Kai sat in the dim light of the safe house, the air thick with the scent of dust and decay. His mind was far away from the crumbling walls and the faint hum of Reina's radio attempts. Instead, it spiraled into a whirlpool of thoughts that he couldn't shake—the thought of his brother, his blood, facing death.
He had only just begun to catch his breath from their escape, but the momentary calm did nothing to soothe the storm raging within him. His brother, his only sibling, was slated for execution—an irreversible punishment with no mercy, no second chances. The thought gnawed at his mind, an unrelenting ache in the pit of his stomach. His hands trembled slightly as he clenched them into fists, his nails digging into his palms until the pain became a grounding force.
"He's really going to die," Kai whispered to himself, his voice barely audible in the silent room. The words felt surreal, heavy on his tongue as though saying them aloud would make them more real.
Reina, who had been focused on the radio, turned her head slightly at the sound of his voice but said nothing. She had seen this look before—the haunted expression of someone who carried the weight of impending loss. She knew better than to intrude.
Kai's mind drifted back to their childhood. He remembered the laughter, the mischief they'd gotten into, the fierce loyalty that had always connected them despite the odds. His brother had always been the one to stand up for him when things got tough, the one who took the heat when they got into trouble. It had been his brother who had taught him how to fight, how to survive, how to keep going even when the world seemed to be falling apart around them.
Now, that same brother was trapped somewhere in the dark corners of a prison cell, awaiting the cold hand of death.
His throat tightened as the image of his brother flashed in his mind, shackled and beaten, waiting helplessly for his fate to be sealed. Kai swallowed hard, trying to push the image away, but it clung to him like a shadow.
"I should have done something," he whispered again, his voice filled with self-reproach. "I should have been there for him. Why didn't I—"
"Don't do that," Reina's voice cut through his spiral of thoughts, sharp and direct. She walked over to where he sat, folding her arms across her chest as she leaned against the table. "Blaming yourself isn't going to help him now. Focus on what you can do."
Kai looked up at her, his eyes hollow but burning with a deep-seated fire. "And what exactly can I do, Reina? He's been sentenced. They're going to execute him, and I can't even get close enough to stop it."
Reina studied him for a moment, her gaze softening slightly. "You're not powerless, Kai. You've escaped from one of the most secure prisons in the land, fought your way through impossible odds, and you're still standing. You might not see it, but you have a strength that most people don't. You just have to find a way to use it."
Kai shook his head, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "And what good is that strength if it can't save him? I've fought so many battles, pushed myself beyond my limits, and yet… I couldn't protect my own brother."
Reina's expression softened further, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know this is tearing you apart. But sitting here, drowning in guilt, isn't going to change what's happening to him. If you want to help him, you need to stay clear-headed and strong. You need to plan."
Kai let out a ragged breath, his body slumping slightly as if the weight of his emotions had finally caught up with him. "I don't know if I have the time. The execution is soon, and I—"
"Then we find a way," Reina said firmly, cutting him off. "We'll figure something out. You said your brother always had your back when you were younger, right? Now it's your turn to do the same for him. But we do it smart. Rushing in without a plan won't save him—it'll just get you killed."
Kai nodded slowly, his mind reluctantly pulling away from the darkness of his thoughts. Reina was right. As much as it hurt to admit, wallowing in guilt wouldn't change anything. If he wanted to save his brother, he had to stay focused. He had to find a way.
But the question still lingered in his mind—*how*?
"Do you know where they're keeping him?" Reina asked after a moment of silence, her voice softer now, less confrontational.
Kai blinked, his thoughts momentarily jostled. "No," he admitted. "I've been too focused on my own survival to figure that out. I heard about the execution through a contact before I ended up in prison myself. All I know is that they've branded him a traitor. They're making an example of him."
Reina pursed her lips, deep in thought. "Then we need information," she said, pacing slightly. "We need to figure out where they're holding him and when the execution is supposed to happen. If we can get that intel, we can start planning a way to intercept it."
Kai's eyes flickered with renewed purpose. "Do you think we can pull it off? I mean, breaking into a heavily guarded facility, fighting off their forces, and getting my brother out?"
Reina stopped pacing and turned to him, her expression resolute. "I've done crazier things," she said with a small smirk. "And besides, you're not alone in this. We'll get him out."
Kai felt a flicker of hope—small, but there. For the first time since hearing about his brother's fate, he allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, there was a way to change it. He clenched his fists tighter, determination flooding his veins.
"I won't let him die," Kai whispered to himself, his voice filled with quiet conviction. "No matter what it takes."
Reina nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit," she said, her voice carrying a hint of warmth. "Now, let's figure out our next move. We need to find out where your brother is being held and gather whatever resources we can."
Kai rose to his feet, feeling a renewed sense of purpose surge through him. He wasn't going to let his brother be executed—not if he could help it. And with Reina by his side, he felt a small glimmer of hope that they just might be able to pull off the impossible.
As they began to discuss their strategy, the weight of guilt and despair that had been crushing him began to lift, replaced by a fierce determination to fight for the one person who had always fought for him.
No matter the cost, Kai would save his brother. And nothing—*nothing*—was going to stand in his way.