Raina gripped her rifle, drew in a deep breath, stood up and peered over the stone wall to see how many enemies stand at the ready to fire. The night was half-lit by fires burning many homes of innocent people that were not a member of the rebels, and a few were. It has been three days, and this is the third night, and so much innocent blood has been spilt on the streets of Leahstra. Friends and foes died in the name of freedom. Hate has lived for many centuries between the top-ups and the lower ones. The top-ups are also known as “the golden ones”, and they have reigned Leahstra under their will, while the lower ones are forced to live in poverty. Raina has in her blood a bit of both but was never accepted anywhere, except the rebellion.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHOwP2MRYq
One man on the street is now close enough to shoot down. Slowly and silently she rested the barrel of her rifle on the open window, aimed at the man, held her breath and squeezed the trigger. Within seconds the bullet hit the man, and he collapsed dead to the ground. Another soldier nearby shouted out warnings while a few shoots wildly in fear through the window. She is caught in a trap; she can’t outrun them and doesn’t have enough bullets to take them all out. Raina muttered a curse under her breath while quickly reloading her rifle. Using her powers will be suicide, but what else has she got to lose? The love of her life is gone and herself as the ultimate weapon is not the way, she thought she would die.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWcKMbtFv6
Suddenly a grey flake lands on her hand holding the rifle, an ash flake from the building nearby. Raina looks up and sees the sky snowing with ashes, immediately she recalls the day she entered the rebellion. It was exactly four months ago, in the last month of Eneras and it snowed heavily that day. Raina was working hard in the factory screwing part of the arms of the latest robots that top-ups have invented. In her 30-minute lunch break, she would mind her own business, but this time a working colleague who builds the arms into the torso of the robots was in low spirits. The year of Eneras with her cold winter seasons does take a toll on everyone. Raina encouraged him with new hope that soon is the end of Eneras’ year and then follows the year of spring by Gerrogh. “A year where many new things can come to life and who knows, maybe there will be an opportunity to reach for freedom that we all yearn for since we can remember. A chance to send a message to the golden ones that we won’t allow to be ordered around like these robots we build for them.” She pointed out with a grin.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiA9OYTpXRG
“That’s is quite a speech you have there.” Cut in a man’s voice from behind Raina. She turned around to see a tall young man with short red curls to the cheeks. He was clean-shaven and wore a unique dark cloak. “The name’s Sean, and I am a member of the White Sword.” He pauses and looks around cautiously before continuing. “White Sword is a special party against the top-ups, and we could need someone like you. We have the same idea about freedom for all the lower ones, would you be interested?” His ice-blue eyes almost pierced Raina’s eyes, as if trying to read her thoughts.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfQRGdCYbJ
For a moment, she felt scared, not sure whether to trust him or not. She mustered all her courage to appear calm and controlled. Sean grinned at her, amused. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?” She asked sceptically.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtBEyNOy9E
“Like in any rebellion, you will need to take a leap of faith. Here’s the address in case you change your mind and mention my name at the entrance.” He handed her a card with the address. “I hope to see you soon, Raina.” He smiled and paced off.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAucR4shQz
Raina wanted to stop him to ask how he knew her name, but he was already out of sight. On the following evening, Raina stared at the card in her hands near the soft light of the petrol lamp while thinking about visiting the party and seeing Sean’s ice-blue eyes. They were fierce for a moment, but they softened as he began to grin and saw how she mustered her courage. Aside from her working colleague, no one has ever looked at her this way like Sean did. There was no hint of disgust or judging what kind of person she is.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgVIosFjmY
Soon came her day off and headed to the address given on the card, it snowed without a gust of wind, but the bitter coldness drilled nearly to the bones. Raina found herself knocking a large door to an old abandoned factory that once built trains and waited patiently for someone to answer. An elderly man with a pipe in one corner of his mouth peeked out. “Yes?” He croaked. “I got this address by Sean,” Raina answered and held up the card to prove her facts. “Come in quickly, don’t want to let in the cold.” Rapidly Raina climbed up the stairs and entered. “So, Sean gave you a card, did he?” The man croaked and puffed some smoke of cheap tobacco as he led her the way through many dark rooms.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLqTW1lD0r
“That was his name.” Raina coughed and removed her hood. “My name is Raina.”563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwSrvqo0Pm
“No need to be alert, young one. As long you are ready to stand for freedom, you are good enough for me.” He puffed smoke. “The name’s Bjorn.” Bjorn led Raina to a large room where a large oven that once forged metal and shapes them into trains was burning gently—producing a welcoming warmth and soft light through the entire room. Many tables were set with papers, books and maps, in a few corners, Raina spotted a bottle of cheap booze and otherwise teapots. Bjorn halted at one table where one man had his back turned to them, focused on what was on the table. “Sean, a young one is here under your name.”563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjfqv0ghaA
Sean chuckled without turning around. “What makes you so sure, Bjorn? I didn’t scout recently.”563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTN6rwJw4ng
“Maybe not recently but you gave me this card, Sean.” Raina stepped in before Bjorn could remark. “At the Atlas factory, you heard me speaking of freedom to my working colleague.”563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd9Mw6SdTH
Sean swiftly turned around and smiled as their glances met. “Took you long enough.” He showed Raina the rebellion called White Sword, their plans, their inventory and the people they had gathered so far.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgAqFMyZp7
As the weeks turned to months, Raina and Sean became closer than friends, and before they knew, they passed their first kiss. Sean was one of the seven leaders and was against using the special weapon called “Exodus”, and they wanted to test it on Raina. Sean sadly had no chance against the majority and tried to send Raina away for her safety, but he was too late. They broke down Raina’s door, stormed her and thrust her upon an operating table. Only because she was half golden, half lower did they choose her for their weapon. Sean fought vigorously to liberate himself and rescue Raina. Still, the needles drilled into her flesh and gave her the sedative. Within moments her entire body began to burn as if she was in flames and filled with agonizing pain that no cry or scream can ease. Before anyone could react, flames began to emerge from the ground beneath Raina, and two small horns protruded from her temples. At the same time, her lengthy hair turned white as snow within a flash. Sean wanted to step in and save her, but the flames are too great to get to her, and further men are holding him back.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wQN2tCGsn
Suddenly with a forceful push, he manages and rushes past the flames to Raina, unlocks the cuffs and embraces her. Whimpering in pain Raina held on tight to Sean and whispered repeatedly. “Don’t let go of me.” Slowly the flames around Raina died away, and the heat was gone. Sean never left her side that day, and over time Raina learned of her new powers. She shamed herself what she had become, but Sean still loved her.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwDWR3GtjV
Soon came the dreadful day the other six leaders commanded her to charge an attack on the top-ups with fire. Raina protested, but quickly she found around her neck a dark sharp like a necklace, ready to pierce her skin and let her bleed to death if she continued to protest. Sean called in a rage of the injustice done under the name of freedom. Rapidly they stripped him from his ranks and threw a rifle into his arms.563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiUMWjPG2e
Tears welled in Raina’s eyes to the thought how it all came to this moment with a rifle in her hand. She looked up to the stars mingled with the flakes of ashes and whispered her love for Sean as she let the rest of her energy use the power of fire…563Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiiMVc7T6H
Penana
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