"Kyle!"

Kyle floated somewhere between conscious and unconscious. His eyelids were glued shut. He wanted to wake up, but he could not.

"Kyle, wake up!"

Something wet brushed his face. He wanted to push it away, but his arm was too heavy.

"Please, Kyle!"

There was a slit of light in the darkness. He knew where to go. He reached out for it.

"Kyle, wake up!"

Finally, he opened his eyes. Runt and Sasha licked his cheeks. His head was in Akora's lap, and she was staring down at him with an expression he had never seen on her.

It was fear.

"Kyle, you're alive!"

He sighed with relief. "Yeah. Guess I am." He looked around. Mr. Connolly, Vince, Mr. Efeta, Cloppin, and a one-eyed giant stood over him. He tried to sit up, but everything hurt too much. "Where are my friends?"

Vince sighed into a fist pressed against his mouth. He opened his mouth, and a few sounds gurgled in his throat before he willed himself to say, "I have bad news."

Kyle shot up. "Wha- AGH!"

"Easy, there," Akora soothed. "You're still in bad shape."

He grit his teeth. "Wh-Where are they?"

"Captured," Mr. Connolly sighed. "It's my fault. We should have evacuated sooner." He then nodded at Kyle and Akora. "Mx. Leichenbestatter will see to your wounds, then you two need to pack up and get out of here. We will contact you and your families when it is safe to return."

Vince hugged himself tightly, wrapping his hands around his thin arms. "Ya know, if we told them about the danger, maybe things would have panned out better."

"You know why we can't do that, Vincent!" Mr. Connolly snapped. "It would cause pandamonium! And let's say a few souls were inspired to charge into battle like Mr. Akfernen and his friends. What then, Vincent? We would have greater losses!"

Vince snorted. "Fine. Whatever. You want them to stay in the dark about their own safety, that's your prerogative."

Cloppin set a hand on Vince's shoulder. "Hey. Calm down, alright?"

Captured? All of them? Why was he the only one left?

"If they wanted me so bad, why did they take everyone else?" Kyle demanded. "I was right here!"

A dark figure rose from just out of Kyle's line of sight. His heart sank. One of the awful beasts had survived! But then it turned its reddish-pink head, revealing a glum vulture. It was Mr. Reaper. "That- was my doing," he grunted. "They said- when I fell out of the sky- I landed right on top of you." He took shallow, gravelly breaths. "Only reason Turncoat couldn't find you..." He coughed, uncurling his talons as he leaned against the giant's leg. In his clutches were two bloody lumps. He grinned. "I took his eyes."

Kyle's stomach churned and his throat burned. He looked away. It reminded him too much of what happened to Sean. "What about everyone else?"

"Already gone," Mr. Connolly said. "We evacuated while you were out. As soon as Vince got the all clear, he, Mr. Draug, and Mr. Efeta escorted everyone back to their rooms, and they all left." He looked down at the boy. "I'm so sorry you were left out here for so long."

Kyle looked to the sky. Dawn was upon them, light cutting through the frozen morning sky. It was still so dreary though. "We have to go get them."

"We will," Cloppin insisted. "You kids have to get out of here."

"I can do it," Kyle insisted. "Just watch! Someone hand me a piece of paper."

"Kyle, you have to do more than start fires to get your friends back," Vince said. "I know why you want to, but please, you need help." He tried to offer a smile, but his concern only made his face look like a melted wax sculpture.

Akora tightened her grip on Kyle's shoulder. "You can't charge into battle wounded," she said. "But I admire your courage."

He turned his head up to look at her. "You don't sound like yourself at all."

She took a deep breath and held it, but didn't say anything in reply.

"Don't make her explain herself," Mr. Connolly said. "We had a talk already. She's been through enough, and so have you." He turned his head. "Now, Vincent, why don't you escort these two back to their towers?"

Vince sighed through his nose. "Alright. Let's go, then." He reached down to help Kyle to his feet, but Akora retracted. "Fine. Do it yourself I guess."

Akora helped Kyle to his feet. His legs were shaky and his ankles kept bending so he was standing more on them than on his feet, but he was at least upright. He looked around the courtyard. There were patches of disturbed dirt and snow in vaguely human and animal shapes, where his friends must have fallen. Mr. Xian was still on the ground, sitting up against the wall, Mx. Leichenbestatter

patting his head with a damp cloth, leaning against the wall so as to not fall. He turned his head towards the top of the wall, where the gargoyles perched during the day. There was nothing there. All around him was a lifeless silence and hopeless faces. There were no goodbyes. Whatever he had said last to anyone was their goodbye. At least Alejandro had a, "See you later," or something like that, he couldn't quite remember. His last words to his friends were so optimistic, as if they were going to come out victorious. Except Sean. What did he say again? "You say that like we've already lost." And they did lose. He shut his eyes and tried to keep the tears from coming. I'm just in pain, he would say. He put a hand to his stomach to pet Fledermaus-

Oh that's right. He had come out of his sweatshirt to help him fight.

"Come on, Fledermaus."

But he was only met with silence.

He opened his eyes and looked around. "Fledermaus?"

All the others started looking around as well. "Fledermaus?" "Fledermaus!" "Where are you?"

"Mr. Akfernen, young lad!" Mr. Connolly boomed. "How have you remained so calm?"

"I'm not calm!" Kyle insisted. "I'm freaking out!"

"You are calmer than most when they're in this situation," Vince said. "I guess you have bigger problems than I originally thought."

"Now, Vincent! Don't be mean!" Mr. Connolly scolded. But Vince was right. It felt like everything Kyle had done up to this point was for someone else. He trained to be what Akora wanted him to be. He fought to be what Alejandro wanted him to be. Everyone expected him to be just as powerful as his mother. Ironically, he was the one thing she and his father didn't want.

It was time he did something for himself.

And so he ran.

"Where is he going?" Mr. Connolly demanded. "Kyle! You're injured! Get back here!"

But he kept going, legs wobbling, foot to ankle, pain shooting through him like electricity. He couldn't get very far very fast, but he could go.

"Someone go get him!"

He ran faster, but not fast enough. Someone was on his arm. No, under his arm? He turned his head. Akora had slipped her arm under his and was holding him up. But she was running with him. Runt and Sasha ran on either side.

"WHAT? STOP THEM THIS INSTANT! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!"

He looked over his shoulder. Vince and Cloppin had thrown their arms around the headmaster while he beat his wings furiously trying to escape. Cloppin yelled something to the cyclops, and the cyclops darted after the two. With his long legs he cleared a hundred yards in a single step.

"D'ah! Run faster!"

But the giant caught them. He scooped them all up in his giant hands, and he kept going. He covered the group with the other hand, but kept his fingers parted so they could see. He continued down the path, stepping clean over the gate and into the mountains. After a few more strides, he came to a stop. He uncovered his cargo. "Are you all okay?"

Kyle, Akora, Runt, and Sasha all lie panting in the cyclops's palm. "Y-You helped us," Kyle panted.

The cyclops nodded. "My brother told me to," he said. His voice was gravely, but warm. He sat down on the mountain, as if it was a chair. "We haven't met. I'm Cloppes." He pointed back towards the Academy, which had completely disappeared from their line of sight. "I saw the light. I was asleep and didn't hear those Ivory Horns coming. I sure am sorry I let all this happen."

Kyle sat back up. "Hey, it's not your fault," he said. "You didn't invite them in."

"Oh, but I did," Cloppes moped. "I should have been keeping watch. But that's why I'm going to make things right. Look, down there."

Kyle and Akora inched to the edge of the cyclops's palm and stared into the horizon beyond his fingers. There was bowl-shaped valley before them, with mountains and trees making up the sides. Nestled in the heart of the rocky bowl was a village.

"They can tell us how to get back to the old man's fortress," he said. "I spoke to them this morning, and they say they saw the Ivory Horns come through."

Kyle looked back up at the cyclops. "You mean he's not at that same castle?"

The giant shook his head. "No. We went back to go get him, and he was gone. He must have moved to the old fortress across the frozen lake." He let out a sigh. "I can't cross the lake, I'll have to climb along the mountain. It's very deep and I can't swim."

Akora stared nervously over the horizon. "And you think I can? How solid is it?"

"Oh, don't worry," Cloppes replied. "It's thick enough for a full team of woollies to charge 'cross."

"Woollies?" Kyle echoed. Like, sheep?"

Cloppes nodded. "Woollies! I love 'em! One time-" but something made him bite his tongue. He turned to peer over his shoulder. "I'm afraid that's all the time we have!" He started again towards the village. "I'll take you as far as I can. You look for a goatman with black fur and curly horns. He's the woolly runner. He'll take you across the lake." With just a few strides, he made it to the edge of the mountains and onto the tundra leading up to the village. "I can't 'member his name, but if you tell him Mr. Cloppes the Centicorn sent you, he'll help you out." He made it to the gates just outside the village. "I'll let you off here. My feets is too big!" He knelt down and set his hand palm-side up into the snow. "Go on along. I'll catch up. You get your friends and get out by the time I do now!"

Akora, Runt, and Sasha jumped off the cyclops's hand. Kyle first turned, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted a, "THANK YOU!" up at him. After he hopped down, Cloppes stood up and turned back towards the mountains.

Kyle turned to face Akora. She was staring at him knowingly. "They knew you were going to leave. And they knew why you had to."

"You got all that from that?"

She shrugged. "I knew it. I figured they'd know it, too." She offered her arm. "You good to walk?"

He hesitated, but he took her arm. He could trust her. "I could use the help."

The two walked to the village arm in arm. The villagers became clearer as the two got closer. As they made it to the first houses, it was clear this was no ordinary village.

The village people were all very different in appearance. Some had horns, some had multiple legs, some had fur, and some had scales. Those with less or no fur wore massive cloaks which engulfed them like cocoons, or stood beside what looked like a bakery and what looked like a forge. They all watched the two enter, beasts at their sides, no fur, scales, horns or tails of their own. Conversations halted. Walkers stopped and stared. Children gawked and pointed, making comments about their skin and eyes. Some standing around even folded their arms and growled. It was not the most welcoming of places.

A massive being resembling a cross between a human and a turtle leaned over the window of one of the buildings they passed. She made a very reptilian growl, then asked, "What's a couple 'a skins doin' down here?"

"We're looking for the wooly runner," Akora answered firmly.

Another strange reptilian sound bubbled up from the woman's throat. "Whazit to ya?"

Akora wrinkled her nose and pulled back her lip. "What's it to you?"

The woman made a strange noise. It sounded like a turtle laughing. "No need to be so aggressive," she said, tapping her long claws on the wooden window sill. "I'm asking 'cuz your type don't belong here."

"Don't belong?" Kyle echoed.

"Yeah!" the woman spat. "Ya don't belong!" Then she slammed the window shut.

Akora roared. "What a wretch!" She turned her head to Kyle and, not adjusting her volume, said, "You'll have to show them what an Akfernen can do! Then we'll see who doesn't belong!"

"Akfernen?"

The two turned to see a passerby, another reptilian, this time seemingly without a turtle shell (he wore a heavy fur coat, making it impossible to see, but he stood further upright than the turtle woman), leaning on a barrel and puffing on a pipe.

"Yeah!" Akora said. "You heard me right! This one's a Drago!"

That word still made Kyle very uncomfortable.

The lizard man spat. "See who doesn't belong, eh?" He half-chuckled, half-growled as he chewed the end of his pipe. "An' you think a Drago belongs with us?" He took a drag from the pipe, then blew the smoke in their direction. "Please. This is where all of us who don't belong go. You think a Drago knows what it's like to be chased from his land? To be hunted like a boar? To be designated to these small settlements, far away from everything else?" He scratched the surface of the barrel, scraping up long curls of wood. "We've done the best we can to make this village ours, to make it seem like a home. And we don't take kindly to skins coming down from the Academy and telling us what to do."

Akora opened her mouth, and Kyle had to pinch her to keep her from speaking. "We didn't mean it like that," he said. "We're just a little stressed-"

"Stressed?" the lizard man laughed. "Anyone else hear that? The skins from the Academy are stressed? Oh, where's Bencoolie? He'll have the perfect music to pair with your sob story!"

"If you'd just listen-"

"The time for listening is over!" the lizard snapped. "I've had enough fun here today. I don't have time to listen to some overly pampered infants talk about their imaginary problems! And for the record-"

"Our friends were kidnapped, okay!"

The lizard man recoiled and his yellow eyes widened. Akora flinched. Even other nearby villagers stopped what they were doing to look.

"I screwed up and I let my friends get kidnapped by some loon over in the old fort!" Kyle explained. "It's just been one screw up after another and now someone has to fix it. The headmaster would rather pretend everything will just work itself out, but it won't. I'm sorry what happened to you here. I wasn't there and I don't know how to fix it. But if you could just see it in your heart to point us in the right direction - it'll only take you two seconds - we'll be on our way and you can go on with your lives, and you'll never hear from us again. I promise."

The lizard man blinked a few times, as if waiting for Kyle to go on. Onlookers muttered to each other. Finally, someone came forward - a tall but hunched over figure in a tan cloak with a tall crook - and asked, "I thought I heard you say you were looking for the wooly runner?"

Kyle sighed with relief. "Yes. Thank you so much."

The figure stood taller. "Don't thank me yet, I haven't done anything for you." He pushed back his hood back, revealing massive black horns curling behind his head and glossy black fur. "That's me. I apologize it took me so long to get over. I'm not what I used to be." He nodded his head towards the lizard man. "I apologize if Arthex was giving you a hard time. He doesn't take kindly to strangers."

The lizard put the pipe back into his mouth and didn't say another word.

The goat man took a few more steps forward. "I'm sorry, what did you say your names were again?"

"I'm Akora," Akora began, placing a hand on her chest. "The wolf is my Familiar, Runt, and the sabertooth is my pet, Sasha. The boy is also here."

Kyle playfully shoved Akora. "I'm Kyle."

"Kyle?" the goat man echoed. "Funny name. My name is Regalius. Cloppes told me about your situation. Come with me, I'll take you across the lake, no charge of course."

"No charge?" Arthex repeated.

"Be silent, Arthex." Regalius waved his crook. "Come along, no time to lose."

Kyle and Akora followed the old goat man to the outskirts of the small village. While plenty of villagers were still annoyed by their presence, they had still won a little respect. Regalius was a beloved member of their community. If he trusted the skins, then they, too, would trust the skins. Finally they passed the final house, and found a flock of woolies.

Woolies were, in fact, not sheep. They were enormous creatures, the size of bulls with horns to match. Their legs were thick as tree trunks, and their hooves were big as serving dishes. They were also covered in thick cords of hair, as if someone had covered the creatures in yarn or mop tops. Even though their eyes were covered, they still looked up at the group as they approached.

Ever a child at heart (and in mind), Kyle wanted to pet one of the beasts. "Do you have any snacks for them?"

"Snacks?" Regalius repeated. "This is serious!" He reached into a pouch beneath his cloak and retrieved carrot slices. "But yes. This always gets them ready to go." He gave a few slices to Kyle and a few to Akora. "Make sure everyone gets some or they won't want to run." He let out a whistle between his teeth and stamped his crook into the ground. "Oh, my beauties!"

The woolies stampeded to the gate. They blended into one cloud, one tangled mess of yarn.

"There's eight altogether," Regalius said. "Feed away!"

Each of them reached forward with carrot slices for the woolies. Some lunged after the open hands greedily, others took the time to sniff fingers. Sasha lie down and watched them, like a cat in a windowsill.

Kyle turned to Akora and asked over the bleats of the feeding frenzy, "Is Sasha going to be a problem?"

Akora looked down at the big cat. "I hope not."

That was a good answer.

Once the woolies were fed, Regalius opened the gate and harnessed them the sled. It was a big wooden sled with red cushions inside. Kyle, Akora, Runt, and Sasha all piled into the sled while they waited. Runt curled up on Kyle's lap. "How long will it take to get there?" Kyle called.

"Ten minutes," Regalius answered as he settled into the driver's seat. "Is that not quick enough?"