The Marchioness Treasure | HIATUS

Chapter 9: Misty-cal beings

It was exactly midnight. The party had mostly died with only a few nobles roaming in the hall in a drunken stupor. Marleigh raced towards the servant's quarters where it was secluded as all the other maids were busy cleaning up after the ball.

She placed the box wrapped in red cloth on the lush green grass and clutched the matchbox. Marleigh hesitated for a while thinking if she was doing the right thing. With trembling hands and cold feet, she lit the matchstick and stared into the flames, the fire reflecting in her hazel eyes with vigor until the flame dissipated in the gush of wind.

"Think carefully, Augur. Do you want this?" a voice called out in space. Startled, Marleigh turned to see a yellow mist slowly taking the form of a man. Its legs and arms flanged from the sudden burst of energy it emitted yet its body and the head remained steadfast, "It's not the only way."

Marleigh didn't know if she was hallucinating. The misty man floated closer, his face a bit more clear to her as the mist rearranged itself and formed the features of an old man. Marleigh took a few steps away and her legs tripped on the box as she fell on the grass. 

"W-Who are you?" asked Marleigh, her voice barely a whisper. Her mind and her body blanked and she couldn't move a muscle in her body but only her mouth.

"Don't be afraid. I have not come to harm you," said the man, his voice echoing inside Marleigh's mind in a hushed tone, "The paralysis is temporary. Please listen to me."

Marleigh tried moving her legs but failed. She tried to lift her head and see if anyone would come to help her up but to Marleigh's shock, she was surrounded by a thick curtain of white smoke, with just her in the middle of it. 

"Nobody can see us or hear us in this realm. This is just your imagination," whispered the voice once again, "In reality, you are just wandering around the garden, working as any maid would."

"What do you want from me?" asked Marleigh, her voice returning to normal, "Who are you?"

The mist moved closer to her, a bright light shining from its eyes, "It is not important to know who... or what I am. Do not light the firework."

Marleigh stared at the mist with an alarming expression, "H-How do you know about that?"

"Let's just say word gets around quickly within the mists." the mist chuckled, the corner of his eyes wrinkling in delight, "Anyway if you want to seek your past, you should head to the wisest."

Marleigh stared at the misty man in shock. 'Why does it think that I'll believe or do as it says?' thought Marleigh to which the mist replied with a scoff.

"You haven't realized yet, have you? I can hear your thoughts well. Your life is in danger, Do as I say or it's doomsday."

Marleigh concentrated her energy on the invisible bindings on her arms. With all her strength, she tried separating her bonded arms, and a sudden burst of white light emitted from her wrists as she finally broke free.

With her arms supporting the weight of her body, she stood up and hopped near the dumbfounded mist, "Why exactly should I believe you?"

"You are something, Augur," said the mist, a proud expression forming on its face, "But, I see everything. Even things that shouldn't be seen. Listening to me is your only chance to save your life."

Marleigh thought back on the conversation she had eavesdropped on. It was highly likely that the elders had set her up to kill her or at least harm her in some way. Though she was reluctant to believe in the mist, Marleigh decided to give him the benefit of doubt.

"How do I know that you aren't lying or trying to set me up?" Marleigh asked, her eyebrows raised and her now free hands folded, "After all, you could be a Dritten."

The mist formed a face of disgust, as if the mere thought of being compared to the pesky, evil creature made his skin crawl, "Horrendous! Don't compare the pure souls such as I to those ugly creatures! We've more power than them and far more handsome."

A quiet laugh escaped Marleigh's lips. The last part reminded her of a Kai and heat rushed to her pale cheeks. 'Wha- Why am I thinking of him at a time like this?' Marleigh thought to herself. Realizing that the 'soul' could hear her thoughts, she started counting Drittens in her head.

"Nice try, Augur, but I already caught on," the misty-soul chuckled, "I guess even Augurs can't help falling in love, eh?"

Marleigh, shocked, fumbled on her words, "N-no, I am n-not. Besides, the conversation has taken a weird turn in here. What do you want from me?"

"I guess you still don't believe me. Very well then," the mist's expression turned serious and he spoke in a firm voice, "If I said there was a way to save your... brother, would you believe me?"

Marleigh looked at the mist stunned. She knew very well of whom he was speaking of. Marleigh didn't have any brothers, to begin with, but the Vohras did. Their eldest son, because of her, had to join the royal salves. 

Everyone knew that once someone's recruited as a slave, there was no future for them. They were good as dead. She knew of no one who had made it out of the palace alive after being sold there. Ranamun had given up his freedom, his life for the sake of feeding another mouth in their family. 

"H-How do you know?" asked Marleigh, her eyes whelming with tears of guilt and shock, "If I knew you were lying, I-I'll kill you."

"Well, mists don't lie. We'll be banished from existence if we do," the mist gave a sad smile, "Besides, I am already dead so you can't kill me."

Marleigh wiped the tears that had formed in her eyes and looked sat on the smoke-covered pavement, "If you can tell me how to release Ranamun, I'll believe you."

The mist gave a little laugh and patted Marleigh's head but before it could reach her hair, his hands dissipated, "I knew you'd come around. Go to Southern District and ask for Binney. She'll tell you the rest."

Marleigh nodded, "Okay but, how can I summon you again? You could at least give me your name."

The mist smiled and began to fade, Marleigh's surroundings slowly coming into view, "I'll be there when the need arises. As for my name, it's Iver." 

_______