We are in our cell. The five o'clock of the morning has already rung. We are changed into the warm clothes sewed by silkworm fairies - our allies. We've tucked the prison clothes under our blankets, so that, as Dagur's said, they will show up on the map instead of us.

The cell doors open. It seems Rufus's already taken care of it - he saw to it that all bat-vampire administrators would be fast asleep by now so that the ravens could guide us outside. Generally, bird-vampires and bat-vampires take turns when guarding us, but now, since bat-vampires, including their leader Ronald, have successfully drunk the sleeping drug, they won't disturb us. They won't even manage to chase us. Knut's drug is strong, so they won't wake up no matter how Bob tries to rouse them.

Annabelle, Yelen, and I run out of our cells. The other vampire prisoners too have come outside. The doors close behind us. They were set to be open for only a minute so that we'd manage to escape. They need to be closed so that when guards pass by, they won't suspect anything. Maybe we've taken care of the bat-vampires, but the felines still roam freely all around the prison, so we mustn't let our guard down.

Rufus and the bird-vampire administrators meet us in the corridors and guide us out of the district. Rufus motions us to keep quiet, so we do.

"So, Knut and Shon have made it?" I whisper to Rufus.

"Yes. The camera signals are out," he replies.

That's a relief. The cameras won't capture our motions, that way. Everything so far is going as Dagur and I have planned: Shon caused a ruckus deliberately, so Knut took him to his room to pass judgment on his own, as he usually does. They have turned off the computers in Knut's and the warden's rooms, and then all the cameras from Bob's central computer. Thus, all of us should be outside by now. Hopefully, the prisoners from the districts whose headmen aren't supporting us have managed it successfully, too.

We don't meet any disturbances on the way. It seems Dagur was right - the feline administrators do sleep at this hour. We emerge in the main hall at the gates, very soon. This is the same hall whence we'd go on hunts, months ago.

The bears, the monkeys, and the merpeople are already here, waiting for us. They had it the easiest, just like us. Gregory, Mei, Rufus, and Sora - the baboon headman of the Monkey district - are on our side, so, they've helped us to safely escape.

Annabelle exchanges greetings with many of her friends, among whom are Hotaru - a Japanese guy with relatively short stature yet muscular build; his girlfriend, panda headwoman Mei - a slim maiden of short black hair and almond eyes; Sora, or, as he's more referred to as - Son Goku the Monkey King (don't let that fool you, it's just his prison alias since he considers himself a tough guy); and Rachel, Rio, and Justina of the merpeople.

"Others haven't yet arrived?" I ask Gregory.

"Not yet," he replies. "We're the first."

"Let's hope they'll make it out as easily as we..."

I really am scared. Our four groups would definitely make it since we are backed up by our respective headmen. The other groups, however, will have it harder - even if some administrators are supporting us, the headmen aren't, so the administrators will need to lull their and their supporters' attention somehow, to lead all the prisoners out.

We hear the floor crack. Soon, it breaks open into a small hole, and a tall woman of thirty years, with long green hair and hands and feet covered in green lizard scales, crawls out. It is Tasha - an old-timer who's agreed to cooperate with us. She's highly respected in the reptile district, so she's promised to act as their leader for the break-out.

Tasha takes a look at us with her yellow reptile eyes and waggles her tongue in a lizard manner. Annabelle, who was the one to inform her, waves a hand at her with a smile. Tasha, once assured that it's us, cries back into the hole:

"It's safe! Come out!"

The reptiles, some already covered in reptile skin, while others still newly-turned, begin crawling out one by one. They include all sorts of beasts: medusas with snake hair, lamias with snake bodies, lizard deviants like Tasha, and the only dragon - an inborn old-timer - Ivan, Tasha's boyfriend. He's in his human form now, but he's scary nevertheless, with black curls dropping down his scarred back and shoulders, deep green dragon eyes, and black dragon wings. He too, just like Dagur, was born in this prison.

When all the reptiles are out of the hole, they join us. Some exchange greetings with many of their merpeople friends, since they and merpeople get along very well. Tasha and Ivan, on their part, join us - the leaders.

"So, it's only us, for now?" Tasha asks.

"Yes. The others haven't yet arrived. I hope they make it, though. Or else we're going to have it hard," Rufus answers.

Just as he says that a door opens, to give way to Jared and the canines, who've made it successfully. Another door reveals the angels - the predator birds with all the different kinds of wings, hinting at their type. The angels are led by Bastian - a blond guy with blue eyes and a muscular build, much like Knut. He's a golden eagle, as his brown wings certify.

"What about the felines?" I ask Jared since their districts are next to each other.

"Lord Knut is with us, isn't he? They'll arrive."

That doesn't reassure me at all - I'm still nervous.

Soon, yet another door opens, and the centaurs rush in, with their hooves clip-clopping on the floor, although in a low voice since they're trying to be silent. They're led by Hana - a zebra deviant. She's a mixed-blood, with long black braids and black eyes of otherworldly beauty. She's twenty-seven-year-old like Annabelle, so they get along well.

The centaurs include not only horses, but all the hooved creatures: deer, antelopes, goats, and rams with horns sticking out of their human heads, sheep with woolly bodies, zebras like Hana, unicorns with horns sticking out of their foreheads, pegasi with wings, and even some fauns, since they're hooved creatures too, and are rarer than centaurs, so are included in the same district.

The floor cracks once more. The rodents come out, led by a black bunny woman of fifty years, Grace. She is an old-timer, so she's more than fit for the role of a leader.

Now, only two groups are left - the felines, and the fairies. Apart from that, Shon and Knut too must come. I figure Shon will tag along with the felines since Knut is leading them. So, I'm the most worried about the fairies now - they're being late. None of the fairy administrators has agreed to cooperate, just like in the angels', the reptiles', the centaurs', and the rodents' cases. However, the fairies will have it even harder, since they're controlled by Nanny and her clan of honeybees - the ferocious administrators who are all connected by family bonds.

Soon, the felines arrive, led by Knut. Shon too, is with them, just as I expected. I hug both of them and congratulate them on their success.

"So, is everybody here?" Knut asks.

"Where is Honorée?" Shon is concerned.

"Ugh, that's the issue!" I reply, "The fairies haven't arrived yet! They're the only ones missing."

"What? The cameras will turn back on soon, and Bob will find out what we're up to. We have to leave, now!" Knut frowns.

"We can't leave Honorée and the other fairies behind!" Shon argues.

"It's true." I nod, "Furthermore, without Honorée, we can't break the barrier."

"We can. I'll break the barrier," Knut insists. "We need to leave, or we all will be caught."

"I'm not leaving without Honorée!" Shon raises his voice.

"Keep quiet!" Knut glares at him. "You want the entire plan to fail?!"

"You're the one who wants to leave our friend and her whole district behind! I won't let you!"

"Quiet down, you both!" I cut in - if I don't resolve this situation, these two are going to tear each other to pieces. "Knut, you will need to lead the entire party out, since you're the only one who can break the barrier, apart from Honorée. I will go back for her and the fairies."

"I'm coming with you!" Shon says.

"No. You will stay with the canines and ensure you don't have anyone on your tail, just as we've planned. I'm counting on all of you."

"But Theo_" Knut tries to resonate.

"This is final!" I frown. "Go, all of you! Knut, you're in charge! Deliver everyone to the Sacred Grounds safely. Fairies have enough water elementals and flying types, so we'll manage fine. We'll be right behind you, no worries."

Even though I tell them not to worry, I'm just as much worried - if the barrier breaks before we reach the shores, the fairies and I aren't going to have a good day. So, we must be as fast as we can and already reach the ocean when Knut and his parties break out.

Rufus, Yelen, and Annabelle bid me a temporary goodbye (I sure hope it is temporary):

"Take care! And be careful, not reckless like you usually are!" Rufus advises me with a smile.

"Heh, don't worry, papa bird, I'll be fine."

"Best of luck, Theo! Please, be safe!" Yelen hugs me.

"No worries, Yelen. I'll be right behind you. You watch out for our fellow vampires." I hug her back.

"Ugh, why are you always the one to throw yourself into danger like this?!" Annabelle scolds me, as always. But this time, her embrace is tighter than ever. "Be careful, Theo! Bring all the fairies along, and... make sure Dagur comes, too."

I flinch - how come Annabelle's remembered about Dagur? I thought only I was concerned about him! Yet, her eyes shimmer with such worry... Don't tell me she's already got a crush on him?!

"I'll make sure to bring them all along," I smile to reassure her, "including Dagur, of course."

Annabelle hugs me one last time, and the vampires rush out of the door. Shon hugs me after my vampire friends are gone:

"Please, bring Honorée and the fairies to us, Theo. I'm counting on you."

"I will. Keep our friends out of trouble, on your part."

"Count on me!"

We exchange a friendly hug and Shon leaves with the canines. The centaurs, the reptiles, the rodents, the angels, the monkeys, the bears, and the merpeople follow after them. Knut approaches me the last, and before I can say anything, presses his lips onto mine with the greatest passion. I return the hearty kiss. His arms embrace and squeeze me:

"Please, be careful."

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. I'm a tough bird."

I wink at him. He smiles, although bitterly, and hugs me for one last time before letting me go.

"Let's meet at the Sacred Grounds!" he says.

"Definitely!"

I watch as Knut and the felines too, leave. They soon catch up with the parties ahead and go to the south of the island together.

I, on my part, leave the main hall and run through the prison corridors as fast as I can, towards the fairy district.