A Journey That Changed The World.

Chapter 1091: It's Getting More Challenging

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Archer's eyes widened in shock at the scene before him, but he relaxed, smiling with relief when he saw the women were unharmed. Shaking his head, he continued watching, feeling his mana drain rapidly.

***

Nala and Talila cleared out the Alliance, allowing the legions to set up a camp on the beach as more Landing Craft disgorged more soldiers. Elara was ordering them around as the lioness sat atop a destroyed bunker.

A silver dragon crashed beside her, causing the giant lion to open her blue eyes as she spoke, "What did you find, Tali?"

"The enemy has set up defensive lines all across the grassland that leads to the Lionheart fortress," Talila answered in a deep voice as she rested in her dragon form. "It will be a hard battle to break through."

Nala looked at her before asking in a curious voice, "Did you try to attack them?"

"Yes, but they had powerful cannons that could destroy my scales," the elf answered while transforming into her humanoid form. "I will meet with the Dragonknights and help the 1st fleet."

The lioness nodded as she spoke in a concerned voice, "Be careful, Tali. I think things will be chaotic, but I'll send a message back to Aisha to send more fleets here."'

''I'll be fine, Nala, just beware of those cannons," Talila said while approaching the Landing Craft where several hundred Dragonknights.

When she got close, two men and three women stepped forward while saluting as the oldest spoke first, but Talila sensed his nervousness, which piqued her interest, "Your Majesty. We are ready to help the fleet, but the news from there is not good. Screams and death have come from the ships."

Talila nodded as she questioned, "How many vessels do we have to clear, and how many soldiers do we have?"

A woman answered, "We have just over three thousand troops, and, if I remember correctly, nearly enough eighty-something ships were hit by the blast."'

"Okay, let's go to Archer's Wrath first and see what's happening," Talila responded to the woman as they all piled onto the Landing Craft.

The remaining soldiers boarded the other vessels as the first pushed off into the sea, heading toward the ships. Talila stood at the bow, her gaze fixed on an unusual fog drifting from the nearby naval vessels.

'What happened here? Is this one of the Swarm's eerie spells?' she wondered, scanning the mist with suspicion.

An unsettling silence blanketed the massive vessel as they approached Archer's Wrath. The usual sounds of the crew were absent, leaving only the soft lapping of waves against the hull.

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the quiet, echoing across the deck, raw with terror. This caused the Dragonknights to grip their weapons tighter as the Landing Craft reached a ladder where they could climb up.

"That doesn't sound natural.' she thought while staring at the ship.

When the craft stopped, Talila jumped up and started climbing while watching the deck. The soldiers followed behind. As she reached the top, she noticed fresh blood stains and battle damage all over the deck.

The silver-haired elf readied her bow in case any attackers appeared. The Dragonknights then made it to the top and started securing the deck. Talila approached the entrance, seeing a blood stain on the handle.

'What sort of creatures could have done this?' Talila wondered, her eyes tracing the bloody streaks smeared across the deck.

Turning to the commander, she tightened her grip on her bow and ordered, "Send some soldiers to secure the top deck; the rest will head below. But no one splits up-we stick together."

Everyone agreed with a nod as she led them into the dark belly of the ship, their footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence. The air was thick with the stench of blood, so strong it made her stomach twist.

Shadows stretched along the narrow corridors, flickering eerily under the mage's light spell as they reached the base of the stairs. Suddenly, a distant, agonized scream tore through the silence, echoing through the hollow halls.

The soldiers flinched, gripping their weapons tighter, their faces pale. Talila steadied herself, forcing her breaths to stay calm, but she could feel the fear seeping through the ranks, "Stay calm! We don't know what we're facing."

They all saluted before moving cautiously down the main corridor; their footsteps muffled on the cold metal floor. The deeper they ventured, the heavier the air felt, thick with the unmistakable scent of death.

While walking, the commander appeared beside Talila as he spoke, "Your Majesty, I left a hundred soldiers to cover our escape."

"Good; once we reach the first threshold, we will set up camp as it leads to the rest of the ship," she said while readying a mana arrow.

Finally, they entered a large foyer, where a horrific scene unfolded. Blood splattered the walls, and discarded weapons lay strewn across the floor, mingled with torn fragments of Draconian uniforms.

Talila's gaze froze on a figure crouched near the far wall-a Blightborn, its twisted form hunched over a motionless crew member. The creature's elongated limbs and sickly, mottled skin gleamed under the dim lights as it fed, its movements disturbingly slow and deliberate. Next to it lurked another unnatural being, a grotesque humanoid with hollow eyes and fingers stretched into claw-like points, silently watching as the Blightborn feasted. As the soldiers poured into the room, they raised their shields, causing the creature's heads to snap toward them.

Without hesitation, Talila released two mana arrows, each finding its mark and ending the monsters' lives instantly. She lowered her bow, her gaze settling on the lifeless form of a

Draconian sailor nearby.

"Gather the fallen and secure the entrance," she commanded, her voice steady but grim. "We're locking this place down. Bring the others here-we'll need more manpower to hold

this position."

"Yes, Mam," the soldiers saluted before organizing the place, while others locked the doors

using magic.

Talila sat down and sent a message to Nala. [Archer's Wrath is infested with Blightborn, who have slaughtered the crew. We may need more soldiers to clear the fleet]

***

Nala read Talila's message and sighed, drawing Elara's attention. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing the tension in the lioness's expression.

"Tali's encountered the creatures our husband warned us about-they tore through the ship's crew,'' Nala replied, her gaze fixed on the treacherous stretch of no man's land between them and the Alliance forces. "We might need to send a few cohorts to secure the ships."

"The 1st or 2nd legions can't spare anyone," the dragonkin reminded her. "Every soldier is needed here to repel the assaults. You've seen it yourself, Nala-they're throwing endless suicide waves at us. We wouldn't have held them back without the Dragonfire Company's death machines."'

"I know, it's why I sent Aisha a message, and she's dispatched three fleets and four legions that were battle ready, but it will take days to get here," the lioness said as Demetra joined them on the wall, looking tired.

"Fucking Alliance and their monsters," the shark woman commented. "They must have powerful tamers in the army as they get stronger creatures every time we fight."' Nala turned to the blue-haired beauty and asked, "Do you want Luce or Kass to come? They've offered to as the idiots stopped charging into the Death Mist."

While standing there talking, a blaring siren echoed across the fortress. In an instant, the mana cannons charged, their magical energy crackling to life as they locked onto the incoming wave of Alliance fodder.

With a roar, the cannons unleashed their fury. Bright energy beams shot out, illuminating the darkened sky as they collided with the soldiers rushing toward them. Explosions erupted like fiery blossoms, sending debris and body parts flying.

The Dragonfall Company stood resolute, their eyes cold and focused as they methodically wiped out thousands of soldiers in moments. Smoke billowed into the sky, mixing with the acrid scent of charred flesh, while the ground trembled beneath the weight of destruction. Nala watched the screaming zealots who thought Draconia was the new devil; she knew the Church of Light had rallied millions of poor people into attacking anything to do with their

kingdom.

While standing there, Demetra answered, "Maybe we might need them. It's getting more challenging, but it's still fun."'

Following that, the women continued battling with the Alliance before Nala planned a quick

hit-and-run on the enemy camp as the soldiers rested. She led five hundred Demi-Human Draconians who were skilled in gorilla warfare.

"This will cause chaos in the enemy ranks,' she thought with a wild smile.

Nala sneaked through the forest bordering the massive Alliance army a few miles from their beachhead stronghold. She crouched low in the underbrush, her heart pounding as her soldiers lay hidden among the dense trees.

The moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. They

could hear the faint rustling of leaves and the distant clank of armor as an Alliance patrol moved nearby, unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows.

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