Elena stood for a long time, her heartbeat echoing louder than her thoughts.
The light outside the window shifted from gold to white, glinting off the valley's distant towers. For a moment, she simply breathed, trying to calm the impossible storm inside her.
When she finally looked around, she realized she was in a room — not a hospital ward, not a cabin, but something caught between warmth and wonder.
The space was large and softly lit.
A bed sat at the center — massive, wide enough for five people to sleep comfortably. The sheets were smooth and pale, the kind of luxury she had only seen in advertisements. Opposite the bed, a fire chimney glowed gently. The fire inside didn't burn red or orange — it flickered in silver-blue light, casting strange patterns on the wooden floor.
The walls and furniture were made of wood, but not like any wood she knew. It gleamed faintly, as if alive, polished smooth with veins of light running through it.
On the left side of the bed, a large window of glass stretched almost to the ceiling. Through it, she could see the valley — shimmering towers rising into the sky, curved walkways, green meadows glowing faintly under the sun.
To her right, a set of shelves held ornaments and weapons.
At least, she thought they were weapons. They were elegant, strange — curved like art pieces, forged from materials she couldn't name.
Beside the weapons stood a chimney with a carved frame and next to it, a door slightly ajar. Curiosity tugged her forward.
The room beyond was brighter.
A mirror covered half the wall, tall enough to reflect her fully. She hesitated before stepping closer.
And when she did — she froze.
The face staring back at her was her own. Exactly the same.
Same smooth skin, same auburn hair, same faint birthmark on her shoulder. Even the mole near her collarbone — still there. Her heart stumbled in disbelief.
She looked down at herself. She was still dressed in the same white gown, but it was subtly different — softer fabric, elegant folds, and an almost futuristic cut. Near her reflection, she saw a man's clothing folded neatly on a side chair — black trousers, a coat, and boots.
"Someone was here," she murmured.
Her pulse quickened, but the silence remained kind, not threatening. Only the faint hum of the fireplace answered.
Then, noticing another door on the far side, she turned the handle carefully.
Steam drifted out, carrying the scent of fresh water.
Her breath caught.
It was a bathroom, but unlike any she'd ever seen.
A wide bathtub lay at the center, carved from stone that shimmered faintly blue. A fountain-like spout poured a steady stream of water into it. The walls glowed with faint lines — light patterns, perhaps part of the plumbing system.
Elena knelt beside the tub and dipped her fingers into the water.
At first it was cold, crisp like a mountain spring. Then, before her eyes, it slowly warmed — changing to the perfect temperature she always preferred for her baths.
She blinked. "That's… impossible."
After everything she had been through — the exhaustion, the pain, the shock — the simple warmth of the water felt like mercy.
Her dress clung to her skin from travel and panic. She hesitated, then sighed softly. "Fine. One thing at a time."
She undressed, stepping carefully into the bath.
The water enveloped her instantly, cool at first, then shifting — smooth, soothing, becoming perfectly warm. A small ripple of light passed over the surface like living silk.
Elena leaned back, closing her eyes. For the first time since she'd woken up in this strange world, her body began to relax.
The bath wasn't just advanced — it was aware. The temperature adapted to her, the flow adjusted with her movements, even the scent in the air changed — soft jasmine, like home.
Minutes passed. The tension left her shoulders. Her thoughts slowed.
But curiosity lingered.
"This place… it's too advanced," she whispered. "Where am I, really?"
Her gaze drifted to the glowing line at the edge of the room — faint, pulsing with light.
She hesitated, then spoke softly:
"System?"
For a moment, nothing happened. Then a familiar chime echoed in her mind — the same tone she'd heard when she first arrived in the valley.
> [System Active]
Welcome, Dr. Elena Carter.
Initialization: Complete.
Her heart stopped for a beat.
She whispered, "What happened to me?"
The system responded, calm and almost human:
> [Answer Pending: Access Restricted]
Please complete orientation protocol.
The sound faded, leaving her with the quiet trickle of the fountain and the heartbeat of a world that shouldn't exist.
Elena leaned back in the water again, staring up at the glowing ceiling.
"I guess… that's my next question, then."
The fire in the next room flickered faintly — and the chapter closed on her reflection, half submerged, eyes open, glowing faintly blue.