"Tech?" Rythian yelled. "What did you do with that pick I lent you?"

Tech made a face. "Oh, crap." He muttered. He`d forgotten it in the tunnel. "Um, it`s right here!"

"Can you bring it to me?" Rythian asked.

"Um, no! I`m using it!" Tech lied.

"Oh, okay! Bring it to me when you`re done, okay?"

"Will do, Rythian." Tech assured him, then went down into the mine and sprinted to the tunnel he had uncovered.

He found his pick just where he`d thought he`d left it, and grabbed it, racing back to the trapdoor and up into the castle.

But right after he re-entered the castle, a shuffling noise could be heard, and a soft laugh resonated throughout the mine. Tech had forgotten to lock the trapdoor behind him, and a mysterious figure climbed up into the castle.

LINEBREAK

Rythian was out gathering wood, when he heard it. A soft rustling, and labored breaths. He immediately pulled out his katar, and dropped the wood on the ground.

"Who`s there?" He demanded.

No reply, but the rustlings stopped.

Rythian was beginning to think that he had just been hearing things, when a girl stepped out of the underbrush.

The girl had long, jet-black hair, with streaks of white in it. She wore a tight-fitting dark gray jacket, that fell below her knees and covered her hands completely. She also wore black skinny jeans, with white, knee-high converse and a plain red t-shirt.

Rythian stared at her, his katar hanging loosely at his side. "Who are you?" He asked.

The girl looked up at him, and he saw that her eyes looked just like Tech`s; golden. "I`m... uh... Hex." The girl mumbled.

"That`s a nice name." Rythian told her gently, a kind smile on his face. "Are you hungry, Hex?"

The girl nodded, her eyes downcast once again.

Rythian took her arm and led her back to the castle. "Are you a vegetarian?" He asked.

The girl shook her head.

"Okay then." Rythian went about making her something to eat.

Suddenly he heard a loud, "Ah, shit!" It sounded like Tech.

The girl giggled quietly, hiding her face behind her hands. She looked at Rythian. "Who was that?"

"Oh, probably just Tech. You`ll meet him soon enough, I`m sure. He can never get enough food." Rythian said with a smile. He handed her some random food he had found in the chests. "I`m not a cook, but don`t judge me by how well I make food."

Hex shrugged. "I wasn`t planning on it."

Tech came barging in, running cold water over his finger, and grabbing some bandages and gauze and wrapping his finger up.

Rythian mad a face at the horrible work, and stepped forward. "What the hell did you do, Tech?"

Tech sighed. "I was trying to help Zoey by chopping up some of her vegetables, but I got myself instead."

"Eesh, sounds painful." He unwrapped Tech`s finger and winced, then re-wrapped it quickly and neatly.

"Yeah, you`re telling me." Tech grumbled, then noticed Hex standing on the other side of the room, eating and watching. Tech leaned in towards Rythian and whispered, "You are aware of the girl standing over there, yeah?"

"Yes, I am aware of her. Her name is Hex, by the way." Rythian assures him.

"Hm. Okay then." Tech walked towards Hex, and smiled. "What`s up?"

Hex shrugged, "The sky, I suppose."

Tech made a face, then smiled again.

Rythian chuckled, then left the two to talk.

ANOTHER LINEBREAK

Zoey was staring at her mushrooms, willing them to grow, when a light touch on her shoulder shocked her out of her thinking.

"Zoey." A voice said. She turned, and saw a smiling Rythian.

"Why, hello Rythian!" Zoey grinned, happily surprised.

"We have a new guest, Zoey. Goes by the name of Hex. But... I don`t know about her. Her eyes are the exact same color as Tech`s, too." Rythian told her.

Zoey nodded. "Seems a bit suspicious."

Teep suddenly came running from his guard tower, looking excited. He beckoned for them to follow him, and they did. When in the watch tower, he pointed westwards, and they saw a figure walking, slowly, but surely, towards the castle.