We ran into the hovercraft and quickly strapped ourselves in. The ice barrier I put up gave us those few precious seconds we needed to escape. I slumped in my chair still panting from the effort of putting up that ice wall. Using your abilities usually makes one feel tired or worn out. I slumped in my chair and closed my eyes trying to slow my breathing. Suddenly, Iris called out for Hunter and passed out in her chair. Hunter quickly unbuckled himself and sprang to his feet. Upon further inspection, I could make out a dark splotch in her lower abdomen.
She had been hit. I also unbuckled myself and went over to Iris. Hunter went to her side and looked frantic as he pressed a hand on the wound, "Help! Someone help! Iris got hit!" I went into the cockpit to get Cora. When I walked inside our pilot, Noah was concentrating on flying the hovercraft and Cora was staring out the window as if deep in thought. I tapped Cora on the shoulder, "Cora! We need Noah's help. Iris got hit! She's bleeding out!" Cora quickly got out of her seat, "Noah, we need you in the hanger now! Put the hovercraft on autopilot!" We quickly made our way back to the hanger and Noah ran to Iris.
He gently unbuckled her from her seat and laid her on the ground. She continued to bleed out. He lifted her shirt up to reveal the wound and put his hands on it. He stayed like that for a few seconds before the wound started to close up. Noah was one of our most valuable assets. He was a Healer, he could cure anyone of any disease or injury, including himself. He quickly covered her abdomen with her shirt and secured her back in her seat. We all thanked Noah as he made his way back to the cockpit. It would be a while before Iris woke up. Hunter sat in the seat next to her, monitoring her breathing and holding her hand as she rested. I took this opportunity to talk to Cora. I led her to the other part of the hanger and we sat down on one of the metal benches.
"Ok. What's the plan, Cora? They think that they're going to a refuge for the Gifted right now. Are we ever going to tell them the truth?"
Cora sighed, "They can't know yet. We can't risk them running off. Their best chance at winning this war, and you know that. They are quite literally the most powerful Gifted in Caedis, and they are destined to save us. I saw it myself. Don't forget that I'm a Seer."
"I know. It's just that they're trying to escape one war but they're just fighting in a different one. It's cruel to do this to them."
Cora's expression turned serious, "Listen to me, Calvin, do you want freedom or not? We have been oppressed by the Commoners for years. They use us to fight their own battles, we stain the battlefield in our blood so that they don't have to. They treat us like rats and I'm tired of it. What they haven't realized is that we are more powerful than they ever will be. They're jealous of us, that's the reason they hate us so much. And we are so much more powerful than them, that if we were to band together, we could take the whole kingdom in a matter of days. That's why I started the Allegiance, together there is nothing that we can't achieve. Don't you want to see freedom and equality in this kingdom? There is no doubt that we will have to make sacrifices along the way, but it will be worth it when our children and our children's children get to live in a free world. And if what I saw is true, if Iris and Hunter are the key to a free world, I don't care how we get them to do it. I just want to see a change in this forsaken world. Are you with me?" Her words truly inspired me, and so with a simple nod of my head, I agreed.