After the chickens there was another empty hall. It was about 50 feet long with a slight downward incline. The door at the other end was plain stone that slid into the wall.

“Mika told us how this little maze works.” Olive stated grabbing the key shaft from where it hung by the door. “There are little chests and mimics hidden in here and each of the chests have a ring in them. You have to place the rings on the shaft in the right order to make the key for the exit.”

“And the exit is another pocket door that’s almost impossible to spot when it’s closed.” Typha added as she looked back at the closed door. It seemed to just be a part of the wall around it.

“Exactly.” Hamish told his mother.

“Rechni and Warsh, this will be good practice for your :Find: skill.” Poli told his apprentices.

They moved slowly through the maze. Typha had a bit of trouble. The small, tight turns and back tracking needed weren’t easy for someone of her size.

She stunned one of the mimics and looked it over. “Jewelry Box Mimic 1” She stated. “They are very well made. It looks like the core made the mimic first then made the other boxes as it’s twin. That makes distinguishing the 2 even harder. Wild mimics always have a flaw that can be recognized.” Typha looked at the others who had stopped to listen to her. “This is only the second dungeon I have been in that uses true mimics. Most of the Bay dungeons only use camouflaged creatures.”

“I’ll put this one at the end of that path.” Tuck said, holding out his hands for the box. “There’s no need to kill it.”

“No there isn’t. They aren’t much of a threat. Just another hilarious surprise.” Typha replied handing the unconscious mimic over to the teen.

“I am beginning to worry about this dugeon’s safety.” Poli stated as they moved on. “I have seen very little that would stop those who mean harm. And even less that would threaten a Life’s Disciple.”

Una came over to him aggressively and drew her sword with a long hiss. The group all looked at her in shock. She began shouting at him in a language made of growls, hisses and clicks. Her charcoal eyes alight with anger.

Olive put a hand on the older man’s shoulder and pulled his back. “He meant no offense.” She said, glaring at the man. “He is concerned that the core isn’t protecting themself well enough. I think there are traps and dangers that we aren’t seeing because we aren’t a threat.”

Una huffed and resheathed her sword after a pause where the core translated Olive’s words. She gave a harsh nod.

The teen smirked. “So I’m right. There are things we’re missing.”

The kobold nodded once more in confirmation.

“Good. And most people that come in are going to be weakened and blindsided by your kobolds in the first room.”

She stood a bit straighter at the praised.

That drama taken care of, the group finished the maze. They did have some issues finding the exit. That made Una smirk. This would be an excellent place for the constructs to smash any dangerous adventures against the wall. While the group were working out the order the rings needed to be in Una mentioned that idea to the Creator.

The hall between the maze and boss room was still eerie. The only lighting from the soft glowing fungi and plants.

They stopped in front of the boss room doors. They were a pair of large stone doors that swing inwards. Even though they aren’t adorned they still feel special.

Olive couldn’t hold her excitement in any longer and shoved the doors open. Everyone marveled at the glittering crystals. Eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to the massive amethyst in the center.

“That’s the boss.” Tuck said. “And I don’t want to fight that thing again.”

“Can we at least see the boss?” Typha asked, looking toward Una.

After a pause the kobold motioned to the crystal. They watched as it unfolded and stood to it’s 11ft height. It was a bit blocky but humanoid in shape. Intelligence shined in the glowing amethysts that are its eyes. The boss stretched then gave them a small wave before folding back down into its crystal form.

“I… That was impressive.” Poli stated, taking off his glasses and polishing them as a nervous gesture. While he was sure they could defeat it the construct was still intimidating.

“140Hp, with all the resistances of an amethyst. Not something I want to face after a hard fight to get here. The mental taxing would be enough to put most off their game.” Typha sounded impressed. “Let’s move on.”

“The guard is gone.” Hamish stated. “Last time there was a stone guard here. It blocked the door to the core.”

“So either something broke the guard and the core hasn’t reformed it or the core isn’t on this floor anymore.” Warsh hypothesized.

“Only one way to find out.” Le’Ly replied moving forward and opening the door.

Just inside the room was a fire pit with logs ready to be lit. Around it were 4 wooden chairs. Behind that were a pair of arches identical to the one in the entrance hall. They faced each other on opposite walls. There were then a pair of beds. They had wooden frames with woven vines as a base and what looked like stuffed deer pelts as mattresses. At the foot of each bead was a barrel of water.

“I don’t think this dungeon knows much about building furniture.” Evanna stated. She looked over the beds skeptical but took a seat on one. The vines groaned but held her weight. “These wouldn’t hold my husband, much less a naga or selkie.”

“Do other dungeons build places like this?” Le’Ly asked after she’d climbed onto the other bed. “The mean kind that hurt people?”

“As far as I know all dungeons eventually make rest spots.” Typha replied.

Poli picked up the answer from there, “It is theorized that dungeons gain something, experience or mana or some other form of energy, just from people being inside them. That is why most dungeons will allow challengers to leave. Keeping a manatee for its milk is better than slaughtering it for its meat.”

“So long puzzles, complex mazes and rest points keep people here longer which helps the dungeon.” Tuck summarized.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense.” Rechni replied.

“It would be easier to just speak to the dungeon.” Olive stated. “Is there a way to do that?”

“Not that we know of.” Poli sighed sadly. “Though this is the most cooperative I have ever seen a dungeon.”

“That is true. Those mimics were the only creatures to attack us. I’ve never seen something like this one.” Typha added, “Which is all the more reason to protect it.”

Olga took a knee by the fire and quickly had it blazing. “If we’re going to stop and rest I expect lunch.” The old woman then took one of the seats near the fire.

“Where do these arches go?” Olive asked, looking them over as her mother and Tuck went to fix lunch.

In response the one on the left lit up and there was a shimmer inside the archway.

“I’m going to see what happens.” Olive stated. Before anyone could stop or join her she passed through the arch and vanished.

Before real panic could set in she reappeared walking through the other arch.

“OLIVE!” Evanna shouted, grabbing her. “How dare you use an unknown magical item in a hostile environment! Are you crazy!?” She was shaking in fear at seeing her baby vanish into thin air.

The teen hugged her tight and waited for her mother to calm a bit before answering. “Mom, this place isn’t hostile. I… It might sound crazy but I… the core is a friend. It isn’t going to hurt me. I know… you told us…. But this place is different. And besides that arch took me to the first arch in the entrance and the other arch is connected to the one with 2 lines over it.”

Typha read her the riot act. “I agree that this core is different and special, HOWEVER, your mother is right. This is an unknown place and the archways could have been traps or could have taken you to a space with no air or underwater, or any number of other dangerous conditions. Testing out new things in a dungeon should never be done alone. You should have taken one of the boys with you.”

Olive only half rolled her eyes before nodding. “Fine. To ease your minds I promise not to go anywhere alone.”

Evanna narrowed her eyes, “Una and the other dungeon residents don’t count.”

The teen’s cheeks turned pink.

Tuck remained silent. While he didn’t fully trust the dungeon he did trust Olive’s intuition. It had saved their lives more than once out in the forest.

“Let’s have some lunch and worry about scolding the scamp later.” Olga ordered. The older woman loved Olive’s wild side and often encouraged her.

Evanna took Olive’s hand and led her to the fire pit. She planned to keep a much closer eye on her wild child.

After their break and lunch they prepared to head to the unexplored 2nd floor.