The explosion faded into silence.
Siya's eyes slowly opened.
A blinding white room stretched before her, flooded with harsh light that pierced her vision. For a moment, she couldn't tell where she was—or if she was even alive. She turned her head, scanning the empty space. There was no one. Just silence.
She tried to sit up.
A piercing scream tore from her throat.
Her body was covered in marks—deep scars and strange imprints, as if she had been dissected, tested, rebuilt. It was clear now: countless experiments had been performed on her.
Summoning every ounce of strength, Siya tried to rise to her feet. Her muscles trembled. Her body refused to obey. She collapsed back, weak and shaking.
I need my energy.
She closed her eyes and slipped into meditation, reaching inward, searching for the source of her inner power—the force that had always sustained her. When she found it, her breath caught.
The energy source was nearly extinguished.
Shock slammed into her like a wave. In that instant, she understood the truth: her power had been drained… used in experiments. Fear wrapped around her chest.
"If my energy was used on an ordinary human," she whispered, "they would have died a horrific death. No normal body can endure my power."
She steadied herself.
"I must heal with whatever remains," she said softly. "And I have to find Andy and Ali. I'll need my powers to escape—but I barely have any left. Still… I have no choice."
She forced herself up and slammed into the door. It didn't move. Again. And again. Pain tore through her arms, but she refused to stop. Finally, with one last desperate blow, the door shattered.
Siya stepped into the corridor.
She moved slowly, searching every chamber, every shadow—calling silently for Andy and Ali. But there was no answer. No sign of life.
When she finally reached the outside, her breath froze.
The world was destroyed.
Ruins stretched endlessly before her. The air was thick with the stench of blood and decay. Death hung in every corner. There were no humans. No animals. Just silence and devastation.
She walked forward, numb, until her gaze caught a reflection in a broken glass panel.
She stopped.
The face staring back at her was unfamiliar.
"This… isn't me," she whispered. Her hands trembled as she touched her face. "Who is this? What did they do to me?"
Suddenly, a voice echoed nearby.
Her eyes snapped to a massive screen mounted on a shattered building. A warning message flashed across it. Beneath it, a date glowed:
2035.
The ground seemed to vanish beneath her feet. Her mind reeled.
This can't be real.
"Siya… Siya…"
Her heart leapt. Andy? Ali?
She turned—only to see two unknown men running toward her.
She stumbled back, fear flaring in her eyes.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
Who were these strangers?
And why were they looking for Siya?