Waking up to the sound of birds chirping and a screeching, eagle-like beast high above him, Archer rubbed his eyes and sat up.
He got to his feet and stretched his arms, feeling his stomach rumble. He pulled out some pastries and started to eat.
Archer sat there enjoying a chocolate pastry, he suddenly noticed a strange-looking bird swooping down from the sky.
It was a Skytalon, with dark feathers that shimmered in the sunlight and a wingspan that seemed to stretch on forever.
Its beady eyes glinted with a fierce hunger when it spotted a group of smaller birds flitting about nearby.
With a sudden burst of speed, the Skytalon dove toward its prey, its razor-sharp talons extended.
The smaller birds scattered in all directions, but the predator was too quick.
Quickly snatched one of them up in its talons and began to tear at it with its sharp beak, devouring it hungrily.
In a matter of seconds, Archer watched in awe as the beast continued its hunt, its wings beating with powerful grace as it soared through the sky.
Despite its fearsome appearance, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for the creature's raw power and beauty.
Archer looked at his upgraded status
[Experience: 6200/12000]
[Strength: 1350>1500]
[Constitution: 1550>1700]
[Charisma: 1550>1750]
[Intelligence: 1100>1250]
Happy with his stat boost, Archer stood up and stretched his wings as he entered his domain.
When he did, he saw hundreds of Dragon-kin gathered around an old man, listening to his speech.
Sagana noticed him and made her way over, greeting him as she got closer.
Archer stared at the woman before shaking his head and thinking.
"This is going to be annoying."
While he looked at the man talking to the people, who were paying complete attention to him.
The older dragon-kin stood before his fellow dragons, his eyes filled with fierce determination.
He had seen too much suffering in his long life, and he was determined to make things right.
"My kin," his voice rang out across the crowd.
"We have suffered for far too long. We have been hunted and persecuted, or forced to hide in the shadows like cowards. But I tell you now, those days are over."
The crowd listened intently, their eyes fixed on the speaker.
He continued with a stronger voice, "The legend we once thought to be a mere story is now a reality, as the white dragon has returned.''
"With him, we will rise again. We will no longer have to live in fear, and no longer have to hide from those who would do us harm. We will be free once more, to bask in the warmth of the sun and revel in the glory of our own kind."
The dragon-kin let out a roar of approval.
"While it will not just be our freedom that we reclaim."
"We shall reclaim our dignity, pride, and rightful place as the rulers of this world. No longer shall we be regarded as mere beasts, but as the majestic and powerful creatures that we truly are."
Declared the old man, the people roared in agreement when they heard him speak.
Their eyes shone with hope and anticipation.
"Dragon-kind shall rise again, stronger and more united than ever before, all thanks to that boy."
Pointing straight at Archer, who stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. He only wanted to help them, and now they were declaring him a king.
'What the fuck is going on?' Archer just shrugged.
He was not going to think about it right now and spoke to Sagana as everyone watched him.
''Do they need anything?'' he asked.
Sagana thought for a second before looking at the man walking over to them.
"Is there anything everyone needs?" she asked the old man as he walked over toward the two.
"Yes, we need food and something to do to keep ourselves busy," the old man replied.
Archer nodded before closing his eyes and picturing fertile fields stretching far into the distance and a storehouse full of food that wouldn't rot.
Checking his mana, he saw that he had enough to expand his domain even more.
He created more grasslands, a jungle surrounded by a massive mountain range, and even more rivers.
Archer couldn't help but wonder how he was able to do all this.
Sagana and the man were startled as they witnessed the boy shut his eyes.
Moments later, they felt a slight tremor ripple through the ground beneath them.
The unexpected sensation left them both speechless, unsure of what to make of the mysterious occurrence.
They exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what other surprises the boy had in store for them.
In the distance, mountains appeared with a massive jungle at its base, creating his own little world.
The old man stared at Archer with stars in his eyes, pleased with his work. He bowed to him before speaking.
"My King, I can't believe the legends were true all along, but here you are."
Staring at the old man, Archer spoke.
"Well, yes, here I am, and here you are safe and sound. You can help me with the people who join us." The man happily accepted his role.
Being called king made him feel uncomfortable and annoyed him, but he decided to put up with it.
He could see these people were a stubborn bunch, so he gave up before an argument even broke out.
Archer told the old man where the storehouse was.
"At the end of the row of tents, there is a storehouse available. However, if you plan on hunting, you will only encounter small beasts, so you may need to bring along some larger prey into the domain."
He pointed in the direction of the storehouse, and the old man nodded as he introduced himself.
"My King, this humble one's name is Jethro, the leader of the Fireheart Clan, well, the former leader before we got captured."
"Jethro got a sad look on his face as he spoke of their capture. Archer got curious, so he asked.
"Sagana told me you came from the Aquarian kingdom. Was it they who captured you?"
Shaking his head, Jethro replied, "No, it wasn't them. It was a large group of mercenaries who come from the port city Sunhaven. It's in the Northwest of the Aquarian Kingdom."
Archer nodded and asked Jethro to tell him more about the kingdom as they walked toward the biggest tent.
All three entered with a crowd of people following behind, just staring at him.
"Well, the Aquarian Kingdom is a small but mighty kingdom located in the southeastern region of the Southlands," explained Jethro.
"It's mostly composed of vast grassy deserts, wild forests, woodlands, and large lakes. However, to reach the Soundless Run River, which divides the Aquarian and Kagia Kingdom, you must travel through The Haunted Dunes after crossing, which is about 20 miles away from our current location."
Sitting down, Archer took a good look at Jethro. He was an elderly man with a long beard and a kind, gentle face.
He wore a simple robe and a turban, reflecting his role as a spiritual leader and mentor to his clan.
Jethro's appearance gave off a sense of wisdom, compassion, and humility as he sat there.
"The journey to Sunhaven Port is long and treacherous," Jethro explained.
"You'll have to travel through the Haunted Dunes, which are known to be quite dangerous. But don't worry, halfway through the dunes, you'll come across an Apia Castle. It acts as a stopping point and guards the road, ensuring the safety of travelers like yourself."
Archer listened intently, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension at the prospect of traveling through the Haunted Dunes
He asked about the royal family, "What is the royal family like?"
"The King of the Aquarian Kingdom is a fair and just ruler," Jethro replied.
"His name is Lashure Aquaria. He rules with an iron fist, but he is also kind and compassionate to his people."
Archer listened with interest, wondering how the King could be both firm and kind.
Jethro continued, "The King has a strong sense of justice and will not tolerate any wrongdoing within his kingdom. However, he also has a kind heart and cares deeply for his people."
Jethro went on to explain that the King had recently condemned the Dragon-kin hunts, realizing that they were cruel and unnecessary.
He had instead implemented new measures to protect his kingdom without resorting to violence against innocent people.
Archer felt relieved to hear that the King had changed his ways and was now striving to be a more compassionate ruler.
He knew that there was hope for a better world, and he was eager to see what other surprises lay ahead on his journey to The Aquarian Kingdom.
The three of them spoke for hours as Jethro continued to tell Archer all about the people, culture, and traditions.
The more he listened to the better he understood them, they remind him of the Pacific island peoples back on Earth.
Which made him smile, as they were sitting there Archer created more white dragon tokens, which amazed the two dragon-kin.
Jethro mumbled to himself.
''So it's true, the last dragon king had such powers.''
Archer heard him and his head snapped towards the old man.
[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]