It was Trisha who noticed the message on the Dungeon Exchange channel, she had learnt from bitter experience that Mary routinely ignored all System messages so she usually dealt with them, actually she was more than happy to deal with them as they usually meant the two of them were getting stronger.

This was a weird one however so she badgered her partner until she consented to look at it.

Mary sighed and released her avatar, she never seemed to have time to play recently, she examined the message Trish was so insistent she read.

“Dear Ms Silvestre, recently my alter ego or double on Earth met yours and that opened or more accurately blasted open our soul link and now we both remember everything we both know and did since that bitch Azurea separated our soul and set me up here on Parthia without my memories as a dungeon. Would you be willing to communicate with me / us. Yours Andy (David Andrew Fitzwilliam).”

Mary sought more information and the Dungeon exchange option supplied what she needed, there it was almost the last entry on the list of Apprentice ranked dungeons: “Unnamed – David Andrew Fitzwilliam”.

Selecting “Unnamed – David Andrew Fitzwilliam” informed her that Unnamed had six levels, had Goblins and Slimes. It also informed her that David Andrew Fitzwilliam was level 6 and his affinities were Fire, Earth and Air.

« Hey Trish can we block this beep thing, I really don’t want everyone to know that kind of thing ‘bout me. »

“No need Mary, only the other Godlike dungeons can access information about you and as you’re the same rank the System will contact you and ask for your consent.”

« Huh! ‘K. »

Mary replied, “Hi Andy, wouldn’t know about the me back on Earth but I’m willing to help any other victim of that blue haired cow. Cheers Mary.”

Andy was obviously anxious as his reply to this missive arrived almost instantly.

“Dear Mary, any help you can give would be welcome, currently thanks to my former companion who thanks to Azurea was able to use me like a computer I have an uninspiring dungeon with goblins and slimes. Can you trade, well I have nothing to trade bar a future favour or two, something I can use to bolster my defences. Regards Andy.”

“Hi Andy, future favours would be great, most of my stuff requires large quantities of salt water. I do have the odd surface creatures available, wolves, badgers, rats, ferrets, snakes etc. Also have some sapient beings that might suit, badger beastfolk, meerkat shapeshifters. Oh and I have the pattern for a Jackalwere but those things are just plain crazy. Cheers Mary.”

“Dear Mary, I’ll take everything on that list if I can. Forgive me but nothing there seems to merit Godlike rank. Regards Andy.”

“Godlike’s due to my small sea serpents, giant sapient squid, magician octopi, sea wyvern and other assorted ocean fauna. I am an Ocean dungeon. Right the lot are on the ‘Offering’ channel but they will be withdrawn in half an hour as anyone can pick them up, oh and the sapients had their prices upped by the System. Sorry.”

“What do you mean small! Those things are huge!” exclaimed Trisha.

« Nope, now Jörmungandr is big, it was so large that it was able to surround the earth and grasp its own tail. That’s over forty thousand kilometres long. Now that’s big! »

A stunned Trisha was only able to open and close her mouth in silence as she contemplated that image, “You... you’re not planning...”

« Nope, wouldn’t be able to feed something like that, besides can’t see what good it would be. »

Time passed.

« ‘K that’s half an hour, so lets see what Andy selected, wow he took the lot! And it seems that “Heaven’s Belt – Ralpindi” owes me five future favours for the Badger ‘folk and the Meercat shifters. Then “Folding Deep – Arlene DuChan” owes me three for the Badger ‘folk, and finally “Unnamed – Sandrinna” owes me two for the Meercat shifters. It seems that half an hour is too generous. »

“That’s because of your rank, anyone who notices will probably grab anything that looks like a bargain especially if the offer is time limited,” explained Trisha helpfully.

* * * INTERLUDE 1 * * *

Erekosë informed Guzz of the current situation, the villagers were blooded but they had taken the second level and were contemplating the entry to the third.

“My Lady suggests that you might like to take your leave down the tunnel, she will then block it but leave the water flowing. You should be fine until your friend returns.”

Guzz looked at the kobold, he had never imagined that he would sympathise with a dungeon much less a kobold. “I’d rather fight.”

“If that is your wish, where do you think you would do the most good, please understand we are not being tasked with fighting to the last, we still have levels to descend to and defend. We need to bleed them of magic and healing as much as killing them.” Explained Erekosë.

Sandrinna watched the invaders while Darkmoon searched feverishly for something that could help them.

Sandrinna replaced the stairs to her fourth level with a steep smooth ramp and added several pit traps for good measure. Then she added some basic fortifications at the bottom and some further fortifications two caves back.

Darkmoon gasped in surprise, “Sandrinna there’s a godlike dungeon offering some unique creatures for future favours. It’s time limited.”

« Anything that will do well in the desert? If so grab it. »

“Done! We owe Blue Lagoon two future favours.”

Sandrinna froze in shock as the information came flooding into her mind. This was no template she could use to summon the creatures, this was a meticulous blueprint for creating unique independent beings not restricted to her domain. She shared her insight with Darkmoon, they both realized that this could potentially enable them to learn how to employ the same techniques in the future, if they managed to survive that is.

* * *

Srood hurried out of the dungeon dragging his niece by the hand as he made for his shop. Once there much to his niece’s surprise he starting filling his prized storage device with his stock of cheap weak potions.

“Uncle why are you placing the cheap potions in storage, I thought you said they were virtually useless.”

Srood stopped and regarded his niece waving the flask containing one of the potions in question slowly back and forth making the liquid swirl. “Think Foritta, think, what do I have here and what do we all lack?”

Foritta opened her mouth to reply then closed it as her eyes widened. “Water!”

“Correct,” said Srood and resumed packing the largish flasks in his storage device. Once he had finished he packed what he could in a couple of bags and sent his niece to pack her things. They left his makeshift shop for the last time and headed for the stables.

“See if you can persuade your friend to accompany us while I saddle Ruffaros’ camels, he won’t need them again after all.”

Fifteen minutes later Srood and Foritta were on their way leaving behind young Harseed who refused to give up his job of lookout.

* * *

Halsin watched with contempt as the adventurers used their own pitons to secure their ropes while his men and the villagers secured theirs to the existing stone rope holders that sported the cut remnants of the defenders ropes. Unfortunately the weakened stone gave way dropping the attackers precipitously down the pit to shrieks of fright. The defenders watched with glee and as the impetuous remaining lizardmen ran forward to kill the merely wounded with frustration as the adventurers arrived at the bottom of the hole and slaughtered the distracted lizardmen.

Guzz used his crossbow to good effect hitting the adventurer’s healer, and the remaining archers and slingers did likewise.

The death of their healer enraged the adventurers and they charged the fortifications impetuously. One of their number discovered a pit trap in the worst possible way.

Halsin descended using the adventurer’s ropes as did his remaining bandit. The two remaining villagers fled. What he found at the bottom wasn’t promising.

“Should we withdraw? Dungeons always let people leave don’t they?” Halsin asked Gutripper the leader of the adventurers as he passed him two healing potions for the unfortunate who had discovered the pit trap.

Zar Gutripper just contemplated him with flat dead eyes, “If we can and no.”

“Hey, give us Halsin and you can all leave unmolested,” yelled Guzz.

Zar Gutripper lived up to his name and quickly stripped Halsin’s body of valuables, in this he was assisted by the remaining bandit. They started back up the ropes.

Guzz looked round puzzled as the denizens of the dungeon simply watched as the remaining invaders left. “Aren’t you going after them?”

“No, you offered bargain for My Lady, they accepted. My Lady says let them leave then conditions of truce fulfilled,” Erekosë told him.

* * * INTERLUDE 2 * * *

Agent Muller, for he was currently working even while enjoying a plate of grilled fish was wandering around the party on his own. Sandra it would seem by her closed eyes and blissful look was fully concentrating on her fish. He could almost see cat ears and tail adorning her.

Mary and Philip Silvestre were present, both had been to the con, the two elves were new, their accents suggested potential complications. He would have to find out who they were.

When he next passed Sandra she was nattering with their hostess discussing of all things, marinades, seasonings and cooking times. It would seem she was a fan of the fish barbecue experience.

A visit to the facilities allowed him a discrete phone call to get someone to tail the elves and to find out who they were.

In the car heading home he was bored by Sandra’s enthusiasm for the experience, he had no interest in cooking after all. He was however intrigued when Sandra described the fairy she swore she had seen hanging around. The blurred out of focus film on her mobile did look like a fairy.