"It's the ghost!!" Others shrieked.
Ilia remained stunned, but soon a series of urgent footsteps was heard, along with the clattering of guards' armor. They began to run out, seemingly unsure of what to do. The soldiers were right in front of them and seemed lost, as if they couldn't see her. Then a tug on her arm made her focus on the young man at her side. He moved with energy and fluidity as he spoke:
"Hurry, I've been in camouflage mode for too long. I'm getting tired, dude."
Dude... Everyone thought she was a boy. The thought flashed through Ilia's mind. She would have loved to walk faster, but the young man was asking too much of her. She was already struggling enough to move. But just before embarrassment allowed her to confess, something collided with her back, lifting her in the air at the same time.
"You look exhausted, boy. Let me carry you." The deep voice sounding strangely close to her ear left Ilia stunned. Then she found out that another young man, much taller than the first, was carrying her in his arms as he ran, standing shoulder to shoulder with her blond rescuer. Ilia looked at him as best she could. This new individual exuded confidence and strength, mostly strength. He carried her as if she were a thin branch, and with shame, Ilia thought that perhaps there wasn't much difference when comparing a dry branch to her. In any case, he carried her battered body completely wrapped in his, and little by little, Ilia felt herself blush. Then, noticing that he was focusing on her face, she turned hers away from the young man's eyes. Another thought crossed her weary mind: the new stranger was unusually handsome. It was evident, even in the current state of things.
The two rebels continued running as the alarm spread through the Levite stone mines. Confusion had spread, and numerous guards appeared. Some were gathering the slaves, while others were scanning the area; some were even firing at random. Despite all this, it wasn't long before the fugitives reached two small water motors that were hidden in a bend in the acidic lagoon. Each rebel jumped on a motor. Ilia climbed aboard behind the tall, dark-eyed young man, who immediately issued an order to the other:
"Amir, we'll remain hidden for another mile, then we'll fire up the engines."
"But, Chanon..." Amir protested.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of the wind. Unfurl your sails now!" Responded the leader.
"So you've been practicing new tricks, Chanon, huh ?" The young man named Amir sounded delighted and somewhat amazed.
Ilia listened to the exchange in bewilderment until a powerful gust of wind filled the sails of the water skis, and they took off. They moved slowly at first, but soon gained speed. With a glance at the blond, girl-faced young man, Ilia saw his bright eyes. He was biting his lower lip as if he were keeping from screaming with euphoria. Soon they were ready to start the engines, and she found herself delighted by the feel of the air whipping across her face as they glided faster.
However, a sudden, eerie whistling sound cut through the air very close to them. Then Ilia could immediately see the small projectiles sinking into the water a few meters from their water motors. Sure enough, the lagoon guard had spotted them. In response, both Infinites accelerated, and that was when Ilia nearly fell out of the ski. She had been holding onto the back of the seat with difficulty. Her whole body tensed as she realized the danger of falling into the deadly waters of the toxic lagoon.
"Hold on to me, girl. Hold on tight now, or you'll fall!"
The loud voice of the young man beside her made Ilia jump. He had realized Ilia was a girl. Behind his broad back, Ilia blushed, glad that he couldn't see her face. Nevertheless, she wrapped her arms around his strong waist and held on as tightly as she could, closing her eyes.
The bullets didn't stop. Ilia knew they were cannons intended to hunt down runaway slaves, and she knew they were extremely deadly, exploding their targets. To avoid them, the two young men had continued their course, cutting through the water in a zigzag pattern. However, she noticed two missiles shooting sparks into the air near them, as if some invisible shield were protecting them. Incredible... Ilia thought. Then, suddenly, a dense curtain of clouds appeared before her eyes: there was a thick fog covering the surface of the lagoon.
"It won't be long until we reach the ship, Amir, heading northwest! I can sense Chanaia!" Shouted the rebel who appeared to be the leader of the duo. The one called Chanon.
Then, without a second thought, the two of them entered the dense whiteness, and a coldness immediately permeated the thin Ilia. She started to look agitatedly in all directions, barely able to see the young man in front of her, much less the one called Amir, although it was possible to hear the noise of his engine nearby. In this way, the duo continued advancing at a fast pace for about fifteen minutes until the fog finally began to dissipate. Then they started to slow down.
By now, everything was spinning for Ilia, and she felt like she could throw up at any moment; in fact, she had been holding it in for quite some time. The next thing Ilia felt was the water ski slowing down again, and then she dared to lift her face from the back of the young man in front of her. She immediately noticed a large, dark shadow rising in front of them like a somber mountain: it was a large ship. Ilia's mouth dropped open. Yes, all her worries were shadowed by the surprising discovery.
Little by little, the mist dispersed, and glancing around the large curtain of smoke, Ilia saw that the fog was wrapping around the ship.
The water skis were turned off as they gently approached the port side, and soon a large ladder dropped from the side towards them.
A gentle nudge brought Ilia out of her observation; it had been Amir, who was now looking at her while smiling.
"You're safe now, boy. Welcome to the second division of the Infinites and The Seeker..." he said, pointing proudly at the ship. His camaraderie made the corners of Ilia's mouth twitch in a gesture she wasn't entirely familiar with.
"Introductions will be made upstairs. Come up now, Amir," The obvious ringleader interrupted curtly. "They must be mobilizing the mercenaries by now. Climb up the damn ladder now."
"Well, at your command!" Amir replied, seemingly unaffected by the strong manners.
Immediately, with a comical pout, the blond rebel grabbed the stairs and easily began climbing using only his arms. To Ilia's amazement, she saw how his legs remained tightly cinched around the wheel of the water ski, and the boy easily began to pull it up with him.
Ilia watched this, open-mouthed.
"He loves to show off." The deep voice beside her made her jump slightly again. Gently, she turned slightly to look at her companion; he was very tall, so she had to raise her face quite a bit. "What's your name, girl?" He asked as if talking to a small child.
Ilia had to clear her throat to speak. She hadn't spoken in a long time.
"Ilia..." She replied. Her own voice sounded alien to her ears.
The girl's broken voice made Chanon's chest tremble with anger. She had been reduced to a wreck thanks to the inhuman treatment in the mines. Thousands of slaves were suffering likewise at that same moment. How much he longed to wipe those mines off the face of the planet. Places like this often made his morale plummet, and he usually wondered if it wasn't time for a major push to crush the cruel government. But Chanon trusted Ghael, and above all, he knew they weren't ready yet. On the contrary, there was still much to be done. Then the young girl's stunning eyes assaulted him again. They were Axel's eyes, the extraordinary hue varying from a clear green to a dazzling gold, seeming to shift from one color to the other. From a distance, Chanon had mistaken her for a boy, but when he got closer, the signs were unmistakable. The softness of her features, her delicate, almost flat chest, her build, her slender, long, thin neck, and even her gestures revealed a woman.
"Will you be able to climb?" He asked, pointing his eyes toward the ladder.
This time, the girl merely nodded before reaching for the ladder with her slender hand. However, before setting foot on the net woven with horizontal planks, she turned and faced him again:
"I... Thank you. I'm in your debt... I will be... forever."
After saying this, she clumsily grabbed the ladder and began to climb gently, holding on tightly to her hands before lifting each foot. She continued to make sure she was completely secure with each step, as if she feared some uncoordinated movement that would make her lose her balance. She looked worried about her strength failing her. Chanon ground his teeth angrily, but his temper calmed slightly at the thought that with them, she would recover soon. Just as would many others. He waited patiently for her, and once the young woman was up, he climbed to the ladder. Then, holding the motor with his right hand, he began to climb quickly.