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Footsteps disturbed his peace. Each step was more thunderous than the last. Schezo snapped his eyes open, the familiar dripping of the water trickling down from the icicles disrupted by harsh stomping. He tightened his grip on his proud sword, the worn hilt comfortable in his calloused hands. Hurrying to stand up, he raised his blade to his chest as the footsteps rushed towards him.He caught shadows crossing the jagged, crystallized walls. The outlines he recognized, but their intentions still left him on edge. He knew they probably meant him no real trouble, but he still chose to glare at the newcomers hurrying towards him from the dark corridor.“There you are!” Rulue shouted, swinging her fists at her side as she stormed into view from the shadows.Arle grinned, catching up to her with Carbuncle resting on her shoulder. “Finally! You sure like hiding yourself in these caves, Schezo.”He huffed and lowered his sword, their interruption pinching a nerve. “What brings you two here? Can’t you see I’m-”“Lounging around in some mysterious cave like a layabout?” Rulue interjected with a sneer and set her hands on her hips.Heat flushed over his complexion. “I was meditating! It’s important for any dark mage to be in control of himself.” He tapped his blade against the stony ground. “Now, why are you two here interrupting my peace?”Arle rolled her eyes. “Jeez, Schezo, we’re here to bring you out of your hiding spot for your birthday!”He let her words dangle in the humid air. The tip of his sword slowly aimed for the ground as if gravity pushed down on his arm. Schezo repeated her under his breath, his eyes widening as he directed his attention towards his belongings nestled against the crook of a stony formation.It had been too long since he last celebrated his birthday. Time simply slipped past him. Through all of the power he obtained and living so youthfully in his older age, birthdays became meaningless. It was just another year tacked on to his endless life of usurping wizards of their magical prowess.“You...didn’t forget your birthday, right?” Arle asked, his perplexed silence causing her lips to curl into a bemused grin.“Looks like he did, the fool.” Rulue giggled behind her fan.“I-I did not! I don’t celebrate silly, meaningless days such as that.” Schezo brandished his sword and jabbed it in the air. “The only day worth celebrating is the day I obtain Arle’s power!”A monotonous groan droned out of Arle’s mouth as she hunched forward to pinch the bridge of her nose. Carbuncle gently patted her head, uttering a empathic “gu.” Shaking her head, Rulue tapped her shoulder with her fan in a quiet gesture of sympathy.“I mean it! You two didn’t have to come interrupting my peace for something as menial as a birthday,” Schezo barked, and he crossed past them towards his quaint camp. He kicked open an oak treasure chest, the lock rusted and broken as it toppled to the ground. Kneeling, he procured his tomes and grimoires, each decorated with the writings of brilliant sorcerers before him. Opening one with a cracked sapphire embedded in the cover, he flipped to a random page. “And I don’t plan on celebrating. Leave me alone at once so I can return to my ruminations.”Arle curled a lock of hair behind her ear. She let Carbuncle leap off her shoulder and bounce in place by her feet, saying, “Well, do you really wanna miss out on free food and presents and lots of fun?”“Witch made you a mean stew, and I have to say, it’s really delicious. The carrots?” Rulue kissed her fingers and flexed them to the sky. “Boiled to perfection.”“And we wanna celebrate with you! We haven’t ever celebrated your special day,” Arle added, and she slipped her hand into her skirt pocket. “Rulue and I pitched in to get you this.”She tossed a small box towards Carbuncle, who leapt into the air and snatched it. Carbuncle scampered over to Schezo, hoisting the present in front of his face. Grimacing, he scrutinized the pure white wrapping and pink bow adorning the top. He assumed the decorative choices were Rulue’s ideas once he noticed her smirking at him.Accepting the gift as the girls rounded over to him and took their spots by his side, he tore off the bow. His fingers shredded through the wrapping and scattered the papery fragments near his sleeping bag. Flicking off the top with his index finger, he sorted through the crinkling gift wrap until he clutched something hard.Withdrawing his hand, his eyes widened as he took in the completed form of the space-time crystal, the same one that had become one with his stolen magic some time ago. Not a single crack married it. As if it was never shattered in the first place, the jewel reflected his shocked expression and the grinning faces of the friends surrounding him.“How did you-?” Schezo looked between the girls and Carbuncle.“A lot of digging, that’s for sure!” Arle laughed, and Rulue examined her nails, which Schezo realized had quite a bit of dirt under them.“Gu gu gu! Guuu gu!” Carbuncle exclaimed, tossing his tiny stubby arms in the air.“That’s right, Carby. You dug a lot, too.”“And if that gift doesn’t entice you, then I don’t know what will,” Rulue added, lightly rapping her knuckles into Schezo’s shoulder with a playful grin stretching into her cheeks.“Incredible,” he murmured, weighing the crystal in his palm. “This is for me? You’re really giving this to me?”“Of course! Kinda symbolic, right?” Arle chuckled. “It’s like a lost heirloom of a fun adventure.”“I’m inclined to agree. I mean, I wanted it for myself-” Rulue cleared her throat as Arle nudged her ribs. “-but I guess it makes more sense for you to have it.”Schezo clenched the crystal so tightly that he thought it would break. He felt power brimming through the jewel like hot lava pooling in the center of it. He rolled his shoulders back and held the crystal to his chest as if he could become one with it.“I suppose...celebrating my birthday wouldn’t be so irritating,” he said, “if it means obtaining powerful artifacts such as this.”“A simple thank you would suffice, but I guess that’s as close to gratitude as we’ll get,” Rulue jeered, and Schezo snorted, pocketing the crystal.“Thank you. This gift is...very welcomed.” He patted his pocket. “I’ll make sure this doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”“You better not. I don’t wanna go on another wild adventure because of one of my friends making another big problem,” Arle said, laughing.“Guuu gu guuu!” Carbuncle bobbed up and down in agreement.“I can’t tell if that’s a jab at me, too, Arle,” Rulue remarked, scowling and snapping her fan open.Rocking on her heels, she decided against validating Rulue with a proper response. Snickering at their irritated glares, Arle pivoted on her heels and scooped up Carbuncle to set on her shoulder. Announcing they had a party to attend, she reached back and snatched their hands, dragging them along behind her.Schezo heaved an exasperated sigh. His peaceful day seemed to be interrupted with another wacky event, but it was one he started appreciating. Celebrating his birthday with people he could deem friends, it was a feeling that left his heart feeling full. With the heat of the space-time crystal pressing against his thigh, he hid his smile in the shadows of the cave.