ESTHER IS AWAKE

Esther awoke to a cacophony of distant sounds, muffled and indistinct. Her mind, emerging from the dense fog of unconsciousness, struggled to piece together the fragments of memory and sensation. The room around her was sterile, unfamiliar—a stark contrast to the dimly lit room she vaguely remembered before slipping into darkness.

As her eyes fluttered open, she realized she was lying in a bed, surrounded by the soft hum of magic and the occasional shuffle of footsteps outside her room. Above her, through the thin veil of drowsiness, she could make out the muted sounds of celebration—voices raised in joy, distant cheers. Yet, comprehension eluded her; the jubilation seemed out of place, disconnected from her current reality. What was happening? Who had cocooned her in magic?

Esther's thoughts were sluggish, as if encased in molasses. She tried to recall how she had ended up here, why the people above her was shouting, why she was below them. Images flickered in her mind like a stutter