"In this futuristic high-stakes adventure, humanity clings to cities on the highest mountain peaks above the deadly Fog, and airships transport the pirates of the skies. Daring 13-year-old tetherboy Chess and his salvage crew must face the dark plans of Lord Kodoc and work to save their beloved Mrs. E"--

Chess and his crew -- Hazel, Swedish, and Bea -- may have escaped the slums, but they cannot escape the Fog that threatens to swallow the entire mountaintop city of Port Oro. Only one thing can stop the fog: an ancient machine known as the Compass. Only one person can find it: Chess. With the help of his crew, Chess faces dangerous encounters, brutal battles, and deadly driftsharks to unearth the hidden instrument. It's a race against time to save this high-altitude sanctuary.