By now, the word was out. Riley was dead. The rumors were ripe with the fanatical and strange, the story changing by the minute. Most portrayed her as a martyr, going down within the chaos of battle as she took with her multiple hunters. Other painted her in a very different light; a gigantic monster, who sought revenge on the student body as she sucked their FEAR dry.

It didn't matter, for there was only one thing that was true. Riley, her close friend, mentor, the one creature whom she looked up to the most, was gone. Never again would she hear that voice within her head, giving her words of wisdom, nor would she see a purple tentacle, or hear the chime of her crystal wings, the ones which Riley seemed to hate.

Oh Riley...I would gladly give you my wings, if only it would bring you back. I would do anything, just to see you again. Why did you have to leave us? Why did you go away?

It's not fair!

Astra had thought she had known the meaning of the word pain. But in hindsight, she had been foolish. So utterly foolish as to think she had been through so much in her short life. For what she experienced now, was something that would never mend.

She had been hurt when Red had been lost, but now, she may as well have been killed. It would of been a kinder fate.

Over and over she had played the scene in her head. She had heard of the students returning from the exchange trip. She had gone to see how they had faired, yet wasn't surprised to see them looking half dead (She was having trouble recalling a time when they hadn't.).

As her gaze traveled the crowd, she saw a flash a grey, and when her eyes landed on the statue, the whole world seemed to stand still. Everything became slow motion as her mind slowly worked it out. At first she thought it was just that, a statue. But the reaction of the crowd, the fact it was holding a very familiar plague doctor, and how the boogeyman swarmed around it...

She hid in the shadows of the weeping forest trees, watching the scene slowly unfold, unable to comprehend fully what was going on. Disbelief and shock kept her in a frozen state as she watched them carry away the statue. She stayed like this for some time after, until the area had cleared away.

At first, she didn't believe it. It must of been some trick! Riley must of been okay. She must have been in Nurse Crickets office! That was right, all Astra had to do was to go in there and she would find the mindflyer.

But when she went to the office, there was no trace of her friend. Nor was there when she went back the next day. Or the next. Or the next day after that. She began to look all over the school, calling our Riley's name and hoping that she would find her somewhere, anywhere. She even went to the mindflyers dorm room, and stayed there, knocking, calling out and just hoping she would hear a reply.

As each day past, hope began to wane in her, and the cold, cold truth began to seep into her mind.

Riley wasn't coming back.

The last straw for her was a few nights meeting Lizzy. When she had returned to her dorm, she had slept, and for a very brief moment, she had dreamt of peace. Dreamt that she had found Riley, and had run to her in a blur of tears. She wasn't dead! She was right there, comforting her and reassuring her she wouldn't leave, and she would never die.

However, the dream didn't last, and when she awoke to the darkness of her room, she knew.

Her friend was gone.

She sprung forwards, moving around her room and throwing all sorts of small items into a pile on the bed. Eyephone, eyepod, pumpkin seeds, spare clothes and the like. She wrapped them up in a bundle of cloth, then grabbed a stick form one of the trees in the room. Tying the cloth around said stick, she flung it over her shoulder and moved to the door, pausing the open her closet and let her minipets out.

"Puff...You're in charge.." She mumbled, and before her scareon could say anything, she was out the door. Down the hallway she flew till she was outside and looking at the deserted school grounds. Everyone was still asleep, so she doubted anyone would see her. With a quick glance left and right to make sure the coast was clear, she took to the air. It was a little tricky, trying to balance the stick and not hit her wings in the process, but she adjusted it.

Where she was going, she had no idea. All she knew, was she wanted to get away form this place as fast as possible. It was the most stupidest and childish thing she could do, and she knew it, but it still wouldn't stop her.

All she wanted was to get away from this school, before she would lose someone else.