"Am I dead?"
The question lingered in Iskandar Malik's mind as he slowly regained consciousness. He expected cold darkness—maybe nothing at all—but instead, there was warmth. The feeling of soft sheets under his skin, the scent of something earthy and old filling his lungs.
He opened his eyes to the sight of a small, dimly lit room. Rough wooden walls surrounded him, and a thin stream of sunlight filtered through the cracks of a wooden shutter. Iskandar's heart raced as he sat up quickly, the motion sending a sharp pang of disorientation through his head. He wasn't in the city anymore. This wasn't home.
The last thing he remembered was the cold, hard rain on his skin and Zafir's knife piercing through him. But now... now he was here, in this strange place. His clothes had changed, too—gone was the blood-stained suit, replaced by a simple tunic and trousers.
He looked around, his eyes landing on a small table with a few handmade tools and a basket of herbs. The room was simple but tidy, as if someone had been taking care of him. His heart pounded in his chest. What happened to me?
The door creaked open, and a young woman stepped inside. Her expression softened when she saw him awake, relief evident in her features.
"You're up," she said, moving toward him quickly. "I was worried you wouldn't wake at all."
Iskandar blinked, confused but alert. "Where... am I?"
"You're in the village of Alim," she replied, her voice kind but firm. "We found you just outside the forest, unconscious. Some of the villagers brought you here. You've been out for nearly two days."
Two days? The timeline made no sense, but then again, none of this did. He hadn't just been unconscious—he had died. Zafir had seen to that. The memory of the betrayal sent a surge of anger through him, but he pushed it down. Right now, he needed answers.
"What happened?" he asked cautiously. "I don't remember much."
The woman, noticing the tension in his voice, sat down on a small stool by the bed. "You were lucky to have been found. There's been some trouble near the woods lately—wild animals and bandits. People aren't venturing out much, but one of our hunters spotted you and brought you back."
The more she spoke, the more Iskandar noticed about her. She had a calm, steady presence, like someone used to taking care of things. Her long brown hair was tied back, and her hands bore the rough calluses of someone who worked with them often.
"My name is Selina," she continued, offering him a small smile. "I help around the village. Take care of the sick, the injured—people like you."
Iskandar felt a strange sense of gratitude. In his world, no one offered help without a price. Here, it seemed different. But that only raised more questions. Where exactly was he?
Before he could ask more, the door opened again, and a tall, broad-shouldered man entered. He had the look of a seasoned worker—his hands dirty, his clothes patched, but his eyes sharp. He paused when he saw Iskandar awake.
"Good, you're up," the man said in a low, gruff voice. "I'm Alric. I found you near the edge of the woods. Looked like you'd seen better days."
Iskandar nodded in thanks. "I appreciate that."
Alric shrugged. "No need for that. You're here now, so just take it easy."
Selina glanced at Alric and then back at Iskandar. "You've been through a lot, but once you're feeling better, we'll help you get back on your feet."
As kind as their words were, Iskandar couldn't shake the strangeness of it all. This village, these people—where exactly was he? And why did everything feel so... different?
Later that day, Iskandar found himself standing just outside the village, looking out over the forest. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the fields. The villagers went about their evening routines, but Iskandar's mind was elsewhere.
He needed answers.
As he wandered along the outskirts of the village, his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of smoke rising from a distant field. His heart skipped a beat. Fire.
Without thinking, Iskandar sprinted toward the field, his legs carrying him faster than he expected. When he arrived, he found a small shed engulfed in flames, and a group of villagers trying desperately to put it out, shouting and passing buckets of water to each other.
Among them was Selina, her face smeared with soot, and Alric, barking orders at the other villagers. The fire was spreading fast.
Iskandar's instinct kicked in, and he rushed to help, grabbing a bucket and joining the effort. But no matter how much water they threw, the fire grew fiercer, threatening to spread to the crops nearby.
"Damn it!" Alric cursed, wiping sweat from his brow. "We can't let this spread!"
As Iskandar tossed another bucket of water onto the flames, something inside him stirred. It wasn't just the urgency of the situation—it was something deeper, something... new. His heart raced, and suddenly, his vision blurred.
A chime echoed in his mind, clear and distinct.
[Welcome to the Builder System]
Iskandar stumbled back, blinking rapidly as a translucent screen appeared in front of him. The words floated in the air, impossible yet undeniable.
You have been granted access to the Builder System. This tool will help you shape the world around you.
Quest: Repair the burning shed.
His chest tightened. What the hell is this?
But there was no time to think. The fire was spreading. He glanced at the screen, then at the burning shed, his mind racing. Without fully understanding it, he felt... connected to the system. Like it was waiting for him to act.
He focused on the shed, and without warning, blueprints appeared in his mind—ways to rebuild, repair, stop the fire from spreading. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before, but it felt... right.
"Iskandar, we need to get more water!" Selina shouted, pulling him from his thoughts.
He hesitated for only a moment before turning to her. "No... I have another way."
The words left his mouth before he even realized what he was saying. The system had awakened, and now, it was his move.