The dull echo of metal striking stone reverberated through the musty air of the spacious cavern. Heavy breaths escaped Gimli's lips as he forcefully parried another swing of the enormous sword crashing down on his steel-clad shield. The dwarf growled with exertion, holding his ground, but his feet slid treacherously on the damp stone floor, littered with fragments of stalactites and fresh chips of fallen rock. Before him loomed the Minotaur – a muscular body encased in blood-darkened and grime-covered armor, crowned with a bestial head bearing sharp horns. In each clawed hand, the monster gripped a bloodied blade, which flashed through the air with frightening speed.

  Ellariel, having retreated to the far wall, drew back the string of her fair bow. Her usually serene face held an expression of intense concentration, her violet eyes fixed on the boss's movements, seeking an opening in its furious assault. Arrows released by her trembling hand whizzed and struck the stone slabs near the Minotaur, only eliciting a guttural roar of rage from it.

  Zara, like a shadow, moved behind the pillars, trying to flank the beast. Her green eyes burned with excitement, but a hint of anxiety flickered within them. One of her numerous daggers already lay on the floor, broken after a failed attempt to pierce the Minotaur's armor.

  Dex, whose polished armor now bore fresh scratches, desperately parried the blows of the Minotaur's second sword. His face contorted with strain, and his smug grin had been replaced by a grimace of fear. The knight's sword trembled in his hands, each impact sending pain shooting through his shoulder.

  And where was Kyle? He pressed his back against the cold wall behind Ellariel, cowering and trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. His gray eyes darted anxiously across the battlefield, but now not only panic flickered within them, but also a feverish working of his mind. "Damn, damn, what to do?" he thought desperately, watching the Minotaur toss Dex aside like a rag doll. "They won't last... a little longer, and..."

  His gaze swept over the surrounding details: cracks in the stone ceiling, sharp fragments of stalactites lying underfoot. "Maybe... if something fell from above..." a timid thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately dismissed it. Too unreliable, too dangerous for them themselves.

  Then his gaze fell upon Zara's broken dagger. "Cold... she said it's weak to cold..." Kyle's mind raced. He frantically looked around, trying to find anything that could cause frost. Nothing. The dungeon was damp, but not icy.

  "Need something... something fast and unnoticed..." Kyle continued to think agonizingly, his gaze returning to the Minotaur, which was now furiously raining blows down on the barely holding Gimli. Inside Kyle, two conflicting desires fought: the instinctive urge to help his friends, which screamed for intervention, and the icy dread of exposure, which paralyzed his movements. "If I do anything... they'll see... they'll understand..."

  But watching them be crushed was becoming unbearable. Fragments of thoughts raced through Kyle's head, desperately trying to find any way out, any illusion of chance that could turn the tide of the battle without revealing his true nature. Maybe nudge a stone under the Minotaur's feet at the most inopportune moment? Or cause a section of the ceiling to collapse in a way that looked accidental?

  The Minotaur let out a deafening roar, throwing Dex aside with a powerful blow from its shoulder. The knight crashed against the wall with a dull groan, dropping his sword. The boss turned, its gaze full of bestial malice sweeping over Ellariel and Zara before focusing again on the heavily breathing Gimli, who was still trying to withstand its onslaught. The situation was becoming critical, and time was running out for Kyle. He needed to come up with something – quickly.

  At that very moment, when everyone's attention was riveted on the fight between Gimli and the Minotaur, Kyle, standing in the shadows behind his companions, unnoticed picked up a small stone from the floor. With a movement that no one noticed in the chaos of battle, he tossed the stone into the air and flicked it with his finger, as if flipping a coin.

  The stone, hanging in the air for a moment, shot off with incredible speed towards the Minotaur's leg. A sharp, barely audible click sounded, merging with the clang of metal and the beast's roar. The lower part of the Minotaur's left leg twitched unnaturally, and... severed, as if cut by a razor. Blood gushed out in a fountain.

  The Minotaur roared in wild pain and surprise, losing its balance and collapsing onto the bloodied floor. Its swords clattered against the stone.

  "What... what was that?!" Zara exclaimed in astonishment, looking around.

  Ellariel frowned, trying to understand what had happened. She hadn't seen any attack, any magic.

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  "What the hell..." Gimli muttered, looking in surprise at the monster's severed leg.

  Dex, finally getting to his feet and limping, picked up his sword. "Damn! My blade almost broke from those blows! Need something to finish it off!" he growled, trying to strike, but the blade treacherously slipped off the Minotaur's armor.

  "Kyle! Spare weapon here, now!" Dex commanded while Gimli and Zara distracted the writhing beast.

  Kyle, still maintaining a frightened expression on his face, quickly rushed to the pile of equipment. He swiftly grabbed a sturdy steel sword and clumsily threw it to Dex. The knight barely caught the weapon.

  "Here!" Kyle mumbled, trying not to meet anyone's eyes.

  Dex, with a victorious cry, brought the new sword down on the Minotaur's head, delivering the decisive blow. The monster died.

  "But what exactly happened to its leg?" Zara persisted, shaking her head in bewilderment. "It was..."

  "Incredibly fast," Gimli finished, frowning his thick red beard. "I saw nothing."

  All eyes involuntarily turned to Kyle, who stood slightly apart, rubbing his hands as if trying to warm them.

  "Kyle, did you see anything?" Ellariel asked, her violet eyes piercing him.

  Kyle flinched and looked away. "N-no... I... I was too scared. Just trying not to get in the way," he stammered. "It all happened so fast... I didn't notice anything."

  Zara looked at him skeptically but remained silent.

  "Alright, never mind," Dex sighed, examining his damaged sword. "The main thing is, this horned bastard is dead. Time to search the room, maybe there's something else useful here."

  Searching the boss's room, among the rubble and dried blood, they found a sturdy iron-bound chest. On its lid was a familiar seal of the Adventurers' Guild.

  "There's our target!" Dex exclaimed, pointing to the chest.

  With combined effort, they opened the heavy lid. Inside, on a velvet lining, lay an elegant silver bracelet adorned with a shimmering moonstone. Nearby were several yellowed parchments.

  "Excellent, the Guild's order," Ellariel stated, carefully taking the bracelet in her hands. In the chest, they also found ancient coins and a couple of good leather pouches, which they took as additional loot.

  A glowing crimson magic stone fell out of the defeated Minotaur. Gimli picked it up with his large hand.

  "And they'll pay for this thing too," the dwarf grumbled, putting the stone in his bag.

  With a sense of duty fulfilled, the group left the dungeon. Kyle, as usual, carried part of the loot in silence.

  Returning to the city, they first headed to the Adventurers' Guild. Presenting the found bracelet and the magic stone, they received a generous reward. The coins jingled pleasantly in their hands.

  "Well, a fine job done!" Dex rubbed his hands together with satisfaction, counting his share.

  Gimli chuckled contentedly, stroking his red beard. Zara smiled slyly, calculating what she would spend her earnings on. Ellariel nodded, pleased with the outcome of the task.

  Kyle silently took his coins, feeling the tension of the battle finally subside.

  "So, guys?" Dex asked cheerfully, looking at his companions. "On an occasion like this, it's a sin not to have a pint at the 'Merry Goblin'!"

  Gimli immediately supported the idea with a loud shout. Zara and Ellariel exchanged smiles and agreed. Kyle, trying not to attract attention, nodded in agreement.

  In the noisy and smoky atmosphere of the "Merry Goblin," the tired but satisfied group of adventurers settled down at one of the sturdy wooden tables. Steaming plates of roasted meat, mugs of amber ale, and fragrant bread graced the table.

  Dex, heartily devouring a juicy piece of pork, loudly recounted his heroic battle with the Minotaur, embellishing some moments and emphasizing his bravery. Gimli, with a mug of ale in hand, grunted in agreement, inserting his grumpy comments. Zara, gracefully wielding her knife and fork, teased Dex, but in her green eyes, one could see the pleasure of a successfully completed job. Ellariel, sipping from her mug, smiled reservedly, listening to the lively conversation.

  Kyle sat a little apart, picking at his portion of roast and trying not to draw attention to himself. He listened to his companions' stories with interest but hardly participated in the conversation himself.

  "Hey, Kyle! Why are you so quiet?" Dex noticed him, putting down his meal for a moment. "You were there too, you saw how I that horned bastard..."

  "Yes, I saw," Kyle replied quietly, blushing slightly. "You all fought well."

  "Weren't you scared when that beast was swinging its swords?" Zara asked curiously, narrowing her eyes.

  Kyle hesitated before answering. "A little... but I knew you would handle it."

  Gimli took a sip from his mug and grumbled, "You're still a bit small for such serious business, lad. But nothing, you'll get the hang of it."

  Ellariel looked at Kyle attentively. "The main thing is that everything ended well. And we got what we came for."

  "Did you notice how that Minotaur's leg suddenly... just fell off?" Zara said thoughtfully, casting a quick glance at Kyle. "It was strange."

  Everyone fell silent for a moment, recalling that inexplicable moment. Kyle felt someone's gaze slide over him but tried to maintain an impassive expression.

  "Probably an old wound," Dex shrugged, returning to his food. "Or Gimli hit it with his axe so hard we didn't notice."

  The dwarf snorted. "My axe would have left a bigger mark than just... the absence of a leg."

  Ellariel looked at Kyle again, but said nothing.

  "Alright, let's not dwell on it," Zara clapped her hands together. "The main thing is victory and good earnings! Let's drink to that!"

  Everyone raised their mugs, clinked them together, and took a sip. Kyle followed their example, feeling the tension ease a little. The conversation flowed again in a lighter vein, discussing future adventures and spending the earned coins. Kyle smiled silently, listening to his friends and hoping that they would never have to know the truth about his "weakness."