No more expeditions were planned on the first day. However, starting tomorrow, one team will be sent every two hours. It was a usual custom everywhere. The first hour was needed to restart the room, the second hour allowed the first team to move a few rooms forward. Thanks to that chances for two teams to meet were low. There happens to be a situation where one team is stuck for some reason and the team who entered later cached to them. In that kind of situation adventurers combine their teams or if they can’t agree a team who gets stuck should step back. Usually ended it that way, sometimes it ended in brawl. Guild master Lucius knows that his seven teams will not cause problems, however in the future sooner or later it will happen.


    -Luci, leave these papers and go to sleep - demanded Paoli - tomorrow there will be another day too.


    -right. We have time. The next caravan will be no sooner than next month - he agrees.


    They slept most of the night, however someone woke them up when it was still dark.


    -Guild Master!


    -what is it? - he sits immediately reaching for his sword. Paoli does the same.


    -commander Serator needs your presence. We probably have some bandits in the desert.


    -fuck. Give me five minutes.


    -yes Guild Master - answered adventurer.


    -bandits? Ridiculous, we are too deep in the desert. How do they do it? - Paoli was both surprised and angry. Desert was her home. In the distance of a few days from the desert border, things could have happened, but they were one month of travel from the nearest town.


    -I know. It isn’t entirely impossible however but I too was thinking that couldn’t happen. The commander and I were more wary of a team of assassins or someone like that, and even that not so fast.


    In the tent of the paladin commander, the three high priests, Serator and Commander Arthuros, who had become the commander of the old company created by Lucius, gathered.


    -everyone is here - nod commander - like was said, we suspect that there are a small group of bandits there.


    -are you sure? Maybe they are some lost travelers? - asked priestess Pinera.


    -they are hiding in the dunes. Well, they are trying. They aren’t too good at that. Of course I send our best scouts to check that. It is true that walls and towers of this dungeon are intimidating so there is that possibility - answered commander.


    Almost two hours later when sun starts slowly brightening sky, scouts were back


    -what you find? - asked Serator.


    -sir. They are bandits, there is no doubt about it. They travel without camels, don’t have any kind of packs with goods or even tents. There are thirty to forty of them. Most of them look like they are barely master level, maybe even not. Three of them, their chieftain and two others could be on grand master level. They have a camp just half an hour south.


    -they were preparing for an attack? - asked the knight.


    -no sir. We think they will try a night ride.


    Everyone looks at each other hearing that. Night rides usually mean that bandits sneak in the middle of the night, cut some throats, grab what they can and run. It happens when some adventurers are sloppy or overconfident. However they had scouts patrolling around the oasis, paladins guarding gates and adventurers were also guarding. They can accept some bandits that somehow managed to get here. Bandits that think they can night ride them were beyond absurd.


    -we need to inform the Dungeon Mistress - decided Grand Priest of the Sun.


    -yes. I will inform adventurers that we will not send today any team to explore. We need everyone ready for tonight.


    There weren’t any established methods to contact the dungeon master. However when someone steps on the final floor he always gets a warning about intruders. Because of that, the Guild Master takes his team and goes there. The route through first wasn''t the shortest, however it led through already explored rooms so it was a relatively easy and fast run.


    -so now what? -  asked Paoli when they arrived in the safe zone on the final floor.


    -we wait. Dungeon Mistress noticed our presence. Soon she should come to check why we are still there and not leaving - explained the Guild Master. Indeed after a quarter of an hour or so she appears in the magic ring.


    -oh Guild Master. Good morning.


    -good morning. I hope that I don''t disturb your sleep?


    -I wasn''t sleeping. Like you know, I don''t need to sleep and I was going through my library trying to find a solution for my problem. But I guess I should rest tonight, maybe even get some sleep.


    -understood Dungeon Mistress. However I''m afraid that I need to add one more problem, and tonight no one will get sleep. There are bandits outside the oasis.


    -bandits? How? We are so far away from anything - Naomi couldn''t believe what she heard.


    -commander Serator and head priests are waiting for you. We want to discuss this issue with you Dungeon Mistress.


    -ok. Let''s go. I don''t know how but I promise to help.


    -thank you Mistress.


    -good day Dungeon Mistress - said Juntar, when she entered the mine tent.


    -hello - Naomi said visibly agitated - please tell me how I can help.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    -Maybe I start with describing the situation first - step in Serator.


    -please.


    -we have thirty to forty bandits. Relatively low levels, just few of them could be master or grand master level. We believe that they were following us by night. They kept two days'' distance from us and because of that we didn’t spot them earlier. They will, most likely, attack us tonight.


    -correct me because I''m a complete amateur in this matter, but for me they don’t stand a chance. You can apprehend them without problem. Yes?


    -they indeed don’t have chances fighting us - agree knight - however apprehending them is almost impossible. If they see that we are holding our hands they will only attack more aggressively. They will see this as they way out of their predicament. And they need to willingly surrender, because of the law of hospitality there is almost no food for them.


    -fuck. Can we do something?


    -Dungeon Mistress. we just don’t see a solution without bloodshed - said Juntar.


    -can we try to  scare them?


    -we will be waiting for them outside of the gate so we can try to talk to them. But I doubt that they will listening - commander answered.


    -please do. Obviously your safety should be most important so if they won''t listen fight just like you were planning.


    -we do that.


    Rest of the day everyone spent on preparations. Fighting in the night is always very hard. The plan was that they prepare a few bonfires and light them for some extra light. They also have few torches, however the fight will still be very hard.


    Late afternoon something unexpected happened. In the dungeon magic ring appears the Dungeon Mistress. She was wearing the most elaborate full plate armor with a helmet looking like some kind of crown. In her right hand she held an enormous wicked looking mace, and on her back were two claymores. And everything was huge. She was as tall as minotaur priest Juntar.


    -Dungeon Mistress? - asked the commander.


    -yes it’s me - smiled Naomi - I want to help a little with scaring the bandits part of the plan.


    -this armour is very intimidating - Serator agrees.


    -nice work - said Erirser Grand Forge Master coming neer wanting to see in detail armor - not very practical for real battle however… - then he saw it and started laughing loudly.


    -grand priest, what happened?


    -this armour is fake, it’s made from wood - he explained, still laughing.


    -my strength and stamina is barely average, and wearing real one full plate armor needs most likely even very high strength and stamina - Naomi said embarrassed - anyway I propose that I will stand in the gate and pretend to be empress of the desert. You now, on your knees peasants thing - Naomi try to convince commander.


    -in my opinion it won''t work - sight Serator - however I rearrange our troops to try fulfill your wish, Dungeon Mistress.


    -thank you.


    It was two hours after sunset when bandits appeared. They were surprised to see adventurers and paladins, but then they chieftain shouts and they start to charge at them.


    -on your knees peasants! - Naomi shouts, she even found a simple spell for amplifying her voice for that - surprisingly it stops bandits - I said on your knees peasants. I’m the Dungeon Mistress of the Dungeon Oasis On Taram. I''m empress of the desert and I''m the voice of gods!


    -I can’t believe it works - murmurs dwarwen grand priest.


    -it’s not over yet - said Serator.


    -I''m mighty Otar the conqueror and I''m here to claim this place! I''m the rightful owner of it!


    -shit. He is mad - swear dwarf.


    -this place belongs to me as god''s decree. However, as an empress I need servants, a lot of them. Those of you who kneel and beg will be spared. That is your final warning! - Naomi shouts, praying that at least few of them will do that.


    -Only people on knees will be you, a whore. After I conquer your dungeon and fuck you few days straight you will beg for more.


    Naomi fists clenched.


    -you want fuck me with what, this dead little thing before yours legs? I bet that combined efforts of all necromancers from the north will not resurrect that thing! - her response stunned all and there was silence - Otar the foul you want to challenge me! So be it. Go there and see my might. Those who understood and ran to me to beg on their knees will be spared. The rest of you can die!


    -Mistress, you are not ready for that - commander whispered to Naomi.


    -I''m not ready to see you sacrifice your life for me, when you don’t need to. So tell me what is a better choice - she answered and the commander doesn''t have an answer for that kind of question - now move. You are my guard and we need them shown at the entrance to the underground.


    There was a lot of tension between bandits and adventurers however somehow both sides managed not to attack each other.


    -that is the entrance to my underground. There is only one floor beside my final one where my throne room is.


    -that is just fucking cave bitch! - shouts leader of bandits.


    -not only foul bat fool too. Every peasant brat knows that tower dungeons are weak, and entrances in caves are traditional - Naomi shouts back.


    -you check if this whore doesn''t laing to me - he pushes back one of the bandits. Paladins barely contain their anger for continuous disrespecting Dungeon Mistress.


    -it’s real! - said the bandit who was back after a few moments - but it’s empty.


    -traps ha - Otar smirks - I suspected some dangerous animals at least.


    -like I said, I believe in tradition, and the first floor should be with traps. If you are scared, kneel and beg for mercy! - Naomi, try once more.


    -better run to your bedchamber and start taking off your fancy armour. We will see if you can do that before I will be there first! Move out you stupid of piece of shits! - he shouts on his mens and all run to the cave.


    There was one difference in how Naomi''s dungeon reacted, because of the broken law of hospitality. All doors were opened to next rooms after clearing the challenge. Only the doors to the shrine were shut tightly.


    -fuck. Why they were so stubborn - Naomi cursed.


    -I warned you, Mistress. Bandits are just like that - said Serator - and you are not ready to see how easy people can die in your dungeon.


    -and I said that I’m not ready to see when some of you died. I know it’s your job and duty however … aaa - Naomi feels something like an electric shock.


    -Dungeon Mistress what is happening?


    -I think someone just died there - Naomi said, trying to understand what happened.


    -don’t look there! - Pinera shouted.


    -I wan’t… aaa - next one. Naomi starts breathing heavily.


    -someone help me remove this armour! - said Guild Master.


    -just undone straps - Naomi managed to say through clenched jaws, feeling the next bandits die - something is not right - she said when the upper part was removed.


    -what? - asked the commander and instinctively his hand reached for his sword.


    -they are not running away. They keep going forward - Naomi said and everyone realizes that Dungeon Mistress is right, at least few should be here already.


    -Pilipa and Collas. Go to bandit camp and search it through. I need everything from there, even trash.


    -yes commander! - both paladins shouted.


    -take as many scouts and adventurers as you need - add Lucius.


    -do it - agree Serator.


    -they are on the second floor - Naomi said after some time, still trying to calm her emotions.


    -Dungeon Mistress, I''m sorry for what I will do - said Pinera and she hugged Naomi. She didn’t have time to react because she felt the worst surge so far. Then it was nothing, her floors ware empty once again. It take Naomi some time to regain her berings


    -thank you - she said - all of you. Thank you. I need some rest now.


    -we wan’t explore your dungeon tomorrow to not disturb your rest, Dungeon Mistress - said Lucius.


    -thank you - Naomi said once again and slowly went to the magic ring to get back to her private rooms.