She woke up from a long sleep that lasted for thousands of years. The air smelled of damp earth and growing things rather than the recycled oxygen she remembered. Sunlight filtered through cracks in what must have been some kind of ancient bunker, casting dappled patterns across the rusted control panels. Her body ached as she stood, unused muscles protesting after centuries of dormancy.

The world outside was unrecognizable. Towering skyscrapers lay toppled like giants, their skeletons draped in ivy and other climbing plants. Birds sang from reclaimed rooftops while a gentle breeze carried the scent of wildflowers growing through cracked concrete. The noisy civilization she'd known was gone, replaced by the quiet of nature's reclamation.

After several days of wandering through forests and ruined cities, her meager supplies exhausted, she spotted smoke on the horizon. Following it led her to a fortified settlement built among the ruins, surrounded by cultivated fields. Before she could approach, armed guards intercepted her and brought her before a tall man with penetrating eyes and an unmistakable air of authority. "Another survivor," he noted dispassionately. "We can always use more labor."