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The aberrant core
1: thought I was dead

1: thought I was dead

I scream loudly into a white space.  "What, where?"

"At ease Mortal, your life has ended.  You will soon be reincarnated as a Dungeon Core in another world."  An overly large, painfully glowing entity tells me.

"No thanks!  No murder box for me."  I adamantly refuse.

The glowing entity sighs.  "There is no choice, you must become a Core, without Cores the Miasma will build up, and all life will end."

I think for a Moment.  "You say I have to become a Core, ok, but can I be a different type of Core, performing the Miasma filtration, but not a Dungeon, something more helpful?"

The being gazes inquisitively.  "What other type of Core?  Speak well, and I may grant this."

"Ok, so instead of a Dungeon Core, I want to be a City Core.  My job is to create a stronghold for sentient races to inhabit.  I'll setup an Arena for soldiers, and guards to test themselves against the same sorts of Monsters a Dungeon uses, but only for those who enter the Arena, while similar Monsters can exist outside the City Walls for protection.  I'll create structures, roads, sewers, waterways, plant life, even livestock with the Miasma that's so toxic to life."

I could almost perceive a smile on the face of the entity.  "Very well, I have altered your core to allow this to happen, and moved it to a more suitable location.  You're a Pioneer, if you do well, Dungeons may be a thing of the past, God never said we couldn't make changes after all."

I mentally blinked at the entity, seeing as how I didn't have a body to blink with.  "So you aren't God then?"

A chuckle.  "No Mortal, I am but one of many beings of Power that serve a multitude of purposes.  We all share faith with those Mortals who still remember that God exists.  All worlds are Gods, all people are Gods, nothing exists without God's approval, but Free Will also exists, because we can't genuinely love God without it.  Go Mortal, this will be a MUCH longer life than you're used to, but unlike most, you will keep your past life memories, so that you can use them in your objectives."  With a flick of his wrist, and a somehow even brighter flash of light I was sent away.

When I came back to myself, I was under ground, but somehow I could tell that I was in a rich area, abundant with life, and not too far below the surface.  'Status'  I thought, and sure enough a window opened.  I noticed that I could summon a Help Fairy.  'hey, can I get a couple help fairies, instead of one, like an actual romantic couple, it's kind of unfair to keep a fairy from having a life because it's stuck with my core, even if there will be other sentients for them to talk to.'  My system screen flickered for a moment, and the entry clearly read Help Fairies now, and the details confirmed that it would be a romantic couple who only resisted becoming an official couple because they were soon to be assigned to a core.  I quickly made a decent space around my core, and then another space sufficient for the fairies to use as an apartment.  'hey, one more thing, I want the fairies to be able to block my perception within their private apartment, cause watching them go at it would make things awkward I should imagine, and them knowing I'd be able to watch probably wouldn't set right for them.'  Again the window flickered, and made the alteration.  I also saw a note, that this alteration would effect all cores now, giving their fairies privacy.  'Well I feel that should make all core assigned fairies happy, even if they are still stuck alone.'

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I then clicked summon help fairies.  A orb of light grew in intensity, and after it settled down, two fairies clutching each other tightly as if in a final embrace appeared in my core room.  "When will the transport happen?"  The female asked.  "I thought it was quicker than this, not that I'm complaining about holding you longer."  the male replied.

"Ahem, the Transport is already over, welcome home you two!"  The two jump slightly at the sensation of my voice entering their minds.  Their eyes popped open, and they whirled to stare at my core in surprise.  "I uh,...well I'm something new, so I'm kinda making things up as I go, but what you know about Dungeon Cores will mostly translate to me as well.  One thing though, is that I specifically asked to summon a Romantically Connected Couple of Fairies, because I want you to have your own life, helping me is a job, and shouldn't make you sacrifice your own happiness right from the start."  Tears welled up in the females little eyes, as both of them flew up to my core, and embraced it with all the genuine gratitude their little bodies could muster.

"Thank you for this great one!  We will serve you as best we can!"  Said the Male.  "Yes Great One, I can never thank you enough for keeping us together!" The Female Said.

I chuckled a little.  "Oh, before I forget, I created you a sort of Apartment Space, which you now have the ability to cut off from my perception.  I didn't want you feeling uncomfortable about showing each other affection if you know what I mean?  Not that there's any rush in that, just you know, thinking ahead.  We're really starting something new here, so there might also be times when you're just frustrated, and need some privacy, and that's something all Core Assigned Fairies have now.  My former name is Frank by the way, but I suppose whatever name I am given by the Sentient People to come will be what I'm called now."

"I'm Goldvine Leaf Layer  It's a pleasure to meet you Great One!"  Said the Female.  "I'm Thorn Bramble Vine"  Said the Male.  Both gave polite bows, which seems quite impressive as they flutter in the air.  "So exactly what sort of Core are you, if you aren't a Dungeon Core?"  Asked Goldvine.

"I'm a City Core.  I use the same tools as a normal dungeon, but to create a Stronghold for sentient creatures.  We're very close to the surface, I can make a small tunnel for you two to survey, and let me know what the environment is like, what to expect for seasons, and the most likely needs of the sentients that are likely to inhabit my city.  It would be rather embarrassing if I built for something similar to my old form, and the entities that would live here were the size of what I consider a toddler, or the other way around, if my old form was only toddler sized for what lives here.  Can you do that for me?"

Thorn Saluted.  "I'll be happy to scout the area for you my Core."  Goldvine absolutely beamed with pride.  "Oh Wow, a City Core, How could we have gotten so lucky to be chosen as your helpers together.  Knowing my whole life I'd be assigned to a Core, I hated it, but you, you're different, a helpful core, not one of those Psychotic Evil Beings, whose only good point is purifying the Miasma from the air.  You've already given Thorn and I a life worth living, just by being yourself great one!"  If I still had lips, I'd be grinning with pride at this point.

I quickly made the tunnel to the surface, letting Thorn out to scout.  "I know what you mean, when I was told I'd have to be a Dungeon Core, I said NOPE, no murder box for me.  Then I pitched the idea of a City Core, and what its function would be, and the Angel or whatever agreed, and said if it goes well, then they might stop making dungeon cores in future.  So let's all work hard right?"

A bond seemed to form between the three of us instantly, as we eagerly looked to the challenges ahead.  We all had a goal that was actually worth achieving rather than the grotesque one fate originally seemed to point us all towards.

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