In a humid but cool little alcove deep underground, two figures waited patiently for the arrival of the newcomer in the soft blue and green glow cast by a multitude of mana-rich cave moss and magical fungiforms.

Leaning against the wall with their arms crossed whilst the wall’s surface was somehow slowly smoothing out, was a lithe male figure dressed in figure-wrapping leathers with his head completely covered in a some form of dark cloth. Of not was how they were also adorned by a plethora of wickedly sharp blades.

The other member of this waiting duo was nought but a pebble-sized floating green gem whom at present was levitating beside a inconspicuous little shrub.

Somehow in a cave fully of vigorous and magically super-charged plant and fungal life, the unassuming little shrub looked nothing more than a tiny green weedy bush with small white flowers.

A sudden change that heralded the arrival of the newcomer then started to happen on the very same shrub of which was the attention of the two. More specifically, was how a grotesque flesh-shaped fruit that was growing at a alarming rate from one of the little shrub’s scraggly branches.

Over the rate of a few seconds, the fruit grew up from within one of many tiny four-petaled white flowers and quickly into an apple-sized fleshy fruit that now sagged down upon the cool cave floor.

Then the magically enhanced fruit stilled before it started to convulse in erratic bursts. The little morsel grew more and more frantic before finally, a unkept toenail cut out from within the fleshy sack and a tiny brown foot tore through to the outside world.

The little extremity was absolutely covered in mucus, but the two waited without comment.

The two onlookers continued in silence as muffled grumbling from within the tiny fruit accompanied by some more convulsing from the fruit that resulted in the sight of a little gnarly hand poking out beside the foot.

Then another moment of muffled cursing commenced before the singular hand was joined by another.

With even more cursing, the two hands widened the tear before helping whomever it was to finally fight free of the fruit in one smooth well practiced motion.

Beside the fruit that now started to rot away was a tiny old and naked fairy-like creature who was obscenely covered in mucus and grumbling to himself.

He quickly stood up with a quick glance at the floating gem before looking pointedly at the leather-clad stranger, all the whilst trying to wipe off the slime from his body.

“Who the fuck-err you supposed to be? … Wait are you ma charge?” asked Gerald with spittle flying out from his slime-caked beard.

“Now, that would be incorrect. Pleasure to meet you companion, but I am nought but a simple swallow who goes by the name of Lorenzo,” replied the mysterious figure in a pleasant tenor from within his concealment whilst giving off a crisp half-bow at the waist.

Gerald quickly noted how much ease the figure bowed with whilst the legs where still leaning out from where they rested on the wall.

Probably some Agi or Dex assassin, along with all da fucking knives.

Lorenzo then resumed his relaxed position he held prior to his introductions.

Seconds stretched on awkwardly between the two as Gerald waited for more to the simple greeting.

Seeing that there was none forthcoming, Gerald looked about before he grabbed onto his little bulbous nose and blew up some air to pop his ears.

“Alright so where’s the kid Lorenzo?” he asked whilst starting to get slightly more annoyed than he already felt. He had just been killed twice in succession by a very violent fashion and now more importantly with his refruiting, he was back to being sober. He was also itching to take out his still from within his new and nifty ring to try rig himself something to drink, but he didn’t trust this Lorenzo enough to use his newly acquired artifact in front of him. Swallows or not.

“Right there beside you,” Lorenzo easily replied in his smooth voice as he freed out a long index finger from the nook of his elbow before pointing at the little floating green gem.

Hi, I’m Silky! Nice to meet you mister! Shouted out a foreign child-like voice within Gerald’s mind.

The little fairy jumped up in shock before quickly taking to the air with the buzzing of his tiny wings that quickly shook free of its amniotic coating.

“What ta fuck was that?!” Gerald shouted with his fists up in a geriatric boxer’s pose whilst looking about for the source of the sound.

“It’s Silky, don’t ask about the name because I don’t know either and I think Silky’s a she. But anyways my job here is done,” replied Lorenzo in his seducing voice smooothly with shrug before gesturing with a open palm towards the tiny floating gem.

Then without making any sound from his weapons he bounced off the wall and started walking away towards the entrance to the alcove before immediately dropping off and out of sight.

Gerald was left flying by himself in silent shock whilst staring at the little green gem that floated beside one of his bushes.

“Wait that means you’re a-” Gerald started.

Dungeon, replied Silky in his mind with her child-like voice.

It then all began to click together as Gerald quickly noted how the gem was actually giving of a faint shimmering haze as it radiated off mana from itself into the air and how the fauna was growing at a visible rate around the room.

He had been bamboozled into taking tedious and dangerous job. Well not that dangerous for him with his abilities, but still extremely tedious.

“Fuck me sideways I’m babysittin a dungeon….. OH FUCK YOU ISALDRA!” shouted Gerald with his buttocks clenching, both his little fists balled up and his toes curling in anger at the job he was thrust into unwillingly.