59. Celebration.
Archer Thunder Stepped far into the forest, not knowing where he was going.
He was sitting in a stubby-looking tree and was hidden from the outside world by its thick branches and leaves.
Remembering he couldn't drink any more potions due to the three he drank before he cast the spell.
So he opted for chocolate pastries and a bottle of Honey Brew, as he was munching away in the tree he decided to enter his Domain.
Archer hopped into the portal while dismissing his draconic features, and ended up outside his cottage.
Standing in awe, gazing at the beautiful garden that seemed to have sprung up out of nowhere.
He knew that the brownies had only arrived here recently, and yet somehow they had managed to create this stunning display of nature.
The garden was a riot of colors and scents, with flowers of every hue and shape bursting forth from the soil.
The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers, and the sound of buzzing bees and chirping birds added to the idyllic scene.
Looking closer, he could see that the brownies had used all sorts of clever tricks to make the garden thrive.
They had planted a variety of herbs and vegetables alongside the flowers, creating a harmonious ecosystem that supported each other's growth.
Archer stood there gazing at the stunning garden, a sense of awe and gratitude washed over him.
He knew that this beautiful creation would bring joy and happiness to all who saw it, and he vowed to do everything in his power to protect it.
Suddenly, he heard a faint whispering sound behind him.
Turning around, he saw a group of Dragon-kin children staring at him with wide, sparkling eyes.
Archer felt a bit awkward, being only slightly older than them, so he quickly waved and walked away to find Sagana or Jethro.
It didn't take long to find Sagana who was helping some families settle in before seeing him, she smiled and ran over to him as he had to crane his neck at the taller woman.
''My king, what happened to you?.''
He looked at the woman.
''Destroyed the Kagian castle guarding the Eastern river, and fought with a powerful man.''
Her eyes widened as a look of shock appeared on her face.
''It's gone?''
''Yes.''
She smiled as she said a little prayer for the fallen Dragon-kin that were killed there.
Archer looked up at the woman before asking.
''That's good, I'll build them a proper town once I increase my mana, where's Jethro?''
She smiled as she motioned for him to follow her.
The two of them walked through the bustling camp, surrounded by the joyful sounds of dragon-kin families laughing and chatting.
Children ran around playing games and chasing each other, their faces lit up with excitement and happiness.
They made their way through the camp, and the two of them exchanged smiles with the people they passed.
Everyone seemed to be in high spirits, enjoying the sunset and the company of their loved ones.
Eventually, they arrived at an open area in the center of the camp. Here, a group of Dragon-kin musicians had gathered.
Archer stood in awe as he watched a large group of dragon-kin celebrating their newfound freedom with dancing and music.
Jethro, the leader of the new community that was sprung on him, sang in celebration of the white dragon who had saved them from their oppressors.
The air was filled with the sound of drums and flutes, and the Dragon-kin moved in unison to the beat of the music.
Their movements were graceful and fluid as if they were one entity instead of many individuals.
Archer felt a sense of joy and wonder as he watched the celebration unfold.
He had never seen anything like it before, and he was amazed by the strength and resilience of the dragon-kin.
Jethro's song reached its climax, the Dragon-kin erupted into a frenzy of dancing and cheering.
While Jethro wandered off somewhere as he finished singing.
The sun began to set, The only sound was the soft hum of a familiar melody drifting from a woman playing some form of instrument.
Archer was about to leave, but something made him stop in his tracks.
The hauntingly beautiful melody that filled the air was eerily familiar, almost like one of his favorite songs.
As the notes continued to play, Archer recognized the tune.
It was "Unravel," the same song he used to listen to back on Earth.
He closed his eyes and allowed the music to envelop him, transporting him back to a time when things were simpler and he felt more at ease.
The song was a bittersweet reminder of the life he left behind, but for a moment, Archer forgot about the weight of his responsibilities and lost himself in the music.
Archer stood there, his eyes closed as the music reminded him of all the bad things that his gone through.
Suddenly, he heard a faint voice calling out to him.
"Daddy.''
Archer's eyes snapped open, as he started looking around for the voice.
"Daddy."
The voice called out again, this time louder and more urgent.
He felt a chill run down his spine as he recognized the voice from the dream he had before.
It was the little girl who had been calling out to him for weeks.
He closed his eyes and tried to shake off the hallucinations, but the voice only grew louder and more persistent.
Finally, he opened his eyes and saw the little girl standing in front of him.
She looked just as she had in his nightmare, With her navy blue hair tied in a ponytail.
Her beautiful heart-shaped face with bright violet eyes, and two small dimples on her chubby baby cheeks.
Archer tried to reach out to touch her, but his hand went right through her, it was then he realized she wasn't really there.
Sighing to himself as the people stopped singing and were now talking to each other.
Closing his eyes to picture a pond not far from where he was with a bench he can sit on, it cost 1000 mana but It appeared.
He walked over to the bench and sat down as he started to think.
Jethro sat next to him on the bench, trying to offer comfort.
"I can tell something's troubling you,'' He said softly.
"Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"
Archer hesitated, feeling a lump form in his throat.
He appreciated the old man's concern, but he wasn't sure he was ready to share what was on his mind.
"I appreciate your kindness," Archer said.
Looking down at his hands, "But I don't think I'm ready to talk about it yet."
The old man nodded understandingly.
"That's okay," he said.
Jethro acknowledged that sometimes it can take time to process emotions and thoughts.
He reassured Archer that he was always available if he needed someone to talk to.
After sitting for a while longer, Archer stood up and began his search for Sagana.
It didn't take him long to spot her by the lake, fetching water.
He approached her and asked if she would be interested in searching for more Dragon-kin in the Kaiga Kingdom.
''Sagana do you want to rescue as many dragon-kin people as you can before I leave the Southlands?''
She smiled gratefully, ''Yes I'll do it, I wanted to ask you about it anyway.''
He turned to leave, Archer took out a massive pouch of white dragon tokens and passed them to the woman.
She opened the pouch to see thousands of white dragon tokens, Archer explained.
"These are for the people you rescue, they can use them to start a new life, away from danger."
The woman's eyes widened in surprise.
"Thank you," she said, taking the bag from the boy. "This will make a huge difference."
With that, she turned and disappeared, ready to gather her people and go rescue more Dragon-kin.
Archer pulled out some chocolate as he left the Domain.
When he crossed over he summoned his wings and took off to head for the last Kaigian fortress and loot more treasures.
He soared through the sky, his wings beating steadily as he flew southwards.
Below him, he could see the landscape changing into dense forests giving way to sprawling farmland and small villages.
Flying over each village, he could see the people going about their daily lives, farmers tending to their crops, and children playing in the streets.
Merchants selling their wares in the marketplaces.
Archer couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as he looked down at the world below him.
From up here, everything seemed so small and insignificant.
The problems and worries of the people below fade away into the distance.
But even as he marveled at the beauty of the world, Archer knew that danger lurked in the shadows but he loved this new world he found himself in even more.