The white sun of the heavens shone through the biosphere encasing Ithyos and lit the beautiful garden in a bright glow. In the garden were trees, flowers of all kinds, and marble statues, and between the trees and statues flowed a small stream. Beside the stream sat a boy, a boy who was ever curious about the plants and insects that abided within his beautiful garden.

Not only was he curious about the trees and animals, but he was endlessly curious about the universe that surrounded his residence. Castyr was a star of the heavens tasked with producing energy in the form of light. Due to his identity as a star, Castyr had been kept inside his residence, Ithyos, where his light was continuously collected and fed to Stardom, heaven's defense system.

Although Castyr had all he could ever want – exquisite foods, the finest clothes, a garden full of the rarest and most beautiful trees and flowers – he could never have the one thing he longed for: to travel freely. Well, that was, so long as he remained within the walls of his abode. In Castyr's mind, if he could only find a way out of Ithyos for a day, he would be able to satisfy his longing to travel.

He had heard tall tales of a wonderful planet called Earth, and he wished with all his heart to experience it in the flesh. While Castyr could roam the fields that surrounded Ithyos, he could go no further than the biosphere would allow. Feeling the urge to experience a grand adventure rise yet again, Castyr quickly stood to his feet and dashed through the shallow stream.

The star left wet footprints as he ran through the garden and his residence until he reached the golden fields that surrounded Ithyos. Castyr's chest rose and fell as he panted softly and slowly stepped into the fields. Looking up, Castyr gazed at the billions of biospheres that dotted the dark backdrop of the universe. Knowing that within each glowing ball was a star who was kept within its residence to continuously fuel Stardom, Castyr's throat tightened.

Of all the billions of trillions of stars in the universe, Castyr was the only one who longed to travel and see other worlds. The others were content with their warm, peaceful lives. Castyr could not blame them for living a peaceful life was all most ever wished for. However, our little star could not be satisfied with counting the same ants every day and never being allowed to run as far as he wanted.

Within the biosphere that housed Ithyos was also a thriving city. Castyr's residence was the city's power source just as it was a part of Stardom's. Castyr envied the people who lived in the city for they were free to come and go as they wished. They were not meant to be kept within Ithyos as he was.

As Castyr looked down on the city that surrounded his residence, his heart began to pound in his chest. Ithyos stood on the highest point in the biosphere which allowed the star a 360-degree view of the vast city below. Taking another step into the fields that covered the hill upon which Ithyos rested, Castyr once again tested his range.

No matter how many times Castyr tried to leave Ithyos, he could take no more than ten steps into the fields. And this time was no different. Castyr balled his fist and pounded it against the invisible barrier that kept him locked inside Ithyos.

"Why...why can't I leave?" A single tear rolled from Castyr's eye as he set his forehead against the barrier. Slipping down the invisible barrier, Castyr knelt on the ground in despair. The star disappeared beneath the tips of the golden strands that made up the sea of fields as he sat on his knees and craned his neck up to the dark backdrop of the universe. I don't want to be alone anymore...

While Castyr sat between the golden blades of the fields, a young angel watched him silently. Purple eyes gazed at the star longingly. Kilo had watched over Castyr for just over a century. His heart broke every time Castyr ran to the fields. He had seen the star's efforts to leave Ithyos who would inevitably break down in tears when he realized he could not break through the barrier that kept him from the rest of the universe.

As Kilo silently protected Castyr from the shadows, he became increasingly fond of the little star. At first, he was curious about the silver-haired boy who would run around Ithyos with a wide smile on his face. But as the years passed, the boy's smile faded, and he tried to leave more and more often. Kilo began to sympathize with the small star who continued his efforts to leave the bubble in which he was trapped.

Being an angel, Kilo was able to leave Ithyos should he choose. However, because he was the guardian angel tasked with watching over Star Castyr, he could not leave the biosphere that housed Ithyos and the City of Haiyam. Although Kilo was, in essence, also trapped with the biosphere, his range was a bit wider than Castyr's.

Due to Heaven's regulations, Kilo was denied contact with Castyr until both the star and angel had fully developed. He was only permitted to reveal himself in the event of the star's life being threatened. Thus, the angel was forced to watch over the star from the shadows. When Kilo first saw Castyr, he was content to protect him at a distance, but as he watched the star, the more he longed to know him.

Kilo followed Castyr everywhere, and it was because of his growing infatuation with the star that Lennox approached Kilo with a request. Lennox was an angel who had trained with Kilo before Kilo was tasked with protecting Castyr. Previous to Kilo constantly watching over the star, Kilo and Lennox had been inseparable, but after Kilo began spending his days at Ithyos, he and Lennox drifted apart. The two now only saw each other for official military duties.

"He'll be okay, you know," Lennox voiced as he reached Kilo, who stood on one of Ithyos' lower roofs. "It's not like it's the first time he's done this."

Kilo remained silent as he continued to watch the star quietly crying within the golden fields. Lennox released a breath and crossed his arms over his chest as he came to stand beside Kilo. "A minister has a layover in Haiyam. We need help escorting him. He doesn't have an ambassador."

Kilo glanced at his friend before turning back to watch the silver-haired star. "How long will the escort be?"

"Does it matter?" Lennox returned. "It's not like he can leave," he then said as he gestured to the star below.

Kilo swallowed dryly as he contemplated his decision. He hated to leave the star alone whilst in tears, but his friend had come to ask a favor.

Lennox gave a short sigh before pointing out, "He doesn't even know you exist. It wouldn't hurt to leave him for a few hours."

Although Lennox's words stung a bit, Kilo knew his friend was right. Leaving Castyr alone would not change anything. The star had no idea of the angel who had been constantly watching over him. So, Kilo turned away from the star and followed Lennox out of Ithyos and into the city of Haiyam where they prepared to meet the minister as she landed at the transport center.

A sense of uneasiness began to sneak its way into Kilo as he left the star's residence, but he quickly shut it down and convinced himself that nothing could happen to the star during the short time he would be away. However, little did Kilo know that his uneasiness was not misplaced for a certain person was waiting for this moment, waiting for Kilo to leave his star.

+++++++

"Are you alright, little star?"

"Hm?" Castyr instantly lifted his head upon hearing the foreign voice. "Who's there?" Castyr stood to his feet to see a man standing roughly five steps from him on the other side of the barrier. "Who are-"

"I am Marc. Pleased to meet your acquaintance," the man introduced himself with a bow. The stranger was dressed in a long cloak that ran the length of his body, and half of his face was veiled by the cloak's hood.

"Oh..." Castyr blinked his big, deep-blue eyes and looked at the man curiously. He was unused to visitors, so he did not know how to react. Should he show his excitement at meeting a new person? Or should he keep his cool? The latter was chosen. He did not want to scare away his visitor when they had just met.

"Are you the star of this region?" The man asked after a moment of silence had passed between the two.

"I am," Castyr confirmed.

"May I know your name, little star?" Marc inquired. Having been raised in seclusion from the universe, Castyr was unused to reading expressions or understanding a person's intentions behind their words. So, the star answered honestly without a second thought, "Castyr."

"Lovely name." Marc smiled at the young star as he complimented Castyr's name. Now that he had gotten the star to answer a few questions, Marc used that advantage to inquire further about Castyr's daily life. "Do you stay in here most of the time?" Marc asked as he gestured to the star's abode.

Castyr sighed as he turned from Marc and gazed at Ithyos. Nodding in confirmation, Castyr silently wished someone would come who would free him from the bonds that forever chained him to Ithyos. So, when Marc said, "Would you like to leave this place?", Castyr immediately answered, "Yes!"

Marc smiled to himself. He now had the star's complete attention. Castyr was hooked. "I have business on Earth and happen to have an extra ticket," Marc revealed as he extended his hand to produce a device that displayed a holographic ticket. "Would you like to come along?"

Castyr's eyes widened with excitement, and he quickly nodded his head. "When do you leave?" He did not want to miss this opportunity. If Marc knew a way to show him the universe, the star would trust him.

"Now, if you would like," Marc replied, to which Castyr replied with a nod. "Wonderful. I suppose we should do something about this, then," the man said as he gestured to the invisible barrier that separated him from the star.

Castyr backed away a few feet as Marc extracted a small device from within his cloak. When activated, the device hovered in the air for a moment before scanning its surroundings. Once the scan was complete and the device successfully located the barrier, it flew to the barrier and attached itself to its invisible surface. Castyr watched with wide eyes as the device released several pulses that radiated through the biosphere.

The pulses intensified to the point that fissures began to form on the surface of the barrier. And it was not long until Castyr was freed. The star was shocked. Thousands of shimmering shards of the now destroyed barrier fell all around him. There was now nothing that prevented him from traveling the universe. He could now fulfill his dream!

+++++++

Kilo stood silently next to Lennox as they patiently waited for the minister to appear through the gate of arrivals. The officers awaiting the esteemed guest were on high alert and constantly scanned the area for signs of danger. Even though they were in a highly guarded section of the heavens, the transport center through which the minister would be arriving was filled with visitors from various places in the universe.

While each traveler was thoroughly screened before they would be permitted to enter, the soldiers of Heaven's Division of Defense could not afford for a minister to be harmed within the heavens. So, if even one soldier broke formation, it would jeopardize the safety of the minister. However, Kilo could not afford to remain in formation when a warning sounded from the device on his wrist.

Raising his hand to view the warning, Kilo's jaw clenched when he realized the barrier surrounding Ithyos had been broken. The timing of the warning could not have been any worse as the minister appeared through the arrivals gate just as Kilo moved to abandon his post.

Kilo! Lennox sounded in warning through their in-mind link when he saw his friend run back toward the star's abode. But, it was no use. Kilo ignored Lennox's warning and continued sprinting through the space station. He had to reach Ithyos. He had to make sure Castyr was safe.

Unbeknownst to Kilo, as he exited the space station, he passed a pair of travelers. It was not uncommon for travelers to wear full-length cloaks as they could have just arrived from a cold climate, so Kilo did not give it a second thought as he passed the two. And, Castyr, who had no idea of Kilo's existence, did not give the frantic angel a second glance as the two passed each other.

"What is this for?" Castyr inquired as he gestured to the cloak that covered up his glow. Unsure of the cloak's purpose, Castyr threw back the hood that covered his silver head and most of his face.

"It's winter on Earth. It will be cold when we arrive," Marc replied as he pulled the hood back over Castyr's head. Castyr's brows furrowed when he saw Marc smile slyly to himself. What kind of expression was that? The star had yet to experience anyone whose face donned an expression such as Mark's sly smile. It's kind of creepy...

An unsettled sensation snuck its way into Castyr's gut as he followed the man into the private branch of the space station. "So, what business do you have on Earth?" Castyr inquired as he and Marc left the public sector of the station. His voice was lower than normal; he had begun to grow wary of the stranger named 'Marc'. Castyr may have been innocent, but he was not dumb.

"I am a trader. I have an exchange with a merchant on Earth," Marc explained as he led the star to one of the floating docks that was located near the end of the private branch.

Castyr's heart began to speed as he looked around the docking bay. Even though this was his first visit to the transport station, he knew it was unusual for an entire docking bay to be completely empty. There was not a single person in sight.

But Castyr remained as nonchalant as he possibly could and asked, "What do you trade?", as he thought of a way to sneak away from the creepy trader.

"Oh, just some valuable goods," Marc answered. From the questions the star was asking and his shift in tone, Marc could tell Castyr was growing suspicious of him, so he decided to make his move sooner than he had intended. Whipping around, Marc grabbed ahold of Castyr's wrist, startling the young star.

Castyr gasped in pain. Marc's hold on him was strong as steel as he began dragging the star to a lone craft docked at the last floating segment. Aware that whatever was happening to him was not intended for his well-being, Castyr immediately began calling for aid. "Help! He-"

Marc was quick to cover the star's mouth, but it was not before Castyr's first call for help echoed through the private sector. "They said you were too young to know," Marc growled as he continued to drag the small star toward the ominous craft. "Dumb and naive my ass."

Marc let out a cry of pain as Castyr sank his teeth into Marc's hand. The star then struggled against his captor with all the strength he had only to earn a strike to the face. The pain stunned Castyr. He had never felt pain like that. The most the star had felt was from accidentally pricking his finger on a thorny flower. The pain that stung his cheek was new and cruel.

Castyr fought the tears that naturally swelled in his eyes as he continued to fight his captor. But it was to no avail and merely earned him another strike. "Shut up and stay still," Marc commanded in a growl. His expression was cruel and savage as he snarled at the young star.

Castyr watched helplessly as the craft grew closer and closer, and he scolded himself for trusting Marc so easily. He had let his excitement take over his ability to rationalize, and that caused him to become a victim of prized trafficking.

However, just as Castyr's hope of rescue began to fade away, a glowing bullet whizzed past the star and shot through Marc's leg as they reached the craft. Hearing the gunshot, the door to the craft opened, and four smugglers exited the small spaceship.

Taking the opening the bullet had granted him, Castyr ripped free from Marc's grasp as the trader stumbled on his injured leg. Upon breaking free, Castyr immediately turned and began running to the entrance of the hangar.

"Get the kid!" Marc shouted as the four smugglers ran to his aid.

Seeing an angel soldier running to him from the hangar's entrance, Castyr knew he needed to reach the angel. If he could reach the soldier, he would be safe. However, before Castyr could run much further, a smuggler grabbed him.

Kilo stopped in his tracks when he saw Castyr being captured by one of the smugglers. Aiming his gun carefully, Kilo gently pressed his finger against the trigger as he looked for an opening. But, he could not fire. Kilo lowered his gun when the smuggler held the star in front of him as a shield while he advanced backward toward the craft.

With the help of two of the smugglers, Marc boarded the craft and started the ship's engines. While he was aiming for the man holding Castyr captive, Kilo did not see the fourth smuggler raise his gun until a bright bullet whizzed toward him. Evading the bullet as much as he could due to his delayed reaction, Kilo gritted his teeth as the bullet made contact with his shoulder.

"Help!!" Castyr's plea ripped Kilo's focus back to the star just as Castyr was dragged into the craft.

"Restrain him!" Marc ordered the smugglers as all five of the illegal traders were aboard the craft. Castyr was held down as the door to the ship closed, and the craft disembarked from the dock.

Knowing he could not afford to lose Castyr, Kilo ran and leaped off the edge of the dock. Midair, Kilo drew his sword and stabbed it into the side of the craft. Using his lodged sword as the force to swing his body up, Kilo then pulled his sword out from the side of the craft as he landed on the ship's top. The moment the angel's feet hit the metal exterior, Kilo plunged his sword through the craft's roof.

Marc's eyes widened when he saw the angel's black blade cutting through the ship as if it were butter. "He's going to tear the craft apart!" One of Marc's smugglers called out as Kilo continued to drag his sword through the ship.

"We gotta jump and blow it," Marc ordered as he strapped a parachute to his chest. "I set the timer for ten seconds after we jump ship. Strap a chute to the star."

"Sir, we're short three chutes," one of the smugglers pointed.

"Figure it out amongst yourselves. I don't care who dies," Marc said as he opened the lower hatch of the ship. "Throw the star out once you've put a chute on him," was Marc's last command before he jumped through the opened hatch in the door.

Kilo finished cutting a large opening in the top of the ship as the smugglers began fighting amongst themselves to determine who would be the one to leave with the star. Castyr took that opportunity to break free of the man holding him down as Kilo drew the gun strapped to his thigh and shot the four smugglers in the tops of their heads.

Having watched Marc set the timer for the ship's automatic detonation before he jumped ship, Castyr knew he needed to get out of the craft within the next few seconds. By this time, the craft had left the station and was quickly approaching the vast void of space.

"Castyr!" The angel's voice brought the star's attention to his outstretched hand. After eliminating the smugglers, Kilo immediately reached his arm through the opening he had cut. Knowing he had no time to waste, Castyr jumped up and grabbed ahold of the angel's hand.

Within the next second, Castyr was effortlessly pulled through the hole. Kilo caught Castyr in his arms as he kicked off from the craft. Once his feet left the top of the craft, the ship detonated. Kilo covered the star with his body and shielded Castyr from the explosion.

Knocked unconscious from the force of the blast, the angel and star fell from the heavens to adventures and dangers unknown.