Chapter 31 Down The Rabbit Hole.

It was still night time but he could see perfectly due to his dragon eyes, the nightmares were on his mind.

Archer came to and looked at the woman who seemed to care before answering.

''I'm fine thanks, what happened here?''

She sighed seeing the boy was okay, she explained what happened after he got dragged away.

''Well they ambushed us, the guards were putting up a good fight but couldn't keep up with the beasts speed, we started losing until an adventurer group came to help.''

She pointed towards the new group who was resting by the river.

''Who are they?''

''They are a group from the Eastern Duchy called the Dragon Slayers, they were hunting the wendigos for the local lords.''

When Archer heard their name he instantly got angry and stopped speaking as he stared at the men.

Sarah noticed the change of mood within the boy and saw he was staring at the group with a glare full of hate and anger, that's when everything clicked.

'He's a dragon.'

She stared at him, examining his white scales and horns, when she saw his shining violet eyes, she remembered a story about a certain dragon king.

'Once there was a majestic White Dragon who ruled over his kingdom with power and grace.

His white scales shone brilliantly in the sunlight, while his violet eyes glistened like jewels.

He was feared and respected by all who knew him, both dragon and mortal alike.

Many believed that the King's violet eyes held within them the power to mesmerize and enchant even the most hardened of hearts.

His loyal subjects knew that behind his piercing gaze laid a fierce and protective demeanor that made him a formidable ally and a terrifying adversary.

Despite his cold and sometimes aloof demeanor, the White Dragon King was beloved by his followers.

Tales of his heroism and bravery filled the land, and his name became synonymous with both greatness and fear.

But one day, an evil sorcerer threatened to overthrow the king and take control of his kingdom.

The sorcerer summoned an army of dark creatures that ravaged the land, leaving chaos in their wake.

Despite the odds stacked against him, the White Dragon King rose to the challenge and called forth the full fury of his power.

With an ear-splitting roar and a bolt of lightning from his violet eyes, the White Dragon King unleashed his wrath upon the horde of monsters.'

Sarah shook her head to return to the present, she stared at the boy before asking.

''Archer you're dragon aren't you?''

When he heard her speak, Archer looked at her and nodded.

Her eyes widened before quietly asking.

''You're a white dragon?''

He looked at the woman like an idiot before replying in a sarcastic tone before laughing.

''Yes, can't you see the color of my scales and horns?''

She smiled at the boy before answering.

''Yes I can see that you sarcastic little shit, you better be careful of the church of light they wont like you at all.''

He laughed as he heard her warning before telling her what happened.

''Yeah we've met in Oxfair village when I was doing the goblin quest, they attacked me but I escaped.''

Sarah's eyes widened as she heard him speak.

''They attacked you?''

She remembered the gossip she heard a little while ago, how the church of light are looking for a white haired boy.

She doesn't know why she didn't connect the dots until now but at least she now knows and can help him.

As the two were talking the camp was getting packed away into the carriages.

Sarah noticed he wasn't paying attention to the conversation anymore.

So she decided to give the boy some space and went to help out.

Archer wasn't fully there, all he could see and think about was the lifeless body of Ella, it haunted him, even during the talk with Sarah he wasn't really paying attention.

That's when the memories flooded back and drove him mad.

The dream with Alexa and the little girl, it was all plaguing him.

Sending him spiraling even deeper into the rabbit hole of madness.

''Why did I die, I did nothing wrong!''

''I just loved her and never bothered anyone, I helped anyone I could.''

Archer started talking to himself without realizing that five people were watching him from inside a carriage.

Wondering what happened to this boy for him to be suffering so much.

''Noah I swear to all the gods you will pay for what you've done!''

He remembered the little girl from his nightmare shouting out to him again, making his spiral even worse.

'DADDY.'

''Go away!''

The fusion of souls brought him pain and suffering, one of the side effects caused the new Archer to inherit all the trauma, feelings and, pain of the other two.

As he was walking, he experienced a flashback of a memory that the old Archer suffered just days before he fell into the coma.

It was a memory of his sister Hyara and half brothers Aldwulf and Pallius visiting his room one night after he lost.

He heard his sister speak to him with hate in her voice.

''Why do I have to have a useless brother like you, when everyone else has a talented older brother, but I'm here stuck with you!''

SMACK!~

''Useless!''

Archer was so shocked that his own blood sister slapped him that he didn't know how to respond, when he only ever loved her and tried to help her.

But the three suddenly started beating him, as he was watching all this, the feelings of the old Archer flowed into him.

He remembers going to his mother once the beating was over and she even slapped him across the face telling him to man up.

The rage, anger was building up as the barrier failed to keep it in check and it all came pouring out of the boy.

''Why did you all treat me that way, I didn't do anything wrong apart from losing a fight and you treat me in such a vile manor!''

That's when he heard two voices that angered him even more.

''You're a failure to this family, I regret giving birth to such a useless child!''

''Die, die, die, she's mine!''

He covered his ears as the voices were screaming directly into his ears.

Archer started talking to himself again.

''Ahhhhh, go away, it's not my fault I lost, I tried my best against the beast!''

''I will return and get him, I'm here now and I have Ella, but I need to protect her, she's precious, she's special, no one must touch her!''

He started getting angry at the thought of someone harming her, Archer took his rage out on a nearby tree blowing it to bits with an eldritch blast.

As the caravan moved down the road an explosion went off not far from them, scaring the guards but they were calmed down by Isaiah.

Archer was raging at everything, he may have been 17 on earth but after being murdered then transmigrating into a 13 year old's body who had suffered more then he had, it changed him deeply.

He started mumbling to himself while smiling, when the five watching saw that smile, at that moment they knew the boy was broken.

''One day I will get my revenge and make them suffer just as I did!''

He started letting out a creepy laugh.

''Aldwulf, Pallius and mother will pay.''

''Noah will burn in my flames.''

''Everyone will pay!''

''Hunt and kill.''

''Eat hearts and level up!''

''Protect Ella.''

''Return to earth and take my revenge.''

The boys mind was broken, too much has happened to the other two now the new Archer suffers from the aftermath, causing his mind to collapse.

He continued walking next to the carriage while talking to himself, Archer never noticed the people watching him.

The human Jaen turned to Sarah and asked.

''He's crazy, look at him his talking to himself.''

Her husband spoke up with a sad tone.

''Darling the boy has clearly suffered so much that his mind is broken.''

''That's sad, he's so young and shouldn't have to suffer anything like this''

Tiefel spoke up as her ears drooped down when she thought of the boy who saved her.

''Sarah do you know anything about him?''

She hesitated before speaking.

''Well, he is the 4th son of Duke Leonard Ashguard, but was banished due to losing the family's old tradition of fighting a beast to become a man.''

She stopped talking and looked at Archer who was talking about food for some reason.

''He left the house but not before the other children tortured him, his own mother threw him away, then he got banished.

The poor boy has suffered more than most people, the maid I spoke to told me how bad the treatment was, beatings, starving him, and he couldn't eat at the family table.''

Baradar spoke up.

''So now he's an adventurer and taking quests alone?''

Sarah nodded.

''He isn't good with people as you can see, the only person he cares for is a maid called Ella who works in the Duke's castle.''

[A/N - Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord]