There was once a dungeon core.
It was a medium-sized core, and it was ancient beyond description. This core was silver with small flecks of green, but such things did not concern it.
This core had been given a mission by its dungeon master.
It had not been ordered by its master in a very, very long time, but it had not given up, for its mission was in line with the laws which governed all cores.
Protect the treasure.
This core was very, very good at protecting treasure.
It had never known the name of its dungeon master, only that he had been powerful and wise beyond its small ability to judge such things. A master of illusions and magic, he had bestowed the core with a small, magical box containing the dungeon's treasure.
The core did not open the box.
Such things were unnecessary.
All dungeon cores were instantly capable of judging the value of their treasure, and this treasure was valuable indeed.
The core's power had increased as a result of the treasure it needed to protect, and this power had been further multiplied from the teachings of its dungeon master, who had a certain skill in devising traps.
This core's strength was in traps with edges.
It had first thought to craft blades of steel which would erupt from the wall, injuring, dismembering, or beheading intruders.
No, said the master.
This will not be the way of my dungeon, said the master.
Edges are not limited to steel, only to the imagination, said the master.
The core had not understood, but the master was patient. He had little time remaining, but this treasure was one that he must leave behind for the future.
For one who would fight.
For one who was the strongest not in body, but in mind.
For one who was unbreakable to their enemies.
For one who would never surrender to fear.
The master held great power, but he also held great wisdom, and he had explained many things to the core.
He knew well that should he do battle wielding the treasure, he would fail, and his treasure would fall into the hands of his enemies, strengthening them in ways that could be impossible to counter.
He knew, too, that his companions—his kin—could not wield the treasure. No, their morale was already broken, shattered by their crushing defeats and the loss of their strongest members to powers that could not be comprehended.
Powers that defied reality.
They had fought mightily, but they had lost, unable even to leave a trace of their struggle, so sudden was their discomfiture.
Guard this treasure until one as I have described appears, little core, said the master.
Challenge them.
Test them.
Speak to them all I have told you, and determine their will.
The master had given the core another, lesser treasure.
Should the intruder who bests you be like them, one who seeks only to despoil and cause harm, this shall be your treasure, and you shall deeply bury the great treasure, never to be found. The enchantments on the box will mask it to all but a dungeon core, and it will be forgotten.
Better that it be forgotten than to fall into the hands of my enemies, the master said, and thus the creation of the dungeon had begun.
A true dungeon needs only a single room before its heart, the master had said.
Create your edges, but craft them in this manner, in this form, the master taught the core.
In this way, the core had been enlightened.
Edges were not metal.
Edges were everything.
Wind possessed edges which could shear through the strongest metals.
Fire possessed edges which could burn their way through the toughest armor.
Water possessed edges which could slice more cleanly than any weapon.
Earth possessed edges which could skewer any intruder.
So had the core learned.
But this was not enough.
The master had even less time remaining.
What of light, the master asked.
Light, too, had edges.
Light possessed edges which could cut through any of the edges it had previously created.
This was a powerful edge.
Still, this was not enough for the master, who had divined that this would be the day of his death.
What of darkness, the master demanded, casting an ensnaring magic of powerful illusion to distract his enemies when they reached entrance to the dungeon.
The core had considered this. It had asked why the master did not flee but instead remained with the core.
Dungeon law prevents entrance to a dungeon by any means but an entrance crafted by the dungeon, was the master's reply.
This was the only place that the master was safe and the only place that he could leave his treasure if he wished for it to be used in the future by one who shared his purpose.
But why…
Focus, little core, the master had cried, his shoulder pierced by an arrow fired at random by one of those who was still held by the illusions.
What.
Of.
Darkness?
The core had fought to comprehend.
Darkness had edges.
Darkness had edges which could cut through…
The edges of darkness could cut light, but could not light also cut darkness?
Yes, the master cried, a sword slicing off his hand despite his defenses as the first of his foes broke free from their ensorcelment.
There is only one thing left for me to teach you, little core, the master said.
What of thought?
The core had frozen, its own thoughts twisting and turning at the enormity of the concept it was on the edge of comprehending.
A true dungeon needs only a single room before its heart, the master had always said.
This is that room, little core, the master bellowed, an enemy's spell tearing through his torso.
You are the trap now.
You are the
edge.
The
core
had
understood.
Edges
had
no
limit.
Structure
had
no
meaning.
The master was dead now, and he had not directed the core to craft a single trap.
This core no longer had a need for such things.
The master's enemies looked across the dungeon and spotted the core.
They saw the box which contained the great treasure.
One of them, able to cast powerful spells, tried to retrieve the treasure using a
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.
Spells possessed edges.
The core disassembled the spell back into those edges, and it could no longer function.
The spell user could not understand the power of edges.
The next among them, a sword user, had stepped inside the dungeon.
The dungeon core must protect its treasure.
Intruders could not be allowed to obtain the treasure of any dungeon core, but this treasure was particularly special.
The master had said so.
The sword-using intruder had edges.
Many edges.
The core could imagine an infinite number of them.
The
s
w
o
r
d
-
u
s
i
n
g
i
n
t
r
u
d
e
r
became an infinite number of edges and ceased to be an intruder or a user of swords.
The master's enemies had fled, unable to comprehend the full ability of edges.
Others had challenged the core over the years.
Those who announced themselves as heroes came and went.
Some became varying numbers of edges, and some left having only set one foot inside the dungeon and not two.
All who entered the dungeon would be challenged.
None would obtain the master's treasure, save for the one who surpassed the core's challenge.
So this core had existed for an eternity in the room just outside the small chamber which contained the treasure.
This core did not grow lax during the time when there were none to challenge it and it remained in solitude.
It did not concern itself with time.
Time had edges.
On this day, however, and at this time, the core which was knowledgeable in the ways of edges encountered something at the edge of its prior experiences.
This core encountered a visitor.
The wall to the core's right, between the dungeon's entrance and its heart, melted away.
This manner of approach was known to the core.
Any who entered the dungeon by a means other than the dungeon's entrances could be returned to the entrance immediately according to dungeon law.
This core simplified the process when such events had occurred in the past.
Intruders who entered by such means were already inside the dungeon.
All who entered the dungeon would be challenged.
This time, however, there was no intruder attempting to enter.
"Hi, core," shouted another dungeon core from beyond the boundary of this core's dungeon.
This core had never spoken with another dungeon core.
Cores must protect their treasure. They could not travel.
"Core, we're going to combine our dungeons," said the other core.
This core was confused at the idea, and it rejected the concept. Such things were against the law.
"I am the law," said the other core. "It's not against the rules, so we're doing it."
This core was shocked.
The other core was an enforcer of dungeon law!
"Your dungeon is now our dungeon, my dungeon is now our dungeon, your treasure is now our treasure," the law-enforcing core said.
What of the master, asked this core.
"Your dungeon master is now my dungeon master too, just as my dungeon master is now your dungeon master," ordered the law-enforcing core. "Having multiple dungeon cores in the same dungeon isn't against the rules as long as there's more than one dungeon master."
This was true, the silver-with-green-flecks core realized. That was the law. And it did have a master, even if that master had returned to his edges an eternity ago.
"We're partners now, core," the law-enforcing core said. "Together we will create the most awesome, challenging, rule-following dungeon of all time. You're the most powerful of all dungeon cores, and now that we're partners I, too, am as powerful as you. Together, we will guard our treasures on behalf of our dungeon masters."
This core understood. It had gained mastery over edges, yes, but it suddenly grew enlightened once more and comprehended the edges in its previous knowledge.
Even edges have edges.
Such a weakness could not be overcome solely through further mastery of edges.
No, the master had never taught it how.
The master had only said that the treasure must be guarded to the best of the core's abilities.
This core's ability had edges, however, as it now realized.
It would not let down the wise master who had taught it the beauty of edges.
Our dungeon is large, this core observed.
"Yes," said the law-enforcing core. "I traveled far and deep to reach you."
What of the master's enemies, this core asked. Do they still exist, seeking to cause harm and despoil all?
"Yes, and they're filthy," the law-enforcing core said. "I'll ban them all."
They will be returned to their edges, this core said simply. Then it came to a realization. The law-enforcing core had spoken of treasure. The treasure that this core guarded held extreme value, but it had been the only such treasure that the master had left to the core. Was it possible that this was only an edge of its treasure, it wondered. Could the master's treasure have extended further, and its remainder existed beyond the walls of its dungeon?
"You talk oddly," the law-enforcing core said, "but you might be right. If your dungeon master had more valuable treasure, we'll find it. I'm going to find the rest of the cores now. They'll help us search."
This core saw the wisdom in such a thing. This moment was the edge of its time as the sole core of its dungeon.
Are the other cores nearby, asked this core, wondering how long such a journey would take.
"There is one under a city near the other end of our dungeon," said the law-enforcing core, sharing its knowledge of the third core.
This core understood. It comprehended the edge that existed, separating itself and the law-enforcing core from that third core.
The core that had attained mastery over edges found the edge in that edge, and then the three dungeons were one.
"Wow, that's pretty handy," said the law-enforcing core.
This core had only perceived the edge within the edge, as it had become able to do through its interaction with the law-enforcing core.
This core's ability had edges, yes, but it seemed that those edges also had edges which could be discovered by meeting with other dungeon cores.
"Hi, core," the law-enforcing core called to the third core. "We're going to combine our dungeons. There's two of us in our dungeon already, and now there are three."
"We must not," said the third core, a swirling pale red color. "My trëasure is of little value, and I have alrëady been conquered. I am too weak even to resist intruders, and the only reason I have not been shattered is that the intruders still use my ënergy for their spëlls."
We are the strongest cores, said the core that had attained mastery of edges. Join with us, and you will also be the strongest. We will protect all treasures within our dungeon, no matter their value.
"Can the intruders be removed?" the pale red swirl core asked.
"I can enforce the rules of the dungeon on all intruders," said the law-enforcing core. "Are they violating any rules?"
"There is sëxual contënt," the pale red swirl core said sadly.
What humiliation, exclaimed the silver-with-green-flecks core. The intruders do not even seek treasure? They will be shown the edges of their lifespans.
"Many of my intruders know not that théy are within a dungeon," said the pale red swirl core. "Nor do théy know the rules of dungeons."
"Hm," said the law-enforcing dungeon.
The core that had attained mastery of edges understood. The intruders within their dungeon had too many edges to their knowledge and could not perceive the edge between dungeon and not-dungeon.
"Ah!" said the law-enforcing dungeon, also in understanding.
"This does not seem to be—"
"Banned," interrupted the law-enforcing core. It then made a strange, high pitched noise that the silver-with-green-flecks core had never perceived before.
This core had many edges to its knowledge, it seemed.
"The intruders are gone," the pale red swirl core said, seeming impressed.
"Let's make the entrance here more obvious so they don't make any mistakes," said the law-enforcing core. "We need intruders for their soul energy, but it seems like it should be against the rules for us to…" The law-enforcing core stopped speaking for a moment. "I shouldn't have moved those intruders outside the dungeon. It wouldn't have been against the rules to kill them."
That was a foolish action to take with such haste.
"Look, I'm going to level with you here," said the law-enforcing core, "I've never shared a dungeon with any other cores before. There's a pretty good chance I'll end up making some bad decisions."
We should all make the decisions, said the core that had attained mastery of edges. We are partners now.
"I concur," said the pale red swirl core.
"Alright," agreed the law-enforcing core. "I think we should make a big entrance here so we can get lots of intruders."
"I concur," said the pale red swirl core.
Perhaps one of the intruders above has part of the master's treasure, reasoned the silver-with-green-flecks core.
"We do need more treasure to guard," the law-enforcing core said.
"Then we are agreed. Lët us construct this ëntrance," said the pale red swirl core.
"After this, there's a couple other cores we should combine with," said the law-enforcing core.
The core which had attained mastery over edges perceived the edge between the highest part of the dungeon and the city above it, and then the dungeon and the city were linked.
"That is a very useful ability," said the pale red swirl core.
"Intruders!" shouted the law-enforcing core. "Quick, we need to create puzzle rooms!"
Puzzle rooms? The core which had attained mastery over edges was confused. What would be the purpose of such a thing?
"They need to have a possibility of completing the dungeon," said the law-enforcing core.
"I am not in favor of this," said the pale red swirl core.
The silver-with-green-flecks core was also opposed.
"We have to," argued the law-enforcing core. "It's dungeon law."
But now we are the law, the core which had attained mastery over edges reasoned, finding the edge in the law-enforcing core's logic. And we make decisions now because we are partners. Our treasure must be guarded.
"Yes, we must guard our trëasure," the pale red swirl core agreed.
"I…suppose that makes…sense," said the law-enforcing black core, which had previously been the only law-enforcing core.
Treasure can only be given to those who are capable of finding the edges of our dungeon's challenges, said the law-enforcing silver-with-green-flecks core. We make decisions, and this is our decision.
"It has been decided," agreed the law-enforcing pale red swirl core.
"Alright, that's what being partners means, isn't it," the law-enforcing black core said.
And it was.
On that day, the dungeon which would become forever known as the Dungeon of Instant Death emerged, placing a massive, edge-covered entrance in the center of Charus City which was visible for quite a distance even outside the city.
Hundreds of curious and intrepid intruders entered on the first day.
Many died by simply dissolving before the eyes of onlookers.
Others died by falling through the dark gray, tiled stone floor and emerging from the ceiling at a higher velocity to splat against the very floor they had fallen through.
Still others died by slowly melting from within, burned by some unknown heat.
A select few, mostly those who had come directly from engaging in sexual content immediately prior to entering, but also those who cursed at or insulted the dungeon, vanished instantly without a trace.
Only one who entered the Dungeon of Instant Death on that first day survived for longer than a single minute, with the vast majority dying after taking only three steps.
Those who saw the dungeon's treasure attempted to reach it, and the treasure must be guarded.