A Journey That Changed The World.

[Nyx's POV]

Archer had helped her out of the carriage, which was odd as no one had been this kind to her in many years. 'Why is a powerful dragon so lovely?' she internally questioned.

Once outside, Nyx noticed dozens of people doing business in the small town with happy smiles. However, she quickly noticed there was no wall protecting the place, which she found baffling.

The aroma of fresh bread wafted from a nearby bakery, mingling with the savory scent of cooking meat emanating from a nearby home. Nyx observed that the roads were meticulously paved with greystone and designed to withstand the test of time.

While the carriage turned around and rode off into the distance, Archer turned to her and started explaining that a wall wasn't needed for protection as there were forts nearby. Outrider and Homeguard soldiers patrolled the area.

Nyx grew curious and asked, "What's a Homeguard soldier? Wouldn't they be called town guards?"

She watched Archer's smile grow wider, making her heart beat as she found him handsome beyond anyone she had ever met. Nyx had met many men during her lifetime, but none had caught her interest like this young man.

That's when Archer started speaking in an accent that completely charmed her, "Alright, to put it simply, Draconia maintains two distinct armies: one for defending our homeland and another for launching invasions into other kingdoms when the time comes."

"What's the point of that?" Nyx questioned as they started walking through the town. "'Wouldn't that cost twice as much?"

While strolling, she observed how people regarded Archer as if he were a deity. From nobly dressed citizens to common folk, they treated him with such reverence that it bordered on adoration.

As the duo walked, several families approached Archer, greeting him warmly. He smiled and exchanged pleasantries before casually mentioning he was on a date, which caused her cheeks to grow red when she saw how he looked at her.

The townspeople excused themselves and dispersed. They continued to walk as Archer explained, "Well, the Homeguard patrol the roads, guard the seawall and the island the legions conquered. They spend four years with their units before being offered a chance to lead a unit in one of the legions or retire and take up a job in the government."

'He does care for the soldiers,' she thought before asking another question, "How much do you pay them?"

She watched him shrug. "I think it's three hundred gold coins per year. Aisha says it's too much, but the soldiers seem happy, and the kingdom can afford it with all the revenue pouring into our coffers," he revealed with a greedy chuckle, which made her laugh.

After that, they stopped speaking while Nyx glanced at the town around her. She found it pleasant, with a peaceful atmosphere. The two of them continued their walk along the street until they exited the other end.

Nyx saw a road that snaked across the landscape dotted with Waystations. While walking, she wondered why he was doing all this and spending his wealth. She decided to ask, "Why are you doing this? Good people won't survive long in this cruel world."

"Here's a quote I believe in, Nyx, 'A kingdom's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members," he said with a smile that warmed her heart. Then, with unexpected passion, he continued, "As a child, I feared the shadows, yet my family cast the darkest shadow over me. I don't want any child to endure what I did. I want to be the light in their lives, the beacon of hope that saves them."

When Nyx heard that, something inside her told her not to ask, but she couldn't resist. "What happened, Archer?"

She watched something in his eyes shift, a subtle change that spoke volumes. That's when he spoke, "Some wounds can never heal, Nyx. They leave a mark so deep that can't be erased, a part of me that will always be broken."

"Sometimes I remember when my Mother looked at me like I was a disease; she treated me like an unwanted child," Archer said while looking at the distant mountains, and she sensed the hurt in his voice. "I was only a small boy, but no one came to save me. Imagine holding faith that someone would come to free you from that torture."'

Nyx could see the anger bubbling in his violet eyes, causing her to speak to try to calm him down, "Whatever happened to you in the past will never happen again. Why not let go of that anger instead of letting it eat you from the inside out?"

"I will never stop hating them for what they put me through," he said defiantly. "My Tiamat be my witness, that if my mother or father mess with me, I will kill both and dump their bodies in the ocean to be devoured by the monsters of the deep."'

Following that, he turned on his heels before walking down the road, leaving her shocked at the conviction in his voice, 'Was their treatment that bad?'

She caught up to him as he continued to talk, "Sorry about that, but my past is something I rarely talk about. It made me who I am today."'

Nyx nodded with a smile, "It's okay. You don't have to explain yourself to me, Archer, but know I understand where you're coming from because I had a bad childhood and grew up alone in Frostholm."

When She said that, Archer stopped walking and turned to her before wrapping her in a tight hug that caught Nyx off guard. But she had to admit that it felt good and returned it just as he spoke, "Well, you're not alone anymore; you have me, and I'm sure the girls will love you."'

She nodded with a happy smile before the duo continued walking until they saw a city in the distance. The city was beautiful, as the buildings were made from white stone that gleamed in the afternoon sun.

The bustling cityscape surprised Nyx; it starkly contrasted Frosthold and any place she had encountered while battling the Swarm on Pluoria. Tall buildings soared into the sky, dwarfing everything around them.

Her eyes widened in astonishment as she observed people casually chatting with their spouses on balconies. 'What are those buildings? I've never seen anything like them,' she

mused.

While watching the scenery, Archer's voice reached her ears. "What you're looking at are Draconia Apartments. They house hundreds of families and are good places to raise children as the neighbors are close, and they usually live close to family members."

Nyx looked at him, "How did you come up with such an idea?" she questioned.

She watched him shrug and change the subject but chose not to pry into it just as she saw a group of men working on something not far from the city walls, which caught her attention. "What are they building? Why are those men lying those metal beams on the ground?"

Archer looked over, and she noticed a smile lit up his handsome face before explaining, "That my beautiful chaos dragon is the first train on Thrylos. It will lead to every major city in

Draconia."

"Train? What is that?" she questioned.

''it's a machine that travels long distances while carrying passengers and cargo," Archer described. "When I asked the government to build it, they didn't believe in it, but once I explained it to them, all the council was excited."

Nyx found it fascinating but was also curious as the buildings looked expensive to construct, "Are you funding it yourself?"

Archer snickered, "Well, not really; honestly, that was the Church of Light and Novgorod Empire's doing. They generously donated a few billion gold coins to build apartments all over Draconia that house so many citizens that it's saved space for other needed establishments." "What do you mean they paid for it? Why would the strongest empire and church that hates dragons fund your kingdom?" she asked as the realization dawned on her.

Her eyes widened in surprise, prompting a smile as he explained, "They didn't realize they funded them, but their banks were overflowing with gold and silver coins that I redirected to

the kingdom."

Nyx started laughing when she heard his explanation, just as she thought, 'He stole it! What a naughty dragon, but I love it."'

When the dragon woman thought this, she asked as her curiosity took over, "What if they decide to come after you?"

Archer's smile broadened as he effortlessly scooped her into a princess carry, eliciting a blush that warmed her cheeks. With a swift motion, he took off, soaring towards the mountains that

encircled the island.

Nyx's eyes darted around in wonder as he pointed out a colossal wall blocking their path.

"This is the Draconia Seawall," Archer explained as he showed her the imposing structure. "Currently, it's our first line of defense. But once I confer with Aisha and the others, I plan to use the Red Mist to create a protective barrier around the island. It will deter intruders while

we prepare for war."

"War?" she asked.

Nyx watched Archer nod before flying toward the city she had seen earlier, revealing, "When a new power steps onto the world stage, the old powers get jealous and attempt to take them

out, but that's where they are misjudging Draconia."

"Why did they misjudge you?"

"They should have attacked when we were first discovered, but their hubris fooled them into thinking we were just a small and weak kingdom," Archer said with a chuckle.

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