“How was it?" Lila asked as they left the restaurant, her nose scrunching up at the scent wafting out of the door as it opened.

“Terrible. Wretched. One of the most disgusting things I’ve ever had the displeasure of tasting.” Eliza stuck her tongue out in disgust.

“Delightful.” Jeffrey laughed.

“Pretty bad, honestly.” Zoe laughed with him.

“I’m glad I waited outside, then. A delicacy, that is not.” Lila giggled.

“Why did it smell so rank?" Eliza asked.

“That’s just how the kujub taste.” Jeffrey answered. “Positively delightful.”

“Well to each their own, I guess.” Zoe said. “Where next, then?"

“Hmmm,” Jeffrey pondered aloud before he started walking back towards the large cavern. “Well, I suppose I can take you to our dungeons.”

“Dungeons?" Zoe asked. ”Like the jails, or actual dungeons with monsters?"

“Dungeons, with monsters. Where did you think the slime and drake meat came from?" Jeffrey asked.

“I had a suspicion, but it’s a bit odd to hear that there really are dungeons underneath another dungeon.” Zoe said.

“Do you not have dungeons beneath your cities? I was under the impression that many of your larger cities had their own dungeons.” Jeffrey asked.

“I mean, yeah. But those are cities. This is a dungeon.” Zoe said.

“I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a difference.” Eliza said.

“What do you mean?" Zoe asked. ”This is clearly a city, but it’s a dungeon. The system has its mana rushing all around us even down here, doing whatever it’s trying to do. That doesn’t happen in Foizo or Korna.“

“No, but it does in Flester.” Eliza said.

“Which is a dungeon, now.” Zoe said.

“Yes, but imagine if we were fire elementals, or some other creature that enjoyed the intense heat put off by them. Would the people have been pushed out of Flester? Would the system have still created Flester’s Might? Would we have lived in harmony along with the fire elementals that inhabit the city now?

“Maybe that’s what happened to Flester in some other timeline, different choices that led to a Flester run by fire elementals. And the system just ripped it out, or made a copy of it to bring to our world. I’m not sure what it means for dungeons, but it’s an interesting thought.

“Dungeons may very well be cities, or perhaps civilizations or lairs of powerful beasts? At any rate, they may just be locations deemed significant for some reason or another, and the system uses them as a base to create a dungeon elsewhere? Or a direct copy, or perhaps even just moves the entire location as it is to where the dungeon will be created?

“I’m not sure, but it’s fascinating. That would mean that many of our cities may very well be dungeons elsewhere. There may be a planet somewhere inhabited by fire elementals that has a dungeon that looks much like Korna, with all of its dungeons beneath attached to it as one larger labyrinth to delve into.

“There might even be one of Foizo.” Eliza chuckled. “With you as the final boss, recreated over and over as goblins raid your town for rewards.”

“It’d probably be the royal guard, though, if we’re being honest.” Zoe said.

“That’s not the point.” Eliza waved her hand dismissively. “The point is that dungeons might be fundamentally different to what I believed them to be before. Moaning Point might just be a mountain from some distant planet infested with undead summoned forth by an immortal lich. This dungeon might just be a normal city from some planet inhabited by goblins. They’re not new, they’re copies.”

“Okay, but that really doesn’t explain how Flester’s Might came to be. It existing elsewhere makes sense to me, but Flester exists here, and most of the stuff we find in it as decorative stuff doesn’t make much sense. You can say another timeline or dimension somewhere, but I have my doubts that the system reaches that far, so omnipotently.

“And without that explanation, we can’t really say there was another carbon copy of Flester somewhere out there on another planet that was destroyed in almost the exact same way, except happened to be inhabited by fire elementals who didn’t hate the fire. That’s too much of a stretch.” Zoe said.

“You’re right.” Eliza said. “It doesn’t make sense. But it makes too much sense for these dungeons. There are so many dungeons that it fits so well for.”

“Maybe the system doesn’t always create dungeons the same way?" Lila suggested.

“So some of the dungeons are copies of existing places, while other dungeons would be created in existing structures?” Zoe asked.

“Careful now,” Jeffrey said as they stepped back onto the maze of metal catwalks, leading them deeper into the cavern and down some rather dangerous looking steps onto the lower catwalks.

“Why not?" Lila asked. ”It makes the most sense, to me.“

“What if dungeons aren’t a part of the system.” Zoe suggested.

“That’s a ridiculous thought, but go on.” Eliza said.

“The system obviously interacts with dungeons. It gives them names, rewards, feats, and so on. There is obviously a connection between them. But could a dungeon be formed without the system’s intervention? Were dungeons still created before the system was created?" Zoe asked.

“I see. That’s an interesting thought. So you’re suggesting there are two types of dungeons. Natural dungeons that the system sticks its grubby paws into, and unnatural dungeons the system creates to fill a need?" Eliza asked.

Zoe nodded. “The system likes dungeons. It uses dungeons, but I don’t think that means that dungeons have to be a part of the system themselves. Maybe dungeons are naturally formed around tragedies like the fall of Flester, or in areas with particularly dense mana, even without the system’s interference.”

Eliza nodded and rubbed her chin. “And when the system notices something like that happening, it steps in to help out. Twisting the natural anomalous mana into whatever shape it desires, filling out whatever bits might be missing from the dungeon to suit its purposes.”

“Exactly.” Zoe agreed. “Which would mean that a dungeon like the springs here would have been brought over to fill in some need that the dungeon had. Which would be what? Mana to fund the nearby kliggig dungeon?”

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“Possibly, but that’s assuming that this dungeon was created by the system artificially.” Eliza said.

“Wouldn’t it have been? I can’t see this having been a natural thing here for this area.” Zoe asked.

“Now, no. But there could have been some ancient civilization from thousands of years past that was overrun by goblins, and the system helped twist it into what it’s become today. Or maybe it came from before the system, we don’t have much details on how old most dungeons are so we don’t have any way to tell. Let alone how old the system itself is.” Eliza said.

“That’s a fair point. Maybe Kliggig dungeon was created artificially to fill in some need, then. Or maybe they were both natural. I wonder if there’s any way to tell, conclusively.” Zoe wondered.

Eliza chuckled. “There’s no way to tell conclusively if this theory is even remotely accurate. It makes some sense, but that doesn’t mean it’s right.”

“The dungeons are just down this way.” Jeffrey said, leading them into one of the metal hallways that branched off near the bottom of the pit.

“How many dungeons do you have?” Lila asked.

“Just the two.” Jeffrey said. “A drake dungeon and a slime dungeon.”

“What level are they?” Lila asked.

“Fairly low level. I’ve never actually been in them myself before, but I’m told the slimes are about level forty and the drakes are at around level one hundred.” Jeffrey answered.

“Are they challenge dungeons?” Zoe asked before she grinned. “Actually hold on, back to the thing we were talking about. Kliggig is a challenge dungeon. I don’t think that if our theory is right, challenge dungeons would be natural.”

“Challenge dungeons?” Jeffrey asked.

“They restrict your level when you enter them.” Eliza answered.

“No, they’re just dungeons.” Jeffrey answered.

Eliza nodded. “There’s no reason to believe that Kliggig itself would be artificial. The restriction is artificial. The entrance may be artificial. But the dungeon itself may very well be natural.”

Zoe clicked her tongue. “Damn, you’re right. I thought I was onto something there.”

“Don’t get too excited about it, it’s a promising theory but we have no way to prove anything. No real evidence in its favour. We can’t even truly prove that the system is artificial, though I would be surprised if it wasn’t. Perhaps all of this is natural. Perhaps it’s all artificial, and put on display in such peculiar ways to make it that much more confusing to puzzle our way through.” Eliza said.

“Yeah, I know. I know.” Zoe said, smiling at a small group of armoured goblins that ran past them. “Were they farming in the dungeon for supplies, then?”

Jeffrey nodded. “Yes, the dungeons are where we get the majority of food for our restaurants above ground.”

“Fascinating, really. The denizens of a dungeon raiding another dungeon is something I’d never thought I’d see.” Eliza turned to watch the armoured goblins run down the hallway.

“I’ve never had slime, how is it?” Lila asked.

“I’m not such a fan, personally.” Jeffrey said.

“I enjoyed it. It looks like it should be sweet and it really isn’t though, so don’t be disappointed. But it’s not bad, all things considered. Kinda like a mushroom jam? They make drinks out of it too but those are really weird.” Zoe said.

Lila nodded. “I’ll have to try some later, then. Do you have restaurants down here that serve it instead of the kujub?"

“Of course. We’ll make a visit to one when we’re done with the dungeons. Do you wish to explore the dungeons themselves?” Jeffrey asked.

“Could be fun.” Zoe said.

“How long are they?" Eliza asked.

“As I’ve said I’ve never been in one before, so I’m not sure. I can’t imagine they’re too terribly long, though.” Jeffrey answered.

“We may as well. It’ll be fun.” Lila smiled.

“Then into the dungeons we go. Are you not allowed in them, or have you just never gone?" Zoe asked.

“I’ve had no need to before, my job is elsewhere.” Jeffrey answered.

“What is your job, anyway? I don’t imagine you’re a tour guide all too often.” Eliza said.

“No, no. My job is… Ah here we are, this is the slime dungeon beyond this door. If we’re ready to enter?” Jeffrey asked.

“Your job?" Eliza asked.

“Ah yes, my job… Would you like to enter the dungeon?" Jeffrey asked.

Eliza shook her head. “If your theory is right, Zoe, then this is a disgusting display of power from the system.”

Zoe frowned. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“The dungeon?" Jeffrey asked.

Eliza sighed. “Yes, the dungeon. I find it offensive.”

“We can continue to the restaurant for some more human friendly food if you would prefer?" Jeffrey suggested.

“Nope, the dungeon will be fine. Lets go ahead and see what it’s all about.” Eliza said.

Jeffrey opened the metal door, revealing a natural looking tunnel with metal steps leading down into the ground. The first thing Zoe noticed was the smell, an intense savoury scent that filled her nose the moment the door opened. As though she’d just walked into a room where somebody had been pulverizing thousands of dried mushrooms.

The next thing she noticed was a faint cool breeze that raced up the steps towards them, carrying a hint of sweetness and the smell of fresh cut grass to cut through the savouriness. And the last thing to notice was the sound. From up at the top of the steps, it was very faint but it sounded like an empty forest. Branches and twigs that cracked from the faint breeze, leaves and grass that brushed up against each other and distant rivers that flowed gently over the rocky riverbeds.

After a short walk down the steps, the tunnel opened up into a much larger cavern with lush green grass covering the floor and the odd tree filled with colourful leaves bending slightly in the wind. Waterfalls rushed down the walls and small hills that filled the room, and it was all lit by hundreds of small lights that hung from the ceiling like stars lighting the night sky.

But what interested Zoe the most was how the mana didn’t change. Every other dungeon she’d ever entered was noticeable as soon as she approached it in how the mana flowed in strange ways, pushed towards whatever purpose the dungeon needed it for.

Here, however; the mana behaved the exact same as it had been in the rest of the Springs of Gir. The wisps of light floated around, coursing through the walls and floors in the exact same way it had been before.

“It seems we got here at the right time, nobody else is here at the moment.” Jeffrey said, looking around at the scenery. “Beautiful place though, I’m almost disappointed I’ve never been here before.”

“It’s beautiful until you get attacked by a slime. Keep an eye out and be careful.” Eliza said.

Zoe looked around them with her Cosmic Vision, checking through the fields of grass and along the walls for anything that seemed out of place, but found nothing. “We’re fine here, unless they can attack from a distance before we could react. Which I doubt, if this place is as low level as Jeffrey says it is.”

Lila nodded. “I agree with her. We’re fine here, at least.”

Eliza nodded and looked around the room. “It seems like this dungeon is a single room, unless there’s something obscured by one of the trees or hills. Lets fly and take a look.”

A platform of earth rose up from beneath them, lifting them a dozen feet off the ground and then drifted over the grass and around the room’s perimeter. Nothing stood out to any of them on the walls, no holes or connecting tunnels that would lead to other rooms. Just a single, rather large and quite empty field.

“Where are the slimes?" Lila asked.

“My guess? The water.” Eliza said.

“Think that’s the boss, then?" Zoe asked, pointing to a small pond off in the distance.

“One way to find out, I suppose.” Eliza said as she started pushing the earthen platform off towards the pond.