As the days went by, she told them her name was Amira and slowly got stronger while the bunker's machinery started to work again.
Not wasting any time, Alex started gathering all the available data on past events, military plans, and fortress records.
Maps of the world's last safe zones soon covered the walls, dotted with marks showing where protection was needed or where warnings should be sent.
He even listed out possible allies who, with the right plan, might join their mission.
One evening, Alex walked her through the Neuro-Tether State (NTS), explaining how it would hold her consciousness steady during the time jump.
Amira mostly listened, her gaze steady, taking everything in. Her blue eyes looked around the room and stopped on the detailed plans and schematics that were stuck to the walls.
There were blueprints for weapons, defenses, and even sketches of theories on how to use spiritual energy, some of which didn't look like they had been tried much.
As Alex explained the process of the jump, she interrupted him.
"You mentioned that Aiden was once capable of making the jump. Why haven't you tried this on him yet?"
Alex looked over at Aiden to explain.
Aiden's holographic face darkened slightly.
"When I first arrived here, I was already dying. My physical body was beyond recovery, and my brain had suffered damage. Even though Alex managed to keep me alive through the Neurochamber but I am in no condition to stay alive outside it. So even if it's possible, the probability that I'll not retain my memories during the jump is very high."
Alex added, "That's why we need you. Your mental energy is intact, and your spiritual core is unbroken. You can not only help us remember but also retain our memories."
Amira pondered this, then asked, "And what about you? What's your role in this?"
Aiden answered for him.
"I am also going as Alex can gather enough energy from the device to send both of us back, but in doing so only you will retain your memory and I won't. You'll have to find me and help me regain my memory."
Her lips curled into a slight, wry smile, "I see. You need me to be both warrior and guardian."
As the preparations reached their final stages, a sudden tremor shook the bunker. The ground vibrated beneath their feet, sending dust and loose debris falling from the ceiling. Alex and the others exchanged a quick, concerned look.
"Stay here," Alex ordered, grabbing his rifle and heading toward the exit.
"Wait," she said sharply, her voice firm, "I'm coming with you."
She didn't wait for Alex to answer before grabbing a makeshift weapon: a sharp, jagged blade made from scrap metal.
There was no stiffness or strain in her moves, which showed that she had been through a lot of survival situations.
Alex gave her a silent nod to show that he believed she could do it, and they both moved toward the door to the bunker.
As they stepped into the cold, empty land, it became clear where the noise was coming from.
Three massive, ice wolves with glowing red eyes had breached the outer perimeter. These beasts, fueled by the spiritual energy were stronger than the wolf he faced before.
Their fur was matted with ice, and their fangs glistened with unnatural sharpness.
Her stance shifted, legs bent slightly and her center of gravity lowered, a combat stance that spoke of years of training.
She inhaled deeply, and Alex noticed the air around her suddenly shift. Frost began to form beneath her feet, spreading outward in a thin layer across the ground.
A chill emanated from her, far colder than the wind itself as if the very essence of winter had awakened within her.
One of the wolves lunged at her, its jaws wide and dripping with saliva that froze upon contact with the air.
With fluid grace, she sidestepped the attack, her movements precise and calculated. She raised one hand, and a sudden burst of cold energy surged from her palm.
Instantly, sharp icicles materialized in mid-air, forming a defensive barrier between her and the beast. The wolf collided with the ice spikes, its momentum broken, as it yelped in pain.
Without missing a beat, she counterattacked and thrust her blade forward, but not as a mere weapon. As she channeled her elemental energy into it, the metal blade was enveloped in a layer of crystalline ice, transforming it into a weapon of lethal cold.
She drove it deep into the wolf's chest, the ice spreading rapidly from the wound and freezing its organs. The wolf let out a strangled growl, its body convulsing before it collapsed, frozen from the inside out.
The other two wolves circled cautiously now, sensing the danger she represented.
One of them, slightly larger than the rest, bared its fangs and released a blast of icy breath, sending shards of frozen air hurtling toward her.
She raised her hand, creating a shield of ice in response. The shards shattered against it, but the force pushed her back slightly, her boots sliding on the slick ground.
Alex fired his rifle at the advancing second wolf, landing several shots that pierced its thick hide.
The bullets slowed it, but the beast's thick, mutated muscles absorbed much of the impact. It snarled in defiance, preparing for another charge.
Her eyes narrowed, focusing entirely on the larger wolf, the clear leader of the pack. Her breathing became slower, and more controlled, and a faint glow emanated from her icy blue eyes.
She raised both hands this time, and the temperature in the area dropped dramatically. A swirl of frosty mist formed around her, gathering into a visible aura of cold power. The snow beneath her swirled upward as if caught in an invisible cyclone.
The wolf hesitated, sensing the energy shift, but it was too late. With a swift, downward motion of her arms, she unleashed a wave of ice that spread across the ground like a freezing tide.
The ground beneath the wolf's feet crystallized rapidly, trapping its legs in thick, translucent ice. It struggled desperately, its claws scratching against the frozen ground, but the ice held firm.
She advanced with ruthless efficiency, her blade once again encased in ice, and moved in quickly, slashing at the wolf's exposed neck.
The ice-covered blade struck with brutal precision, and with one swift motion, she severed its throat. The wolf's body fell limp, its eyes dimming as the unnatural red glow faded.
But the fight wasn't over. The remaining wolf, realizing the threat it faced, let out a desperate, guttural roar.
Its form rippled with energy as it prepared to unleash one final attack. It charged directly at her, its entire body glowing with a surge of ice-infused power.
This time, she didn't move aside. Instead, she planted her feet firmly and extended her hands outward, palms facing the beast.
A wave of cold energy burst from her, creating a massive wall of solid ice directly in the wolf's path. The wolf crashed into the barrier with full force, its momentum shattering some of the ice, but the wall held.
Her expression was one of cold determination. She clenched her fists, and the wall of ice reshaped itself, forming thick, sharp spears that extended outward, impaling the wolf.
It let out one final, guttural growl before collapsing, its body suspended by the icy spears.
The air around them grew still, the only sound the faint crackling of melting ice and her steady breathing.
She turned to Alex, her expression as cold as the power she wielded.
"If that's the kind of threat we're facing," she said, voice edged with steel, "then you'd better be right about this jump."
Alex, still catching his breath from the intensity of the battle, nodded in silent agreement. He was both awed and wary of the sheer power she possessed.
"I am," he finally said, his voice low but firm, "And if we succeed, there will be more like them. Much more."
She sheathed her blade, the icy energy around her slowly dissipating.
"Good," she replied, "Because I don't plan to fail."
Alex nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Then let's get back to it."
Amira and Alex returned to the bunker; their bond was strengthened by the unexpected battle.
Aiden observed them, his holographic form flickering slightly in the bunker's dim light.
"You two work well together," he commented.
"Let's hope it's enough," she replied, her gaze determined.
As Alex completed the last of the device's calibrations, she prepared herself mentally and physically for the jump. She practiced controlling her mental energy, aligning it with Alex's instructions to ensure a stable anchor.
Aiden approached her.
"You seem to know a lot about combat," Aiden remarked, "But you also have a sharp tactical mind. Where did you serve?"
She hesitated before replying, "I was an ex-captain of an intelligence unit, specialized in covert operations."
Aiden's eyes, though artificial, seemed to reflect a mix of admiration and empathy.
"I was a major general of the Dragon Unit," he revealed, "I tried to protect civilians, but the government's focus on VIPs and rich elites forced me to abandon central command. I fled north with my unit, trying to establish a true stronghold for survivors."
Amira's expression softened slightly.
"So, you fought for the people left behind," she said, a trace of respect in her voice.
"Yes," Aiden nodded, "and that's what we'll try to do again but only sooner, and with better preparation."
With everything set, Alex activated the amplifying device, channeling his mental energy toward the chamber of Amira and Aiden.
"Are you ready?" Alex asked, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and fear.
"Yes," Amira replied, her voice steady, "Let's change the past."
A surge of energy enveloped the chamber, the light growing blindingly bright. Alex felt the strain of the power coursing through him, but he held on, driven by the promise of altering history.
Their consciousness merged with the temporal energy, becoming the stabilizing force that would ensure the jump's success.
With a final, blinding flash, Aiden's and Amira's spiritual energy vanished, leaving Alex in the bunker, with his face filled with a mixture of pride and longing.
"Good luck," he whispered in eerie silence.