Imperium: Volume 1

I kept looking back at the camp. It was in total disarray, and I could see the soldiers lining them up one by one in the distance.

"Come on!" He said to me gently grabbing the back of my arm. There looking for someone, we need to go.

I looked at him. His look changed to concern and he turned the other direction grabbing my pack from the ground. He turned to me again.

"They'll be ok. Please we need to go." He pressed.

With that being said, I followed. I looked back one more time, ensuring that I would make good on my promise.

"I'll be back." I said before setting off with him.

We gave ourselves enough time on the dirt road, before we assumed they would be making there way to the next camp. Then ventured off and made our way towards the ridge. We didn't talk much, until he felt we were distanced enough from the convoy. We found a spot on the other side of the ridge, which wasn't in view from the road, and decided to make camp.

He looked around, to ensure this was a good spot and then threw my pack at me.

"Do you know how to make a fire?" He asked me.

I just nodded.

"Good, I'll get some wood". He then left.

I stood there watching him as he walked away. I had many thoughts running through my head. Why was he looking for me. And he said the Dom Squad was looking for someone? Who?

Then it dawned on me.

"Shit, are they looking for him? Why else would he have that look on his face. He didn't even flinch at the shack and seemed confident before making off with me." I said to myself.

I heard his footsteps making there way back. I quickly put up my field and waited till he was in view. He walked up holding a bundle of wood, before stopping in front of me. He looked down at the ground and sighed.

"Ugh...I was hoping you had this ready." He said.

"Cut the shit! why are they after you?" The look of shock showing on his face, proved I was on the right track.

"What do they want with you? Tell me now!" I yelled.

He just stood back up and looked at me. Could he not see how pissed I was?

"I'm valuable to them." Was all he said.

"What does that mean? your valuable....." I was met with silence.

It seemed like I wasnt going to get anything from this guy. I grabbed my back pack and started walking back in the direction we came from. It took me all but 10 steps before he broke.

"Wait." He said.

I turned to him and walked back setting my bag down. He crouched down and began making a fire pit, as I positioned myself against a tree.

"Yes........there looking for me. But it's not what you think." He said.

"Let me guess, you worked for The Dominion, and you have some sort of secret information that you aren't supposed to have." I blurted out.

He looked up at me. "Like I said, it's not what you think. It's hard to explain. I....I was meant to go see someone, and things just kind of...went wrong." He looked at me again.

"Well do tell. First you stop me from ripping those assholes apart and now, we're god knows where." I was starting to lose my patience.

"I'm part of an organization, that finds intel on The Dominion, and we use that information to use against them." He said.

I pushed myself off of the tree and looked at him with harsh intent.

"Are you telling me...your in...the resistance?"

He smiled. "And what do you know about the resistance." He stood up looking at me.

"Nothing! I know nothing, which tells me your full of shit. If there was an organization, wouldn't The Dominion already know about it? Instead they are now ravaging camps and killing innocent people who just want to help people like me! So tell me...what is this organization hu!?"

I was angry, no....I was pissed. To think that this so called organization was real, and yet I've heard nothing of them. No raids, no victories. Nothing.

He just looked at me while I was clearly getting worked up.

I"t doesn't have a name." He said nonchalantly.

That's it! I thought. I grabbed my bag, and threw it over my shoulder.

"Fuck you....Im done with this." He then reached out and grabbed my arm.

"It doesnt have a name, because we don't recognise it by a name. It's.....its more of a sense, that we know it's there. It exsist's. Kind of like something you hear about but you can't see."

What the fuck is this guy talking about.

"So......you guys are like the abonibal snowmen." I bluntly put it.

He sighed. "Like I said, it's hard to explain."

I stood there contemplating what he said.

"Your a rumour. They don't know if your real or not." I said. "And putting a name to it, will only solidify the existence of it. You keep your heads down, and you play it smart. And I'm assuming the people who know about it are ones who will die to ensure it stays that way." I stated. They were intangible.

He just stayed quite.

I took a deep breath in, while rubbing my temples.

"Why me? I'm sure there are tons of people willing to fight for the cause."

"I saw how you handled yourself with those goons the other day." He said. "We need people like you. Who know how to fight."

"And no other reason?" I asked.

"I've lost family and friends to this war. When I saw you....you kind of....reminded me of someone. And I thought with how you reacted back there...that maybe you wanted to fight back." He ended.

I looked to the ground and, kicked the dirt at my feet, taking in every word he said. One thing I was sure of, was he didn't know I was an Imperium, and I needed it to stay like that. I looked back at him and stepped towards him holding out my hand.

"You can call me June."

He took my hand and we shook.

"Raeve." He replied.

After our introduction he went back to making the fire. I set my bag down for the umpteenth time and took a seat next to the pit. I watched as he tried to unsuccessfully start a fire, and after letting him try his feeble attempts, I threw him a box of matches from my pocket.

"Thanks." He grinned.

We sat there in silence as we let the fire warm our bodies. I would glance over at him, and he would do the same. It was getting to quite for my taste, so I asked the undeniable question that had been burning in my brai for the last 20 minutes.

"So what kind of name is Raeve?"

He chuckled. "It's just the name that was given to me I guess. No meaning behind it. And what about you? June was the month you were conceived or something?"

Sure....I went with it.

"Yep."

"Oh." He said.

Well this just got awkward.

"So where is it that we are heading off too. I heard speculation that you guys are hiding out at Jones Ridge." I asked.

He smiled. "That's what we want them to think. We've thrown a couple spots out there for them. They look and when they don't find anything, we've then accomplished staying a rumour. As you so put it." He said.

"Okay.....so then where are we headed?"

He smiled again. "Have you ever heard the term 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer?"

No fucking way..........