The first thing I heard was a tick, tock, tick, tock.

It wasn’t particularly special, besides the fact that was all there was. Gradually I started to feel warm and ticking and the tocking continued.

Just when I felt nice and cozy, something spoke to me.

“You seem straightforward, do you want a second chance?”

“Second chance?” I asked, not entirely sure how I responded. I didn’t hear myself, yet the words were a reply all the same.

“You died, but you’ve lost those memories since they won’t help you. You're little more than a soul drifting through nothingness, just general instincts without the details.”

“Ok… I guess? I mean there's nothing else to do?” I offered.

“Quite. I’ve determined what monster you are most suited for, and so when I’ve made the preparations and prepared a body, I’ll install you.”

“Monster?” I asked, pretty sure that sounded wrong.

“Of course, I’m a dungeon after all.”

“Oh…” I paused considering that. Dungeons would have monsters right? Well, I guess that makes sense. What should I do?” I asked after a moment, I suppose dungeons needed monsters, and if that was that, then I’d do my best?

“I like your attitude, you really seem the most useful of those I’ve caught in my net. Since you seem to have a good affinity for it, I’ll make you a succubus.”

“Do I?” I asked, not quite sure.

“Sure! Unfortunately, I don’t really have the resources to spare at the moment so you’ll have to wait until I can allocate such resources to use for you… Sorry, but you’ll have to end up being my trump card for now.”

“Alright… Well, I guess I’ll just wait here…” I offered.

Back to the ticking, back to the tocking.

At least it still felt warm and cozy. I wonder why… I certainly don’t know? I don’t really know what a succubus is anyway, or a monster for that part. I think deep down I felt that it wasn’t quite right, but all the same, did it matter? A second chance was a second chance after all!

A lot of time seemed to pass that way. I wonder if the voice forgot about me. I got the feeling it didn’t. After all, that warmth was still there. Was that the dungeon? I wasn’t sure.

“You still out there?” I asked after even more time passed.

“Sure!”

“Oh… So you are still there. I was starting to think you had forgotten about me.” I explained.

“No, just trying my best as you say! Focusing on gathering sources, and expanding. My efforts are focused on that for now.”

“Oh, well sorry for bothering you then.” I replied.

Then it was back to the ticking, and tocking.

Was that a clock? Or maybe it was a heartbeat? The more I thought about it that sounded better. Maybe it was more of a double thump. Still, one thump sounded different, hence why I latched on to the ticking, and the tocking instead.

Still, I liked the idea of the heart more, it helped me relax and I felt even closer and warmer with that in mind. That comfort helped the time pass as I half slept in the sublet pulsing.

I wasn’t sure how long passed, maybe minutes, maybe days. Could have been years, but finally, the voice returned.

“Alright! I need your help!”

“Oh! I’m here, what can I do?” I asked eager to do something, anything really.

“I’ve recently captured someone, I’ll put you inside their body!”

“Ok!” I said not really wanting to think twice about that sentence.

“Good good, oh, there's a guy coming through my dungeon, don’t talk to him about me… Do your best as you say, I don’t have time to explain!”

“Alright!” I said wishing I had a fist to pump if only to demonstrate my excitement.

The warmth slowly drifted away, which made me feel sad at first. Then I suddenly began to shudder…. I suddenly inhaled. I could breathe!?

It was cold! And damp! I opened my eyes to find that it was dark too! I could see my breath in front of me. It was just that cold!

I could hear something… was it the heart? No, it was footsteps! Someone was coming! What did I do?I wasn’t sure, I noticed I had a blanket, I didn’t know what else to do, so I tried it pull it close around me, maybe it could help with the chill.

The footsteps grew louder, and moment by moment I could tell they grew closer.

Then the light broke through the shadows, and the flickering illumination sprayed across the wall, the shadows dancing in the low light. The soft low light of fungus I’d barely noticed before was completely drowned out, replaced by the harsh light and shadow of torchlight.

After a few more moments the figure carrying the touch appeared and they likely spotted me. He changed direction and headed directly for me.

I instinctively pulled myself up and tightened the cloth around me.

He stopped a short distance away just after entering my room. I could clearly see the room now, mostly empty besides a few other blankets and myself. I noticed that where I was sitting was a few other blankets on the rough floor, hardly a bed, but at least it wasn’t just stone below me.

“You there. Beast kin… Have you seen an elf woman?” The man with the torch demanded.

I shook my head feeling a bit afraid of his forcefulness. I wasn’t sure what was happening. Was this the man the dungeon had mentioned? Or not? There was no way to be sure at this point, so I decided to avoid speaking to him about much if anything.

“A pity… Still, you can come along. You’ve no doubt been used by the monsters here?” He asked.

I shook my head again, “No…”

“Oh?” he asked, suddenly sounding interested, “Not that it matters I suppose…” He mused to himself after a moment.

I wasn’t sure what he was going on about in any case. Still, I looked up at him, he was quite handsome, his pale chest was exposed through his green vest, and he had a long blade at his hip. His chest was rugged, firm muscles on display. His arms while not thick were defined, I couldn’t see his legs as he was wearing long pants that covered them. His hair was short, maybe a touch of yellow in what was otherwise silver.

“I can come along?” I asked.

“I assume you’d rather do that than stay here in the dark?” He asked as though he had no cares either way.

I wasn’t sure? The dark hadn’t really bothered me that much. But I wasn’t supposed to mention the dungeon either. I honestly wasn’t sure what to say, or do. I couldn’t help but be a little interested in this man however, I wouldn’t mind following him around for a bit.

“Sure!” I decided after a moment.

He nodded his head, and I stood up and followed after him. He led the way, this way, and that way, up one passage and down another. It seemed to be taking forever.

“This place is nothing but a maze…” He grumbled after a while.

“Do you know the way out?” I asked.

“Of course, I’ve been heading that way. Honestly, I was certain I’d find my quarry by now and it's no doubt getting dark.”

It was getting dark? Wasn’t it dark the whole time? Or did he mean… the sun? Yeah, that was the name of it. That made more sense, so I was glad I thought about it for a moment rather than blurt something out. “The elf woman you mean?” I decided to ask instead. He had mentioned her earlier and I’d not seen any one of the like.

“Yes, I thought she had been captured by the goblins that call these caves home.” He explained.

“Still, I find it strange that they would take you and not have their way with you.” He said raising his eyes at me.

“I don’t know myself.” I said, after all, I really didn’t. I might even be lying. What did I know about this person? Some random woman I was put inside of? It was quite strange to me, but I didn’t really care. I was glad to be able to breathe, speak, and even move. Even if my muscles were a bit tired and the air was a bit damp, it was a big improvement over nothingness.

“Perhaps they intended to use you as a sacrifice…” He said almost thoughtful, as though that wasn’t horrifying at all!

That did sound unnerving, I didn’t really want to be sacrificed either.