"Careful." Gard said as a pair of soldiers walked past them, not even looking behind the wooden crates the three of them were hiding behind.

"Man, damn royals think they can order our asses around when we're drinkin' our fill yeah?" One of the soldiers said, apparently drunk with booze. "I'm damn tired from all the 'do this, do that' bullshit."

The other seemed like a recruit, staying timid and quiet as the drunk one rambled on and on about how corrupt the nobles were.

"But it's your job, right?" The timid one said, fidgeting with his hands. "To serve and protect the kingdom, I mean."

"Not this time kid." The drunk man answered. "I mean, I know I'm a good for nothin' soldier who drinks day in and day out, but I do know what I'm supposed to do as a soldier, you see." He said as he pointed to the castle standing mighty and tall at the center of the city, the colossal moon gleaming its beauty just behind it, creating a silhouette of the structure.

"Capturing an escaped slave was not in the job description."

Gard then motioned for Flo and Kara to follow as soon as the soldiers walked a distance away, hearing their voices fade in the corner of the docks as the three escapees then crept along with the shadows.

"Let's go." Gard said, pointing to a small steamboat docked by the pier, the waters gleaming with the reflection of the moon as three shadows headed towards the boat. The ocean waves crashed against the posts of the dock as Flo felt the essence of the seas washing his senses, hearing the soft murmur of the waves crashing ashore and tasting the slight salty crisp of the night breeze brushing against his hair.

As Flo was caught in the trance of the coastal waters, Kara shook him awake. "Get on."

A roar of the engine hollered along the docks, though not loud enough to cause a commotion. Flo jumped on board, then followed by Kara, as the weight of them both made the boat tremble a bit, rocking back and forth as the waves splashed against its metal hull.

The boat had no sail, as what you can expect from clockwork engineering, which was unneeded since magic crystals would fuel the engine, making the trip faster and more convenient.

The boat was a small one, only capable of housing around ten people for what it was worth. Flo caressed the cloth above him, a waterproof textile covering the top of the boat in the shape of a bottomless triangle, acting as an umbrella for heavy weather. Flo then looked to the front and back, seeing the large engine occupying the space at the rear.

"Is this boat yours?" Flo asked, turning to Gard sitting by the helm at the rear.

"Nope."

The boat then slowly rocked as the engines roared, the pier seemingly moving away from Flo until it was only a small dot in his sight. They went on to the island of the stouts, hearing the clicking of the engine gears as the hull waded against the cold water.

.

.

.

A murmur of cold waters resonated along the hull.

The whisper of a silent breeze brushed past.

The bittersweet dampness of the air stirred awoke a figure.

Flo was caught awake -still lying on his back, the first thing he sees were the golden stars flickering under the midnight sky, complementing the moon at its highest, a shadow of a giant hand clasping at its base.

Flo then turned to his left, surprised to see Kara so close to his face, who was in profound slumber. Flo tried to get up, sitting cross-legged as he stared at Kara sleeping.

Flo then traced her brown silk curls with his fingers, carefully caressing her locks. His gaze then happened to wander to her wings, seeing a deep laceration between where her right wing and back connected. "Can't she heal-"

"I can." Flo's eyes then met with a golden pair of eyes staring right back at him, the fierce glow of Kara burning Flo's very soul.

"But I don't want to." She said as she sat cross-legged, pointing her index towards Flo's chest and giving it a slight push. "Because of you."

"Me?" Flo asked bewilderingly.

"Remember what you said?" Kara motioned to her stomach, where her previous wound from the fireball was, stirring her fingers chaotically over it like she was imitating the motions of tentacles.

"Dis-gus-ting." Kara motioned her lips without ever uttering a sound, drawing her face closer to Flo.

"I just said what I felt," Flo said. "Is that so wrong?"

Kara then pressed to have a surprised look on her face, a mix of confusion and amusement masking her features. She then tried to let words escape her mouth, trying to form words with her lips, though only a light squeak escaped her lip.

"No. It's not wrong." She said as she pulled herself away, tucking in her legs as she rolled up like a ball, looking up at the midnight sky as her left wing wrapped her in a warm embrace.

Flo then continued to stare at Kara, seeing her right wing unmoving. "Heal it."

"No," Kara muttered. "I'm fine."

.

.

.

Flo licked his lips as he then pressed them together, pondering on what Kara had said. He curled like a ball, turning to face the vast ocean where the white spire column rose above the distant horizon. It reached to the heavens, connecting the sky, earth, and everything underneath, the top of it hidden behind gray clouds.

Flo then fell to deep sleep.

The reflection of the moon danced away in the surface of the still waters, lighting the hull of the boat as two figures, side by side, leaned on each other as they fell deep to slumber. The moonlight brushed upon their tired faces, gleefully playing with their pale skin as the waves quietly splashed and babbled against the hull, creating a lullaby.

.

.

.

Hush.

A sudden coldness interrupted the quiet setting, one unlike any other.

Hush.

A cold rush of wind swept the still waters, bringing in a feeling of uncertainty.

Hush.

A white mist crept in -unknown and mysterious, crawling slightly above the waters as it then slowly, very slowly, engulfed the boat, swallowing it in a forest of white obscurity, never to be seen again.

And with a hush, it all started.