Sky feels heavier than stone. It weighed down on the shoulders of every walker. Each breath taken felt venomous. Smoky streets bathed the wanderers in conflicted thoughts. And the air, the air felt as a sharpened knife surrounding their tiresome bodies, Ilusia represented the hellish Earth where its residents never know they're already dead.

Always wandering as a floating leaf in the air, waddling around Illusia stealing all that her tiny hands can catch, but that time, she stole something so precious that she wasn't aware of yet. That time, her legs finally knew where to go, as bizarre and disturbing her situation was, it was good for her to have a goal once in a time.

But how? How can the battery suddenly be snatched right out of its place? Answers were needed, but somehow can never be given.

Once again, Merit jumped into Steamhall's upper ground train with the handful of money that she stole from Jackson, in her bag laid his diary, soon, time will make her unravel more.

Aboard the train, on a seat by the window, a glimmering eyes watched the interior of Milasic's industries and cities buildings in joyfulness. The ride carried so much excitement for her. For these small eyes to witness the world from a window was like a dream ride aboard an airship. On Merit's jacket was a patch, a one with Milasic's greatest airship, The Aurora.

Merit dreamt of flying, but such dreams cannot be achieved by merely a few coins worth tickets carried by commons in the street.

Merit's eyes followed a memory, a one she carried of Ross' son's small workshop in Steamhall's marketplace. Blurry yet still warm. Those memories bring a longing for the past, even though the little one's past is an unfortunate one; there was always something in it to long for.

Steamhall's busy marketplace slowed down her quick steps, following the half broken signs hung on each corner she finally found herself in front of a very small wooden door leading to a one-story tall building, a one with Ilusia's ripped starry flag covering a bit of each window.

She opened the light wooden door slowly and let herself in, the reception was quite small, a wave of dusty air welcomed her in, she started violently coughing and covering her eyes as she finally rested her eyes on a clear vision of the old workshop, the one Ross' used to own.

There was no stir, no sound of any human existence. Merit doubted her steps although her memory can never betray her. These cats' portraits hung on each wall, the mottled pinky worn out ceiling, the small vent inhabited by rodents, even the same huge poster with The Aurora drawn on it. Nostalgia captured her heart drawing a smile on her small reddish lips as she explored the small almost lifeless room.

"That's it." She said, blowing the dust of a children's book put on a shelf, her eyes grew teary as she embraced all these little memories her childhood brought but she held these tears back, she opened her bag and slipped it in quietly as a sudden explosion of a fuss erupted from the basement, Merit zipped her bag quickly as she found a young boy exiting the basement and standing facing her in the reception room, his blue eyes met hers, but a strong wave of yellowish light covered his features leaving Merit unaware of his identity. A moment of silence passed on as her cheeks blushed in embarrassment, "Did he see me?" She asked herself as she swallowed her trembling unspoken words, not shortly after; the boy moved closer revealing his face at last.

A smile was drawn on both of their faces, a huge one that almost reached their ears. The boy ran towards Merit carrying a bag of screws and nails, he threw it on the ground and then suddenly embraced her as hard as he could leaving Merit's happy face slowly turn as red as a boiling tomato soup.

"I can't believe my eyes!" He shouted as he sarcastically rubbed his eyes in disbelief. The boy was around the same age as Merit, he wore a dirty gray vest and shorts with a small cap on his messy ginger hair, that young boy was Merit's oldest friend.

"You've grown up quite a lot!"

"Not that much.."

"Look at that messy silver hair! Haha! You never changed that, Icy head!" He laughed, tapping on her shoulder gently. 

The boy's name was Andres. The aura surrounding him was a light kind one. His grin never left his freckled face, always loving his life although it was never kind to him. Andres was Ross' adopted son, he grew up with Merit and they both helped pumping life into the workshop's machinery, but all ended when Merit left.

In the dusty reception room, Merit and Andrea shared their experiences. Merit didn't hesitate to tell him about the strange series of bizarre events occurring sequentially. Andres could say nothing but stare awkwardly. He was aware Merit wasn't a liar, but he couldn't help but think this might be a bit too far-fetched. 

"Hmm- well, listen Merit, black hats and black sky is a good story for a fictional novel, but I think you're a bit delusional, forget it, let me show you something more realistic instead."

Merit sighed, rolling her eyes backwards, the yellowish light that broke through the window facing the small bench they sat on eventually dwindled, it was almost sunset, Steamhall's resident fixed a strong yellow light to resemble the sun and would let it fade away by the time it was six in the evening. Merit was still curious to know the source of the disturbing loud noise erupting from downstairs, a one that would disappear in seconds and appear again suddenly. Eventually the white lights broke through each narrow opening in the windows covered by Ilusia's starry flag that made a slightly visible reflection on the mottled pinky walls, Andres took no time in grabbing Merit's hand and rushing towards the half opened basement door.

"You won't believe your eyes!" He said excitedly.

"W-where are you taking me?" Merit trembled as she curiously inquired.

"Don't be so hasty!" He replied as he pushed the heavy iron door with all of his might.

The door revealed only an elevator. A wide one. It fit about ten people inside, trails of muddy boots covered the ground, and the top of the elevator had dozes of name tags hanging from it, Andres pressed the button to take them down stairs, and as soon as he did, a door identical to the walls closed making the elevator almost invisible.

The elevator went down slowly; Merit looked behind her to find a glassy part of the elevator that made everything behind it visible. And that's when her eyes fell on the greatest sight she could ever see.

Airships in the making, gigantic robots, hundreds of workers that looked like ants, the "place" which Merit never thought would exist was as alive as a beehive, full of energy and robust workers. The place never seemed to be dull or monotonous, Merit was speechless only leaving her eyes stuck on the glassy window.

"See? I told you to wait! It's wonderful, isn't it?"

"How did they build this?" Merit gazed with her jaw dropped, from a small opening in her bag Mechi climbed on Merit's shoulder standing near her ear, "They've been working for almost two years." He said, Mechi's information was based on a database Ross' installed inside his mind, it made him more informed that Merit and Andres themselves.

"It's Mr. Forger's idea. He started building Micro-planes that can travel unimaginable distances to draw maps and store records, but these planes would reach a point where they would disappear out of the radar as if they vanished. Mr. Forger gathered his fellow Milasic' workers to investigate this case not so long before the rebellion, then, caught up in the heat of the battle this place, called Viribus was built with two purposes, resist and explore" 

Mechi let out most of the information he had in a simplified way, Resist and Explore was carved on the wall and each flitting flag has such words on it, but the airships was all of what Merit can see, her eyes were shackled to their amusing sight. She was bound hostage to their beauty and wonderful red and blue colors. Airships weren't just vessels, they were dreams hovering over each city in Ilusia showering walkers with flags and medals, but a ticket to the sky realm would cost a life.

The elevator reached the last story and Merit's eyes finally moved. Andrea held Merit's hand tightly as he cut his way through the workers aiming towards a desk in a far corner, as they passed by sweaty workers and steamy pipes the air felt hotter, fumes slipped into their noses forcing them to cough violently, Andres was greeted by each worker. His wide grin attracted their weak smiles erasing some of the pain they felt as they endured the hard work accompanying the machinery. Merit was welcomed among them. Their eyes didn't mark her as danger, instead, warm smiles were given to Andres' companion who felt the amity arousing within her half empty child's heart. It was filled as if it was a cup waiting for delicious inwardness to be poured inside for an eternity.

They at last reached the small desk lying at the end of Viribus, a one with maps, wrenches and nails scattered all over it. Andres reached his hands and searched through the drawers impatiently, he eventually grabbed what looked like a small leather bag, he looked at Merit and smiled once more, "It's the battery you asked for, all plus a small gift I had for you" He said, grinning as a Cheshire cat with his white half-broken front tooth giving him a somewhat laughable look, but Merit endured it all for the sake of his kindness that wrapped her in a bubble of clarity separating her from whatever made her heart heavy.

"Can I-"

"No, no! Don't spoil it! Keep it for later." Andre interrupted Merit, asking her to not open it until he leaves. Merit was curious, yet, she was sorrowful, wishing she could stay forever in Viribus and finally watching the airships leaving to their destination. 

Merit thanked Andres and decided to leave. She exited from another elevator where she found herself in a completely different house in another side of Steamhall, it was almost seven in the evening, streets were lively, micro robots were lined behind a street vendor performing an ancient dance Ilusia always preformed in festivals and events, each child in the street gathered to watch that vivid dance brought by tiny robots that almost seemed as alive as humans, Merit didn't hesitate to watch it.

But, suddenly, she had one question popping in her mind, "These airships, you said they were built to explore, where they will go?" Merit asked Mechi who stood low behind her ears and above her shoulder; Mechi was a shy and anxious robot who almost feared seeing the sky, his owner's shoulder was his home.

"Erm..You see. They're trying to leave Ilusia, travel beyond the borders!" He whispered into Merit's ears as she stood watching the dance, she frowned unwillingly, citizens of Ilusia know nothing outside it. It's always the empire versus Icevek, another empire in the far north, nobody knows what lies there, it was all obscure and misty. An airship that flies out of Ilusia? A dream, that's only a dream.

Under the lamplight on a chain of yellow bulbs, in front of an old street vendor where the young circled around him with an atmosphere of mellowness and serenity, Merit embraced her lost childhood enjoying a moment of peacefulness, pain subsided and let her inhale fresh air.

Outside Milasic's industries offices, on a small wooden bench in Liberation square, facing a dim post light, tangled in wastefulness and solitude, floating in a sea of regrets and sorrow, Old Jackson took few bites of his cold sandwich. Tears had dried on his wrinkled face, now, his memories are as clear as a crystal. He knew what he saw was not a dream, after his eyes met the black hats' agent, he prepared himself for the worst consequences of a distorted memory, a one he had no control over.

"I wish I had forgotten" He said, "But I always knew, I always feared this world, ever since I was a young boy I feared talking, I feared opposing, I feared something far greater than all of us, I feared the sky."

"No children, no family, no friends, always quiet and obedient. You were the perfect prototype of a human working machine, a one made of flesh and blood and bones, Jackson, you never even asked for an explanation"

"Do I need one when Its crystal clear?"

"I thought so. Your time is over, it was a pleasure chasing you, I'll remember it"

"No other chances, right?"

"Never."

The black hats' agent who sat mysteriously beside Jackson who knew he couldn't resist what was coming for him pulled out a gun-like figure with a syringe in its opening, in a few seconds, behind the eyes of the passing by, the agent smothered Jackson with his steel hands and inserted the syringe into his submissive body, leaving his eyes all white and his mouth dripping saliva, the agent lied down his body peacefully as he sang a melancholic song while walking away, "Even in death, always obedient, a perfect loss"

The black agents hummed a song as Jackson unfurled his black wings going beyond the stars chasing a second chance, maybe s second life, it was for the greater good to end a man's pain. That's what the agent felt, cleaning his hands off Jackson's bloodless silent death.

In Steamhall, Merit watched the dance happily until a chill went down her spine once a cold steel hand touched her shoulder, looking upwards she found a terror, an evil lurking in a suit, a familiar devilish smile that she at last remembered clearly, the maniac, the man with the black hat as she recalled, at last.

"Shhh, be quiet! Let's not make a scene, shall we?" He said, slipping his cold hands into her shoulder pretending to be watching the dance alongside her.

The air felt thin, Merit gasped for air as she felt her lungs being crushed by something that she couldn't see but can feel, an invisible robot's hands is the only reasonable explanation she can give for the gigantic metallic hands almost shattering her ribs as glass. The agent's cold breath surrounded Merit's paralyzed body as his hands slowly reached for something else, her neck.

"Oh, what a necklace"

There it was. To her surprise, the necklace that she threw days ago is on her neck, she was baffled, speechless, the pain numbed her senses making her mind freeze. The agent slowly pushed her to the back, where the station was, Merit couldn't resist. His arms were cruel and lifeless, snatching the happiness he had almost few seconds ago.

"I followed you, day and night, underground and above it, waiting for you to finally find Forger, but I was disappointed. How couldn't you find him? How sad, you'd have at least died with something to be remembered for"

The agent whispered, revealing his dark intentions. The black hats were searching for Forger alongside Merit's camera, all that time they had their eyes not only on her but on Forger as well.

"I don't know where he is" She muttered with her throat almost being strained with a metallic choker, "Shhh, I said let's not make a scene." He said with a snotty accent, pushing her even her further into the crowds.

"Now, slowly open that bag and give me the camera" He threatened her by tightening his invisible grip as he demanded her to give him her camera, Merit couldn't hesitate as she felt her life being sucked right out of her body, she struggled to unzip the bag and she did, more surprises unfolded, there was nothing inside. 

"What? What did you do you little scum?" He nervously cursed her under his breath as he threw her and grabbed the empty bag, as he got caught up in searching the bag, Merit carried her heavy body into the crowds wondering where her bag could be. 

Her bag, a black one with a beige ribbon, but the one within the agent's hands was black with a white rose. She had no time to think, she ran away from the monster threatening her life the going all the way back to Viribus seeking shelter. The angry black hats' agent followed her but slowly dissolved. Merit was on her way back terrified when a gentle tap on her shoulder calmed her down, "Your bag." Mechi said, "You forgot it with Andres" He continued.

A strange sequence of unexplained mysteries rained down like arrows on Merit's back, but it was all a matter of time.