Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Watery (I)

"So, when I use my Bloodline, it detects me," Gjaki was looking at the artifact that Eldi was holding.

"It's designed to detect strong blood auras. Once detected, in some way, it no longer lose track of it," Eldi confirmed.

He wanted to open the device and study it, but he was afraid of damaging it, losing that clue.

"What about now?" the vampiress asked.

"No change. It's still detecting you"

"Now?"

"Mmmh. It seems like it's weaker. Can you make whatever you made stronger?" Eldi suggested.

"I think so. Let's see... Now," Gjaki tried.

"Perfect! It no longer detects you."

"Let me use Bloodline again..."

"It's caught your aura again," Eldi reported.

"I go back to the previous one. What about now?"

"It has stopped detecting you. It seems to only be able to detect one at a time."

"Good to know. If I force some other blood into my aura and suppress my own, I can trick it. The problem is knowing when they're following me," Gjaki mused. "I guess I can change from time to time, especially after I let out my aura."

They had been testing the artifact the vampires had used to find her. After many tests, they had managed to discover its purpose. It had revealed how they had found her. After that, they had been trying to figure out how to mislead it.

"Stop playing. Another one is approaching," Goldmi warned them.

The elf was in the pirate ship's lookout position, atop the mast. From there, she could shoot safely, and glimpse the shadows underwater. In this way, she relieved her winged sister of her duty. The goshawk was now resting next to her, while allowing the elf to pamper her. Goldmi had been gently stroking her soft feathers for some time.

The last floor of the dungeon was an ocean. A strong boat was needed to traverse it, or be of an aquatic species. Just as the second floor was the paradise of beings related to fire, this was the paradise of those of water.

Often, groups of said beings hired adventurers to help them cross to this last floor. Once they arrived, they could deal with enemies even a couple or three levels higher.

The aquatic beasts in the dungeon were designed to attack those who crossed the surface of the water. Against those who could swim freely within it, they didn't have many resources.

The rest of the adventurers had no choice but to get some type of boat that could withstand the attacks of those beings, and then deal with them. Flying was also an option if they were capable, as there were some islands where they could rest.

Whatever the strategy, it was essential to prepare specifically for that floor. Many who arrived for the first time paid passage on one of the other adventurers' ships. That way, they could to get an idea of what it was like to fight there. Not everyone returned to face the water. There were other dungeons more suitable for those who didn't want to get wet.

For their part, they had a pirate ship, whose sailors were strange dolls that were activated with mana. In the game, they had carried out a multitude of missions to get the ship built. Many more had been needed to get the crew too.

It must be said that their case was unique. Although they had set sail with a smaller boat so as not to create a commotion, some adventurers had seen it from afar. Those adventurers had been totally amazed.

In fact, they could simply sail away, ignoring the beasts, although then they wouldn't gain any experience.

"Are you going, or should I just put bait?" Gjaki asked.

"I guess it's my turn. Before, it was Goldmi's, and we're done here," Eldi took off the top part of his clothes.

"Wow! You know, you're quite hot. It's a shame that I already have a partner," the vampiress mocked.

"That's right. How glad I'm to have Hawkeye," Goldmi laughed from above.

"That's harassment," Eldi complained.

They laughed. He shrugged and prepared to jump overboard. The best thing was to disappear quickly when the two joined forces against him, although a smile appeared in his lips. He knew that behind the jokes was the intention to cheer him up. That morning, he had felt a little down after thinking about Melia, after wondering if he would see her again.

They had two methods of dealing with the beasts. One was to bait them out, and Gjaki's blood was the best. Once they showed up, Goldmi could shoot them down, and Eldi could help too. Using the cannons was a bit overpowered, although all three of them had done it at least once.

The cannons fired mana projectiles, so they needed to be pre-charged. At this point, they had 10% of them charged, which said a lot about the amount of mana that was needed.

He activated Hold the Breath as soon as he jumped into the water from the classic wooden board of a pirate ship. Eldi quickly approached the target thanks to the fins he was wearing on his feet, and Rabbit Spirit.

It was a huge semi-transparent octopus with horns, each of whose eight tentacles measured more than two meters. Its attention was focused on a Bat flying over the water, a creation of mana and blood. The blood was what attracted it, and the only difference from being bait was that it was flying lower.

It extended its tentacles to catch the small winged being, when Eldi appeared beneath it. With the spear in his hand, he cast Electrolysis several times, while slowly moving the weapon towards his prey. In the water, everything seemed much slower.

His only water spell paralyzed and damaged the mana beast, while the spear pierced it with the help of Tearing Sting. The skill was slow, but the octopus was paralyzed, and movements in the water were already slow.

A few seconds later, the mana being had disappeared, and he was holding on to a rope that was being pulled by the sailors.

"You could've gone a little faster! It ate my Bat!" the vampiress joked.

"If you're so worried, why don't you act as bait next time?" Eldi suggested, with a provocative grimace.

"It's a bad idea, she's a bit indigestible," Goldmi laughed from above.

"Hey! Traitor! I'm going to punish you without dessert!" Gjaki threatened, imitating her.

"Ohh, so that's how it's going to be...? Now, you're going to get it..." the elf said as if she were getting angry.

She then began to fire Light Arrows at her friend, who had to quickly dodge them. Even Eldi was forced to dodge an "accidentally shot" one, as if that were possible.

In reality, they were harmless, even though she was a vampiress. Not only did she have Sun Protection, but Gjaki had gained additional resistance against light magic. For years, she had made the elf attack her with her light spells, until achieving passive protection from it. After that, it has been raised to 10. Now, she was almost like a normal person against that type of magic. Probably the only one of her race.