Laughing Killian threw the sheet between them as her spiny fingers lunged forwards again. The barrier (being a sheet) wasn’t hard for her to overcome, and soon her delicate fingers were stabbed into his sides. He creased and laughed again whilst trying to gain control of Luna’s tickling hands. They kissed for a while. “I’m hungry. What time do you think it is?” Killian smiled and climbed out of bed. He shimmed into his trousers and left the room for a moment. “Kitchen is bare – we are going to have to land for stock.”

Killian pulled a shirt onto his shoulders and held out a hand to help Luna out of the bed. “Actually – lets go out for food. Like a date. Like normal people. That’ll be nice. I could do a date. “ He trailed off. “Probably.”

While Luna got dressed Killian made his way to the controls. As he buttoned his shirt, he input coordinates for the little village green down opposite the fish place just outside Adeluna. As he danced to the invisible band he slid into his waistcoat and tied a simple black bowtie. Next, he pulled levers and adjusted settings.

Luna entered the control room with a jacket for Killian to wear folded over her arm. “You look incredible.” He said as he saw her. “I love you.” Killian didn’t need to tell her to hold on anymore. As his outstretched hand clasped the purple topped leaver Luna grabbed hold of the railing and the ship lurched around. Its magical engines wheezed, and the ship disappeared from its three-week orbit of the western seas and reappeared in the small garden opposite the little fish place.

Killian slipped on the sensible jacket Luna had brought him to wear before opening the doors to what should have been a beautiful little garden lit by candlelight.

Should have been.

“Oh right. We have a situation.”

Time on the airship with Killian was magical for her. He had finally managed to get her away from her rags something that was not an easy feat. More over her newest clothing options were on the floor next to his own. They were playing in bed after what was probably a long romantic evening. One could have called it a honeymoon in the skies. She tickled him for a while before he was over her holding her wrists. Their kisses were slow and sensual but eventually they came to notice they were a bit hungry. “Probably time to eat if you are hungry.” She said with a smirk as she watched him. The moment he came back she frowned. “I told you it wouldn’t be enough.” And she had just before they took off. She had done the math in her head of how much the two tended to eat. However, Killian did say it would be fine.

The silky easily took his hand to get out of the comfortable bed. “Like normal people?” She tilted her head and smirked. “We’re not very normal. I don’t even think I’ve ever even been on a date before.”

Luna put on one of the simple new dresses that Killian had gotten for her before they left. It tied around the back showing off what little curves she had since she was so very tiny. Something to start her out with he had told her. She fetched his jacket as he had left it behind. “Always something.” There was a chuckle from her lips as she made her way in. “Thank you.” She kissed him back as her eyes sparkled just a bit from his last three words. “I love you too.” It was still so weird.

However, instinctively she braced for the impact as she held onto the railing. The silky was still getting used to the sharp landing of the airship but once they landed she helped dress him. Luna was looking forward to this. They had spent a long time on the airship now and the ground sounded nice.

At least it did.

It did before she seen what had become of it.

“I… see.” The sickening feeling hit her all at once.

“Killian… Something has happened to Angela.” Her eyes were sad. “I can’t feel her right now.” She saw the plants dropping dead before her and she lost the feeling to her legs as she took slumped to the ground on her knees. Her gentle hands took some of the flowers into her hands as if trying to tell them it would be alright. “They are dying… everything is dying here.” Tears started to fall from her eyes as they rolled down her cheeks. “What’s been happening while we were gone.”

Killian dropped to a knee beside Luna, one of his hands rested on her shoulder comfortingly. The other probed the ground before them in much the same way as the Silky. The shock of it was astounding. They hadn’t felt it – hadn’t noticed a thing. Angelia was his oldest friend and something terrible had happened to her. A pang of guilt started deep in his stomach – he should have been there.

“She’s not gone yet my love.” Killian said quietly, his arm squeezed her gently as he said it. (Although that was to reassure himself more than anything.) What could do this to something as powerful as Angelia? Killian’s mind raced as he comforted Luna until finally, he could contain it no longer. He had to act; he would not just stand by! If there was a chance, he would find it. “We need answers quickly, come.” His hand found hers and he headed into the Hullaballoo again.

Immediately he started to fiddle with he controls, but he wasn’t taking off again – the doors were still closed. He dropped the dirt he had collected from the ‘garden’ and placed it on a copper instrument before running a series of strange tests. Next, he pulled a leaver and the ships engines flared, the magical energy contained within the crystal centrepiece danced then a blast shot from inside the ship into the nights sky.

“They’re are breaches in the fabric of reality, the void is leaking through all over. The balance between life and death has shifted.” Killian moved further around the controls, he opened a hatch and pulled out a small green crystal that had been fused into the controls. It was the crystal he had used to track down Angelia in the first place – it held a minuscule portion of Angelia’s power. (Killian had fused a piece of a distant realm forged by his friend and used it to make a very complicated magical tracking beacon.) “She isn’t dead. Take this – hold it close, you can still feel her warmth.”

He held out the relic for her to take.

They had information, now they needed a plan. “What do you think we should do?”