Disclaimer - Don't own south park or any of the characters, just bored and wanted to write something fun.

Authors note – sorry about no updates yesterday! I spent the whole day watching anime with my little brother! But it really inspired me so I'll be sure to write plenty for the rest of the weekend!

Chapter 8

Outside the student council room...

Butters followed Kenny close but silently, he could tell Stan had struck a nerve earlier. Kenny sighed as the made their way down the hall. "Stan really pissed me off, but Kyles the victim here, guess we should go look out for him while his boyfriend is indisposed." Kenny started off towards the nearest bathroom figuring they'd check there first. Butters smiled and followed cheerfully humming to himself, maybe Kenny wasn't as bothered as he thought.

"Well Ken, if you really wanna find Kyle hold on a moment!" Butters said skipping past him and putting his arm out in front of his boyfriend. Kenny just stepped back and leaned against the lockers, he always liked seeing the take charge side of Butters, rare as it was.

"Be my guest butter ball" He stuck his hands in his pockets and relaxed, trying not to think too much about what Stan said. Though watching Butters now he couldn't help be reminded of his own mistakes, Stan had been right to accuse him, he'd been the one to mark Butters. Only with him it hadn't been an accident. Butters began muttering under his breath and Kenny felt the air pull at his clothes as the hall way fell deathly silent.

"Locate" Butters shouted extending his right hand straight out before him. An almost imperceptible pulse of air moved out in all directions. Butters' eyes were closed as he waited for the tell tail response he was looking for, and he got it, but there was something else. Butters spun on Kenny eyes wide. "Ken!"

In the third floor men's room...

Kyle had stopped crying a while ago, but he didn't feel like returning to class anytime soon. He'd already pretty much pieced together what Stan had meant by don't worry about it. He meant because no one was looking for Clyde, because it was essentially as though he had never existed. He wasn't positive, but he figured it had something to do with being a shell or a revenant or whatever he'd been. Kyle felt sick inside, part of him wished he could just forget about Clyde himself, and another part hated him for it. "How could Stan keep this from me...?" Kyle asked himself out loud, he knew his answer though before he'd even finished his thought. For the same reason he hadn't told Kyle about the job in the first place, the reason he'd faced his fears as a child, he was trying to protect Kyle from being hurt. Stan really was always looking out for Kyle, right now he didn't feel much like he deserved it. Kyle walked out of the stall finally to splash some water on his face. "I guess I should go back soon." His thoughts were interrupted by the bathroom door opening suddenly. It surprised him slightly, there weren't many classes on this floor at this hour, that was mainly why he had come here. Standing in the door way was a senior, some kind of jock by his letterman jacket. He had some kind of strange look on his face as he looked at Kyle. Probably came here to smoke or something Kyle thought. "Don't worry I'm out of here." He made for the door but the jock just stared blankly. "Umm excuse me can you move."

"I don't want to..." He mumbled to himself, he was really starting to creep Kyle out.

"You don't want to move...?" Kyle asked taking a step back.

"I don't want to be forgotten!" The jock screamed inhumanly as he lunged for Kyle. The red head yelped and ducked down under the sinks, the jock stumbled past, he wasn't very coordinated for an athlete. Kyle quickly crawled out from under the sinks and ran to the door.

"The fuck is your problem du-" He stopped cold as the jock turned to face him, he felt as though he was looking into Clyde's face all over again. Everything about the jock seemed wrong to Kyle but worst of all was the soul emptiness he could feel. "...shell" He turned and ran as fast as he could down the hall way and around the corner. The halls were dark with most of the lights barely even flickering. Everything seemed warped and twisted and Kyle quickly realized why, he'd somehow been pulled into the Nightlands. Only this time there was no one around to protect him. Two more jocks stepped out of the hallway in front of him.

"I want to live..." a tall lanky one said while the he swung at Kyle in a wide uncoordinated arc. Kyle ducked and was glad he did when the jock stumbled into the lockers on the far wall he crushed them savagely. Kyle scrambled to stay out of the way of the other stocky jock who was mumbling to himself like a mental patient.

"If we kill you, people will remember us..." He said before savagely charging much faster than the others. Kyle yelped and almost got out of the way but he got clipped by the jocks shoulder and went flying down the hall skidding to a halt on the tile. His attacker didn't seem to realize he'd missed though and he went straight through the wall like it was cardboard. Kyle got up and kept running leaving all three attackers behind him he slid as he went around corners, he couldn't get his bearings, the school's layout was twisted and stretched in the Nightlands apparently. There seemed to be more hall ways on this one floor than in the entire normal school building.

"Fuck where do I go?!" He could hear the shells mumbling just behind around each corner, he wasn't going to get away, he needed to hide. He sprinted fast as he could taking his phone out of his pocked as he came up to an intersection. He pressed play on his pandora app and through the phone down one hallway as far as he could before running the other way, just a few feet down the hall he saw a janitors closet and jumped inside quickly. He held his breath, he had no idea if the shells would be attracted to the sound of his phone, but they didn't seem all that bright if he was lucky they'd stumble towards it and he'd be safe, for now at least. He looked around the cramped janitors closet the brooms were broken and the shafts twisted and warped. This place looked like the janitors closet from hell. He heard the shells then, they seemed to have stopped in the intersection.

"Don't want to be forgotten..." One of the shells moaned making his heart jumped up into his throat, they were coming closer. He was going to die now, he'd practically gift wrapped himself. A moment later though he heard a familiar sound, it was a song, Kyle strained to hear what it was. Then it hit him, Fall out boy...? His ring-tone! Someone had called him, he momentarily cursed himself for not thinking to call someone, but then was happy he'd gotten rid of his phone as the shells lumbered off in the direction of the sound. Had he kept his phone, he'd be dead now. He slid down against the back wall and grabbed the nearest broken broom stick. He'd at least try to put up a fight if he was found, but he doubted it would matter, these shells could break him with their bare hands. He didn't cry then as he put he forehead down against his knees.

"Maybe It'd just be easier if gave myself over to them..." Kyle thought losing his will to fight anymore. I just want this hell to stop, how had Stan dealt with this his whole life?

Back in the student council room...

Stan was still crying when Wendy jumped up urgently. The rain outside stopped just as suddenly making Stan look up. He wiped his tear streaked face looking at the alarm on his girlfriends face. Her purple eyes were glowing and her hair seemed to be defying gravity behind him. She shot him the most alarmed look he'd ever seen from her. "Kyles in danger." Stan jumped up out of his chair his sorrow forgotten in the face of the job.

"How many?" He asked running to a locker in the corner putting in the combination. The lock popped as Wendy answered his question.

"There are 3, Kenny and Butters are already half way there, seems they noticed too they're moving fast." That brought Stan hope as he pulled out his back up sword, he kept in the student council room for just such an occasion. Something was bothering him though as he turned to Wendy and he could see the same question in her eyes.

"How did they get past you?" He asked but his girlfriend only shook her head, that disturbed him even more, rarely was she without an answer. She was deep in thought then but she looked up quickly.

"Butters and Kenny won't make it in time Stan, go now!" She held up her hand towards the door and the air twisted as it had when Stan's father had opened the way back to the real world, only this time it was moving in reverse and with an added bonus. "I'm putting you as close as I can, but you'll still have to run to make it!" Stan had already planned on it as he dashed through the opening Wendy let it close behind her. She stood silently in the now empty student council room, Stan's question echoing in her mind, How did they get past you?" She had no answers for that, it should have been impossible, unless...she bit her lip not wanting to consider it.

The third floor in the nightlands...

Butters and Kenny raced down the empty halls as quickly as they could. Kenny took the lead pulling out a pair of hand guns Butters kept magically hidden for him, not for the first time was he glad his boyfriend was such a powerful mage, though it might be the first out of bed. "Which way?" He asked the shorter blonde who pointed down a side hallway before dashing off. Kenny easily caught up and overtook him once again in the lead.

"Turn left next hallway! There are two of them!" Butters shouted ahead to his boyfriend as they slid around the corner, Kenny could feel his torn up chucks threatening to come apart at the seams. Butters had been right, there were two a tall lanky son of a bitch and a stocky bastard. "Ken I'll-" Butters began trying to step forward, Kenny put his arm out to block him.

"Nah, you've done enough for now, and I need to blow off some steam anyway." He as still pissed at Stan and right now these jocks were the perfect stand ins, no pun intended. Butters stepped back shivering as a crazed look came over Kenny's face. He hated to see Kenny fight, it reminded him of nights he'd rather forget.

"I want to live..." The fat bastard said turning towards the two blonds, predictably setting his sights on Butters, the larger of the two magic auras. Kenny dashed forward before it could make a move though. He had the gun in his right hand under the shells chin in the blink of an eye.

"Sorry, but I'm not a very good shot." He pulled the trigger the bullet tearing through the shells head and out the top of its head. He put a second one in its chest for good measure and then spun away to avoid a swipe from the lanky one. "So it would be nice if you stand still!" He fired two shots as he spun each going into one of the remaining shells knees. The shell barely noticed though even as it felt to the floor and instantly began clawing its way towards Kenny.

"Not forgotten!" It screamed black ooze dropping from its mouth. Kenny looked down at the pathetic wretch and placing his foot on the back of It's neck so it couldn't move. It struggled and struggled but despite It's massive strength it couldn't budge the one standing on its neck.

"I wont forget you." Kenny said putting two rounds into the top of It's head, all movement ceasing. Kenny turned back towards Butters who was frowning at him. He put on the best fake smile he could before calling out to the other boy. "S'alright butter ball, I'm alright, come on we still need to find Kyle." He turned and began making his way down the hall again, knowing he was anything but find, he'd almost lost control there. Butters sprinted till he was running just beside Kenny, the taller boy could feel his boyfriends concerned eyes on him. Butters always knew when he was lying.

At the same time, elsewhere on the floor...

Kyle almost didn't hear the approaching footsteps as he let himself wallow in his self pity. He didn't much care though, maybe he should just become a shell and be forgotten too, it seemed easier. He began to imagine what it would be like if he just disappeared and everyone forgot who he was. He imagined his family, and he felt empty. He imagined his classmates and Mr. Garrison, he felt empty. He imagined Kenny, Butters, and Wendy, his closest friends and still he felt empty. But then he imagined Stan forgetting him, and the pain was unbearable. He could take everything else, dying, everyone else forgetting him, his family, his friends, everyone at School, but not Stan anything but that! Kyle's eyes shot open as he heard the doorknob turn. The door opened and Kyle was staring into the empty eyes of the first jock. The jock though was staring back into eyes determined not to die. Kyle swung his makeshift weapon just like Stan had shown him. The weapon cracked across the shells collarbone, it shattered in Kyle's hands, but the shell stumbled and fell backwards. Kyle ran and jumped clear of its grasping hands. He turned to run but the shell had managed to grab his ankle after he landed. He felt his bone flex in the shell's hand and he collapsed to the ground as he was pulled backwards towards the slavering shell. "Let go!" Kyle jammed his free food into the shells eye, though if it noticed, it didn't show. It pulled him closer grabbing his other ankle now and dragging itself closer, as though it had forgotten it had legs. Kyle was paralyzed by fear. So this was how he would die, pinned down by some undead jock and devoured?

"Not forgotten!" The monster growled squeezing his ankles, Kyle felt the left one pop and it was certainly dislocated. The pain surged through him then, his second ankle popped, he'd never been in so much pain before.

"N-no! Please..." He was practically in tears as he struggled as hard as he could against the monster. He wished he could have seen Stan again, he wanted to thank him and tell him how much it meant to him that he'd always been looking out for him. He wanted to tell him that wasn't mad, that he understood why Stan had kept the job a secret, that he would have done the same thing in his place. He wanted to tell him how happy he was to have gotten to spend his last days with his best friend. The monster dragged him towards him again, finally regaining its feet. It lifted Kyle up and grabbed him by the wrists holding him a foot off the floor at arms length.

"Live...not forgotten." The shell mumbled in a crazed almost glee, It's mouth opened wide then and kept opening impossibly wide. Fangs sprouted and it's mouth grew large enough to...bite off a human head. Kyle knew what was coming and the tears fell freely.

"No! No, god no!" He shook and struggled trying to break free, screaming his lungs out. He didn't want to die. He wanted to see his family again, hang out with his friends, spend time with Stan. The monster lowered It's mouth around Kyle's entire head. He could feel it's wrongness in It's panting breathes. He had only moments, Stan's face flashed in his mind and anger flooded through Kyle like nothing he'd ever felt before. "Move!" The monster bit down on...air. Kyle popped back into being several yards down the hall. He landed on his feet but instantly fell to his knees wracked with pain from his shattered ankles.

"Forgotten!" The creature bellowed confused for a few moments before turning around to find Kyle still nearby. The redhead glared, he wasn't afraid anymore, he was going to live.

"Come on fucker!" Kyle shouted at the monstrous jock, it sprinted at him, suddenly more coordinated, but it mattered little. "Burn" The monster's torso burst into flames violently. It's scream brought a sick satisfaction to Kyle. It kept coming though and swung one arm at Kyle who barely got his arm up in time to block it. He flipped through the air and landed hard several more yards down the hall in the opposite direction now. His arm was twisted weirdly, he struggled to pull himself along the hallway with his one good limb.

"Arraaa!" The creature pounced toward Kyle. The rolled as best he could avoiding the crushing blow that smashed the tiled floor into piece. The roll cost him though, he'd landed on his twisted arm and pain wracked his body so badly he couldn't move.

"S-stan..." Kyle whimpered, looking on in horror as the creature turned toward him. It's face melted away until there was mostly bone on one side, he could see the ribcage and the black oozing organs beneath. Kyle was out of options. "Please...Stan..." The creature lunged with its fangs wide to devour Kyle's chest cavity. "STAN!" Kyle screamed closing his eyes waiting for the awful tearing to begin. He heard the sound of singing steel and the pain never came.

"You really are a terrible fighter." Kyle's choked as his eyes shot open to see Stan towering over him protectively. His glasses removed again he had large sword in his hands. His sword was almost as long as he was tall, with a long handle and a strange leather wrapping around the first six inches or so of the broad blade. It was completely different from Stan's preferred katana but he seemed just as at ease with it in his hands.

"You're...late..." Kyle managed to gasp out. He was smiling, he was in so much pain, but he knew he was safe. He could only stare up at his friend and marvel at how cool he looked with his back to Kyle facing a monster.

"Yea I'm sorry about that..." There was guilt in Stan's voice, Kyle wanted to tell him he had no fault. But before he got the chance his friend continued. "But I'm here, just hold on a bit longer while I kill this fucker!" Stan charged in at the shell, the tip of his sword dragging on the ground leaving a neat line as he ran. He whipped the sword up so that if was on his rear shoulder and twisted his whole body like he was about to swing a baseball bat. The monster swung at Stan and it seemed like there was no way he would avoid it. But just as the blow was about to fall Stan crouched and spun 180 degrees as he swung his sword. "RHAW!" Stan roared viciously as he cleaved air, locker, and shell as though there was no difference. Stan completed his turn with his back to the completely still shell, it's arms were raised as though it was about to strike. Stan walked purposefully back towards Kyle and with barely a flick of his wrist he sheathed his sword across his back. "Bear with me dude." Stan frowning as he swopped down to scoop Kyle up bridal style. Normally Kyle would have complained but he could barely think at the moment. Both ankles were crushed his left arm was twisted the wrong way and he was covered in bruises from the several times he'd been thrown.

"What about-" Kyle didn't finish his sentence as Stan started away the way Kyle had originally come. The lockers Stan had slashed fell cleanly in half revealing the clean cut into the wall behind it and the shell now lay cleanly in two on the ground among the wreckage already turning to ash. "So cool..." Kyle mumbled the room spinning as his heart rate finally started to slow.

"Hmm what is...?" Stan asked not slowing his march.

"Mmm...you..." Kyle passed out then, Stan blushed momentarily before panicking he needed to get Kyle to a healer. As though a god, or goddess, had heard him Kenny and Butters came trotting around the corner.

"Holy shit." Kenny exclaimed eyes settling on Kyle's battered body in Stan's arms. "Is he..." Stan shook his head and was about to start giving out orders. He didn't bother as Butters was already muttering to himself knowing exactly where they needed to go.

"Open!" He cried desperately, the air rippled again and all three jumped through the opening in the air. Back in the council room, Wendy had already cleared the table and motioned for Stan to set Kyle down on it.

"Butters can you-" Wendy began though wondering why she even bothered, Butters was an expert in these matters, he was always taking care of Kenny after all.

"Bind!" he shouted and Kyle was instantly held down to the table. "Numb!" Wendy silently applauded Butters consecutive spell casts without any sort of incantation to concentrate. Wendy turned her attention to her newest patient. She didn't say a word as her hair began to defy gravity again. Her eyes sparkled with a purple light and she suddenly seemed otherworldly beautiful. Kenny and Butters had to avert their eyes, Stan though wouldn't be moved though, he didn't flinch as the pressure to look away built. He wouldn't take his eyes off what was happening though, not from the two most important people to him. Blood dripped down his face from his eyes and he felt a building pressure in his head, but he wouldn't relent. Kenny noticed though and slapped his hands over Stan's eyes.

"Idiot!" Kenny tried to yell into his ear but for some reason in the quiet room he seemed drowned out. All three conscious boys suddenly felt their knees go week and Butters actually dropped to the ground and they were wracked with waves of nausea. And then it was over.

"It's done, he'll live." Wendy said in her bubbliest voice, she sounded relieved. She glared at Stan though when she noticed the blood dripping from his eyes and ears though. Her voice took a tender almost sad tone then. "Stan...you know I don't want you to see me...like that." He just nodded wiping the blood off with his sleeve.

"How is he?" Stan asked trying to change the subject. She huffed annoyed that her boyfriend was more concerned about another boy than he was her feelings, even if it was Kyle. The annoyance surprised her, she didn't often have such...human emotions. That would be something to ponder later she thought to herself.

"He'll be alright now, good as new, but it's a good thing you got him here so quickly. He had fractured ribs, a punctured lung, some internal hemorrhaging and a dozen broken bones." Butters gasped at the list of injuries and Kenny just whistled.

"Didn't he protect himself with his aura?" Butters asked walking up and combing his fingers through Kyle's hair. Stan winced.

"It's only his second full day of being marked, he doesn't know how to yet. He hardly knows anything." Stan said unstrapping his greatsword and setting it against the wall.

"Damn, he did well then." Kenny said giving his hand guns back to Butters who whispered a spell and had them vanish into pocket dimension where he liked to keep things. "Most hunters need to train for months before they are able to fight a shell, and even though most aren't mentally prepared for the real horror." Not that Kenny was really an expert, he wasn't a hunter, and he preferred to avoid fighting shells when he could. But he remembered how he felt when he'd encountered his first shell, it was pure terror. The wrongness the pure vile emptiness, the familiarity. Kenny shuddered and shook his bad thoughts away. Butters didn't miss it though and frowned at him.

"Wendy, how did those shells get into the school?" Butters asked concerned. "They've never been able to enter before, I thought you had this place marked as sacred ground?" Wendy looked over concerned and unsure for one of the first times in her life. Rarely did she ever not know something, especially in her domain. She didn't want to admit it, but there was only one explanation, first Clyde a revenant right under her nose and now shells were able to bypass her barrier.

"I can only think of one way that a shell or a revenant could avoid my sight." Wendy started and Stan was looking hard down at Kyle's sleeping face.

"A god granted them divine protection. Right?" Stan stated more than asked the goddess, his girlfriend in front of him.

Authors note- DON DON DON! O_O so yea review!