Night Prince

Unchartered Territory

"Blind them." Came a gruff order from their left.

"Excuse me?" Seri shrieked when she heard that.

"Relax, lady. We're just going to blindfold you." One of the rebels explained before Ri Jeong Hyeok could attack them.

Seri and Jeong Hyeok visibly relaxed although they were both on their guards the minute their vision became dark.

Seri was still being carried by one of the rebels which thankfully meant she wasn't tripping over the small rocks and pebbles on the ground. On the other hand, Ri Jeong Hyeok had to navigate the path blindfolded while begrudgingly entrusting his life to the rebels.

The prince was alert as he counted the steps he was taking mentally while listening out for sounds that could potentially help them in the future.

He thought he could hear the heavy scrapping of a boulder being rolled away at one point in time. He knew it wasn't as simple as walking through the waterfall, for they have already taken five turns thus far.

The rebels were a tricky group to catch and the way they have cleverly hidden their camp certainly explained why they were growing rapidly like weeds by the day.

A few more nauseating turns later, the couple felt a noticeable shift in the air. The icy coldness biting into their skin gently ebbed away, replaced by natural warmth from the sun rays.

Even the air smelled crisp and alive although they could still hear the sounds of residual water dripping down the cave they must be in.

A series of rhythmic knocks later – the passcode that the rebels changed every fortnight – the heavy door swung open to admit the group.

"Thieves." The leader of their group gestured to the new additions to their group.

"Those blasted thieves are at it again, eh?" Seri heard the faint exchange between the rebels.

"We always get new ones when that happens."

"We've got a pretty one this time. Her partner looks quite big. He'll be of big help with the barrels."

Ri Jeong Hyeok's fist tightened when he caught wind of their comments. He truly didn't appreciate the way they were talking about Seri. If it were up to him, he would have pummelled them into the ground by now.

"Breathe, Jeong Hyeok. You can't reveal yourself now." He reminded himself quietly.

Any wrong move would mean a plunge to their collective deaths. His own life was inconsequential but Seri deserved to live. And he would be damned if she was harmed because of him again.

Past the entrance, the pair was unaware of the numerous pairs of eyes eyeing them with high disdain. Some were curious but most were distrusting because they lived in a system that lacked trust and camaraderie.

Every rebel has been told one thing in their lifetime: "You are disposable." It meant that the minute a rebel could no longer contribute to this community, they were gone – dead.

What Ri Jeong Hyeok and Seri didn't know, was that most of the rebels started out as unwilling members of Cho Cheol Gang's plans. But to survive, they had to fight. It was in their natural survival instincts to do whatever they had to do to live.

But they would soon find out what life at the rebels base was like once they passed the entrance test. Seri was automatically in, but Ri Jeong Hyeok had to fight his way in. Still blind to their fates, the couple only realised they were in a fighting ring of some sort when their blindfold came off.