To Harness Tomorrow

Chapter four

 "How far away is the east coast? I've never been." Viper asked while waiting for the guard to bring their horses. 

"Well, I believe on horseback it is a short five hour ride. Don't worry, it is quite scenic." Pixie had been smiling since the guard came stumbling in with the news. "Oh look who's back." Viper said rather mockingly. The palace guard was walking over to them with their horses. He cursed as he stepped in a pile of feces. "What a nuisance." Pixie chuckled. 

"Thank you for waiting. I am very sorry for the delay but I had to wake the stable boy." Pixie and Viper shared a glance of disbelief. 

"Hey I was wondering if I could go on this journey with you guys." The guard looked really eager to get out of the city. 

"Why?" Pixie asked. 

"Well I-" He got cut off, in the distance someone shot an arrow. As it screamed across the sky, many people ran to safety. 

"Get down!" Pixie screamed pulling viper down with him. Everyone got to safety but one person, a sickening thud rang throughout the courtyard. Pixie cringed, he rose and saw lying directly in front of him, the guard who had fetched their horses. He was already dead, struck between the eyes. 

"What a perfect shot." Viper admired. Pixie gave her a solid smack on the back of the head. "Ow! Why!?" Viper rubbed the back of her head that now had a rather big lump. 

"Don't disrespect the dead." Pixie scolded. "He wasn't even a guard for a day, why would someone hire an assassin to kill him?" Pixie was puzzled, examining the body where the arrow struck, "Perfect shot." Pixie saw a group of guards beating the assassin up in the watch tower. "Wait! Don't kill him!" He screamed. The guards continued to beat the assassin until they acknowledged who gave them the order. Pixie sprinted to the clock tower and climbed it, not even bothering to use the stairs. The gaurds just walked away chatting about a conversation they were having earlier. Pixie lifted the hood from the assassin's Hood to see a pale face of a girl no older than twelve. She looked young but Pixie couldn't help but see wisdom in her eyes. When her universal eyes twitched, Pixie flinched as if he were in a trance. He noticed that her eyes were looking in all directions. She was searching the room. "What are you looking for?" Pixie demanded. The girl put on a hint of a smile, 

"Answers." She knocked Pixies feet out from underneath him catching him off guard. She stood as if she was a bird breaking free from a cage. The girl twirled around and kicked a pipe behind her knocking it loose. She grabbed the pipe and swung it, full force at Pixie. Pixie caught the pipe. She yelped in pain as Pixie broke her wrist to disarm her. He grabbed her by the throat and spoke through gritted teeth, 

"Tell me your name." Tears showed in the girl's eyes, 

"no." she spat. Pixie kicked her in the chest with brute force. She flew through the stone walls of the castle crunching rock and bone. Pixie gasped, 

"oh no! I'm sorry. I have some anger issues. Are you alive?" Pixie paced toward the ground where he saw the assassin fly. "What" he mumbled to himself when he saw that there was no one in the tall grass.

Pixie's eyes widened as a sharp pain ran up his back. 

"How does it feel you scum!" the assassin shouted while she was raising her dagger to strike again. She was quickly overpowered by Viper, who had been yelling at Pixie to be cautious. Viper's eyes reddened with a fiery glow, she threw punch after punch. The assassin blocked the blows and kicked Viper off of her. 

"Stop!" She screamed. "I'll tell you what you want, just let me go!" Viper smashed the assassin's head into the dirt and pinned her to the ground, putting her daggers in through the girl's robe. 

"Alright talk." said Pixie with hint of pride in his voice. The assassin struggled on the ground trying to get her sleeves free from the green-bladed daggers, 

"I am Isabelle. I have been hired to kill the traitor to the throne." Pixie laughed, 

"What are you saying? That a guard hired less than two days ago was a traitor to the throne?" Isabelle groaned, 

"I know it sounds unbelievable but it's true. I was hired by Munk himself." Pixie looked back to see a crowd of people gathered around them. 

"I'll go confirm this with Munk!" Viper yelled, already sprinting towards the castle." Pixie dug his face into his hand and let out a long sigh. A commotion disrupted the quiet murmuring of the citizens.

 "Make way!" shouted guards running through the crowd. It took about ten minutes before the entire crowd subsided enough for Munk to walk through. Pixie straitened, 

"My lord! Is this assassin hired by you?" Munk's eyes twinkled, 

"She is mine, yes, I hope you didn't hurt her too bad." In the background, Isabelle collapsed with a hard thump. 

"Heh, oops" Pixie ran over to where Isabelle was lying and called for healers. Munk shook his head as he raised his hand. The pale assassin's blood rushed back into her face illuminating her stunning. All her bruises and cuts faded. Bones snapped back into position. Everyone in the crowd around them including pixie gaped. 

"Pixie! Munk wasn't there! Wha-" Viper coughed out air the rest of the air she had and smiled. It was a beautiful display of golden magic like ichor spiraling all around. Munk huffed and Isabelle floated gently to the ground. Even her robe is fixed, how did I not know about this magic? Pixie thought to himself. 

"Now, what to do with you two." Munk grinned. Pixie froze, not sure whether Munk was mad or not. Viper budged through the crowd, 

"With all do respect my lord, Pixie and I were about to go help Hammerhead on the East Coast when your assassin shot the guard." Munk sighed, 

"Ah yes, he had such high potential." Pixie and Viper snorted simultaneously. "Alas, was a corrupt shapeshifter. By the way, I was fully aware of your trip to the East Coast, this is why I have decided to send Isabelle to kill the guard today. You see, she is going with you." Viper's shoulders dropped, 

"Great! My traveling partner is someone I beat the snot out of." Isabelle tried to say something but her voice just cracked so she stood there awkwardly.