-oh my dear - said Schewa when they were halfway to the city - it looks like, everyone should be on his best behavior. This dungeon is a holy place.

-holy? - ask Horrath.

-there are depictions of four gods on sides of gates - explain commander with his usual stoic voice.

-actually only The Lady and The Smith are patron gods. The dungeon master hung their banners on a spire on top of the tower. But goddess Iliana, and god Junos also acknowledge her work.

-ancient one also has two patrons. Right? - ask Techiro.

-true. He was also acknowledged by the goddess of fun and mischief, but only after he built his fiftieth floor. This dungeon master however did that on his first day. So once again please be on your best behavior - explained priestess - oh and i think it’s him.

-actually it's a woman - said commander - or maybe even teenage girl. This gate is so big that it's hard to properly assess any dimensions.

-doesn't matter - priestess said - I'm going first.

-yes priestess. We will cover you.

Naomi stood in the northern gate and waited for the scout party to arrive. She was scared, even terrified. She read about the culture of this world, and she had an idea what she should do but ,,what if...''.

-no, no, no - Naomi shook her head - it's a new world, and new start for me. They don’t know about my past. If they do not like me, it's their problem. And i don’t need to talk to anyone at all. Yes. You can do it Naomi.

It takes some time before they reach the gate. Everyone took off their scarves to show their faces. The men had a rough, stern and slightly frightening look. One in particular. Women were their opposite. She had a gentle face, but the look in her eyes was strange. And oh my, she had wolf ears. She was a beastmen.

“No Naomi, no strange thought. It's time to be serious. And she had green robe with The Lady tree on it, so she definitely is priestess’’

The woman stepped forward.

-good afternoon. I'm Schewa, priestess of The Lady, and this is my path - she greeted Naomi and showed her path. There was indeed her personal information.

-oh, yes. My turn - Naomi stammered - hello travelers. I'm the dungeon mistress of dungeon oasis On Taram appointed by The Lady and The Smith. Oh en. This is my path -Naomi nervously introduces herself.

-you don’t need to be so nervous. You doing a very good job here - priestess ensured her and gently smiled - let me introduce you commander Lucius - she pointed at the scary one, for Naomi that made sense he had an aura of boss.

-greetings - his voice wasn’t harsh like his look. It was emotionless.

-hello - she answered.

-and that is Horrath and Techiro.

-greetings mam.

-good afternoon.

They on other hand were typical adventurers like she imagined.

-hello - Naomi responded - oh, yes. My turn - she was so nervous - I welcome everyone. I mean the caravan. This floor is a safe zone and prepared for anyone to rest and prepare for their journey. I have stables, a place for tents, and freshwater. Ah and in towers are supplies, you can take everything that you need. There are lots of trees with fruits, you can eat as much as you can. Do you like honey? I have bees. And under the hives are bowls so you can have honey without disturbing bees. And what else…

-calm down, my dear. I need to ask you about the shrine of The Lady - priestess tries to help Naomi.

-oh, yes. That's important and I almost forgot. Yes. I don't move statue, and bushes. I built everything around it. Oh and pond too i left in place. I only added some frogs there.

-frogs?

-i like they croak in the evening. Oh there are squirrels, and birds too. Oh and crickets.

-meow.

-and cat - added priestess.

-yes - Naomi nodded - it's the champion of this floor. You need to catch him to get a reward. It's nothing big, I do that because it's tradition that every fifth floor needs one.

Everyone stood speechless.

-miss, can i have a question? - commander breaks silence.

-yes sir - Naomi answered a little scared. This silence was a bad sign.

-you said that beyond this gate is a safe zone. But like you said for yourself only every fifth floor can be a safe zone. And this should be your first one. How is that possible?

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-oh, It's easy. It’s actually floor zero or without a number, because I don't intend to build a tower. I'm building underground. I already have two floors ready. The real first one dedicated to The Smith and my last one personal.

They stood shocked. Their look was too much for Naomi, and she ran away.

-commander i need your help - priestess said to Lucius.

-yes mam?

-Please stand for the moment.

-yes?

Schewa grabs his robe, presses tightly her face to his chest and starts to laugh. It was hardly heard but the commander and both adventurers heard it well enough.

-I'm terribly sorry commander, for my outburst - priestess said after she calmed down.

-no problem here - he answered - that was indeed an unusual experience - he agrees.

-it was somehow fitting, but i expected some show of power - said Techiro.

-more than all of this? - said seriously Horrath - you don’t see it? She is cunning and devious as hell. She built these enormous towers, and walls, she decorated them even with ceramic tiles because why not. And all this gold on roofs of towers. Oh and his champion? Do you know anyone who has ever caught a cat? And this is a dungeon cat in a dungeon, and according to the dungeon mistress it’s full of trees. And don’t forget that she somehow circumvents laws about tower and underground dungeons without angering the gods.

-ok - priestess said now a little scared - I think i need to go to the shrine of The Lady as soon as possible. I need to apologize to the goddess.

-no one will go solo anywhere. Safezone or not. It's a dungeon. First we check this tower and its supplies. Then we will see the stables and the camping site. Only then do we go to the shrine - ordered commander, and everyone nodded. Before they enter the gate he waves in the direction of the caravan that for now everything is good.

-I don't know what is worse, stairs or sand? - said the priestess when they reached the first floor.

-there is some kind platform with ropes, so i guess if someone will understand how it works, supplies can be moved easily - answered Horrath.

-and we definitely will need to do that. Look at all of that - gasp Techiro. There were hundreds of barrels with labels. According to what was written in them it was dried fruits, meat and simple bread for travel. They opened two barrels and Shewa checked the contents.

-oh dear goddess. You should try this fruit - she moans after taking a bite when her skills confirm that everything is edible.

-but they are just dried apples, how can they be so good? - asked Techiro

-mana - answered commander-let's check that cabinet with potions and we go to stables. Don’t waste time. On shelves were healing and mana potions, different kinds of ointments for things like sunburn, or cramps. Also were prepared universal antidotes for most common venomous desert creatures. Everything is very basic, some even can be made by a novice alchemist or herbalist, but in the middle of the desert were priceless.

Next they go to see a new oasis. Even as they get closer to the exit of the tower they see only green trees. When they finally step outside they stand for a moment stunned by what the dungeon mistress has done.

-i know that dungeon masters like to show of, but that? - said Horrath.

Shewa slowly approached the grass across the pawed road. She kneels down and touches it hesitantly, almost afraid that it's an illusion and that it would disappear if touched. What she felt amazed her. The dungeon mistress pushes all her heart and soul in creating plants.

-priestess? - commander asked to see her ceresing grass.

-can you tell me what will happen if i pick a blade of grass in a dungeon?

-you can’t. It will disappear immediately.

-not this grass - she answered, picked a blade of grass, stood up and showed it to the adventurer.

-how? - asked the commander, seeing very slowly despairing a blade of grass - that is only possible in deepest levels of ancient one, and maybe two or three others dungeons. She is young as a dungeon mistress and she already knows what they have learned after hundreds of years?

-love commander. The Dungeon mistress put so much love into everything here that this place is almost real. And remember that god of Knowledge and Secrets leave his mark on the wall of this dungeon.

-true. I leave that secret to scholars and you priestess and rest of the clergy. We need to check this stables and shrine.

-you're right - Shewa nods.

Stables were spacious and well built, no wind would bother animals. The roof also was solid, but chances that rain would fall in the middle of desert was just a little better than finding a new and rather cooperative dungeon master.

Reaching the shrine takes around a quarter of an hour. Priestess barely holds herself for wanting to get out of the paved road and start to wander through orchards. When they reached it, the priestess instantly stopped them.

-stop! No one is allowed to step on that grass carrying any weapon - and immediately started untying her belt with a sword and also she put it on the paved road. She also pulled out a few hidden knives.

-it’s not necessary but take off your shoes too - she added when started untie the straps of her boots. They do that too without a second thought. You always should listen to what your priest or priestess is saying. When ready they follow Priestess Shewa. In center indeed stand an old statue of The Lady, and two full of flower bushes. Over two months ago they were barely alive. There was a pond too, until now the main source of freshwater. All of this was exact like commander remember, dungeon don’t change anything

-croac - ,,well, besides frogs'' thought Lucius.

In the meantime the priestess carefully touched the base of the statue, and bushes.

-dungeon mistress was telling the truth - she smiled - she left a statue of The Lady and bushes as they were.

Sheva take in hands water from pond and watered both bushes.

-thank you goddess, for your enormous gift. And I want to apologize for the disrespect that I made to your dungeon mistress upon our arrival. Regrettably i’m freshly leveled master priestess and i lack appropriate training. When we get back from our journey I plan to find a temple where I will learn skills, and knowledge I lack.

-I, Commander Lucius, also want to thank you for your unexpected gift. I promise to abide by the law of hospitality, and I will make sure that the rest of the caravan will do that too.

-thank you goddess - Horrath and Tahiro said to.

In the next moment on the shoulder of goddess land sparrow and chirped happily.

-ach. The sign from The Lady - Shewa was enormously happy - she heard and accepted our prayers.

-yes priestess - commander agree - but we need to come back.

-you're right. We'll spend a few days here anyway before heading further south.

-Yes. Camels and men need rest. And I need to check that we have enough supplies for the rest of the journey.