A few years passed and it all seemed like a blur. Those years were good ones for me. I worked hard to become the best in my field much to the chagrin of some of my older colleagues. I studied night and day to not only improve Maru but the lives of her citizens. And I thrived.

One of the first inventions I designed was a simple modification to the working schematics of the factories. It was a full stop mechanism that gave the children time to get out alive after unjamming a gear. Being the product of a first year, it would've never made it to the desk of an executive without the aid of my guild master, Wayfyl.

After that, he and my other superiors really took notice of my work. He took me under his wing. If I had a question, I went to him. If I needed someone to just talk to in between the long hours of working, his door was always open to me. He gave me my first puff of a cigar. It was also my last. I remember him chortling as I coughed out my lungs. I never had anything that close to a father figure before him. His favoritism didn't win me any friends in my guild but I didn't need them anyway.

My hard work paid off. Now that I was Wafyl's protege, my status was upgraded. I was given my own private quarters, new shoes, new clothes, and my meals became more expensive and filling. It took a while to train my stomach not to get full from just one bite.

I still saw Glinn from time to time. He was the only friend I needed after all. He wasn't allowed near my living quarters given his low class, so I met him on the rooftop of his barracks. We would talk about our days as we chugged down some bottles of ale. I didn't care for the drink but Glinn liked it, so I bought it. I would bring him my leftovers since I decided the portions they gave me were way too much for one person. Glinn said he liked his work. It was the same routine everyday, but that was okay. He said Thyeo did not pick on him much anymore. Thyeo worked in communications as a messenger, a profession that keeps one busy and leaves calluses on the feet.

We would discuss the schematics for the airship. I applied his knowledge to the plans, but it still lacked enough solid science to propose it to my superiors. I was getting impatient. Anytime I thought about trashing the idea, Glinn would tell me I was not allowed to give up. And that was that.

When the nights grew long and we had consumed enough alcohol, I would tease him about his crush on the petite laundress. He would blush like a schoolgirl and I'd tease him even more.

"Just say hello to the girl," I told him, rolling my eyes.

"I can't do that! Who even does that? What if she laughs at me?"

"Why would she laugh?"

"Because she can do so much better than me," he mumbled.

"I said to just talk to her! Not propose. And she is only one class above you."

"You say that like it's so easy, Tallis, but I've never seen you really talk to a girl either."

"I've talked to girls before?"

"Not like this."

I scratched my cheek. "Nah, guess not. I don't have time for that nonsense. Guess I'm not one for giving romantic advice," I mused as I took another swig of the ale that was tasting better by the minute. "It is probably for the best. When we get out of here, she'll just take up room on the airship. Not to mention if she pops out a baby--"

"Tallis! Stop!" Glinn shouted pushing me over. I fell onto my back laughing.

I must have passed out soon after that. I vaguely remembered humming a melody I knew by heart.

~~♤~~

Wayfyl said he had a surprise for me. As an award for my hard work and as a gift for my sixteenth birthday, he took me to a pleasure house. I hated it. Not that the women were not pretty and not just because I was so uncomfortable and inexperienced. I hated it because these girls didn't choose to be whores. They were set on this path just as much as I was set on mine. Everyone has a part to play in Maru.

I could not say no when I saw our destination though. I did not want to embarrass my guild master by appearing ungrateful in front of all his peers. Plus, he said the pleasure house was often the hotspot for the higher circles. It was where one can make more than one meaningful connection.

As Wayfyl and a few of his friends drank and groped at the girls, I tried to make myself as small as possible on the sinking cushions. A woman with curly red hair and bright spangles bent down in front of me and asked what I would like. I tried to focus on anywhere but her huge chest. I hated the way my body responded to her. Why would anyone want to feel so out of control?

Wayfyl dug into his pocket simultaneously giving the blonde on his lap a squeeze. He pulled out a hefty bag of coin and gave it to me. "It's on me, kid. Time for you to become a man." He turned his attention to the red head, giving her a wink. "This one is a hard worker. But he doesn't know how to relax and have a little fun. You be good to him. Give him the time of his life, Mari."

"You know I will," Mari purred, the bag disappeared into her cleavage and she leaned close to my ear whispering in a husky voice. "How about we go somewhere more private, darling?"

Her intoxicating fragrance tickled my nose, and I did follow her as she led me by the hand upstairs through a narrow hallway. My heart was beating violently in my chest. My legs felt oddly like rubber. Along the way, I heard a familiar voice behind a closed door say, "You suck at your job which is literally sucking. Just get on the bed. I'll do it myself."

Mari looked back at me and saw which door I was looking at. She giggled as she pushed open a door to an empty bedroom. "Thyeo. Comes here to spend his earnings every week. We have a special nickname for him."

"What is it?" I asked following her inside.

She pursed her lips and reached behind me to close the door I guess I was supposed to close. "I shouldn't say. It's mean. Now then, darling... should we--"

"I don't want to do this." The words tumbled out. The clicking of the latch seemed to have opened a floodgate. "I'm sorry. You can keep the money. And give me whatever mean nickname that comes to mind. I just want to go home."

She studied me for a good minute then smirked. "What is your name?"

"Tallis."

"No one is forcing you, Tallis. And I won't tell anyone. C'mon, I'll show you the back way out."

I breathed a sigh of relief glad that she did not take offense. "Thank you."

She led me to a back alley that reeked of a sad forgetfulness. I started heading back towards the main street when she grabbed my hand.

"Come back anytime, Tallis. Everybody needs company."

I came around the corner and almost straight into Wafyl's chest.

"Tallis, son, done already?"

"Uh... yes?"

He gave a hearty laugh and slapped my back. "Don't feel discouraged. You will get the hang of that. I remember my first---"

"Why are you out here?" I love Wayfyl's stories, but I will happily skip this one.

"They won't let me smoke in there no more. Too many babies, they say. They are better off giving them babes to Ogym. Whores shouldn't be mothers if you ask me."

"I see... well, thank you for the gift. I think I am going to head home."

"Already? The night is still young! How about another drink?"

"I can't. I want to get to work early in the morning."

"Hmm... hold up, Tallis. I wanted to give you something."

Ugh.

"That's not ness--"

"For an orphan, you sure don't like free stuff, do you?" He laughed again. He fished in his breast pocket pulling out his prized gold watch. "Here. My father gave it to me. Never had a son of my own to give it to. Seems fitting you should take it."

"Really?" I took it reverently.

"You keep it safe, ya hear?"

"I will."

~~

A package waited on the doorstep for me when I got home along with a note wishing me a happy birthday from Nanny Ogym. I honestly did not even know she was still alive. She was a pinched nose crone. She didn't believe in frivolous nonsense. I've wondered why she was set on the path of a Nurturer. But considering she didn't forget my birthday after thirteen years... maybe I had misjudged her.

Tallis,

Congratulations on all your achievements. Don't think I haven't noticed how far you've come. Not a surprise, mind you. Even at the tender age of three, I knew right away you had a keen and curious mind.

Now that you have your own space and security, I thought that perhaps you are now able to properly take care of a precious possession.

This music box was left with you by your birth mother. Curious, petite lass she was. She cried. That is not unusual. Not every mother who drops their kid off on my doorstep are completely without remorse. What was strange was she would not accept the money for you. I am sorry to say I did not know what all she had to say. I was able to decipher the name she had given you. But she kept making the same hand motion that I only later realized meant 'west'. She bent down to you and signed something.
That is all I know of the matter so do not you come looking for this old lady for any more answers.
You have far more important things to do. And you are going to do wonders.

Happy birthday, Tallis.

~Ogym, H.

I spent the remainder of that birthday drinking with Glinn. I couldn't stop thinking about the letter and my mother. The song of the music box triggered some memories I had long forgotten. It wasn't enough. But it was enough for me to confirm my mother loved me. I even vaguely remember a father being present at some point though not as clearly as Mother.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something went wrong.

"She didn't take the money," I found myself saying out loud.

"Huh?" Glinn said, his eyes glazed over.

"My mother. She wanted me and she did not sell me. So, she didn't need money. Why would she leave me here?"

"Tallis... it's probably best not to think about it..."

"She was scared, Glinn! How can I not... she signed something to me. Something that I had forgotten..." I threw the bottle over the edge of the rooftop. "This isn't helping!"

"Hey! Don't waste the alcohol, you lousy drunk!"

"Oh... sorry," I hiccupped.

"Look," he said, grabbing onto my shoulder. "Just-just who cares, man? She's gone... you have to accept that."

"But I don't want to. I can do something--we can do something now! She went west! That's what she told Ogy-ym. What's west?"

"I don't know. Man... don't ask me to think right now. Alderias?"

"Alderias! That's it. We'll go to Alderias. I'll finish the airship plans. We'll get it approved and we'll go there."

Alderias.

I knew its lands were fertile... people migrated west for a better life in the old days. Maru, back then, was just a lump of rock. No one wanted to live in Maru back then. That was before the industrial renaissance. Then people stayed. Alderias was vaguely mentioned in the mandatory history of Maru class we were taught.

"Yeah... sure, we will..." Glinn continued guzzling down his bottle. I didn't register his words or cryptic tone. My mind was full of thoughts of Alderias.

Instead, I slept off a hangover then dove into work. The airship had fallen on a back burner while I was busy gaining experience and knowledge as Wafyl's most promising successor. But with this new motivation in mind, I was barely sleeping. Every thought revolved around the airship. I pushed through every doubt and obstacle, both physical and mental.

I discovered the words on the music box and researched the word 'heaven'. The definition plus the fact that DAYRISE was west... it just reinforced the idea that Alderias was where Mother headed, and it was the place I saw in my dreams.

When I told Glinn, I did not get the reaction I had expected.

"Heaven? Seriously? You have to stop, Tallis. Look at you. You're obsessed."

"What? What the hell do you mean? I can't just stop! I'm so close. Don't you want to get out of here?"

"And go where, Tallis? Maru is the only place where we would not be starving out in the street. Alderias may look nice but it isn't Heaven, Tallis. There are no angels in Alderias. It is run by a monarchy. That's worse than what we have here."

"Aren't you forgetting my mo--"

"Your mother abandoned you here! Just like my parents did. If she wanted you, she would've came back for you. Newsflash: she didn't and you're still an orphan."

"She could be in trouble--"

"No! She left you. You-you really don't get it? You are lucky! Maru has decided you are worth more than picking up garbage or shoveling coal. You can move up in this world. You could be on the council someday. Some of us would kill for your position and you waste your time on a stupid dream!"

"What happened to getting out of here?"

"We're not children anymore. It is time to face reality, Tallis. I am a nobody. The only future I have is what you see." He twiddled his dirty thumbs. "And you... for all that you know, and all your mind can do, you're trapped here worse than me."

"Glinn, we are going to get out of here. I promise! Don't give up now."

"Grow up, Tallis. We are stuck here. They own us. Get used to it."

"I don't have time for this. If you're going to be like this, maybe you are no better than what you are now. You don't want to leave? Fine! I will get to Alderias by myself. You would have just weighed me down anyway. Have fun shoveling coal."