The sun hung high over Oakridge Manor, turning the pristine white limestone facade into a blinding sheet of light.

Five years after the fall at Oakridge Manor.

The Pacific crest trail stretched endlessly through the towering evergreen forests of the Cascade Mountains. The morning air was crisp, tasting of fresh ozone, snowmelt, and wild pine.

I stood at the summit of Observation Peak, four thousand feet above sea level.

Below me lay the vast, breathtaking panorama of the Pacific Northwest—endless miles of green forest, winding silver rivers, and snowy mountain peaks piercing the clear blue sky.

I wore high-performance hiking boots, black athletic trousers, and a lightweight backpack. Beside me stood Caleb, his arm wrapped comfortably around my shoulders, and eight-year-old Sadie, who was excitedly examining a pinecone with her grandfather, Alexander.

I looked down at my left leg.

The titanium neural limb had carried me up eight miles of steep, rocky mountain trails today. No pain. No slip. No limitation.

My mind drifted back for a brief, fleeting second to the woman who had woken up seven years ago in a dark hospital room, staring at a missing leg, listening to a charming monster whisper: "It's okay. I'll take care of everything."

That woman was gone. She hadn't died in the accident; she had been reborn through the fire.

She had torn down the walls of her prison, dragged her enemies into the light of justice, built a global sanctuary for thousands of broken bodies, and claimed her rightful place as the master of her own life.

My phone buzzed softly in my pocket—a rare notification that managed to cut through the mountain satellite signal.

It was an automated legal update from the Oregon Department of Corrections.

Inmate #884920 (Vance, Nolan) — Application for parole review: DENIED. Next eligible review date: 2056.

I didn't open the full report. I didn't need to read about his grey hair, his prison uniform, or his endless, forgotten days behind iron bars.

I swiped the notification away forever, powered off the screen, and slipped the phone back into my pocket.

"Mommy! Look!" Sadie called out, standing near the wooden summit marker, her arms outstretched like wings toward the mountain wind. "We're at the top of the world!"

I walked over to my daughter, my titanium foot stepping firmly onto the ancient mountain rock, anchoring me to the earth.

I pulled Sadie and Caleb close to my side, while my father stood beside us, his hand resting proudly on my shoulder.

The morning sun rose higher over the Cascades, flooding the peak with brilliant, unyielding light.