A Journey That Changed The World

Archer, Meredith, Malakia, and Demacia were walking down the road that led to Sunfire City, while walking the Necromancer stopped when receiving a message from Morena, causing her face to fall. He grew curious and questioned. ”What’s wrong, Dem?”

”Big sister needs my help for a few days,” she answered, frowning. ”Do you mind if I come back when we’re done?”

”Of course,” he replied, smiling. ”Just teleport to me whenever you’re ready.”

The Necromancer’s big blue eyes lit up before she hugged him, whispering into his ear. ”Thank you, Arch. I love you so much.”

A shiver ran down his spine, but he spoke. ”I love you too, Dem. Now go and come back quick.”

Following that, Demacia vanished using the dragon tattoo, leaving them in the middle of the road. Archer turned to the two women and laughed. ”Looks like Morena had a breakthrough and needed Dem.”

”Aren’t you bothered?” Meredith asked with a curious expression.

Archer shook his head. ”Not at all. I know the sisters are doing their best to help me. Demacia’s brilliant, and Morena relies on her guidance, even if they don’t see it. They’re a team, without one, the other falters.”

”So she won’t be back?”

”Doubt it,” he revealed. ”She will become busy thanks to the work they’re doing.”

”Leave them be,” Malakia commented, wrapping her cloak around herself. ”I’ve seen the sisters work, and they get to focus when it comes to death.”

Archer nodded with a warm smile. ”You’re right, let’s get going before it gets colder,” he said.

Following that, the trio continued down the road, dodging long carriage trains that stretched down the main road. Archer narrowed his eyes as he spotted Sunfire City in the distance, thanks to the blazing torches lining the walls. When Malakia saw this, she turned to him. ”I’ve only been here once, an amazing place if I remember correctly.”

”It’s where hundreds of cultures mix thanks to Draconia being a mixed empire that allows it to thrive,” Meredith explained.

The lioness glanced at the maid with a smile. ”Good to know, seems like the people here are smarter than most. Working together produces the best results as our husband here as so happily proved.”

Archer chuckled at this and nodded along. ”That was the idea when I was younger, I didn’t expect it to work out so well, but it did.”

After that, the three continued toward the city, where they ran into more travelers who didn’t recognize them thanks to the disguises. Meredith scanned her surroundings and looked amazed at everything she was seeing. The blonde reaction made him smile as he asked. ”Haven’t been this far south?”

”No,” she revealed. ”I didn’t leave the palace much since arriving; it has everything I needed, so there was no point in exploring Draconia.”

”Makes sense,” Archer said.

Following that, they got into the line that led into the city, as Malakia glanced around and commented. ”The weather is harsh, people are still out like it’s the summer months, I can’t get used to it.”

”Well, when Draconia has no monster swarms, bandits, or any other scruffians that will cause trouble,” the blonde responded. ”The Homeguard likes to keep order and do it good.”

”I’m glad they’re guarding Goldenmane now,” the older woman admitted. ”The security was becoming an issue due to the war, but now I’ve heard it’s been cut down thanks to your soldiers.”

”When you have an influx of recruits that count in the millions, they need a job, so most joined the legions or Homeguards. Both are well paid and come with many benefits that their families feel here,” Archer explained.

”That’s why you see so many people all the time,” Meredith added. ”It’s because they have the coin to travel, buy stuff, or just live life if they work hard enough.”

He looked at the women just as the line grew shorter until reaching the entrance, where the Homeguard Commander stopped them with a deep voice. ”What brings you three to Sunfire City?”

”Passing through while heading east,” Archer was the one who answered. ”Going to Eastwatch to catch a ship to Orientia.”

The older man glanced up from his paperwork and scanned the small group, only to nod. ”Come on in, enjoy the city’s many wonders, travelers.”

***

(Demetra, Embera, Inara, and Athena)

Demetra was watching the storm batter the ships just as Athena appeared beside her, green eyes narrowed. ”There’s an enemy swarm coming this way. I may need your help, Demon Shark?” she revealed.

”Then I will aid you,” she replied.

Moments later, Embera and Inara rushed onto the bridge as the lioness exclaimed. ”More Deep Sea Whale heading this way!”

Demetra slipped outside and plunged into the turbulent sea, shifting into her trueself. She sliced through the waves, charging toward the enemies that had harassed them throughout their journey. Athena trailed closely, transforming into her immense eel form and following her.

The blue-haired woman cut through the abyss like a living blade, her sleek, monstrous body dwarfing the surrounding currents. Her jaws, lined with rows of serrated teeth, gleamed in the faint glow as she zeroed in on a Deep Sea Whale, its bulk looming in the murky water, not being seen by her prey.

She noticed the beast’s hide was scarred, but it stood no chance against her ferocity. With a surge of her powerful tail, Demetra launched forward, jaws wide, and tore into the whale’s flank. Her teeth sank through layers of blubber and muscle, ripping away massive chunks of flesh in a single, savage bite.

The monster thrashed, its mournful bellow vibrating through the water, but she was a savage. She circled and struck again, clamping down on the creature’s spine, splintering bone with a sickening crunch. Crimson clouds shot into the water, staining the deep a violent red.

From the shadows, a swarm of Deepsea Stalkers erupted, their bodies writhing like living lightning. Their razor-sharp teeth glinted as they slammed into the wounded whale and its pod, a frenzy of snapping jaws and coiling forms. The eels, driven by primal hunger, tore into the undersides.

The whales flailed, their massive tails sending shockwaves through the water, but the eels were too fast, too numerous. They darted in and out, shredding flesh and dodging counterattacks. Demetra weaved through the chaos, senses attuned to the carnage. She snapped at an eel that ventured too close, her teeth shearing it in half.

Following that, she watched as the Deepsea Whales began to falter, their movements sluggish as the eel’s assault and her devastating bites drained their strength. The ocean roared with the sounds of ripping flesh. Once the fight was over, Demetra headed toward the surface before shifting back into her human form.

She landed on the deck with a thud just as Embera revealed. ”We’ve found out first island, and it looks good!”

Just then, Athena climbed up the side of the ship, her green hair stuck to her face thanks to being wet. She let out a sigh and spoke. ”I hate those whales, all they do is cause trouble in the depths.”

”Yes, but they’re all dead now,” Demetra replied, smirking. ”Now we get to feel solid ground again, as much as I love the sea, sometimes feeling a beach is good.”

After speaking, she turned to Inara and Embera, informing the duo. ”I’ll scout ahead and see if the island is dangerous.”

Moments later, Demetra leaped from the flagship’s deck, plunging into the churning waves below as her body returned to her Demon Shark form. She sliced through the water with powerful strokes, heading toward the shore. In just an hour, she surged onto the warm sand, reverting to her human form as her sharp eyes scanned the desolate island.

Fat, fluffy birds waddled across the dunes, pecking at sparse scrub vegetation in blissful ignorance of her arrival. She couldn’t help but smile when she saw the peaceful place they could rest after the chaotic storm. When the shark beauty was happy, she slumped onto the nearby grass, relaxing as the sun beamed down on her skin.

Following that, the fleet cirlced the island as the sailors poured off and started hunting the birds who fled into the nearby woods. Once night fell, a tent city overtook the land as people relaxed, enjoying their time on solid ground without the constant shaking thanks to the Long WInter storms.

Inara, Embera and Athena joined her in their private tent that was walled off from the Draconian sailors who set it up themselves, shocking the four women. Demetra chuckled at their reactions. ”You’re shocked? These people worship Archer like a god, he uplifted most of them from poverty, making sure thier famalies flourished and now their fiercely loyal to him.”

”No wonder they avoid us,” the lioness added. ”I don’t think they want to offend their emperor.”

They began eating food that Athena was cooking for the group, surprising everyone once again.