Symphony of Threads

As the adrenaline rush faded, Laynor’s body felt heavy, her limbs trembling under the weight of fear and excitement. She had to get a grip on herself. Think. Focus. You can figure this out, she told herself, her heart pounding in her chest.

What’s going on?

Her mind raced as she fumbled for an explanation, grasping at the edges of reality. She quickly grabbed her phone, needing something—anything—familiar to cling to. The bright screen blinked to life in her hand, its soft glow a small comfort in the midst of chaos. Without thinking, she opened her messaging app and began typing a quick message to her mother:

Hey, I’ll be home soon. Do you need anything?

But before she could send it, she noticed something—a blank space where the signal bars should have been.

No signal.

Her stomach dropped as the realization settled in. A chill ran through her body, the comforting presence of her phone slipping away into irrelevance. She couldn’t reach anyone, and no one could reach her. Not even her mother.

Her thumb hovered over the last message she had received. Hesitating, Laynor tapped it. Her mother’s words appeared on the screen, simple yet filled with warmth: "Don’t forget to bring something sweet! And don’t worry—your smile is the sweetest thing to me."

Laynor’s chest tightened. She could almost hear her mother’s voice in her head, light and reassuring, the way it always was. But now, her mother felt like a world away—no, another world away. She wasn’t just physically far. She was in a completely different reality.

The phone slipped back into her pocket, and Laynor blinked away the emotion welling up in her eyes. I can’t think about that now. There was too much she didn’t understand yet. To survive, she needed to control her emotions and observe everything around her.

---

Forcing herself to focus, Laynor took a slow, deep breath. Okay, start with the basics. Can people see me? Am I really here?

Her heart still pounded as she looked around at the people passing by. Some looked entirely human, but others… didn’t. Her pulse quickened as she caught sight of figures with animal-like features—ears, tails, claws, horns. Some were small, goblin-like creatures, their leathery skin glistening in the light of the streetlamps.

What is this place? The thought hit her again, but this time she forced herself to stay calm. If she panicked, she wouldn’t be able to learn anything.

Let’s see if I’m really part of this world.

She watched as people moved past her on the sidewalk. None of them bumped into her, but they also didn’t seem to notice her. Her hand instinctively went to her arm, touching her skin just to make sure she was still solid—still real.

Okay. I’m here. I’m not a ghost.

But she couldn’t rely on assumptions. She needed to be sure. Her gaze darted between the passersby. Some of them looked vaguely human, but others were far stranger than anything she’d ever imagined. The most striking thing was how normal everything seemed. No one was freaking out. No one was gawking at the strange creatures around them. Everyone was just… living their lives.

Laynor took a deep breath. If I want to survive, I need to know more. I need to interact with this world.

---

Her thoughts felt like quicksand, threatening to pull her under, but Laynor forced herself to remain steady. Focus. Test things one step at a time.

She spotted a man walking alone, his posture relaxed and unhurried. He looked mostly human, but his sharp cat-like ears and tail gave him away. He wore simple clothes and headphones, his expression one of sleepy nonchalance. Perfect.

Alright. Let’s see if you can see me, she thought, taking a few steps forward until she stood directly in his path. The man stopped, his golden eyes narrowing slightly as they met hers. For a brief moment, they simply stared at one another.

Relief surged through her as her body sagged slightly. I’m visible. I’m not a ghost. But the man didn’t move. His eyes lingered on her a little too long, and she began to feel a bit awkward.

Before she could say anything, the man glanced around, his cat-like ears twitching as if listening for something. Then, without a word, he reached into his jacket and pulled out what looked like a small card. He handed it to her silently before walking away, disappearing into the crowd as though nothing had happened.

Laynor blinked in confusion, staring at the object in her hand. What is this place?

---

As she stood there, still trying to process the interaction, something—or rather someone—caught her attention. A woman, standing just a few steps away, her presence striking enough to pull Laynor from her thoughts.

She had long, flowing purple hair that shimmered in the light, and her eyes—vivid violet—seemed to glow as they reflected the world around her. She wasn’t just beautiful. She was otherworldly. Her features were sharp, graceful, and her posture so elegant it felt almost unnatural. She didn’t look like she belonged here, yet she seemed to blend seamlessly into the crowd.

Is she human? Laynor wondered, feeling an inexplicable pull toward her.

Their eyes met.

The moment stretched endlessly, time slowing as the crowd around them seemed to fade into the background. Laynor’s breath caught in her throat, and her heart raced once again, but not out of fear this time—something else. The woman’s gaze was intense, her violet eyes holding Laynor in place, as if searching for something deep inside her.

In that instant, it felt as if an invisible thread had connected them—something far beyond the physical world. It wasn’t just a glance. It was a moment that lingered, filled with meaning Laynor couldn’t yet understand. The air between them felt charged, as if their fates had touched, intertwined for a brief second.

Then, as quickly as it had begun, the moment ended. The woman turned, her purple hair flowing behind her as she vanished into the sea of people, her presence slipping away as easily as it had appeared.

Laynor stood frozen, her heart still racing. Who was she? The question burned in her mind, but no answers came.

This world was more than she had ever imagined. What am I supposed to do here?

---

Laynor’s thoughts shifted, drifting back to her life before. Her mother’s last message played in her head again—“your smile is the sweetest thing to me.” A lump formed in her throat.

What would my mother think if she knew where I was right now? she wondered. She thought of the small things she had taken for granted—the sound of her mother’s voice, the safety of her room, even the trivial moments spent scrolling through her phone late at night. She had always felt disconnected from the world, but now… she was truly disconnected, in a way she hadn’t anticipated.

All those nights spent reading isekai stories, dreaming of being transported to another world, of adventure… she had imagined it would feel like freedom. In her fantasies, she always pictured herself in a medieval world, wielding a massive sword and fighting enemies like a knight—strong, fearless, powerful. The thought of charging into battle, armor gleaming, was thrilling.

I always thought I’d be like that, she mused, a hint of a smile forming on her lips. A hero, slashing through enemies with a huge sword, crushing everything in my path.

But now that she was actually in another world, it didn’t feel like the grand adventure she had always imagined. There was no sword, no armor. Just fear, confusion, and an overwhelming sense of not belonging.

This isn’t like the stories. Those heroes always had something—a purpose, a mentor, a power. But here she was, completely lost and without the faintest clue of what to do next.

Am I really the hero of this story?

---

End of Chapter