Eli held onto the leather pillion as tight as he could, gripping the long reins bridled to the strin. 

“Rogue is strapped in. We need to make good time, he’s fading quickly.” A man yelled from the strin next to Eli. 

Eli whipped his head around, looking at Veer. He was strapped to the bottom of the strin, pressed against the animal for warmth and protection. 

“Hold on tight, wall dweller.” Esper said before she clicked her tongue in a string of commands and the strin responded with the same clicks before leaping into the air. Eli gasped and reached quickly for the woman in front of him, grabbing fiercely onto her cloak. He could hear her laughing in front of him.

Flying was incredible. The wind would have frozen him were it not for his tight hood and mask. The night sky was vast and massive as they soared over low clouds. Eli looked up into the night sky, his mouth falling open. Stars. Everywhere you looked huge constellations of stars and full galaxies could be seen as far as his eyes would take him. 

“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Esper asked. “I’ll never love anything more than I love our night sky.” 

Eli couldn’t have agreed more. It was the most spectacular thing he’d ever seen, hidden away under ice and cloud banks. “What is that?” He pointed to some dim green and blue lights shining amongst the stars. 

“We call them astral lights.” Esper said. 

Eli tried taking in as much as he could, trying to make out certain patterns amongst the stars. The wall dwellers had never seen the stars, they had no idea how beautiful their world was from the night sky. 

In total the journey back to Moonmire took five days, far less time than Eli and Veer had journeyed. They only stopped long enough to feed the strin and eliminate waste. The strin landed in a different portion of the mountain, their nests huge and made of rocks and ice. 

Eli watched Esper slide down the strin’s long neck before turning and waiting for him to do the same. Eli scooted forward until he was at the animals neck and tried sliding forward like she had. His pack weighed him down awkwardly and he slipped to the right, falling off the side, landing against his stomach instead. He groaned and climbed to his feet, the other removing the harnesses and seats from the animals back. 

Veer was being unloaded. He hadn’t moved in five days, the strin protecting him like he was one of her own young. 

“Is he going to be alright?” Eli asked following the others. 

Drax dropped down to his knee, pressing his hand against the rock before a trap door opened to a long stone staircase. “Worry more about your own hide. You’ll be cast out to die soon enough, wall dweller. I knew you’d only bring turmoil to us.” 

Eli said nothing, but followed the two carrying Veer away. Veer’s mask and goggles had been removed, his face almost peaceful were it not gaunt and cold. They walked down the illuminated steps until finally reaching another door. It opened into the sky bridge where healers were frantically waiting. 

“Tell me what’s happened?” One asked. 

The hunters turned towards Eli. He swallowed down the rock in his throat before stepping forward. 

“He inhaled toxic gas from a Spiryn.” Eli said. The healers all gasped, their white eyes going wide. “He had a gas mask on, he’s thrown up a lot and slowly grown weaker and weaker over the last two weeks.” 

The healers scurried away, carrying Veer on a leather stretcher. Eli pushed through the hunters, ignoring their hisses of objection. He caught up to the healers who were all whispering about a plan. 

“Please allow me to remain by his side.” Eli asked. 

“This is not a matter for you, wall dweller.” One said glaring towards him. 

“Please.” Eli persisted. “This was my fault. I need to see this through with him.” 

One shook their head at the others before looking towards Eli. “You will be permitted into the healing wing, child.” 

Eli took a breath before nodding thanks and reaching over to put a hand on Veer’s shoulder. He was still breathing, but it had become far weaker than it should be. 

Everyone parted as they rushed towards the healing wing, his parents meeting them at the entrance of the large ice castle and rushing after them. 

“Get his cloak off.” One commanded as they began setting up different pieces of equipment. 

Sayer turned and shoved Eli against the wall, his arms pressed against Eli’s throat. “What happened?” 

Eli coughed and clawed at the man’s arm. 

“Why did he leave with you? Why were you all the way by the gas lakes?” Sayer yelled. 

“Sayer.” Onyx pulled his arm away as Eli clambered away. 

“I’m sorry.” Eli coughed. “I never meant for him to be hurt.” 

“I trusted you.” Sayer said. “I allowed you sanctuary in our sacred home. And this is how you repay me?” 

“Sayer,” a healer said. “There is still the toxic in his blood.” 

Eli looked over towards Veer. His sweater had been discarded as different needles and fluids were being pumped into him. 

“He needs a transfusion.” the healer said. 

Sayer walked away and sat down, tugging his own sweater up as the healer began poking a needle into his arm. 

“We are not done with this conversation.” Sayer glared towards Eli. “Your fate hasn’t been decided yet. Now get out.” 

Eli hesitated only for a moment, glancing towards the other boy, his father’s blood now being poured into him as his own was being pulled out. He slowly stepped towards the door, it zipped open for him. He sat down against the wall and waited. 

Hours he waited, the door not opening again. Eli could feel himself drifting to sleep against his cloak when a hand was shaking him. 

He blinked and looked towards the hand. It was Onyx, Veer’s mother. She looked tired. “You’re still here?” 

Eli yawned and nodded. “I just want to know if he’s alright. I know I don’t deserve that knowledge, but… please.” 

Onyx looked at him for a long time before standing and reaching a hand out to him. He allowed himself to be pulled up. 

“The toxin is no longer in his bloodstream.” She said as she turned towards the door. “He’s weak, but he’s woken up. He’s asked for you.” 

Eli took a breath as the door zipped open and he stepped inside. Sayer was sitting, a tube of tartan in his hand. He glared towards Eli, but Eli ignored him. Turning towards Veer. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was normal. He looked better, less weak. 

Eli touched a hand to Veer’s bare shoulder. The boy blinked before looking towards Eli. 

“You’re here.” He said groggily. “You’re still alive.” 

“For now.” Sayer said from the corner of the room. 

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Veer continued, paying no attention to his father. 

Eli scoffed. “You’re glad I’m safe. You almost died and you’re glad I’m safe? You’re stupid.” 

Veer chuckled before hissing in pain. 

Eli winced before pressing another hand against Veer’s shoulder, glancing down at the boys lungs contracting and expanding, the veins of blue and red blood traveling down his torso. His heart hammering visible in his chest. 

“I’m so sorry, V— Rogue.” Eli said. “We never should have gone there.” 

Veer shook his head. “Tell them what we found.” His eyes closed again before he took a breath. 

Eli removed his hands, pulling his pack around and rummaging through it until pulling the vial out. “We took a sample of the liquid.” He said. “I’m… well I’m almost positive that the wall dwellers are adding this to their people.” 

“That would be a death sentence.” a healer said shaking their head. “Why would they add this toxic to their people knowing that it kills.” 

Eli shook his head. “I don’t know fully. But I think it’s to control the population. Rogue told me that when you breathe in a Spiryn’s gas—“ 

“The spiryn have all died out.” Onyx said firmly. 

“They haven’t mother.” Veer said shaking his head weakly. “That is what got us. Two of them.” 

Onyx gasped, a hand going to her mouth. 

“The Spiryn’s gas kills you, but before it kills you it seems to paralyze you, and stop you from fighting back.” Eli said. 

“It’s true. I barely breathed any in, and it was filtered through my mask, but as the days continued, I could feel my desire to try and survive just slip away. I only survived because of Ghost.” 

“You were only out there because of Ghost.” Sayer said standing now. “I have a mind to banish you, let you try and survive the night without someone holding your hand along the way.” 

“I know I won’t survive, and if that is truly what you decide. I will accept my fate. But first…” he pressed the vial into Sayer’s open hand. “Please have this tested. I know that you’re planning a strike against the wall dwellers.” 

Sayer gasped and glared towards his son. 

“Knowing what they pump into their system might help with that.” Eli said. “My mother left out the toxin when she inseminated with me. She didn’t know what it was at the time.” He dug through his pack before handing over his mother’s journal. “My mother did research on the toxin, researching that would have killed her. I believe that they add the toxic liquid into the wall dwellers to make them placid and easy to control. But it kills them off young. No one lives past fifty, they all die and disintegrate from the inside.” 

“Rogue’s internal organs were starting to give out.” A healer piped up. “Had we not done the blood transfusion when we did he would have died from organ failure.” 

“I understand if you want to cast me out. I put your son in danger, and I can’t repay that.” Eli said. “But if you do choose to allow me to stay here. I want to help.” 

Sayer took a deep breath, glancing between his wife and son. “How could you help?” 

“I know the inside of the sector that houses the government. I know the inside of the wall better than any one else in all of Moonmire. I want to fight too.” 

“And why would you want to fight your own people?” Onyx asked. 

Eli shook his head. “They’re not my people. Not anymore, not since they killed my mother and tried killing me. Not since I met Rogue and he saved my life.” 

Sayer said nothing for a while before finally clearing his throat. “I need to think.” He reached a hand over and squeezed his son’s hand. “I’m glad you’re safe, son.” 

“Thank you, father.” Veer said as both his parents left out the door. He looked towards Eli again. 

Eli stepped closer and reached his hand out, touching Veer’s shoulder again. 

“Thank you for keeping me alive.” Veer whispered. 

“Just returning the favor.” Eli said, his chest warm as the muscles in Veer’s face tugged upwards.