On Saturday morning, Janney and George woke up excited about going over to Mr. Virago’s to have s’mores that evening. They found their mother in the kitchen making pancakes. “Mom,” George called out. “When can we go over to Mr. Virago’s?” he asked.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news, dear.” her Mom said. “I need to go into work so I don’t think you can go.” 

“What!” George cried out. “We have to go. You said you didn’t work this weekend!”

“I know George, but Judy had her baby, and I got called in to cover her shift. I need you to stay home with your sister this afternoon. I won’t be home until late.” Mom said.

George looked at his sister for help. Janney could see his distress and disappointment, and she was looking forward to the night around the fire, too. “Mom, you don’t ever work nights.” Janney stated.

“I know, dear, but unfortunately, the hospital never closes, and they needed the help, and I could use the extra shift. With school being out soon, I will need to pay someone to watch over you both.” Mom answered Janney.

“When will you be home?”  Janney asked.

“The shift gets over at 10, so I will be home by 10:30.” Their mother said as she started to serve the pancakes. They were just how George liked them, thin and crunchy. His eyes started to light up a bit when his mother set his plate down before him.

“Mom, couldn’t we still go to Mr. Virago’s?  What if he let us stay until you got off work?  I am sure he wouldn’t mind. It is only next door after all.” asked Janney.

Mom thought about it for a Moment before she let out a long sigh, and both Janney and George knew they had won her over. “All right, but only if he agrees to it. I don’t want to impose on him.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I know he will agree.” George answered with a smile.

Later that day, Mom had called Mr. Virago and confirmed that it would be alright for the children to stay with him until she got off work that night. He told her they were always welcome and it would be nice to have the company for the evening. When the time came for Mom to go to work, she dropped the children off with Mr. Virago. They spend the afternoon helping out around the house. Janney helped in the garden while George was helping out by gathering up a few of the larger branches that could be used for the fire.

The sun was starting to set when Mr. Virago began making a fire in the fire pit. He took some small kindling and placed it in the middle of the pit, and then created a teepee out of some of the sticks George had gathered earlier. Once the teepee was finished, he knelt down and George saw Mr. Virago stretch out his hands towards the wood and blow on them. With a sudden whooshing sound flames licked up from the kindling inside as the sticks caught on fire.

“Did you see that, Janney?” George asked.

“See what?” Janney replied.

“He just breathed fire?” an astonished George said breathlessly.

Janney giggled. “I don’t think so, George. He had already started the fire with the kindling. He just blew on the fire to get it to grow.”

“Quite right, Janney.” Mr. Virago laughed. “Fire needs oxygen to burn. When you blow on a small fire, you cause it to grow slightly.”

“I never saw you light the kindling.” George stated.

“Just because you never saw it doesn’t mean that I didn’t light it, does it?” asked Mr. Virago.

“Well, no.” George said slowly.

“There you have it.” Janney said.

“But I was watching. I know what I saw and what I didn’t see.” George stood his ground.

“Really George,” Janney chided her brother. “Just listen to yourself. A person cannot just breathe fire.”

“Hey George, why don’t you get those thin branches you collected. We can use those to roast the marshmallows on.” Mr. Virago changed the subject.

The thought of roasting marshmallows made George forget all about what he thought he saw with the fire. “Okay.” he said as he ran over towards the house to get the branches. He collected them and hurried back to the fire. Mr. Virago had knocked the teepee down and placed a few of the larger logs that George had gathered earlier into the fire. The flames arose with a steady crackle and popping sound. Mr. Virago took a pocket knife out of his pocket and used it to strip the bark from the thin sticks, shaping the end to a point.

“That reminds me, George, here. I want you to have this.”  Mr. Virago reached down from his chair and produced a Y-shaped stick.

“What is it?” George asked.

“It is a slingshot. Here, let me show you.”  Mr. Virago reached into his pocket and attached something to the ends of the Y. It looked like an elastic strap with a leather pouch on the end. George's eyes grew wide as he looked at the slingshot. Mr. Virago picked up a small rock and placed it in the leather pouch. He pulled the elastic back and aimed. WHEEW!  POP. The rock shot out from the slingshot and into the trees on the other end of the field.

“Wow!” George cried out.

“There is only one rule. But it is very, very important.”  Mr. Virago said sternly.

“What is it?” George asked.

“You must never, ever, under any circumstances use this against anyone unless you are defending yourself or your sister. And you must practice.” Mr. Virago explained.

“That’s more than one rule.” George pointed out.

“Well, I guess it is, that’s true.” Mr. Virago admitted. “Either way, you can keep it here and practice here as often as you like. But you cannot take it home with you until I am satisfied you know what you are doing. A true hunter must find the stillness within him. Once you find that, your target will come to you.”

“I don’t know if that is a good idea, Mr. Virago.” said Janney.

“Nonsense, Janney, George is old enough to learn how to treat certain things with the respect they deserve.”

“Are you talking about my brother?” Janney asked. “Have you met him?”

“Hey!” George yelled. He turned to Mr. Virago. “Yes sir, I promise I will only use it here until you say otherwise.”

George took the slingshot and used it a few times. His rocks did not go as far as Mr. Virago’s did; they did not even hit the trees.  George became frustrated after a while.  He picked up a rock and instead of aiming it at the trees, he pulled back as far as he could and aimed it towards the garden. He thought he could hit the fence with it and wanted to see what it would do to it. He launched the rock and missed the fence. The rock skipped across the garden and stopped with a sudden thud, followed by a high-pitched scream.

George thought he had hit an animal, except the scream sounded human. Mr. Virgo jumped up from his seat and stared at the garden. The rock rose from the ground and flew back towards George. It was purely by instinct that George moved out of the way of the impossible flying rock. He stood there staring at the garden. Mr. Virago quickly moved towards where the scream came from.

“Didn’t you hear the man?” came a squeaky voice from the garden. “Don’t use that against anyone except in self-defense.”

“Pix!” Mr. Virago said sternly under his breath. “Be silent.”

“Who said that?” George called out.

Janney sat there in stunned silence. She was scared. The sun was fully down now, and the light from the fire only showed the outlines of the fence around the garden. She wondered who was hiding in there and what they wanted.

“I said that!” came the reply.

“Who are you?” George asked.

“I’m the one you would almost smashed with that rock.”  the indignant small voice said.

“Pix stop now.’ Mr. Virago said a bit louder this time so even Janney could hear him.

“It’s too late now.” came the voice as a small shadow rose up from the garden. A figure that looked like a small man, about the size of Mr. Virago’s hand, stood on top of the garden fence.

The children stood perfectly still, eyes wide. Mr. Virago let out a long sigh as his shoulders slumped down. “Pix, this is not what I wanted.” He said to the small man.

“I told you it was time to tell them. You can’t keep it from them; that won’t help them.” Pix said. Mr. Virago slowly nodded his head in agreement and walked back to the fire. He directed them to all sit down as the small man floated over to them and came to a rest on a nearby tree stump. The children stared at Pix, and now that he was closer to the firelight, they could see he had a tiny set of wings which fluttered very fast, giving the illusion that he was floating when he was really flying.

“My name is Pix.” The small man said. “It is my deep pleasure to officially meet you both. Virago has told me much about you, Janney, and you too, George.”

“Nice to meet you too, Pix.’ said Janney, remembering her manners.

“What are you?” said George.

“Why I am a pixy, of course.” Pix said matter-of-factly. “Haven’t you taught them anything, Virago?” Pix asked.

“I told you, it was not the right time.” Mr. Virago responded.

“Well, I would say now is about as good a time as any.” said George.

“Bright boy.” Pix quipped. Which made George sit up proudly.

“Why is there a pixy in your garden, Mr. Virago?” asked Janney.

Pix cocked his head bemused as if wondering how Mr. Virago would answer.

“He doesn’t live in my garden, Janney. Pix helps me keep watch over something very precious. He was in my garden because he was tending to a concern I discovered there.” Mr. Virago said.

Both children looked confused and said nothing.

“I am a guardian.” Pix said as if the statement was self-explanatory.

“Of what?” asked George.

“A guardian of Light.” Pix said as if that were self-explanatory. “Pixies are fey folk. We are the protectors of the Light and life. I am the guardian assigned to help Virago. I was in the garden because of the rot that we found. The rot is from the Darkness.”

“So, it wasn’t beetles then?” asked Janney.

 Pix smiled. “No, I am afraid not. The rot is a sign that the Darkness is approaching. The fact that it was in the garden is no mere small thing either. In fact, it is downright alarming.”

“Why is that?” asked Janney.

Mr. Virago cleared his throat, indicating that was enough from Pix. “You see, Janney, the powers of the Darkness have been at war against the Light for a very long time.”  Mr. Virago explained. “Pix and I have been watching for signs of its corruption. We thought that this place was free from it. For the most part, it has been. I have never seen it make such a brazen move before.”

“What do you mean?” George asked.

“What he means, my boy, is that he never thought to see the Darkness be brave enough to take him on in the open.” Pix answered.

“Why?  Are you a pixy too, Mr. Virago?” asked George.

“A pixy?” Pix laughed. “Ha, he wishes he was. Children, Virago is the farthest from a pixy.”

“So, you are human then.” Janney said as if trying to convince herself.

“Hardly.” scoffed Pix. Which earned him a terrifying scowl from his friend.

“Then what are you, Mr. Virago?” Janney asked softly.

“I am your friend, Janney. I always have been and I always will be. I promised your dad I would look after you because we are family.”

Janney didn’t understand what Mr. Virago meant saying he was family. “Your dad was my great-grandson.”

“What!” George exclaimed. “That’s not possible. I know you’re an old man, but not that old.”

“I assure you, it is very possible. My kind live a very long time.”  Mr. Virago said.

“And what kind is that?” Janney asked.

“Draconious.” the old man said softly. “You may know the more common name, dragon.”