It was quite obvious there was no way the third Apostle’s last-ditch attack would go unnoticed, whether it have been by the troops on the ground, HAU pilots, or those within the many ships that littered the sky. Kazimir Rhuskov was rather observant, as one would expect, Looking over his shoulder, he’d also saw the results of the Third’s last-ditch attack. His gaze stayed fixated upon the rapidly dissipating flames. As he’d finally confirmed they were gone, he turned his head.

Kazimir(thought:): That just goes to show what we’re dealing with. Even so, I won't be trying to escape. Not while this one is still alive. Even a single apostle living would let the Kaemerge have someone to rally around when this is all over, especially factoring in their strength. I won’t let a single one survive...

Kazimir would soon focus his gaze on a certain Auburn haired woman, Amelia Livert, who returned his stern gaze with, strangely enough, a smile. For some moments, the two simply floated, not saying a word to another, as if they were sizing one another up.

Kazimir: Amelia Livert… You’ve got quite the reputation. So I've heard that you’re the one controlling much of the Kaemerge’s men… Lafeyah was one of them.

Amelia: So you are the one who usurped my control?

A red light began to swirl around her as she opened her hands, her straight locks beginning to flow above her head. Rhuskov would soon follow suit, a slightly darker light now swirled around him, his hair beginning to rise as well. As the ground around them began to tremor.

Amelia: It seems that your abilities as an esper are decent…

Her smile soon contorted into a smirk, as the light grew more intense.

Amelia: But not enough to defeat me!

The buildings around Amelia were soon crumbled into rubble as a red glow washed over them. The jagged clusters of rubble soon rose from the ground, surrounding the woman. Kazimir looked to have mirrored her actions, with jagged clusters coming to surround him as well, the two were left facing off against one another, Amelia soon opened her hands, as Kazimir squinted, doing the very same. The debris began to move, moving closer to the youth as they began flowing around him as if they were rings. With his defenses set, he began his charge at Amelia, with the rings of debris following him. Amelia would soon send a storm of rubble at her opponent, unwilling to allow him to advance. However, even so, the debris was stopped by Kazimir’s makeshift defense field, the brunt of her attack finished, she watched as he continued his advance.

Amelia(thought): It looks like he changed the density of his debris...Or at the least, for that front layer, but two can play at that game.

The glow around her would soon intensify, as did the glow around the rubble, they soon flew into Kazimir’s defensive field, and began to tear it apart, as his eyes darted around, he took notice of this, and stopped his advance, swiftly backing away, moving more debris in front of him to secure himself.

Kazimir(thought): I put on the defensive that quickly?

Amelia: You won't get anywhere charging in like that. My barrier is impenetrable!

As he took note of her words, the speed of the rubble around him began to increase, to the untrained eye, they looked to be nothing but blurs. Though, both Kazimir and his opponent were more than capable.

Kazimir: You're pretty confident, aren't you? Don't get the wrong idea- I'm just getting started!!!

The red light swirling around Kazimir began to intensify, beginning to revolve around his body much faster than it had before. The ground under them soon shook once again, the earth and roads below them began to crack as chunks were taken out, as what few buildings remained began to rupture as well, with the debris broken off rising to join Kazimir’s growing rings. He glanced around his opponent as thoughts flew around his head.

Kazimir(Thought): Her abilities are similar to mine… but that can be said for a lot of proto-humans, for all I know, she could have something else up her sleeve… Looking at her physique, she may not be a physical fighter. However, looks can be deceiving. But with nothing else to go on, I’ll have to take a gamble!

He soon flew forward, a loud boom sounding as he did. Amelia remained unphased, as she raised her hands, as she began sending more rubble at him. However, his rings simply moved to intercept her attacks, stopping any of the objects from reaching him. Amelia's smirk would disappear as she began her attempt to figure out her opponent's strategy… It wasn’t wise to just charge forward as he did, but given how he was built… The gears began moving in her head, as she took notice of what he was trying to do. She soon began to levitate backward, flinging more and more debris at him, in an attempt to stop his advance. However, he wouldn't stop, in fact, he sped up. The woman, though taken by surprise, regained her composure, simply flinging more and more debris at him. Regardless, kazimir made it within her melee range, reeling his left fist back, before smashing his fist into her cheek, to devastating effect, as she was thrown as if she were a ragdoll, Though she stopped herself soon after, she attempted to return a punch, throwing a punch at Kazimir’s stomach, though her fist slammed into the man, it was to little effect. As he returned with an uppercut to her chin, which set her head lurching back.

Amelia: What?!

Kazimir: You may be strong in your abilities… But hand to hand is my domain!!!

Kazimir soon resumed his attacks, right, left, right, left, the hits continued to devastate the woman time and time again. Though she would make her attempts at defense, attempting to throw counter strikes, her attacks did little to her opponent, he simply continued, and she once again found herself hit once again, on her cheeks, on her body. Blood began to drip from her nose, as she continued taking strikes. The debris around her began to fall, as she found herself unable to keep her control over them.

As the storm of blows stopped, even temporarily, Amelia was ready to make her escape. Something that Kazimir had seemingly decided to help with, as he launched his foot into her stomach, sending her spiraling backward. He would soon move to follow her, speeding past her, and appearing behind her. He soon clasped his hands together, as he brought them above his head, before bringing them down onto her head, sending her crashing into the ground. He soon flew down, to follow her and continue his assault, but, as a light red glow surrounded him, he soon found himself unmoving. Which took him by surprise, even more so as he began to ascend... Below, laying in the crater she created, was a bloodied Amelia. She began to stand, as she clasped her hands, the buildings and ground broke once again, as they blurred over to kazimir, gradually surrounding him, and forming a sort of shell. Kazimir’s eyes widened as he glanced around.

“What the hell, what is this?!”

The shell grew, and grew, until it began to cast a shadow over the ground below them, it began taking shape, as the rough edges began to smooth, until the debris now formed a sphere around him. Amelia gritted her teeth, as her fists tightened.

Amelia(Thought): He’s trying to break out!!!

The red light around her intensified, and within the sphere, the same happened to Kazimir, cracks began to show up on the recently smoothed edges, and though they began to heal as the light around her began to spread around her, the shell did not keep its shape for long, as the cracks rapidly expanded, before the shell around him fell into fragments, as a red light streaked out, with a resounding yell accompanying it, the man had escaped, though his body was littered with some scratches and bruises. Amelia continued staring at the opponent that floated above her, as her expression seemingly began to soften.

Amelia: That strength of his… It’s all starting to come together.

Part B

1994…. It was but a year after Sokol Naumov Carried operation Guillotine in his overthrow of the CRM. To help their allies take power, they would of course help to get rid of any dissidents, so he could focus on other things. It was only fair that the woman known as the “Silent Death” across the Kaemerge was one of those assigned to make sure no resistance got too strong...However, in her travels, she’d managed to get herself infected, though the disease was not deadly, it was enough that she was out of commission, at least for a bit… It was for that reason that the youthful Auburn haired woman found herself in a small brick house, one of the few warm places in the snowy, brutal winters that took place in Siberia.

As she lay on the bed, her gaze fell on a black-haired man sitting beside her. He wore a black shirt, and a pair of jeans. He seemingly paid her no mind, as his blue orbs went across a screen in his right hand, The woman crossed her arms as she sat up, turning her attention from him to the window.

Amelia: I don’t understand you… What was the point in helping me? Do you have some ulterior motive?

The man’s eyes stopped, as he pressed a button on the side of the device, the screen went dark. He turned his gaze to the woman.

???: I don’t need a point as you say. Nor do I need a motive. I simply saw that you were in trouble, so I decided to help.

The man leaned back into his chair, his hands clasped behind his head.

???: Any reasonable person would have done the same…

Amelia soon closed her eyes as she went silent, and for some moments, she didn't move, nor did she talk. Though she eventually opened her eyes.

Amelia: Fine...I’ll trust you for now.

As she shifted within the covers, she eventually laid down, the man glancing over at her as he watched.

“Though Abrasive at first-- Amelia grew closer to the man. Even as she declared she would recover on her own, he continued arriving regardless, at first, much to her chagrin. Though this would change, as she had begun to enjoy his company, though it took some time... They would continue their time together, until….”

Amelia's eyes widened as she kept her glance on the man that was now floating right above her. She began to regain her composure, as her eyes went back to their normal size...But seemingly began to lose it soon after, as she cracked a smile, and soon began a hearty laugh. Kazimir looked on in confusion.

Kazimir: What are you laughing at?

Though she responded, she found herself chuckling between words.

Amelia: It’s, just really... Funny, I don’t know how I didn’t notice it, especially when you look so much like your father.

This, to say the least, caught him by surprise, even if he didn’t show it visibly.

Kazimir: My father- How would you know what my father looked like?! Were you the one who killed him?

She waved her hand dismissively

Amelia: No, No, Nothing of the sort… Even though I haven't seen you since you were an infant- this saddens me. As rare as it is, it looks like you have similar abilities to me, shouldn’t you sense some familiarity?

Kazimir: Familiarity…

Kazimir(Thought): Wait… She knows my father… And she can’t be any of my other family-- and, she hasn’t seen me since I was an...Infant.

Within moments, the gears in his head came to a halt, as he began to make the realization as his eyes widened like saucers. There was no more strategy, no more tactics, but simple thoughts of confusion...disbelief.

Kazimir: No, that can’t be!!

Amelia: To think that we would meet like this…

Despite the many thoughts that flew through his head, Kazimir only had but one thing he could say.

Kazimir: Why… Did it have to be you of all people?!!!!

Amelia: Is that any way to speak to your mother, Kazimir?

To Be Continued