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THE UNDERNEST SERVER was completely different than any server I had ever visited in the Roblox universe. As Gunter and I stepped out of the portal and gazed out on the world I was blown away by what I saw. In homage to its name, the world looked as if it were built beneath the very roots of the Roblox world! We were standing on a ledge that jutted off of a bizarre root system. The 'root' was rising from the blackness of the depths below us and continued to rise, hundreds of meters over our head until it joined a network of twisted and gnarled branches. Our root was not the only one here. All around us dozens, if not hundreds, of other roots climbed skyward and joined with ours high overhead.
“They say that this server is the one that holds the Roblox universe in place,” Gunter said quietly. “We are literally beneath the world right now.”
“You actually believe that?” I asked.
“I didn't when Professor Booker said it. But I'm starting to believe now! This place is insane!
“It's certainly different than anything I've ever encountered. Where do we even begin to search?” I asked.
“Well, I can see some people over on those other root systems. Let's see if we can get over there!”
The root systems in the Undernest were all connected via a network of suspension bridges and stairways. In many ways, it was a lot like the canal systems of Easterbury Canal, only instead of water beneath the city, there was only an endless black abyss. Still, a large number of Roblox players and NPCs called this server home, and the central city was thriving. Gunter and I navigated our way across several long spans of bridges in order to reach the town. Every time I willed myself into not looking down into the darkness below, knowing that it would do nothing but create panic.
When we finally reached the root system where the majority of the city was built, Gunter touched me on the shoulder.
“Jon, I want to show you something,” he said.
He reached into the folds of his jacket and pulled out the half-built stained glass egg.
“You took it from the professor's office! Why?” I asked, shocked.
“Because something is up with that guy,” Gunter exclaimed. “After his behavior when we returned from the Easterbury Canals I felt the egg was safer with us!”
I rubbed my head and mused. “I suppose you're right. He was acting awfully strange. He seemed very defensive when we questioned him about the dragon. And how did he know about that in the first place?”
“Exactly,” Gunter replied, emphatically. “The whole thing seems fishy to me. And I intend to get to the bottom of it!”
“Alright, fair enough,” I said. “I trust you, Gunter, I just hope no harm comes to the egg while we're here. The professor will be irritated that we took it, but he'll be furious if we lose it completely!”
Gunter smiled at me. “We won't lose it. We're just going to ask a few questions here and that's all. Nothing to worry about!”