Eric absently battered one kobold aside while bashing another on the head with his mace. He turned to face Uruk who stood in place glaring at a charging kobold, having not even bothered summoning his weapon he simply waited until it got close, before lifting his leg up. The kobold unable to stop mid charge ran face first into his boot falling on its back dazed, Uruk then casually stamped down on its face ending it's life.

  "Grr, fighting these things is pointless, I told you the local militia would be able to handle it."

  Eric sighed, shaking his head he turned towards Uruk.

  "You know I would have thought you would be happy about that, means we don't have to spend a lot of time hunting the roaming groups. We just do this easy dungeon, get a practically free skill upgrade before moving on."

  Uruk turned and marched towards him, nostrils flaring while pointing a finger at his chest.

  "Well I am not happy, because when a dungeon is this easy you generally don't get the rewards."

  "Wait....what?"

  Incoming message: Technically true, but as per our contract I will make sure you get them. Xxx Inclusion.

  Eric shook his head.

  "How would you know that?"

  "I have dungeons in my world."

  Annie stepped forward to join them, with her hand held up like she was waiting to speak in a classroom.

  "My world has them too, and that's how they work there."

  "We are not on your worlds thou, maybe it works differently here?"

  Annie looked thoughtful, "Yeah maybe, guess this is our chance to find out so we know next time."

  "Fine, but let me be clear, if you are wrong about this, I will be challenging you to another leadership duel, then again at every level up until I beat you if you somehow win again."

  Uruk turned and stormed off into the dungeon, Fred and Astrid exchanged a glance before nodding to Eric then moving on with Uruk and Annie. Eric held back a little talking quietly.

  "Inclusion."

  Incoming message: Yes sweetie?

  "What happens if the party decides do do another low level dungeon for an easy bonus?"

  Incoming message: Good question, your soo smart, I guess we will have to make sure you get those rewards as well. It does somewhat align with our promise to make things easier in exchange for your cooperation so it should be ok, I will speak with Diversity, maybe we can create an easy quest for those dungeons whenever necessary, on the grounds that it keeps you and your party out of our way. Xxx

  Eric nodded before jogging to catch up with the party.

  -------

  Fink, the Kobold dungeon king sat lounging on his throne, several female kobolds surrounded him (they basically look like male kobolds, just with a shorter snout and lighter skin tone that borderlines pink), all of them wanted his attention yet he ignored them, giving his full attention and favour to the one sat on his lap yipping away at him as he gently stroked her scaled head.

  The sound of footsteps came from outside the throne room, he sighed to himself wondering what his stupid underlings wanted now when one of them came flying into the room, landed skidding across the floor and stopping a short distance from where he was sat. Gently pushing his companion off his lap he stood to address the unexpected visitor.

  "Nix, how many times do I have to tell you, this is not how you enter the throne room."

  When no response was forthcoming he moved towards his rude sibling rolling him over with his foot, he just lay there unmoving his mouth wide open and his tongue hanging down the side of his face. Fink let out a growl.

  "Alright, who killed Nix, I know he's an idiot and probably deserved it, but he's family, and I do not allow the killing of faaAARRGGGHHH."

  The kings rantings were cut short when he noticed a big beautiful ball of fire flying towards him, his screaming was similarly interrupted when that ball of fire exploded in his face completely obliterating his head. He didn't know it, but he was actually the lucky one as everyone else around him spent several agonising seconds being cooked alive before they found release.

  --------

  Annie stood wide eyed looking between her hands that had generated the spell and the devastation it had caused. The king, his guards and the harem that surrounded him were reduced to little more than piles of ash.

  "Ok, so now we know what happens if I channel all my mana into a single fireball."

  "Yeah....I guess we do." Eric responded while Uruk let out a cheer before lifting Annie up and twirling her around as she giggled in surprise.

  Quest completed: The extra added females responsible for the dungeons over population problem have been obliterated, balance is restored, as this is a low lev......Wait......ok so it seems you do get rewarded for this, +1 level and a bonus +2 to weakest stat from the dungeon for restoring it's contract with the kobolds.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  "Looks like we got something after all." Fred chimed in.

  "We also know that we won't get any first time bonuses from low level dungeons, which may save us time later on." Eric responded while Uruk started to look round the room.

  "Yeah, no chest or dungeon completion notice, we might have missed something."

  It was at that point Eric saw something moving around in one of the corners of the room, he stopped to stare at it when he saw a dagger come flying out of the shadow.

  "Look out." He shouted as he dove forward aiming to intercept the dagger with his shield when the world around him froze and he found himself suspended in the air pulling a stupid face.

  "If you're not careful your face is going to stick like that."

  "Diversity this isn't a good time." He spoke through gritted teeth only able to move his tongue.

  "Any time is a good time when you can freeze it."

  "What do you want?"

  "We have an opportunity for delay, if we angle your shield like this.." he grabbed Eric's shield and adjusted it slightly. "Then you will be able to direct that dagger towards your companion, the poison shouldn't kill him, but it will delay your return long enough for our purposes."

  "What? No, why would I ever agree to that?"

  Diversity held up his hand and started counting off his list of reasons.

  "Well, first off, he's annoying, constantly questioning your authority and wishing to take your leadership role. Secondly if he succeeded that would be bad for both of us, third, we, meaning you need the delay and there might not be a better opportunity."

  "Sounds like you just want him dead."

  Diversity simply shrugged in response.

  "Well I am not agreeing to any of this unless you can explain how killing my companion spreads Diversity and Inclusion across the land."

  Diversity went to speak but stopped, moved as if ready to try again but couldn't, finally he sighed and admitted, "It doesn't."

  "Then you understand that if he does die then our deal would be off."

  "Fine, I will make sure he doesn't die from this, just....maybe move the shield a little more like this"

  "I haven't agreed to anything yet."

  "Doesn't matter, your choices are simple, either you agree or stay where you are until you think of something else."

  "I could poison the mounts...."

  "They have a recall buff, the second anything threatens them they get teleported back to their stable in stasis until they can be helped, that would delay, but not by much, I need 3 days, that will give us 2 at most if you take your time traveling."

  "well, maybe something will turn up on the way there..."

  Diversity shook his head. " Am not willing to let you go on a maybe, this toxin will put him out for 3 days giving us an extra 2 days, and lets face it, he is unlikely to accept any other delay tactic you might employ. Is too risky its this or nothing."

  Eric stood, or rather floated in place for what seemed like an age, his mind going back and forth between ideas, only maybes and half baked possibilities the party would be unlikely to accept entered his head. Diversity for his part had just stood in front of him staring as if also frozen in time.

  "Alright, lets do this, just remember, if he dies our deal is off."

  The frozen features of Diversity seemed to slowly start to move as if gently thawing over a short period of time. "Excellent, lets get this show on the road then..." He clapped his hands and disappeared as the world began to move again.

  Eric flew forward holding his shield at the angle Diversity had set it at hoping it worked as intended and didn't kill Uruk. While he couldn't refute Diversitys' point about him being annoying, he still didn't want him dead. The knife hit his shield with a *clink* before flying off and burying itself into Uruks calf. He let out a yell before falling over, Astrid put an arrow between the eyes of the would be Kobold Assassin. Fred moved towards Uruk, his hands glowing yellow as he did. Eric picked himself off the ground to see Fred removing the dagger and attempting to heal the wound. A series of black lines started branching out from the center, moving up his leg, first quickly, then slowly as Fred started to heal him.

  "I can't stop it, only slow it down, we need to get him out here and into the village maybe someone there can help."

  Eric simply nodded, biting his lower lip wondering if he had made a mistake trusting Diversity, he picked him up with the help of Astrid and between them they dragged Uruks heavy body out of the dungeon. Fred followed closely by channelling his healing spell while Annie ran ahead to go find help.

  Upon reaching the dungeon exit they were greeted by a couple of farmers and what looked to be a female elf, she had lighty bronzed skin with leafy green hair that ran down to her shoulders in a dishevelled unbrushed state. She wore what looked like a dress that seemed to have been fashioned from vines and leaves leaving her arms exposed, with a short dress that hung down to her knees. On her feet she wore what looked like slippers woven from a single large leaf and tied together by thin vines. She stepped forward without hesitation to inspect his leg.

  "Looks like Darkroot rot, your in luck, I have a herb that can neutralise the toxin, however it will put your companion to sleep for a couple of days while it does its thing. He can stay in my hut in the mean time so I can keep an eye on him."

  Eric nodded in response, "Thankyou, if there is anything the rest of us can do.... just let us know."

  She simply nodded and smiled at him as the two farmers took hold of Uruk and carried him towards a small thatched roof cottage on the outskirts of the village, Annie and Fred went with them while Astrid stayed in front of the dungeon with Eric who stood watching them go.

  "I am sure they are going to be fine sir. Would you like me to find accommodation for, the rest of the party while we wait?"

  "Yeah, please."

  "SIR"

  She gave a quick salute before walking off towards the village, Eric stood there for a short while watching them leave, when he suddenly became aware of an awaiting message blinking in the corner of his vision.

  Once again your time has expired and your upgrades have been automatically assigned. +1 luck, +3 Mag, +1 Agi.

  Spell: Mana charged shield. Charge your shield with mana causing it to reflect blocked damage bact to attacker.

  Perk: Elf Magnet. Female elves find you more attractive.

  Dungeon completion reward perk upgrade.

  Elf Magnet Rank 2. Female elves find you very attractive.

  "AHH crap" Eric groaned to himself as he started moving towards the village, he hadn't gotten very far when a sudden explosion of bright light flared in front of him. He stumbled backwards covering his eyes. "What the hell!"

  Once the light receded and Eric was able to see again he saw a man clad in full plate armour stood before him, shield on his back and a mace strapped to his belt. He wanted to speak but something about the man's presence prevented him from doing so, it was almost as if, he was unworthy of addressing him, and all he could do was stand looking on in awe at his presence.

  "Who are you?" The words were choked out out in a barely audible whisper, the strange man slowly started to remove his helmet in response.