The final boss of Kena: Bridge of Spirits collapsed into light, dissolving into a swirl of glowing particles. The cutscene rolled, showing Kena's journey coming full circle—her acceptance, her strength, her compassion.
On her bed, Siti held her controller tightly, her eyes wide and wet.
"I did it…" she whispered, a smile spreading across her face. "I finished it."
For a moment, the room was silent except for the soft background music. She sat there, soaking in the feeling of victory—not the kind she had felt in Mortal Kombat, not sharp or aggressive, but something deeper, warmer.
Her phone buzzed.
Asmawati: Done with Kena yet?
Siti laughed, quickly typing back.
Siti: Just finished. It was beautiful. I cried a little.
A moment later, her phone rang.
"Well, congratulations," Asmawati's voice teased through the line. "But now… the REAL game begins. Dead by Daylight. Are you ready?"
Siti groaned, throwing her blanket over her head. "Nooo… do I have to?"
"Yes," Asmawati said firmly. "I already finished my stuff. I'm online and waiting. Don't make me call you a scaredy-cat again."
Siti peeked at her PS5 screen. The eerie logo of Dead by Daylight glowed in the menu. Her stomach tightened. "What if I'm really bad? What if I just die over and over?"
"That's the point," Asmawati chuckled. "Everybody dies in that game. It's about laughing through the panic."
Siti exhaled slowly, her thumb hovering over the Start button. "…Fine. But you stay with me, okay?"
"Always," Asmawati promised.
With a deep breath, Siti pressed play. The screen faded to black, then filled with fog and unsettling music. Her heartbeat quickened as the lobby loaded, showing survivors standing nervously around a campfire.
"Okay, I see you!" Asmawati's voice came through her headset now, cheerful and confident. "You're in. Welcome to the fog, Siti."
Siti's hands trembled slightly on the controller. "This already feels scary. Why is the music like this?"
"Because it's horror, duh. Don't worry, just follow me when the game starts."
The countdown ticked. 3… 2… 1…
The match began.
Siti's character spawned in a dark forest, mist curling around twisted trees. The sound of distant crows echoed. Her heart pounded in sync with the game's ominous heartbeat.
"W-what do we do?" she asked, her voice high and nervous.
"Find generators. Fix them before the killer finds us," Asmawati explained calmly. "Don't panic."
Easier said than done.
The first time the killer's terror radius thumped through her headphones, Siti shrieked, tossing her controller onto the bed. "NOPE NOPE NOPE!"
Asmawati's laughter rang in her ears. "Pick it back up! Run, don't just freeze!"
Somehow, Siti survived the first chase—barely. Her hands shook, her breathing ragged, but when she vaulted over a pallet and escaped, adrenaline surged through her.
"That was—oh my God—that was terrifying!" she gasped. "But… kind of fun?"
"Exactly," Asmawati said proudly. "See? You're a natural."
When the match finally ended—her character hooked, sacrificed to the Entity—Siti leaned back, exhausted but smiling.
Her first taste of horror gaming was a chaotic mess of screams, panic, and laughter. And though she'd lost, she couldn't stop thinking about trying again.
Asmawati's voice was warm in her headset. "Welcome to Dead by Daylight, Siti. You survived your first night."