Selene awoke with a start.
Her eyes blinked open to a soft light streaming through a cream-colored curtain, casting golden warmth across a simple room.
Wooden walls, a shelf lined with books, a desk with a half-finished cup of tea, and a single armchair pushed into the corner. The bed she lay on was soft, too soft, and unfamiliar.
Immediately, her instincts kicked in.
She sat up quickly, eyes darting around the room, every muscle tense.
There were no weapons within reach, no sign of danger, but that didn't calm her. Her fingers twitched toward her usual interface, reaching for the system—
Nothing.
Selene froze.
There was no connection. No familiar startup. No HUD. No stats. No access.
A sharp spike of panic knifed through her chest.
She tried again, this time more forcefully, mentally forcing the command to appear.
Pain.
It hit her like a pulse, a migraine behind her eyes that nearly knocked her back onto the bed. She gritted her teeth, clutching her head.
