Core says "As I was saying, the enemy attacks stopped for about a year. Many believed that our created race had won and the threat was over. Luckily, not all thought that way, some used the time to improve our defenses and make new weapons."

"That's what I would have done."

Core says "It is thanks to those people that the city didn't fall when the spiders suddenly attacked again. Thanks to their preparations the defenses held, but it was becoming obvious that the spiders would never stop attacking. So we started looking for a way to deal with them permanently."

"It doesn't seem like you had enough information at that point to do something drastic."

Core says "True. That is the conclusion we came to as well. So our wind mages created items to make our scouts invisible to the spiders."

"The enemy had undead by then, undead can sense living things."

Core says "Yes, that caused some problems for our scouts. The scouts also carried items to destroy their bodies upon death. We didn't want any more driders with familiar faces. We did lose some scouts because of the undead, but others were able to return."

"And what did they learn?"

Core says "One of our scouts managed to locate the spider's nest, and that is when we discovered the matriarch. Have you seen the governor's mansion?"

"Yes, why?"

Core says "Because that is about the size that the scout described the matriarch. A gigantic spider, commanding all the other spiders and driders. Once we knew her location we were able to use spells to see her and learn about her. She is what we called a primal being, in essence she was the very first spider."

"She is that big? Would that mean she is the next step above a sacred creature?"

Core says "If you are familiar with dragons, they are primal beings."

"So, maybe two steps above sacred. Is she as powerful as a dragon? If so, that would explain why Seronia was scared of her."

Core says "I can't say for sure. We never managed to reach her to attack her. I can tell you she can give birth to and control every type of spider. What she used to attack us were basically soldiers, she had many more different types under her command. Yet for some reason she only used the others when she needed to."

"That probably has to do with resources. The other types probably cost more for her to create so she uses them sparingly."

Core says "That could be it. I don't know for sure."

"So, what happened next?"

Core says "We tried everything we could to defend the city. We destroyed the bridges, her spiders wove new ones out of webbing. We filled the lake with monsters, the spiders killed them and dragged the bodies off. Just as the city was about to fall, help arrived from an unexpected ally."

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"This ally is who helped make the barrier?"

Core says "Yes, it was a dragon who was a friend of our race. He helped our mages create a shield around the city that nothing could get through."

"You said a shield, not a barrier?"

Core says "Yes, originally it was just a shield. It didn't need a living heart, just a magic power source. It wasn't until the city fell and the survivors decided to flee that it was turned into a barrier."

"If the dragon created the shield, then how did the city fall?"

Core says "They found a way around the shield. They dug a tunnel from below the city into our sewers. Then instead of just attacking they started kidnapping citizens during the night."

"Wait, it is always light outside, how was there a night time?"

Core says "Back when the city was occupied the sky changed to reflect the real sky outside. At night it even mimicked the stars and moon."

"Oh, I would have liked to see that!"

Core says "The spiders prefer the darkness, so when the city fell we set the sky to be always bright to impede them."

"That was smart. Too bad they didn't think of it sooner."

Core says "True. Anyway, by the time we noticed the disappearances it was too late. Hundreds of undead driders flooded into the city from the sewers. With the defenses unable to fight against them they ran amok in the streets slaughtering our people. Spiders came in behind them and while we fought hard, it just wasn't enough."

"So, what happened then?"

Core says "We managed to hold them off for a period of about three weeks. During that time we evacuated as many of our remaining people as we could. That is when the decision was made to change the shield into a barrier. We wanted to make sure the spiders couldn't follow us."

"Yeah, them reaching the surface would be really bad."

Core says "With the dragon's help the spell was modified, but for it to last more than a few hundred years it would need a living core. Luckily, one of the surviving mages was pregnant and close to delivering. While it was hard for her to give up her baby, it was for the good of our entire race so she eventually agreed."

"That sounds horrible. I am sorry, Core."

Core says "Thank you, but it is alright. I don't mind, it was necessary."

"So, where did the guardian come from?"

Core says "That was the dragon's idea. I, as the core, would keep the spell from failing, but the barrier would still need maintenance. So the guardian was created by the dragon."

"So Kechara is bound to the spell and cannot leave?"

Core says "That is correct."

"What would it take to free the two of you?"

Core says "The matriarch and most of the spiders would need to die so that the barrier was no longer needed."

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

Core says "I know from your memories that you were hoping to free Kechara. However, I do not see how that would be possible."

"I am not ready to give up just yet. Can you tell me about how being the guardian works?"

Core says "As you know the guardian maintains the barrier just by being close to it. The original guardian was made from a species of large bird, but the dragon altered it. The spells the dragon cast affected each following generation."

"Affected them how?"

Core says "Each generation gained more dragon qualities and was a little stronger than the previous generation."

"Do you mean that after enough generations pass the guardian will become a real dragon?"

Core says "I cannot say for sure, but from what I have observed it is possible."

"Why would the dragon do that?"

Core says "Dragons have always been extremely rare. Their numbers never seem to increase, so maybe this was a test. If a dragon could be born through this method it would be a way to increase their numbers."

"But the amount of time that would take is immense!"

Core says "To us maybe, but dragons can live thousands of years. They are a patient species. However, you may have ruined the experiment."

"What did I do?"