Soo-jin's eyes snapped open withing few seconds, and for a moment, she thought she was still dreaming and stuck in the void.
The world around her was totally unfamiliar, fully strange shapes and colors that didn't quite fit together to be a kingdom. Stuck in the 2000's but everything looked so different for Soo-jin's
The air was totally thick, smelling of wet earth and something else that wasn't even familiar to the nose… something that reminded her of decay.
The sounds of distant battle cries, horses galloping, and the clang of metal reached her ears.
She tried to move away from that spot, but the pain in her body stopped her to do so. She was lying on cold, hard ground, and her limbs felt heavy and totally weak, like they didn't belong to her anymore.
Her breathing was shallow as she forced herself to sit up, her head spinning around with weakness in her veins.
She wiped her forehead, and when her hand came away, she was surprised to see it covered in dirt, blood, and sweat.
She looked around, blinking in the dim light. The forest she was in seemed ancient, trees twisted into strange shapes, their bark blackened by age, their leaves rustling in the wind like whispers.
She felt disoriented already, like her mind couldn't catch up to her body.
The memories of the betrayal still lured within. Tae-hyun and Ji-yoon, flooded back to her with full force. The rage, the pain, the desperate cry as she fell… It had all been so real.
"Where am I?" she whispered aloud, her voice raspy.
She scrambled to her feet, her muscles protesting against her foot movement. Her head swam with the realization that she was no longer in the modern world. The familiar city streets, the comforts of her penthouse, the life she had known—all of it was gone away from her. Replaced by something so raw, so unusual.
She took in a deep breath, attempting to steady herself and her movement. She wasn't sure where she was or how she had gotten here, but the celestial being's voice echoed in her mind, as if it were speaking directly to her heart.
"You have been reborn into a new world, Soo-jin. This world is your new reality. A new name, a new life, one where you will rise to power and claim your revenge. The path ahead will be difficult, but your strength will grow as you embrace it."
The words washed over her like a cold wave unto her self.
Reborn. A new name. Power. Revenge. Vengeance. Everything she had longed for in her old life, everything she had dreamed of as she plummeted to her death, was now within her grasp.
But she had no idea how to begin with this thing's. She didn't even know where to start from.
Her hands trembled as she looked down at herself.
Gone were the elegant clothes she had worn in her past life as a young beautiful damsel. Instead, she was clad in rough, threadbare rags that weren't even appealing in the eye.
A simple brown tunic and faded leather boots that were too big for her small feet. She felt... powerless. As if she had been stripped of everything that made her who she was.
Looking around again, her heart sank. The forest stretched endlessly before her, but there was no sign of civilization or people. No sign of the life she had hoped to find in this strange new world. In the distance, she could hear the faint sounds of battle, a clash of swords, the screams of soldiers, the thundering hooves of cavalry.
"Survive," the celestial being's voice continued, its tone calm and commanding.
"You are now Ara, a commoner in a war-torn kingdom, which isn't familiar with your past one. Your power lies within you, but it will take time to awaken them. You must survive first, and then you will rise to become your own Destiny."
Ara. Her new name. Her new life. It felt strange on her tongue, foreign and unrecognizable, but it was hers now and would remain hers. She had no choice but to accept it the way.
The sounds of battle grew louder, and Ara's instincts kicked in, with something like fear driving in.
She couldn't afford to stand around, overwhelmed by confusion. She had to act faster than she even thought she should.
She had no single idea where she was, who her enemies might be, or how she was supposed to survive in this medieval world, but she knew one thing: she couldn't die again not after what once happened to her, not before she had the chance to make those who had betrayed her pay.
She stood on shaky legs and started walking slowly, taking baby steps, with her eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of life.
She had to find shelter, food, something to keep her alive. The reality of her situation set in slowly. She had no power, no status, she had totally nothing. She was as weak as any other commoner in this new world.
The forest seemed to go on forever, and the further she walked, the more it felt like she was walking in circles. The ground beneath her feet grew uneven, and the air turned colder. There was no sign of the battle she had heard earlier, no sign of civilization at all.
After what felt like hours, she stumbled upon a small, dilapidated cottage hidden deep within the trees.
The well wooden structure looked like it hadn't been touched in years, the roof sagging, and the door hanging off its hinges. Her heart skipped a beat. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
She cautiously stepped inside, her eyes scanning the dimly lit interior. It was empty, no sign of single life, but also no sign of anything dangerous either. It smelled of mildew and old wood, but it was shelter, and it was all she had. She collapsed onto the floor, taking in deep breaths to steady her racing heart.
"You must rise, Ara," the celestial being's voice whispered once more with a manipulative and commanding voice. "You will face many challenges, but each will make you stronger and firece. Embrace this world, and you will learn how to bend it to your will."
Ara closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the being's words sink deep into her bones. It was finally time. She had been given a second chance, a new life, and she would not waste it. She would rise from the ashes of this war-torn world and become more powerful than anyone could imagine. She would make them all regret the day they crossed her.
But as she sat there, her fingers still trembling from the intensity of everything she had just experienced, a noise outside caught her attention. The sound of heavy footsteps, the clink of armor. Someone was approaching.
Ara's heart raced unstop at this point. Her hand instinctively reached for a broken piece of wood lying on the floor, gripping it tightly like a weapon.
She couldn't be caught off guard. Not here. Not now.
The door creaked open.