The pond rippled as the group approached on the floating platform of earth. Large droplets of water splashing off to the grass surrounding it in viscous masses that pulled moisture from the lush grass, leaving little more than dried husks and cracked earth below them.

Level fifty six Slimes, to Zoe’s identify. The boss, she wondered?

Zoe formed three dozen small Frost projectiles and flashed an explosive enchantment with all of her Seasoned Persistence’s elements on them, then fired them all off at the rippling pond below them. The water exploded in a flash of steam and dust which was blown away by a gust of wind from what must have been Eliza, she assumed.

All that was left were two slimes wriggling their way down into the blackened pit. Two bolts of lightning smashed into them, blowing their forms apart and splashing water on the dried ground.

“Is that it?" Eliza asked.

“I didn’t get a notification. Did you?" Zoe asked.

“No.” Eliza answered.

“Maybe that wasn’t the boss, then?" Eliza suggested.

“Felt pretty bossy. For what’s supposed to be a low level dungeon, anyway.” Zoe shrugged.

“But there was no notification?" Eliza asked.

“Is there supposed to be a notification?” Zoe asked, looking at Jeffrey, who didn’t respond.

“Of course he couldn’t tell us. This is so frustrating.” Eliza moaned.

“Wanna fly around some more, see if we can find something else that looks like it could be the boss?” Zoe suggested.

“I guess, but I don’t see anything else. Maybe the rivers? I’d bet there’s just smaller slimes floating through it though.” Eliza said.

“Worth a shot,” Zoe agreed.

Eliza pushed the earthen platform around the dungeon for another hour, bringing them down to any source of water that looked somewhat promising but all they could find were smaller individual slimes at around the early to mid thirties.

“That’s it, I guess?” Zoe said when they’d finished their adventure around the dungeon. “No notification?"

“It’s so strange. This is definitely a dungeon, and we definitely killed the boss.” Eliza hummed. “I guess it works different when it’s attached to another dungeon?"

“The mana didn’t seem different here, either. Normally the mana changes in dungeons, but here it was the same outside as in. Maybe these aren’t real dungeons but just simulated for the dungeon’s purpose?” Zoe suggested.

“Maybe,” Eliza said and turned to Jeffrey. “Well, can you lead us to the other dungeon then? This was good fun, thank you.”

“Of course,” Jeffrey said as he pointed back towards the entrance.

Eliza pushed the earthen platform towards the entrance and set them down at the base of the staircase. The next dungeon was further down the main hallway they’d been walking through, nearly a thirty minute walk just to get to the door.

But rather than a staircase leading down, beyond the staircase was a vast, dark pit stretching as far as Zoe could see in any direction. And again, the mana didn’t seem any different to Zoe, behaving the same as it did in the rest of the springs.

“Okay. Wow.” Lila chuckled. “This looks quite large.”

“Yes, I’m told the drakes are much more annoying to hunt for.” Jeffrey agreed.

“Well, no time like the present then.” Eliza said as the ground they were standing on lifted off and floated over the large pit. Several floating balls of fire appeared around them, drifting off into the darkness to find more emptiness. “Check the bottom?”

“Sounds as good as any other plan, to me.” Zoe shrugged.

Eliza nodded, and the platform began drifting downwards. After several minutes, the jagged rocky floor came into sight at the edge of Eliza’s balls of flame, and she settled the earthen platform just above the tallest spikes.

“Normally, I’d just leave a dungeon like this. Rather annoying that I feel the need to find the boss now.” Eliza clicked her tongue.

“We can try yelling, see what shows up?” Zoe suggested.

“Whatever would hear us would have seen our lights, but nothing’s approached yet. They’re either very far away, or they don’t get baited out.” Eliza said.

“We can start floating around, then?" Zoe said.

“And how would we find our way back?" Eliza asked. ”The entrance is little more than a dark metal door set in a dark room on a dark wall, not up against any corners. It’s above us now so we can get back if we must, but there’s no markers here to find our way back if we get lost. If we leave, it could take us days to find our way back.“

“Set a light at the entrance?" Zoe asked.

Eliza shook her head. “These only work in a certain range from me. They’re not a skill on their own anyway.”

“Right. Well if we have somebody stay at the entrance, I could put a tracker on them. But then they’d have to just stand there at the entrance until we’re done.” Zoe said.

“I can do that.” Lila smiled. “I don’t mind.”

“You sure?" Zoe asked.

Lila nodded. “Yup, I’ll be okay.”

“Alright then,” Zoe said, pushing her attention inwards to turn on the switch for her skill. “Give me your hand.”

Lila held out her hand, and Zoe grabbed it. Mana swirled around them, settling into Lila’s hand and Zoe’s shoulder as Eliza lifted them back up to the entrance.

“So I just wait here?” Lila asked, stepping off the platform back into the metal hallway.

Zoe nodded. “Yup. Anywhere around roughly here, don’t go too far. You sure you’ll be alright?"

Lila nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

“Stay safe.” Eliza said.

“I’ll try,” Lila responded with a smile.

“Alright, then lets get going. You’ll be able to find here however far we go then, Zoe?" Eliza asked.

Zoe nodded.

Eliza nodded back, dropping the platform back down to the floor and then along the wall. Following the wall was difficult at times as outside of the small section they’d arrived at, none of it was very flat. It curved and bent around, with small nooks hollowed out into the wall or up on platforms just above their head. None very large, and at least on the ground there didn’t seem to be any more connecting tunnels in the walls.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The drakes themselves were much less imposing than Zoe had expected them to be, compared to the genuine dragon she’d witnessed down in the valleys. They were feathered beasts more akin to a very large hawk with powerful fangs than the scaled dragons she’d been imagining. None were very powerful and most left them alone if they didn’t get too close, anyway.

“Do we want to find the boss?" Zoe asked, staring into the darkness. ”It could be anywhere, really.“

Eliza nodded. “I do want to see if killing it would give us some kind of notification finally, but I suspect we won’t get anything unless we were to kill the boss of the springs.”

“You will do no such thing!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

“Shush, we have no intent to do so.” Eliza said.

“Good. Not that you could do anything to harm the boss even if you tried.” Jeffrey scoffed.

Eliza raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond.

“What do you think?” Eliza asked.

“I’m getting kinda bored of floating around here. Maybe we already found it and killed it and didn’t notice cause we didn’t get a notification.” Zoe said.

“I doubt that.” Eliza said.

“Yeah, probably not. This dungeon sucks though. There are real ones like this, out there?” Zoe asked.

Eliza nodded. “There’s one in Korna, one of the noble families has it. And another just outside the capital. I never like them.”

“Huh, interesting. I know somebody who has an item that lets them see in the dark. I think they’re making their way to Foizo, someday. If they ever do, maybe I’ll see if I can bring them along to one of those then I guess.” Zoe said.

“Huh. Interesting. I tell you what, we’ll try one last thing and then head back to Lila. It might be in the very center of the room, so lets try and get there then float up and see if we spot it. I think I’m done here anyway so you can go meet the boss and fill me in on what you learn.” Eliza said.

“Sure, sounds fine to me.” Zoe agreed.

Eliza nodded and they took another quick lap around the bottom of the cavern while Eliza counted to herself. After she’d finished, she floated them along the length of the wall as she counted half the length of it, and then out into the center of the cavern as she counted half the width of it.

When they arrived in what they assumed to be the center of the room, Eliza floated the platform all the way up to the ceiling, but they still found nothing.

“Alright, where’s Lila?” Eliza asked.

Zoe focused on the tug on her shoulder, then pointed in the direction where she felt it pulling her towards. Eliza pushed the platform over towards it, but as they approached the distant wall, Zoe noticed Lila seemed much further away than she should be. The feeling was pulling her somewhere further than just the edge of the wall, even further than into the hallway.

“Something’s wrong. Lila’s moved.” Zoe said.

“What?" Eliza shouted. ”Where is she?“

“That way.” Zoe said. “But much further than she should be.”

The platform sped up as panic rose within Eliza and they soon found themselves at the rough, uneven wall closest to Lila’s direction.

“She’s still that way.” Zoe pointed at the wall.

“How far?" Eliza asked.

“I’m not sure. Pretty far, though.” Zoe said.

“How did you not notice?" Eliza shouted.

“We were moving too, I just didn’t notice she was moving.” Zoe said.

“Dammit. Never should have brought her here. Dammit. Dammit.” Eliza shouted.

Mana rushed out of Eliza and tore into the wall, ripping large chunks of stone out and tossing it into the pit below.

“You, help.” Eliza said. “Direct me.”

Zoe nodded and pushed mana into her own skill, ripping out even more rocks that clattered to the floor far below them. In seconds they’d carved a tunnel several dozen feet deep, with no signs of getting closer to Lila or breaking into another room.

“You can’t do that!” Jeffrey shouted, trying to stop them.

“Says who?" Eliza scoffed, not pausing her assault on the rock wall.

“It’s not permitted.” Jeffrey said. “If you continue, I will be forced to stop you.”

“Something has happened to my friend. Either tell me what, or shut up.” Eliza said.

“I can’t let you damage our dungeon like this.” Jeffrey said, summoning a small dagger to his hand.

Eliza sighed. “Don’t do it. I’ve grown to like you.”

Zoe pushed some of her mana into the earth around Jeffrey, wrapping him in a dense suit of hematite that grew out of the floor and walls, stopping his movement.

“You wait there.” Zoe said.

“Stop! You can’t dig here!” Jeffrey shouted.

The two women continued carving their way through the earth, and in a few more seconds hit a familiar looking metal wall. Eliza summoned a translucent green sword and cut through the metal, creating an opening large enough for them to squeeze through into the hallway beyond.

The hallway split off to their left and right, with a very surprised looking group of goblins chittering to their left. A wall of earth shot up from the ground, blocking their passage as Eliza sliced through the other side of the hallway and continued digging.

“How far?” Eliza asked.

“I’m really not sure. She feels much closer now. Not much longer, hopefully.” Zoe asked.

Eliza clicked her tongue.

In a few more seconds, they ran into another metal wall that Eliza sliced through, revealing a room that looked much the same as the one they had been put in when they first arrived. Lila was sitting on the bed reading a book and looked up when Eliza and Zoe broke into her room.

“Oh thank god.” Eliza collapsed to the floor. “You’re okay.”

“Hmm? Yes, of course I am. Some goblins came by and insisted that I not be left unsupervised. I told them it was okay, but they were quite insistent and led me back here.” Lila said.

Eliza took a few slow, deep breaths. “I was so worried. I thought something terrible happened.”

Lila chuckled. “I would have sent you a message if something bad happened. I suppose I should have sent a message anyway though just to tell you I was okay. I’m sorry, I thought your skill would still bring you back.”

Zoe shook her head. “I just get your general direction. Which was not near the entrance anymore. We ended up digging through the dungeon to get here.”

“Yeah, I see that.” Lila giggled. “You think they’ll still let us stay here after this?"

“Probably not.” Eliza said. “But I’m done anyway. Lets go. Are you staying?" Eliza asked Zoe.

Zoe nodded. “I’ll stay. I’m still gonna meet the boss. I’ll go rescue Jeffrey and see if I can’t convince him to let me see the boss still. You two need help getting out?”

Eliza nodded. “If it’s not too much to ask, yes please. I guess we can just keep digging up until we’re out.”

Zoe laughed. “Good a plan as any other. I’m going to go rescue Jeffrey first though just in case the dungeon’s mana tries to fill in our tunnel again and crushes him or something.”

Eliza nodded as Zoe teleported back down her tunnel to where Jeffrey was still shouting. The hematite surrounding him ripped away from the wall and Zoe put her hand on his head, then teleported them back up to the room Lila was staying in.

“Okay, so here’s the deal. They want to leave, but I still want to see the boss. Do you think we can make that work?” Zoe asked.

“You have desecrated our home. You heathens.” Jeffrey spat.

“Yeah, but will you show us the way out and then let me meet the boss still?” Zoe asked.

“You deserve death.” Jeffrey shouted.

“Right, so we’re on our own then. That’s too bad.” Zoe said.

“How did the drake dungeon go?” Lila asked.

Eliza sighed. “Terrible. We couldn’t find the boss.”

“Aww, that’s too bad. Did you get some drake meat, at least?” Lila asked.

“Of course!” Eliza laughed.