A Journey That Changed The World.

Chapter 1107: A Lot Of Work Ahead

Just then, the older womanʼs phone rang through the carʼs Bluetooth, and she glanced at the screen before answering. ”Hello?” she said, keeping one hand on the wheel.

Archer listened quietly, stealing glances at her as she managed the call, her voice calm and composed. Outside the window, the cityscape whirled by in a vibrant blur, streaks of neon lights and towering buildings rushing past.

He turned his gaze to the highway, watching as cars zipped by and the world flowed around them. Soon enough, they pulled into a quiet road lined with restaurants and small cafes, which caught his attention.

ʼWhere is she taking us?ʼ Archer wondered, his curiosity growing as he looked out the window. Darla was still on the phone with her editor.

He tuned out of her conversation, not wanting to intrude, but her following words made his ears perk up, ”Iʼm on a date, Sandra,” she said, her voice warm and a delighted smile spreading across her face. ”Iʼll text you when I get home.”

Archer felt a sudden spark of surprise and amusement, glancing at her with a grin. Following that, she parked up and said her goodbyes before putting down the phone, speaking in a bubbly voice, ”We are heading to my favorite place to write. Itʼs peaceful, and people tend to leave me alone.”

”Sounds good to me,” he responded. ”As long as they serve nice food, I havenʼt got a problem with where we go.”

After parking, the two stepped out of the car. Darla walked around to his side, slipping her arm through his with a warm smile. She led him down the bustling street toward a cozy café nestled on the corner.

It took them a few minutes later; they entered the establishment, where the soft aroma of fresh pastries and brewed tea filled the air. A young man behind the counter looked up, eyes widening as he recognized her.

”Afternoon, Miss Robinson! Will you be having your usual tea today?” he asked with a friendly grin.

Darla nodded before speaking, ”Yes, Derrick, please bring a menu to my usual table.” She turned to Archer, her green eyes twinkling with anticipation. ”Youʼre going to love this place.”

They then walked to the back of the cafe, where a discreet table was. She sat down, and as Archer sat across from her, she revealed, ”This is where I wrote my first successful novel, but my current one will be a bestseller.”

His eyebrow raised as he questioned in curiosity, ”What is it about?”

Darla grinned before answering, ”When Iʼve finished the first few chapters, I will show you, but itʼs not finished.”

Archer nodded in understanding and was about to speak until Tiamat showed him Talila in the flagship of the 1st Fleet.

***

Talila moved cautiously toward the door, each step slow and deliberate as she tried to steady her breath. Just as her fingers brushed the handle, a flicker of movement caught her eye.

She froze, her pulse quickening as she spun around. A figure, barely distinguishable in the enveloping darkness, loomed a few meters away-a crew member, half-hidden in the shadows.

ʼWhat the hell is going on here?ʼ she thought.

”Have you come to help us?” a voice drifted across the room, hollow and disembodied, seeming to echo from nowhere and everywhere. ”We need you... to deal with these creatures.”

The unnatural tone sent a chill down Talilaʼs spine. She instinctively raised her bow, nocking a mana arrow, her grip tightening while scanning the dim space. Heart pounding, she steadied her voice and said, ”Whatʼs your name... and where is everyone?”

Talila watched in horror as the figureʼs movements became erratic, limbs jerking unnaturally with each word. That same hollow, unsettling voice scratched at her nerves, ”Help us... the monsters have killed many... please...”

She took a hesitant step forward, her heart pounding when Oliviaʼs panicked voice cut through the darkness from behind her. ”Tali, donʼt go near that thing!”

In an almost mechanical plea, the crew member repeated, ”Help us...”

Just then, the white-haired admiral appeared beside her, gripping her arm tightly. The figure didnʼt notice Oliviaʼs arrival; it only continued its soulless stare as if it were a hollow and lifeless vessel, repeating a message to lure her in.

”Help us,” the crew member said again as the white-haired admiral rushed up to her.

Talilaʼs instincts kicked in as she raised her bow. Just as a horrifying spider monster emerged from the shadows, its grotesque form undulating as it hurled the body towards them. She loosed several arrows, each exploding on impact, tearing through the creatureʼs torso.

Before she could catch her breath, Olivia yanked her by the arm, urgency fueling her movements. ”Come on!” she shouted, dragging Talila toward a safe room.

The air buzzed with a cacophony of chittering, countless creatures closing in on them, and a chorus of dread sending chills down Talilaʼs spine. As they reached the door, she glanced back and saw a horde of nightmarish, their grotesque forms crawling over one another.

Just as the first monsters lunged, Olivia flung open the door and slammed it shut behind them, claws scraping against metal echoing. When the light was turned on, Talila saw a dozen people heading into a small office.

She narrowed her eyes as injured lines surrounded one of the walls. While doing this, Olivia appeared disheveled as she spoke, ”Iʼm glad you came, Tali! But why are you alone? Where are the soldiers?”

Talila put away her weapon before answering while calming herself, ”They are clearing out floors below, but Blightborns and Ghouls infest most of the ship.”ʼ

Olivia frowned as she revealed, ”When the Swarms attacks hit us, they disgorged a horde of monsters that slaughtered at least half the crew.”

Following this, Talila rested before giving the injured some health potions and smiling: ”Iʼm going to clear the bridge as I make my way down the ship; we need the ships up and moving to protect the transport vessels.”

The white-haired womanʼs eyes widened as she protested, ”You cannot go out there, Tali; those things are dangerous and use the dead against us.”

”Donʼt worry about me; Iʼm a dragon now and have my scales,” Talila replied while readying her bow. ”Plus, Iʼm the Queen of Draconia; I have to do this.”

Olivia looked hesitant but nodded as she approached the door, giving her some advice, ”Keep moving, Tali. They are fast, but I know youʼre faster. Use magic to take them down, and donʼt listen to any voices you hear.”

Talila nodded just as the door opened, and she ducked through before it was slammed shut. She scanned her surroundings and started seeing the creatures heading in her direction, causing her to aim her bow at them.

Without waiting, she fired a wave of mana arrows into the spider-like creatures crumpled to the floor. Talila killed a few more before she had to pull out her swords while ducking under a

lunge.

As the monster passed above her, she thrust her blade through its exoskeleton and slashed down its torso, causing the creature to let out a pain-filled his before dying. Talila jumped and blasted another two with Moon Blasts, which sent them crashing across the bridge.

Talila fought fiercely until the last of the spiders were dead, leaving her with a moment of uneasy silence. With caution, she began to search the area, discovering piles of dead Draconians scattered around.

Once the silver-haired elf cleared the bridge, she secured the door behind her and called Olivia, ”Come out, Liv. Theyʼre all gone, but thereʼs a lot of work ahead.”

Talila watched the survivors emerge from the office, relief washing their faces. They quickly fanned out, ready to clean up the chaos that remained. She sat on the captainʼs chair while

looking at the quiet vessels.

Thanks to her eyesight, she noticed some survivors across the fleet; while doing this, Olivia appeared behind her with a frown, ”We lost hundreds of good sailors and the marines that

guarded the bridge.”

”Itʼs hard, but there are pockets of survivors all across Archerʼs Wrath. I will find them while clearing the floor below us,” Talila replied to the older woman, who nodded in agreement.

Following that, she left the bridge behind, killing more Blightborns and Ghouls while trying to find more Draconians. Talila killed hundreds of monsters before having to rest in a storage room where two dead marines sat.

ʼSo much death, the Alliance will pay for this,ʼ she thought while drinking some ale.

As she did, haunting, unearthly screams echoed throughout the ship, and her senses told her the Dragonknights were doing a good job. Soon after, she continued through the shipʼs dark corridors, killing as many monsters as possible.

Bodies were piling up as she moved like a ghost; groups of Ghouls were slain before they knew she was in the room. Soon enough, Talila cleared the deck below the bridge and met up with a

group of soldiers.

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