The group stood in an eerie silence as they slowly descended deeper and deeper into the mine, before the lift finally came to a rest in a fairly large room. There were torches lining the walls lighting the room dimly, so Siarra stopped holding her flame to conserve mana.
"This looks like a storage area and luckily I think we're alone for the time being" Trevor looked around as he stepped further into the room with a tight grip on his broadsword. Trevor was a F-rank adventurer and was about to breakthrough to D-rank, he had cleared another dungeon but ending up separating from his previous party when Niss met him at the adventurers guild in Rivenwood. Niss knew he had experience so he was comfortable letting him take the lead and he had done well over the past week they spent journeying here.
Niss being suspicious that they may get ambushed had his dagger out in front of him, but since he did not feel anything with his danger sense and had Gerard right beside him he relaxed a little.
Gia was bold right from the start seeing nothing was happening to Trevor, she waltzed forward not even drawing her rapier and simply exclaimed to everyone.
"This is what we are here for no? To get stronger we need to fight. All of you are acting so scared when this is a F-rank dungeon. Even though I am also an F-rank I have trained my sword skills for years, this will be easy just watch."
She had already made it to the other side of the room while going on about her skill, she was a little ways away from them when she made it to the door across from the lift.
Gia gave the door a swift kick flinging it open and dashing in confidently.
'Is she insane!?'
Niss and Gerard started running towards her and the group followed. By the time they got to her she had already beheaded a small grey wolf and buried her rapier deep into the chest of a little green man with ugly green skin, a long nose and nails, it was of course, a goblin.
"This must have been their lookout, see how easy that was? I barely had to use my aura." she said confidently.
Trevor spoke up right away raising his voice considerably but not yelling.
"What the fuck was that! I'm the one leading this party even if both of us are the vanguard you better wait for me!"
Then Gerard spoke as well, "Sister you know he is right the guild arranged for him specifically to keep things from getting out of hand. I think you should listen so we can all be on the same page going forward."
"Hmmpph.... whatever" she walked past Trevor flicking her long blonde hair so it whipped him in the face.
'God damn this girl is annoying, she's so full of herself I just wanna…'
"Trevor?" Niss walked up putting a hand on his shoulder. "Let's just get moving they might notice we're here once they realize their scout is dead and we need to keep this advantage while we can."
Niss, born into the noble lineage of a Baron and destined to inherit the title himself, was good at defusing tense situations with his logic and reason.
Growing up, he helped resolve disagreements between his mother and sister, preventing their daily bickering from escalating. His talent became a valuable asset, honed through years of watching his father navigate noble life. Now, with his father's passing, Niss felt a deep determination to gain power of his own in this world. Niss had chosen a different direction than his father at least for now, he needed power if he wanted to be a better man than his father. He wanted to become a name known all throughout the kingdom, eager to explore and face the dungeons so he could gain enough power to give his family a better life.
Trevor took charge of the situation. "Gia you're behind me don't go until I give you a signal or I go myself, I don't want more wildcards from you. Gerard and Niss you will be protecting Siarra from the middle and back. Nothing is gonna slip by us but if it does then it's your job. Siarra just keep between them and focus on your magic."
Niss and Gerard talked while the group moved through this room which was more like a wide hallway that bent sharply up ahead. Siarra was listening to them chat about their excitement but mostly focusing on having her spells ready at any moment. Although she too had a strong aura for an F-rank, once they made their way into the dungeon she felt quite shy and a bit nervous, almost like a bad feeling was brewing in the pit of her stomach.
"Kehkeh keh!"
"Kehhhh heh kehh!?"
The group heard goblins yelling to each other around the bend in the hallway. Niss couldn't see them but quickly imagined the goblins were wondering where the their lookout was.
"They know somethings up, we should take them out quick!" Trevor whisper yelled this at the group and dashed forward along with Gia. Niss moved to start following up and suddenly felt something tugging on him. It was Siarra with tears welling up as she looked at him.
"Niss I'm actually really scared! I'm sorry!"
She held onto his arm like she was gonna snap it off.
Gerard hesitated before Niss looked at him.
"Just go Gerard, you help them and I will help her" Niss looked at his friend and smiled "They need the help we'll be okay I'm sure Siarra just needs a second."
"Alright just be quick!" Gerard looked back at Niss one more time before dashing off to catch up with the others.
"Sorry, I'm sorry I'm freaking out for nothing, I just… I got a weird feeling in my stomach ever since we entered this place." Siarra looked up at him.
Niss stared back at her for a second, looking into her fire red eyes that were slightly overflowing with tears.
"It's okay it's just nerves, it's our first dungeon… and hey, by the time we catch up I bet they will have already cut them down. You saw how good Gia is with that rapier you don't need to worry about a thing."
Niss saying all these things to her felt a warmth bubbling up in his chest, he was comforting her and he was enjoying that feeling. He knew she had a small crush on him after the week they had been travelling, but having just met at the guild and the fact that Niss was so focused on his goals he hadn't quite reciprocated any of her feelings yet.
"O-ok fine you're right just stay by me like Trevor told you."
She was blushing hard and realizing she was still clinging to his arm she pulled herself together.
"I'll be right here Siarra, it's my job anyways."
Niss was now also blushing a little as he said this but quickly steeled himself, grabbing her hand and running forward towards the bend in the hallway. The rest had already made it past the bend and we're out of sight, he could hear the clashing of blades already and quickened his steps.
BANG!
Rounding the corner he stopped in shock at what he saw and heard Trevor's voice boom out loud.
"DRAGONS, LEND ME THY STRENGTH!!"