“What year are we in, Povi?” I asked slowly, my hands gripping the edges of the exquisitely decorated sink. The surface was cool and smooth, etched with intricate patterns that shimmered faintly under the soft light. My reflection in the mirror stared back at me—a stranger with wide, uncertain eyes.

“4014,” Povi replied, her mechanical voice calm and matter-of-fact.

My throat tightened, and my heart rate spiked. '4014!'. That was over a thousand years into the future from 2045. My mind reeled at the revelation. Was rebirth even possible? How could I explain what was happening to me? The Alliance, the incinerator, the pain—it all felt so real, so recent. And yet, here I was, standing in a body that wasn’t mine, in a world that defied everything I knew.

“Mood fluctuations detected,” Povi interjected, her tone sharp. “Please keep your emotions under control. Your heart rate should not exceed 100 beats per minute.”

I forced myself to take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. I couldn’t afford to let my emotions betray me. If anyone discovered that the original owner of this body was gone, replaced by a woman from a thousand years in the past, I didn’t know what would happen. And Povi—was she connected to some kind of surveillance system? Could she spy on my thoughts?

“You said I had to exercise first?” I asked, my voice firm and steady, masking the turmoil inside.

“Yes, Madam,” Povi replied.

“No need to call me Madam. Let’s go to the training room,” I said, brushing off the formality.

“Command taken. What should I address you as now? You previously preferred to be called Madam,” Povi inquired.

“Sa—I mean, Zahara is fine,” I corrected myself quickly, almost slipping.

“Your thinking seems to have slowed down today,” Povi noted, her tone almost teasing.

“How so?” I asked, pretending to be oblivious as I followed her instructions toward the training room.

“You used to wake up before 8:00 a.m., exercise, eat on time, put on your school uniform, and head to school without needing me for anything. Today seems… different,” Povi observed.

“Didn’t you say it yourself? You’re meant to serve me until the day I pass on,” I replied with a soft chuckle, trying to deflect her observation.

“Technically, yes,” Povi conceded.

“Then starting today, I’ll put you to good use,” I said, stepping into the spacious training room. The doors were massive, towering over me, made of a sleek, metallic material that seemed to hum faintly with energy. As I approached, a mechanical voice greeted me with familiarity, and the doors slid open with a soft hiss.

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The room itself was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was vast, with walls that shimmered like liquid silver, reflecting the light in mesmerizing patterns. The floor was made of a material that felt firm yet slightly yielding underfoot, as if it could adapt to whatever was needed. In the corner stood a single, bright silver chair, flanked by two white towels and a water bottle.

I expected to see gym equipment—weights, treadmills, maybe even some futuristic machines—but the room was completely empty.

“Alright, let the training begin,” I said, trying to mask the fact that I had no idea what I was doing.

“You have to select the level, Zahara. Last time, you had already advanced to Level 8. You were challenging yourself to proceed to Level 9,” Povi explained.

“Oh, right. Let’s go with that then—Level 8!” I declared, hoping I sounded confident.

The moment the words left my mouth, the room transformed. The walls dissolved, and the floor beneath me shifted, morphing into a vast, arid desert. The air grew hot and dry, the sun blazing overhead. Sand stretched endlessly in every direction, and the silence was deafening.

I looked around, my heart pounding. In the distance, I spotted two massive black wolves, their jaws caged with thick, metallic wires. A tall, lean man dressed in grey robes and a turban approached them, his movements deliberate and unhurried. He unchained the wolves, and the cages fell away.

A cold wave of dread washed over me.

“Let the level begin,” the man said in a low, mechanical voice, different from Povi’s. He stepped back, disappearing into the haze of the desert.

“It’s just a game,” I muttered under my breath, trying to calm my nerves.

“Please get a weapon immediately,” Povi’s voice cut through my thoughts. “This is not a game. If you get hurt here, it will have a slight impact on your daily activities later.”

“What do you mean? Where are the weapons?” I asked, panic rising in my voice as I scanned the barren landscape.

“You advanced to Level 8, so you are eligible to summon any weapon you want,” Povi explained.

In the distance, the wolves shook off their restraints, their eyes locking onto me with predatory focus. They charged, their powerful legs kicking up clouds of sand as they closed the distance with alarming speed.

My heart raced. I couldn’t outrun them. I needed a weapon—now.

“Summoning a gun!” I shouted, my voice echoing across the desert. During the Alliance regime, I had learned how to operate firearms. Surely, even in this futuristic world, guns would still exist.

“Weapon undetected by the system,” a mechanical voice replied, cold and impersonal.

“What?!” I screamed, my panic mounting. “Bomb! I summon a bomb!”

“Weapon undetected by the system. One chance remaining for summoning weapons. Please select a weapon,” the voice intoned.

Shit!

The wolves were closing in, their snarls growing louder. I could see the glint of their teeth, the hunger in their eyes. My mind raced. What kind of weapons existed in this world? What could I summon that would stop them?

I turned to face the wolves, my back straight, my hands clenched into fists. If I couldn’t summon a weapon, I’d have to fight them with my bare hands. I wasn't a coward, if I was, I wouldn't have burned to death!

“Summoning a blade!” I shouted, desperation fueling my voice.

A shimmering, translucent sword materialized in my hand, its blade glowing faintly with blue light. It felt light yet solid, humming with energy.

The wolves lunged.

I swung the blade, my movements clumsy but determined. The first wolf dodged, but the second one caught the edge of the blade, yelping as it stumbled back.

This wasn’t a game. This was survival.

And I wasn’t going to die again.