The warmth that surrounded Siska's small body began to fade as consciousness slowly returned. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing an unfamiliar ceiling above her—one made of polished wood with ornate carvings that shimmered in soft golden light. The air was scented with herbs and something sweet, like honey and blooming flowers.
Her breath caught.
This wasn't a hospital. It wasn't her tiny apartment either. She blinked and turned her head slightly. Beside her bed sat a woman—elegant, serene, with long silver-blonde hair cascading like a waterfall and eyes as blue as the morning sky.
"You're awake…" the woman whispered, setting aside a glowing crystal orb and leaning closer. Her voice was soft and melodic, but unfamiliar. "Thank the stars..."
Siska tried to sit up, but a gentle hand held her shoulder. "Don't push yourself, child. You've been unconscious for two whole days."
Two days?
Siska's heart pounded. Her memories came crashing back—coming home from her shift, walking through the alley, the drunk man, the sharp pain… And then—light? Silence? Floating?
Her lips trembled. "W-Where am I?"
The woman smiled warmly. "You are in the House of Healing, in the kingdom of Lunaris. My name is Elenara, and I am the High Priestess of Light."
Lunaris? House of Healing? What was she talking about?
"I… I think there's been a mistake," Siska murmured. "I'm not from here. I was... I was in the city. Jakarta. Indonesia."
Elenara's expression faltered for just a second, her eyes shimmering with sadness and curiosity. "I see," she said gently. "Then it is true. The stars whispered of a soul born from another world. A soul that carries ancient light."
Siska stared at her. "This is a dream, right?"
The High Priestess smiled faintly. "I wish it were."
Over the next few hours, Elenara explained the basics: this world was called Elaria, a realm where magic, elemental spirits, and ancient races coexisted. Lunaris was one of the four great kingdoms, ruled by wise monarchs and protected by powerful Guardians. Recently, however, the balance of the realm had begun to crumble. Shadows were stirring in the west, monsters were growing more aggressive, and whispers of a dark force long sealed away had begun to surface.
"You were found in the Sacred Grove," Elenara continued, "curled in a cocoon of light. It was the same night a falling star blazed across the skies—many believe you are the sign of the prophecy."
"Prophecy?" Siska echoed, bewildered.
The High Priestess nodded solemnly. "A child of the stars will descend when darkness begins to awaken. She will bring light where shadows grow thickest. Only she can reunite the fractured elements and awaken the Guardian of Dawn."
Siska gripped the bedsheets. A prophecy? That sounded like a fantasy novel plot, not real life.
"I'm just… me," she said, her voice shaking. "A regular girl. I don't have powers. I don't even know magic!"
But even as she said it, she could feel something strange pulsing within her chest. A warmth, not of fear or pain—but of light. Of something ancient, yet familiar.
Elenara stood and placed a hand on Siska's forehead. "You may not understand your place yet, dear child, but the light within you is real. When you're ready, I will teach you. For now, rest. Tomorrow, you will meet the royal family. They have offered you protection."
Royal family? This kept getting more surreal.
Siska was left alone shortly after, still reeling from everything. She turned toward the window beside her bed. Outside, two moons hung in the twilight sky, casting silver light over fields of glowing flowers and crystalline trees. This truly wasn't Earth.
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
Her family… her real family… They were gone. No one from her old world was here. She had no friends. No familiar faces. Just magic, prophecy, and a strange new world.
"I miss you all…" she whispered to the night. "But if this is my second chance… then I'll live. I'll survive."
She didn't know who she had become in this new world. But she knew one thing—this time, she wouldn't be powerless.