams of the goblins echoing through the jungle. He started to rush through the jungle, using the shadows to hide his approach while moving toward the goblin camp.
The sounds of an intense battle grew louder with each step, echoing through the trees like a racket of chaos. As he emerged from the shadows at the edge of the camp, Archer's eyes widened at the scene before him.
His shadow creatures were engaged in a fierce battle with the goblin horde, tearing through their ranks ruthlessly. The air was thick with the stench of blood, and the sounds of screams filled the air. Suddenly, he spotted the shaman wielding a staff crackling with dark energy.
Archer lunged forward, his form melting into the shadows as he closed the distance in the blink of an eye. The shaman's eyes widened in surprise as he appeared before him, his shadowy form towering over the goblin.
With a swift motion, he used shadow magic, unleashing a barrage of dark mana that engulfed the shaman in shadowy tendrils.
But just as he was about to finish it off, the shaman muttered strange words, and suddenly, a fiery blaze erupted, consuming one of Archer's shadow creatures. The creature let out a pained roar before disappearing completely, leaving nothing behind.
As the shaman witnessed the shadow vanished, he believed he had gained the upper hand with his dark magic. However, to his surprise, Archer grinned confidently.
With a swift gesture, he summoned hundreds more shadow creatures and commanded them to eradicate all the goblins and orcs lurking in the jungle's depths. The shaman was put down with a slash to its neck.
He chuckled at the shaman's expression of shock before Nyctros appeared, holding hundreds of hearts in his shadowy arms. Delighted, Archer's grin widened as he opened his mouth wide and consumed all the hearts swiftly, tossing them into his mouth.
After that, all the shadow creatures rushed off as he felt the experience from all the kills and hearts sink into his body. He only recently found out that when they kill something, he gains from it.
Once that was done, he returned to his humanoid form and found a tree to sit in while he waited for the Ghostwood Grove to be cleared by his minions. It took them an hour to return, but they didn't say anything because Archer was sleeping.
He sprawled out across the tree branch as Nyctros gazed up at him. Another shadow appeared behind him, smaller and emitting a feminine tone. "When will he summon me, brother?" she inquired.
Nyctros responded, "When the prince gains more power. Otherwise, it could be perilous and bring harm upon you. However, it shouldn't be too long. This one possesses different qualities compared to the others."
The small shadow nodded in agreement. "Yes, he's rather unconventional."
"Do not mock him, sister! He is our master. Now, return to my shadow. He is waking up, Nyctros retorted sharply.
As Archer slowly stirred from his slumber, he first noticed the gentle rustle of leaves above him, accompanied by the whispers of the wind weaving through the branches.
Blinking his eyes, he found himself nestled amidst the sturdy boughs of the ancient tree he had chosen as his resting spot. Stretching his limbs languidly, he yawned and rubbed the remnants of sleep from his eyes.
A faint shimmer caught his attention as he sat up, and he turned to see the smaller shadow creature vanishing into thin air. Suddenly, a low growl rumbled from below, causing him to peer over the edge of the branch.
To his surprise, he found himself surrounded by his shadow creatures, their dark forms blending seamlessly with the shadows of the jungle floor. Their glowing eyes fixated on him with unwavering loyalty, standing guard as silent sentinels.
Archer smiled when he saw this and jumped off the branch to land before the silent Nyctros, who gave him even more hearts. He transformed into his Shadow form and ate them all in one go.
Following that, he dismissed the shadow creatures, and with his task completed, Archer's thoughts turned to Sia in Valoria City to claim his well-deserved reward from the gorgeous dragonkin woman.
Summoning his wings, he launched himself into the air, soaring with speed toward the gleaming spires of the city on the horizon as Archer glided through the skies above the Summerfield Duchy.
The beautiful landscape unfolded beneath as the gentle breeze caressed his wings as he soared over rolling hills and lush meadows covered in snow. In the distance, the towering spires of Valoria City stood up the surrounding landscape.
That's when Archer landed in the lush garden surrounding Sia's mansion, the soft petals of exotic flowers brushing against his feet, to the surprise of her guards, who were shocked by his sudden appearance.
[If there are any mistakes, point them out, and I'll edit it. Thanks]
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺