It had been a week of traveling on foot through the thick snow of the northern territory. Determined not to fall to far behind the others, Niss reached back and flipped up the hood of his large fur coat. This coat was one of the last gifts his mother gave to him before he set out to his first dungeon delve.
Heading up the trail left by the rest of his group, Niss was both nervous and excited. He knew they were close to their destination, Darvinia Mine a dungeon in this region and one that the adventurers guild sent newer adventures to delve into. Being that Darvinia Mine was considered the easiest and earliest stage of a dungeon, an F-rank dungeon. The guild only required one adventurer with experience to send a group into this dungeon, as it usually was not too dangerous for beginners but some level of caution was needed since it was still an unpredictable dungeon like all the others.
In this world adventurers form parties and accept requests from the adventurers guild to clear dungeons. When a dungeon is left vacant for awhile it beckons strong monsters to take up refuge within, if dungeons are left unchecked they grow and evolve to be signifigantly more powerful over time.
Niss was a poor young baron as well as a new adventurer, his father had just passed away leaving his barony to him. Niss had made the decision to leave the barony in his mothers hands for now, seeing that he was young, broke, and had only just awakened his aura he was determined to set out as an adventurer to become strong, forge connections and earn money to bring home to help his mother and younger sister.
Several hours passed quickly as the group of five young adventurers trudged through the snow that came up to their knees. With very little trees and not much life due to the cold and the high altitude in the area, there wasn't much of anything going on this morning.
The dungeon was quite a far ways off from any main road, about a half a day. Regardless of the long journey up the mountain, the sun was shinning peacefully down on the group, blessing them with a warm glow despite the wind and cold.
Seeing the two leading members of the party pointing and smiling Niss ran to the cusp of the hill. He could see it, Darvinia Mine the small tower bursting up from the mountain side ahead of them indicating the entrance to the dungeon. The tower was a simple design even in it's old and abandoned state, it's stone standing bravely against the elements was beautiful and a testament to how strong dwarven architecture was.
"Wow"
"I hope it's warmer in there!"
"Let's go!"
The first three members of the group started running ahead. Niss being responsible for bringing up the rear of the group motioned to Gerard his longtime friend and training partner. Gerard got an excited look on his face as he ran off towards the tower. Niss followed right behind equally as excited and before they realized it they were all inside the main room after closing the heavy wooden and metal reinforced door behind them.
'Finally made it, my first dungeon!' Niss thought excitedly to himself.
"Siarra can you give us some light" One of the first two that ran off asked.
He had been the one leading the group this past week, he was tall and bulky also a little older then the rest of them around 22 years old. He had been here once before when his older brother first came to the dungeon but he waited outside with their father since he was not yet of age to become an adventurer. Trevor was his name.
"Obviously I can how else would we have survived this cold." Siarra was grinning playfully and a large flame came into shape above her hand. She was 18 just like Niss and Gerard. She had beautiful red hair reaching straight to her middle back and even more fiery were her eyes, a dark red that seem to glow just like the flickering flame in her hand. She was a about 5'3 and very good looking all the more so with her rosy red cheeks from the cold.
"Can you watch where you aim that thing… god I swear." Speaking up from the other side of the room was Gia. She was Gerard's twin sister and even though her father had served Niss's family for many years she had never given him the time of day. She had quite the attitude and definitely considered herself better than everyone regardless of her position.
"What I'm not trying to get burned before we even start" Gia scoffed.
Niss just continued looking at her not sure if she was nervous or just being annoying like usual. Looking at her again it was apparent right away that she was Gerard's twin with long beautiful blonde hair and striking sky blue eyes she was well defined and stood 5'11 her tall and lengthy build was in stark contrast to the much smaller and cuter Siarra.
"Let's just rest for a moment before we head down I don't want to get caught off guard." Gerard looked at the others in the group and everyone nodded placing down their packs to un strap their weapons and equipment.
Trevor being the frontline, had a large broadsword that could be used to block and parry. He also wore some decent looking silver armor, it was probably passed down from his brother considering how nice it was.
Siarra had some thick red and black robes and her wooden staff. Niss also noted she had some chain mail under there and she was stronger than she looked.
Gerard had simple leather armor under his coat similar to Niss. He carried a one handed sword keeping a free hand for his magic, although it wouldn't compare to Siarra's magic while she casted through her staff, it was how he chose to fight.
Gia of course had light silver armor much more expensive than Gerard's since she was the favorite of the two siblings. She had a thin and long sword with a large guard at the cross section, she was exceptionally talented with a rapier and even more so having just awakened her aura.
"Once we take the lift down we need to be on high alert, the monsters here are said to usually be goblins, they have decent intelligence and know of this entrance. They often ambush people coming down." Niss repeated calmly the warning the adventurers guild had sent them off on their journey with.
This was an F-rank dungeon according to the guild, it often was populated by low level creatures and being an upper section of the old dwarven mine it was mostly abandoned rooms and was an area the dwarves used for living and worshiping when they were not deeper in the mines.
Looking at the lift that would take them down but simultaneously forward towards their future Niss slung his pack over his shoulder only now noticing a sign beside the lift. It simply stated,
'F-Ranks beware.'
The five of them stepped onto the platform both nervous and excited for their first dungeon, a sudden intensity forming in their hearts. Niss stepped on last and latched the small gate pulling the lever and sending them downward into the dark depths of Darvinia Mine.