"Damnit guys!! What happened?! I left for literally five minutes and killed my own castyr, by myself, and come back to see you three struggling just to finish one off? Jenny why were you swinging your damn staff around? Your a healer you heal and buff and maybe use magic attacks not hit things! Chunk I know your slow and not very bright but your only job was to stab with your spear and you couldn't even do that! Hilda when I came back your damn eyes were squeezed shut and you were swinging that club of yours around without a damn care! If your gonna be our tank you have to actually have some idea of what your doing! Now we got a little bit of loot and some coin from the two that were killed but that leaves the rest of the dungeon so lets stay together now and hopefully you idiots get better without dying." The dwarven rouge ,Elrick, chastises his party as the three other teens look at the ground with looks of either shame or rage. Anissa nods her head from the shadows as the rest of my boss creatures have joined me in the core room to watch the new group.
"They be greener than the grass in Avergeq plains. I bet my spare staff they not make it to Spooky without a loss." Slax says as Tyr laughs and takes the bet.
"Is this how it looks from the dungeons perspective? This is a lot less barbaric than I thought it would be." Iron says as she nods along beside Tyr and winces after watching the tall girl, Hilda, take a nasty gash to the leg from a Grave Crawler.
'Well why would it be barbaric? Its not like I wish harm against the people who enter my dungeon. But I need their deaths in order to survive, plus as a dungeon I don't exactly feel the same emotions as before towards my fellow man. I would never let my mobs kill children or the defenseless but these teens entered with a much stronger person watching over them and with the intent to get stronger so I won't hold back my mobs.' I say as Iron nods her head in understanding.
"Master when will it be our time to crush these interlopers into finely tuned weapons?" The scritcher despot asks as the mage behind him gains a look of anxiousness.
'Relax, once we have a new floor you'll have a chance to shine. Plus we still need to name you so just be patient.' I say before focusing back onto the teens as the clear the entirety of the first room, slowly turning down the second one leading to the treasure.
Watching the group of four finally come to the clearing with the grats I watch as the dwarf tells the fat teen to take the lead while he sneaks behind the smallest grat and leaps onto its bulbous body, both daggers stabbed into the poor creatures side as it buzzes hysterically in pain as the group charges in. The fat teen they call Chunk lumbers towards another grat and lunges upwards with his spear, the rough wooden head impaling the creatures thorax and pulling the spear from the fatty's hands as the teen is pulled off his feet and jiggles to the ground face first.
"Jenny heal Chunk!" the dwarven rouge yells as he pulls out some crude throwing knives and pepper the remaining uninjured grat as it approaches him with a stone axe in its hands. The tall girl with a stone sword chases after the impaled grat as it wobbily flies around the small clearing, its wound leaking blood and ichor as the spear gets tangled in the surrounding flora.
As the impaled grat begins to hover closer to the ground the tall girl finally winds her stone sword back and releases a wild swing, the stone smashing into the poor creatures head with a crunch as the insectoid monster falls to the ground in a twitching heap. looking towards the last grats body I wince in sympathy as it looks like a pin cushion filled with knives. Watching the group I can admit they have some talent but they lack actual gear to help so after concentrating for a second on the next room I choose to swap out all the rewards for some basic gear for the group of four.
'Higher reward means higher risk though, Slax I want you to hurry over to the treasure room and support the ambusher and her cohorts as a wandering boss. Banshee's respawn says she'll be back by the end of the day so you'll have to remember to keep moving as you cast. Your also not allowed to use Eri until we get a few more floors, she's just to strong and we'll save her for the stronger challengers.' I say as Slax nods his head and makes his way to one of the tunnels leading to the room, his eyes shining in anticipation at the chance to fight in the dungeon for real.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Much better work guys! Chunk you skewered that bug but you have to find your balance man, you can't let go of your weapon either or your dead. Nice strike with the sword Hilda but if your gonna fight like that maybe you need a club instead of using a sword of any kind. And Jenny, you had good heals but you used way to much mana all at once, my dad says if your a caster you have to pace yourself." Elrick says as his team comes together to loot the bodies before Jenny the small healer yells out in surprise.
"I found a necklace!!! I used my identify spell on it and it can help improve mana regeneration!!! Can I have this guys? Please? It can definitely help me when we have to fight the boss and I can stop worrying as much about going empty!" Chatters Jenny excitedly as everyone else nods their heads at the tiny girl while she dons the simple silver necklace.
After dealing with the loot the group move forward slowly and soon they near the entrance to the last room. The entrance is covered by a small smattering of saplings and tall grasses, as the party begins entering they can hear a rough, low voice from the clearing.
"It be ok small things, we be here to defend this treasure from the beings who be wanting to steal it. I be making sure your ok so no worries." Says the voice as the group finally push through the foliage and look at the group within the room.
Standing in the center of the room near a hole in the ground stands two castyr, one large and blighted while the other is smaller with long claws and sharpened teeth. Standing behind the two and in front of a large satchel with a few coins near its opening stands a three foot tall humanoid lizard. Wearing some dusty robes and wielding a lazily glowing dagger the lizard turns its wizened eyes towards the party, frills starting from its throat and ringing its head ruffle slightly as it takes a defensive stance and nods towards the group of four.
"I knew visiting you small things be the right move. But they send children to rob you of your treasures now, how shameful. I be sorry younglings but this be the end for you, I be Slax and I promise to return you to the cycle." The lizard man says as he chants a spell quickly and both castyr in front of him glow.
"Shit its a boss creature! Didn't know there were two be careful and focus the mobs first, I'll try to get behind him." Elrick says as he stealths and sneaks into the brush while Hilda slowly approaches with her buckler up and her sword ready. Chunk hovers over her shoulder with his spear ready to stab forward, sweat dripping from his large frame as Jenny begins buffing everyone as quickly as she can.
As the blighted castyr charges towards Hilda a yelp is heard from the surroundings followed by another yelp with more beastial properties. Trying to ignore the noise Hilda charges forward with her small shield and meets the blighted castyr's face with her shield as she swings her arm out bashing it into the beasts face, the already abused buckler finally releasing a snapping sound as the debris hangs from her arm in two dangling pieces. As her eyes open wide in shock Chunk moves forward and stabs his spear into the throat of the blighted castyr's throat and pulling it back repeatedly as gurgling is heard. Another yelp is heard from the surrounding brush as the other castyr leaps towards Hilda with a glint of anger in its eyes, its claws finding purchase in the woman's barely covered neck and shoulder as the tank falls.