As the boy stirred awake, a piercing light greeted his eyes, making him squint in discomfort.

"Where am I? Who are you? And why does my head hurt?" he mumbled, his voice shaky and confused.

A woman with kind eyes stepped closer. "What is your name, kid?"

"My name... my name... I don't know," he stammered, a look of panic crossing his face.

Sam leaned in, . "What do you mean you don't know?"

"Kid, do you remember where you live?"asked Eric silently hoped the boy's memory loss would work in their favor.

The boy shook his head, frustration and fear evident in his eyes. "I don't know!"

Eric sighed with relief. (Does this make me a bad person because I'm happy the kid doesn’t remember? Naaa....)

"Why can't I remember anything? What's going on? And who are you?" the boy's voice trembled, his confusion deepening. He glanced around the room, seeing only unfamiliar faces.

Sam tried to calm him. "Easy, kid. Everything's going to be fine."

Turning to the woman, the younger man asked, "Doc, why is he having trouble remembering?"

The woman, presumably the doctor, examined the boy’s head. "It could be the bruise. It might be causing memory loss. But he still knows how to talk, so maybe his memory will return over time."

The boy gingerly touched the bruise and winced. "Why do I have a bruise on my head?"

The rugged man responded, "We think the people who attacked you caused it."

"I was attacked? By who?" The boy's eyes widened in fear.

"We're not sure," the younger man said, "but we think it was bandits."

"What about my parents?" The boy's voice was barely a whisper.

The rugged man’s expression darkened. "Kid, your mother didn't make it."

"And my father?" the boy asked, his voice cracking.

"We didn’t find his body," the younger man replied somberly.

"So he could still be alive somewhere?" The boy clung to the hope.

"I’m not sure. I don’t want to give you false hope, kid," the younger man said gently.

"I see," the boy replied, his voice filled with sorrow.

The doctor, sensing the need to change the subject, suggested, "I think we should give him a name."

The younger man pondered for a moment. "What name should we give him? Hmm..."

The rugged man spoke up, "How about Kai?"

"Kai... I like it," the boy said, a small smile forming on his lips.

"How old do you think he is?" the younger man asked the rugged man.

The rugged man studied Kai for a moment. "I'm guessing around 13 years old."

"So where is he going to stay?" the doctor asked, concern in her voice.

"He will live with us in the soldiers' dorm," the younger man decided.

"First, we have to clear things with our captain," the rugged man reminded him.

The doctor sighed. "I don't think the captain will agree to that."

"There’s no harm in trying, right?" the younger man replied, determined.

"But why do you want to help this kid so much?" the doctor asked, curious.

The younger man's eyes softened. "Because this kid reminds me of myself when I was a kid. A similar thing happened to me and Eric, and I don't want him to suffer like we did."

Eric, the rugged man, nodded. (I still remember that day very clearly. I will never forget it. The four of us were lucky to be alive, so that's why he took Kai.)

The doctor sensed the depth of their shared history. (It sounds like it was hell. I shouldn't ask any questions.)

"Thanks for everything, Michelle. I really mean it," the younger man said sincerely.

"No problem. I was happy to help. After all, it is my job as this base's doctor," Michelle replied with a warm smile.

Eric turned to Kai. "Kai, let's go."

"Where?" Kai asked, still uneasy.

"To see our captain," Eric replied.

"Okay," Kai agreed.

"Bye, come and see me anytime," Michelle called after them.

"Sure," the younger man replied.

They escorted Kai out of the room. The hallway they entered was filled with numbered doors. As they walked, they encountered a man near the bathroom.

"What's up, Clay?" Sam greeted.

"Oh, it's you guys," Clay replied, looking a bit pale.

"What's wrong? You look like you're in pain," Eric noted.

"I don't feel so good, man" Clay replied.

Eric eyed Clay with concern. "Did you eat something bad today?"

Clay, looking a bit pale, rubbed his stomach. "The captain assigned me to be a bodyguard at a food eating contest. After it ended, they gave me the leftovers. I might have eaten too much."

Sam smirked, thinking to himself, (Lucky bastard. I wish I was the one assigned to that.)

Eric sighed. "Just go see the doctor."

Clay waved the suggestion off. "Nah, I think I'll be fine. I just need some rest."

Eric shrugged. "If you say so. By the way, where is the captain?"

"I think he's in his office at the end of the hallway," Clay replied. His eyes then wandered to the boy standing with them. "By the way, who is the kid?"

"This is Kai," Sam responded. "That's who we're going to see the captain about."

Eric nodded. "See you later, man. We have to go."

Clay gave a weak smile. "Sure."

As they continued down the hallway, Sam turned to Kai. "Kai."

"Yeah?" Kai replied, a bit nervously.

"You must make a good first impression on the captain," Sam advised.

"I will do my best," Kai promised, determination in his voice.

They arrived at the captain's office at the end of the corridor. Eric knocked firmly on the door.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Come in," a voice called from inside.

Eric opened the door, and they stepped into the office. Papers were strewn across the desk where a man sat, scribbling something down.

The captain looked up, his face showing mild surprise. "Ah, it's just you two. I thought it was someone else."

"Sir, were you expecting someone?" Sam asked.

The captain shook his head dismissively. "It doesn't matter. What do you want, and what is this child doing here?"

Eric stepped forward. "Sir, that's what we need to talk to you about. We found him in the forest; he was attacked by bandits, and his parents didn't make it. We were wondering if he could stay in the dorms."

The captain's eyes narrowed. "Do you think this is some kind of daycare center or something? We don't take care of children."

"But sir, he has nowhere else to go," Sam pleaded.

The captain leaned back in his chair, considering. "Still, we can't just take a kid in like that. There are rules and protocols we have to follow."

Kai, gathering his courage, spoke up. "I will do my best to earn my keep here, sir."

The captain gave him a hard look. "But still, kid, it's not that easy."

"So there's nothing you can do for him, sir?" Eric pressed.

The captain sighed. "Just take him to an orphanage."

"We can't, sir. The last orphanage caught on fire," Eric reminded him.

The captain rubbed his temples. "Right, I forgot. It was a miracle no one got hurt that day. Look, I can do this for him, but it's going to cause problems. I can sign him in as a trainee until he's old enough to take the entrance test. But if he fails, he'll have to leave."

"Thank you, sir," Sam said, relief evident in his voice.

The captain turned his attention to Kai. "What's your name, kid?"

"My name is Kai, sir," he replied.

"Right, Kai. You're going to have to work very hard if you want to stay how old is he," the captain asked.

"he is 13 old sir," Eric said.

The captain began filling out some forms. "Alright, let's see. Kai, age 13, gender male. Done. Now I just need your fingerprint, Kai."

"Yes, sir," Kai nodded.

The captain handed him an ink pad. "Dip your finger in this ink, then press it here on this paper."

Kai did as instructed, leaving his fingerprint on the form.

"Done. I have signed him in as a trainee at this base until he is old enough to take the entrance test. Until then, he will stay here," the captain explained.

Kai looked puzzled. "What's a trainee?"

"It means you are a soldier in training," Sam clarified.

Kai's eyes widened with realization. "Oh."

Eric patted his shoulder. "It means you're going to stay here."

The captain muttered to himself, "This kid is not too bright." He addressed them again. "He will sleep in room 108. It's small, but I'm sure he will manage."

"Room 108 yes sir," Sam repeated.

"Eric, show Kai to his room," the captain ordered.

"Yes, sir," Eric replied.

As they turned to leave, the captain called out, "Not you, Sam. Stay."

"Why, sir?" Sam asked, puzzled.

"I have a mission for you," the captain said plainly.

"Yes, sir," Sam acknowledged

"Eric and Kai, you can leave," the captain instructed.

"Yes, sir," Eric replied promptly.

They exited the room, closing the door behind them.

Back inside, Sam faced the captain. "Sir, what's the mission?"

*Back to Kai*

As they walked down the hallway, Kai looked up at Eric, curiosity in his eyes. "How small is the room?"

Eric chuckled. "You'll see when we get there."

"My own room," Kai mused, a mix of excitement and apprehension in his voice.

They arrived at room 108. Eric pushed open the door, revealing a modest space. "This is your room. It hasn't been used for a while, so it's a bit dusty. There is a broom in there you can use it I'll be at the training ground if you need anything."

The room was simple, with a small bed and a single window. Kai looked around, feeling a sense of both independence and loneliness. (I guess I should start cleaning,) he thought.

*Back to Sam*

The captain leaned back in his chair, his expression stern. "Some wild animals have been attacking a farmer's livestock. I want you to go there and handle it."

"Sir, with all due respect, isn't that a job for hunter , not soldier," Sam replied.

"I know that, but we have no choice. This farmer is the one who supplies our base with food. Do you understand now why you need to go now?"

"Yes, sir. I understand" Sam replied.

"The farmer lives at the edge of town, through the forest. His name is Jeff," the captain explained.

"Yes, sir," Sam acknowledged.

"Go there and save his farm" ordered the captain.

Sam left the captain closing the door behind then he left the base, moving with incredible speed. He covered the 80 kilometers in less than 35 minutes. As he passed through the forest, he saw something ahead.

"What's that?" Sam muttered to himself.

He saw someone kicking a man on the ground.

"Did you see two guys? One had brown hair, and the other had black hair. They had a kid with them," the guy demanded.

"I don't know who you're talking about. Please, don't kill me," Jeff pleaded, his voice trembling with fear. "Please, I'll do anything. Just don't kill me."

"Useless piece of shit," the assailant sneered, kicking Jeff in the stomach. Jeff screamed in pain as the attacker drew his sword. "Time to die."

"I don't know anything! Why do you want to kill me?" Jeff cried out.

"Because I enjoy killing. Why do you think I took this job?" the assassin replied coldly, aiming at Jeff's neck. As the farmer lay on the ground, the blade descended, but in a blink of an eye, Sam intercepted it with his hand.

"Just what were you trying to do?" Sam asked, his voice icy.

With a swift motion, Sam broke the sword in half. The assassin jumped back, astonished.

"How did you do that? This sword was made with very strong iron," the assassin, now revealed as Drake, stammered.

Jeff, still on the ground, looked up in relief. (It's one of the soldiers. I'm saved.)

"Jeff, go and hide somewhere," Sam instructed.

Jeff scrambled to his feet and ran off. "Thank you, thank you!"

Sam turned his attention back to Drake. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

Drake smirked. "Oh, me? You can call me Drake. Maybe you can help me. The farmer was useless."

"With what?" Sam asked, his eyes narrowing.

"I'm looking for a boy with black hair. He was with two guys, one with brown hair and the other with black hair. Some people are willing to pay a lot of money for his location."

(Is he talking about me, Eric, and Kai? Why are they looking for Kai?) Sam thought. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Why don't I believe you?" Drake said, his eyes narrowing. "Fine, now that I look closer, you look like one of the other guys with brown hair. Yeah, luck is on my side today. Just tell me where the kid is. If you don't tell me, it's going to get really nasty for you."

"Bring it on," Sam challenged.

"Oh, right. You asked for it," Drake snarled.

The ground began to shake as Drake conjured two fireballs and hurled them at Sam. Sam leaped to the side, easily dodging them.

"Fireballs? Is that all you've got?" Sam taunted.

"Damn you! I am going to kill you!" Drake shouted, launching a barrage of fireballs. Sam rolled forward, dodging each one with agility. As Sam's hand began to glow, he deflected the remaining fireballs with ease. Drake rushed towards him and threw a punch, but Sam blocked it with his non-glowing left hand. Using his leg, Sam trips him will Drake was still in mid air Sam try to punch with his right fist which was glowing.However, Drake managed to touch the ground with his hands and backflipped out of Sam's glowing right fist, which missed and hit the ground, leaving a small crater.

Drake thought to himself, (Damn it, I can't get through his defense.)

Sam observed Drake's quick movements. (How did this guy dodge that attack? He's good. I need him to tell me why he's looking for Kai. I guess need to get serious.)he smiles.

With incredible speed, Sam rushed towards Drake again.

Drake's eyes widened. (He's too fast!)

Sam's punch landed squarely in Drake's stomach, causing him to scream in pain and cough out blood. The force of the punch lifted Drake off the ground. While Drake was still airborne, Sam moved so quickly it seemed like he disappeared.

(Where did he go?) Drake thought, panicking.

Sam reappeared in front of him.

(crap) Drake's thought.

Sam deliverers a powerful punch to Drake's chest, sending him crashing into the ground, creating a deep crater. Blood streamed from Drake's nose and mouth as he lay there, struggling to focus.

(So this is how I die. I can't see clearly... No, no, no, I won't die here,) Drake resolved.

As he tried to move his right hand, Sam stepped on it firmly.

"It's over. Don't move. don't worry If you tell me what I want to know, I might spare you," Sam warned.

Drake coughed out blood, his ribcage clearly broken. "Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Who sent you?" Sam demanded.

"I didn't see his face, but from the clothes he was wearing, he looked like a very important guy," Drake admitted.

"Why does he want the kid?" Sam pressed.

"He didn't say. He only instructed me to bring the boy alive. It was very important. But if he ended dieing , I should bring his body," Drake revealed, coughing up more blood.

Sam's eyes narrowed. "Why his body?"

"I don't know," Drake replied weakly.

(Does the guy who sent him know where Kai came from? It’s said that nation has some secret power, but no one knows what it could be. Could this be why he wants Kai? After all, Kai is the last survivor of that nation,) Sam thought, pondering the implications. "Tell me more. Where did you meet this guy?"

Drake struggled to speak. "He found me in a casino. He told me to meet him back there when the job was done."

"Which casino?" Sam asked.

"In the Badlands," Drake answered.

(The Badlands? That place is dangerous ,) Sam considered.

Drake's thoughts(I know this guy is not going to let me live once I have told him what he wants to know I have to do something what if I try this will he is distracted.)

Drake gathered the last of his strength trying to create another fireball, Sam quickly punched him in the stomach again, causing Drake to cough up more blood.

"I said don't move," Sam reiterated.

Drake's body couldn't take any more. It gave. out and he died , his last breath escaping as his body went limp.

"Shit, he's dead," Sam muttered. (I didn't mean to kill him. Well, there nothing I can do it's time for me to head back but first I have to check if does willd animals a still around .)

As he turned to leave, Sam noticed a piece of paper in Drake's pocket. He pulled it out and examined it, finding a sketch of himself, Kai, and Eric.

Sam's thoughts(so that's where he saw my face from.)

Just then, Jeff emerged from his hiding place, running toward Sam.

"Are you alright?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, thanks to you. I don't know what this guy was talking about," Jeff replied, still shaken.

"Don't worry about it. He was just crazy ," Sam reassured him, deciding Jeff didn't need to know the details.

"What are we going to do with his body? We can't leave it here," Jeff pointed out.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it," Sam said. He then closed his eyes. The ground beneath Drake began to swallow him up, leaving no trace behind.

"Done. Sorry, I can't stay any longer. I have do what I came here for," Sam said.

"I understand. Thanks again," Jeff replied gratefully.

Sam nodded and made his way in the forest once he was in the forest he starts looking for any animal tracks.

Sam's thoughts(I can't find any tracks maybe the sound from me and Drake fighting scared them away in that case time for me to go back home and report back to the captain.) and he went back to the base.