The sky was glowing.
Not from the sun—but from stars.
Thousands of them.
But these weren't the stars in the sky above. These were falling from a massive floating island up ahead. The island spun slowly in the air, surrounded by glowing shards, swirling lights, and broken rocks that floated in strange patterns.
This was the Isle of Falling Stars.
Kairo stared from the deck of the Cloudreaper.
"It's beautiful," he whispered.
"It's dangerous," Cinder added, holding onto the railing. "This place isn't normal. The air here moves in circles. The gravity pulls sideways. And those stars… they're not just lights. Some of them explode."
Velka stood beside them, staff in hand, listening to the wind.
"This island has its own song," she said softly. "And we have to follow it."
Kairo looked at her. "Are you sure you can guide us through?"
"I can hear the safe paths. But you'll have to trust me."
"We do," Kairo said.
And they flew in.
The Cloudreaper entered the starfield slowly.
All around them, pieces of glowing rock floated in every direction—up, down, sideways, even backwards. Some were small as pebbles. Others were the size of buildings. Each one shimmered like it had been carved from the night sky.
The ship rocked gently as gravity shifted.
Kairo gripped the wheel tightly. "Why is the island spinning?"
"It used to be part of a sky temple," Velka explained. "Long ago, something broke it apart. Now it drifts in a loop."
"And the stars?" Cinder asked.
"Fragments of sky-energy. Alive. They don't like visitors."
As if hearing her, one of the stars ahead suddenly flared bright, then exploded into sparks.
The ship shook.
"Whoa!" Kairo shouted.
"Left!" Velka called. "Turn now!"
He turned hard, and the ship dipped just in time to dodge a spinning shard.
Another rock floated toward them, glowing blue. It began to crackle with energy.
"Go under!" Velka shouted.
The Cloudreaper dove beneath the rock, just as it shot out a bolt of lightning. The crew ducked as the bolt sizzled past the sails.
Kairo laughed nervously. "This island really doesn't like us."
"We're close," Velka said. "The map piece is here. I can feel it."
They followed her directions through the storm of stars, deeper into the heart of the island.
At the center was a ruined tower, half-floating, half-broken apart. Old stone steps hung in the air like puzzle pieces, connecting to nothing and everything.
Kairo brought the ship as close as he could.
"I'll go," he said.
Cinder handed him a grappling hook. "Try not to float into space."
Kairo jumped off the deck and used the hook to swing onto one of the floating stones. He moved carefully, hopping from one step to another, until he reached the center of the tower.
There, resting on a pedestal of glowing crystal, was another piece of the Atlas.
It shone with golden lines and a faint hum.
Kairo reached out and touched it.
It was warm.
Suddenly, the stars around him began to flash red.
A deep rumble echoed from inside the tower ruins.
"Uh oh," Kairo said.
Something was waking up.
And it didn't want him there.
END OF CHAPTER 5