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Yanpu clutched onto Arnest's leg while he propped himself against the pole on the other side of the ship.

Harper felt herself being thrown in the air, only being held by the metal chain. Harper began screaming as her body waved up and down.

She started to hyperventilate. She reached for the pole, but her fingers slipped. Her tears dried quickly when they fell because of the heavy gust of wind being thrown in her face.

Her chain started to drag higher, and her screams grew louder. She felt herself slipping out of the clasp.

Before the wind could take her away, Hyde grabbed onto her robe and dragged her down to his side.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his front tightly. Her pants became heavier, and her chest pounded against Hyde's.

Her rocking against him made him uneasy. The wind picked up, and Hyde felt his feet slip against the deck. With his free arm, he wrapped it around Harper's waist and took a step back to keep them both from flying away.

His hair whipped around in Harper's face, causing her to bury her head in his shoulder.

"I knew you wouldn't keep quiet for long."

Harper raised her head to glare at him, but the sky distracted her.

There were millions of stars, and the sky was different shades of blue, fuschia, and purple. Harper had never seen a star before. The skies of Westona were always dark and foggy.

The air was always polluted with gas and smoke. Harper thought stars only existed in legendary tales. Her mother used to tell her about them. But she didn't know they existed.

They were beautiful.

"Enabling Gravity Field." Harald pressed another button on the panel. Harper's body weight went heavier against Hyde.

He placed her onto the deck and unhooked the metal clasp from his wrist. Harper's was still attached, because she didn't trust the technology.

"You can release me now." Hyde raised an eyebrow at Harper, who was still gripping onto him as her life depended on it. "Let go."

Harper's hands shook as she moved them away. Hyde helped removing her wrist, and stepped away. But Harper stayed near the pole, refusing to move in case anything happened.

Yanpu came running over to Harper with a big smile on his face. "Look, Harper! Stars! I told you! I saw them!"

"Y... yeah..." Harper slid down into a sitting position.

"Can we touch them?" Yanpu's eyes lit up with excitement.

"I'm sorry, Yanpu. Right now... I think I need some quiet...alone time." Harper rested her head against the pole.

"Are you... okay?"

"I'm... fine." Harper dismissed his worries. Her front was throbbing. She was still in a lot of pain physically, and mentally. She wanted nothing more than some sleep.

She would have to look deeper into the stars later. Seeing a clear sky was a shock to her. Everything she learned in school and the Facility never mentioned anything about stars being real, or being visible at all.

She needed time to process it all, including Yanpu's abilities. It was a discovery of a lifetime. If Bomb found out, he'd be ecstatic. Yanpu truly was the perfect fit to help rid Westona of disease.

"First time?" Arnest stepped in front of her and smirked. "I remember mine. Was a real scare, for sure. But unlike you, I knew what to expect. I didn't cower over weakly." He crouched down to her level. "You're pathetic."

"Okay," Harper mumbled sadly, not bothering to argue with him.

Her slow reaction to his mocking shocked him. Arnest noticed that unlike before, her face looked drained of color, and her eyes lacked any warmth.

Where was her snarky attitude? Had Hyde really broken her that easily?

"You look sick." Arnest grabbed onto her arm. Her pulse was low. Not only that, she was freezing cold. Her arm was rigid and stiff.

"Sleep. Just let me... sleep..." Harper closed her eyes.

"Hyde?" Arnest motioned him over. "I think somethings wrong."

"Better not be. I paid thousands to keep this baby running!" Harald snapped.

"I'm not talking about the ship. Have we reached the shield yet?"

"Nay, we won't be there for 30 minutes." Harald shook his head.

"She's freezing."

"What?" Hyde walked back over to Harper and squatted next to Arnest to check her body temperature. "Her hands were a little chilly. But she wasn't this cold when we boarded."

"I don't think she'll make it through the shield if her body heat doesn't regulate."

"Harper... What does "make it through" mean?" Yanpu tapped her shoulder, but he got no response from her. "Harper?"

"Shite. Is she asleep?" Hyde tapped Harper's cheek. Her body only tilted before falling over limp. "Hey! Wake up!"

"Westonians never travel. She may be experiencing shock. Eventually, she'll have to get used to breathing in natural oxygen. Not from a machine." Harald commented. "It'll be a bit until she fully recovers, I'm afraid."

"If I knew she was gonna be this much of a pain in the arse I would've left her at the Edge," Hyde grumbled. "Do you have extra robes, Arnest? The ones you brought from the wastelands?"

"I left them in the car."

"Shite."

"I only brought the ones we were wearing because I thought it would be easier to travel light."

"If you're looking to cover her with something, I've got bargoyle feather coats and bison blankets in the barrels." Harald pointed behind him. "Lay them out like a bed, let her rest on them."

"That should work when we go through the shield." Arnest nodded.

"You... go fetch one of those barrels," Hyde instructed Yanpu.

"Is Harper gonna be okay?" Yanpu grabbed onto Hyde's arm and asked softly.

Hyde snatched his hand away, causing Yanpu to stumble back. "She'll die."

His tone was straightforward and blunt. Hyde's answer killed every ounce of reassurance Yanpu was hoping for.

The boy's lips quivered and he started to cry.

"Seriously?" Hyde felt a headache coming. He pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. "Bring the barrels! Quit whining!"

"Harper... wake up!" Yanpu sniffled and shook her by the shoulders.

Hyde felt his blood boiling over as Yanpu sobbed continuously. "Okay. I said okay! Shut up already, would you?" Hyde growled. Rather than commanding him again, Hyde stood up and dragged a barrel closer to Harper.

He popped the top open. Inside were lots of blankets and furs. "Arnest, spread this out." He tossed a folded comforter at him.

Arnest caught on and quickly unfolded the material. It was a dark brown sheet and very thick. He sprawled it on the deck carefully and smoothed it out.

"Wow." Arnest whistled with a smile. "I need one of these."

"It's one of the finest sheets in all of Krahagh. For a reasonable price, I'd be willing to order you one." Harald smiled. "It may not be up to a Westonian's standards though. I heard they've got sensitive skin. It may rub her the wrong way."

"She'll be fine." Hyde snorted. "And if she does complain and offends you, I'll handle it."

He placed his arms under her legs and back before lifting her off the deck floor. Then he laid her on the sheet and tucked her in with a heavier coat.

Yanpu made his way to her side, but Arnest stopped him. "Anything you need us to do in the meantime, Harald? Like cleaning or control help?"

"I've got the helm. But it would look nice if we arrived at our destination with a brand-spanking new coat of polish. I want this baby to shine." Harald snickered.

"Hand the grease over. The boy and I will polish it for you." Arnest nudged Yanpu forward. "Gotta put these young hands to work early. He's been spoiled, raised in luxury."

"If being locked away in a white room with one-way transparency is luxury, then we must be dirt poor." Harald frowned. "Bet this one's just a test subject. No different from you." He looked at Hyde.

Harald's eyes softened when Hyde didn't respond. He knew it was an uncomfortable topic for him.

"Buckets and rags are in the cabins. Head straight through that door and turn left. You'll find them there." Harald commanded and set the ship into auto-pilot mode.

He stepped away from the helm and placed his hands on his waist. "I'm gonna grab some grub. Do you want anything?" He placed a hand on Hyde's shoulder.

"Only the estimated time of arrival." Hyde pointed to the panel.

"Ah. Well after the windshield, I'd say in about 12 hours of traveling we'll arrive at a port in the South."

"And we can't take a shortcut?"

"You're in a rush."

"I have things to do. My schedule's fully booked."

"You lack patience. Why don't you just kick back and rest for a bit?"

"Can't afford to." Hyde moved forward, causing Harald's arm to drop. "There's something I have to do. It doesn't help that I've got extra responsibility on my hands."

"And you're a criminal on the run."

"That's nothing. I can wipe out an army of Westona's patrol and soldiers easily. They claim to have been evolving, but they're regressing. Every new shite gadget they release holds them back."

"Because they're using material they don't own. They have no idea what potential those stones hold." Harald spat. "Karma will get them tenfold."

"Karma? You believe in that shite?" Hyde chortled. "No... Karma is too good for them. I'm going to deal with them. Personally."

"Starting with that woman?" Harald gestured to Harper.

"Maybe." Hyde smiled wickedly.

"Then do your best." Harald nodded in agreement. "And don't forget to sit back for a while. I assume your condition hasn't gotten any better?"

"It's nothing to worry about." Hyde rolled his eyes.

"I see why Valheyna has taken a liking to you. You're a strong man, who spits in death's eyes."

Hyde remained silent.

"If I had any daughters, you'd make a perfect son-in-law. Too bad the Queen has already claimed you."

"I don't belong to anyone." Hyde sneered.

"That's not what our Queen thinks." Harald wiggled his eyebrows at him suggestively.

"Your Queen already knows how I handle things. And she understands our deal well. I promise many things except for devotion." Hyde stated firmly.

"I won't tease you any further." Harald chuckled softly. "Keep an eye out for the shield. The ship will issue a warning when it's close by. I'll be right back."

Harald raised his pants higher and strolled away. Hyde leaned over the edge of the boat, and let his thoughts drift away.

~~~

Harper woke up in a daze. She thought she was dreaming. When her eyes opened, she saw the sunrise.

She kept squinting and widening her eyes to make sure it wasn't a hallucination. For the first time in her life, she had seen the tint of blue on the horizon.

Harper sat up slowly and realized that her oxygen mask had been removed. She was inhaling the air, and it wasn't affecting her. Harper slapped her hand over her mouth in amazement.

The facility had always shown historic photos of the blue sky. But to witness it with her own eyes felt so unusual. It was like she took a portal into the past.

Where was she?

"Rise and Shine, Miss...? Um? I didn't get your name." Harald placed a bowl of soup beside her. The liquid was a golden color and a fish head was poking out of the substance.

"I suppose it's good to see that you made it through the night. I thought you'd die soon after we went through the perimeter shield." Harald let out a throaty laugh, and Harper frowned.

She realized that she was covered in weird furs and blankets. They were material from Krahagh. From what she remembered from history lessons, Kragites were brutal but skilled in trade.

She thought the material was probably made out of a Kragite Wildebeest and formed into a source of comfort. Then it was probably sold at a high price.

"If the weather won't kill you, maybe the air will. You're weak. It'll take a while for you to get used to the conditions. That's expected from a Westonian."

"Is there..." Harper spoke softly. "Water?"

"In the soup," Harald smirked. "S'all we have. 'Til then, you're gonna have to wait until we reach the port. Won't be long now."

Harper wanted to gag. She placed the bowl in between her fingers and mentally prepared herself for what she was going to do. It had been a while since she ate, and she was starving.

Raising the bowl to her lips, she closed her eyes and let the salty liquid pool on her tongue. Then she forced herself to swallow. The taste was horrid, but the liquid was hot and made her feel warm.

Harald snorted at her. "You've got to be the first Westonian who's ever trusted me enough to try my cooking."

Harper brought the bowl away from her face and forced a faint smile. "It's... not bad..."

Harald raised a brow at her. The substance inside was completely drained. He was shocked that she drank the entire thing in one go.

"You're an odd one..." He took the bowl with the leftover fish head.

Hyde emerged from the door to the cabins and rolled his shoulders and neck. With a loud yawn, he paraded himself down the deck and popped open a barrel.

He was dressed in a black sleeveless shirt that fit his torso, and long gray pants secured with his belt around his waist. His long hair was tied up in a messy bun.

Hyde took a yellow-colored pear out of the barrel and bit a large chunk out of it. When he noticed that Harper was awake, a wicked smile spread across his lips.

But rather than saying anything to her, he only sauntered over to the panel where Harald was checking the systems.

Harper stood up carefully. She was still a bit dizzy from the ship's movements, but it wasn't as bad as it was before.

"Harper!" Yanpu sprinted and hugged her leg.

"Good morning, Yani." Harper smiled softly at him. It wasn't as reassuring as usual, but Harper was trying her best. It was hard for her to be positive.

"Look!" Yanpu pointed at the sky. "Blue!"

"Do you know what that is?" Harper pointed at the sun. "Remember the pictures I showed you back at the Facility?"

"A sunrise?"

"Mhmm. And that's the real thing."

"Wow..." Yanpu propped himself against the edge of the ship. His toes weren't enough to help him peek over, so Harper lifted him higher so he could see better.

It was a learning experience for both of them. Yanpu's hair whizzed around his face, and Harper brushed the loose strands behind his ears.

"The sun... it's a star. Yeah, Harper?"

"That's what studies show."

"Can we make wishes?"

"Wishes? Who did you hear that from?"

"Doctor Bomb..." Yanpu but his lips.

"If that's the case... I suppose so." Harper hummed. To her, he was the smartest man she knew. If anyone knew about the power of the sun, he did.

"Foolish." Hyde scoffed. "There's no such thing as wishing on a star, much less the sun. Those are stupid fantasies, silly tales they make up for children to hope for something that'll never happen."

"What do you know about the sun?" Harper muttered softly, but Hyde heard her.

"Ah. You're finally talking to me. The silent treatment doesn't suit you, Vixen." Hyde leaned against the edge of the ship, even daring to prop his muscular arms next to her slightly floppy ones.

Harper rolled her eyes and turned away from him. "There are so many things about Cryston that are undiscovered. Who's to say wishing on the sun isn't one of them?"

"The sun was always there. If you believe in that bullcrap, why don't you ask the sun to take you back to Westona? Hmm? Or to bring back your soldier pals from the dead?"

Harper swallowed hard.

They were the last words she wanted to hear. The reminder of the rookie back at home hit her like a brick.

"Are you actually doing it?" Hyde snickered at her when she lowered her head. "Don't even bother. Just accept it. Those tales are nothing but lies."

"Are you finished?" Harper murmured monotonously.

"What?"

"You've proved your point several times... it's tiring to hear you repeat it." Harper voiced weakly.

Hyde chortled at her before slapping his hand on her shoulder. His laughter became louder. But Harper wasn't finding him humorous at all.

She felt very much the opposite.

"You've still got a bit of a feisty attitude in you." Hyde tightened his hold on her, and she squinted her eyes painfully. "That means I still have more of your positivity left to crush."

"I don't want to fight you anymore," Harper mumbled. "You're awful. The worst person I've ever met."

"That's sweet of you to say." Hyde hummed. "But until you're nothing but a mindless being, you're gonna keep fighting. I know your type."

"Yeah. Okay." Harper slouched over the rim of the ship.

"Hyde. We'll reach the docks soon. My map led me through a shortcut. Guess a new airwave was formed to save time." Harald saluted with a smile.

"Take this aircraft in and easy. Steady the ship and raise the sails." Hyde gestured above.

"Heard." Harald went over to the panel and began typing in a command onto the controls. Arnest stumbled out of the quarters tiredly.

"Feels good to finally wake up and get a whiff of fresh air." Arnest rolled his arm and wiped his mouth with a big grin plastered on his face. "No more of that Westonian stench, except on you."

Harper bit her tongue and rolled her eyes.

"Take the kid and secure yourself." Hyde grabbed onto Harper's arm and dragged her away from Yanpu.

"I'm almost home..." Arnest chortled. "I can feel it in the air."

Hyde locked Harper's wrist with heavier chains to hold her firmly against the pole. "This should keep your feet on the ground."

Hyde went over to the sides of the ship and crossed his arms confidently. He leaned against the small rail.

The clouds began to dissipate, revealing a beautiful massive mountain of land surrounded by a large pool of crystal clear water. Plenty of greenery and trees coated the rocky region.

Within the trees, Harper could see various shades of pink and purple. It was the first time she had seen vibrant variations of flowers. Trees alone made her jaw drop.

Yanpu clutched onto Arnest's leg and widened his eyes in awe. His tiny lips curled into a soft smile, warming Arnest's heart in the process.

Arnest raised the boy and placed him on his shoulders, holding onto his hands tight so the air wouldn't carry him overboard. "That, young lad, is the 3 summits of luxury. The beautiful country is known for its floral decor and delicious food. It's my home. Itaria."

"Wooooww..." Yanpu chimed excitedly. "Harper! Look!" He pointed ahead.

"I see..." Harper nodded. "It's very beautiful..."

"Beautiful?" Arnest scoffed. "Of course, you wouldn't know half of it! It's not merely a sight of beauty. It's... breathtaking."