The hospital lights blurred. Nicolette's hands trembled, her breath shallow as the adrenaline drained from her veins. The man's heartbeat had returned—steady and strong. Relief flooded her.
But then, darkness crept into her vision.
The last thing she heard was Dr. Tobi calling her name.
---
Warmth. Blinding light.
Nicolette gasped, her eyes snapping open. She wasn't in the ER anymore. She was lying in soft grass, under a sky that shimmered with two suns. A wind chime tinkled in the air, though there were no buildings in sight.
She sat up slowly. Her scrubs were intact—but her ID badge now glowed faintly. And around her neck, her stethoscope pulsed with blue light.
"What… is this?"
Before she could move, a shadow fell over her. A tall figure in dark armor stood at the edge of the hill, eyes glowing gold.
"You've awakened," he said in a deep voice. "The sacred healer has returned."
"What?"
"You carry the Mark," he said, pointing to her stethoscope. "Only those chosen by the Ancients can bear the Heart Listener."
"Heart Listener?"
He knelt. "Please, Lady Nicolette. Our world is dying. And you… are our last hope."
Her mind reeled. Was this a dream? A coma? Or… had she really crossed into another world?
One thing was certain—this was no longer the hospital.
This was something else entirely.