Chapter 22: 21 – Joys of Returning

Finally, after more time and I could get my emotions under my control, I began to take stock of what happened and what we needed to do. I took the rest of our armor off. This included taking her trashed leg out of the armor. Damn. Without cutting her leg off, there would've been no real way to get it out of this. 

Focusing on the water/blood inside the boat, I used water magic to empty it out. With a semi-dry boat, I stripped the soaked clothes off of Ailine and helped her unconscious body into dry ones. Taking out a couple furs, I laid them out for her to lay on.

On a boat in an ocean dungeon floor with no landmarks or land in sight, I knew I needed to check what I was dreading. Crossing my fingers and carefully leaning over the edge to put my face in the water, I looked for any sign of the road—and heaved a huge sigh of relief when I saw a pair of lances, some other things, and dungeon doors deep underneath us.

"Oh, fucking yes."

Even though we were in a rocking boat for who knows how long, we didn't drift. Whatever fucking wonky dungeon physics that worked on, I was glad. That meant as soon as Ailine woke up, we could put our helmets on and swim the fuck out of here.

(Navi, everything alright out there?) I ask mentally.

(Lia! What's up? How's the floor?)

(We're alive. Once we entered—) I then went through and told her about everything that happened. (—and so now I'm waiting for Ailine to wake up before we head home.)

(Holy poop. I'm glad you two made it out of that. We're just fine here, so make sure our girl is alright before coming back,) she said, with genuine concern in her voice.

I can't wait to be back home. (Yeah. I'll update you when she wakes up or if anything changes.)

(Later gator! Oh wait! Bad timing for that.)

Sighing at the fairy and with nothing else to do, I decide to open up my status and assign my new points from leveling.

=====

Name: Dalia Midnight
Race: Vampire (Progenitor)

Level: 56
EXP: 4,491,173/4,700,000

HP: 670/670
MP: 42,851/1,387,552

Stats:
STR: 32
STM: 28
AGI: 35
DEX: 25
INT: 36
WIS: 36
CHR: 20

Stat points: 2

Skills above level 20:
Heightened Senses 35, Sense Presence 29, Mana Control 37, Fire Magic 32, Water Magic 25, Earth Magic 39, Air Magic 28, Dark Magic 42, Time-Space Magic 23, Arcane Magic 27, Increase Reflexes 32, Stealth 33, Assassination 22, Hide Presence 31, Spears 21, Swords 32, Shields 22

Unique Skills:
Nightstalker (Vampire), EXP Absorption (Vampire), Language Mastery

Titles:
Last of their Kind
Blessed by the God of Order
Blessed by the Goddess of Chaos
Queen of the Vampires
Dungeon Master (Tutorial Dungeon)

=====

Putting the points in STR, I have an idea of what I might want to try in the future. Magic has really become key to how I fight, and I have some more ideas on how to use it after this, but to do that, I need to be stronger. Taking a drink of a blood bag, it's time to wait and take a nap.

I woke up from what ended up being a full sleep instead of a nap to see Ailine already awake and smiling at me.

"Ailine!" I scurry over and hug her tight.

"I'm alright, Lia. It's alright." she said while gently stroking my head.

Since when did our roles ever reverse to where I'm being comforted by her now? Whatever. I really don't care. Ailine is alive, and that's what matters.

Releasing her, I breath out and finally feel relief wash over me. "I love you, Ailine. I love you so, so, much."

"I love you too, Lia," she says smiling, before becoming more impassive. "What happened after it bit my leg."

"It was thrashing you around by your leg. I tried stabbing it with the lance, but it didn't stop. I boosted to its neck and stabbed Seren into the spine and it finally died. Right after, I pulled you out of the fucker's mouth and put as much magic in the enchantment for us to breach the surface just a bit. Then dropped the boat right under us. 

"Your leg was in bad shape with the metal crushed in and around it, and you weren't breathing. I cut off your leg, healed it over, before doing CPR on you with magic that may or may not have done anything to get your heart beating."

"WAIT!" she shouts, stopping my story and her eyes going wide. "I drowned, and my heart stopped, but… you brought me back!? Lia… That's amazing! How.. Is that really even possible?"

I took another 20 minutes to explain to Ailine what CPR is, cardiac arrest, and so on. It seems that for however long she was gone, she didn't suffer any brain damage from lack of oxygen. Or maybe she did, and being a vampire healed it? I don't know and it's not something I want to ever need to do again.

Once she was satisfied, I continued. "Anyway, after you started breathing, I cleaned things up a bit, and took what was supposed to be a nap. I don't know about you, but I'm fucking done with the ocean. How about we get the fuck out of here?"

"I can't agree more… But did our boat drift away?" She had the same concern I did.

"No, dungeon mojo nonsense. We're directly above the boss room."

"Well that's good. Let's get ready to go. Can you help me walk after we sink?"

"Sure thing, Ailine."

I decided to update our fairy. (Hey Navi! Ailine's awake and we're getting the hell out of Dodge.)

(Yay! Expect to be hugged so hard when you get back, Ailine!) she said.

Ailine leaked a grin. (I'll be ready, Navi.)

After that, we put on just our chest piece and helmet to breathe and sink down to the floor, storing the boat after jumping out. We had to reshape her wax mouthpiece a bit from all the shaking, but that was an easy fix. It seemed the shaking knocked her out, shutting her enchantments off and drowning her.

On the floor, we grabbed the lances, pike, monster core, and a tooth sword drop from the paddlegator.

Taking our time, we hobbled to the iron door that led to the safe room with a solid wall of water on the other side once through. I'll never get used to dungeon shenanigans. Closing the door, we took a second to change out of the helmet, armor, and wet clothes.

Now dry and with shadow cloaks on since the sun is up, I have Ailine in a princess carry. We head through the door once again, then take the platform to the Tutorial Dungeon, and another door to the stair room.

Right before we leave the cave, we have an idea to make our young fairy niece smile, and take out our flower crowns. Walking out of the cave area into the light, my hate for the ball of death is lessened when I see the two fairies and their pet/guardian beast there at the entrance to welcome us with bright smiles.

"AILIIIINE!"—Navi promptly gave her a fairy face tackle/hug.—"We were so worried! I'm so glad you're alright!" 

Ailine pats her back with two fingers. "Thank you, Navi. It was all because we had these wonderful flower crowns. Thank you so much, Lala, for making them to keep us safe."

With a few tiny tears starting, the little green fairy darted over and joined the face hug. "Aunt Ailine! Aunt Lia! I was so scared when Mother told me you were hurt. But! But! She said Aunt Lia would always make sure you would be alright."

She now pats crying fairies on both sides of her face with both hands. "I know, Lala. With Aunt Lia there and you here, how could I not come back home."

Having a family like this. People to care for. People to come home to… This is nice. I never want to lose this, and will kill anyone that tries to take it from me. To live a peaceful life with my family. Maybe that should be my new end goal.

After a few minutes and as tears die down, I call out, "Come on, you girls. Let's get out of the sun. Ailine still needs to rest a couple days at least to get her leg back."

Together with Ailine in my arms and fairies attached to her face, we head back to the castle, our bedroom, strip, and fall asleep in each other's arms. Happy to be back home together.

=====

POV - Navi

"We're heading to bed, Navi," Lia called out, walking past my lab and towards the stairs to her room.

"Go have some fun, you two love bats!"

Seeing off the adorable vampire couple, I get back to focusing on my enchantments. Ever since Lia beat the paddlegator almost a year ago, she has been working on a new magic/sword style. I admit it's pretty cool, but it's taken quite a while for the silly blood sucking walrus to get the hang of it.

After that underwater nightmare of a level, we lucked out with three long, but more straightforward floors. Then we hit an open world for floor forty-three and a truly massive one on floor forty-four. After seeing the enemies on forty-four, it quickly became our go-to training ground.

Once we popped our head into floor forty-five, and after beating the first monster, we had a pretty good idea what the boss would be. The monster we fought was in a massive tunnel. And it was called a 'baby wyrm' at level 58.

Now, call me dumb fairy, but when we run into a baby anything in a dungeon, there's a high chance we will run into an adult. Toats rocket science! Even with the Vamp's new fighting style, she was barely able to puncture the baby. Since we got our investigation done, we noped out of there, and back to my sweet little girl.

Now, I'm working on a new armor piece and weapon for Lia to use for the sole purpose of breaking through tough, large, opponents like the Wyrm or if/when we finally come up against a dragon. It's a good thing she's a vampire, because she could easily lose an arm trying this crazy thing.

More importantly than her appendages, tomorrow I get to go on a trip with my little Lala! Lia is coming with us to the floor forty-four training grounds, and we're power leveling Lala like never before! I'm so excited to hang out with her! I'm not like a regular mom. I'm a cool mom. I mean, on Wednesdays, we wear pink! 

In order to make sure my sweetheart listens to her Aunt Lia, I'm coming along. Just in case. With how Lia fights now, she's like the worst enemy to these monsters! Even still. At level 56 and 57, they're almost double the level of my baby!

As much as I poke fun at Lia, I love that crazy vampire. I mean, she kinda-sorta helped me become me. I have all her past memories, she helped me get a soul and body. Haaaa! That's it! We're soul sisters! I gotta go tell her right now!

Flying as fast as I can, I burst into their room, startling Lia, and Ailine who was between her legs. "Lia! Lia! We're soul sisters! You know, because you helped me get a soul!"

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE YOU DAMN MOTH!"

Laughing at my super awesome joke, I leave the vampires to their business. I love picking on them like this! What a nice couple. They should tie the knot sometime, but I doubt Lia even knows what marriage on Erald entails. Should I tell her?... Nah. This'll be more fun! She'll figure it out eventually. 

After working some more, I decided to fly by the garden to see my little Lala. "Lala! Where are you!"

"Up here, Mother!"

"Pii!"

From up in the south tower I hear my darling, so I fly up and give her a big hug.

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"Ah!" she shouts in surprise.

Rubbing cheeks, I try to see what my little girl is up to. She has such soft cheeks.

"Oh! Watching the sunrise again?" I asked.

"Ya!" She smiles brightly. "Talon woke up early, and we both flew up here. It's always pretty to see."

"It certainly can be."

"It makes me a bit sad that Aunt Lia and Aunt Ailine don't like to watch it."

"Maybe." I think about what to tell her. "At the same time, I know both of them really enjoy the moon and stars. Have you watched them like you do the sun?"

"Hmm. Not as much. I usually just see the stars as twinkling lights. The moon can be kinda pretty though, when it's full."

"Then let's do this! When we get back from our trip, let's get your aunts and we can all sit on the outer wall and watch the stars together."

"I'd like that!" Her expression becomes pensive. "Hey, uh, Mother. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Always, Lala!"

"I'm… a bit scared of the monsters on this trip. They're just so much bigger and higher level than me… I know you and Aunt Lia will be there, but I'm still…"

"Oh, Lala. It's perfectly fine to feel like that. Being scared isn't a bad thing in itself. Even me and your aunts get scared. That's why we're preparing for floor forty-five. Because we're scared of the monsters there."

"How do you handle it?"

I give her shoulders a squeeze. "Just like that. We prepare. We think of as many things that could happen, and we get as many plans together as we can. Do you remember what we told you the plan was for this trip?"

"Yes. Aunt Lia is going to attack first. We will fly up high and behind it and shoot fireballs or earth bullets at it as a distraction. I'm to never get too close where it could grab me," she recited.

"Great! And after Lia makes it fall down?"

"Fire all the magic we can at its eyes and fly away fast before it hits us."

"Right! And why do you think we came up with that strategy?"

"Um… Because it works?" she answered with no real confidence.

"Hahaha! You're not wrong." I give her another hug. How I love my little girl. "It's because we looked at a scary enemy, saw what all of us could do with our specialties, and made a plan to make the fight less scary."

"Hmm… Thanks for coming with me on the trip, Mother. It might still be a little scary, but I'm glad you're there."

Eyes watering, I can't resist anymore. "Lalaaaaa!" I squeeze her tight. What a good daughter.

=====

POV - Dalia

"Time for you to go, then?" Ailine asks, laying on my chest in bed.

"Yeah." I reply while rubbing her back. "We're only going partway through the floor in a large circle where they appear as singles, then we'll be right back in a week."

"I know. I'll just miss you. I honestly can't remember the last time we were away for a week."

"I know, right? But, we have telepathy, so I'll check in. I'm more worried if you'll be alright alone with Talon."

"I'll be ok. You just take care of those two."

(Hey! Move your booty!) Navi shouts in my head.

"Looks like it's time. I love you Ailine, be safe while we're gone." 

"I love you too, Lia."

I give her one more kiss before we get out of bed, get dressed, and head down to the entrance. There, we see Talon and the fairies.

I walk up and run my hand along her feathered neck. "Talon. Keep her and the area safe. Wake her up if you see anything strange during the day. Anything at all."

"Pii!"

Waving goodbye, the fairies and I head to floor forty-four. Once there on the open-world floor, we start moving forward, looking for the first monster amongst the giant redwood-like trees towering above us.

My new way of fighting can't be called much of a style. After using the water jet boosters on that fucking ocean floor, I really wanted to become more mobile on land. To do this, I started focusing more on my air magic for maneuvering, along with getting a better grip of space-time teleportation.

Teleporting isn't as simple as it sounds. To go from one spot to another, you need to clearly visualize where you are and where you're going, and exchange them. While fighting or moving, it's nearly impossible to imagine where I am in space at one moment in time. Usually, I need a couple seconds of staying still to visualize it. Teleporting also draws on an absurd amount of mana. Whatever the fuck Tavelstein did to break the common sense of magic for his big bags and teleportation platforms, I have no idea. The man was a genius. Crazy and eccentric by all accounts, but a genius all the same.

Thus, I've been using air magic. Flying in a traditional anime fantasy sense is impossible with air magic. The trope of 'cover myself in air and I can fly' type of thing just doesn't match with the magic logic here, but what it can do is create footholds. 

They're hard to control and took me for fucking ever to get right, but I can compress air, similar to shooting an air bullet or slash. When compressed, if I keep it still, it makes a solid mass of air that I can use as a foothold for a short time.

Along with fighting in 3-D, I've also used it similar to the booster lance thrusts. When swinging Seren, after lots of practice, I'm able to use wind on my arm to push it faster in a swing or stab. This has given it substantially more power. 

Another new trick is seen when I stab. I've increased my control with water magic, and can then shoot a water jet from the tip of Seren near instantly. While it's inside a monster, it fucks them up. I originally tried with fire, and the blowback burned the crap out of me, too. Air also hurt them, but it pushed them away more than anything. No, water is definitely the way to go for this.

After almost two hours of walking amongst the massive trees, we hear the noise of thundering footsteps. Walking through the forest of trees that are over two hundred and fifty feet tall, is a sixty-foot monster. Our target for power leveling Lala.

Giant - level 56

Simple and to the point. Just like the fights against them.

(You ready to go, Lala?) I check with the nervous fairy.

(Yes, Aunt Lia.) She grabs her own shaking hand to calm down.

Knowing that Navi is with her to make sure she stays safe, I utilize my dark magic, stealth skills, and overall smaller size to get behind the giant as it walks. 

Taking out Seren, just as it lifts its left foot, I slash with my wind assist, and sever its Achilles tendon in one swing. It makes a terrible 'snapping rubber band' noise, but giant sized and mixed with the sound of tearing fascia inside its leg. 

"RAHHHH!" With a bellowing roar, it loses the use of that foot before the fight even starts. 

Stumbling forward, it braces its body on a tree as the fairies open fire from above and I blend into the shadows of a different tree. With the fairies launching magic at it from a distance, they don't do much damage, but they immediately get its attention. As it looks towards the fairies and reaches out to try and swat them, I dart around and slash its other tendon.

With another roar and sickening noise, it comes crashing to its hands and knees. While its hands are on the ground and before it can swing at them wildly, the fairies dart in and launch fire at its eyes. On reflex, it tries to reach for its eyes, still focusing on the fairies.

Meanwhile, I run alongside it, jump in the air and use a wind foothold to jump higher, bringing me to its neck. Grabbing Seren with both hands, raising it high with the blade pointing down, I thrust Seren right where the large and obvious artery in its neck is. With the wind assist thrust downward as well as gravity, the artery gets sliced open. Like a broken hydrant, it spreads gallons of blood to the surroundings.

Now that the battle is as good as won, we want to avoid any stupid mistakes, like getting hit by a flailing arm. I make a foothold as I fall and jump away from the giant, now grabbing at its neck in a futile attempt to live longer. Landing safely on the ground, I back off fully out of range of it as it desperately tries to hold its burnt eyes and cut neck. Navi and Lala fly down to join me as we watch the death throes of the giant.

"Good work, Lala. How was your first giant?" I ask.

She smiles and answers, "A lot less scary than I thought. It scared me when I saw it, but after that, the fight was over too fast to really be called a fight."

"Right?" I nod. "That's what makes this floor so great. All of us are a great counter against the giants. If you couldn't fly or I didn't have high-ish stealth related skills, a giant could do massive damage. From when we were working this out, they can move faster than you might think. Navi almost got fucking hit once when she was being swiped at like a fly."

"That wasn't fun at all!" Navi shivers at the memory. "That's why we stay back and make it look at us!"

"Right." I said. "Also why we're only going deep enough to fight single giants. Later in this floor, they come with as many as four. Some with clubs. The boss here is an armored giant with two subordinates. Its armor also includes its heels, so we had to fight all of those completely differently."

Lala beams at us. "Wow! Thank you all for taking me here."

"Sure thing, Lala. We want you to be able to protect yourself if anything ever happens." I glance at the giant. "Oh look, it stopped. One sec, let me get a drink."

Running over to the giant, I take a long and filling drink from the blood covered neck. Giants are tasty. We should find some outside someday. Backing off, it dissolves, leaving behind a monster core and tooth hammer. 

One bad thing about the giants is that their drops are all extremely weird. Like this tooth hammer literally being its tooth with a stick attached. Or its toenail shield. Yes. Literally a toenail with a handle on the back to be used as a shield. 

Who would even make drops like those? They're just creepy. Well… I can think of one goddess that would. 

Storing away another hammer I hope to never have to use, we give the core to Lala who leveled up twice with that one fight, and continue on our way. 

Because Giants are so spread out, we search for three more hours before finding another. That's the bad part of using this for EXP grinding. It's safe for us, but we run into them so infrequently it ends up not being that efficient. However, safely strengthening us was the point of this strategy. With nothing broken so why fix it, we killed it the same way.

For a week, this is how we spent our time. Hunting single giants, and sleeping when I needed to. I would find roots and make a little earth wall lean-to with a fur mat while the fairies kept watch. A week later, we had an excited level 46 fairy. When we walked out of the dungeon cave entrance, Ailine and Talon were there to greet us.

Watching the little fairy fly around an excited hippogryph while excitedly telling it all about her trip, made this worth doing. We don't want anything to happen to our family.

To fully power level her, she would need at least a month or more in there. Although, for a first long trip away from home, we're just glad she's back safe and happy.

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