Michael arrives home from work, calling out for Bastian. "Bastian? I'm home." He calls out. He sets his bag down, but no response. After pacing a bit he realizes there's a message on the phone's voicemail machine. It was Bastian's scheduled psychologist, stating that he didn't show up for the appointment Michael made. "Shit." Michael muttered under his breath as he grabbed his keys again and headed out the door.

Michael drives to the school and gets out of the car, observing all the kids running around outside playing. After seeing no sign of Bastian he walks to the front of the school. He tries the door handle but it was locked. He sighs and turns around. Subsequently, a man walks out the doors behind him. Of course, it was Mr. Blank. He eerily walks closer to him, "looking for someone?" He asks in the same unsettling tone as usual.

Michael jerks his head around from the startle, studying him for a minute before speaking. "As a matter of fact, yes, my son, Bastian. He's in grade um…six." He guesses. "Seven actually," he corrects. "I'm his teacher, 'Leonard Blank.'" He introduces as he reaches out his hand to shake. Michael reluctantly shakes it as Blank continues. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bastian is quite a boy. One of my favorites." He says the last part trying not to laugh while still keeping up his act.

"Glad to hear it. Actually I thought he might still be here." Michael says. "Oh no, I saw him leave the school grounds with some friends, at least an hour ago." He lies. "Ah, well maybe he went home then. Thanks for your help." Michael replies as he heads back off to his car. "Anytime." Blank replies as he watches him walk off. He finds it intriguing at the thought that he had believed him, he raised his eyebrow and headed back in. He was more than ready to carry out his plan tonight….

•••

Eventually, Tartus is found in his 'hiding place' with Artax and is brought into the tent by the guards. Xayide looks back up at him with amuse. "Oh look everyone, remember him? It's that 'brave woodland hero', Tartus," She mocks. "I don't know you, never seen you before in my life." He lies assertively. Irritated, Xayide stands up and forcefully puts her hands on his shoulders. "I hope you're a better 'hero' than you are an actor. Have you brought Atreyu to me?" She asks.

"No! I never even saw him, he must of…gone the other way or something." Xayide laughs. "Not much of a liar either huh?" She mocks. "I know he's here. And so you've earned your 'big reward'." She says sarcastically as she waves her hand in a gesture to open the lid. "Wait please let me go!" He panics as the guards open the lid to the green substance as it starts to swirl out and up towards him. Tartus groans as the 'nothing' encircles home, turning everything but his skin tinted with grey, just like the wise woman and the other woodlanders. Just like everyone she's neutralized so far.

The guards guide him out of the tent as Xayide continues to neutralize the rest of the woodlanders. "Tartus has succumbed to the nothing, it didn't matter to him whether Atreyu or the empress were dead, or alive. In fact, nothing mattered. From now on he would just be a cog in Xayide's machine." He reads as he describes what it's like through the eyes of any of the mindless drones. Bastian sets the book down and looks at his watch, he realizes he's been reading all day, since 8am when he got school, until 8pm. "Dad's gunna kill me!" He panics to himself as he stuffs his bag into his backpack and heads back downstairs.

Bastian opens the door from the attic closet cautiously, his eyes roaming around the halls in any sign for people. But the hallways were empty, since school ended around 5 hours ago. The lights were all off too, it was just Bastian at the school at this time of night…and…someone else. Out of nowhere Mr. Blank walks out of a nearby room with a chain of keys in his hand he was toying with. Bastian hurries back inside the closet and watches him go by.

Mr. Blank just stops in the middle of the hallway and stands still. After a few moments he finally blinks and messes with his keys again before turning around. He obviously knew Bastian was in the vicinity.

Bastian eventually made a run for it and sprinted down the hallways. Mr. Blank was still pacing around… He was even more determined when he saw the attic door open. He snarled and walked through, in which he discovered the secret attic. Although he didn't go up he just walked back out and snorts as he continues to walk the halls. "I know all about your little secrecy Mr. Bux!" He calls out. "Well…I wouldn't call it a secret anymore…" He adds as he chuckles.

Eventually Bastian manages to get to the front door before being stopped by the janitor who quickly grabs him. Bastian quickly shrieks before realizing it wasn't Mr. Blank. "Walter?" He asks. "Whoa- Bastian?" He replies as he sets him down. "What are you, burning the midnight oil?" Bastian quickly tries to think of an excuse. "Uh, I was just in the library, you know, doing some extra curricular reading." He says as he rattles the door handle. "Kinda creepy all alone in the school huh? You must be quite the keener." The janitor half-jokes.

Bastian wanted to explain the situation but he knew he would think he's crazy. "Sorry Walter- sir." He corrects. "It will never happen again, I swear." He says as the janitor nods and opens the door open for him with his keys. "Just don't let me catch you hanging out around hours again, and tie up those shoelaces!" He yells out. Subsequently, Blank turns the corner, knowing Bastian has escaped.

Walter turns around, confused to still see a teacher here as well. "Mr. Blank? Doing some extra curricular too?" He jokes as he walks towards him. Mr. Blank just walks towards him, almost as if sizing him up. "Oh no, just…making sure my classroom was in order, is all." He says as he starts to head out the front door himself. "Good night." He says in the same monotone voice and walks out to his 'car.' The man swore to himself in the car as he drove away, he needed to get that book from him.

Meanwhile, the book events were still going. Atreyu managed help hide the remaining woodlanders, grab unconscious Tartus and flee with his horse. He knew this was a situation too big for him to fix right now, but he did what he could, saved who he could. Both Bastian and Atreyu escaped that night.

•••

DAMNIT!!" The shapeshifter yells as he paces angrily around the halls of Dark City. Gaya jumps down a ladder looking thing from her usual hiding place she hangs around at in an upper corner. "What happened?" The girl asks as she starts to follow Gmork. Gmork turns around, "He got away, he-" Gmork continues to pace as Gaya crosses her arms and leans back against the wall. "The Boy?" She asks. "Who else?!" Gmork replies as he continues pacing. "I HAD him, he was within PERFECT reach. AND HE STILL FOUND A WAY TO ESCAPE!!!"

Gaya's eyebrows raise as she starts to find Gmork's outburst more amusing. She smirks, "Your never getting that book from him, you've been screwed from the beginning. The human boy is too smart-" Gmork suddenly picks up his pace until he is directly in front of Gaya, gripping onto her shoulders with a deadly grip. Gaya immediately stops talking and stares at him with a blank face of fear in her eyes. "Don't underestimate me girl..." Gmork snarls in a husky voice.

"I would shut that bratty mouth of yours if you know what's good for you..." He adds with his usual look of intimidation in his eyes. The girl just glares back at him. She has always been afraid of Gmork, although that doesn't stop her from standing up to him once in a while or ridiculing him, just like Xayide did. Although Gmork acted the same way towards her, but was sure to watch his mouth so the young girl didn't snitch him out.

•••

Once Bastian got home, he saw his dad watching tv on the couch. Bastian wanted just sneak upstairs but Michael turned around and saw him first. "Bastian!" He calls in a husky voice as he stands up. "Where have you been??" He asks in a slightly frustrated tone, but mostly with worry. Bastian sighs, knowing he probably messed up staying in the attic all day, but he still didn't want to fess up. "Sorry I was at Lucas's, we just got so caught up in our game and-"

"You should have called me! I told you, you need to tell me before doing what you want after school!" Michael sighs. "Just get ready for bed." Bastian has a small look of guilt on his face as he walks upstairs. He got changed into his pajamas and settled into his bed. Once he did so he picked up on where he had left off, where Xayide is having her moment of monologue. Bastian widens his eyes as he reads, how describes her hate and envy for her sister, how she hates everything.

He then hears his dad come up the stairs, he quickly hides the book under the covers and prepares for what he has to say this time. Michael walks in and stands in front of Bastian for a moment before ruffling his hair. "Goodnight." He says as he starts to walk away. "Night dad." Bastian replies. Michael then turns back around and sighs. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"Michael starts again.

"I said I was sorry." Bastian says. "Well sorry just doesn't cut it Bastian. Do you understand? You can't just say "I'm sorry" every time you screw up." He comments. "Well I'm just a kid! I don't know what else to do!" Bastian expresses. "While you can start by listening!" Michael exclaims. He then sighs and traces his fingers on his face and chin as he turns around and back at Bastian. "That goes for me too." He realizes as he sits on the edge of his bed.

"What do you mean?" Bastian asks. "Well, you said you didn't want to see a psychologist. I didn't listen." Bastian shrugs. "That's ok, I didn't listen when you told me to tie my shoes," he jokes. Michael laughs, "Oh, I met your teacher, Mr. Blank, at school today." He informs. "He acted very friendly and helpful," he adds. "Mr. Blank?" Bastian retaliates. Michael chuckles. "I didn't buy his nice guy routine for a second."

"So you believe me??" Bastian asks as his eyes light up. "Well there's definitely something creepy about him." Bastian sits up. "Well, what are we going to do?" Bastian suggests. "Grin and bear it Bastian. He's just a substitute he'll be gone before you know it. Nothing to worry about." Bastian looks down in slight disappointment that his dad wasn't fully with him on being wary. "Good night." Michael says as he walks out of his room and closes the door.

Bastian opens up his book again and grabs his flashlight. "Xayide returned to Dark City, with the dronified Woodlanders, but her mission was incomplete. The young hero remained free, and now that he held the magical power of the Auryn, the task of spreading the Nothing would be even more difficult. But Xayide was determined to succeed."

That night, Bastian fell asleep about 30 minutes later after reading. Tonight he had another dream. He's been having various dreams of glances through Fantasia ever since he got the book, but this one was different. In this dream, he saw a girl, about the same height as Bastian, who appeared by herself in a dark room. There wasn't much light around her, Bastian noticed the girl but couldn't say anything. She looked up at him from where she was sitting, she was practically looking through him.

The girl had pitch black hair with a purple streak, which matched her coal black eyes. She had on all black, a black leather top and a black skirt and tights, which followed with her steampunk looking boots and glovettes. She was staring blankly in Bastian's direction, but wasn't saying anything. Bastian then turned around for a moment to avoid the uneasy vibes he was getting from her but when he turned back, she was gone. Bastian then opens his eyes from the vision and looks around. He was no longer in the voided room he had just visualized.

To avoid experiencing the same dream, he gets up and heads downstairs to get a drink of water. After keeping himself distracted from sleeping for about 15 minutes, he eventually goes back to bed, trying his best to get some normal sleep while still being ill at ease…