Flames Of Redemption

81

As night crept upon the South, Regan and the other two were already standing in front of the warehouse. It was an old building, made of wood and bamboo. Regan wondered how it was still standing.

It was a bit far from the soldier barracks and tents. Iris said that this was located on the outskirts of the camp. During their arrival there, they saw few to none guards patrolling. So, it was a useful place to sneakily gather by. The night's air was still as hot and two moons illuminated the roof of the warehouse, casting weird shadows of the weird trees on the ground.

Other than that, no lights were around, so they were using their flashlights. As they kept waiting for the rebels to show, their patience was hanging thin.

"The woman said they were going to be here. We've been waiting for a while." Jack said as he was leaning on the wooden fence of the warehouse.

"Yeah, they should be here any minute now." Iris replied, trying to reassure him.

Suddenly, from the pitch black distance, they saw some orange flames flickering in the darkness. It was faint, but it was there. It was them. The rebels.

"They're coming!" Iris whispered, her heart racing.

As they got closer, they could hear the muffled sounds of voices, and the soft rustling of leaves and branches as they moved through the foliage. The three of them held their breath, waiting for the rebels to emerge from the shadows. The flames grew brighter, casting eerie shadows across the ground as the figures drew nearer.

Finally they emerged from the darkness, a group of many men and women, all dressed in ragged, mismatched clothes. Their leader, the woman from earlier stood there, her expression hard as stone. Her black hair was put in a ponytail, her face tight with determination. She and everyone else were holding fire torches high, casting a flickering light upon their faces.

Regan was astonished that they were so high in number.

"You are the three who have volunteered to help us?" The woman asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, ma'am," Regan said, nodding. Iris and Jack nodded in unison.

The woman studied them for a moment, taking in their faces and expressions. She seemed satisfied with what she saw. "Very well," she said. "Now, we must move quickly. Follow me."

Without more words, the rebels turned, taking the way back to the camp. Regan noticed how they had weapons, not only the usual knives and bows, but also a few pistols and rifles. They moved quickly and silently, their bodies trained for this kind of task. They didn't seem to be afraid of being discovered, but rather determined. They were going to fight for their cause, and they were going to stand against oppression.

"Come, we must go to the woman." Iris said to Regan and Jack. They all nodded and went to the first row of rebels, following the woman with the torch. The closer they got to the camp, the quicker Regan's heart beat. "What's your name?" She asked the woman in a whisper.

"They call me Raven." The woman answered without turning her head.

"What a weird name," Regan thought.

"What about you?" The woman asked.

"Some call me Ingrid." Regan replied, feeling a bit nervous. They walked for a few more minutes until they reached the outskirts of the camp. The sounds of snoring soldiers filled the air, but they didn't seem to notice anything unusual. The rebels moved even faster, silent as shadows. They passed by tents and barracks, their eyes scanning the area for any guards or patrols.

Finally they reached the track field. They passed the track and finally were in the circle of tents where the general and officers would sleep. The tents were big and large, dim lights coming from them. The rebels slowed down, their movements more careful and calculated.