Chapter1

CHAPTER 01:

The laboratory was dark except for the faint glow of machines.

Blue lights flickered across the room as energy pulsed through tangled wires and metal rings. The low hum of electricity vibrated through the floor.

Arisa stood in front of the central table, her eyes fixed on the small device in the middle of the experiment.

“Energy levels are rising,” Niran said, watching the monitor.

Maya leaned closer to the screen. “Arisa… it’s actually working.”

The device began to glow brighter.

Electric sparks danced across the metal frame as the machine vibrated softly.

Arisa held her breath.

“Just a little more…” she whispered.

For a brief moment, it looked like the impossible was about to happen.

Then suddenly—

The energy levels dropped.

The machine gave a sharp crackling sound before the light disappeared completely.

Everything went silent.

A second later, the laboratory lights flickered back on.

Arisa slowly removed the protective goggles from her eyes and let out a long, tired sigh.

“I told you,” Niran said gently.

Pim placed a hand on Arisa’s shoulder. “We warned you, Arisa. It’s impossible.”

“You’ve been trying for months,” Maya added softly. “You should rest for a few days.”

They sat beside her, trying to comfort her.

But Arisa didn’t respond.

Instead, she reached for the thick book lying on the table and opened it again.

Pages filled with theories, diagrams, and calculations stared back at her.

“I must have done something wrong,” she murmured.

She grabbed her pen and notebook and began writing quickly.

“I’ll figure it out.”

Maya and the others exchanged quiet glances.

They all knew the same thing.

Arisa was not the kind of person who gave up.

*****

Days passed.

Life in the laboratory returned to its normal rhythm.

During the day, Arisa worked alongside the rest of the research team, helping with experiments and assisting the professor with various projects. To anyone watching, she looked like an ordinary researcher.

But whenever she had a free moment, she returned to her notes.

History books, physics theories, energy equations—her desk slowly filled with papers and sketches of the strange device she was building.

Sometimes she would sit quietly in the corner of the lab reading ancient theories about time and space, underlining sentences and writing new ideas in the margins.

Other times she would stare at the machine for long minutes, thinking.

And almost every night…

She stayed late.

Long after the others had left the building, the laboratory lights would still be on.

Arisa stood alone at the workbench, adjusting wires, testing circuits, and recalculating energy levels.

Except she wasn’t completely alone.

Maya often stayed with her.

“You know this is crazy, right?” Maya said one night, sitting on the table while watching Arisa work.

Arisa didn’t even look up.

“Most discoveries were crazy at first.”

Maya sighed but smiled slightly.

“You’re impossible.”

The clock slowly ticked past ten… then eleven… sometimes even midnight.

Arisa kept working.

Testing.

Failing.

Trying again.

And Maya stayed beside her through it all.

the next morning as The Rays of sunlight quietly slipped through the window curtains, as if searching for their way into the sleeping room.

They first slid over the wall, then slowly crept toward the bed, finally settling gently on Arisa face. They touched her skin softly, warm and smooth, as if the morning were waking her with a tender caress.

Her lashes fluttered slightly under the golden light, and the sun’s warmth seeped into her serene features. The morning was so peaceful that the light itself seemed to whisper to her that a new day had begun.

But as she was in her deep sleep suddenly The sharp ringing of her phone echoed through her quiet room.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Arisa groaned and pulled the blanket over her head, trying to ignore it. But the phone kept ringing again and again on the nightstand beside her.

Half-asleep, she reached out blindly until her fingers found the phone. Without even opening her eyes, she brought it close to her ear.

“Hello…” she mumbled sleepily.

“ARISA!”

Arisa winced as a loud voice exploded through the phone.

“Where are you?!” Maya shouted. “The professor is already here and he’s asking about you! Did you forget we have an important meeting today?!”

Arisa’s eyes flew open instantly.

She shot up from her bed, her hair completely messy.

“Oh my god—I really forgot!” she gasped. “I’m coming, Maya! Please stall him or give him any excuse until I get there!”

“Arisa—”

“Thank you! Bye!”

She hung up before Maya could say anything else.

Arisa jumped out of bed and ran straight to the bathroom. Within minutes she took the fastest shower of her life, hurriedly dressed, grabbed her phone and bag, and rushed out of her room.

As she ran into the kitchen, she saw her mother placing breakfast on the table.

Her mother smiled warmly when she saw her.

“Good morning, honey."

“Good morning, Mom,” Arisa said quickly, leaning over to kiss her mother on the cheek as she rushed toward the door.

“Aren’t you going to have breakfast with me?” her mother asked.

“I’m sorry, Mom! I’m really late,” Arisa said while putting on her shoes. “I’ll see you later. Love you!”

“Be careful, Arisa,” her mother called after her. “The news said there will be a strong storm tonight.”

Before closing the door, Arisa made an “OK” sign with her hand and gave her mother a quick smile.

Her mother smiled back.

But something inside her didn’t feel right.

She shook her head, trying to push the strange feeling away, and continued preparing breakfast.

Outside, Arisa ran to her car while glancing at her watch.

“Damn… I shouldn’t have stayed late at the lab last night,” she muttered to herself as she quickly started the engine and drove off

******

The moment Arisa pushed the laboratory door open, she immediately felt the tension in the room.

Everyone was already there.

Researchers, assistants, and students stood around the large table in the center of the lab. Papers, tablets, and holographic screens filled the space as they discussed the project.

As Arisa stepped inside, trying to catch her breath from running, every single pair of eyes turned toward her.

Silence fell.

Her heart started pounding.

She straightened a little, suddenly very aware of how messy her hair still looked.

“G-good morning,” she said, forcing a small smile.

At the head of the table, the professor slowly turned toward her. His sharp gaze made her even more nervous.

“What delayed you?” he asked coldly.

“You know today is extremely important for all of us.”

Arisa swallowed.

Her mouth opened.

Then closed again.

She had no idea what to say.

Before the silence could become more awkward, Maya quickly stepped forward.

“Actually, Professor,” Maya said calmly, “Arisa was reviewing the final

, calibration of the temporal energy readings from last night’s experiment.”

The professor frowned slightly.

Maya continued smoothly, as if she had prepared the explanation beforehand.

“She stayed late at the lab to double-check the data. This morning she noticed a small inconsistency in the calculations, so she stopped to re-run the simulations before coming here. She didn’t want to present incomplete results during the meeting.”

The room grew quiet as everyone processed the explanation.

The professor studied Arisa for a moment.

Arisa blinked in surprise, then quickly nodded.

“Yes… exactly,” she added carefully.

After a few seconds, the professor sighed and adjusted his glasses.

“Very well,” he said. “Just take your seat. We are about to begin.”

************

The meeting continued for nearly an hour.

Researchers presented their findings one after another while holographic charts glowed above the table. The room buzzed with quiet discussion, numbers, and theories.

Arisa tried to focus, but her mind kept drifting back to the device she had worked on the night before.

Finally, the professor folded his notes.

“That will be all for today,” he announced. “The next phase of the project begins tomorrow. Make sure all departments are ready.”

Chairs moved as everyone began gathering their things.

The tension in the room slowly disappeared, replaced by casual conversations.

Maya leaned closer to Arisa and whispered, “You owe me one.”

Arisa let out a relieved breath.

“More than one,” she admitted. “Thank you for saving my life back there.”

Niran walked over with a teasing grin.

“So,” he said, crossing his arms, “how exactly did you oversleep on the most important day of the month?”

“I didn’t sleep late,” Arisa muttered. “I just… forgot what day it was.”

Pim laughed softly. “That’s even worse.”

Arisa shook her head and grabbed her bag.

“Very funny.”

Just then, a loud rumble of thunder echoed outside the building.

The windows rattled slightly.

Niran glanced toward the glass wall overlooking the city.

“Wow,” he said. “That storm came faster than expected.”

Dark clouds had already swallowed most of the sky. The wind pushed against the tall buildings, and flashes of lightning appeared in the distance.

Maya frowned.

“The news said the storm would arrive tonight, not this afternoon.”

Arisa’s eyes lit up suddenly.

“Perfect.”

Her friends looked at her.

“Perfect?” Pim repeated.

Arisa was already walking toward the laboratory section of the room.

“If the energy from the lightning is strong enough, it could stabilize the power levels of my device,” she explained excitedly.

Niran sighed.

“Oh no.”

Maya followed her. “Arisa… don’t tell me you’re planning to test that thing today.”

Arisa turned toward them with a bright smile.

“Just a small test.”

Thunder crashed again outside.

The lights flickered briefly.

And somewhere far above the building, lightning tore across the dark sky.

Inside the laboratory......

Arisa adjusted the tiny wires again, her fingers moving carefully over the device.

Nothing happened.

She sighed and pressed another button.

Still nothing.

Behind her, Maya, Niran, and Pim exchanged tired looks.

“Arisa…” Niran said gently. “You’ve tried everything.”

“It’s just a theory,” Pim added softly. “No one has ever traveled through time.”

Arisa didn’t even look at them.

“It will work,” she muttered, tightening another small screw.

Minutes passed.

Then more minutes.

The minutes slowly turned into hours.

Her friends stayed nearby, watching as she tried again… and again… and again.

Every attempt ended the same way.

Nothing.

Finally, the quiet sound of the clock echoed in the room.

11:00 PM.

Maya rubbed her eyes and stood up.

“Arisa… it’s late,” she said carefully. “We should go.”

Niran nodded. “You heard what the professor said this morning. He was staring right at you when he said no one should stay in the lab after hours.”

Pim added quietly, “We can continue tomorrow.”

Arisa finally stopped moving.

She let out a long sigh and looked down at the small watch-like device in her hands.

Maybe they were right.

Maybe it really was impossible.

Just a theory.

Just a dream.

But something inside her refused to give up.

At that exact moment, the lights in the laboratory suddenly flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Then they began turning on and off rapidly.

“What’s happening?” Maya asked, looking around nervously.

Outside, the sound of thunder exploded across the sky. The wind howled violently against the building windows.

Rain slammed against the glass.

Another powerful lightning strike illuminated the entire laboratory.

Niran walked toward the window.

“The storm is getting worse,” he said.

Suddenly—

The device in Arisa’s hand began to glow.

Faint at first.

Then brighter.

Arisa froze.

“Wait…”

Her heart began to race.

“This… this wasn’t happening before.”

The lights flickered faster now.

Electricity crackled through the machines around the room.

“Arisa,” Maya said nervously, “maybe you should put that thing down.”

But Arisa couldn’t look away.

Energy pulsed through the small device like it had suddenly come alive.

Another bolt of lightning tore across the sky.

“What is happening?!” Pim shouted.

Arisa stared at the device in shock.

“This wasn’t supposed to—”

Before she could finish her sentence, a powerful burst of light exploded around her.

Her friends screamed her name.

“ARISA!”

And then…

She vanished.

********

Arisa slowly opened her eyes.

The soft light of dawn filtered through a dense canopy of trees, casting dancing shadows on the forest floor.

The air smelled of damp earth, moss, and pine. Birds chirped in the distance, but the sound felt foreign—almost like a song from another world.

For a moment, she couldn’t remember where she was.

The soft rustle of leaves under her hands and the unfamiliar scent made her heart race. She sat up quickly, her legs tangled in the grass.

“What… where am I?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The trees towered above her, their branches swaying in the wind. Shafts of sunlight pierced the forest in golden beams, illuminating wildflowers she had never seen before. The forest was beautiful… but eerie.

She looked down at herself. Her clothes wasn't different—it still modern, still the same outfit she had worn in her laboratory just hours ago.

Her hands shook as she touched the fabric.

Her mind spun. This can’t be real. This isn’t real…

She tried to stand, but the ground beneath her feet was uneven, covered in roots and moss. Every step made her stumble slightly. She clutched a tree for support, taking deep breaths to steady herself.

Memories of the laboratory, the device, the storm, and the flash of light hit her all at once. Her pulse quickened. The experiment… the lightning… it worked? Did I—did I actually… travel through time?

Her eyes darted around. Every sound—the snap of a twig, the distant caw of a crow, the rustling leaves—made her jump. She felt exposed, tiny, and vulnerable in this enormous forest.

A strange thrill mingled with her fear. I’m… somewhere else. Somewhere… in the past?

She sank onto a fallen log, trying to calm herself. Her thoughts raced: How did I get here? What year is this? What if I can’t get back?

Her fingers unconsciously traced the outline of the small device she had left in her pocket. It has to work… it has to. I need to understand what went wrong… or right.

A gust of wind blew through the trees, and Arisa shivered. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps. She had never felt so small… yet so alive.

For a brief moment, she allowed herself to simply look around—at the thick trunks, the scattered ferns, and the golden rays of light falling across the forest floor. Every detail was sharper, brighter, and more vivid than anything she had ever seen.

And then, a sudden sound—footsteps, hurried and heavy—broke the fragile calm.

Arisa’s heart leapt into her throat. She froze, pressing herself against the rough bark of the nearest tree. Her mind screamed: Who’s there? Are they… humans? Animals?

Every instinct told her to run, but curiosity held her in place. She peeked through the leaves.

And that’s when she saw them: armored figures moving swiftly through the forest, their expressions stern and determined.

Before she could react, one of them spotted her.

“Stop! Who are you?” a deep voice barked.

Arisa’s chest tightened. I’m… I’m not supposed to be here… I don’t belong…

And just like that, the world she knew—the modern labs, the bright city lights, her friends—was gone.

All that remained was this strange, beautiful, terrifying new world.

Arisa’s breath caught in her throat as the armored figures closed in. Her eyes widened. They were fast, larger than any person she had ever seen, moving like trained hunters through the dense undergrowth.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Her modern blouse, jeans, and sneakers—clothes that had felt ordinary just hours ago—looked utterly alien in this forest.

The nearest guard stopped abruptly, his eyes widening. “What… what is she wearing?” he whispered to the one beside him.

Before she could react, strong hands grabbed her arms. She struggled instinctively, but their grip was firm and unyielding.

“Let me go!” Arisa shouted, trying to twist free. “I’m not—”

“You will come with us!” another guard barked, his voice sharp and commanding.

She glanced around frantically. The forest, the strange sounds, the distant mountains—it was all overwhelming.

Her heart raced.

I need to think… I need to figure out what’s happening…she said inside her haid

The guards didn’t give her a chance. They marched her through the forest, each step taking her further from anything familiar. Her sneakers slipped on damp roots and leaves, but they didn’t seem to notice, their expressions unreadable.

Finally, they arrived at a clearing, where a small road led toward a massive stone gate in the distance. Arisa’s eyes widened. The architecture was unlike anything she had seen before—high stone walls, towers with pointed roofs, and banners fluttering in the wind.

The guards led Arisa through the massive stone gates of the palace, their hands firm on her arms.

She couldn’t stop staring.

The corridors were impossibly high, lined with polished marble floors that reflected the sunlight streaming through enormous stained-glass windows.

Golden chandeliers hung from the ceilings, catching the light and scattering it like a thousand tiny stars. Intricate tapestries depicting battles, hunts, and royal ceremonies adorned the walls.

Arisa’s eyes widened as she tried to take in everything at once. The scale, the colors, the smells of burning incense and fresh flowers—it was overwhelming.

Servants and attendants stopped in their tracks, their eyes drawn to her. Whispers passed between them.

“ who is she and What… is she wearing?” one maid whispered to another.

Her modern clothes, so ordinary in her world, now looks weird in this world Some maids covered their mouths to hide gasps.

Arisa’s heart pounded. She felt like a living anomaly in this beautiful, ancient world.

The guards finally stopped in front of a massive door carved from dark wood and inlaid with gold. The sunlight made it shine like molten metal.

The lead guard raised his fist and knocked firmly.

She waited, holding her breath. Behind the door, the faint echo of movement suggested someone was approaching.

Moments passed. The knocking sounded again, this time a little louder.

Finally, the door slowly creaked open, revealing two taller guards in shining armor. Their expressions were unreadable, professional, but their eyes flicked to Arisa’s unusual attire.

“Bring her in,” one said curtly.

The door swung wide, and Arisa stepped inside.

Her jaw dropped. The room beyond was vast, a grand hall that seemed almost endless. Polished floors gleamed beneath her feet.

Golden pillars stretched toward a high vaulted ceiling, decorated with frescoes of gods, queens, and battles long past.

Courtiers and servants alike turned to stare. Some whispered behind their fans; others simply gaped, their hands frozen over trays or papers.

Arisa felt a wave of nerves wash over her. Every eye in the room seemed to bore into her, questioning who she was, why she was here, and what she wore.

The guards held her firmly as they led her toward the center of the hall, stopping before a raised platform where another massive set of doors loomed, shining even more brilliantly in the light.

Arisa took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. She had no idea what awaited her behind those doors, but she knew one thing: her life would never be the same again

The heavy doors of the great hall suddenly opened.

A deep voice echoed through the chamber.

“His Majesty, the King of Suryanagar… and Her Majesty, the Queen.”

At once, the entire hall moved.

Courtiers, servants, guards—everyone bowed deeply, their heads lowered in perfect unison.

Arisa froze.

She glanced around in confusion, realizing she was the only one still standing upright. Panic fluttered in her chest. After a brief awkward moment, she attempted an uncertain half-bow, copying the others as best as she could.

Footsteps echoed across the marble floor.

The king walked slowly toward the center of the hall, dressed in dark royal robes embroidered with gold. His presence was commanding, his gaze sharp and observant. Beside him walked the queen, graceful and calm, her jeweled crown glinting under the chandeliers.

When the king’s eyes fell upon Arisa, he stopped.

The hall grew quiet.

His gaze traveled over her strange clothes—her jeans, her blouse, her unfamiliar shoes. His expression hardened slightly.

“Raise your head,” he ordered.

Arisa slowly looked up.

“Who are you?”

Her throat felt dry.

“A-Arisa…” she answered softly.

Murmurs rippled through the hall.

The king narrowed his eyes.

“Arisa,” he repeated slowly. “And from where do you come?”

Arisa hesitated.

“I… I don’t know how to explain…”

The king’s voice suddenly turned cold.

“Are you a spy from the Kingdom of Krongthara?”

The name meant nothing to her.

Her eyes widened.

“What? No! I’m not a spy!” she said quickly, shaking her head. “I don’t even know what you're talking about!”

More whispers spread across the court.

The king studied her carefully.

“Your appearance is strange. Your clothes are unlike anything in this kingdom… or any kingdom I know.”

Arisa looked down at herself helplessly.

“I swear, I’m not your enemy,” she said quietly.

The king began asking more questions.

Where did she come from?

Who sent her?

How did she enter the royal forest?

Each question pressed harder than the last.

But Arisa had no answers that would make sense in this world.

The tension in the hall grew thicker.

Finally, the king straightened.

“That is enough.”

He turned to the guards.

“Until the truth is revealed, she will be imprisoned. At dawn she will be judged before the people of Suryanagar.”

Gasps moved through the hall.

Arisa’s heart dropped.

“What?! No—wait!” she cried, stepping forward despite the guards grabbing her arms.

“Please! You don’t understand—I didn’t do anything!”

Her voice echoed desperately through the chamber.

“I don’t even know how I got here!”

But the king’s expression did not change.

“Take her away.”

The guards began pulling her back.

“No! Please listen to me!” Arisa struggled, panic rising in her chest.

Suddenly—

The great doors of the hall opened again.

Everyone turned.

A wave of movement spread through the court as people quickly bowed once more.

“The Princess has arrived.”

Soft footsteps entered the hall.

Arisa turned her head.

There she stood.

Princess Ella of Suryanagar.

She walked with calm elegance, dressed in flowing royal silk the color of the sunset, golden ornaments resting gently in her dark hair. Her presence carried quiet authority despite her young age.

As she stepped into the hall, every head remained lowered.

But Ella stopped.

Her eyes lifted.

And met Arisa’s.

For a moment—

Everything went still.

The noise, the whispers, even the tension in the room seemed to disappear.

Arisa stared at her, unable to look away.

Something about the princess felt… strangely familiar. Like a memory she couldn’t place.

Ella’s gaze remained fixed on her as well, curious and thoughtful.

The silence stretched longer than anyone expected.

Then Ella finally spoke.

“Father,” she said gently.

The king turned toward her.

“What is it, Ella?”

She stepped closer, her eyes briefly returning to Arisa.

“I heard there was a disturbance in the court.”

“There is,” the king replied firmly. “An unknown girl was found in the royal forest wearing strange garments. She refuses to reveal the truth of who she is.”

Ella studied Arisa again.

Arisa’s face showed nothing but fear and confusion.

No arrogance.

No deception.

Just someone completely lost.

“Father,” Ella said calmly, “if she were truly a spy… would she enter our kingdom dressed like this?”

A quiet ripple moved through the court.

The king said nothing.

Ella continued.

“She looks frightened, not dangerous.”

She stepped a little closer to Arisa now.

“I believe imprisoning her immediately would be unjust.”