"Don't worry about it blue eyes, I will listen to the Seraphim Chime in bed just like the other kids” She said with a whisper in her breath.

“Lian this is your first time though! At least as far as you can remember... so why don’t you stay on this here balcony with Taylum and wait for it. It should be coming very soon right Taylum?" Explained Nessiah while gesturing towards Taylum.

"Huh...what?" Said Taylum walking away from the corner of the balcony.

"Are you sleeping!? How long have you-?! Everyone listen, I'm Taylum a warrior of the Aeronean who can't even stay up for a history lesson on the group HE IS FIGHTING FOR!'" Nessiah huffed and puffed.

"Here!" Screamed Nessiah as she hurls a wooden spoon at the forehead of a sleeping Taylum.

"Owwwwwwwwwwww! What the-! Where do you even keep those!" yelled Taylum.

"Hey accompany Lian for the Seraphim Chime will ya, because I’m going to sleep!?" Commanded Nessiah.

"Yes, mam..." whispered Taylum reluctantly while rubbing forehead.

Nessiah slowly got up from her chair and did not waste any time heading towards her Victorian styled room just Taylum and I.

"Hey Lian, I see you staring at Nessiah, she is mine you know." Whispered Taylum.

"Don't worry man, she is all yours, though I can see why you like her so much." I laughed hysterically.

Taylum and I lied on the balcony in anticipation, both of us marveling the sky above us. It was a sight to behold. Exotic ships seemingly never stopped pouring out of every cloud, just when you thought they weren’t anymore the giant fortress of a ship in the sky would simply produce more. Some ships were riddled with sharp edges like a modified old English warship, some were like small Viking ships that just glowed a warm blue, and there were even small flying vessels that resembled a bicycle with many propellers; all this and whales of every size and almost every color flourished the sky. I don’t think New Dwarden is even Earth. I have never seen or heard anyone document a flying whale, let alone a glowing one, or even a red one.

"I could tell this is truly your first time Lian…” Said Taylum, as he turned and stared at me.

I could only nod at Taylum and continue to stare upwards. Something about lying down somewhere high and up and just staring at the heavens was beyond relaxing. I...wish I’d done it back home.

“You forgot how to blink.” He laughed.

“Lian! Screw the balcony. Do you want to get a real view?" Suggested Taylum with a mischievous look on his face.

No matter what I said, Taylum didn’t seem like the type to say no to, so in order to save myself of some inevitable pleading and yelling, I played along with him.

"Let's see it, holy man." I laughed.

"Check it out, Billy left a half his chocolate bar here!" Taylum enthusiastically pointed out.

"Ok...are you that hungry? I thought you just had dinner." I asked with a painfully-blank expression.

"Oh right... you were unconscious. How do you think we got up here Lian? Don't say an elevator or stairs. Just watch and learn." Taylum pleaded.

Taylum looked all around the balcony as if he was searching for something. Up and down, Taylum walked with his index finger scanning the night sky.

"Perfect! He will sense this here. The wind is perfect!" Said Taylum.

After pacing a few steps more, Taylum stopped at the middle of the balcony and put on a wide grin.

“This will do. It’ll sense it.” Said Taylum.

At a moment's glance, Taylum took out the piece of chocolate in his pocket and waved it in the air.

"What will sense the what? I don't understand!" I questioned, extremely confused.

Somehow the air became extremely warm, almost as if the temperature became unbearable humid. This weird change in temperature was accompanied by a piercing putrid smell, a smell so bad, it was hard to resist gagging.

"Hey Cannoli! Where the heck were you!?" Shouted Taylum over my shoulder.

I slowly began to turn around, as I knew that Taylum was definitely talking to something behind me. I turned my cheek behind me in curiosity only to be presented with a large bluish-green gecko-like lizard creature. I looked at it directly in its bold black beady eyes and saw the reflection of Taylum running towards it.

"Holy..." I said under my breath.

"Cannoli is his name! Don't worry he is totally friendly!" Assured Taylum as he patted his large scaly snout.

"D-Don't worry? T-there is a large - gecko- a-almost in your home... w-what, what.... I...don't even know what to worry about anymore." I yelled as my stomach sank to the cold metal ground.

"I can't believe I didn't check above the balcony... you were there the whole time weren't you Cannoli! Well...guess I gotta clean the slime you left above there too.” Laughed Taylum.

This creature was about the size of a four-door vehicle. I mean, it’s something you’d want to see from behind some bars at a zoo! It was absolutely incredible! Its eyes black as night, it’s skin blue-ish green and rough as an alligator, and it’s hair...it’s hair, blood red. I’d never would've thought I would be staring at a giant gecko, let alone one with a mane of wispy hair.

“You know what time it is don't cha Cannoli! Chocolate time! One thing you gotta know about Cannoli is he will do anything for chocolate, IF HE LIKES you." Taylum continued while waving his chocolate nonchalant.

"I-I don't know anything about a giant gecko, let alone one who loves chocolate, but is this thing dangerous!" I explained astonished to Taylum.

“No of course not! It only stomps and chomps on people it hates!” Said Taylum, shrugging off any remnant of danger.

“Oh, wonderful! How do I say I’m mashed potatoes in Giant Gecko!?” I said, fearing for everything and anything.

"Oh right, I forget your brain is mushy. I don't know what this 'Gecko' is but Cannoli is an Ignorpa; a kind of like lizard around New Dwarden that is extremely common in both uhm...companionship and uh...big words...population. Cannoli is different though, we don't own him nor do we even have nearly the amount of money it cost to properly own an Ignorpa. Cannoli is different because the only thing keep him here is our friendship and definitely not the chocolate.

“So these are like your horses!?” I whispered in panic.

“Our what?” Taylum asked.

As I whispered in panic towards Taylum, I felt a large clump of slime drop on my head like a giant weighted raindrop. Before I knew it I being drenched by a fountain of slime from the gaping mouth that stood behind me.

Taylum walked towards me with chocolate in hand, waving it hypnotically; and the creature? The creature was completely under its spell.

“See Lian, the Ignorpa tend to provide transportation around New Dwarden because of their accessibility, speed, stability, low maintenance, and wait for it... the ability to scale metal walls! Cool right!" Taylum explained while showcasing rubbing Cannoli’s chest and climbing it’s back.

“See look at! It’s a good boy!” He said, completely carefree.

"I don't even know why I am still surprised at this point. Giant flute shaped buildings, flying boats, flying whales, and giant light shows in god-sized clouds, what else is huge in this place!" I said baffled.

"My brain. Here! Enough explaining, I’ll show you what Cannoli can really do. Hop onto his back with me!" yelled Taylum as he fed Cannoli chocolate.

"Like this?!" I asked while struggling to climb onto his strange red hair.

"No... No.... no... You have to really grab his little tufts of red hair. They are really durable and extremely secure. Don't worry they don't hurt him. Normally people who buy Ignorpa have some sort of special saddle, but today we will improvise." Taylum explains while pulling me up on Cannoli's back.

"Wh-What we are improvising! Find a sadd--" I tried to ask before being interrupted by Cannoli's coiling tail.

"Usually he makes a little shelter out of his tail, but today he seems kinda adventurous. No baby is on board and no little dog is here either, so that means one thing. He is going to hold us with his long tail!" Said Taylum as he braced closer to me in excitement.

"Oh boy..." I pouted.

"Yeah Cannoli! Take us to the top and step on it! Hold on Lian!” He yelled in excitement.

The creature’s tail perked up like a snake and in an instant coiled tightly around Taylum and I. All I could really do was watch as the creatures tail uncomfortably tucked and coiled Taylum and I close together as it prepared to… run...no...climb the walls!

“I don’t know about this Taylum, our horses didn’t scale walls!” I shouted as Cannoli began to pick up speed vertically.

“Seriously hold on or you will fall!" Warned Taylum while screaming and laughing.

We both grabbed onto the red fur aligning the creature's tail and held on for our dear lives while screaming at the top of our lungs.

At Taylum's command, Cannoli climbed the Cherubim at breakneck speeds, especially for two children. Cannoli enthusiastically passed window after window weaving flawlessly around the many protrusions of the building. The creature’s ability to climb was equally as amazing as my ability to not pass out or vomit through this crazy ride. Riding Cannoli felt like riding along a winding roller-coaster ride with a broken seat belt.

"Were here! Look alive Lian!" Said Taylum as he turned towards me with a guilty grin.

My eyes were wide open and as alive as can be and my face was as pale as my pajamas. I could only respond to Taylum is with an unsure smile.

"Look at your hair!" yelled Taylum as he exploded in laughter.

"Look at yours, you look like you got electrocuted!" I teased at him while I too began uncontrollably laughing.

"I don't know what electo-thingamajig means but I know it means my hair is wacky." Taylum agreed laughing.

I don’t which I felt was more terrifying, Taylum not knowing what electricity was or the fact that he and I are now so high up, I could practically jump and touch clouds.

“So...uh…, how do we get the Cannoli to let us go?” I whispered at Taylum.

“That’s weird...he should of let us go by now.” Laughed Taylum.

“He what!?” I whispered.

“Relax...I just forgot to say the special word.” He replied.

“And what word is that?” I asked.

“Chocolate.” He said loudly and smugly.

It was just as Taylum said, the moment he even mentioned the word chocolate Cannoli unraveled his tail and dropped us to the ground below. The creature was as excited to receive the chocolate as a dog would be receiving a treat. It only took a moment for the creature to actually bow his head at Taylum in anticipation, it’s pouting eyes brightened by the night sky. Irresistible.

“See? Friendly.” Said Taylum while smiling.

“You give him a bit of the chocolate now and the rest when we need to go.” He continued while dropping the piece of chocolate into the creature's mouth.

“So what happens when you say chocolate and you don’t have chocolate.” I said while brushing some dirt of my pajamas.

“You know what...I don’t know. Never thought about that.” He replied, puzzled at the prospect.

"Anyway, the Seraphim Chime should begin very soon so let's gaze at the stars before it starts, you know...to get in touch with our spirit animals and stuff."Said Taylum as he pointed towards the sky.

We arrived in an enormous empty large square rooftop with a crystal clear view of the starry sky. It was like instinctual, but both Taylum and I just laid down and rested below the starry sky with nothing but the glowing night sky. Despite the nightmare circumstance of my arrival to this city, I felt an unrivaled peace on the rooftop; perhaps it was the thousands of shining stars or perhaps...even the enigma suppressing the pain; whatever the case, I really was having fun. Somehow...I knew it was wrong, but for the moment, I didn’t care. The sky really did look like an ocean, and as my dad would put it, it’s glistening gems were on full display.

"Hey, Taylum?" I took and breath and asked

"Yeah Lian?" He replied.

"Can I ask you a serious question?" I asked with a mischievous grin.

"Go for it." laughed Taylum.

"This is your hiding place isn't it, there are chips everywhere. You're damn pig right?" I exploded in laughter.

"That was your serious question!?" Taylum responded annoyed.

"No... No, it wasn't." I said after my laughter died down.

"Well, either way... yes I’m a bit selfish. You try and live with ten children and not go insane. These chips really do take the edge off of always having to be home." He said grumbling.

Between the wild ride and the night sky, I had forgotten that the Aeronean were seemingly forbidden from going to the festival down below. It never occurred to me that Taylum was risking his life to simply speak his mind. I could respect him in that regard. More-so, Nessiah works towards raising ten children on her own, basically imprisoning herself to duty. She and everyone else here deserve some kind of reprieve, how can a city treat good people like this? I wonder if my father would know the answer to such a question.

"Taylum...what's so special about this festival? I mean, the fireworks are still going on and the ships in the sky haven't even remotely slowed down! I know it’s to celebrate time passing and the Seraphim chime but there has to be some sort of awesome attraction down there keeping the people alive and awake."I asked.

"It's really cool trust me. Like Nessiah said, the festival celebrates the annual 'Seraphim Chime', and the overall health of the people of New Dwarden but down in the festival they have a plethora of different mouthwatering meals ranging from fire-roasted Burds to barbecued pork! It's so delicious thinking about it! It is an abuse for the mind I tell ya!" explained Taylum, clutching his head and his stomach.

"I love the sound of that pork but which flying bird do you eat?" I jokingly responded.

"What... are you dumb? Burds don't fly. Yes they have feathers but Burds are creatures that live and are raised in the Rush Gardens, they spend most of the time just grazing on grass and stuff." Taylum responded confused.

"Of course they don't fly here..." I sighed.

"I thought I saw huge birds fly around the whales and the ships coming through the clouds!" I continued shocked.

"What you saw was a mixture of the species Ignorpa and other beasts gliding from their owner's ships- and yes Ignorpa glide -at least some of them.

“Other beasts?” I asked.

“Yeah, many other beasts. Some big o'l scary ones too, some whose names escapes me right now. " Explained an amused Taylum.

"D-D-R- erm... D-R-" He struggled.

D-dragons!?" I shouted in excitement.

"I don't know why you're so excited, Lian. Some of those things come from the sky on the outskirts and swoop down to take you for breakfast!” He shouted with a dramatic flare.

Of course that hasn’t changed. Over where I’m from, you can only shout at them from the safety of your home. Not only are dragons real here, but they are just as terrifying as any storybook described them to be.

“You're right about one of their names, I think Dragon is most common. Luckily there very intelligent and through a very bloody past, their kind has learned to stay away from lower New Dwarden." Taylum added.

"Lower?" I asked.

"Uh...yeah, where we reside. Rarely and I mean RARELY do they ever snatch people off their balcony or roofs. That's why there is a rule against cooking outside if you live on a higher part of the building, and even if you do, Dragons still most likely won't attack. How they feed, when they kill, and why they do is still a mystery, but most of them feed in outskirts outside the city and reside way above the clouds. Only really powerful individuals can slay them, and even fewer have them as pets. I’m talking people with earth moving weapons ya know?" Taylum explained while munching on a leftover bag of chips.

“Like a bomb?” I asked.

“No. People wish it was a bomb. Something more personal. You can’t befriend a dragon with bombs, you gotta show a more dominating force.” He replied.

“So like a sword?” I asked.

“Sometimes. But I heard that some members of the Primarian Arc can use just there hands! Seriously!” He shouted.

“Long ago, well...before I was born, came a monster ravaging about in the city, tearing it’s resources from the Rush Gardens and making a mess out of its workers. It was one of the bloodiest known monster attacks in the city. No one knows what it was for sure...because the only survivor who saw the monster attack was that of the Primarian Arc but… they say it was a dragon; a dragon that wasn’t slain only pummeled brutally into submission by someone they call Mr. Wolf. This Mr. Wolf is said to be tall, wears a robe, and is only present in times of crisis and utter insubordination. It is said the dragon or beast is now serving Mr. Wolf with all his...oppressive needs. Scary right?” He continued with a chill to his voice.

"I'm going to have to process a lot when I go to sleep today, assuming I don't get eaten of-course." I said jokingly.

What kind of monster bare-hands a dragon and makes it a pet? Where I come from, nukes usually take out the monsters, but these monsters are limited to the monsters inside people and not giant beasts. I have to be very careful in New Dwarden, creatures I thought to be grounded in my reality are beginning to take flight and scale towers shaped of instruments.

"Anyways! Besides the beast and food, they have amazing magicians, weird puppeteers that animate just about anything, master swordsman from all around the city, famous blacksmiths who craft for all kind, and even the Mad Madici’s."Continued Taylum.

"Yeah...yeah, let's brush the Dragons aside right Taylum." I said sarcastically.

"What are Mad Madici’s?" I asked.

"They are a group of people who apparently can cure anything if they set their mind to it, but only if the person or animal who wants to be cured believes in their hullabaloo gibberish. Many people claim to have been cured of incurable diseases and such but personally, I don't believe in them. I feel like they make a mockery out of modern medicine with their hokey pokey magic miracles." Taylum disdainfully explains.

"Wait! Can they cure a baby!?" I yelled in an epiphany.