Blackrock.

It had been a few days since Zoey persuaded Rythian to stray away from Lalna. Rythian was feeling more peaceful. He was almost content with his life. Zoey was happy for him, and he was happy for himself.

"Hello, Zoey."Rythian greeted.

"Hiya Ryth!"She chirped. She was so innocent, and that's what Rythian liked about her. Her mind wasn't complicated to figure out. Always optimistic, and happy.

An emotion Rythian has only felt when he was with her. He smiled at Zoey through his mask, and ruffled her hair.

"I need to do some magic. I'll be in the condenser room if you need me."Rythian waved slightly and made his way through the decorated corridors. The black walls and white floor comforted him, the brick felt firm beneath his feet. The induction torches litter the walls, repelling the dangerous beasts of the night. Rythian sensed the magical power increase, and grinned to himself when he saw the condenser overflowing with mushroom stew. He pushed his cloak to one side as he retried the diamonds that had been reared overtime.

Four stacks.

He thought.

Enough. For now.

The Mage have the destruction catalyst a skeptical look as he put it away. He decided that he had to go mining, he had no coal. He couldn't even mass produce it, he didn't have any. Flying down into the depths, he equipped his pick and made his way into the complicated cave systems. To his surprise, he found little of any ore. And still, no coal. He found a sapphire, some gold and a little iron. He sat on a smooth stone, exhausted from his constant mining. His mind was burning. He wanted Lalna's blood. He wanted revenge. His fist clenched, and he would not let Zoey stop him this time. Lalna had to pay.

Rythian used his Swiftwolfs Rending Gale to fly up, out of the mine and through the oak wood doors of Blackrock Hold. The magnificent fortress he had created. Rythian drew his red katar and strapped enderbane to his side. His eyes glowed electric blue as he flew over forest, plains and snow. All the way to Lalna's castle...

As he was passing a body of water, he ran out of Möbius Fuel. He dropped like a stone. As an Enderborn, his skin hissed and sizzled in the water. Rythian shrieked inhumanly, and teleported out. One teleport after another, he went back to his base, weary, injured. Zoey, thankfully, was still doing her own thing, so Rythian crawled into the dark fort and grabbed his life stone.

He healed slowly, and the green glow around his body was comforting. He sighed in relief and pondered why his luck had run out. He leaned against the wall for a few brief seconds whilst he realised his mistake.

To get revenge, he needs to have the upper hand. He can't just duel Lalna and be done with it. Maybe... He had to find another field to specialise in. Magic was his forte. Lalna did both magic and science. Rythian knew for a fact that Lalna had much, much more thaumic energy. He has a huge Vis node in a glass sphere. And for the first time in his life, he realised... That he needed help.

***

Zoey wiped some sweat off her forehead as she sowed the seeds, the farm was coming along nicely. She smiled brightly as the mushroom princess skipped into her home, to find her partner in crime.

She saw Rythian merely standing, he looked worn. He flashed Zoey a quick smile before he held his hands out before him, muttering a few words.

To Zoey's delight, a single red mushroom appeared, and fell on her hands.

Rythian have her a closed eye smile - she could tell he was smiling due to the corners of his eyes - and she silently thanked him.

However, she had other things circulating her mind, and even her imagination could not predict what would happen.

***

There was a terrifying roar, and Rythian rushed outside the fortress, Zoey close behind. He heard Zoey scream as his eyes widened with anger, pain... And maybe even fear.

It was Tee. The dinosaur they had as a brilliant accomplice, sharpshooter, friend... Was dead. Blood seeped from his dinosaur head, a clear puncture in his temple. Made by a mining laser.

Zoey looked broken. She was crying at Teep's limp body, trying to say things through her sobs."how... Why... How... Rythian... can you heal.... Heal him?"

Rythian just shook his head, and glanced bitterly at his friend's body. Rythian looked towards the graves, and saddened at the fact that they would have to use them. He placed a hand on her fiery red hair, and tried to comfort her."I cannot heal the dead, Zoey."

"Whoever did this will regret it."Rythian growled.

"N-no, Rythian. It isn't right. I know I said that I would be in on this whole 'revenge' thing, but you and the people you care for are just going to get hurt if this carries on!"Zoey managed to choke the words out, Tee's death still fresh in her mind.

"Some things, Zoey, are meant to happen. It's not a matter of if its 'right' or 'wrong'. It's all about the satisfaction. I'm sure that Lalna and Sjin have both got a bloodlust of some sort. We combat offence... With more offence. And that's the way it is." Rythian finished.

Zoey responded with silence, and Rythian's eyes narrowed at the thick undergrowth.

"We need to bury him."

Zoey nodded as Rythian lifted the limp body. It was still warm, and this was harrowing to Rythian. He wished that Tee were alive. And the one who killed him... Had died in his place. As he gently laid down the green dinosaur in his grave, he let a small tear form.

His companion put Teep's bow in his arms, and placed some dirt over him.

"This is a place where death is all too real, Ryth. And I guess... That feeling this pain was always inevitable. Making friends... Causes some great suffering, huh..."

"No, Zoey. We're friends, right? Without each other, I think I would be clinging to the edge of sanity. And the price we pay really doesn't compare to the bonds we can form."Rythian smiled, almost like he wanted her to know that his feelings were a little different.

"Right!"she tried to stay happy as Rythian noted her oblivious nature.

Zoey cracked a few seconds later, bawling once more. Rythian could only comfort her, as in his mind, the most optimistic person on the planet had broken.

That's the problem with having friends...

***

After a heart wrenching ceremony, the duo flocked inside. The air was biting at their skin, and droplets of water were falling from the heavens. Rythian knew he had to be careful. Whoever killed Tee must've been in the forest.

Zoey was too grief stricken and too hectic to be of any help, but they both realised the loud, rapping on the door to the fortress. Slowly stepping down the hallway, Rythian tensed as he saw him through the door. He came through the door faster than Rythian could open it, and the Mage instinctively blocked his path to Zoey and put the other hand on my katar. Rythian showed a passive-aggressive look in my eyes, a warning.

Who was this man, you ask?

Lalna.

"What do you want?"Rythian hissed.

"Oh, Rythian, not much. Just your life!"Lalna cackled and tripped over.

"Get away from Blackrock, you drunkard."

"I am not a Drunkard! I am Drunkan! And a little birdie told me that y-oooou were planning on getting revenge. So I decided to nip the problem in the bud."

Rythian grit his teeth and tried more taunts."Drowning your sorrows in alcohol isn't going to get you anywhere. If presume this is about your apprentice, Lalna."

"THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH NANO! BLACKROCK WILL PERISH!"The drunk scientist roared.

"Likewise, with Zoey."Rythian replied, drawing his katar and trying to shoo Zoey away.

"Oh no you don't!!"Lalna equipped his mining laser, and aimed in vaguely Zoey's direction. They all missed, and Rythian thanked notch that he was drunk. They did create indents in the walls, however.

He ran up to Lalna, katar ready at his side. The red and yellow sword was glowing as it sliced across the metal of Lalna's armour. It made no difference.

"Damn! Should of known it would be ineffective..."

Lalna merely laughed as he shot his mining laser.

In a split second, a bullet hit Zoey in the upper abdomen. The mushroom girl cried out in pain, and Lalna merry laughed. She immediately fell to the ground. She crawled to lean on a wall, and tried to stop the bleeding. Her conscience was escaping her, and she was ready to give a final effort.

Rythian cursed and panicked. He looked at Zoey, then Lalna. Zoey's stomach area was covered in blood, she was coughing and flinching in pain. She offered Rythian an encouraging, yet weak smile as her eyes flickered.

Lalna braced himself for Rythian's attack, as the Mage rushed forward in anger and pain.

To Rythian's surprise, Lalna fell unconscious before he had landed a blow. His head whipped round to Zoey, who had her sleep dart.

Rythian kneeled next to her in anguish.

"Please don't go Zoey, I'll be all alone with nobody... I need you!"

"Shh, it's okay..."Zoey coughed.

"Rythian I lo-"And with that, her eyes closed and Rythian's heart broke.

***

Zoey lay in the bed, life stone sitting on her stomach. Her wounds had healed, she was alive and Rythian was watching her. He was waiting for her to open her eyes.

"Zoey... I think I may be madly in love with you..."Rythian whispered as he kissed her forehead.