A Journey That Changed The World.

Chapter 862: My Queens

It took a while, but all of Archerʼs women returned to Draconia and met at a mansion in Dragonheart City. They all were worried, but Lucrezia reassured everyone that he could be healed if they found the ingredients needed for the antidote.

Everyone met in one of the halls as Lucrezia spoke to the group of women, ”Ladies. Archer is down, and we cannot expect help from him, so we must save him.”

They all nodded as the mosasaur woman continued, ”Kass, Demi, Teu, and Hemi will go after the Ghost Leviathan and then head to the deserts of Avidia to find the rare Blue Grass that grows in the oasis that litters that horrible land. Itʼs as blue as Teuilaʼs hair, so itʼs easy to spot once you find it.”

When the four girls heard this, Demetra became concerned, ”You expect two Titans from the sea races to travel across a desert?”

”Yes, rivers run through the desert that will allow you to get your hydration, but the reason Iʼm sending you three there is because of how strong the monsters are,” Lucrezia explained, which the four women understood.

Lucrezia smiled, ”The 3rd legion will be heading to Avidia to secure a beachhead in the desert so you have a place to return to.”

Following that, she looked at the other women, ”Hecate, Maeve, Nefi, and Tali, you will be heading to the Howling Forest in the Southlands. In the heart of the dangerous forest is the Nevander Tree.”

The four nodded and waited for her to continue, which she did, ”Once youʼre there, I want you to gather as much bark as you can before heading to Verdantia, where you will need to sneak into the Church of Light gardens to steal a leaf that holds valuable medical properties.”

Maeveʼs eyebrow shot up, ”Why us four?” she questioned.

”Hecate is an expert at using moon magic, which can help you hide in the Novgorod Empire along with disguise rings, while Tali is an expert at sneaking into places while you, Maeve are a skilled warrior, and Nefi is a talented mage who can bring the firepower if you get found out.”

”What does this leaf look like?” Talila asked.

Lucrezia smiled, ”Good question; the Holy Leaf shimmers gold under any light, while Nevander Bark is brown with green streaks. You wonʼt be able to miss either ingredient, ladies.”

They all nodded as she concluded, ”The 1st DRN Fleet will accompany you to both locations. Olivia wants to assign you a cohort of Dragon Marines to join you in the Howling Jungle while they cover your retreat from Verdantia.”

”Okay, what if the church finds out weʼre there? They will try to capture us?” Teuila questioned.

”You will be disguised, and the 1st Fleet will cause trouble off the Novgorod coastline to distract their forces,” Lucrezia answered with a knowing grin, which made the others laugh as they knew the enemy would be angry once they visited them.

After that, she turned to the last group of four, ”Nala, Lyn, Leira, and Seraphina, and you will be heading for the Orientia continent, where you will start your search for the Green Sea Jungle, where the Dark Unicorn and Rainbow Swamp Moss can be found.”

The four girlsʼ eyes widened as Sera commented, ”You expect us to fight a Dark Unicorn? I heard their powerful monsters.”

Lucrezia nodded, ”Thatʼs why Ella and Halime will be joining you four: youʼll need extra firepower given the dangers of your destination. With Llyniel and Leiraʼs help, finding the ingredients should be manageable.”

She glanced at the six girls, noting their nervous expressions. ”Donʼt worry, ladies. Youʼre all incredibly strong and capable. Nala is a skilled warrior, and Sera is a dragon. Halime brings powerful poison attacks, and Leiraʼs thunder and fire magic provide significant firepower.”

Leira and the others nodded in agreement as Lucrezia concluded their meeting, instructing them to ready themselves for their upcoming journeys. Over the next three days, the group convened numerous times, meticulously planning every detail until the girls felt fully prepared.

Now, they stood together on a pier in Stormwatch Port, their belongings packed and spirits resolved, ready to embark on their mission. Ella stepped forward, her gaze sweeping across the fifteen faces before her.

”I wish safety for all of you on this journey,” she began solemnly. ”Archer has saved every one of us, often at great personal risk. Now, he lies in a bed fighting for his life. But we have the opportunity to save him. It wonʼt be easy; some of us may get injured. But together, we possess the strength to accomplish this.”

The half-elf looked at Hecate, Maeve, Nefertiti, and Talila with a worried smile. ”You girls will be in the most danger. The church would love to capture any of you, so you must be cautious. Losing any of us would devastate Archer; his fury would be unstoppable if he woke to find any of us missing.”

After speaking, Lucrezia stepped forward. ”Tens of thousands of Draconianas have volunteered to help us save the king. They will support you during your missions. If anything happens to you, they will rush in and risk their lives to ensure your safe return.”

Ella approached each girl and hugged them before stepping back, ”It may be a while before we see each other again, but just know I love having each of you as a sister.”

Just as she spoke, a commander ran over and informed them, ”My Queens, we are ready to set sail to Orientia. The mages predict storms on the way, but we can make it.”

The girls nodded before Lucrezia spoke, ”How many ships are you taking?”

”Three Battleships, five Destroyers, and ten Frigates with each Battlegroup, Your Majesty,” the man revealed.

Lucrezia nodded. After that, Ella, Nala, Llyniel, Leira, Sera, and Halime said their farewells to the others with a hug before boarding the warship. Once they were gone, the others did the same and joined their battleships.

Once they departed, the mosasaur girl stood alone on the pier, silently observing dozens of ships sailing out of the bay. She whispered to herself, ”Without hesitation, you girls rush into mortal danger for our husband.”

With a heavy heart, she turned away and made her way back to the mansion where Archer lay, focusing her magic once more to halt the poisonʼs relentless advance within him. While returning to Dragonheart City, she noticed even more soldiers than usual on the roads.

Many of them were on patrol in case any Swarm hordes appeared. Lucrezia noticed they were tense. When she arrived back at the mansion, she noticed the place guarded by hundreds of soldiers, some patrolling the outside while others circled it.

Aisha appeared at the entrance just as Lucrezia approached, swiftly delivering her report: ”The four legions are returning to Draconia. The kingdoms have been liberated sufficiently, enabling them to retaliate.”

”Once Archer is recovered, he will handle the Swarm on the mainland,” Lucrezia responded thoughtfully. ”How is the Deep Sea Mining project progressing?”

The dragonkin woman smiled reassuringly before guiding Lucrezia to a meeting room. After they had checked on Archer, they could discuss the projectʼs status in detail.

***

[Siaʼs POV]

The Cave Spiders kept coming, but Sia swiftly dispatched them with practiced skill earned through her high rank and relentless training. With each strike, she drove the creepy arachnids deeper into their dark domain.

She was taken aback by what she found inside as she pursued them into the cave, ʼArcherʼs heart would explode with greed,ʼ Sia thought.

In front of her were veins of Mithiril and other rare metals. She spotted gems all over the walls, which shone with hundreds of colors as the Manaheart Crystalʼs glow reflected off them. ʼI must tell my husband when I see him again,ʼ she mused.

After dealing with the Cave Spiders, Sia returned to the sleeping Primordial, wrapped in a mana cacoon that glowed like a lighthouse. She approached it and touched it, only to feel a warm sensation rushed into her body.

This caused her to shiver, ”Yes, I know weʼre friends, Mary. Now rest and recover while I find even more treasure for our husband.”

Following that, the dragonkin stepped through the cave and dodged a few web blasts the monsters flung at her. Sia sent a few Fire Slashes into their creepy bodies, slicing them in half and causing them to hit the ground with a thud.

Sia marched forward and found a smaller tunnel that stretched for miles. She continued to

explore until she came across another cave covered in gold veins that she remembered to write down when time allowed her.

After that she ventured deeper into the labyrinthine tunnels beneath the earth, the air grew

heavy with the scent of ancient stone and damp earth. Her footsteps echoed faintly against the rough-hewn walls as she navigated through narrow passages and cavernous chambers, guided only by the flickering light of her enchanted torch.

After what felt like hours of winding through the subterranean maze, Sia emerged into a vast, cavernous chamber unlike any she had seen before. The remnants of an ancient city lay before her, bathed in the soft glow of her torchlight.

Crumbling stone structures rose from the ground like skeletal remains, their walls adorned with faded murals and intricate carvings that spoke of a civilization long lost to time. Sia approached cautiously, her eyes wide with awe and curiosity.

She marveled at the craftsmanship of the weathered statues that stood sentinel at the cityʼs entrance, their faces worn smooth by centuries of wind and sand. Though overgrown with moss and tangled roots, the streets still bore traces of intricate patterns and mosaics that hinted at a once-thriving culture.