While Gnarleen was busy fixing Fredrick and Ruskin was wandering around poking at anything he thought might be a button or something. Honestly, I'm not sure. Anyway, while they're busy, Amy and I discussed what to do with our stat points.

"I think you should bring your health up to 1000," Amy said while looking at Fredrick. "Both arrows took 500 health each and gave him a temporary crippled status. If that had been you..." Amy stopped there, turning slightly green.

"Amy, relax, that's why I don't go into a room first, but I will put four points in strength for you," I say with a grin. "Also, I think I will get both strength and dexterity to twenty. My fireball seems a tad overpowered. In fact, it is far stronger than it should be," I added, somewhat confused.

Sighing in relief, Amy hugged me and said, "good idea. If they're doing that much damage in the beginner dungeon, the main will be far worse. Also, I feel the same way about my strength, I almost cut a goblin archer in half with a swing of my sword, and I didn't even use cleave."

I thought about that for a second before replying."I don't think that's too overpowered. After all, Ruskin killed the brawler in one strike too."

Rapping me lightly on the head, Amy replies, "He backstabbed the goblin in a vital point. Of course, it died instantly."

Amy and I chatted together, While Leen patched up our Tank. At some point, Ruskin had wandered toward the exit to wait.

Finally, Fredrick stood, thanked Leen, joined Ruskin at the exit. As he went by us, he asked. "Are you finished placing your stats?" when we said yes, he grunted, "okay, let's get into position."

Arriving at the next room, after walking down another plain tunnel, Ruskin again cloaked to peer around the chamber, then returned to report. "The next room looks like it is probably the boss' room, for our instance.

There is an eight-foot-tall centaur in the center, surrounded by twelve columns. Placed a couple of feet from the wall, all the way around the chamber." Looking around at us all, he noticed I was rubbing my temples, "what's wrong with you," he asked.

Everyone turned to stare, and I glanced around, embarrassed, "It's nothing, just a small headache."

Fredrick dismissed it and said, "okay, here's what we're going to do, Nalle you freeze the enemy before the fight begins, then back up Leen, no fireballs. Amy flank it on the left, watch its hooves, Ruskin CIrcle around behind, backstab it if you see the chance. As always, I will take the center. This time, he chuckled darkly. Hopefully, I Can do my job. Alright, everyone, clear, good, let's go."

This time things went according to plan. However, when Fredrick took the first step into the room, the closest column crumbled. "It's a timed room, everyone, don't dawdle," hollered Fredrick, who began running toward the boss.

Amy didn't rush forward but let Fredrick take the enemy's attention while Ruskin slinked around the room, trying to stay unnoticed. When Fredrick was still ten feet away from the boss, ice began creeping up its legs. But instead of freezing, it only slowed a bit as it began removing a massive hammer from its back.

"Useless," he muttered, "all she can do is blow up stuff."

Although he said it too quiet for his team to hear, the centaur turned its attention from the creeping ice and sent a bone-chilling stare. That seemed to say. I will kill you if given a chance. Making Fredrick stumble slightly before regaining his balance.

Confused as to why this dungeon seemed to dislike him so much. He had listened to many tales of this beginner instance, and no one said anything about the hate in the monster's eyes.

After I cast my spell, I yelled, "Tayna switch," then my staff vanished, and a shining one-handed sword appeared, made of the finest Elven steel, and enchanted for sharpness. In my off-hand, a glowing White, small shield appeared, strapped to the back of my arm.

Father enchanted this shield, made of the same material as my sword, with a 10% reduction to force.

When I was ready, I stood beside Leen, watching everything happening around us, including the ceiling, if a stone fell.

When the Centaurs first strike hit Fredricks shield, it pushed him back two feet, causing sparks to fly around his plated boots. But he quickly got back into position and made a slash toward the enemy's left arm. At the same time, the boss avoided the blow. Amy used cleave in an overhead chop, cutting a long gash in its flank. Doing no actual harm, but getting the attention of the boss. Seeing this, Ruskin entered stealth and skulked forward, driving his knife into the centaurs human side. Causing it to yell out for the first time while making a wild swing toward Ruskin. Who was already falling back toward the column's, Absenentmindedly noting four had already crumbled.

As the boss followed Ruskin, Fredrick stepped forward roaring. Using his taunt skill, forcing the attention back on himself and when the enemy swung its massive hammer overhead at Fredrick. Amy ran up and plunged her sword above and behind the front legs, piercing its heart. Making it drop its hammer and collapse to the ground, wheezing.

As it lay there, it gave Amy a respectful nod but turned to Fredrick and spat a mouthful of blood at his feet. Before turning to motes of light flowing into each of them. Everyone just stared at him, and Ruskin asked, "what did you do to tick off the dungeon so thoroughly."

Confused and gaping at the bloodstain, still on his boot, he bent down to wipe it off, but it wouldn't even smear. Irritated, he looked around, noticing that all the columns had vanished, and several items had appeared on the ground.

Walking forward. He began sifting through them. There were three pairs of silk long sock's, one white, one green, and the other silver. There was also a pair of black leather boots, with the name Khuzdul imprinted on the side, and looked like they would fit Ruskin perfectly. The final drop contained two plate boots, both for the left foot, making his eye twitch.

The white and green leggings gave an additional 10% increase to MP Regen and the rest HP. They also had a self-cleaning Glyph that Nalle pointed out to the others.

Fredrick remarked, "this dungeon is fond of giving Regen items. I thought they were rare drops."

Shrugging, everyone split up to search the room. Everyone says to look for a secret room, in boss rooms, instances don't always have them, but it is usually in the boss room if there is one.

Ruskin found it after about ten minutes. Apparently, there was a discoloration according to him, nobody else could tell, but that's why you keep a rogue in your party, I suppose. "Anyone got a pickaxe," asked Fredrick, looking at Amy hopefully, who was doing the same, but at me.

Blinking in surprise, "I never thought about a pickaxe," I said to Amy. "but I have exploding magic I Can use, that should do it."

Rolling his eyes, Frederick waved everyone back and said, "go ahead then."

Honestly, I figured it would take three or four castings, but one did it, and we could all see a chest inside a small room. Ruskin hurried forward excitedly and checked it for traps when he found none. He carefully opened the lid and pulled out a worn-out knife.

When Amy saw it, she let out a gasp and covered her mouth as her eyes went wide. Surprising everyone. Well, not me, as she has told me all about her recurring nightmares. So I pushed through the group to stand by Ruskin and looked at the knife, and sure enough, there was a tiny engraving on the bottom that said, Amelia.

With a scoff, Fredrick grabbed the knife "what's got you two trembling like leaves, so someone dropped a crappy knife in the dungeon. It wanted to pawn it off on us, instead of bothering with absorbing it." looking over the knife, he tosses it back to Ruskin and orders. "let's go, a shaft just opened up on the south wall that leads back into the rat room, so I would guess we're done, thank goodness."

I took the knife back from Ruskin and had Tayna store it for now. I went to Amy and held her hand as we left the dungeon, meeting up with our fathers as we did. I told ours. "Were tired" and walked toward the exit.

As we walked away, I heard Fredrick say, "They got all upset over a stupid knife in the hidden room." I could feel Father's gaze following us until we left the building on our way home.

After the twins left, Fredrick told them all about their adventure when he complained about how the dungeon seemed to focus on himself, as if he had kicked its dog. All four men glanced at each other.

When the rest of the three kids left, Marcus said, "sorry, I didn't think he dislikes Nalle to that extent. I'm sure that's why the dungeon is focusing its anger on him."

With a sigh, Freeden said, "I wish Darnath and King Fenis would explain why the dungeon is so interested in the girls. But for now, we may have to find a different tank for their party."

This time Gnarlock spoke up, "not just tank. I Can tell Leen and Ruskin aren't too fond of the girl either. In fact, I think they only hang around with her because Amy insists on including Nalle in everything."

Darnath finally spoke up at this moment, "aye, I thought we could give the kids a head start. If they can't trust each other fully, their team will never survive... Very well, let the girls build their own. Ruskin is too young anyway. I'm gonna pull him back for more training with his mother... Again Don't ask me questions about the dungeon. I Can't tell ye. I took a vow."

Freeden grunted, "great, now how do I explain this to the girls? I don't like it when I get the cold shoulder from them, Aleana always sides with the twins."

Gnarlock said, "nay, I'm taken Leen home for a couple of years: we got issues with the lizards again, and it will be good for her to help the clan."

Marcus added, "I will have Fredrick go into the army. It will be a good way to teach him to better put up with people he doesn't like."

Freeden nodded "okay, this will be good for the girls. They rely too heavily on those three. It's time for them to take charge of their own lives."