The Great Core's Paradox - Chapter 12: Mana Overload

... surface of the small-tunnel as I slithered back to the mana-water cavern. I could hear the steady drip-drop of mana-water, slowly spilling down from the stone-spikes above in brilliant little beads of light. I could hear a bad-things roar in a far-off tunnel, echoing off the World Dungeons walls. I could hear my own breath, run ragged by the remnant effects of the bad-dreams.

I could hear my fear.

Still, I slithered on.

There were more important things than my fear.