As Appo walked, he found his pace more brisk than expected. He had escaped capture by the guards. Not only that, the city wasn’t even on alarm. Appo found himself angry that Juddken was still alive, but he did just cut off his hand after all. All things considered, he was giddy.

It didn't last long. Appo realized that despite his luck thus far, the guards knew that he had escaped and knew that he was heavily injured. In the distance, Appo heard the humming of the city. People were already up and making their way down Main Street. He would need to blend into the crowd. What he really needed was a shirt.

Appo passed a street corner and walked down an alley. He found a clothesline adorned with robes and tunics of various sizes. He attempted to grab a beige robe with both hands, momentarily forgetting his injury. His arm was becoming more numb; he couldn’t feel anything past his elbow. With some difficulty, Appo threw the robe over his head and put his good arm through. It was a little big for him, but it would do. He kept his wounded arm tucked inside. No need to show Ashfolk how fresh his stub was.

Now fully dressed again, Appo covered his head with a hood and walked out onto the streets. He stumbled like a drunk, but that in itself wouldn’t raise any attention. He just needed to get to his elephant now.

Time was moving strangely again. He was now seeing people. Some looked like him. But many wore elaborate costumes and strange masks. Some held candles. Some weren't even wearing clothes at all. Appo wasn’t sure how much of it was real. How much blood had he lost again? He passed a few guards but they were focused on leading the crowds inside. There were animals as well, so many to keep track of. Yaks. Camels. Lions. Bears. Elephants. Were they all here too?

It all reminded him. He needed his elephant. He was almost at the stable now.

Hundreds were passing through the gates. Beasts roared and people chattered. Appo kept to the sides and passed as many people as he could, but they kept coming in. It reminded him of his days back in Jyvask, and no city held more people than Jyvask. People kept pushing him aside, and Appo could barely stay on his feet. He needed to warn them. Warn them about the plague. A few guards were infected. They needed to avoid the water. He needed to avoid the water. He tried his best to warn them but they tried to kill him. They were killing him now.

The stables overflowed with beasts. Appo recalled that his elephant was at the farthest stable, but he hoped that they hadn’t moved her. He had paid for five moons but with the holiday who knew what they could have done with her? He walked along, passing the hordes of people screaming at the stable owners, asking why it would take a month's salary to host their beasts. They would have to slaughter them, they said. Appo moved past them.

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Appo found his elephant where he left her. She was in the stable with four others, all crammed side by side. Appo recognized his by the leather saddle that wrapped around her and the multiple satchels that held off her side. All of his books and food and water and surgery kits. “Ha.” He would have to look through those later. Right now he just needed to move her out of here. Appo grabbed the rope tied around his elephant’s neck and led her outside the stable. She moved gracefully but swiftly, as though she were as ready to leave Ash as Appo was.

Appo attempted to climb on top of his elephant, but his strength was entirely gone. Had the elephant wanted to stay in the stable he would have been unable to even guide her. Fortunately, she seemed to sense what he wanted. Appo guided the elephant out of the stables and through the crowds, passing several other elephants, their owners clamoring to take the space Appo just left open.

The two walked briefly, stopping a few paces outside of the city walls. Appo looked around; there must have been hundreds more tents and yurts than when he entered. There were thousands of people trying to get inside, masses stretching almost out of his line of sight. Appo took a moment to look over before realizing why he had stopped; the elephant had planted herself in her tracks, groaning as Appo pathetically tugged on her rope.

“Come girl,” Appo croaked.

The elephant didn’t budge. She lowered her bulk into the sand, turning her massive head at Appo. Her trunk flailed forward as if pointing at him.

“Ah,” Appo slurred, “ride. Thanks.”

With the elephant on the ground, he was able to get his footing on the saddle better. His saddle was connected by four steps that ran down each side of the elephant. Appo grabbed the rope and heaved himself upward. After much struggling, Appo threw his body over the elephant. He had no more strength. He wanted to vomit. The elephant raising her bulk into a stride didn’t help such matters.

Appo’s eyelids drooped. He was aware of the city and the crowd, but they were becoming smaller. He positioned himself on the saddle but with no means of control. He had no idea where he was even going. He knew the elephant was walking away from Ash. At that point, he didn’t consider much of anything. His thoughts were far from anyone. He thought not of the screamers, or all the people fighting to get into an infected city. He thought not of how he had failed to stop the disease, or how the town was most certainly doomed. He didn’t even think of running away.

As the sun rose over the horizon, and the sky began to return to a hazy yellow, Appo slumped over his elephant. He was vaguely aware that the numbness in his arm had crept up to his shoulder. It was only a lingering thought before he lost consciousness yet again, falling forward onto his beast, leading him off into who knows where.