Cold.

  That was her first sensation. The shock of it against her skin sent a shudder through her newly formed body. Wind bit at her like tiny needles, wrapping around her limbs, whispering through the fabric of—

  Clothes? Yes, she was wearing something. Rough cloth, thin and scratchy against her skin. Not much protection against the biting chill.

  Her eyes fluttered open. The world was a blur of color, too bright, too sharp after the nothingness she had come from. She was lying on her back, staring up at the sky—blue, impossibly vast, with wisps of clouds drifting lazily.

  She inhaled sharply, lungs burning as if they’d never tasted air before. For a terrifying moment, she choked, her body unfamiliar, her limbs weak as she pushed herself upright. Her fingers dug into the ground—cool, damp earth, speckled with dead leaves.

  A forest.

  She was in a forest.

  The trees stretched impossibly tall, thick trunks wrapped in vines, their canopies so dense they swallowed most of the sunlight. Strange calls echoed through the trees—birds? Animals? She had no idea.

  Where was she?

  Emery wrapped her arms around herself, trying to steady her breathing. Her body felt wrong—clumsy, weak, as if she hadn’t used it in ages. Every small movement was an effort.

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  Her head pounded, fragments of knowledge surfacing without context.

  She was… fifteen? Yes. That felt right.

  But beyond that? Nothing. No memories of before, only the vague awareness that she shouldn’t be here. That this wasn’t where she was supposed to be.

  A shiver ran through her. Not just from the cold, but from the overwhelming wrongness of it all.

  She was alone.

  She had nothing.

  And she had no idea what to do next.

  Survival. That was the first priority.

  Food. Water. Shelter.

  She pushed herself onto unsteady legs, immediately regretting it. The world tilted, her knees buckling, and she barely caught herself against a tree. Her breathing was too fast, her chest tight.

  Calm down.

  She swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus. Think.

  Water first. She needed water.

  Her throat was dry, lips cracked. She scanned the forest, hoping for some sign of a stream. The trees were too thick to see far, but she could listen. Water made noise, didn’t it?

  She closed her eyes, forcing herself to focus. The rustling of leaves, distant animal sounds… and there. A faint, bubbling sound, just barely audible over everything else.

  She stumbled toward it, gripping trees for support. Every step felt unsteady, her legs weak and unfamiliar. The undergrowth tugged at her clothes, the damp earth clinging to her feet.

  Finally, she saw it—a small stream, clear water rushing over smooth stones. Relief flooded her.

  She dropped to her knees at the edge, cupping her hands to scoop water into her mouth. It was shockingly cold, but she drank greedily—

  And choked.

  The moment the water hit her throat wrong, panic seized her. She coughed violently, lungs burning, body convulsing as she tumbled forward.

  For a brief, horrifying moment, she was falling.

  The stream was deeper than it looked.

  Her head went under, water rushing around her, pulling her down.

  She flailed, limbs weak, panic overriding thought.

  She couldn’t breathe.

  Couldn’t swim.

  The current wasn’t strong, but her body was too exhausted, too unfamiliar. Her head broke the surface for a second—she gasped desperately before slipping under again.

  No, no, no—

  She refused to die like this.

  Somehow, she forced her arms to move, clawing at the water, dragging herself toward the bank. Her fingers caught the slick edge, her legs kicking weakly as she hauled herself onto solid ground.

  She collapsed onto her back, coughing, water streaming from her mouth.

  Her whole body ached.

  But she was alive.

  Barely.

  She lay there for a long moment, staring up at the sky, chest rising and falling in ragged gasps.

  Then, something clicked in her mind. A strange, mechanical awareness, like a thought that wasn’t hers.

  (System detected.)

  Her breath hitched. What?

  Words formed in her mind, crisp and undeniable.

  (Welcome to the system.)

  She barely had time to process that before exhaustion dragged her into unconsciousness.