d paper map spread across

up a remote, steep mountain ridge

specific mountain had spread among the d

l research station. It was built by a private company years bef

water spring, thick concrete wal

rvived the first five years of the zo

wing their own food and drinking clean water, completel

a wandering horde finally stumbled upon the mountain, the sa

at sanctuary b

ht, her eye

t in a cramped, stuffy real est

e an oven. Across the desk sat the land's current owne

is sweaty neck, looking at Elen

oung lady," the owner grunte

here but dead trees, a rusty old cabin, and dried-up dirt. Espe

Elena replied simply,

ty to clear my head. I am willing to

desperate to sell. The extreme weather had ruined his other busines

I won't stop you," the owner said, quickly

t don't come crying to me when you realize

en and signed her nam

the paper, a sharp, metallic

screen materialized in the

on: Territory succ

ruction Mod

c functions are currently offline. Please restore the p

k as she stood up, grabbed the keys, a

es yet. She had ninety days to turn a pie

ing, rocky path of the mountain. The air grew slightly

arch station. It was a sad sight. The main wooden cab

ing, rusted, and broken in multiple places. Thorny we

courtyard, the wind howling through

e light flashed, and heavy crates of tools, solar panels, lum

the supplies towa

life, she would have relied on others, or worked h

about a fully stocked, fortified base on this mountain, t

y strugg

thy and uninjured, but she was

past, she was just an ordinary office worker

her phone to watch instructional videos and read digit

tted over years of neglect. Elena hauled heavy wooden bea

planks until her arms shook with fatigue, and

a jarring shock up her wrists

imbed onto the steep, scorching metal r

y. Carefully, she laid out the heavy monocrystall

ttic, stripping copper wires and connecting them t

cabin's old lights flickered to life,

down to the natural mountain spring, he

ls down the trail and positioned them b

pump system to ensure the water would flow cleanly into the cab

task: fence construction. The ori

he rocky, stubborn earth. The ground resisted every stri

ted heavy steel posts, and poured

ed hundreds of feet of sharp, heavy barbed w

at dawn, ate a quick meal of freeze-dried rations, and wor

mountain, Elena was trying to tighten the fin

barbs ripped violently across her palms,

sped, droppi

rd, sitting down he

ds. Her palms, which had been so soft and flawl

blisters had popped, and fresh, bright red blood was oo

biting, making her brea

her. Her muscles ached, her bones felt heavy, and her hand

er mind. She remembered the feeling of his boot striking her b

vanished, replaced by a f

to the empty forest. "It is much bet

y tore a strip of clean cloth from her hoodie, wrapped it t

he heavy metal pliers, and tigh

ept w