While Naomi was building her new floor, four humans were traveling through the desert. Their destination was On Taram, but they weren't adventurers. They sneak through the night, away from the usual routes taken by caravans or nomads. They were constantly observing the horizon for someone who could spot them. Their light-colored robes help blend into the landscape. When they reach the oasis, they don’t make a camp. Just found the most hidden deep valley between dunes to hide from being seen by sentries on the wall.

  “That is fucking huge castle.” Whispered one of the spies.

  “And we will need to go there.” Answered another.

  “Why not just check what is in those buildings outside? Maybe even grab someone who went piss of and ask him a few questions?”

  “Idiot. When do you run or hide after that?” Scoffed at him, the only woman in the team.

  “And real secrets are hidden behind the walls.” Said the leader. He didn’t add that he had a bad feeling about that citadel. Something about it wasn’t right. Maybe the gossip that it was the first floor of the dungeon is true? But where is the rest of the tower? The citadel had eight towers, but they were too small to contain the five dungeon floors, or perhaps more.

  While spies were observing the oasis and planning how to sneak in, the guards of the citadel weren’t sleeping. Two guardsmen standing at the gate were positioned to be seen from afar. They observed the horizon dutifully, but dunes obscured the view. However, their role was to control anyone trying to enter the dungeon. Yes, the law of hospitality would take care of any bandit or cultist. But this would end up disturbing the peace of the Dungeon Mistress, and that was deemed unnecessary.

  Real sentries were stationed on the top floor of the tower. And the paladin stationed on the northern tower saw something between the dunes. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it wasn’t an animal.

  “Send the message to the commander. I saw something suspicious.” He said to his partner.

  “Any detail?” he asked, reaching for a small mirror.

  “Hard to say. There was movement, but everything stopped, and now it looked normal. It could be again a false alarm.”

  “Again, officers will have an excuse for one more exercise for us. But better be safe than sorry, I guess.” He answered and went to the opposite side of the tower to send a signal.

  Fifteen minutes later, the deputy commander appeared in the elevator.

  “Where?” He asked. His breath wasn’t entirely steady after running.

  “Slightly to the left, sir. Between that big dune behind the smaller one and that one looking like a sickle. There is that deep cervice between them. I saw something there for a moment. Too big for an animal, and it should move if it got scared by something back then. Also, I had a bad feeling for some reason. Similar to days back then in the north.”

  “Agree,” The officer said. He also had a feeling that something wasn’t right. “Send the message. We need a team to check it. Also inform the Dungeon Mistress.” He decided.

  Besides the paladins, someone else was watching the spies. They spotted their tracks a few days ago. Since the trail led to an oasis and they were headed there too, they took their time. The intruders won’t run anywhere.

  Spies were unaware that they were spotted. Not found yet, but people were aware they were there. All four were lying motionless and observing the citadel. Suddenly, the leader grabbed his colleague next to him and used him as a shield. One second later, a dozen spears landed exactly where four spies were. Only the leader survives.

  “I surrendered!” He shouted immediately.

  “I hate smart cultists.” He heard an angry but melodic female voice. “Search him and the others. Be careful, they are cultists as we suspected. And this one is smart, so have an eye on him.”

  On the tower, the deputy commander and two sentries observed the sudden appearance of the sun elves. First, they saw spears flying in the exact direction where the sentry spotted something. They saw how two died without noticing anything, and the third one was used as a shield for the fourth. Then, like the mirage, one by one, several dozen, maybe even more than one hundred, warriors appeared. One moment, there was only sand, and now a whole army was standing there. And it wasn’t any regular sun elves group. They were marching under the banner of one of the main families.

  “Shit!” The deputy commander swore. “Send a message to everyone. Sun elves are coming.” He ordered the signaller. He was already running to the elevator.

  Downstairs, he saw the approaching Dungeon Mistress accompanied by twenty paladins.

  “Deputy Commander. I got news that something is happening. Can you tell me what is going on?”

  “Dungeon Mistress. What I need to report will be very disturbing for you.” He warned her.

  “Understood.” Naomi nodded.

  “Sentries spotted movements between dunes. There were four spies. Most likely, cultists.”

  Naomi's eyes went wide.

  “Wait, you said they were. They run away?”

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  “No, Dungeon Mistress. Sun elves appeared and killed them. Only one was fast enough to surrender.”

  Naomi closed her eyes, clenched her fists, and took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

  “Thank you.” She answered after a moment. “Please help me welcome them. How many of them out there?”

  “Maybe even one hundred. And it’s one of the main families.”

  “Understood. Thankfully, you called for reinforcements, so I think everything should go smoothly.”

  Sun elves and smoothly? Neldor knew she had met the king of the sun elves, but contact with them was always tense.

  Nonetheless, he stood next to her on the threshold of the gates, and the rest of the paladins stood on the sides at attention. They didn’t wait long before they were approached by a female warrior accompanied by a priest of the Sun and a group of warriors.

  “Greatings. I presume you are Dungeon Mistress?” The female warrior asked.

  “Welcome. And indeed, I’m Dungeon Mistress of the On Taram oasis dungeon, appointed by the Lady and the Smith. And this is my path.” Naomi answered. Her revealing of the path surprised all gathered. Only the priest and the woman managed to stay calm.

  “Then greetings, Dungeon Mistress. I’m Lady Itylara, and I’m the head of my family and those who follow us. And this is my path.”

  “Greetings, Dungeon Mistress. I’m Grand Priest of the Sun god. My name is Tarron. May the Sun always shine over your path.”

  “Thank you.” Naomi nodded.

  “I also have a small gift for you, Dungeon Mistress.” The Lady Itylara said. “While we were traveling to your dungeon, we spotted some cultists sniffing around. We killed three of them, regretably, the fourth one was fast enough to surrender.”

  The Noldor saw how Naomi stiffened.

  “Thank you for protecting people gathered in my dungeon.” Naomi managed to answer with a calm and steady voice. “The Deputy Commander and his paladins were about to check some movements between dunes themself.”

  “Good to know that your guardians are competent and skilful.” The elven lady answered. “Oh, and this is the mentioned fourth one.” She added, seeing someone being dragged by four guards. His arms and legs were tied with rope, and his mouth was gagged. “What, shall we do with him, Dungeon Mistress?”

  When Naomi met his eyes, a cold shiver ran down her back. She swallowed hard and answered.

  “Deputy Commander. Choose a few of your people and bring the prisoner to your camp. But don’t enter with him inside the dungeon.”

  “At once, Dungeon Mistress.” He saluted, and five closest paladins stepped forward.

  “Well, now that we've got that out of the way, I can finally show you my dungeon,” Naomi said when the paladins started moving away with the prisoner. “Everyone, please show your path to the gathered paladins. There are a lot of them, so everything should go fast. Lady Itylara, Grand Priest, please follow me. The entrance to my dungeon is on the other side of the oasis.”

  “Thank you for your welcome, Dungeon Mistress.” The elven woman answered.

  To the deputy commander's surprise, everything indeed went smoothly. No one argued or complained. One by one, all elves show their paths to the paladins and form a neat column following the Dungeon Mistress.

  “Dungeon Mistress, how is building your dungeon going?” Lady Itylara asked while they were walking to the southern part of the oasis.

  “I just finished the ninth floor. Adventurers are pleased overall. It’s hard to say for me how challenging my dungeon will be for sun elves. When your king visited me, I had only one floor with the traps.”

  “Oh yes. You made quite the impression on him with your final floor.” Lady Itylara smiled. “It’s a shame you can’t reveal what kind of monsters you prepared for us.”

  “This is a completely new type, you haven't met it before,” Naomi answered. “And I strongly suggest visiting the Adventurers' Guild before sending the first team. I know you are proud warriors and rightfully so, but gathering intel and preparing accordingly to battle is also something that any successful warrior should do.”

  Lady Itylara smiled. Just like she was told. Despite looking soft and weak, Dungeon Mistress was a strong and fearsome woman. She saw her fear when she was told about the cultist, but she stood straight. And now she throws a challenge at her. Dungeon Mistress was telling her to show who she truly is. Fearsome warrior or a true leader?

  “Understood, Dungeon Mistress. I will listen to your advice. But I was hoping for some surprises.”

  “I think you will get them anyway, my Lady.” Naomi smiled.

  “Dungeon Mistress. May I ask something?” The Grand Priest asked.

  “Of course. How can I help you?”

  “I want to ask about things you discussed with our king. How is the preparation going?”

  “Oh gods! I forgot completely about that. It’s ready and waiting for you.” Elves looked at each other. In half a year, Dungeon Mistress has already built a proper trial ground.

  “It’s ready?” Lady Itylara asked, stunned.

  “Yes. Two adventurers even tested it. They were tamers, so it’s not entirely the same thing as your skills, but I think it’s close enough.”

  “Can you tell us on which floor it is?” The Grand Priest asked.

  “Fifth one.”

  “But that should be a safe floor, Dungeon Mistress. And a small one too.” Lady Itylara protested.

  “Let’s say I’m doing things differently.” Naomi smiled.

  And again the challenge.

  “It sounds interesting. I can’t wait.” Lady Itylara said. “ I won't ask, because I understand that game masters don't reveal their secrets. The most important thing is that it is ready. However, maybe you could tell me something else.”

  “Yes, Lady?”

  “I observed that paladins assigned to you are very skilled. Especially mages.”

  “Oh, they were chosen carefully, and they are also very hard-working people. After the discovery of grand magic, they doubled their efforts to learn it. That's why they look so fearsome.”

  “Grand magic?” the Grand Priest asked.

  “Yes. It was an accident, actually. I was using it from the beginning to build my dungeon. I wasn’t telling about that because we, the dungeon masters, use different magic than mages. It turns out, however, that any grand master can use this magic. The secret is simple. Instead of using just the process or image of an object, you need to combine both.”

  “Ancient magic.” Lady Itylara whispered.

  “Oh. So you know about it?”

  “Yes, Dungeon Mistress.” The Grand Priest answered. “But using it is very difficult, and few of us can do it.”

  “Then I suggest a longer stay in my dungeon. I prepared places to study different elements for mages. Oh. And we reach our destination. Inside that rock is a cave with the entrance to my first floor. Outside the oasis, right next to this tower, is the Adventurers Guild, and also the temple of the Smith.”

  “Thank you, Dungeon Mistress. In a day or two, we should reach the fifth floor.”

  “Then I will be waiting. If I won’t be present, I will most likely be in the tavern. Once again, welcome to On Taram.” Naomi said and went to the teleportation ring.

  “Wait. She said she will be in the tavern?” Lady Itylara asked, surprised. “I was told that this floor has only orchard and stables.”

  “Alessia. Run to the Adventurer Guild. We need to know what is going on here.” The Grand Priest ordered a young elven girl.

  “Yes, grandfather.” She said and ran.