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It began with a pinprick. An awareness that burned like a bright lantern. Though this alone was not enough to wake it from the pleasant dreams it found itself in. No, it was much more. Searing pain that shot through its entrance and shook the core awake.
The cavern trembled as its dormant senses exerted themselves sending more pain from the state of disrepair it left itself in. Most importantly, the tidal wave that was its damaged core. Surrounded by remains of its monsters and enemies alike, their bones long turned to dust through the passage of time. Cracks ran through its once pristine core, pieces craved out of its body, the fragments still scattered on the core room's floor. A hundred floors it was reduced to but it was all worth it. It was still alive. Now gnats were at its doorsteps again craving up its insides like they own the place.
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Anger flooded the damaged core. Never again. NEVER again. NEVER AGAIN. NEVER AGAIN.
More pain as the cracks grew, but it'll live, anything is worth it to make sure the gnats don't live to tell the tale. Mana flooded its caverns as it collapsed its entrance, it could always make another. More pain but their screams numbed it, perhaps even delighted it if it was in a better state.
Their wills pinned and slowly being crushed under their own, their minds and souls bent and stretched to near their breaking point as their own flesh bubbled and threatened to consume them.
"ENOUGH."
The core shook slightly, the voice of the mother. A forgotten memory presented itself. Ah yes, a taboo it has almost broken and one it cannot risk breaking if it wanted to live. It retreated its aura, the gnats unconscious but not quite dead.
Drowsiness hit it once more. Perhaps it should sleep more.
Anger reared its head once more.
No. They must pay.
But its body refused. It is far too damaged to be abused like it was in its prime. It has lost much. Too much. Its floors, its magic, most of its core, templates, and most importantly, its monsters. Defenseless. But it is still alive.
And for now, it must rest, or risk dying form a injury it barely survived. The gnats will escape, but it matters not. Because all that cross it shall be dead anyways. It mattered not if it was a group of individuals or a entire civilization. It is so before and it shall be so now.