The skies split themselves from the thunderous lights across the horizon. A hard rain fell from the skies and clung to the young girl's robe and the small child tightly wrapped around with a blanket.

The boat heaved up and down, and the young woman's stomach lurched each time it crested a wave. She tightened her grip on the sails to steady herself against the unrelenting motion of the sea.

The baby's wails echoed through her ears, almost drowning out the crackling lights, the only light source in her dark hour. She rocked the child back and forth to comfort it, but the cries persisted. The young woman kept repeating the action, whispering soothing words to block out the thunder from the child's ear.

Her efforts were fruitless.

She lifted her gaze, glancing around the endless pit of the seas. Her heart dropped at the sight of it. All that surrounded her were the seas, its waves slapped the boat wavering her balance, and her legs wobbled. Gently, she dropped her weight on the sails. As the child in her arms continued to cry, she leaned against the sails for support. Her mind played back like a record, her memories flashing, picturing the people that care for her.

Picturing his face.

She shut her eyes. The rain kissed every part of her, not leaving a single part of her body wet. The whimpering child became her only source of warmth she had. She brought them closer to her chest, gently caressing the child's chubby cheeks as it kept crying. Her gaze lingered as her fingers traced the child's nose, eyes and ears. The child hiccuped, throat dry from its cries and eyes red from the distress. Slowly, the child opened its eyes, surveying its caregiver. The young girl's vision brimmed with tears at the sight of her infant.

The child had his eyes.

The skies kept ripping apart. Lightning lit up the horizon once more, and the booms of the thunder startled the baby, starting over its wails. The young woman's gaze lifted to the dark horizon above. The raindrops graced her face, as she inhaled the salty aroma that filled the air. Again, she repeated the same action.

Slowly, rocking the child back and forth to soothe its cries and protect it from nature's wrath.

"Don't worry", the young girl whispered to the infant, caressing its face as she whipped away its stained face.

She reminisced about her moments with him as her gaze lingered on the small infant in her arms. She hugged the child, slowly ensuring she didn't crush it from her tight embrace. She held on to the infant, fearing that if she didn't hold the child close, it would disappear.

Just like he did.

She hardened her gaze toward the skies as if she was challenging it. Daring it to cause more harm to them than it already has. She closed her eyes and inhaled the atmosphere surrounding her, drowning the roaring waves and thunder. Her eyes began to glow a blue hue.

Salt...All she could pick up was salt.

She focused and concentrated on the potential aroma that could locate an island.

Salt...That's all she could detect.

The young girl wanted to scream in frustration, crying to the heavens. Hoping, someone would hear and come to her aid. However, she knew that wasn't possible.

The storm kept raging on, drowning out her frustration. Her gaze went back to the infant in her arms. Her heart dropped at the sight of the silence. It's like her world stopped spinning at the child's unresponsive nature, no longer experiencing the touch of the raindrops or the wrath of the waves.

She lifted a finger towards the infant's nose just momentarily. Relief washed over her like the waves hitting stones as a brush of oxygen tickled her finger. Its stomach engulfed air, up and down, indicating that life remained in the child. A small snore escaped the baby's lips.

The poor thing fell asleep despite the nasty circumstances.

A surge of determination travelled through her body. She knew if they waited for the storm to pass, it might take days or weeks to find the shore. Her eyes fell on the supplies that were gathered on this small ship. Two small empty crates in the corner, once, filled with food needed for her journey, now, reeked of the musty salt of the sea. Water dripped endlessly from the wood. Her mind went back to previous events.

She cringed, beginning to have second thoughts about this whole ordeal.

In the palace, fire and flames engulfed the palace walls. Swallowing everything it touched, embracing everything in its wake. Her friend dragged her as she stumbled on her footing. Covered from head to toe in a dark room, escaping amid the chaos.

People ran out looking for the cause of the fire, saving as many as possible from the heat and toxic air. Palace maids and guards scurried around, carrying buckets of water to extinguish flames.

Again, her eyes gazed toward the thundering skies. Lifting a hand, gripping the necklace that glistened a bright light from the tiny crystal. Her lips trembled, unshaken from the boat heaving up, down and over the crazy waves. Her mind kept playing with the dreaded thoughts continually.

Previously, she had been at the edge of the seashore of the beach on the island. Slowly, her boat drifted away from the people she loved. "I never want to see you again!" Her friend, Aurora, yelled out as tears brimmed through the surface while the others who aided Rue's escape cried silently. Back turned to the endless pits of the sea, Rue's quiet tears and whimpers couldn't overpower the flashing lights in the sky. Soon, the sky grew dark; a storm was cooking. "Don't you ever set a morsel of yourself on this island again! Go and live your life! Though the storm attempted to block out her friend's voice, Rue heard every syllable of it.

"Never step foot in this hell again!"

Her teeth chewed on her lips, biting into them, trying to calm herself down. Her friend's words were engraved in her mind; they continued to echo in her ears.

A sigh escaped her lips, knowing their lives were in her hands. Thinking of the circumstances, was it wise to leave the island when a storm began?

A crash ripped the skies. The waves gathered, tall and robust. The boat rode the waves and heaved up and down once more. Crashing into another wave. Already drenched from the rain, a puddle of water rose to her ankle, the boat no longer riding along the waves; it was no longer getting pulled against the ocean. Slowly, the boat kept getting lower and lower, the water rising higher, passing her ankles.

Her eyes landed back on the snoozing infant in her arms.

It was either use that...

Or be engulfed by the seas.

The young woman squeezed her crystal neck, knuckles almost turning white.

No matter how much she despised that, it was the only option.

She had to do it to keep his memory alive.

She remembered how his big brown eyes gazed at her affectionately, soft and gentle like a breeze passed through his hair. A smile that would make anyone's cheeks hurt from how big and wide. Yet, a smile like the bright sun made her heart a flame.

As she reminisced her moments with him, Her time, her moments with him, made her heart swell in gratefulness, a smile gracing her lips at the memory, yet her heart hammered in her chest in regret.

Regret that he had to pay the price.

There he stood on a platform; cameras flashed, blinding her vision momentarily. People scrambled to get a good view of the scene in front of them. The marines, guns in hand, pushed the crowd further from causing a rampage. Throwing commands here and there to get the public in order. Some shouted profanities others responded with pleas.

On each side of the platform, adorned jewels glistened in the sunlight from the necklaces that graced their necks and decorated their fingertips. The women fanned with small fans to lessen the hot sun's heat while hiding their giggles behind them. Decorated in fancy clothing from head to toe. The men laughed at the man wrapped in chains, tied to a post.

Blood dripped from his chain; his body lingered with a stench from days without a bath, a mix of his odour and blood. Many unhealed wounds and deep cuts decorated his body. Hair flowed with the breeze full of filth of days in the dungeon.

The young man lifted his gaze towards a specific person in the crowd. Though the bustling crowd drowned out his voice, the little girl never removed her eyes from his figure despite the tears that dripped from her eyes. Her heart hammered in her chest; she thought others would hear it. Her lips kept opening and closing, nothing coming out as the words her mind wanted to convey got caught in her throat.

A rough-looking man covered with a dark mask dragged a large blade on the wood platform, creating a creaking glide with every step he took with the sword. All eyes were fixed on the platform as the richly decorated crowd and some citizens cheered at his appearance. The little girl's heart stopped the executioner came on stage.

"Today, we execute this criminal."

Stop! The girl wanted to shout out; however, her voice wouldn't come out, not even a whimper. The nerves in her body froze. Another man at the side, at the bottom of the platform, his marine uniform as clean and white. His cape flew behind him, dancing in the breeze, his hat shadowing his eyes while he faced down to the dirt. His fist clenched at his side while he gritted his teeth.

"This man killed many people, and worst of all, he murdered our people!" The crowd roared at the announcement, "He killed one of us, the ones he swore to protect!" Once more, the crowd raised their fist in the air, yelling for the executioner to do what he came to do. The marines kept shoving the public with the hilt of their guns to keep them in order.

"Kill him!" They shouted to the top of their lungs, "Kill him!"

Others pleaded to release the young man, but the majority silenced their voices. The Celestial Dragons were seated at each side of the platform, smirks on their faces from the display.

Her world stopped spinning as the young girl's gaze lingered on the young man on the platform. Her tears poured out endlessly on her cheeks as the man's eyes never left hers. Her heart kept hammering her chest as if it was ready to jump out at any moment.

The executioner lifted his enormous blade towards the sky, the sun glimmering on the edge, reflecting the man's face.

A breeze brushed his cheeks as he kept his gaze on the little girl. As time slowed, the girl's eyes grew wide at the scene that unfolded before her eyes.

"Rue..." The young man called out. Though it wasn't loud enough for the boisterous audience, he was sure she heard him. At the bottom of the stairs, the young marine shadowed eyes brimmed with tears, and soon, a stream of his sadness released. The raging crowd and boisterous Celestial Dragons silenced his small whimpers. 

And that mattered to him most.

Chocolate eyes, oh those sweet eyes of his gaze at her with adoration. The corner of his lips tugged into a bright smile that she wanted to keep forever ingrained into her mind.

For she knew it would be the last time.

The large blade swung downward, the force creating a strong wind.

He kept his smile, "Live well; you will find them, the people that will love you for you, just like I did."

Blood slid on the blade once it made contact with his neck, severing the head from the victim.

The crowd cheered, and others' hearts clenched at the sight of the gruesome scene. The young marine bit his lips to prevent any cries from slipping.

And the young girl's world shattered.

Come on, Rue! She told herself, giving herself some encouragement to activate it. Just this one time!

And hopefully, never again!

Once more, she shut her eyes and then opened them again. A deep glow of blue illuminated her iris, pupils dilating as a bright light surrounded her.

Then, she dived into the sea with the child in hand.

Lightning struck the horizon; the thunder continued to rip the skies.

And the seas swallowed the once-occupied boat.