Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Again?

"All I can tell you is that you don't have to worry about her safety. I'd like to help you, but I can't tell you more," Maldoa apologized.

"Why? Why doesn't anyone want to tell me anything?" Eldi despaired.

Maldoa was silent for a while, not quite deciding how much she could tell him. She wanted to explain everything to him, but they had explicitly forbidden it.

"Follow your path, fulfill your destiny. Later... I hope... I can't say more," the drelf apologized again

Eldi sighed. That hurt him. The uncertainty was unbearable, but that drelf wasn't to blame. At least, she had come.

"If you can, tell her I miss her," he asked.

She smiled understandingly and nodded. Though she knew it wasn't necessary. Without a doubt, Melia was listening to them at those precise moments.

"You look like the Oracle," Gjaki complained.

Maldoa's smile was bittersweet, not knowing quite what to say. The comparison was somehow... She was sorry to disappoint him, but it was better than avoiding him. At least, she had managed to insinuate that her aunt was fine.

Eldi didn't bring it up again, so the drelf didn't need to feel uncomfortable. Also, she was very interested in meeting the high human. She had heard a lot about him, not only from her friend.

Still, it was impossible to ask some of the questions her dryad sisters had proposed. They were all very interested in him, for Melia, from whom they could perceive her feelings. Because of this, some had suggested some questions that Maldoa simply couldn't ask.

The drelf decided to stay a few days to take care of her nieces, although Goldmi knew that it was half the truth. The other half were two brothers who lived in the same village, with whom she had had a strange relationship for many years.

Sometimes, one of them would disappear for even months, and she wouldn't show up for all that time. Sometimes, she would stay for a while. Others, they were alone.

However, although at first it had been a mystery, now they knew that the drelf had two other lovers. She had come to bring them a couple of times, and the four husbands knew each other. Goldmi had found it somewhat difficult to understand, but she had accepted it with resignation.

"The level is slightly high, but we'll be fine. It's the perfect place," the vampiress assured.

She was wearing level 65 equipment, so that everyone would be the same. She even used Disguise. Although her companions hadn't asked her to, she had promised not to use skills or strength greater than that level. Gjaki wanted to level up with them, even though she didn't exactly need to.

Eldi and Goldmi had looked at each other, shrugged and accepted. It was impossible for them to say no. In addition, they couldn't deny that they were excited. At least, until they got to the place.

They were near one of the borders of Solodkro County, and it was the place where she had leveled up to 70. Goldmi was at 69, and Eldi was at 68, so it was a little less than when the vampiress had gone to that same place. However, it wasn't a big difference, and they were five. The three companions and Goldmi's two sisters.

"Again? Did they have to be ants?" Eldi complained aloud.

"What's the deal with ants? There're many, and they're perfect for leveling up. Right, Goldmi?" Gjaki was a bit surprised.

"Ants..." the elf looked at them with some discouragement.

"What's up with the ants?" the goshawk asked curiously.

"When we saved the dryad, they seemed to never end. I think she got a little traumatized," the lynx explained.

"You know I'm listening, right?" her blonde sister accused them.

The other two pretended to not ear, and didn't insist. They didn't want to not get dessert.

"Stop complaining for no reason. This cave is perfect. We'll level up in a flash. Goldmi, call them, please," the vampiress asked animatedly.

The other two sighed. Actually, it wasn't that bad. Besides, in the worst case scenario, they could leave through a Gate.

Therefore, the elf executed Arrows Rain. It wouldn't kill them, but she would harm quite a few, since there were so many together. After that, she began to shoot, to reduce their numbers before they arrived.

Gjaki was getting almost no experience, at least not from those beings. They were too low level compared to her, though she didn't need it either. In fact, she wasn't sure if her level could raise anymore. Truth to be told, she had felt the experience increase all these years, even though nothing appeared on the interface. She also felt, however, that she was too far.

Eldi waited while leeching. Goldmi had Steel Body, Steel Fists and Mana's Essence, plus she was on an Area of Attack and an Area of Defense. Therefore, part of the experience was shared with the high human.

Gjaki also carried various boons, and she had demanded Vampiric Touch on her daggers. Like in the game, she kept arguing that it had to be hers. So much so, that she was considering trying to learn the spell.

Despite being one to three levels higher than the elf, the ants were falling one after another. In addition, the albino bird also intervened. She many times Collided against the stuck arrows, thus making them go deeper into the ants. It should be said that both, the goshawk and the lynx, also carried various blessings, with which they were delighted. They had noticed the improvement in their combat ability.

However, the ants were many, and came from all directions. When they finally reached the cave, the elf fell back after her companions. For now, she would shoot arrows, though she was determined to fight melee afterwards.

"I never get tired of seeing them. I love the fire one," the vampiress praised when Eldi began to place Walls.

The ants had to cross the Walls to face them, who were waiting for them on the other side. They had talked about putting up Tentacles, to trap them in the Walls, but they had ruled it out. It was more efficient to deal with them directly, and more fun.

They had chosen that cave for two reasons. The first reason was that only three ants could enter at a time, or less if they went back into narrower tunnels. The second one was because it was a bit far from the cave where the vampiress had set the Exit Gate mark. They didn't want the ants to accidentally break it when they went to rest.

Eldi stood in front of one of them, Gjaki in front of the second, and the lynx in front of the third. Goldmi supported them from behind. Meanwhile, the goshawk attacked the ants outside from the sky. She was digging her claws into them, and using her strong beak to tear off pieces of meat, or even some antennae.

Eldi opted for the hammer. Since they had plenty of material, he had made a weapon of each level for him and his companions. It might not serve them long, but there were many in the mansion who could use them at one time or another. If not, Maldoa had assured that on the anti-corruption front they would be more than happy to buy them.