Honey, I've Leveled the Kids [Family-Focus, LitRPG - COMPLETE]

The metallic smell of rot and the system's notes gave me a hunch about our location. The totem pole was the giant billboard sign.

"We ended up in hell," I informed Naiad.

She pointed at an arrow shaped sign near the totem pointing along the wall path. "There's a town that way."

The sign read "Purge. Current Mayor: A. Tory. 3 miles this way."

I walked past the totem and the stone wall. "Yeah, but our worm root is growing that way. Let's keep up with the Bark of Resilience and get this fetch quest done."

This was the most exciting fetch quest I've ever done. The land behind the wall was the least friendliest looking place, with the tall natural pillars creating a maze of earth threatening to crush us or get us pounced on by monsters. We crossed over into the land and instantly got a notification.

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[Buff: The god Kujira has noticed your presence in his home. He has put a debuff on you.

Decreased stamina regeneration by 10%

Duration: Until you leave hell.]

His legion will find you.]

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"I'm guessing with how you stopped walking," Naiad cleared her throat, looking back at the roots and the way we came. "That you also got that notification and debuff?"

I tried making light of the situation. "Yep. Why did it say legion? Couldn't have said minions, making it sound… smaller?"

"The debuff is small at least," she tried comforting.

"Our stamina is cut by ten percent while we walk these 'Hallow' lands." I explained. "Stamina is based on an average of strength and dexterity. That means your strength has to be high with your dexterity if you think the debuff is small. What are you trying to build as?"

She drew her bow and pointed at the root path. "I'm trying to survive. My other quest updated, saying something about an undead plant. This is where I can get more herbs for the Carrion of Life."

That confirmed my suspicion of what had happened earlier in the woods. It was good she was moving her own quest along independently.

I replied. "I want to focus on the Root and Seeds quest first. We better get out of here fast and avoid any fights. Unless you have special arrows to deter the dead?"

"I'm not leaving without my quest." She walked taller, determined to go on.

"Nor mine," I agreed. "We already turned down a god once. We can fight a legion with enough arrows."

"And enough axes for you to throw," she chuckled.

I laughed, relieved that the tension between us had decreased since the holy area of Fanamel.

Naiad jogged along the path with the roots, following the creatures around a knocked over limestone pillar on the ground. I didn't want her taking the lead on this. This was again above our level. The entry newt mobs we fought were level twelve. Naiad was level eleven, and I was only ten.

That's what a legendary quest did. Pushing us to rise above the common, to become unique and legendary players. The harder the challenge, the greater the reward.

A rock fell down from the top of a pillar. The sound echoed as the stone scattered across the limestone floor. Only a few patches of weeds grew in this place. Living life was rare here, and we were looking like perfect prey walking on the ground floor weaving between the pillars.

If this was just me, I would only be slightly nervous. That sound had me jumping and putting a hand out in front of Naiad. I hushed her before she said anything.

In soft whisper, I said, There's no wind here. That rock didn't move on its own. Put your torch away so we're not an obvious target."

Naiad, quietly said, "The root keeps going that way, near where the rock fell."

"You keep an eye out on the ground for any sort of tracks with your new skills. I'll keep lookout up above."

She scoffed, "Wouldn't it make more sense for me, the one with the bow, to look up? Or are you going to throw your axe there?"

"Just do your job."

The joke of me throwing my axe was getting old - and I was losing too many cookies. We eased our way around one pillar. I heard rocks scattering in the distance, but nothing near us. The size of the root was getting smaller, and the pulsating pumps had slowed.

It was getting weaker.

I couldn't find the Bark of Resilience any more either. "Where did the bark go?" I asked Naiad.

"I don't know. I was looking for monster footprints with my bow," Naiad quipped.

"Crap, let's go quick and stay alert." I picked up my movement to a light jog. I could feel my stamina dropping faster than it should have. Jogging never used to affect my stamina, only running. I could already see how weak I had become. "Keep me updated on your stamina. Try to reserve more than half of it in case a fight starts suddenly."

I pulled out a Leaf of the Fallen and gave it to the worm snake train. "Follow it. I don't want to lose this quest."

The worm snakes carried the leaf along the root to where ever. With my increased pace came a decreased level of finesse as I stepped on pebbles. Each one sounded like loud bubble wrap banging and crushing beneath my step.

"Are we done sneaking already?" hissed Naiad.

I glanced at the time real world time and cursed again. "Crap, yes. You should've been going to bed twenty minutes ago." I grounded my teeth. It was only for one school night. We could be selfish and stay on track of the quest. "Congrats, you can stay up late tonight because I don't think these roots will be here next time we log on."

"I had homework!"

"Stay up late and finish it. I'll sign you a note in the morning about you being sick if needed." I paused, thinking about that.

She could stay home sick tomorrow. That would give us a full day advantage. Toss that with the upcoming weekend in a day, we could finish this quest easily. She's been doing well in school, one day wouldn't hurt. I continued, "It's important to learn about work-life balance."

"Can we wait until Tuesday?" She asked. "I have a test that day."

I held my tongue, realizing the grave I dug. There was no correct answer right now besides moving forward on this quest. "Let's get this done fast, so I don't have to sign anything. The root is smaller around this pillar."

The tiny root was the size of my pinky. It even broke off in places and the small worm snakes wriggled off and weaving around a cluster of four pillars. Vines grew up and around to connect the stones and make a nest. The leaves of the vines resembled claws more than a leaf with their dark brown glossy coloring. The whole enclosed area was threatening, with large thorns sticking out around the whole place, each one large enough to pierce through my thumb.

Stolen story; please report.

Two worms carried the Leaf of the Fallen toward a small gap on the bottom. The leaf crumpled up as they squeezed it through.

The leaves of the vines rustled in a breeze.

A warning in a still and dead place. I gripped my two axes and turned toward the wind.

It was the wrong direction. Naiad missed it with her animal tracking because she was looking at the ground. I missed it because it already flew past me to dive on her.

The monster didn't let out a battle cry as it attacked her. Naiad cried in pain, alerting me of the fight. I twirled around and sprinted to give her support. I threw an axe at the beast to chase it off her.

The monster had a wingspan as long as my arms and claws as large as my hand. Where the Carrion of Life had a small vulture head, this monster was all fluff, and a jagged short beak to match its pointy head. The bird heard my axe flying at it, lowered itself to peck down at Naiad, dodging my hit. She kicked the bird off her and it fluttered into the sky.

"What is with all the fowl monsters?" I grunted as I covered for her to get her bow ready.

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[Level 14 Creature: Aulley (unique), Type: hell.

Description: Silent animals of the sky that can take sharp turns and twirl around you like acrobats in any alley. Native to this land, they are the carrier of the currents and servants of the Air God of Hell. They hoot and gossip to pass on secrets to their god, letting it know where you are.]

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The bird flapped its wings and moved up higher in the air before diving at me with talons. I pulled out the shield on my back to give both Naiad and me cover.

"Hurry and shoot it." I reminded her.

The bird flew silently back up. It's how I missed its initial attack. It circled around a pillar, and we darted around looking for hints which way it will come.

A shadow covered over us. I moved my shield above us just as the aulley's claws racked across it. The bird was light, and I could hold my footing against its claws. Naiad shot it and hit its yellow-grey wing.

The monster fell to the ground, crying in pain. It was the perfect opportunity to charge forward and cut it up. As I neared it, I heard the bramble of leaves behind us rustle again from another fowl monster.

"Behind you!" I cried to Naiad, staying focused on slaying the weak one.

"Crap!" Naiad said, followed by the twang of her bowstring.

I didn't hear an aulley body fall down, only the sound of hollow bones breaking under my axe. The bird on the ground shuddered after one whack. With the second hit, I got the achievement that declared it dead.

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[New Achievement: Home ain't so sweet home anymore. You have slain a creature of the underworld while in their home.]

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I blinked the achievement away and turned off the notifications for the next few minutes. Stats later, saving my daughter came first. I yanked my axe free from the aulley, feathers floating around me from my destructive kill.

Naiad's bow fired again. The pillar landscape made it easy for the aulley to hide around and dive on us immediately, giving us little time to defend against them. She was busy watching her front and missed the two coming behind her.

"It's a flock of them!" I pointed behind her.

"Flock!" she screamed.

"Language!" I shouted.

"What?" Her arrow fired off. She was getting better practice at rapid fire. She hit the first bird directly in the chest, and went too fast before aiming the second one, and clipped its wing. The two birds fell and flopped on the ground as easy prey for me.

She shot at the flock… I realized what she actually said and didn't bother correcting, saving my stamina, as I ran to finish the last one. I was a pillar's length away from Naiad's position when I heard the sound.

Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.

Like the loudest crickets of the night. Multiple small and colorful, poison dart frogs hopped toward me. Their skin glistening in the dim light of the land like oil. Their chirps muffling out the sound of their feet smacking the stone. One with brilliant orange spots landed next to the root near the bramble. It looked at me, chirped and twisted its head around, debating how to devour me.

It was the size of my thumb. I could smash them with my foot. I feared getting near them and losing my mind to them.

I dug through my inventory. It was the last item I had used, right?

"Not the leaves, not the healing potions. Where is it?" I panicked aloud as if my voice would block their chirps and Leith's voice. "Here it is! Sweet breakfast."

I held out the cinnamon stick Naiad gave me earlier. Never leave home without it.

"What is it now?" Naiad whined like I told her to do chores.

"Grab your cinnamon stick." I moved back to her.

I desperately looked on the muted stone floor, trying to find the axe I threw earlier. With its brown handle, and should've been obvious. All the yellow-gray feathers of the aulley hid the axe. Four bodies were on the ground from our efforts.

"I found your axe," Naiad declared, coming over to me, leaving the vines. As she closed the distance on us, she twisted her head around, scouting for any more birds.

"Shh, we need to get back and start sneaking out soon." I whispered to her. My hand wrapped around the handle, my finger twitched with anticipation. We were moving too slow.

"What about the quest?" She replied in a softer voice.

I pointed back to the frogs, hoping she understood to stay quiet. We could still cut our way into the vining mess. The frogs hopped closer to the bramble in the middle of the pillars, following the root trail.

The frogs ate the worm snakes that marked our path back out of the pillar maze. Our breadcrumb trail was vanishing.

The tiny worm snakes squirmed as fast as they could to get into the safety of the leaves and thorns. Their speed was no match for the hopping frogs and their tongues. One darted out and inhaled the small, white, prickly creatures.

"Let's smash them before they eat whatever is hiding in there for our quests." I told her. "Ready?"

Naiad looked confused, eyes darting from the sky and ground. "Smash them? I can't shoot those tiny creatures."

"Set?" I continued. She would get it when I showed her what I meant.

"Are you listening?" She pleaded.

"Use your boots! And go!" I had to explain everything to the child.

I lolloped forward. I was really looking forward to smashing things like I was Godzilla. The chirps got louder as I got closer. The small frogs could jump a great distance compared to their body size, but it was short compared to my stride.

Catching them was a breeze. They turned and scattered about as I came near. For humor, I swung my axe about, succeeding in actually getting one. My achievement count went up. Parts of the worm snakes and frogs lay scattered beneath me, soaking into the hard stone.

I got distracted with slaying and swinging before I realized I was three pillars away from Naiad's blue dot. She didn't follow me again, a constant reminder of how she didn't listen to me. I wanted to call to her, but didn't want more of the aulleys to show up. We had to get out of here and to safety.

If we turned back now, we wouldn't learn the truth about the Root and Seeds of the Problem now. We would fail it and get a curse from the gods.

Quests with high rewards required great risks.

A quick glance at my healing potion status meant I had time. But I would've chugged an Eggy Rat Stamina potion if I had one. I adjusted my axe grip, preparing for the challenge.

[Team Chat]

[Boulder: Stay back and find out what's in the bramble now.]

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[Message from the Gods:

You can't commune with the living.]

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I grumbled and repeated my words, "Find out what's in the bramble. I'll take care of this."

Naiad's voice got loud enough for me to hear over the chirping. "No, if we get separated, I can't fight all of this on my own. I can't even shoot the frogs!"

"I'll save you. There's more coming and we can't wait this out. Get in there!" I ordered.

"But how?!"

"Hurry and use your knife."

More frogs moved away from me and down another path. One was not so lucky to escape me and my frustration. I wished Naiad asked fewer questions and did what she was told, trusting my gaming experience. With another stomp, I noticed the chirping lined up with the beat of my boots hitting the ground.

And it continued on when I stopped.

Chirp. Croak. Chirp.

[Boulder: Get your cinnamon ready!]

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[Message from the Gods:

You can't commune with the living.]

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I gritted my teeth at not being able to communicate to my daughter.

The rhythmic beat of the frogs was too similar to the temple we were at earlier. I jumped back to Naiad, monitoring the small animals. The oily looking frogs formed a circle, but leaving an outline of a triangle in the middle of it. Any other stragglers ran away. The circle and triangle hopped and croaked toward me.

Chirp went the circle, croak went the triangle. Bit by bit, moving in on us.

"Uh, did the square not fit in the circle?" I asked, sniffing my cinnamon, praying it kept me safe. "What about pentagon?"

"Mortal. Do not stop me," spoke a familiar voice from the realm of Earth. Before it was high pitch, here it resonated out of the frogs' open mouths, much clearer than at the temple of Leith. "That seed will be mine. SHE will be mine."

I glanced back at Naiad. "Oh, hell no. You won't be splitting my family."

The small tiny frogs didn't scare me, as long as I had my axe! With a battle cry, I shouted forward defending my family, with a boot landing on a frog legs.

The creatures didn't move as their brethren fell to my attack. They continued with their insistent chirping.

"Family? Oh, how precious. I would've welcomed you over if you brought the seed. But it doesn't matter, she is mine. It's too late and Chiliam won't be able to take her back anymore." The goddess of Leith spoke through me. Her voice targeting behind me at Naiad.

I continued crushing the frogs beneath me. The streamer views spiked. The people were loving this onslaught. I destroyed the triangle under my foot.

Leith's threats didn't stop. "Your family will suffer by your own doing. Leave the seed and your family will live."

Her voice cackled and vanished. The frogs that made the circle ran off, leaving only a line of the triangle left.

One side out of the original three that made it. One for Naiad, Triangle, and me. Now broken by my action.

We had to get back to the guild and unite. Something was going on now, but I didn't know what. I moved fast to get back to Naiad.

I swatted an aulley away and got within arm's reach of Naiad and her torch burning through the bramble vines. She used her knife like a saw, hacking through the vines with her other hand, desperate to get in. I had to save her and finish this quest.

Howls, growls, barks, snarls, screams and many monster noises called out to us, replying to my battle cry earlier.

The best loot came at the biggest risks in gaming. But who was I risking? Who was that last side of the triangle?

"Don't just stand there." I ordered at Naiad. "Let's grab this and go!"

I pulled out my axes, praying I wasn't paying too steep of a price, as I sliced at the burning wall.