The slaughter field on Floor 60 was now completely silent. The freezing air, previously mixed with poisonous miasma and bone dust, slowly began to be swept away by a cool breeze originating from a single figure.
In the corner of that devastated giant hall, the only remaining beauty still stood firm. The Frozen Garden of Talia. The four-meter-tall prism ice block radiated a holy blue glow, illuminating the darkness of the Glacier like a beacon of hope refusing to be extinguished.
Inside that absolute transparent ice crystal, a little girl around seven years old slept peacefully. Her long golden hair flowed motionlessly within the ice, and her beautiful face, resembling a porcelain doll, looked so innocent, as if time had never touched her for the past thousand years.
Aria stepped forward. Her shoes stepped on the cracked ice floor, yet made absolutely no sound. The wind around the Great Spirit of Wind blew ever more gently, as if sharing her wildly beating heart.
For thousands of years she was trapped in darkness by the Black Dragon, her soul tortured by despair and guilt for leaving her daughter behind in a cruel world. And now, after a miracle brought her back, the most precious treasure of her existence was only an arm's reach away.
Alfia stood a dozen paces behind Aria. The elite mage leaned her back against the remains of a broken ice pillar. Alfia crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the trembling back of the Spirit of Wind in respectful silence. She had no intention of disturbing this sacred moment in the slightest.
Aria raised her trembling hands, pressing her palms against the extraordinarily cold surface of Talia's ice.
The freezing air did not hurt Aria. She closed her eyes, letting her memories travel far back across the flow of time. To the Ancient Era, when she still journeyed with the legendary hero Albert Waldstein and his party.
Aria remembered the figure of Celdia—the genius High Elf who was the greatest mage in their party. Celdia often spent nights at the campsite murmuring ancient magic theories, scribbling on parchment to create an absolute sealing magic that defied the interference of time. As a Great Spirit sensitive to the flow of nature, Aria often accompanied Celdia, listening to and observing the flow structure of the Frozen Garden of Talia while the magic was still in its refinement stage.
"The essence of eternal ice is not to freeze life, Aria. But to slow time to point zero. To release it, you cannot destroy it by force, or the life inside will be destroyed with it. You must reverse the flow of its temperature, giving it a warmth in rhythm with its heartbeat." Celdia's haughty yet caring voice echoed again in Aria's mind.
"Thank you, Celdia," whispered Aria softly, a tear escaping the corner of her eye. "Thank you for protecting her while I was gone."
Aria opened her golden eyes. An emerald-green energy glow radiated from her palms. She did not use cutting winds or destructive force. She focused her power to control the air temperature, spinning the flow of the wind element around the ice block into a warm vortex resembling a spring embrace.
Aria's lips began to hum a melody. Not a magic chant, but a wordless lullaby she often sang to Ais when the little girl was still in her cradle. The melody resonated with the energy locking the ice block.
The air temperature in the corner of Floor 60 slowly warmed. The surface of Talia's ice, claimed to be indestructible even by the highest Level attacks, now began to react.
Crrck... trrttkk...
The sound of fine cracking was heard. Lines of golden light from Aria's magic seeped into the ice block, following a spiderweb pattern. The cracks widened, enveloping the entire surface of the giant ice prism.
And then, without the slightest sound of an explosion, the Frozen Garden of Talia collapsed.
The eternal ice did not shatter into chunks of rock, but evaporated into millions of shining blue light particles falling like luminous snow. The curse of time, halted for thousands of years, finally resumed its course.
As the ice support vanished, Ais's tiny body lost its balance and fell forward.
Deftly, Aria caught her daughter's body, hugging the little girl tightly to her chest. Ais's body felt incredibly cold, as cold as the Glacier ice itself. Aria immediately wrapped the small body in a warm wind vortex, channeling pure warmth to pump Ais's blood circulation back up.
"Ais... my daughter..." whispered Aria, her voice breaking into sobs she could no longer hold back. She buried her face in the crown of Ais's head, inhaling the scent of her daughter's golden hair she had missed so much.
In Aria's embrace, Ais's body began to tremble. The freezing air that chilled her lungs was replaced by a sudden warmth. The little girl's eyelids fluttered softly, her curled eyelashes covered by the remnants of melting ice crystals.
Slowly, those pure golden eyes opened.
Ais's vision seemed blurry. The first sensation she felt was pain in her joints and a biting cold, before a gentle warmth enveloped her. However, before her brain could process the situation, a horrifying memory struck her consciousness like a sledgehammer.
It was her last memory before Celdia forced her to sleep.
The burning sky turning black. An ear-splitting roar that shook the earth. Giant black scales covering the sun. Blood splattered on the ground. Her father screaming, telling her to run. And the most terrifying... a giant dragon claw snatching her mother, pulling the woman into the air accompanied by a scream of despair.
"NOOOOO! MOTHERRRR!"
Ais's consciousness returned with a jolt. The little girl suddenly thrashed violently within Aria's embrace. Hysterical cries broke from her tiny lips. Her golden eyes widened, filled with absolute terror and panic.
"Let go! Please... let my mother go!" screamed Ais amidst her tears, her fragile hands beating against Aria's chest, still trapped in the illusion of a nightmare from thousands of years ago. "Father! Aunt Evelda! Help Mother! That dragon... that dragon is taking her!"
Aria's heart felt as if it were crushed to pieces hearing her daughter's traumatized screams. How agonizing was the last thing this little girl saw before being forced into a long sleep. Aria did not release her embrace; instead, she held Ais tighter, rubbing her trembling back with utmost gentleness.
"Ais... my darling, Ais. It's Mother," whispered Aria right into Ais's ear, her voice trembling but filled with absolute affection. "Open your eyes, darling. Your dream is over. Mother is here."
Hearing that incredibly familiar voice, Ais's weak punches slowly stopped.
The little girl drew a ragged breath. With her body still trembling violently, she slowly raised her head, pulling her face back from the chest where she was leaning. Her tear-filled golden eyes looked straight into the face of the woman hugging her.
The same pale golden blonde hair as hers. Golden eyes radiating gentleness. The scent of a spring breeze that always surrounded her when she was read bedtime stories.
Ais's breath hitched. Her tiny lips trembled uncontrollably. She raised her small, pale hand, then touched Aria's cheek very hesitantly, as if afraid that if she pressed too hard, the woman before her would shatter like a mirror illusion.
"M... Mother...?" called Ais, her voice very small and hoarse, implying an immense fear that she was hallucinating in her dying moments.
Aria grasped the small hand on her cheek, pressing it closer so Ais could feel her pulse, feel the warmth of her blood and her real life.
"Yes, my darling. It's Mother. Mother is real. Mother is holding you," answered Aria, tears wetting her beautiful face, falling onto the back of Ais's hand.
At that exact second, Ais's emotional defenses crumbled completely.
The reality that the woman before her was real erased all her rationality. She didn't care where she was. She didn't care how this could happen. The little girl immediately threw herself, wrapping her tiny arms as tight as she could around Aria's neck.
"MOTHERRRR!" Ais's cries broke, echoing heart-wrenchingly yet relievingly in the middle of the ruined ice hall. She cried loudly, pouring out all the terror, longing, and loneliness she never had the chance to express.
Aria returned the hug just as tightly, stroking her daughter's golden hair while continuously whispering apologies endlessly.
"Forgive Mother... forgive Mother for making you wait so long," sobbed Aria, burying her face in her daughter's neck. "Forgive Mother for leaving you alone in this cold place, darling."
"Mother is still alive... Mother wasn't eaten... Ais was scared... Ais was so scared!" whimpered Ais between her sobs, her little fingers clutching Aria's dress as if letting go for a single second would mean her mother would be snatched again by that black dragon.
"Mother will never leave again. Never," promised Aria, kissing her daughter's forehead repeatedly. "Mother swears upon the name of the wind, nothing in this world will ever separate us again."
In the distance, Alfia was still leaning against the ice pillar with her arms crossed. The heterochromatic eyes of the elite mage, which usually looked at the world with cynicism and condescension, now softened completely.
A very sincere smile, a smile rarely seen on the face of the "Calamitous Talent", was now etched on her lips. Witnessing the emotional reunion between a mother and child separated by the cruelest fate touched the deepest recesses of her humanity.
Alfia was reminded of Meteria—her twin sister whom she loved more than her own life. She thought of the small fetus in Meteria's womb, the nephew who would soon be born into the world. All the bloody battles she had just gone through against the labyrinth and its guardians, all felt very much worth it just to see this sight.
This world is full of tragedy and despair, thought Alfia, closing her eyes for a moment. But, as long as we can still fight for an embrace like this... I suppose fighting to live a little longer isn't so bad.
Time passed without anyone noticing. After shedding her tears for so long, Ais's sobs slowly began to subside. The little girl still rested her head on Aria's chest, reluctant to let go of her embrace, as if absorbing her mother's warmth as her only anchor to sanity.
However, along with the return of calmness, Ais's consciousness and intelligence—inheriting her father's sharpness—began to piece together memories. If her mother was here holding her...
Ais slowly looked up, staring into her mother's eyes with the remnants of tears on her cheeks. The little girl's facial expression was suddenly enveloped by deep anxiety.
"Mother..." called Ais hesitantly, her voice trembling slightly. "Father... where is Father? Aunt Evelda? Aunt Celdia? They... they saved Mother, right? Where are they now?"
Hearing that piercing innocent question, Aria's breath caught. Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand again.
Aria looked at her daughter's face, seeing the flash of fear in the girl's golden eyes. Ais was smart. Very smart. Deep down in her heart, the little girl must have already had a premonition when she didn't see her father's figure at the scene, but she needed her mother to deny that fear.
How does a mother tell her child that the greatest hero who was the center of her universe, would never return?
Aria swallowed saliva that tasted as bitter as poison. She raised her trembling hand, tidying the strands of golden hair sticking to Ais's forehead. She would not lie. Betraying her husband's memory with a lie was the last thing she would do.
"Ais, my darling, listen to Mother," Aria began, her voice trembling but she forced a resilience for her daughter's sake. "Do you remember when that dragon attacked us? When the sky turned dark?"
Ais nodded slowly, her eyes beginning to tear up again. She squeezed her mother's dress tighter.
"Your father... Albert... he was the greatest man and the bravest hero who ever lived," continued Aria, tears flowing down her cheeks again as the image of her husband's death-defying back flashed in her memory. "He, Aunt Celdia, Aunt Evelda, and all our friends... they fought so bravely. Your father even managed to injure one eye of that terrifying dragon, saving the world from absolute destruction."
Ais's breathing began to hasten; she shook her head slowly, not wanting to hear the continuation. "Mother... don't tell me..."
"But Ais... my darling," Aria took a deep breath, her voice sounding almost like a shattered whisper. "That dragon was too strong. Your father... and all our heroes... they fell in that battle. They gave their lives to drive that monster away, so that this world... so that you, could still live."
Silence instantly took over the Glacier.
Ais's chest rose and fell rapidly. The reality she feared most was finally spoken. Her father, the invincible sword hero, who always carried her on his shoulders and promised to always protect her... was gone. There was no more of his warm smile. There was no more of his booming laughter.
Ais lowered her face. Tears poured down heavily again, this time without screaming sounds. Her crying was very silent, harboring a grief too immense to be borne by a seven-year-old girl.
"Father... Father is gone..." whimpered Ais, accompanied by small sobs.
"Forgive Mother, darling. Forgive Mother for not being able to save them," sobbed Aria, hugging Ais again, letting her daughter cry on her shoulder. "Mother was also just recently saved from that monster's confinement by a kind god. Mother immediately came looking for you here... Mother was so afraid you wouldn't be here."
Ais cried in her mother's embrace for a while. Her father's death was a permanent wound that would scar her soul forever. However, amidst that storm of grief, Ais felt the warmth of her mother's hand continuously stroking her back. A real warmth.
The little girl slowly raised her face, wiping her own tears with the back of her tiny hand. She looked at Aria with her red eyes, then forced a small smile on her trembling lips. A fragile smile radiating the incredible resilience of a hero's daughter.
"It's okay, Mother," said Ais softly, her voice still choking. "Ais is indeed very sad Father isn't here... Ais misses Father. But... Ais is very happy Mother is safe. As long as Mother is here, accompanying Ais... Ais can endure it. Ais is not alone anymore."
Hearing the extraordinary maturity from her little daughter, Aria's defenses truly crumbled. She sobbed, kissing Ais's cheeks repeatedly. "My brave child. Yes, Mother will always be here with you."
From a dozen paces away, Alfia released her lean against the ice pillar. She sighed softly, feeling that it was time she intervened. They couldn't stay in the ruins of Floor 60 forever. Even though the Juggernauts had been annihilated, it didn't rule out the possibility that the Dungeon would send another surprise.
The sound of Alfia's intentionally loud footsteps made Ais jolt in surprise. The little girl quickly hid her face in the crook of Aria's neck, clutching her mother's clothes while glancing warily at the approaching silver-haired woman. To Ais, this foreign and ruined environment was still very frightening.
Aria turned her head, then smiled softly at Alfia before patting her daughter's back gently.
"It's okay, Ais," whispered Aria reassuringly. "She is not an enemy. She is one of the kind people who helped Mother to come down to this scary place and free you."
Ais slowly peeked her head out from behind Aria's shoulder. Her golden eyes stared at Alfia's figure with full caution. The short silver-haired woman looked very strong, with a black cloak torn in several places and gloves still slightly dirty from the ash of battle, radiating an impenetrable mysterious aura.
Alfia stopped a few steps from them. Instead of putting on a flat expression or the intimidation she usually showed her enemies, Alfia actually lowered her gaze and let a faint—yet very warm—smile grace her face. She didn't act like a haughty queen when dealing with children.
"Hello, Ais," greeted Alfia with an intentionally softened tone of voice, far from the ice-cold impression that had always stuck with her. "Your mother was very worried about you, you know? She was even willing to descend into this dungeon just to get to you immediately."
Hearing that friendly and soothing tone of voice, Ais's vigilance slowly melted. She looked at her mother for a moment seeking confirmation, and after Aria nodded reassuringly, Ais looked back at Alfia.
The little girl gave a stiff little nod, then mumbled softly. "T... Thank you, Big Sister... for helping Mother."
Alfia chuckled softly. The address 'Big Sister' from the tiny lips of the past hero's daughter somehow sounded very pleasant to her ears.
"You're welcome," replied Alfia gently. She then shifted her gaze to Aria, her expression returning to being serious although her eyes still implied warmth. "Your reunion is very beautiful, Sylphie. But this labyrinth is not in a good mood. We have already destroyed too many things on this floor. We had better go up immediately before the Dungeon decides to spawn new trouble."
Aria nodded in agreement. She stood up, carrying Ais in her arms. The little girl wrapped her arms around Aria's neck, resting her head comfortably, still not wanting to let go of her mother for a single second.
"Let's go home," said Aria softly.
Alfia turned around, leading the way past the debris of the Glacier ice and the bones of the Slaughterers that had turned to ash. On the mage's back, there were no longer shadows of death, but a burning new conviction. Their steps were now directed toward the surface—toward the beginning of a new life.
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