It’s late at night, most of the workers have already left and Aster is the only one behind in her own office. Her desk is piled up with documents left from her parents sudden passing and now she is left to work through them alone. Empty coffee cups are scattered on the floor, her thick makeup covers the bags under her eyes after many night shifts. Although she has been working for months now she is still adjusting to her new environment, even if her parents had exposed her to the inner workings of the business she was still finding her footing in her new role and how to negotiate with high-profile clients and business partners.
Despite her suddenly becoming the new owner, Aster still shows warmth to those around her and her employees are glad that their new boss is as kind as the previous one. Even when she is busy at work, she still can’t help but continue to grieve the loss of her parents. Her coworkers knew about the accidents and can only quietly offer comfort by giving her sweet treats. Aster appreciates every kind gesture that her employees are showing her and this somewhat eases her heart ache.
With her paperwork finally finished for the night, she drinks one more cup of coffee before heading to her car and starts driving. Despite drinking coffee she still felt sleepy as if she’s completely unfazed by the caffeine, but still fights the drowsiness and moves forward as someone was waiting for her at home, her younger sister Lara.
“Wait for me, Lara. My sister's coming home now,” she said looking straight ahead of the road.
Tony, Aster, and Lara and their parents were supposed to go to an event three months ago when a truck loses control and hits their car at a high speed. Only the three of them survived the accident and though they all sustained serious injuries, Tony is the only one who went into a coma as he tried to shield Aster and Lara. With Aster being the only adult in their family she was left to manage their family business and take care of her younger sister. She hoped that her brother would soon wake up from his coma, she really needed the help of her older brother as she was so stressed with all the adjustment she needed to do when their parents died. She always relies on her brother when things get tough but now she has to do it by herself.
“I wish I could have at least a day where the three of us can have fun and relax just like before,” tears started to fall from her cheeks. “I wish you were awake and with us too, Tony, I really need your help. I wonder when you will wake up.”
While driving, she noticed that the street lights and road ahead were fading into shadow. She rubs her eyes thinking that her tears are just clouding her vision but the road is still getting darker and darker. “What is happening?!” she starts to panic “Oh no, I need to get out of the car! I hope this is just the result of drinking too much coffee,” she slowly stopped the car and parked it near the sidewalk or where it used to be.
As soon as she got out of the car, everything was already pitch black. She tried to look around but couldn't see anything, even her car which was next to her vanished in the dark. She then suddenly felt like she was not standing on the ground, it’s as if she was floating. Everything went silent, her mind was racing with thoughts “What’s going on? I don't like it. I’m scared. Please be a nightmare so that I can still wake up," she closed her eyes and hoped that when she opened them, she would be okay, that nothing happened to her. After all, Lara is waiting for her at home.
Slowly, stars began to emerge and filled the darkness with light. The stars twinkled as if they were singing at her arrival. She radiated a blinding light while slowly drifting down and felt the wind brush against her. Then finally, she can feel the ground again. She opened her eyes, scanning her surroundings and was baffled on how she was there in the forest. “How did I end up in the forest? Did I black out? Am I dreaming?” her mind was filled with confusion.
Upon further inspection of her surroundings, who was gravely injured lays on the ground swimming in his own blood. The sight of the man brought her trauma back again. Her mind kept giving her memories of the accident. Her heart raced and held her chest tight as she was overwhelmed with anxiety. The thought of not being able to save her parents made her body instinctively move on their own towards the man. She panics just by looking at him, the last time she saw this much blood was when they had a car accident. The man looked ragged as if a beast had preyed on him. She then checked for a pulse, and he had one but faint, barely alive, seemingly clinging to hope that he would survive.
“He is still alive, but how do I help him? It’s not like there is a nearby hospital here,” she looked around but all she could see was rows and rows of trees surrounding them. She looked at the man again and began to somber “I wonder… if this man has a family back home waiting for him. I’m sure it will break them knowing their son, their brother has not come home to see them again,” she sympathized with the family that this man has. She knows too well what it felt like to lose someone important.
Aster held the man’s hand and closed her eyes, “I… wish you were okay. Whoever you are, I pray that your wound will heal up.” She thought of things that the man can be doing, learning, exploring, spending time with his family and remembers how she and her family were happy as well, how everyone was happy and not grieving. Her eyes felt like tears were going to fall because of grief.
The next moment, Aster can hear a grunt coming from the man. She opens her eyes and can see that he is slowly gaining consciousness while coughing. He slowly sat up and looked at her and asked, “Who are you?” He looked around, seemingly looking for something.
Aster was stunned for a moment, not knowing how the man got healed before coming to her senses. “Oh. Hi! My name is Aster. Are you okay now? It looks like you’re not bleeding anymore…” She examines the man to make sure he isn’t really bleeding anymore.
“I am Damon Ironheart. And yes, I seem to be okay now and you fixed… everything," he stood up, brushing off the dust on his clothes while inspecting his body. “Are you the one that healed me?” he helped Aster to get up as well.
“Uhh. I think so? I’m not sure. I still think that I am dreaming,” she still doesn’t have an idea on what’s going on and how Damon suddenly got healed.
“What would be the reason you are dreaming? And how did you get here in the middle of the forest?”
“I, uh, I don’t actually know. First I was at a road driving my car then the next second I was here. And you’re here bleeding,” she tries to explain her situation and her confusion.
“Car? What is a car?” This is the first time he heard the word.
“Uhh, you don’t know what a car is? Wait, did I get isekai or something?!” The thought made her feel a mix of confusion, excitement, and worry.
Damon looked at her curiously. “Hmm. Are you perhaps from another world?”
Aster was shocked when he said that. “Wait, so I am really in another world? How? Why? Am I really dreaming? And how did you know that I’m from another world?”
“Because we believe that there are other worlds out there that are different from us. If the sky, the space, and the ocean are vast, then how do you expect that there’s no one out there aside from us?" He explained it with enthusiasm in his eyes.
“You are right. The world is vast and there are many places that are still unknown to us. Then if I am in another world, what is the purpose of me being here?” she still doesn’t know why she’s there
“Maybe there is something that you need or want that your world doesn't have?”
“Something that I want…” Aster then remembers her family, complete and happy. “Hey, do you think someone can be brought back to life? Is that possible in this world?” She asks with hope.
Damon was silent for a moment. “Yes, it is.”