Chapter 69 - 69

Once the quest contract is signed the five of them start heading for the Demon Dungeon. At first, the kids think nothing of it, as they'll be headed west anyhow, but then they realize they're not headed for the gate.

"Excuse me, sir? Are you lost? The gate is four streets that way." The boy indicates the way out of town.

Vala smiles at him "We've got a faster way. If we use the Dungeon, we can get you to your destination just after lunch today. No need to camp out in the woods, or fear attacks by Ogres."

"Your friend is crazy." The little girl whispers to Cain.

"That night be true, but she's right. I'm a summoner, so I'm going to bring out some summons to protect you, and we'll jog over to the hidden exit. It's a secret of the Demon Dungeon, don't tell anyone." Cain whispers back.

The kids reluctantly follow them into the Dungeon where Cain calls out the full Host of his summons, including two Dark Elven Clerics for his Supporters.

"Darklight Host. I get it now." The little girl giggles.

"See, not too crazy. We even brought two healers." Vala laughs.

They dodge what groups they can, Lamia Carrying the small Elves quickly through the ruins, their serpentine bodies making easy work of the terrain. By the end of the first hour they're into level 30 and 40 demons, and the Trolls and Lamia can all kill most of them with a single attack, so they're moving along at a brisk walk, looking to get to the exit as efficiently as they can.

That still means killing quite a few demons though, and their charges are celebrating the rapid rise in levels. At first, in the level 60 area, they were getting levels every pack or two, causing the same sort of message overload dizziness that Dimnys suffered, but now it has slowed down as the demons are lower level, and they've been dodging as many as possible, not trying to power clear the zone.

"That's incredible. Not only are we already here before I even got hungry, I'm almost to level 23 just from the journey. The teachers will be overjoyed!" The Elven boy laughs as they make the exit and Cain sends the summons away.

"You can write your safe arrival messages for your parents now." Cain says once they exit into the city and find a nice picnic table to write on.

"We'll show you around the city a bit, it's not as organized as Sunnybrook, and then we'll bring you to the academy to get your teachers to sign off on the mission."

"Safe arrival messages? What are those?" The Elven girl asks.

"Just a note to let your mom know you made it here safely and that she doesn't need to worry." Cain explains.

"Good idea. You saw how my mom gets." The boy laughs and digs writing materials out of his school supplies.

"Dad said when we get here we're both changing our names, do we use the new name or the old one?" The Girl asks.

"Use the old one, but tell them you've safely made it to the military academy in Peaceful River. She will understand." Cain says after thinking for a moment. He's not sure what the big fuss is, but it might be better if everything was vague.

The notes are quickly written and sealed, and Cain begins to show them the sights of the town. The markets, the good sweets shops, a few good vendors. He wanted to introduce them to Lickity, but she's not at the market today. In fact, Cain isn't sure if she will still be in this city at all, she might have leveled up past it.

The Headmaster is startled to see the children when they arrive on campus. Either he wasn't expecting them so soon, or he'd didn't think they'd make it at all.

"Headmaster, I have two candidates here by the name of Marcus and Sandy, that I would love to enroll in your academy." Cain tells him, and the Headmaster smiles.

"Of course, right this way and we can do the paperwork." Cain signs off on new documents for the Elves, under their chosen new names with himself as guarantor. He also pays their school fees, simply because he's feeling generous and doesn't want whatever is going on with their families to affect them.

Official business done, he goes to look for Cixelcid and Lickity, only to find they're both out on quests. Lickity still usually runs her shop here in town he's told, but Cixelcid is far enough ahead in levels he needs to grind in the next city over, which is where he is now.

They take a message for him, and the old gloves Vala was wearing that give extra self healing. They're from the level 70 Naga Raid, they might be an upgrade for him still. If not, it's the thought that counts. The three of them sight see all day, getting a room in Karmazin for the night and head back first thing in the morning.

As soon as they return to Sunnybrook, the quest compete notification pops up and Cain smiles, before realizing that he had no way into the inner city noble district to give the parents the message.

Everyone at the Guild House is still absorbed in their own tasks, so he decides to take Vala on another adventure, returning to the mission hall.

There's a few servants with different nobles Livery hanging around when he gets there, abnormal for the mission hall, and the father who offered the carriage is waiting for his return.

"I heard you came back through the Demon Dungeon, might I ask, did they make it.

"Safe and sound. The children both wrote letters for their mothers before I left, would it be possible to deliver them in person?" Cain asks and Vala signals him that he's attracted attention from at least a few of the servants.

"Of course, they're having tea at a shop near the East Gates today.. You can deliver the message there, I am certain they will be overjoyed to know the children made it out safely."