Chapter 3: The Stranger with Golden Eyes

Aiko woke to the gentle glow of lamplight casting shadows across a small, cozy room. The air smelled faintly of herbs, and a warm blanket was draped over her. As her eyes adjusted, she realized she was lying on a soft bed crafted from strange, woven fibers. The ceiling above her was slanted, covered in smooth bark, and the walls of the hut seemed alive, their surfaces subtly pulsing like the veins of a leaf.

“Ah, you’re awake,” a calm voice interrupted her thoughts.

Aiko turned her head, groaning slightly at the soreness in her body. Sitting on a stool nearby was the young man she’d seen before blacking out. His golden-brown eyes caught the light as he fiddled with a strange device that looked like a cross between a compass and a sundial.

“Who… are you?” she managed, her voice raspy.

He turned toward her, setting the device down. “My name’s Orion,” he said simply. “And you’re lucky I found you. That beast nearly turned you into a snack.”

Aiko touched the bandage wrapped around her injured arm and winced. “You… saved me?”

Orion gave a small nod. “Well, technically, I saved half of you. The other half was doing a pretty good job of running for its life.” His lips twitched into a faint smirk.

Aiko stared at him, caught between gratitude and disbelief. “What kind of introduction is that?”

“The honest kind.” Orion shrugged, leaning back against the wall. “What’s your name?”

“Aiko. Aiko Hoshino,” she said cautiously. She glanced around the room, her confusion mounting. “Where am I? This doesn’t look like any place on Earth…”

“You’re in Shambal,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact. “A dimension far from your Earth.”

Aiko sat up abruptly, immediately regretting it as a wave of dizziness hit her. “Shambal? Dimension? Wait… you’re telling me the multiverse is real?”

Orion raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t think you landed in an elaborate movie set, did you?”

Aiko frowned, ignoring his sarcasm. “This is insane. I mean, I believed in the multiverse, but to actually be in it… What even brought me here?”

Orion’s expression grew serious. “That’s the real question. You’re not supposed to be here. Something triggered a portal, and you were pulled through.”

She blinked at him. “So, how do I get back?”

He hesitated, his gaze drifting to the device on the table. “There’s a way,” he said slowly. “There are seven portals scattered across Shambal. If we open all of them, the seventh will lead you back to your Earth.”

Aiko’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Great! Let’s get started, then.”

Orion held up a hand. “Hold on. It’s not that simple. Each portal requires a foreign object to stabilize it. And in this case…” He paused, meeting her gaze.

“In this case?” Aiko prompted, her brows knitting together.

“You’re the foreign object.”

Her jaw dropped. “Wait, me?!”

Orion nodded, his expression almost apologetic. “Congratulations. You’re officially Shambal’s most valuable tourist.”

Aiko buried her face in her hands. “I didn’t sign up for this. I just wanted to read a book!”

Orion chuckled, leaning forward. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, you’re probably the most interesting thing to happen here in years. Most portals just spit out junk—like shoes or weird gadgets.”

“Glad to know I rank slightly above lost luggage,” Aiko muttered, but a reluctant smile tugged at her lips.

Orion’s smirk softened. “Look, I know this is overwhelming. But if you want to get home, we’ll have to work together. What do you say?”

Aiko hesitated, her gaze falling to her bandaged arm. The memory of the lion-like beast flashed through her mind, and she shuddered. “If that’s what it takes,” she said finally, her voice steadier than she felt. “I’ll do it.”

“Good,” Orion said, standing and extending a hand toward her. “Then let’s get started. But fair warning—this isn’t going to be a walk in the park.”

Aiko took his hand, pulling herself to her feet. “Considering the ‘parks’ around here have saber-toothed lions, I figured as much.”

Orion chuckled, his golden-brown eyes glinting with amusement. “I think I’m going to enjoy this.”

“Speak for yourself,” Aiko muttered, but a spark of determination flared in her chest. She didn’t know what lay ahead, but she was ready to face it—one step at a time.

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