Chapter 1: Awakening

"Hmm… What the hell? Why can't I see anything?" I attempt to say as blackness envelops my vision

"Weird… I can't feel anything either… Am I even speaking or is this all in my head?"

"God I hope this is a shitty dream or sleep paralysis" I think to myself while trying to figure out what's going on.

"Congratulations!"

"What?! Who said that?" I blurt out in panic.

"I'm a Dungeon Core, I don't really have a name though."

"You're a what now?"

"Dun-geon C-O-R-E"

"Saying that slowly isn't helping me understand anything…. What's going on? Who are you? Where am I? And why can't I see, feel, or speak?" I ask while starting to freak out more.

"Sorry, I couldn't figure out your level of intelligence . But from your last sentence I must have really lucked out! Hahaha"

"Please…. Answer my questions, and what???"

"O yeah, my bad.. I never really get to talk to others so I got caught up in it."

"As I was saying, Congratulations!"

"You said that already" I interrupt

"By the way, you died"

"I've WHAT!?"

"Huh.. You didn't know?"

"NO! No I didn't know I died! I just went to sleep, and I felt fine before then"

"Well I can't help ya there, I just pulled your soul from the river of spirits, I have no idea how you died. Hell, I didn't even know who I fished out of there. I guess we are both pretty lucky huh?

"I guess.. WAIT, No Im not lucky, I fucking died!"

"Alright…Alright…" The mysterious core says before getting quiet for a while. I can only assume it's to let me come to terms with the bombshell that got dropped on me.. And for some reason I have a feeling it's not going to be the last.

So I died? Check. I guess no more shitty office work is a plus… I'm really going to miss my family but atleast I was able to leave them behind a nice inheritance with that phat life insurance policy I took out a while back.

I continue to sort out my thoughts and emotions for a few more minutes before calming down surprisingly quickly. I'm not sure why I'm coming to terms with this so quickly. Maybe a part of me accepted I died when I first awoke. Or maybe a part of me is still convinced this is a really screwed up dream… Either way I need more answers.