2023

It was a cold, dark night. Rain pouring down everywhere, thunder and lightning booming up above. It was a night everyone would opt to stay home. Everyone except for two people, that is.

Two figures, a man and a woman raced down the alley, chasing a cloaked figure a few feet ahead of them.

"She moves as though the very whips of her master was right behind her!" exclaimed the man as he panted, trying to ignore the burning exhaustion he was feeling and the overwhelming urge to stop running.

The other woman shook her head, fierce determination in her eyes. "The only master she has is the greed and lust for power consuming her. Quickly, we're nearly there!" she said as they turned a corner. She smirked as she realized that they were now over a cliff and they had the cloaked figure trapped.

The man grinned. "Alright, Viper. It's been fun, chasing you around but come on. It's over. Just do as we say and everything will be fine." He drew his wand pointing it at her.

The woman drew out her dagger, aiming it at the cloak figure. "It's over Viper. You can do it the hard way or the easy way."

The cloaked figure let out a gurgle of laughter. "It isn't over until I say its over. See you in hell, bitch!" She pulled out a small marble from within her robes and through it at the other two, blasting them to the ground, creating smoke, making it even more difficult to see.

The man and the woman slammed into the ground hard but recovered fast enough to see the cloaked woman raise her arms high into the air and cry out:

"Lord of thunder hear my cry,

Spirits from the other side,

Unite now with the gods of fire

Bend the sands of time to my hearts desire!"

A bolt of lightning struck her as she dove off the cliff, vanishing with a brilliant white flash before hitting the ocean.

"No!" the woman cried out in frustration as she ran towards the edge of the cliff in an attempt to dive after her. The other man grabbed her before she could make the dive, calming her down.

"We were so close! Just a few more inches and we would have had her!" she wailed unto the man's shoulder.

"Shh, it's alright. Calm, down. It's all right. We'll get her soon." He patted her back soothingly. A slight beeping from within his robes broke them apart.

Reaching into his pocket, the man opened up what looked like nothing more then a rock but was in fact a wizarding cell phone like device. Flicking his finger, the rock opened up a small hologram of a man hovering a few inches above it.

"Captain, Viper got away. She chanted some sort of spell and dove off the cliff." The man informed his Captain breathlessly.

"I figured as much. The Monastery has just finished searching around for what Viper stole. It turns out she's taken an interest to jewelry."

"Jewelry?" the man repeated confusedly. "Since when did Viper take trips down to the Monastery just to get an accessory?"

"She doesn't. It's not just any piece of jewelry. It's the last surviving piece of the falcon claw."

"Why would Viper risk her neck just to get the blood orb? She's not the time of girl who adorns herself with gems. Nor is she a bounty hunter. Last I looked she was perfectly content with being an assassin."

The Captain sighed. "I can't say for sure, Strider. It makes as much sense to me as to you. I mean, Viper of all people should know that the blood orb is completely worthless without the other three, all of which are destroyed, and have been for 25 years or so."

That's when it all clicked to the woman. She turned to the two men in front of her, eyes wide and bright. " The spell Viper cast before she jumped off the cliff. It said 'bend the sands of time to my hearts desire' Viper has to be traveling back in time to retrieve the orbs!"

The two men looked at each other with fear and nervousness in their eyes.

"No, she wouldn't be that reckless. The orbs were destroyed just a year or so after she was born. Viper wouldn't risk going back in time that far. Not when she can erase her existence." Rationalized the Captain in an effort to convince himself that the most wanted assassin had her limits as well.

"Captain, I think Phoenix is right. I mean, why else would Viper steal the orb and travel back in time. It's the only logical solution."

"We have to follow her! Who knows what havoc she could unleash wandering around the past!" cried Phoenix

"Who knows what havoc we could do wandering around the past!"

"What have we got to lose, Captain? The future is already bleak enough as it is! Voldemort is as powerful as ever! At least by going back in time we could stop Viper and maybe even aid the Order in their attempt to bring him down!"

The Captain glanced at the two back in forth, noting the same fierce determination in their eyes. Arguing would be completely worthless. "Alright." He said defeated. "I'll get the others together and we'll reopen Viper's portal. With any luck you'll be able to follow her exact path and land in the same era she's in."

"Thanks Captain!" the two grinned.

"But I'm warning you now though. The target time you shall arrive is one deeply entwined with your lives. I'm almost certain you will run into familiar faces and you shall work along side them, for you cannot find Viper alone. Take caution when speaking to them. Do not reveal more than necessary and do not deliberately change any events.

Do I make myself clear?"

Strider shook his head firmly. "Of course, Captain."

Phoenix kept her gaze away from her Captain's for a moment, deep in thought.

"Phoenix, do you understand what I am telling you? Changing the smallest detail could alter the entire future. And not in the positive way we're aiming for. Do I make myself clear?"

Phoenix raised her eyes to her Captain's once more, her expression firm and determined. "Don't worry, Captain. As far as I'm concerned, the people I shall come across in the past mean nothing to me."