System initializing......

Starting integration of subject #3265.....

Progress 21%.....

Progress 53%.....

Progress 87%.....

Integration complete.....

Loading test system Artheria.....

Loading complete.....

SYSTEM START.....

• • • • •

Lila groaned, her head pounding mercilessly as she slowly regained consciousness. The cold, hard surface beneath her felt alien and unwelcoming. As she opened her eyes, she found herself in a dimly lit room, with flickering torches casting eerie shadows on the stone walls. Panic gripped her as she struggled to piece together the fragments of her memory.

"Welcome, Lila," a voice echoed in her mind, laced with a mix of amusement and concern. "Welcome to the mysterious realm of Aetheria. Although I must admit, your unexpected arrival has left me with more questions than answers."

Lila's heart raced, her voice trembling as she spoke to the voice in her mind. "Who... who the hell are you? And where the hell am I?" she stammered, her fear palpable.

"I am but a voice inside your head, offering guidance in this bewildering place," the voice replied, its tone tinged with empathy. "As for your whereabouts, my dear, I'm afraid I'm as clueless as you. It seems you've been plucked from your previous existence and thrust into the unknown."

Lila's mind raced, desperate to remember her past. Images flickered like distant mirages, evading her grasp. "What do you mean, my previous existence? Who am I?" she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.

The voice let out a sigh, its amusement fading into a more sombre tone. "I wish I had the answers you seek, Lila. But for now, your past is as elusive to me as it is to you."

Lila slowly got to her feet, slightly unsteady, her head still pounding. She looked around the room for clues but all she could see was a couple of torches and a small round table in the centre.

Lila spoke aloud, her voice reverberating slightly within the confines of the room. "Any thoughts on what in the world this place might be?" she pondered, hoping for some semblance of answers.

"Apologies, my dear, but I'm just as clueless as you are," the voice replied with a hint of amusement. "It's almost as if my existence sprang into being the very moment you regained consciousness. There's a nagging sensation that I should possess more knowledge, but alas, it remains frustratingly elusive."

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Lila seemed to mentally nod at the voice then cautiously walked over to the round table finding what seemed to be clothes neatly folded with a plain pair of short brown boots placed on top. With a sense of realisation, Lila slowly looked down to find she was completely naked.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL.....Wwwhy? I mean who the hell..." trailing off Lila frantically grab the clothes off the table and hurriedly put them on.

"Err, I think your shorts might be the wrong way round" explained the voice with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"Arggh" Lila screamed "I mean seriously what the hell is going on? I wake up in a strange place with a pounding head, no memory of anything at all, a voice in my head telling me I'm in some mysterious realm and to top it all off I'm completely butt naked."

Lila slumped to the floor and let out an exasperated sigh.

"I know this is all a bit much Lila" the voice said reassuringly "but I'm sure if we just stay calm and think things through we can figure out what on Aetheria is going on."

After a minute or two Lila took her head out of her hands, took a few deep breaths and gingerly got to her feet again, now dressed in some very simple brown shorts and a white top. "Ok, I'm good. It all got a bit too much for me then. I'll take a look around a try to figure out where I am and if there is some sort of way out." Lila said slightly calmer.

Taking a few more deep breaths Lila composed herself and walked over to one of the torches. As she drew close she realised that there was nothing connecting it to the wall, curiously she reached out her hand and grabbed at it and to her surprise there was no resistance when she pulled at it.

"Magic?" she thought inquisitively looking at the torch in her hand, then slowly started to walk around the outside of the room noticing that it seemed like a circular structure. Holding the torch out in front of her, she walked around the room looking for anything that could help.

After a few minutes of looking, she realised there wasn't anything but the torches and table. Annoyed she threw the torch to the edge of the room and groaned.

"hmmm, curious" remarked the voice inquisitively. "What is it?" asked Lila.

With what seemed a mental head tilt from the voice, Lila's gaze turned back to the torch.

As it lay there on the floor the flames seemed to be flickering as if a small breeze was blowing on them. Curious, Lila moved over to it and slowly picked it up holding it closer to the wall before realising a very faint line running up the wall, a faint breeze vlowing through.

Following the line with the torch up the wall it climbed to about seven feet before going to the right a few feet and then straight back to the floor.

With sudden realization, Lila exclaimed, "It's a door, a fricking door!" She quickly moved the torch over the surface of the door scouring it for any kind of handle or switch, not finding anything she tried around the outside of it.

"Ha! I found it!" Lila shouted triumphantly, her voice echoing through the chamber. She pressed her finger onto a small square indent nestled within the wall.

After a few silent moments loud cracks and groans started to fill the room, the floor seemed to vibrate under Lila's feet.

Panicking she started to back away from the door.

"Oh shit, that's not good" exclaimed Lila her voice trembling with fear.

Suddenly there was a thunderous boom and a spray of dust blew out around the door, then as quickly as it had started, it all went still for a few seconds before the door started to rumble and slowly slide to one side. As it did a bright white light started pouring into the room, so bright Lila had to shield her eyes.

Once the door had fully opened the whole room fell silent once more. Slowly Lila uncovered her eyes, squinting while they got used to the light.

As she regained focus all she could see was the light coming through the door.

"Shall we?" asked the voice.

"Well there isn't a lot of point staying here is there?" replied Lila and with a tinge of worry and determination she made her way through the cloud of dust that hung in the air, glistening in the beams of light and stepped through the light-filled doorway.