AOE : Age Of Extinction

Kai

Amelia's eyes slowly opened, accompanied by a pained groan, and she found the Chief sitting beside her on the hay bed.

"Don't try to get up; you have a broken arm!" The Chief warned as he noticed Amelia's attempt to rise from the bed.

Amelia, in a haze of pain, couldn't recall how she had sustained her injuries. She questioned the cause of her broken arm and the throbbing headache that worsened with any movement.

"What happened?" Amelia inquired, her voice low and strained.

The Chief was puzzled, wondering how Amelia could have forgotten the chaotic situation she had found herself in the previous day.

"You really don't remember anything at all?"

Amelia's gaze fixated on the cloth shielding the tent from the scorching sun outside. In that moment, her memory abruptly returned, vividly recalling kicking a man in a sensitive area and subsequently being grabbed by the neck by another man who demanded an apology for her action.

"Where is he?" Amelia asked pointedly, now that the pieces had fallen into place.

The Chief was taken aback, momentarily stumbling over his words before responding to Amelia's question, "He's locked up in the bunker."

"Perfect," Amelia declared, lifting herself gingerly from the hay bed.

"Please don't try to get up; you're still..." the Chief began, but Amelia interrupted him.

"Please, enough. I'm fine," Amelia asserted, dismissing the Chief's concerns.

A wave of sadness washed over the Chief's face, knowing Amelia's inclination to disregard instructions. No matter how hard he tried to dissuade her, she would persist with her own plans, while he faithfully followed her every advice.

Amelia was on the verge of leaving the tent when she noticed the Chief's somber silence. Her right arm was bandaged and slung across her neck, a clear reminder of what had transpired. The Chief couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow, witnessing her failure to heed his warnings, a departure from the many times she had listened in the past.

"I'm sorry," she stated as she stepped out of the tent.

From the tent's entrance, she surveyed the damaged survival base, her bandaged arm gently supported. Normally, her gaze would be fixed on the distant fence of the survival base, but now all she could see was the vast expanse of desert, the Survive base fence and gate having been destroyed in the Federation's assault on the Roshan King.

Amelia made her way toward the nearby underground bunker, just a few yards away. Two guards stood at its entrance, adjusting their stance in response to her approach.

"You don't have permission to be here!" one of the guards declared, his face filled with contempt as he spoke, showing no regard for Amelia.

Amelia had no expectations of receiving respect from the inhabitants of the survival base. She was prepared to resort to violence if anyone dared to obstruct her mission.

"I have a duty to see him. I demand that you allow me!" Amelia asserted.

"You may leave now, as we will not grant you access," retorted the other guard.

Growing impatient, Amelia devised a plan to overpower the guards and gain entry to the underground bunker. Despite her injured arm and lack of means for self-defense, the guards proved to be no match for her.

Just as Amelia was about to make another statement, a voice called out from behind her, "Let her in."

Amelia swiftly turned to see the Chief approaching. Although displeased with Amelia's decision, the Chief had made it his daily mission to support her in all her endeavors.

Upon receiving the order, the guards hurriedly opened the iron doors of the bunker, emitting creaking and rustling sounds. Amelia took a step forward, nearly entering the bunker, when the Chief uttered, "I just hope you've chosen the right path!"

Amelia pretended not to hear as she proceeded down the dimly lit hallway. The iron doors in the underground bunker promptly closed behind her.

As Amelia ventured further, she noticed torches hanging on each side of the hallway, casting a somber glow. Her eyes darted in all directions as she entered the bunker for the first time.

Amelia's mind raced with thoughts of rescuing Logan, fully aware that she needed the very best by her side. Her first encounter with a potential candidate convinced her that he was the perfect person to join her cause, possessing the ability to overpower her in combat. Such exceptional skills would prove invaluable, countering any threats posed by the Jaden Armies.

"What brings you here?" a voice reverberated through the cave, startling Amelia, who frantically scanned her surroundings to locate the source.

Amelia couldn't be mistaken; she recognized the voice as that of the man who had broken her arm.

"Where are you?" Amelia called out, her voice echoing throughout the bunker.

"To your left!"

Amelia swiftly turned to her left and found herself face to face with the young man who had bested her in a duel.

"What brings you here?" he inquired, his face lowered and his legs crossed before him.

"I've come to apologize."

"Had you done so earlier, you may not have broken your arm, and I wouldn't be here."

Amelia pondered her response, overwhelmed with guilt as she realized that the man had done no wrong and didn't deserve to be imprisoned for her own mistakes.

With haste, Amelia retreated to a corner of the hallway, where a plank on the wall held numerous keys.

Amelia sifted through the keys, surreptitiously pocketing a few as she tried them, one by one. The imprisoned man observed her efforts, silently witnessing her struggle to set him free.

After a few minutes of exertion, Amelia grew completely exhausted, clutching her knees as she gasped for breath. Having attempted each key hanging from the plank, one key slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.

"What do we do now?" Amelia managed to inquire.

"Not even a highly fortified facility equipped with state-of-the-art technology could hold me, let alone an ordinary cell made of iron bars!" the man proclaimed confidently.

Amelia was taken aback by his words, pondering who this person sitting in front of her truly was.

Just as Amelia was about to speak, the man rose to his feet, motioning for her to step back. With a forceful punch, he struck the iron bars of the cell.

A resounding bang filled the air, accompanied by a cloud of dust. Amelia held her head, gradually raising her gaze to witness the scattered iron cell rods and the man standing amidst the aftermath, gently massaging his fist.

Amelia was utterly astounded, her eyes wide with disbelief, witnessing a human effortlessly shatter an iron rod with a single blow. Her words stumbled as she attempted to make sense of the situation.

"Now you see what I mean. Not even your bunker cell can contain me. Perhaps you and your chief should find something mightier to cage me in," the man teased, his attention fixated on Amelia as he spoke, his hand still recovering from the impact.

"How... how did you..." Amelia stuttered, struggling to form coherent sentences.

"Let's just say I've mastered the arts of Kung Fu and Taekwondo!" he replied, a smile illuminating his face.

"Now, I believe you understand that we're not on the same level when it comes to fighting," he added in a chilling tone.

Gradually regaining her composure after the initial shock, Amelia conceded that she was no match for the man standing before her. The sheer display of power left her contemplating the possibility of instant demise if he were to strike her with the same force he used to break the iron cell rods.

"Who are you?" Amelia inquired, maintaining her distance and assuming a defensive stance, uncertain of her safety in the presence of this man.

"My name is Kai. And you?" Kai responded.

Amelia, slightly relieved by Kai's inquiry about her name, mulled it over before responding, "Amelia."

"That's a nice name, but I hope you've learned your lesson and won't go around kicking men in the nuts anymore," Kai quipped, attempting to inject some humor into the situation. However, the gravity of the recent events still lingered for Amelia, making it difficult for her to find amusement in Kai's remark.

"I wonder why you came here seeking me. I can guarantee you that the Chief wouldn't have approved of such an arrangement," Kai pondered aloud.

"As I mentioned earlier, I came here to apologize," Amelia responded.

"In that case, apologize to me first, and then extend your apologies to the other guy you kicked," Kai asserted in an authoritative tone.

Kai possessed a natural gift for communication, despite English not being his native language. His ability to learn quickly was evident in his mastery of Kung Fu and Taekwondo.

Apologizing was a foreign concept to Amelia, and the thought of apologizing to Kai seemed awkward and unfamiliar to her.

With determination, Amelia braced herself, ready to offer her apologetic words. However, before she could utter them, Kai interrupted with a shout, "You don't have to!"

"I don't judge a person solely by their actions but by the content of their heart. I know you are truly remorseful for what you did, and I, too, have a lot to apologize for regarding your broken arm," Kai proclaimed.

Amelia was astounded, listening attentively to Kai's words. She had never encountered someone in the wasteland with such a pure heart. In that moment, she realized that Kai was the ideal companion if she wanted to save Logan—a skilled fighter with a genuinely good soul.

"Am I free now?" Kai inquired, stooping to retrieve a piece of cloth from the floor. He proceeded to tie his hair back into a ponytail, giving himself a composed appearance.

"Yes, yes, you are free!" Amelia replied hastily, feeling a pang of foolishness at her sudden outburst. She had expected Kai to notice her nervousness, but he simply walked past her, heading toward the exit of the underground bunker.

Amelia stood in place, contemplating her next move. She knew she had to stop Kai from leaving and ask for his help in freeing Logan, but she felt uncertain about how Kai would respond.

"I need your help!" Amelia called out to Kai, her voice echoing through the bunker.

Kai appeared to have heard Amelia's plea but continued walking, feigning ignorance to her call.

"Hey!" Amelia shouted, hoping to capture Kai's attention.

Kai paused, slightly annoyed, and turned to face Amelia, who was a short distance away. His long hair partially covered one of his eyes, giving him an Asian appearance. There was an undeniable resemblance between Kai and Logan, but the distinct mark on Logan's face set them apart.

"What is it now?" Kai murmured, giving a nonchalant shrug as he made his way toward Amelia, his footsteps echoing on the rocky floor of the bunker, indicating his slight discomfort at the thought of engaging with Amelia.

"What?" Kai asked, furrowing his brow, when he reached Amelia.

"I need your help," Amelia stated.

"Help with what?" Kai retorted.

"I need to save someone, and I desperately need your assistance in my quest."

"Save someone? That sounds dangerous," Kai muttered, using his hand to brush aside the hair that obscured half of his face. He grew visibly agitated during the conversation.

"Yeah, he was taken by the Jaden Federation!" Amelia asserted.

"Huh?" Kai was taken aback by Amelia's revelation, a look of surprise crossing his face.

Amelia immediately realized her mistake in mentioning the Jaden Federation, knowing she had likely sparked fear in Kai's mind.

"You want to save someone from the Federation!" Kai interjected.

"Yes, I hope—"

"Wait," Kai interrupted Amelia again, his expression becoming blank as he locked his gaze on her, waiting for her response.

"Yes, do you know Logan?" Amelia inquired.

Kai's face remained impassive as he maintained his steady gaze. Kai's intense presence began to unsettle Amelia when suddenly he burst into laughter.

"This is insane! I also planned to rescue Logan from the Federation once I got out of here. Actually, I should have broken free from this place a long, but I had a feeling you would show up to apologize!" Kai chuckled.

Amelia was taken aback, her mind reeling as Kai continued to smile, the laughter gradually subsiding.

"Do you know Logan as well?" Amelia asked, seeking clarification.

"Damn it. Don't you see? You should have noticed how much Logan and I resemble each other!" Kai retorted, the smile vanishing from his face, replaced by a pained expression.

Amelia's thoughts were scattered in that moment; she couldn't fathom what Kai meant by their resemblance, and she wondered if Kai and Logan were twins.

[ ] "No, it's not possible. Logan doesn't have a twin!" [ ] Amelia thought to herself.

"I am Logan's twin!" Kai declared, changing his stance and directing his gaze towards the distant entrance of the underground bunker.