Blue Horizon

"Let's move. We can get out through the upper decks." Caspien's voice was low but urgent. Without wasting a second, the group hurried up the stairs, their footfalls pretty loud against the worn wooden steps.

Ethan had already noticed that the ship was massive. From the inside, he could tell it stretched far longer than he had first assumed, and now, as they ascended, he realized it had at least three floors, possibly more.

Reaching the upper level, they emerged onto a floor lined with two long hallways running parallel along the ship's hull. The space was far brighter than the decks below—rows of windows framed the corridor, allowing golden sunlight to stream in, casting rippling patterns on the wooden floor.

Caspien, Kaldur, and Lyra instinctively veered right. Ethan followed, his footsteps quickening to match theirs. The boy's gaze flicked toward the heavy doors lining the left side of the hall. Passenger cabins, most likely, for those wealthy enough to afford comfort at sea. But just as he turned right, his steps faltered, slowing to a halt, as something beyond the windows caught his eye—and stole his breath away.

Endless blue stretched before him, glistening beneath the afternoon sun. Waves rippled like liquid sapphire, merging with the sky at the distant horizon. A sea breeze drifted through the cracks in the wood, warm and salt-sweet, curling around him like an embrace. Without thinking, his lips parted in a quiet, breathless smile.

He had never seen anything like it. The view was unreal—a dreamscape he never imagined he would stand in.

"Let me," Caspien said, striding up to one of the windows without waiting for approval. He braced himself, then he slammed his shoulder into the wooden frame. The glass shattered with a sharp crack, splinters and shards tumbling into the sea below with a flurry of small splashes. The wind rushed in, brushing against their skin.

Lyra spun toward him, her expression aghast. "You absolute brute! What part of 'quiet' is hard to understand?" Her voice was a furious whisper, but the anger in it burned red-hot.

The young man barely spared her a glance. "We're docking soon. We don't have time to sneak around."

Lyra's mouth opened, clearly about to unleash another tirade, but before she could get a word out, Caspien grinned, turned on his heel, and dove straight through the shattered window.

"I'm first!" he called back, winking at Ethan just before vanishing.

A second later, a loud splash echoed up from below. When the three leaned over the windowsill, they saw Caspien bobbing in the water, grinning up at them as he floated in it.

"The water's warm as hell! Hurry up!" he shouted, waving them down.

Lyra clenched her fists, her face reddening—not from embarrassment, but sheer fury. "Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath.

Ethan, on the other hand, stood frozen. Something swelled in his chest—an unfamiliar, electric sensation that made his pulse race, but not in the way it had when he was afraid.

Is this… excitement?

The thrill of it sent a shiver up his spine.

He had come into this world unsure of what to do, lost and overwhelmed by the unknown. But this? This was different. His fingers tightened at his sides, his heart hammering—not in panic, but anticipation. He glanced at the three people around him, and before he even realized it, a smile had crept onto his lips.

Maybe they weren't the best people. That much was obvious. But they weren't the worst either.

He stepped toward the window, his hesitation gone.

If they were, they would've left me behind.

"I'm going next," he said, the words coming easier than expected.

Then—a sound. A sharp click from behind.

A door creaked open nearby, followed by a groggy, irritated voice. "Can you people shut up? Some of us are trying to—"

Before the woman could even finish her sentence, Lyra spun on her heel. In a blur of movement, she slapped a hand over the woman's mouth, shoving her back into the room before she could even get a good look at them. With her free hand, Lyra grabbed a broom leaning against the wall and jammed it under the door handle, barring it shut.

"Hey! What the hell? Let me out!" the muffled voice came from behind the door, now pounding against the wood.

Lyra didn't even turn around. "Go," she ordered, nodding toward Ethan.

Ethan swallowed hard, shaking off the distraction. He turned back to the open window. The sea stretched below, shimmering and endless. The wind ruffled his hair.

It was high. Higher than it looked a second ago.

His fingers curled against the wood. He took a deep breath, willing his body to move.

No time to hesitate.

One last inhale—God help me—then he lunged forward, shoving off the edge and plunging into the unknown.

The wind howled in his ears, the world blurring into a rush of color. For a single, weightless moment, he was free—suspended between sky and sea. Then—

Splash.

Warm water swallowed him whole, the impact sending a rush of bubbles past his skin. Sunlight pierced through the turquoise depths, scattering golden beams across the sandy seabed. For a heartbeat, he simply floated, watching the rippling glow dance beneath him.

Then instinct kicked in. He pushed upward, breaking the surface with a sharp gasp, lungs burning, heart pounding. The world reassembled around him—the vast sky stretched overhead, the ship loomed like a great beast, and the salty breeze brushed his face like a welcome touch.

"Ha… Hahaha—"

Laughter bubbled from his lips—bright, unrestrained. Not from frustration. Not from relief. But because, for the first time in what felt like a lifetime—maybe even his whole life—he felt alive.

"Hahah! That's the spirit." Caspien's voice rang out over the waves, rich with amusement. He swam toward Ethan, his chestnut hair slicked back, water beading on his skin. "You alright, kid?"

Before Ethan could answer, another splash sent a wave crashing over them. He sputtered, blinking through the spray. When he looked up, Kaldur had surfaced—utterly unruffled, his black hair plastered to his perfect face, his expression as calm and composed as if diving from a ship were nothing more than an afternoon swim.

"Pfft—" Caspien burst into laughter, shaking his head. "You look like a drowned rat."

Kaldur turned his cool gaze on him, deadpan. "You should've seen yourself."

Though for the briefest moment—so faint it was almost imperceptible—a ghost of a smile touched his lips.

Above them, chaos erupted—shouts, pounding footsteps, and curses spilling from the open window.

"You filthy bastards! Next time I'll blow your damn ship to hell!"

Ethan barely had time to glance up before Lyra launched herself through the window, twisting mid-air to scream one last insult at the people trying to grab her.

Then—splash.

She resurfaced a moment later, slicking her hair back with both hands, her beautiful face flushed, eyes alight. A radiant smile curved her lips, as bright and captivating as the sunlit sea around her.

Ethan turned in the water, taking it all in. The glistening sea, the rush of escape, the people around him—wild, reckless, and smiling like fools.

The world had never looked so breathtaking.