When the light faded, Gaia was standing before them, a warm smile on her face. "Welcome back, little fern. How was your trip?"

"Gaia!" Melody set the sleeping Fenny down and hugged Gaia, who happily returned the hug.

"You are so different than auntie. She doesn't like hugs." Melody commented.

"Fufufufu, well, you cannot blame her that much. She had created her grove mostly by herself until the unicorns joined her a hundred years after she began her work. Autumn can be a bit of a social recluse."

Oh… Poor Auntie… "Well, I gave her plenty of hugs. I was even able to get her to return one." Melody said with a smile.

"I see. I am glad. Is that your tamed monster?" Gaia asked, looking over at Fenny.

Melody explained that Fenny had gone to sleep and had not woken up since then.

"I am a bit worried…." She said, picking him up.

"You do not need to worry. I have heard that some monsters or animals enter into hibernation."

Melody became happy and thanked Gaia for the information.

Melody took about an hour to tell Gaia of her trip to see Okan, how the bison were now safe, her time in Autumn's grove, and her hunt of the Shadow Liger. Gaia listened with a motherly smile on her face.

"I am glad you had so much fun, Melody."

"It's all thanks to you… Um, Gaia?"

"Yes?" Melody got a sad look in her eyes.

"My mother back in the giant clan was so kind and loving. I really wish I could have lived with her longer, but you are like another mother to me. You let me live in the forest, helped me from a distance, welcomed me so warmly, helped in so many ways…."

"Of course, Melody." She reached over and held Melody's hand. "Melody. Let me tell you a bit of my own past." Gaia went into her story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaia, as a spriggan, stood before Okan. "Father, I am ready, I assure you." She spoke with stubbornness.

Okan spoke in his long, drawn-out words. "Hmm. I still think it is too early for you, my daughter."

"Please, father!" Gaia said with determination.

He sighed. "Very well. I will assign the forest to the east of here to you. Your goal is to set up a grove there and ensure that balance there is maintained. Be careful, though. The area is close to a new human settlement." Gaia responded that she understood, and Okan handed her an extravagant spear. Gaia left his grove and headed to the east.

Using combinations of natural traps and her spear, Gaia fought her way to the east. She was successful in most of her battles until she ran into a monster who became a demon.

The demon bull was stomping its hoof, preparing to charge her. Gaia was exhausted, some of her body was cracked, and she was low on magic.

"Father may have been right…."

The demon bull roared and charged at her.

Just before it got to her, a giant maw bit down onto its neck, quickly crushing the life out of it.

A massive bear, four times as big as the bull, dropped the corpse to the ground.

"Hmm? A spriggan? What are you doing here?" The bear asked.

Gaia's fear overcame her senses, then, in combination with her injuries and exhaustion, she collapsed unconscious.

Gaia woke up, her magic was mostly recovered, and she was alive. She looked around and saw she was inside a tiny valley surrounded by rocky walls open to the sky above.

"Where am I?"

"You are awake."

Gaia turned and saw the large bear a short distance behind her. "You didn't kill me?"

"For what reason would I do that?" The bear chuckled.

"Well, I don't know." Gaia was confused by the bear's behavior.

"Not all animals are mindless beasts, you know. I have been alive for a very long time. I have built up my connection to nature and took it upon myself to deal with ones who fall to darkness." The bear replied.

"You mean the demonic ones?" Gaia asked.

"Yes. They are destructive and upset the balance of the forest. Now, I have a question of my own. Why are you here, little spriggan?"

Gaia explained her mission to the large, light-grey bear.

"Hmm, I see. That is a fine idea. I will help you. You can use my home here as your base of operations. It does sit upon a fine mana vein."

"You mean I could turn this place into a grove?" If Gaia had a jaw, it would have been hanging open.

"If you do not mind me being here." The bear replied playfully.

"This is your home. Why would I mind?" Gaia replied with a bit of playfulness herself.

The bear laughed and got a slight grin.

"By the way, do you have a name?" Gaia asked.

"Yes. I am known as Mother Koda." The bear yawned.

"Then Mother Koda, I thank you. I will get to work right away!" Gaia was excited.

Mother Koda laid down to take a nap while Gaia went about creating her grove.

Months pass and Gaia had made significant improvements to the tiny, walled valley. Mother Koda spent most of her time napping in the cave while Gaia did her work. The valley was now filled with various trees, flowers, grass, and other plants.

Mother Koda immensely enjoyed watching Gaia work on the grove, occasionally playing minor pranks on Gaia, laughing at the irate spriggan.

The old bear was also quite the hugger. Gaia would have to keep distant from Mother Koda when she was sleeping because the spriggan would get pulled into a hug for hours before the bear woke up. Though Gaia disliked being kept from her work, she sometimes found herself purposely getting caught at times. Mother Koda was always warm and cheerful, willing to give advice and assistance.

Gaia would also go out on patrols to keep violent monsters from gaining too much power or even driving humans away who went too deep within the forest. Gaia was just returning to the near-completed grove.

"Welcome back, little spriggan. How was your patrol?" Mother Koda welcomed Gaia back with a warm grin.

"I found a small settlement of brownies and pixies. I invited them to live here in peace. I also found several trees that I turned into spriggans. They are currently escorting the brownies and pixies."

"Well done. Little spriggan, I have a question."

"Of course, Mother Koda."

"What is the one thing that connects all nature?" Mother Koda asked.

"Connects all nature? That would be life."

Mother Koda chuckled. "Not quite right, little spriggan. There is more to nature than just that. Come back tomorrow to try again."

Gaia was confused. What? Nature is life! What else would there be? Gaia was frustrated and went about her business.

Weeks passed, the pixies, brownies, and new spriggans had settled into the grove. Gaia had taken on a more administrative role leading the grove. Mother Koda got along well with the new residents, often sought out by them for her wisdom and counsel.

Gaia had tried several times to answer Mother Koda's question, and every time she was told she was missing something.

But this day, Gaia felt that she finally had the answer to the old bear's question. Gaia strutted up to the area where Mother Koda rested.

"Alright, Mother Koda! I have the answer this time! It is instincts!" Gaia said confidently.

Mother Koda seemed to be sleeping.

"Oh, come now, my friend, I know you are awake. You are always awake at this time. Am I right or wrong?" Gaia approached the bear.

"Mother Koda?" Gaia touched the bear and pulled her hand back quickly.

"Cold… Mother Koda? Mother Koda?!" She began pulling on the bear's ear with no response.

"She's dead…." Gaia fell to her knees.

"But the question, the answer… What connects all nature…." Gaia felt overwhelmed with sadness. Gaia did not want to lose her friend, but it happened so quietly, Gaia wanted to scream.

What is the one thing that connects all nature? Mother Koda's question played in Gaia's mind.

"Death… Life and death… The cycle of life and death. That is the answer… Mother Koda." Tiny drops of sap came from her eyes as Gaia wrapped her branches around herself and cried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the present, Melody had to wipe tears from her eyes. "W-What happened after?"

Gaia smiled at Melody's caring heart. "She was buried here in the grove. This was her home. While I lived with her, she showed me great warmth and a caring heart. You, Melody, remind much of her. You are like a rebirth of Mother Koda. Just as she passed her knowledge onto me, I pass it onto you, like you are my daughter." With Gaia's loving words, Melody could no longer hold back and began crying her eyes out. Gaia chuckled at the silliness of her adopted daughter and hugged her warmly.

"Sniff, sorry, Mother Gaia," Melody said, her eyes puffy and red.

"Fufufufu. You don't have to worry, Melody. Listen, how about you stay the night here with me?"

Melody silently nodded.

Gaia reminds me a lot of my mom back in my old world… Maybe just a bit more regal? Melody daydreamed for several minutes about her family back in her old world, following Gaia as she performed her daily duties.

Gaia checked in with the various families of Brownies and pixies. Gaia listened to multiple issues or chatted with them about their daily lives.

Gaia is like a benevolent ruler who is loved by her people. Melody enjoyed watching Gaia go about her work.

After three hours of helping her people, a spriggan with silver leaves for hair approached.

"Lady Melody, you have a visitor."

"ROOOOOOO!" A giant bison came into sight.

"Aroo!" The mammoth bison came over and nuzzled against Melody, happy to see her.

"Melody!" Bell hopped off Aroo, and Melody caught and hugged her.

"Did you two come to see me?" Melody asked.

"Yes!"

Pappy was also there and welcomed her back.

Melody thanked him and told him about the Shadow Liger.

"Hmm. I agree, Miss Melody. Making a cloak and other items should be good. I could layer it over the hard leather armor as well. If I combine it will the soft wool of the wooly bison, I should be able to make some fine armor for you."

"Thank you, Pappy!" She kissed him on the cheek, turning him beat red.

"M-m-m-m-m-miss Melody!?"

She smiled brightly at him.

"Melody, how about you spend some time with them, and I will see you later tonight," Gaia suggested.

Melody agreed, and they went off to an area to relax. Melody then spent an hour regaling them with the story of her and Maple's trip.

At night, Melody joined Gaia in her home in the grove. After entering, Melody looked around, seeing multiple paintings hanging on the walls. "Wow, I didn't know you painted Gaia."

"Yes, it is something I like to do in my spare time."

Among the paintings, a large one looked like a light gray bear that was peacefully sleeping.

"Mother Gaia, is this Mother Koda?"

Gaia smiled, a bit of sadness in her eyes. "Yes. That is Mother Koda, the bear who showed me such kindness and taught me so much."

Melody spotted a painting of herself, Maple, and Bell playing happily while Pappy at the side cooking with a bright smile.

"I remember this day! That was when I introduced the Pappy to some new cooking methods… That food was sooo tasty." Melody smiled as her mouth watered at the memory.

Gaia's home was built inside a Homely Tree. The room was open, much like Melody's, with some beautiful-looking furniture. A desk with a shelf next to it had multiple scrolls, books, and wooden tablets upon them. Toward the entrance was a table with many chairs, Melody felt it was probably used for meetings. Toward the other side of the home, opposite Gaia's desk, there was a set of natural-looking couches with an exquisitely designed table in between them. Gaia didn't have a kitchen as her diet consisted of sunlight and water. In the back was a large bed.

"Now then, here is a gift for you." Gaia handed Melody a soft-looking nightgown.

"Pappy had requested I have this made for you. He was being a bit bashful seeing your body."

Silk Night Gown (Magic): A gown made from silk from Okani Silk Worms. Item is enchanted to change size when magic is applied to it. Self-cleaning.

"Wow, it is like the underwear the Brownies made for me before. But an Okani Silk Worm? Is it related to grandpa Okan?" Melody asked.

"It is. They live in harmony with him. Like how you have Fenny as your familiar for hunting, he has the silkworms as one of his many." Gaia explained as Melody took a few minutes to change from her armor to the nightgown.

"He has others?" Melody asked, pulling her head through the collar and rolling her hair into a bun.

"He does." Gaia's majestic dress split between her legs and wrapped around them while adjusting its form into what looked like a set of pajama pants and a shirt. The vines of Gaia's head rolled her 'hair' up into a bun like Melody's.

"I think his most powerful familiar is a Fenrir. Then he has multiple animals and birds as well. They act as his eyes around the forest so he can keep track of it."

"A F-Fenrir?! Is that a legendary wolf?"

Gaia smiled. "It is. Her name is I remember correctly, is Shani. You should ask him to introduce you two someday. She is very kind, though a bit lazy. She likes to sleep a lot."

They laid down on the bed, and Melody began to giggle. Gaia smiled at her curiously.

"Oh, sorry. It is something about my previous world. I had two friends there that we would often do something called a pajama party." She smiled.

"You said their names were Annie and Millie, right?"

"Yup."

"What did you do during said pajama parties?" Gaia asked.

Melody went into how they would spend most of the night chatting about their plans, futures, and dreams. After an hour of her going on, she finished saying how they played many games late into the night.

"Games? What kind?" Gaia asked.

"Mostly Role-Playing Games. There were these things called video games, and…." Melody continued trying to explain the concept of the advanced technology of her world to the best of her knowledge.

After another hour, Melody stopped. "Oh, uh, sorry, Gaia, was that too much?"

Gaia smiled. "Not at all. I might not have understood all of it, but it was fun listening to you passionately speaking about it."

Melody's face turned a bit red from embarrassment.

"Now, it is getting late. Let us get some sleep, Melody." With a wave of Gaia's hand, the lights in her home dimmed.

Gaia scooted up a bit higher on the bed and hugged Melody's head to her chest. So warm. Melody wrapped her arms around Gaia's body.

"I am surprised that your body is so soft."

Gaia lightly laughed. "This is thanks to the name you graced me with." Gaia hugged Melody warmly.

So warm… Melody felt her consciousness slip for the first time in a long time as she fell asleep in Gaia's warm embrace.

Gaia watched Melody as she was peacefully sleeping, her breath slow and steady.

"Thank you so much, Melody," Gaia said quietly while kissing her forehead.

"You have brought so much warmth into our lives. So much into mine. I hope you can do the same for my sister Autumn, who had been alone for so long."

She touched her chest and pulled out a warm green light, and sunk it into Melody's chest.

"I acknowledge you as my true daughter, Melody. I will protect and raise you to the best of my abilities. That I promise you." Gaia kissed Melody's forehead once more and settled in for the night as well, a peaceful smile on her face.

The following morning Melody woke up feeling great.

Gaia had left to attend to her duties. Melody noticed Bell and Maple napping next to her.

I feel… Different somehow… Identify self.

High Giant (Daughter of Gaia): Name: Melody. Age: 15 (17months). Level: 57. Danger Level: Extremely High.

A High Giant, an evolved form of a giant. High giants age at a slower rate than giants increasing their life span. High giants also grow larger than normal giants. This giant is highly intelligent. Expertise in survival, hunting, trapping, stealth, and archery. Can use high-level nature magic. Has received the blessing of a Daughter of Lyuten (Gaia), gives a considerable boost to magic and nature abilities.

Health: 6420. Stamina: 7910. Magic: 14150. Strength: 630. Endurance: 740. Dexterity: 630. Intelligence: 430. Wisdom: 610. Charisma: 460.

Skills: Abnormal Condition Immunity (10). Physical Boost (10). Nature Magic (10+). Magic Boost (10). Survival (9). Identify (9). Stealth (9). Archery (8). Dismantle (7). Cooking (7). Consume (7). Forester (6). Charge (6). Construction (5). House Work (5). Magic Manipulation (5). Tracking (5). Magic Sense (4). Acrobatics (4). Dig (4). Animal Handling (3). Terror Howl (3). Ram (3). Taming (2).

"Daughter of Gaia?!" Melody's shout woke Bell and Maple.

"What is it?! What's happening?!" Maple looked about in a panic before her eyes settled on Melody.

"I, I need to see Gaia!" Melody jumped out of bed and charged out of the home to find Gaia.

Gaia was distributing some work to a few spriggans heading out on patrol when she heard Melody's shout.

"Oh, you are awake. Did you sleep well?" Gaia gave a motherly smile to the approaching giant.

"Yes! I did! I don't think I have slept that well in so-, that is not what is important right now! Gaia, I just checked my stats because I was feeling strangely good this morning and saw I had a new description saying that I was your daughter!" Melody rambled out quickly.

A warm and happy smile came to her face. "Yes, Melody. Last night while you slept, I shared a part of my life force with you."

"You can do that?" Melody asked.

"Yes. Though since you had two parents, I just overwrote one of them with it. So you basically have two mothers now."

That's… I am no longer connected to that evil bastard? Tears began rolling down her cheeks.

"M-Melody?" Gaia, in a rare moment, panicked a bit, wondering if what she did was wrong.

"I'm, I'm okay. Sniff. I'm, I'm, I'm so happy!" Melody dropped to her knees and began crying.

Gaia, Maple, and Bell could not help but laugh at Melody's goofiness. The three of them stepped forward and embraced the silly girl.

After Melody calmed down, Gaia pointed out that she was still in her nightgown, which caused Melody to charge back, with a crimson face, to Gaia's home to change. After twenty minutes, Melody returned, a bit embarrassed.

"Um, thank you. Mom." Melody said bashfully while looking away.

Gaia's smiling face tensed up, and she turned away.

"Um. Mom?" Melody asked.

"Oh. It's um, nothing. Just give me a moment."

Melody could not see, but Gaia was doing her best to hide the enormous happiness she was experiencing. The wood of her face even took on an amber-ish tint.

"Ahem." Gaia collected herself and turned back. "I was more than happy to choose you as my daughter, Melody." She opened her arms, welcoming Melody to hug her.

The two hugged each other for a few minutes while Maple and Bell felt a bit envious.

"Rooo!" Aroo nudged them.

"Aroo!" They patted the bison's head.

"Did Aroo stop growing? It looks like her size has not changed." Melody asked Maple and Bell, but it was Gaia who answered.

"Have you not noticed? You are eleven feet tall now, Melody. I had to grow myself a bit to keep up with your height."

What?! Identify height…! I am… I am now eleven feet tall?! How big am I going to get?! Why do suddenly?! Is it because of me becoming Gaia's daughter?!

Gaia read Melody's questions on her face. "It is possible your connection to me accelerated your growth a bit. What is your identify skill at Melody?"

"Um, nine."

"That is most definitely high enough. Try identifying your race, high giant." Melody did as suggested.

High Giant: An evolved form of an extremely rare giant. Ordinary giants grow to an average height of nine to fifteen feet, while a High Giant grows twelve to eighteen feet tall. High Giants possess a high level of intelligence and learning capability. Some develop the ability to use magic. High Giants tend to be ostracized or even killed by their clans with no considerations of the benefits of raising them. Evolutions are possible.

The last part got Melody very curious, and she tried using her Identify skill on it.

Evolutions Available for the High Giant named Melody: Champion, Shaman, and Huntress.

Melody continued to use her skill on her available evolutions.

She learned that the Champion was more of a melee fight with massive boosts to strength and endurance.

Shaman specialized in magic and the elements.

Huntress was the one that interested her the most. Huntress increased all of her favorite skills as well as boosted her preferred stats.

Melody also learned that each Champion and Shaman evolved into a Titan, a towering giant of extreme power. The final evolution of Huntress, though, piqued her interest because of the name.

"Daughter of Artemis? As in the Greek Goddess of the hunt?" Melody was surprised by the mentioning of a goddess of her old world.

"What is it, Melody?" Gaia asked.

"Oh, right, let me update you." She proceeded to go through what she had learned with everyone.

"Goodness. I can understand why you would be interested in Huntress, but what about the Daughter of Artemis?" Gaia asked.

"Artemis is a goddess from my previous world's mythology. Artemis was of the Greek Pantheon and was known as the Goddess of the Hunt. My skill won't tell me more about it, though. Maybe I have to have it at rank ten to see it? Or maybe I have to be a Huntress?"

"Well, we will see when one of them is reached," Gaia commented.

"Do you know how to evolve, mother?" Melody asked.

"Typically, one must reach a certain level before one gains the option to evolve unless they receive a name which gives them a chance to. Since your mother Alui named you and helped you evolve to your next step, I guess it will only be a matter of time before you evolve again. If you continue to hunt and survive, you should be able to reach your evolution soon." Gaia explained.

Melody thanked Gaia for all the information and asked her if there were any issues in the forest that she could take care of.

"Not at this time. Things are good here. If anything, I would say to check with father. I will contact Autumn and ask her." Melody thanked Gaia and gave her a hug.

Melody took a few minutes to gather her friends at the entrance to the grove. They said their goodbyes, and Melody's party headed home.

By the time they got to Melody's home, the sun was beginning to set.

"Ahh. Nothing like home." Melody said as she pulled out the Shadow Liger meat.

Pappy looked it over with great interest. "This is amazing, Melody. You said that Fenny cleaned it out of blood, but I was not expecting this well. Is he still sleeping?"

Melody lifted him out of the magic pack and gently placed him down on a bed of soft furs near her own.

"Yes, he is still the same. His evolution is taking so long. Most others I have seen had been over two to three days. Mother said he should be alright. I can't wait to see what he evolves into." She looked at the bird happily.

"Well, I'll cook some of this up with a steak. Or would you rather me prepare the brain, heart, and liver?"

"Um. Why don't we try out the idea you had this time?" Pappy confirmed her request and headed into the kitchen area.

"I feel like I need to expand that. I'll do that tomorrow." Melody stretched her body a bit before checking her height with her bed.

"Geh. My feet are hitting the baseboard now…." Melody said with frustration.

"Does that mean we're going to have to rebuild a bunch of things?" Maple asked.

"Yup. You excited for tomorrow, project buddy?" Melody asked Bell, who got really happy and danced about.

She's so adorable.

Melody took until dinner was ready to double-check the rest of her furniture and decide on the changes.

"Dinner's ready!" Pappy called out. They all sat down at the table. Bell and Pappy had a little bit of meat along with their vegetable stir-fry. Maple was happily eating some berries and some of the stir-fry without meat. Before Melody was a plate of pasta.

Shadow Liger Pasta: Contains chopped Shadow Liger brain, heart, and liver. Pasta is made from seed flour. The dish has been cooked using olive oil, diced garlic cloves, and wild onions. Greatly increase dexterity. Minor increase to Stealth Skill. Medium chance to learn a new skill. Must consume the entire dish.

"Pappy, your theory worked! The chance for a skill increases to medium instead of being tiny! The increases to my stats are also larger!" Melody cried out, Pappy smiled.

"I am glad it worked. Now dig in before it gets cold." After Pappy had heard from Melody that she could gain skills and strength from eating certain parts of monsters and animals. He wondered if he prepared the items together, instead of just cooking and eating the pieces separately, to increase the benefits.

Melody began eating. "Oh, my Nova! This is delicious, Pappy!" Melody happily ate.

"I am glad it worked. Next time we must try combining two types together in various ways. Have you gotten anything yet?" Pappy asked.

She swallowed the mouthful she was eating and answered. "Not yet. The description said I need to finish off the whole plate." Pappy nodded, and she continued to eat.

After several more minutes, Melody swallowed the last bit. "Fwah… That was delicious. Hmm!?"

"Melody?!" The other exclaimed in unison.

"It worked! I got an ability called Shadow Pounce. Identify."

Shadow Pounce: This skill is unique to the deadly Shadow Liger, Black Death. This ability allows one to teleport from one shadow or darkness to another to perform a surprise attack. The skill consumes Stamina and a small amount of Magic. Distance increases with skill proficiency. Current length: Twenty feet.

Melody listed out the skill to her friends.

"Wow, Melody! That is amazing!" "Melody, amazing!" "Congratulations Melody." "Roooooo!" Her friends praised her.

"Thank you, everyone." She smiled brightly. They enjoyed each other's company for the rest of the meal before turning in for the night.