The next day, early in the morning, the first exploration team gathered before entrance to the underground. The guild master was the leader, his wife was one of the frontline warriors. In this particular situation it wasn't nepotism. Lucius wanted her to be in another team, but she wanted to go with him. It ended with a family quarrel between them, which ended in a duel that ended in a draw. Because of that no one had an issue with her in the team. The shieldmaiden was Nurmela, a proud dwarf whose skills were recommended by the Grand Forgemaster Eriser. The main scout was Iason, he was human and he was a trap master. Nonisa was their mage. She was a human female and very respected for her skills, because at the age of twenty five she achieved a level of grand mastery. With them goes a three person support team. Elven healer Iefyr, and two master scholars Cipac, and Mori to make as many notes as they can.

-everyone ready? - asked Lucius, and all gathered confirmed.

-we are going slowly and steadily. The reset of the room happens after a full hour, so we have some time to look and take some notes, but no more than fifteen minutes. For next few days we will go in that manner, until we have a general picture of the layout of the floor. After that we start normal runs, and any new findings I want to be reported immediately - he repeated for the last time exploration plan - let's go - he said, seeing no objections.

The first room goes smoothly, and the Dungeon Mistress didn’t change anything.

-any findings? - Lucius asked.

-Dungeon Mistress definitely used some new measurement unit. It’s not a yard.

-we need to go through notes to make sense of it, but we are sure of it - said pair of scholars.

-what about this tile? - mage pointed on central tile on floor with gold writing ,,1/13’’

-maybe it indicates the number of rooms? - guessed Nurmela - but that doesn't make sense. Mistress should be secretive about how big her floor is.

-true - nod Lucius - note this and we go forward.

-not today. Only right doors are open - said Iason.

-interesting. Get ready.

The corridor was bent and it looked as if this new room was next to a room with spears. In the corners were four vertical columns, but they didn't support the ceiling. They were only around 4 inches thick. At the height of the man's waist and head were four arms with chains ending in blades and balls of solid iron.

-looks quite obvious - said Paeli - we step in and those things start spinning.

-yes - agree Lucius - Iason ready?

-yes. I play with similar things in one or two dungeons. Well they were spinning from the start. The trigger is most likely in the center and in a few places close to the walls. it could be bad for fresh adventurers especially if they start panicking, but for me it is just good exercise. However Nonisa, I don’t see anything magical here, and you?

-me to. These rotating traps and the room itself is devoid of magic. I even don’t see traces of places where eventual mana can go through.

-great. One worry less - nod Iason.

-don’t be overconfident. Dungeon Mistress is definitely a clever one - said Guild Master.

-yes, i know - nod scout and start carefully proceed to the center of the room where probably the release mechanism was. He didn't try to sneak alongside the walls, because there wasn't a place to dodge. The center of the room will be much safer. After some wait when blades will be spinning at full speed, he will need to just crawl under them, or wait for them to stop. Just like everyone was thinking, a trap sprung when he was in the middle of the room. Chains started spinning, but it wasn't all.

-run! -commanded Lucius seeing some panels in the ceiling move aside and frome above slowly something big start descending.

Iason saw it in the same moment, he was grand master afterall. He smiled and waited a moment until there was enough space under blades and crawled back.

-very clever - he said smiling when was back - I can't wait to see more.

-and definitely nothing for novices - said Paeli.

-true - agree Iason - but if you will not panic you are safe. See how slow this boulder descends? you have a lot of time to calm down, lie on the floor and crawl to safety. I bet that all traps here are similar. If you don't rush things, you can go through relatively unharmed.

-but shouldn't traps be deadly? - asked Nurmela.

-for a decent team of adventurers maybe they are not. However, have you ever met or heard about smart bandits or cultists? - asked Lucius - they will try to rush through the rooms wasting their men, monsters and mana.

-and time - added Mori - rooms resets after one hour.

-and about time. I think that when this block of iron hits the floor blades should stop - said Nonisa. Just a moment later with loud bang boulder land and blades stops.

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-good. We can go in - nod guild master - remember we have only fifteen minutes. Cipac watch your time mana clock - mana clocks were simple disks with a small number of mana stones on them. Depending on the size of the gems and the enchantments used, they can show different time periods. At start user pushes mana into stones until all are full. Over time, their mana disappears and one by one they stop glowing. Cipac had a clock with four stones, in which one jewel could shine for about fifteen minutes.

According to the number on the block of solid iron it was room number two. It was a huge rectangular block with diagonal measurements, and height the same as width of corridors and it was hung on two heavy, thick steel chains. At the beginning they couldn't find a prize for this room. It sometimes happens but everyone was counting on some extra cash. Then Nurmela asked to help her climb up on a boulder.

-someone help me. I want to see how Mistress builded this trap - she said pointing on a boulder.

When she was at the top of the block she started laughing - I found a prize! catch - she throws a silver coin to Iason. Then she climbs on a chain to see what is there. For a few minutes they hear her mumbling and laughing like a child. When she got back she was grinning immensely happy.

-dwarfs from the forge temple will have a lot of fun here - she stated - this block of iron drags those chains which are wound up on two drums. Those drums move some gears to move those spinning blades. There are also some interesting mechanisms on which a boulder hangs before someone enters the room.

-I understand that you don’t see anything hidden? - asked Lucius.

-no, nothing.

-good, let's go.

The next room was straight forward. The sixth room trap was also obvious.

-great, arrows or something this time - said Iason seeing three rows of holes in walls. The first hole was around knee height, next waist and third head - Well, at least this type of trap is one-time use, and the door to the next room is already open. We just have to go to the altar for the prize, and then to the door.

-Nonisa, cast shield on Iason - Lucius ordered.

-nice. Lets see what happened - said Iason and pressed the press first tile with his sword. Something clicked, the tile sank a little and a volley of small iron balls flew from both sides - that could hurt.

-yeh. Atleast first tile is clear - said Nurmela.

-most likely the whole row. At least for tiles in front of the door - said Iason.

-time is running - the leader reminded him.

-I will clear this room in no time - he assured him, and pressed the tile in the second row. Each tile was rectangular and one feet wide. When he wanted to reach the tile in the third row to press it, he stood on the first tile. He registered when it sank a little, he was prepared for that. He wasn't prepared for a volley of iron balls. He was not prepared for the barrage of iron balls. Only his skill and experience helped him avoid being hit.

-you said they would only fire once - said leader.

-they have always been - Iason was a little shocked.

The leader pressed the first tile and a new volley was shot.

-fuck. We go with a shield wall - Lucius decided.

-and use your swords to keep stepped tiles pressed. It could help - added Iason.

-I like that idea - said Nonisa, who will be required to protect everyone with a magic shield.

Going to the pillar with the prize and then to the door took them almost a half hour. Even though they had been working together for several years, they had never been forced to such a high level of teamwork. They needed to closely watch the steps before them to keep tiles pressed, and they needed to keep tight formation to be protected by shields.

In the next room in the middle of the room stood, almost three feet in diameter, a column with deep spiral groves. And this time with a round pedestal. On it was number nine. There were also four small altars in the corners with symbols of different natural elements, fire water, earth, air. On them was placed something that had golden shine.

-that is nasty - smiled Iason - I bet that trap will get triggered when someone gets near the altar.

-and we need to do that to open next door - nod Guild Master - are you ready?

-always - he smiled. He liked this place more and more. He saw some quite complicated traps, but they always had sharp blades, deep pits or poisons. Usually you trigger them, dodge, outran or wait some time. Here, you know it's a trap and even see where it is, and if you want to go further you will trigger it anyway. And room before? You better have a good team or you are dead.

He slowly moved to the altar on the left corner. Just when the altar and golden object was in reach of the hand trap got sprung. This time I was the whole ceiling that slowly started to descend. Also for some reason the column starts rotating. He grabs a gold circle and throws it to the guild master, and runs to the opposite corner.

-Paoli, another opposite corner! - Lucius ordered and she ran immediately. He got another one from the right side. All met in the center.

-what next asked Paoli - looking on the pedestal and golden gear wheal she got from the altar. On the pedestal there was a round place for it.

-we need to put them in thous round holes - said Iason

Paoli nod and try but it doesn't fit.

-it doesn't fit. I need a rectangular hole in the middle and this one has a triangular one. But the symbol matches.

-try opposite element - said Nonisa - what you have?

-water. Who has fire?

-I have it - said Lucius and gave her the right gear.

-it fits - she said, and after fast reshuffling all gears find their place.

-what next? - asked Paoli, seeing that the ceiling still was descending.

-here is an arrow on the edge of the pedestal - pointed Nurmela - let's try to move it.

they tried and indeed this was it. After half of the turn something clicked and everything stopped.

-thanks gods for smart people - Paoli laughed.

The prize was hidden inside the pedestal. Nurmela also found that golden gears weren actually made from gold. They were steel ones just painted with gold paint.

-that will be a nasty surprise when someone will grab them thinking that he found a few bars of gold - she starts laughing.

-that depends if you can take them outside - said Nonisa.

-I bet you can - the dwarf woman shook her head - this dungeon, and definitely this floor is for smart people. Stupid, greedy or blind one will get their asses kicked by a Dungeon Mistress.

-it looks that way - agreed Guild Master - I will need to issue an official warning about that.

-I’m curious how many people still will fall for that anyway - mused Iason.

-if they do, it will be a good lesson for them. Dungeons are treacherous places, even if the dungeon master is a decent person - said Lucius - anyway time to go.