Maid in the Mist

The Mist's Minions

Solaria regretted it the moment they set on with their journey with the skeleton. For she had no idea how...annoying Sir Montague of Canterberry would be.

"I can't tell you have frightened I am, but it's exhilarating! I mean, I haven't fought a foe in years! Well, if you don't count the surprising amount of rabid timber wolves around this place. And yes, they were rabid! Luckily, skeletons cannot catch...what do they call it now? Oh yes, rabies! You humans are so unlucky! Well, where was I? Oh yes! The last foe I fought was an troll under a bridge in Weiss! He was a nasty bugger! Really tall for a bridge! Very round in the middle!"

Solaria's head pounded, irritation prickled down her spine. The urge to toss a fireball at the back of the monster's head was getting stronger and stronger still. She didn't even notice her eyes twitching, but she did notice her head straining and beginning to hurt. Along with the fear of meeting Merlot and this, it's easy to say that Solaria was overwhelmed. And with a temper, you do not want to overwhelm one with a temper and access fireballs and other defensive means of magic.

Holly glanced over at Solaria with a smug look, "What's wrong Solaria?"

"You didn't tell me he was an insufferable gibbering idiot..." Solaria hissed.

"Now you see why I didn't want him to come along...he lives here to try to relive his knight life, but with his frail state of bones, he has now become a sniveling coward."

"Should we ditch him?" Solaria muttered.

Holly shook her head, "I've tried so many times, but he doesn't go away until he has what he wants..."

"Is it some sort of magic?"

"Worse, he has determination."

Solaria let out a hushed groan, "So we're stuck with him?"

Holly nodded, "I told you to not take him with us, but no, you just wanted to continue on the journey. Has anyone told you that you're rash?" 

"Well, if you're so smart, what would you have done?" Solaria snarled, baring her teeth.

"I would have used my vines to tie him to these trees and we would have ran."

"And if he broke out?"

"We would be gone before he could break free..." 

"You seem so sure..."

"You have to be in these woods."

Solaria couldn't help but giggle to herself, she didn't feel her cheeks grow warm at the smirk upon Holly's lips, "You have the spice of fire in your soul, I like it."

Holly's face burned pink as she glanced away, "Thanks."

Solaria felt sweat peak from her forehead, what she said dripped with embarrassment. Did she really say that?

Monteque then stopped, causing Solaria to fall.

"Hey! What gives?"

The rattling of bones could be heard from the skeleton. Suddenly the air grew to a deathly cold temperature. Solaria felt as if someone had landed a direct punch to her gut, almost making her fall to her knees. 

Solaria's heart began to race as an intense fear bolted through her. There was no reason to be, not in this moment.

Holly was frozen, her eyes widened in just pure terror.

They stared straight ahead as the mist before them swirled around them, the mist danced and shaped into ghastly jagged shapes of harpies with snakes in their hair, spitting steamy venom, their eyes shimmering amber, and filled with defining features of wings and horrid screeches.

A pair of wispy claws swung through the air, knocking Monteque's head clean off.

Solaria screamed as the skeleton fell like the pile of lifeless bones it was. 

"Bolarius Totalis!"

The mist lit up in a wave of flames. It was like a sea of fire in the air. Like a flamable gas, the mist caused a reaction that ended in an explosion that connected with Holly's skin, causing her to scream bloody murder.

The jagged shapes were gone in a matter of moments, and there was silent, until a deep seductive voice spoke.

"How interesting..."

Holly fell to her knees, clutching her right arm as her skin hung down. A sickly sweet smell rose from the red bloodied flesh trailing down from her shoulder to her wrist.

Solaria knelt beside Holly, her mind reeling, her stomach twist with bile.

"I didn't expect you to grab help from Stellaria's kin..."

Solaria's eyes flared with rage, "You killed my mother and you ruined my sister's life!"

"Your mother had it coming...and your sister needed a chance to grow up again, I gave her pity..."

"My mother did nothing to you!"

"She was in the way. I knew she would be able to stop me, so I waited until her guard was down and struck..."

"Why do you kill? Do you kill just for fun? Because you can?" Solaria roared, "Why did you kill my mother? Was she just another pawn to your twisted fantasy?"

"Come fight me to find out...if you dare, Solaria...only if you dare...oh and Holly...?"

Holly let out a cry of pain, tears spilled from her eyes.

"How do you think the gods will recieve you...? Knowing that you are no better than me...?"

Holly's voice wavered, "I-I...am not...you...I...never killed...fo..for...fun..."

"Ah, but you broke the rede...just as I did..." 

Silence.

"This will be fun!"

With a soul shattering cackle, the voice faded with what was left of the mist.

***