Suddenly, he heard a loud snort, followed by heavy hooves pounding against the stone floor. While Bob was starting his summoning process, a small, stocky figure charged out of the shadows and came barreling towards him. It was a diminutive minotaur with a fierce scowl on his face. Bob couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the angry little creature, who couldn't be more than two feet tall. Canceling the summoning, he stood there observing the situation. The Minotaur scowled even more deeply, its beady eyes narrowing as it glared up at Bob, an adorable little snort came out of its nose.

"What's so funny, human?" the Midgettaur growled, its voice low and menacing.

Bob tried to stifle his laughter, but couldn't help but let out a snicker. "I'm sorry," he said, "it's just...I've never seen a minotaur in person before, I just assumed they were all quite large.I wasn't expecting such a small creature."

The Minotaur's nostrils flared as it let out a bellowing roar. "I am Midgettaur, the Mightiest Minotaur in all the labyrinth!" it yelled, pounding its leather-clad chest with its fists. "My size has nothing to do with my strength or skill!"

"Well, I was just a little taken aback. The lighting in here must have been playing a trick on me, for you cast such a large shadow, that I was expecting a bit more of you than there is." Bob said with the tiniest of chuckles.

Midgettaurs face scrunched up in adorable anger, as its hooves started to tap on the stone floor, it started to charge at me. Bob quickly realized that he was in trouble and tried to dodge out of the way, but it was too late. The minotaur had leaned forward, lowering its head, which somehow made the charge faster. Its hard head hit Bob right in the shin with a force that sent him staggering backward.

"Ow!' Bob cried.

For such a small creature, the Minotaur was surprisingly strong. Bob could feel the impact of the blow reverberating through his leg as he struggled to stay on his feet. Midgettaur rebounded from colliding with Bob's shin. After taking a few skittering steps back Midgettaur was fully recovered, and it glared at Bob with a smug grin.

"Yeah, not so small now am I?" Midgettaur said with derision.

"No you are still quite small, but that did hurt quite a bit," Bob replied as he reached down to rub his sore shin.

"Serves you right for looking down on me because I am little!"

"I do apologize for that, I wasn't trying to be hurtful. To be honest I thought I was about to get eaten by a very large, very angry Minotaur when you came around the corner. I was quite surprised and I didn't mean to laugh."

"Well laughing at someone because of their size is rude. You were kind of being a bully right there. Bullies aren't cool, I always get bullied. It's not nice, and I don't like it. The other Minotaurs make fun of me all the time. Where do you think I got the name Midgettaur? It's what the other minotaurs call me and if I don't refer to myself as Midgettaur, they will beat me up until I do."

"I completely agree with you, Midgettaur. Bullying is never cool and it's never acceptable. I'm sorry that my reaction came across that way. I can assure you that I didn't mean to hurt you or belittle you in any way. It was just a reflexive response to the situation. That is terrible that you are getting bullied by the other Minotaurs." Bob replied, trying to smooth things over.

"I appreciate your apology, but you still need to be more aware of how your actions and words affect others. It's important to treat everyone with respect, regardless of their size or appearance," Midgettaur said firmly.

"You're right, Midgettaur. I will definitely be more mindful in the future. Thank you for reminding me about the importance of respect and kindness, Please tell me your real name, I can't keep calling you Midgettaur after this enlightening interaction." Bob said, feeling grateful for the Minotaur's wisdom.

"My name is Gemma. It's been a long time since anyone asked me my real name."

"Well, Gemma, it was very nice meeting you! My name is Bob." Bob said as he extended his hand for a handshake.

"Hello, Bob!"

Gemma looked at him with an odd look and then slowly extended her hand to clasp his and shook his hand. They both looked at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing, realizing how silly they must look arguing with each other in the middle of a torchlit labyrinth. Before they could say their goodbyes the sound of heavy hooves echoed through the corridor.

Out of the shadows came a large Minotaur, it was the second biggest thing that Bob had ever seen. The first being the Tower of Trials itself. Bob was frightened, this Minotaur would most likely try to eat him. Gemma began to shake as a look of terror filled her face.

"Oi, Midgettaur, whud are ye doin' with that human?" the Brute asked. "Ye better get gone, before I beat ya up for disobeying the rules! Now, Scram!"

Gemma looked at me tears streaming down her face, before mouthing "I'm sorry" and running away. Hey, Rolodex! Scan Gemma before she gets too far out of your range, Please!

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

*Okie Dokie!*

*SCAN COMPLETE*

*DIMINUTIVE MINOTAUR INTEGRATED*

The Summoners Rolodex finished its scan right before Gemma disappeared around the corner. Thank you for that. He immediately selected the monster summoning option. Hopefully, my luck continues! Don't give me slimes! Don't give me slimes!

The Rolodex manifested itself in front of Bob, just like it had last time. It kept rotating at crazy speeds between the Slime card and the Diminutive Minotaur card. Please! It kept rotating until it started to slow down, as it continued to slow down it looked like it was going to land on the Slime card. At the last moment before it locked in, it rotated to the Diminutive Minotaur card. Woohoo! Right after the summon card locked in, the familiar number roulette popped up and began spinning wildly. It kept rotating until it settled on a 3x multiplier and locked it in.

The Rolodex vanished and left three tiny minotaurs in its place, it was at this moment that Bob felt a weird energy come over him. Uh oh, here goes that curse again. But on the bright side, four tiny minotaurs are better than three! The energy slowly suffused into Bob, and he transformed into a Diminutive Minotaur as well.

The three tiny minotaurs and Bobotaur stood in a line, staring up at the massive form of the bully minotaur. Bob had no love for bullies, especially after his conversation with his new friend Gemma, he had had enough of this brutes nasty words. But he offered him a way out before it took a turn for the worse.

"Hey you, You big bully! I'm going to give you one chance to find Gemma and apologize for your behavior!" Bob warned.

"I'm gonna squash you now!" the Brute responded with laughter.

The Brute lunged forward with his fist pulled back ready to strike. Bob and the minotaurs dodged the strike. With a fierce battle cry, the tiny minotaurs and Bob charged at the brute, determined to teach him a lesson. The first tiny minotaur leaped nimbly to one side, weaving around the Brute before jumping up and punching him in the chin. It roared in pain, but before it could retaliate, the second tiny minotaur was upon him. This little fighter was quick and agile, darting in and out of the giant's reach and delivering swift blows to his knees and shins. The giant stumbled and fell to one knee, but he was not yet defeated.

The third minotaur joined the fray, using its small size and speed to its advantage. They darted in and out, jabbing at the giant's eyes and ears and keeping him off balance. The giant minotaur was furious now, thrashing wildly with his fists, hoping to catch one of these annoying pests. However, the tiny minotaurs were too quick and too determined to be defeated. Finally, after what seemed like hours of fierce battle, the giant minotaur fell to the ground, his massive body twitching and gasping for breath. The tiny minotaurs stood triumphant, sweat pouring down their faces, arms raised in the air cheering.

"This is what you deserve. Take this as a lesson, even those smaller than you deserve to be treated as equals. Everyone deserves a chance, even a Bully like you. Take this lesson to heart, and spread it to your brethren. Gemma shouldn't be ridiculed because you guys are larger than her. She is a minotaur just the same as you. Treat her like one."

The Minotaur Brute's defeat was palpable in the air as he rose from the ground, his shoulders slumped and his head hanging low. He had been defeated, and he knew it. The silence that followed his lack of response was heavy and awkward, as Bob looked on with a mix of pity and triumph. For the Minotaur Brute, the defeat was not just a physical one, but also a blow to his pride and sense of identity. He had been known for his strength and ferocity, and now, that reputation was shattered. As he slouched away, he couldn't help but feel a sense of shame and disappointment, wondering what would become of him now that he had been defeated.

As Bob walked away, he couldn't help but reflect on the encounter with Gemma. He realized that he had been so focused on his own fear and survival instincts that he had completely overlooked the feelings of another living being. He resolved to be more mindful of his actions and words in the future and to always try to treat others with kindness and respect. Bob realized that as he continued his journey through the Tower of Trials he was bound to meet more living beings, some nice and others not so nice.

Bob vowed no matter who he met, that he would make a conscious effort to be compassionate and understanding, and to always look beyond appearances and stereotypes. He hoped that this approach would bring him not only peace and happiness but also many new friends and allies. In the end, Bob realized that being strong and powerful was not just a matter of physical size or strength, but of inner fortitude and character. He knew that as long as he continued to cultivate these qualities, he would always be able to overcome any obstacle that came his way. Bob hurried back to the rest area, which he had only recently discovered was Gemma's home. He found her sitting outside, her brow furrowed in worry.

"Gemma," he said, trying to catch his breath. "I just wanted to let you know that things should be better for your tribe now."

Gemma looked at him in surprise.

"What happened?" she asked.

Bob explained that he had taught the Minotaur Bully a lesson and that he hoped the other Minotaurs would learn from it.

"If you wait a little while and then return to your tribe," he said, "I think you'll find that things are different now."

Gemma smiled at him gratefully.

"Thank you," she said. "You've done so much for me already."

Bob nodded, feeling a sense of satisfaction in knowing that he had helped make a difference. He sat down beside Gemma and leaned back, letting out a deep sigh.

"It wasn't easy," he admitted, "but I knew it was the right thing to do."

Gemma nodded in understanding, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know," she said, "and I'm grateful for your help."

They sat in silence for a few moments, taking in the cool evening air.

"I'm just glad everything worked out," Bob said finally, breaking the silence. "It's nice to know that we can make a difference, even in small ways."

Gemma smiled at him, her eyes shining with admiration.

"You're a good person, Bob," she said. "I'm lucky to have met you."

Bob felt a blush creeping up his neck, but he couldn't help feeling pleased with her words.

"Thanks, Gemma," he said, feeling grateful for the friendship that had formed between them. As the sun began to set, they both stood up, ready to head back to their own lives. But Bob knew that he would never forget the lessons he had learned from Gemma. He felt that he had grown as a person, and he was grateful for the experience. Gemma went back into her home to give the Minotaurs a chance for the lesson to sink in. Bob said his farewells and continued on this trek through the Labyrinth.