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Chapter 14

It had been nearly a year since Sky had left her little village. They had been looking for Rythian but every time they got close to his location he would disappear.

A week before Sky's 16th birthday, Duncan was talking to Hannah, Kim and Zoey asking them what he should get her. "Well, what is she in too" Hannah said. "Ummm, she loves reading and she loves swords", Duncan was pacing around now. "I'm trying to remember what 16 year olds like, but when we all turned 16 we were fighting for our lives against Sips Co" Kim said.

"I nearly died on my 16th, so I didn't really get anything". Zoey was talking about what happened at Blackrock with the nuke, Duncan didn't look at her for a few minutes. "How about you get her a new bag, her's is falling apart. Also she told me she needs to get a new one, because it reminds her too much of her old life"

"I know the prefect material to make it out of" and with that he ran outside to collect all of the materials he needed to make Sky's new bag. Hannah, Kim and Zoey followed him out of the base and walked to the water to catch some more fish.

Sky was with Tee as he was teaching her how to shoot a bow. At first she was hitting the outside ring of the target or missing completely but after a couples of hours practice, she was hitting the center every time. "Yes, bulls-eye" Sky high fived Tee. "Do you think that, if I practice a bit more, I could be as good as you Tee", Sky said as they were walking back through the village. He nodded and patted her back.

The day before Sky's birthday

Lewis and Simon were talking about what to get Sky. Lewis decided he was going to make her a small tracking device, so that she could find areas easier when on a mission. Simon made her an engraved iron shovel and an engraved gold sword. "I hope she will like these", Simon said once he had finished. Lewis looked over from his crafting bench and smiled. "I'm sure she will love them". The dwarf grinned, put them in a small chest and put a label on it that said 'From your favourite and only dwarf, Simon'.

Sky was sitting on top of the base looking at the sun setting. Recently she had been coming up there to think and to write about how she was feeling. Zoey told her it helped Rythian when she was getting better, so she did and it actually helped a lot.

Sky's journal entry

So tomorrow is my birthday. Great, well it would be if I didn't feel like crap. It means it is nearly a year since my whole life was turned upside down! I try not to show that I am missing Lee like you would miss oxygen but I have to be strong for the rest of them, especially for Duncan. God, I miss him! But I can't think like that, I have to keep going and find Rythian, so he can help us get revenge on Sips Co. Well I better go to bed otherwise I won't be able to stay awake.

Sky's Birthday

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SKY" everyone shouted as Sky walked into the main part of the base. The entire room had been decorated with flags and banners, "you didn't need to go to all this trouble" Sky said while rubbing her eyes. Duncan walked over to her and hugged her "Of course we did, it's your 16th , it's a special time. Now come and open your presents".

They walked over to the table and sat down in the two seats. "Open mine first", Zoey said as soon as they had and handed Sky a small package. She opened it and inside was a ring that had a red stone on it. "It's a fire ring, I have one and I thought it would be awesome if we both could have it".

"I love it Zoey, I've read all about these" Sky said were twirling the ring around her fingers and put it back in the small box. Next was Hannah who got her a pair of fingerless gloves made out of fire proof cotton. Kim got her a ruby necklace. Tee got her a bow and a sheath of arrows, after Simon's engraved weapons and Lewis potable tracker, it was only Duncan left.

"Lewis come help me bring carry this" Duncan shouted from the smeltery. Lewis and Duncan carried up a double chest and placed it next to Sky. "Happy Birthday Sky hope you like them". She smiled at him and untied the red bow on top of it and opened the chest. Her eyes widened as she pulled a red matter sword, a pair of goggles like Duncan's only they were red and blue and a side bag that had a book about swords in it. "Omg, Duncan, I love them. Thank you so much", she got up and hugged him.

Sky put the goggles on her head like Duncan wore his. "Hey, Tee wanna go shoot some targets", he nodded and the two of them ran out to the makeshift shooting range. Sky had completely forgotten about the worries she had the night before as Tee was showing her how to hold her new bow.

"I have a feeling she loved them Duncan" Hannah said as they were making Sky's birthday cake. "It took me a while to find all the materials I needed but

I was determined to make her birthday special".

After they had finished decorating the cake, Sky and Tee had returned back, they all sang happy birthday and each had a slice of the cake. "This has to be the best birthday ever, thanks guys, you made it really special" Sky said as she helped tidy the plates away.

Zoey and Lewis went upstairs as he was teaching her how to build a nail gun. Hannah and Kim went to go sit outside, Duncan and Simon went mining for a bit. Sky and Tee went back to the shooting range to continue practicing.

Sky was practicing her sword fighting on one of the dummies Tee had made her as an extra birthday present. Suddenly she heard something from the bushes. She looked at Tee who was already pointing his bow at the direction of the sound. Then a figure appeared from behide the tree. "Who are you" Sky shouted. "Where's Zoey, I need to see her". Tee lowered his bow as he knew exactly who is was. The figure moved out of the shadow and the first thing Sky saw was that the man covered in blood and held a sword just like hers.

"Rythian, is that you" Sky said as she sheathed her sword. "Yes, where's Zoey, I need her to...", he fainted before he could finish his sentence. Tee grabbed him as he was falling. "We need to get him to the base quickly". They both grabbed a arm each and half walked, half ran back to the base. Hannah and Kim were sitting just outside the door and saw Sky and Tee dragging someone, that's when they saw who it was.

"Sky, what happened" Hannah said as she cleared a table and started to clean his wounds. "I dunno, he just appeared out of nowhere and said he need to see Zoey".

"RYTHIAN", Zoey shouted as she came downstairs and ran to his side. "Who could have done this" she was holding his hand as Hannah and Kim were tending to all his wounds. As Zoey was asking them about what happened, Rythian's eyes flew open. Zoey hugged him making him flinch. "Rythian, I so glad your not died, I dunno what I would have done if you had and... And" Rythian smiled under his mask and said "I'm fine Zoey, I just had a little run in with some guards, but I managed to teleport away before I got seriously injured". Zoey was still hugging him, not wanting to ever let him go.

"Zoey, you need to let go, so Hannah and Kim can clean my wounds". She finally let go and sat down next to him, tell him about all the mooshrooms, Red-five, Johnny Iron and the wolves. He rolled his eyes but was smiling the whole time.

Once he was bandaged up, Rythian took Zoey upstairs to talk to her in private. Everyone but Sky went to bed. She was writing in her journal about that day. Once she was finished she got into bed and fell asleep only to be plagued by nightmares.