Chapter 28: Similar to a nagging Wife

Chapter 28: Similar to a nagging Wife

The moment his foot pushed off the roof, an audible explosion was heard while one third of the roof was blasted to smithereens in an instant.

Gifts figure shot forward like a rocket, cutting through the air like an arrow shot from it's bow, in the blink of an eye, his figure flew through the air, then dropped into the shadowed courtyard, vanishing behind the floral fence.

Gift landed in the soft soil of the manor’s compound with barely a sound, crouching low to absorb the impact. The shadows welcomed him, wrapping around his sleek form as he took a quick survey of his surroundings. Neatly trimmed shrubs dotted the yard, casting ghostly shapes in the dim lantern light from the guards’ patrols.

“Pixel, we’re in,” he whispered.

[I can see that Sir...] Pixel’s voice buzzed in his mind with a faint tone of sarcasm. [Would you like a play-by-play of the guards’ positions?.]

" Yes, but whats with the sudden change of tone, is that sarcasm I sense in your voice?." Gift raised a brow beneath his suits covering. Never did he expect her to talk to him in such a manner since as far as he could remember, pixel was mostly obedient and curtly not sarcastic and cold.

[Need I remind you Sir, that you were the one who insisted I changed my personality.]

" Yes...but I never meant you should act like this...., You know what, Nevermind it." Gift let out a breath as he wasn't in the mood to continue this topic.

“Just tell me if one of them’s about to stumble over me ok.” Gift muttered as he crept forward, inching his way along the wall.

[I'll be sure to meet your expectations...] Pixel said as if such a task was already obvious to begin with.

_You little..._ Gift wanted to retort, but on second thought he decided to keep it in. He really didn't want to lose his focus on this mission.

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A guard shuffled along the manor’s perimeter, his lantern swinging with each step. He squinted into the dark corners, mumbling an old tune that was slightly off-key but carried a certain rustic charm.

“Ohhh, the fair maiden waits by the willow tree… where the rivers run deep and the wild winds beeee…” He cleared his throat, adjusting his pitch as he continued.

“With a cloak of green and a heart so freeee... she'll wait by the willow, for a fool like meeee…” He chuckled to himself, as if savoring some old memory, before launching back in with enthusiasm, but still off-key.

“Oh, we danced through the fields, under moon’s silver gleeeam... aye, the nights were short, but the dreams they were deeep…” He paused, scratching his head, trying to remember the rest.

“And if the stars lead me… uh… somewhere new… something, something… true?”

The guard let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head. "Ah, to blazes with it. Can’t remember the rest. What a Good ol' song though." He added, Then, with a quick glance around, he continued his slow patrol, humming tunelessly once again as his lantern light danced across the walls.

His lantern casted a warm, swinging glow over the grounds as he wandered along Gifts route, trying his best to recall his merry tune.

Gift pressed himself tight against a tall hedge, holding his breath as the guard drew nearer.

“What in God's name is that old goat going on about....." he muttered under his breath while the guard slowly advanced towards him, being short on time, Gift found it irritating to remain in hiding for so long “ I seriously feel the urge to knock the living daylights out of him."

[I thought you didn’t want to knock them out.] Pixel reminded him in her sarcastic tone. [Or do I need to cue the moral dilemma montage Sir?.]

Gift rolled his eyes, waiting as the guard stopped, sniffing the air like he’d caught a whiff of something strange. For some reason, he felt as if he could almost feel the guard’s suspicion radiating through the darkness.

_Darn it...did he notice me?._ Gift tightened his grip on the shrubs’ branches, ready to dart if he had to.

Fortunately for him, The guard took one last look around, shrugged, and muttered, “Probably some blasted squirrel.”

Gift exhaled, silently mouthing, “Thank you, squirrels,” before ducking behind the next set of bushes. Pixel’s sensors picked up the remaining guards’ positions, guiding him smoothly through the compound.

He felt as if he was playing a game of hide and seek, only the stakes were a lot higher and the guards a lot slower, like a lot slower compared to him, not to mention he was in his newly designed nano suit.

As he neared the main building, he crouched behind a large stone fountain, peering around its side to take in the sight before him. The manor loomed tall and impressive, its ivy-covered walls dotted with windows. A soft glow from the lanterns along the porch cast eerie shadows against the columns, making the entire scene look like something out of a haunted fairytale.

[Alright Sir.] Pixel’s voice cut through his thoughts. [ I’m detecting three guards at the entrance, i suggest you stay low and find an alternate way up.]

" I don't think I'm that helpless Pixel." Gift rolled his eyes in annoyance. “ We're already running low on time and I've got only ten more minutes before the suit runs out of power, I'll just zip past them like a breeze and save some time.”

Pixel paused. [Yes, except breezes aren't as strong as gales of wind, To by pass them, you'll need to control your speed to a certain amount, moreover I think our main worry should be that you don't trip on your own two feet.]

" You know what, I'm not even going to reply to that." Gifts eyelids twitched in vexation while he began

wondering whether it was really a good idea to let pixel switch personalities.