Maid in the Mist

Rattling Bones

"Why did the wind stop?"

"Really Solaria? The moon turns a bloody red and you worry about the wind?"

"It felt like everything froze. And it's witching hour, yes?"

"Yes."

"But it feels like hours have past."

"That is because hours truly has passed. It should be dawn by now."

"So time has stopped?"

"Yes."

"One of Merlot's tricks."

"No doubt...she must really want to finish me off if she froze time."

"Why would that bother you?"

"Because it brings disorder to the world. If it is night time forever, the world will freeze surely."

"I can see why that would be a problem..."

"She hit a weak spot for me..."

"Did she?"

"Yes, she knows how I care for the earth...more than people."

***

Though there was no wind, the air that hung remained sour and acrid, and what was a warm night previously was losing heat and weight. Though slow, it was noticeable.

The thorns remained poised for another victim, thankfully with Holly's warnings and a well placed fireball, those Thorns of Youth shriveled up in the fire, forever useless.

Mist still hung at the hips of Solaria and Holly, about the shade of the candy apple in contrast to the bloody moon. And yet, the two carried on.

Holly carried with her a wool satchel filled with herbs and apples. Even a roll of cheese, though small. With that, she carried two vials of a sapphire blue brew and a rowan wood wand with swirled carvings among the handle.

Solaria carried nothing with her but her jagged sliver of oak she dubbed a wand. That thing had been broken so many times, that at it's center was a tight binding of cotton. Such a wand was an accident waiting to happen, as Luna would put it, if she had any idea what magic was anymore.

Not even footsteps could echo, for sound could not travel if time stopped the way it did. And yet the two whispered on.

***

"So, where is Merlot?"

"Where I killed her."

"And that is?"

"The same place your mother slew that dragon all those years ago."

"The Mountains of Elthor?"

"The same?"

"Gaia help us all..."

"What? Do you fear?"

"What do you think? My mother nearly died from the lack of air up there."

"Ah, but she used an air charm, the same one we'll use."

"Lovely."

***

They walked for hours, brambles still in their way. The howling of wolves was unnerving, and the air grew colder soon. Each path looked the same, shrouded in mist. It was disorienting.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Solaria inquired.

Holly was silent.

"Well?"

"I...I'm not sure..."

Solaria exploded, "Are you serious? Mother of Gaia!"

"The mist is throwing me off!" Holly retorted, "There's usually not this much mist!"

"We've been going in circles I bet!" Solaria groaned, "We'll never get to the mountains!"

Holly sighed, "Quit your whining..." she whipped out her wand, and from it a silver light glittered from the tip, "Even with this light, the mist is at our path, nothing can beat it."

Solaria let out a shiver as the air grew colder, "We don't have time, we'll just have to keep growing straight-"

Suddenly, a rattling sound was heard from the trees, very close.

Solaria leaped back, her palms burning with flames.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yes...I think it's best to keep moving..." Holly muttered.

"Do you know what it is?"

The rattling got louder, sending shivers down Holly's spine, "If it is what I think it is, we are in trouble."

"Are we in any danger?"

A huffed laughter escaped Holly's lips, "No."

"Then what is-"

Suddenly, the rattling became so loud, it became overwhelming. So overwhelming that Solaria had to squeeze her eyes shut as she covered her ears.

Something crashed to the ground before the two.

Opening Solaria's eyes, she saw bone. Bone and armor. Armor of a knight of England.

A skeleton stood in their way.

And Holly looked ever so annoyed to see this smiling skeleton.

But Solaria never felt so frightened and sick.

***