{You have entered The Forgotten Tomb}

When our party stepped through the doorway into the dungeon, this notification appeared. Unlike most system messages, this one seemed to float a few feet in front of the group. After the notice faded, we began scouting the room. The chamber is roughly fifteen by thirty in the center is a fountain with a gem sculpture. I heard Amy say from the front, "That's strange, why would you make a statue of a rock?" To the left was a table with a plaque that read donations, and to the right was a stone bench jutting from the wall. Directly across was the exit to the next room.

When we took our first step toward the fountain, I suddenly felt a powerful presence focus its attention on me. The presence did not feel malicious at all. Actually, it felt familiar and safe. However, the presence was too much for me, and I feinted barely being caught by Leen, who had been standing to my right.

After an unknown amount of time, when I regained awareness. I had my head in Leen's lap while Amy was sitting on the floor below me, holding my hand while humming the lullaby Mother always sang to us when we had nightmares as little girls. Mine I always dreams of never-ending darkness, Where I could not see nor hear. Amy was even stranger. She always dreamed about another life as a human child living in poverty, scrounging for scraps in the garbage.

Slowly sitting up, I look around, noticing the boys standing guard at the entrance leading further into the dungeon. "Uh, how long was I out?"

"About an hour," said Leen. "Amy only woke up a few minutes before you did. If you two wanted to scare the pants off us, you nearly succeeded."

"None of you passed out, though," I ask, feeling like I'm letting them down. Amy gets up off the floor, sits next to me, and wraps her arms around me, "relax, sis, the dungeon didn't mean any harm by it was just a little too curious about us. Anyway, that's what I think."

"I keep telling ya both to dye your hair. It's too conspicuous. Maybe some pink or purple highlights," says Ruskin with a grin on his face. Amy holds out her hand, and Sally drops an apple from thin air into it. Then she pulls back and throws the apple at Ruskin as hard as she can. He pulls out his knife quick as a flash and spears the fruit on end and smirks.

Fredrick watches these antics with a frown but grabbed the apple off the knife, takes a bite, and sticks it back before turning to me and asking. "Are you feeling up to continuing, or should we stay here and meditate for a while, then come back tomorrow?"

Gnarleen looks worriedly at the two of us but keeps quiet for now. I am just about to say, let's continue; I don't want to hold up the party. Amy stands between Fredrick and me and states plainly with no room for argument. "We can stay here and meditate for one hour. Then we will leave and let our fathers know what happened. Only after they okay it will we return."

To this, Fredrick nods in agreement, Ruskin sighs dejectedly, and Leen looks relieved. "Are you sure, Amy, you have been waiting for this since father pushed that rule that nobody can enter under sixteen?" Amy gives me a dirty look. "What have you and everyone else been spouting every day for the last month? I'll tell you, 'safety first.' So that's what we're doing." I nod, "yes, your right." "Is it safe to meditate here," asks Leen? "Should be Father seemed certain at any rate," said Fredrick.

When we're all in a meditative position, I ask, "Amy can I look at your status while we're here?" She nods and permits me to view her screens, then they begin.

Name — Nalle Eversong Name — Amelia Eversong

Race — High elf Race — High elf

Class — Elementalist, Lvl, 5 Class — Knight, Lvl, 5

H.P. — 1500 M.P. — 5000 H.P. — 4000 M.P. — 2000

Str, — 15 Dex, — 15 Str, — 40 Dex, — 20

Int, — 50 Cha, — 15 Int, — 20 Cha, — 15

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Wis, — 20 Luc, — 15 Wis, — 15 Luc, — 20

I wonder if I'm putting too many points in Intelligence? I could start placing more in Strength to get my Heath up or my Dexterity to increase my speed and coordination. High elves get the standard ten points per level but unlike humans. The system puts two points in Int and another in Cha. The wisdom and luck stat are strange. Not everyone has them, and you can't put points on them yourself. Amy and I always get one point in each, every time we level.

I also got five free points in Int and Wis, While Amy got five in Str and Luc. For awakening rare classes. My spell list is rather small. It comprises Fireball. It is just as it sounds a ball of fire that shoots at the target, Costing 50 MP per cast with a 2-second cooldown. The other spell is called Freeze, again. As it sounds, I can freeze anything in a five-foot area, costing 400 MP per cast and a 5-minute cooldown. At thirty Int, I also got a passive that doubles my MP regeneration.

Amy's skills are cleave. A single strike toggled attack that triples physical damage and parry. That skill takes practice because your weapon arm automatically moves to the best position to block a blow if you toggle it. Don't use it if you're not ready, or you might tear your own muscles or lose your balance. She also got a passive for double health Regen at thirty Str. I won't go into MP cost on her skills as there negligible, especially since she has more MP than your average Knight at 4 times her level.

When our hour was up, we all stood and walked back through the entrance, but not before placing some random nicknacks from our pockets on the donation table. When we walked back into the Guild-hall, we went straight to Father's office to report what happened. His office is on the third floor, which is taken up by the administration offices. As we walked by the various people working on paperwork or talking to groups of adventurers, several of them smiled and nodded and asked how our first run went. We just nodded and told them we had to report to our Father.

When we entered the guild master's office, we saw all four of our fathers chatting at a table in the back. Uncle Triston looked up at our entrance, then waved the others our way. "Your back earlier than we expected," Father said as we neared their group. Fredrick stepped forward and explained what happened to them while I glanced around Father's office, having never come here till now. The office is enormous, with a floor to ceiling window looking over our Manor across the street. Now I know how he always knows when we sneak out, I point Amy over there with a nudge and tilt of my chin.

He has a dark lacquered desk with piles of documents neatly stacked on top. I couldn't see any pencils or quill pens, so I assume he keeps them in the drawers. There are portraits of Amy and me, another of Father and Mother together, and another family portrait hanging around the room. One corner is a sitting area with some leather furniture surrounded on two sides with bookshelves filled with old and new books. Probably all boring.

"Are you joining us, Nalle, or do you want to daydream awhile longer,"

I hear my father ask. "Coming, Dad, I was looking around your office. I've never been here before. Nice view," Amy has to hold back a laugh, but a chuckle still escapes her lips.

I can see he is less than amused, but I smile sweetly at him, and he relents and puts an arm around both Amy and me. "That was a wise call today. If Amy keeps it up, she will run this place someday," Father says. Nalle, you need to stop thinking you can push through any problem on your own. It's not fair to the rest of the team.

I look up, confused, and notice my friends peering at me. "What? I didn't do anything." I can see they don't want to look at me, so I make eye contact with Fredrick, who grimaces and opens his mouth.

"Do you think we can't see when you're going to agree just because you think it's what we want? don't forget we have known each other our entire life, and you always try to keep going no matter how sick or hurt you are."

I huff "you asked if we should press on, so obviously, you wanted to continue."

"I may have asked, but I would only accept Amy's answer. Remember the number one rule drilled into us since we started training to dungeon dive?"

"So, it was a test?"

"Yes, and you failed, Darnath said as punishment, you all will only meditate in the first room for a week."

I was about to speak when Gnarlack interrupted in his deep voice. "Don't bother girly, we will tell the dungeon about this punishment, and it will block you from entering further."

"This punishment is unfair. I failed. Why do all of us get the same deal?"

Marcus spoke up this time, "when one member makes a mistake, it can cause the entire party to fail. Remember that."

"Next time, it might cost a life," Father added.

I look at the others and say, "sorry, guys."

"Bah, it wasn't just you girly. My daughter said nothing to," said Gnarlack.

Darnath added, "and Ruskin also failed. Only Amy and Fredrick had it right." I look suspiciously at Fredrick but kept my mouth closed.

My shoulders slump as we exit the office some two hours later after being lectured by the four most influential people I have ever heard of. I'll be honest. There would have been tears if Amy had not stayed by my side, holding my hand. When we returned to the manor, I turned to Fredrick to question him, but he beat me to it.

"I'm sorry Dad put me up to it. I think they expected this to happen from the start."

Mollified, I stepped forward, "did they tell you anything at all?" The rest of the party circled in closer to listen. Although he apologized and seemed sincere, it never reached his eyes.

"No, but I overheard some things said between them the other day, taken out of context. It made no sense but now,".

"Hurry," we said in unison before they come down here to see what we're talking about.

Fredrick chuckles, "we could go to our hideout."

But no sooner did he say that Ruskin interrupted. "You want a secret meeting in the palace garden? I thought you were smart?"

"Good point, the crowded street is probably," best Amy said. I nod.

"Anyway," continued Fredrick, "they mentioned something about a week ought to be enough for the dungeon to get used to their presence. At the time, I was only mildly interested, and they quickly sent me off after hearing that much."

"We didn't get far today, but I'm exhausted, so I'm going to call it a day and see you all tomorrow for meditation." Said Amy and I simultaneously making everyone laugh. Blushing, we ran into our manor, still holding hands.