The mist settled in as everything became quiet, the sound of nothing could be heard, nothing at all, as if the land was completely desolate.
The thick mist covered everywhere and everything, if you were outside at this time, you would not have been able see anything or walk without tripping.
The mist had a clear, and yet thick colour, as if the colour of grey smoke, which was neither too white, or neither too black.
With the mist, came the cold, the freezing cold, that would have been enough to freeze anybody right on their spot, the mist seems harmless, and not dangerous at all, but that was far from the truth.
For those who let their guard down, and inhaled the mist as they slept, they would wake up to nothing at all, as the mist took what it was ordered to take, never to return till they have left its terrain.
The mist was said to kill, but not the physical, it was said to destroy, but not in the physical, but one thing it did do was to take… take from those who were selfish, those who wanted to uncover secrets that would be better left covered.
…
Stella sighed as he removed her hair from her bun as it came flowing down, Stella removed the green bangles from her hand, she did not usually wear such things, but today, she had a meeting with the other women of the High Council, and she had to show up in the way required of her.
Stella placed her green bangles on her dressing table as she brushed her hair with her hairbrush, she had so many thoughts running through her head, yes, many, many thoughts.
She had no means of communicating with Curtis or the others, they were who knew where, and apart from that, Ollie had gone with them, it just made her feel even more scared.
She was so scared that the prince, the only heir to the Witch Realm, son of Queen Christina and King Albert, was there as well, and if something, anything was to happen to him, she would be held responsible, she and Curtis would probably be banished, she would be removed from her post of Vice Chancellor, and well it would be a ridicule to her and her entire career.
"Oh Curtis, just what were you thinking, why didn't you tell me that you know this would happen?" asked Stella to herself as he sighed.
She knew Curtis, she knew him well, very well, and nothing caught him unaware, he always looked at every possible situation, every possible scenario, so this would not have surprised him, in fact, he must have known about this outcome.
The only question she had was why he did not tell her, it was clear that he expected this to happen, or else, he would have sent Ollie back regardless, and he would have returned by now.
"Curtis, you are so confusing, I wonder why you like to keep everyone in the dark, always" said Stella as she sighed, it was annoying more than anything else, the way he always had the last card, he always knew what was going to happen, and when it was going to happen.
That made people have a certain sense of confidence in him, but at the same time, it made him feel enigmatic, a being that knew what was going to happen, but that was not the case now, he had lost his powers, just like Annie had, he was only acting on facts that he already knew and nothing more.
"Oh dear heavens help me" said Stella as she sighed and she tried to calm herself down, at this rate, she would not end up sleeping tonight, she was just so worried.
"Have they reached Caligo now?" asked Stella to herself.
"If they have, are they cold, are they hungry, have they eaten?" asked Stella to herself, she could not help but wonder if everything was going on well, if they were doing alright, she knew that she sounded like a concerned mother, but she did not care, she was, Annie, Maddie, Matt, and even Ollie were all like her children, her own children, so of course she cared for them.
Stella could not rest at ease not at all, if not for the fact that all magic did not work on Caligo, she would have kept tabs and watched them all, but she could not do that, she just felt so helpless.
"Yes" replied Stella as she heard someone call out to her.
"Stella, I was just checking in on you, you are still awake?" came Captious voice from inside Stella's head.
"Well I just got back, and I can't sleep Capi" said Stella as she smiled and she gave a small smile.
"What a shame" said Captious as he sighed.
"And what about you? It's late, why are you awake?" asked Stella as she stopped brushing her hair.
"Well I can't sleep as well" said Captious as he sighed.
"And why is that Capi?" asked Stella as she smiled.
"Well I am thinking, so many things that are yet to be solved, the desired peace we want in our Realm is not there, and well, my great niece and her beloved friends, as well as the Prince of the Witch Realm are on the most dangerous mountain in the Realm, and apart from that, I am old and lonely" said Captious as he replied.
"Oh Capi, you really thought of that one, it's like you have been waiting to lay it all down, hmm?" asked Stella as she laughed, Captious list was… well it was daunting, the way he thought, it always fascinated her, ever since she had met him back In university.
"Well I only speak the truth Stella" said Captious as he smiled.
"Oh Captious that may be so, but your truth is so depressing" said Stella as she smiled, but she sighed.
"Well we are all depressed in one way or another" said Captious as he smiled.
"I don't like that philosophy of yours Capi" said Stella as she smiled.
"Besides, you are not alone, no, far from it" said Stella as she smiled.
"You have Annie, you have John, Lisa, Matt, believe it or not Sapiens, and your have… me as well" said Stella as she smiled.
"We all love you Capi, and even though it can be hard sometimes, we push on, and we all care for each other" said Stella as she smiled.
"Hmm, how silly of me, here I am being the one telling you all my problems, and yet, you, the Vice Chancellor of the entire realm, obviously has more important problems than me" said Captious as he laughed.
"Oh Capi, don't say it like that, we all have equally important problems in our lives" said Stella as she laughed.
"But still, some people have more problems than others" said Captious as he smiled and Stella laughed.
"So how are you Stella?" asked Captious as he smiled.
"Worried, tired, exhausted, among some other things" said Stella as she laughed.
"I can imagine" said Captious as he sighed, in a way, they were all feeling like that as well.
"But what can you do, except bear with it?" asked Stella to herself as she sighed.
"Sometimes, bearing it, is easier said than done" said Captious as he sighed, he of all people knew that was the truth.
"Well said" said Stella as she sighed and she yawned, she was tired, she was so tired, and she had an early morning tomorrow, she needed to go to sleep soon.
"You are tired, you should go to sleep" said Captious.
"I am… *Yawn*" said Stella as she yawned once again.
"You see, you are tired, get some rest Stella, we have a meeting with the High Council tomorrow" said Captious as he smiled.
"Yes I know that Capi, but if I do go to sleep, who will keep you company then?" asked Stella as she yawned once again.
"I will be fine Stella, you don't need to keep me company, you have done more than enough" said Captious as he smiled.
"Are you sure? I don't want you to be lonely" said Stella as she smiled.
"I am sure Stella; besides, I am not lonely, you said I have you right?" asked Captious as he smiled.
"Of course you do" said Stella as she smiled and she yawned once again.
"That is more than enough for me, and I also have some work to do first before I go to bed, but you need to sleep" said Captious as he smiled.
"Well alright then Capi, if you say so" said Stella as she yawned.
"Good *yawn*… night" said Stella as she yawned.
"Goodnight Stella" said Captious as he smiled and Stella stood up from her dressing table as she climbed into her bed and she closed her eyes as Captious broke their mind link and he returned to all the work he had on his desk to finish before tomorrow morning.