The Enchantments: Book 4 - The Key of Mulastef

Chapter 14: Audible

A fog whirled about her mind in incessant pools thinning in sections then closing in as more of the tepid mist covered her feet. She stood staring nervously down as it rolled over her bare feet. It was cold, not the temperature of a cool stream but like walking barefoot in a foot of snow. She held herself noticing a thin gown clinging to her emaciated body. Stepping forward through the thick fog made her very nervous. If this was just a dream how could she emerge from it without being lost in this nightmare?

But it wasn't a nightmare, she could feel it, she sensed it. Watching as the mist eddied, she strolled forward not realizing where she was going. Something slithered across her foot, and she almost screamed when she suddenly felt the mist getting warmer. A soft opaque light began spreading from the mist, at first a soft haze in the center of the fog and then changing to an orange hue. She didn't know if she should head in that direction, but body willed her forward.

Slow at first and then more turbulent the fog began to roll as if going down a drain. It cascaded outwards until before long a hole began appearing sending streams of fog away. As the area cleared, Simeneon could see a small cabin like building ahead. Cracked wood ran across the front and streams of bright orange light filtered through the cracks. She drifted to the right of the corner looking around frantically for any sign of trouble.

The sound echoed through the cabin, large metallic clangs erupted around her, and she caught movement inside. She crested the corner to view a mountain of a man swinging a large hammer down upon a large iron surface. A blacksmith she thought to herself, and just after the thought crossed her mind, he stopped in mid swing looking casually over his left shoulder. He brought the hammer down slowly and rested it against the large anvil. He wiped his hands on a rag then turned around towards her. He made no sound but staring at this man at least six and a half feet tall with arms like a body builder. His face chiseled and unsmiling he looked at her up and down, sighing heavily he began shaking his head as in disapproval.

"What?" Simeneon asked.

The man stopped shaking his head and throw the rag into the fire sending sparks high into the air. He turned back to her and scowled then in contrast to his earlier slow actions whips his hand forward and slamming something into the ground before her.

A huge fire erupts causing her to fall backward onto her butt. She shuffled backward in terror trying to avoid the spitting fire when a figure slowly walks through the fire appearing before her. The same towering man now covered in robes of ebony stares down at her. The reflection of the fire glistens and dances upon his silk robes. Making him look like he is actually on fire. He bends over to be with a foot of her and whispers soft and demanding.

"Look towards the midnight sun... The midnight sun..."

"WAKE UP... WAKE UP!!!!"

Simeneon bolts upright her face a mask of sweat and concern. She realizes she has rolled to close to the fire in her sleep and she shuffled back pulling the weak blankets she had obtained closer to her chest. With bleary eyes, she looked around staring at unfamiliar trees circling her. The fire is now lower than it had been when she'd drifted off still contained a fair amount of heat even though the flames were no more than an inch high.

Pushing herself to a sitting position she brought the blanket even closer. Even though she wasn't cold, the dream had left her still shaking from its realness. She let out a breath seeing the small stream of fog out front, sitting here in the small park she had found the past night left her wondering if the fire would bring forth trouble in more ways than one. But to her relief, the surrounding trees made a beautiful barrier against any passing traffic.