A Journey That Changed The World

Archer was sitting at the edge of the bed while Aeris and Demetra were fast asleep. He went to join them, but a noise outside the door caught his attention, prompting him to teleport to the other side, only to see Jianyu and Keomi standing there, concerned expressions crossing their faces.

”What are you doing sneaking around outside our door?” he questioned, eyes narrowing at the old couple.

Keomi stepped forward, answering. ”We heard a new woman’s voice. Has another wife joined you? In that case, how did she get in?”

Archer sighed in relief before he opened a portal to the Domain, showing beautiful grasslands with a mountain in the background. When the couple saw this, they looked amazed. Jianyu shook his head and excitedly asked. ”Where is that place, boy? It was heaven on Thrylos.”

”It’s my personal Domain,” he revealed, not caring about hiding his powers. ”I have trillions of monsters and a few thousand people living inside. I brought Aeris, who is one of my wives, here using this.”

The old couple were amazed while he took out two tokens, handing them over. ”Take these, if anything bad happens, just send mana into it and it will take you to a camp where the other people are located.”

Keomi looked shocked, her jaw dropped, but she shook her head but Archer cut her off. ”It’s a one-time use, so keep in mind that if you use it, you’ll be stuck in there and won’t be able to get out until I come alone.”

They calmed down as Jianyu nodded his thanks, questioning. ”Why are you giving us these? We only gave you food and a bed?”

Archer chuckled at the old man’s confused expression. He waved them away, explaining. ”My Domain could do with two well-organized people such as yourselves. Keep the dragon tokens as a last resort, the Alliance is well known for raiding small villages for supplies on the march.”

Keomi sighed in relief, revealing the truth behind the village. ”We’ve heard many rumors of the eastern part of Yamatori. Many armies have cleaned out the land, causing a famine to spread. We’ve stockpiled on food, but it’s not enough for the villagers if something were to happen.”

”Damn,” he replied.

That’s when another idea came to him; he took out a pouch full of tokens and threw them at Jianyu. ”Go hand these out to everyone, they will take you to safety when the war finally reaches here.”

When the couple witnessed the scene unfold, their eyes widened in sheer astonishment, expressions frozen in a mixture of disbelief and overwhelming gratitude. Keomi stepped forward without hesitation, as if propelled by the weight of her heart. She reached for his hands, clasping them tightly in hers.

Her voice trembled, thick with emotion, as she spoke, each word carrying the gravity of their shared fear and hope. ”Thank you,” she whispered at first, then said it again. ”Thank you for this gift. You don’t understand what you’ve done. We feared for the lives of every man, woman, and child in the village. We thought we had no way out, no hope left. But because of you… They have a chance. You’ve given them more than just help, you’ve given them life.”

Archer looked startled, taken aback by the raw sincerity in her voice, the way her grip didn’t falter. There was no ceremony, no formality, just a pure, overwhelming gratitude that bordered on sacred. An honest smile appeared on his face as he responded. ”That’s just the beginning.”

”Our family owes you more than words can ever repay,” she continued. ”What you’ve done binds us to you. We owe you a debt that stretches beyond this lifetime.”

”Don’t worry about that,” he waved her away. ”Make sure to serve my empire well and don’t let my kindness go to waste.”

Following that, the couple rushed off, allowing him to return to his room, slipping into bed with the two waiting women. Demetra’s yellow shark eyes landed on him, a smile lighting up her pretty face. ”Looks like you ravaged the wraith, she’s in a deep slumber,” she teased.

Archer chuckled at her words but quietly nodded. ”I did, and she loved every second of it. The only reason we stopped was thanks to her stamina, also because she fell into a pleasure-filled daze.”

The Demon Shark woman giggled in response, leaning over and giving him a passionate kiss, her tongue slipping into his mouth. He returned the gesture with one of his own before the duo settled down. When doing that, Aeris rested her head on his shoulder, letting out adorable snores that were drowned out by the thunder outside.

After some time, he fell asleep thanks to the two girls’ warmth, keeping the cold at bay as the storm intensified. The windows rattled and the roof tiles shook thanks to the wind, but the trio was cozy in bed. By the time he woke up the next morning, the sky outside was black as rain battered the house.

Archer used his magic to slip out of bed without disturbing the women. He materialized by the window and noticed the streets were flooding, prompting him to create a massive mana barrier around the village. The weather was kept at bay, and the water began receding thanks to being blocked.

He watched as the villagers bustled about in celebration, their joy obvious as they hurried to complete their tasks. All around him, guards patrolled, a silent warning beneath the surface cheer. His sharp ears caught snippets of tense conversation, whispers of an approaching monster wave heading straight for them.

Archer exhaled slowly, a sigh laced with frustration, but he didn’t hesitate. Moments later, he released a flock of mana birds into the sky, their shimmering forms fanning out to serve as his eyes and ears across the surrounding lands. He grinned when the little creatures picked up the incoming horde.

‘Blow them up,’ he ordered.

Just then, a series of thunderous explosions rocked the village. A ring of fiery blasts lit up the horizon, consuming the incoming monsters in a blazing inferno. Archer chuckled softly as one of his mana birds circled overhead, silently observing the chaos. The enemy leaders were obliterated in an instant, reduced to ash before they could even pose a threat.

Satisfied, he turned away from the window and made his way back to bed. Aeris was already there, waiting. As she nestled close beside him, her warmth easing the tension from his body, he let out a quiet breath and slipped into sleep, the echoes of victory fading into dreams.

By the time the trio woke up the next morning, the village was in an uproar thanks to the copious number of dead monsters surrounding their haven. Archer and the two women left the room when Keomi came to get them for breakfast. The older woman couldn’t help but show her happiness with how things were heading.

Aeris instantly noticed the happy atmosphere, giving him a knowing glance, asking. ”What did you do, Arch?”

”Gave the villagers a way to safety and defeated a monster wave that was due to hit last night, but I easily killed them,” he answered.

The duo was surprised, but Demetra beamed. ”Not too bad, handsome, but I would’ve loved to help you.”

”Maybe next time?”

”Definitely.”

After that, the three settled into a comfortable silence as they waited for their breakfast. Keomi, standing near the small stove, called over her shoulder with a confident smile. ”It’s almost ready, just a few more minutes!”

The rich scent of sizzling spices, freshly baked bread, and something sweet and warm began to fill the air, curling through the room and stirring their appetites. As the aroma grew stronger, Archer shifted in his seat, and suddenly his stomach let out a loud, unmistakable growl.

Aeris turned to him with a smirk, raising an eyebrow in playful amusement. ”Well, well,” she teased, nudging him lightly with her elbow. ”Sounds like someone’s starving. Didn’t eat enough last night, or were you too distracted?”

Archer rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress a sheepish grin. ”Blame Keomi. She’s the one making food smell like it came from the gods.”

From the kitchen, Keomi laughed, clearly pleased. ”Flattery won’t make it cook faster,” she called out. ”But it might earn you an extra slice.”

A few more minutes passed, filled with soft clinking from the kitchen and the occasional rustle of fabric as Aeris adjusted the blanket draped over the table. The morning light filtered in through the shutters, casting golden stripes across the floor, and the scent of breakfast only grew more irresistible.

Finally, Keomi turned with a satisfied nod, wiping her hands on a cloth. ”Alright,” she said, placing a tray on the table. ”Breakfast is served.”

The tray was piled with golden-brown flatbread, a steaming pot of spiced stew, sliced fruit, and a small dish of honey-glazed nuts. Aeris’s eyes lit up, and Archer wasted no time reaching for a plate, though not before Keomi playfully swatted his hand away.

”Patience,” she said with mock sternness. ”Ladies first.”