As Cypur began dreaming of magical gems and saving Wes, someone shook him awake.

"Hey, Cypur, it's time," came a gruff whisper. It was Marchis.

Through the forest, he followed Marchis' green lantern. Rustling of bushes, footfalls crunching leaves, hurried whisper-talk—there were others with them. Brenda's broad shoulders, silhouetted in the moonlight, and occasional Voxy's split tongue snaked in front of the green lantern light. Two others, Cypur didn't recognize the darkness and they didn't have lanterns.

Only the sounds of their bodies brushing against the undergrowth disturbed the quiet. Sometimes some creature would scurry away but never make itself known. As the canopy thinned and trees became mere disruptions for stargazing, several white and pale blue lights could be seen flittering around in the sky—policeships. Sometimes they shone a stream of light on the ground.

"It's the docking grounds. Find your taxi here," Marchis muttered in Cypur's ear.

"Some of them're gonna land soon." Brenda spoke. "We gotta hurry." She began to run and the rest of them followed.

Bursting out into the open, Brenda called a halt. The stones led to sand and then to mud at the edge of a bank. Only the lapping water indicated there was some sort of lake down there. A bridge, half hidden in shadow, camouflaged into the night sky, stretched over a lake. On the other side were tall, gray platforms growing like mushrooms to catch ships that came down to land.

Marchis took the lead down to the lake. Under the metal bridge the lake shore stretched side to side. On his hand command, Brenda and one of the others began to dig in the sand until their shovels met something with a clank. What they uncovered with a large metal box that Marchis opened with a key. Inside was a metal boat.

"Quick, get it out," he instructed. He lifted his lantern to help guide.

"Why aren't we taking the bridge?" Cypur whispered.

"We are. But it'll beep if you try to cross on foot, alerting police you might be trying to escape, not that you can really go anywhere." He clicked his tongue. "Always wonder why they're so worried we can magically get off this godforsaken Ring." He flashed Cypur a grin, holding the lantern under his chin to give himself intimidating shadows. "Who would ever think to escape? Us life-sentenced fools?"

They placed the boat at the start of the bridge. In the white light, it became clear this was no ordinary boat but more like a long box with dials. When Voxy touched a blue button, the boat gave soft purr and slightly lifted up from the ground.

"C'mon." Voxy stepped into the boat and Cypur followed. It was quite sturdy. Brenda and Marchis came after. "Polar Eyes, come with us," she told a skinny man Cypur recognized, "Quincy, stay look out."

"Aye." The dark-skinned male saluted.

"Rule, keep quiet," Marchis whispered. "You can breathe, but don't talk. The bridge has to think nothing is amiss."

They all fell silent as Voxy nudged the lever forward and the boat floated onto the bridge. Cypur clamped his hands over his mouth. He glanced at the others who seemed as tense as he felt even though they had probably done this many times before.

Slow and steady. The boat was making its way to the middle of the bridge when a yellow light emerged on the far end and swept over them. Then another yellow light. Somehow, it didn't acknowledge the intruders. The few minute ride felt so much longer until they finally touched on the shore. Once the boat was safely hovering over the ground did Voxy slide the lever back, pushed some buttons, and landed the boat.

"Quick!" Brenda whispered. "I'll keep watch here. Take care Cypur. Good luck."

"Thank you." Cypur hurried to Marchis and Voxy. Skinny man Polar Eyes had already gone ahead into the forest that stretched along the bank. This one had pine trees. Bare bark stretched high, and leaves bushed out only on the top. As if someone had shaved the tree and left the head furry.

Between the trees, the horizon showed hints of pink behind the mushroom platforms. Policeships were landing or being sent off. When a platform sprang up, it made a shoop sound and the policeship jumped off to the sky, leaving a streak of white as it left the atmosphere. A few more landed on platforms that came down with a whistling, whining, 'fweeeen!' tucking in its neck like a turtle.

More policeships were thrown into the air with shoops. Marchis ran ahead of them. Cypur was about to follow when Voxy held him back at the top of the hill.

"Wait for the all-clear," she whispered.

Soon, Marchis gave the sign and they gathered behind a collection of crates at the foot of the hill. Once there, Polar Eyes began working on reprogramming Cypur's collar.

"Won't believe how many years they've been usin' this same device," he muttered as he worked, "There. Should slip off once you leave atmosphere."

"Thank you," Cypur said.

Fweeeen! came another policeship just as they reached the bottom.

Voxy stretched up as if trying to see something beyond one of the platforms.

"Unscheduled," she whispered. "Halfhuman patrol."

Cypur peeked from out behind the crates. Sure enough, two Halfhuman police were coming around from one of the platforms. They were talking loudly and seemed to be the only police on patrol. One was a Ropardia with a leopard head and tail, and the other was a Sarvai with a full fox head and fluffy orange-red paws and feet. The Sarvai didn't have shoes on.

"Damn," Cypur swore quietly because Sarvai had good hearing. That would be a problem.

"Hope they leave," Marchis said in a low whisper. "Let's wait."

Minutes ticked by. Soon the two came closer to the pile of crates.

"I set my bets on Martle Night. Damn," came a drunken young male's voice. "I hate him."

A grumbling voice followed. "Yeah, that's all ya worry 'bout. What about her, Mason? Don't ya think it's too early? Ya know what they say, three years after a lover's death, and then—"

Mason groaned. "Scotchie, I told ya, I'm movin' on now. I have to. She died two figgin' years ago," came the drunken voice in a sad tone. "I'm not bein' unfaithful. We weren't even datin'."

"Shite, I miss her, don't ya?" Scotchie said. "She would've loved this sudden stupid mission."

"Yeah."

The two went onto howling like the Halfhuman dog types sometimes did when they were excited.

Their footsteps stopped in front of the crates. Cypur glanced at Marchis who glanced at Voxy who shrugged. What were they going to do if these two never left? A Sarvai had exceptional hearing. It was their specie's trait.

"When we up anyway?" Mason said with a yawn in his voice. "I just wanna sleep."

Scotchie gave a loud exasperated sigh. "I just said, thirty more minutes, three seconds ago. Keep your head on or no one's gonna date the sorry, pathetic, wasted male called Mason."

There was some scuffling, rolling about on the ground, until Scotchie called a time out. Then the two Halfhumans continued walking. 

Voxy peered out from behind the crate and gave a thumbs up. Marchis kept his head down and almost slithered across the ground. He reached the policeship with 'Sorcerer Faction' written on the side of it. He turned back, gave a thumbs up, and got to work with a device to unlock it. The only light was from the platforms with stretched necks waiting for in-coming ships.

Cypur glimpsed the bright orange of Scotchie's tail between two necks of platforms. They were coming back around the perimeter fast. He tugged at Voxy and pointed. Voxy motioned to Marchis to get back. He held up his finger.

"We might not have a minute, damn it," she hissed. Polar Eyes tapped her on the shoulder.

"I'll cause a diversion." He stood and ran out before she could stop him. Voxy lifted her arms as if defeat. Cypur watched Polar Eyes run towards the bridge. He began singing off-key in a loud voice and then he ran onto the bridge. Sirens went howling.

"The boss will get us for this, come on Mason!" Scotchie could be heard yelling as Mason shouted something incoherent. They scampered off towards Polar Eyes who dashed across the bridge shouting above the sirens.

"I'm in life sentence, ya animals, ya can't do anythin' more to me!" Polar Eyes taunted them.

"You bastard! Get back to your area! This is restricted—!" Scotchie's voice was cut off when the sirens began to scream. He started flapping his arms and turning around in the circles until Mason violently shook his shoulders. They took devices out of their pockets.

Oh damn, they're going to call their boss. Cypur bit his lip and hoped Marchis could get the ship for him soon! Or all of this would go to dust.

"Cypur, come on," Voxy shouted over the sirens. Marchis had just unlocked the mechanism.

"Just get in the trunk area and I'll set it to its home. Policeships can travel home autopilot." Marchis pointed his black device to the ship. It purred to life and hovered slightly above the platform, but didn't take off, and neither did the platform throw the ship. Cypur pushed a few boxes aside and climbed into the trunk. It was just the right size for two of him to fit.

"You got this kid," Voxy squeezed his shoulder, "you got this."

Cypur's chest tightened. He hadn't spent so long with these Humans, but what was this feeling? He was going to miss them? It was strange that a bunch of life-sentenced Human criminals made him feel included.

"Alright, all set!" Marchis announced. Then he turned to Cypur.

"Take care." His voice cracked.

Cypur shook hands with him, and then Marchis pulled him into a bear hug. Smelling of sweat and alcohol, it wouldn't have been pleasant but right now, it didn't matter.

"Not many citizens I've helped leave an impression on me. But I'll remember ya, Cypur. And ya helped me realize not all Sorcerers are bad. Good to give 'em a hell-a chance, eh?" He stood back and gave a crooked smile. "Good luck out there." He pointed his device at the ship and the door slide shut. The platform shifted below the ship. Below, Marchis and Voxy were clapping—Steppenchellia.

"Yah, tata ta! Yah, tata ta!" they seemed to be saying. Voxy turned to leave, beckoning to Marchis who still at it.

I need to thank him! Cypur banged the glass. Regret filled his stomach with nausea. Marchis did so much for him even if they didn't know each other for so long.

With a jolt, he suddenly remembered Universal gestures. Marchis was still visible, still standing there watching the ship rise. Cypur desperately waved his hand up and down in front of his chest—'thank you'.

Thank you, Marchis. For everything.

At last, Marchis stopped clapping and made the gesture of 'welcome' with his finger circling his chest. The ship buzzed. With a 'fweeen!' the ground disappeared, and clouds obscured the view. Cypur's body lifted for a moment when the ship left the atmosphere, but soon it settled as gravity came online.

The collar clicked and clattered to the floor. A burst of tingling zipped through his body. My magick!

Faud? He tried, hoping his Faud hadn't disappeared again.

Yes! I've returned! His Faud seemed just as glad as he was to be back to normal again. The Faud poked his indigo blue head out and gazed up at Cypur with his big round, googly eyes.

Where were you?

"Deep inside your soul, I think," it spoke this time, "I couldn't get out and you couldn't find me." Its whiny voice sounded like Cypur had enjoyed a bit of helium.

He patted its head. It was scaly, but smooth skin. "Well, you're back now. We have to go find Wes and apologize for not believing in her. We might even have to rescue her again. I don't know where we'll end up with this ship, but as far as police know, I'm in jail. Hopefully, no one's looking for me and that can be to our advantage."

The Faud nodded and slipped back in. Cypur took off his cape and worked a bit of magick into it to make the hood a little bigger. With his Faud out now, his magick came easier than before. Less effort, more natural.

The hood was the biggest he could get it. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of doing this before. Might have been able to escape those Junior Bounty Hunters before the attack in the Shame Garden.

When he lifted his head, out in space was band of blue and green gradient curving inward, stretching from one end of the window to the other. Some patches of it obscured behind white cotton puffs. The Fifth Ring where he had just been! He'd never seen a Ring from space before.

"Starlights, look Faud, it's beautiful!" Cypur summoned his Faud and together they sat, staring out at the Fifth Ring until the details blurred.

At the front window was his home ring. A thick gradient band of dark blue, deep purple, gray, and black gradually came into view. Some parts gray rectangles—buildings—with white laced in between them—ice. Before he knew it, Wintertine had come upon the Fourth Ring. That meant Carnival was over and many citizens would be out.

Wes, wherever you are, I hope at least you're warm.

Cypur bit his lip. Unable to plan ahead, all he could do was wait for the ship to land.