A Song
She stared at it blankly.
The food tray sat in front of her like a peace offering from a universe that had otherwise torn up her life, drawn little flowers in the margins, and then set it on fire.
And yet, despite everything, it didn't smell terrible. In fact it smelled... good?
There was a bowl of something warm and golden steaming in the middle. Not soup exactly. Too glossy, too fragrant. It shimmered like liquid gold and was topped with pale pink petals that danced just slightly in the steam. Next to it was a neat triangle of thin-sliced bread, crusted with something green and aromatic. A salad or what passed for one here rested in a glass bowl, all curls of pale purple leaves and translucent white slices that resembled fruit but tasted oddly like cucumber. The utensils were sleek, polished, and entirely transparent.
Serenya stared at it all as if it might float off the tray and start singing.
"This," she said slowly, "is hospital food?"
Nira, still hovering nearby, beamed. "Only the best for near-death patients in Sector Nine. You don't cheat the Grim Reaper just to be fed mush."
Dr. Saera snorted softly and closed her medical tablet with a flick of her fingers. "Eat what you can. Hydration first. I'll check in with you tomorrow. Nurse Nira will assist you in the meantime."
Serenya nodded, though she still hadn't lifted a fork.
The doctor gave a polite nod before heading for the door. Nira followed but paused, turning with a wink. "There's a little button on your tray. Press it when you're done, and I'll swing by to clean up. Unless, of course, you decide to throw it at the wall, in which case... try to aim for the corner without the diagnostics hub."
The attempt at humor made Serenya huff through her nose. A near-laugh. A ghost of one.
"Don't tempt me," she said under her breath.
And then she was alone again.
The silence was less heavy this time. Still present, still strange, but not quite the thundercloud it had been earlier. She picked up the spoon, dipped it into the shimmering gold liquid, and took a careful sip.
She blinked.
It was sweet, but not sugary. Savory, but not salty. The kind of warmth that settled into her chest and made her feel like she hadn't just stolen someone else's body and been dumped into a dystopian fever dream. She didn't trust it, but she ate anyway. Because the truth was, she was starving. Her hands shook, but the food helped. Bite after bite, the pressure behind her eyes eased.
When she finally set the spoon down, half the tray was empty.
It wasn't healing, not really. But it was something.
She leaned back against the headboard and closed her eyes for a moment, allowing her breath to steady. Her body still didn't feel like hers. Too light. Too... small. But for now, she could ignore it.
Mostly.
"…System?" she murmured, voice quiet.
No response.
"…You still there?"
[Always.]
The voice bloomed again, not in the room, but behind her ears and somewhere inside her skull, familiar now in the way one gets used to static on a radio.
"Good," she said, wiping her hands on the napkin. "Because I have questions."
[Parameters accepted. Would you like to open the interface menu?]
"Might as well."
The panel beside her shimmered to life, replacing her vitals with a new set of options. This time, it was brighter, more colorful—flashes of soft gold and violet, animated icons, and glowing labels.
Welcome to the STAR SYSTEMInterface Menu:– Daily Tasks– Mission Board– Host Statistics– Inventory– Fame Tracker (Locked)– Audition Listings (Locked)
She blinked.
"That's a lot of stuff to be locked."
[Access to certain features requires progression. Your Fame Level is currently at 0. You are, statistically, unknown.]
"Gee, thanks."
[You're welcome.]
She rolled her eyes.
"Show me the daily tasks."
A small window popped open, listing exactly one thing.
Daily Mission: Vocal Warm-Up – Sing for 3 MinutesReward: +5 Singing AttributeStatus: Incomplete
She stared at it.
"That's it?"
[Daily tasks are scaled to current Host level. Larger tasks will be unlocked as you adapt. Would you like to complete this mission now?]
She glanced around the room. It was quiet, and the walls looked soundproof enough. It wasn't like she was doing anything else, and honestly… if her voice was one of the things she could improve, then maybe it was a good place to start.
Besides, she had come from a concert.
There was something poetic about it, wasn't there?
"Fine," she muttered. "Start the mission."
[Mission accepted. Timer: 3:00 – Start singing whenever you're ready.]
She hesitated.
What could she sing? Did Liora know any songs she didn't? Would she remember any lyrics?
But when she opened her mouth, her body reacted before her brain could second-guess. The first few notes were shaky low, hesitant, testing the shape of this new throat.
But then it smoothed.
And to her shock, the voice that came out wasn't quite hers.
It was better.
Still soft. Still breathy. But clear. Melodic. Controlled in a way Serenya had never managed in her old life. Not trained, no but raw, and full of something that shimmered even in its imperfections.
She sang an old melody. One she used to hum when cleaning or walking alone at night. She didn't even remember the words. She just let the notes carry her.
One minute passed.
Then two.
At three, the panel chimed.
[Daily Task Complete – +5 Singing Attribute added]
[Current Singing Attribute: 15]
She exhaled.
"Wait. What are my other stats?"
[Opening Host Statistics:]
Name: Liora Asvelle (Host: Serenya Vale)
Designation: Omega
Age: 22
Level: 1
Fame: 0
Attributes:– Singing: 15
Charisma: 10
Dance: 6
Acting: 8
Composure: 7
Public Speaking: 5
Physical Stamina: 6
Mental Endurance: 9
Influence: 0
It was… humble.
No glowing numbers. No godlike potential waiting to be unlocked. Just a normal set of numbers for a normal girl trying to do something impossible.
Which, of course, made it feel even more real.