The world blurred into a rush of wind and darkness as Lexi plunged from the cliff. Her body cut through the air like a discarded feather, hair whipping around her face, her arms spread wide as though she had chosen to embrace the abyss.
The river roared below, a silver serpent twisting through jagged rocks. The cold spray reached up to her like eager fingers. For the first time in years, Lexi felt something close to freedom—not safety, not comfort, but liberation in the rawest sense. No walls. No eyes. No Nathan with his burning desire to chain her down.
And yet—she thought of him.
His voice, raw and broken, had chased her into the wind. His scream still echoed in her ears. Nathan's face had been a storm, fury and pain colliding, his eyes like an open wound. He had wanted to save her. Claim her. Keep her alive even against her own will.
But Lexi was no one's possession. If she had to choose between captivity and death, then she would meet death on her own terms.
The river hit her like a hammer.
Her body slammed into the icy depths, pain erupting in her chest as the current pulled her under. She fought for breath, her arms thrashing, but the river was merciless. It dragged her down into its dark belly, twisting her against rocks that tore at her skin. Warmth spread in the cold water—her blood.
Lexi's vision blurred. The world dimmed. Her lungs screamed for air.
And then she saw it.
At the bottom of the riverbed, buried among stones and weeds, something pulsed faintly. A glow, soft and green, alive where nothing else was. It called to her, a heartbeat that matched her own, pulling her down even as her body weakened.
Her blood drifted through the water, ribbons of crimson that snaked toward the glow. The moment they touched, the relic stirred.
A jade ring.
It lit up, brighter than the moon above, the glow expanding in ripples. The water trembled. The river seemed to still in reverence as ancient power awakened. The ring rose, its surface alive with intricate carvings that writhed like serpents. It pulsed once, twice—and then shot forward, piercing into Lexi's chest.
She would have screamed if the river hadn't already stolen her breath.
Agony exploded inside her, then vanished, replaced with heat. Her veins burned, her heart thundered, her skin glowed faintly before settling back to pale. The world disappeared.
Darkness claimed her.
—
Lexi woke with a start.
She was no longer drowning, no longer freezing. She lay on soft grass, its blades cool against her skin. Sunlight dappled through tall trees, a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of blooming flowers. For a moment, she thought she had died and ascended to some heaven.
But heaven had no weight like this. No taste of blood still lingering on her tongue.
Slowly, she sat up. Around her stretched a vast, tranquil land, endless green meadows dotted with wildflowers. At the heart of it lay a clear pond, water glimmering like liquid crystal. Beside it stood a quaint little cottage, smoke faintly curling from its chimney as though it had been waiting for her.
Lexi pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the faint thrum of the jade ring inside her. "What… is this place?"
She stumbled to her feet, awe clashing with suspicion. Every nerve in her body screamed this wasn't real. Yet when she knelt by the pond and dipped her hand into the water, the cool liquid ran between her fingers. Real. Tangible.
She caught her reflection in the pond—and froze.
Her skin, once scarred and roughened by the apocalypse, glowed smooth and supple, pale as porcelain. Her lips were full, her hair flowing like ink.
Her eyes shimmered with an unnatural clarity.
It was still her. And yet… not her.
Her pulse raced. She plunged her arms into the water, scooping it into her mouth. The taste was like nothing she had ever known—sweet, cleansing, as if every drop scrubbed the exhaustion and pain from her body. Her wounds knit themselves together before her eyes, torn flesh closing, bruises fading.
Warmth spread up her arm, soothing and gentle. The water wasn't just liquid—it was alive. Power hummed in it.
It was like swallowing sunlight. Her chest filled with heat, her mind clearing, sharper than ever before. She laughed softly, disbelief giving way to exhilaration.
She recalled the jade ring that shot into her chest before she lost consciousness in the river and had somehow fixed itself on her finger. And now, she was in a strange place, different from the broken world out there which led her to make a conclusion, "A space?"
"Unbelievable…" she murmured. "Healing water. A hidden space. A jade ring that chose me…"
She knew what it was. She had read a lot of novels about this back in her past life. she just never thought it would happen to her.
Her lips curled into a slow smile. "Looks like death wasn't ready for me after all."
She threw her head back and laughed.
Rising, she explored further. Not far from the pond stood a big cottage, quaint and simple. The door creaked open under her hand, revealing a bedroom plus a small bathroom and a kitchen. Inside was a bed draped in clean sheets, and a desk carved with strange patterns. On the desk sat a book, old and thick, bound in leather. And in the kitchen shelves stacked with jars of herbs, cooking tools and foodstuffs.
Lexi opened the book, eyes devouring the faded script. Diagrams of the ring. Notes on its power, it's ability to bend the world itself to one's will. Her pulse quickened as she realized what this place was—not just a refuge, but a treasure trove.
The jade ring had given her more than survival. It had given her a weapon.
She closed the book slowly, her eyes glinting with dangerous delight.
This was her rebirth. Her second chance.
For hours, Lexi tested the space. She discovered she could vanish from the real world and reappear here at will, as though the ring carried her between realms.
She learned the pond healed not only wounds but exhaustion, sharpening her mind each time she drank. She uncovered tools in the cottage—blades, herbs, powders—that could be used to enhance her strength or poison her enemies.
Each discovery made her laughter grow darker.
Nathan thought he had lost her. The camp thought she was dead. The government believed their secrets safe.
Fools.
She was alive. Stronger than ever.
And she was done playing the weak, bullied girl.