Luna:
Waking up feels completely different this time. My whole body aches—even places I didn't know could hurt are throbbing, almost like muscle pain, but somehow not quite the same. Am I getting sick?
I open my eyes slowly—my eyelids hurt too—and if it weren't for the pain, I'd be sure I was dreaming.
- What the hell is this? I must have taken some really strong meds and now I'm hallucinating. There's no other explanation.
What is this room? I've never been here before. I start noticing the details, and honestly, I'm beginning to worry. The room is huge, probably the size of a small apartment, all in light matte gray, way too sophisticated for my taste… Oh God, what did I do? I look up at the ceiling, same color, and there's a massive chandelier—turned off, but I can see the crystals are strange, shimmering differently. I spot a door that looks like the main entrance, and another door on the wall across from the bed. The doors are black with gray details. There's a set of sofas and two black armchairs, all looking like black velvet, forming a sitting area in front of the bed. Still lying down, just scanning the room with my eyes, I think I can't be more surprised—until I see the wall opposite the entrance: it's entirely glass, and the view makes me wonder if I really did take something strong, or maybe I was drugged. This is impossible.
- I must be high, there's no way this is real. What kind of sunset is that? And that moon—how is it so huge?
I've always loved sunsets, watched many in my life, but this? This isn't real. The moon is at least five times bigger than the one I'm used to. And the landscape? What is this? Mostly gray or glass futuristic buildings, some mixing the two, all contrasting with wild, stunning nature that seems to blend with the technology, as if they complement each other. There's a massive river starting beyond what I can see, winding into a huge lake at what looks like the city center—which, by the way, is my panoramic view.
- Okay, think, Luna. My options: I died and I'm in another realm, I'm in a coma after an accident, or I'm just really, really high…
While I'm weighing my options, I hear a faint noise at the door. It opens slowly, and when I see who walks in, my breath catches—a mix of relief and even more confusion makes me sit up in bed.
- Clara? What the hell is going on? Where are we?
I look closely at my best friend—practically a sister. We grew up together, went to school together, graduated to university together. She chose psychiatry, I chose pathology. University was tough, since we weren't rich like our classmates, but that just made us closer. You could say we've turned out pretty interesting. We're both taller than average—I'm 5'9" with light green eyes, slim but with some seriously defined curves (thanks to my crazy work shifts and my workout routine). My long, light red hair—totally inherited from my mom—falls in soft waves down my back. It used to be this exotic combo I hated as a teenager, but now I absolutely love it. I guess it matches my wild personality: serious and reserved around strangers, because honestly, opening up to everyone just makes me feel exposed and uncomfortable. People always say I'm mysterious, serious, and have a pretty sharp sense of humor.
Clara, on the other hand, is even taller than me—about 5'10"—with straight, light brown hair that gets a little wavy at the ends, and those hazel eyes that always stand out. She's super athletic—she's been into sports since she was a kid, and as an adult, working out is her way of escaping stress. Clara's basically a ray of sunshine: outgoing, cheerful, she lights up any room. But don't let that fool you—she's crazy smart and can spot a lie a mile away. Honestly, she was born to be a psychiatrist; she can get inside people's heads like no one I've ever met.
We're total opposites—she's all heart, I'm all logic. She's light, I'm the darkness. She always looks for the good in everyone, while I'm busy checking out their darker sides. Over time, it's become super clear that we totally complement each other—and honestly, we both need that balance in our lives. After a lifetime together, I can read her face and body language easily, but right now, I'm not sure I like what I'm seeing. She looks worried, nervous, but there's empathy and calm in her eyes too, which only confuses me more.
- Clara, answer me, I'm starting to freak out.
- Are you in pain?
- Don't answer with a question, you know I hate that.
- Okay, Luna, I'll answer everything, but first I need to check you over. I brought some meds—they'll help with the pain and stabilize your neural activity.
I'm a little annoyed not to get answers right away, but my head is spinning and the pain convinces me to take the pills. After all, I trust Clara more than I trust myself.
After taking the meds, I settle back in bed, watching her, waiting for answers. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. That's when I know something serious is going on. But whether it's her being here or the meds, I start to feel calmer.
- You know, Luna, it took me a while to believe any of this was real too - Clara begins with a gentle smile.
- But Cetus… Cetus is older than anything we know. They say it was born from a burst of energy between the stars.
She points to the sky, where three moons glow in the dusk—the huge one I'd already noticed, and two smaller ones, one on each side.
- Here, people are trained from childhood to survive. Not just because of wild creatures, but because of the renegades—those groups that defy the laws and threaten the peace. But Cetus isn't just danger. It's a planet of unreal beauty, with forests that sing at night, rivers that shine like silver, and animals that look like they came from dreams.
I look into her eyes and see a mix of worry and excitement.
- The most incredible thing is that, despite all this nature, Cetus is also a world of advanced technology. People communicate by hologram, and the most powerful commanders have access to portals that can bring things—and people—from other universes. That's how we ended up here.
She pauses, maybe wondering if she should be dumping all this on me at once, or if she's even allowed to say it.
- They say Cetus only accepts those who have an important role to play. Maybe that's why you, with all these skills you didn't even know you had, were brought here. And now, between breathtaking landscapes, constant danger, and these enigmatic knights, all we can do is find out what our destiny is in this world that seems to have a life of its own.
Clara smiles, holding out her hand to me.
- Welcome to Cetus, Luna. Here, nothing is impossible—not even finding out who we really are.
Still half in disbelief and not sure what to think, a thousand questions run through my mind…
- Knights? Powerful commanders who can bring people from other places? Cetus? Abilities? Clara, I need more answers.
While I'm bombarding Clara with questions, we hear the door open and a man who looks to be in his fifties walks in—tall, imposing, radiating authority, dressed in a black suit made of a fabric I've never seen on Earth, military medals scattered across his jacket, and an armband that reads "Commander of the North."
- Hello, Luna. My name is Magnus Veylor, and I'll tell you a bit more about this planet—and some things Clara isn't able to explain yet.
If this man's appearance radiated power, his voice matched it perfectly. Strangely, even though he seemed like an unbreakable rock, with a serious expression, I felt calm and reassured in his presence. That weird feeling that I know him from somewhere.
- Do you have any specific questions, Luna, or should I just start and let you ask as we go?
- Go ahead. I don't even know what to ask yet…"