The Mist Children

by E. C. Hibbs

  A sudden wail flew past her like a wave. It was so strong; it sent her cartwheeling through the air.

  When she stabilised herself, she realised it was coming from the Sun Spirit.

  My son! she was shrieking. No! No, my son!

  What is wrong, Golden One? cried the Spirit of the Winter Winds.

  The Sun Spirit didn’t answer. She twisted around herself in anguish and pushed vainly against the skin between the Worlds.

  My son! Please, no!

  She flung herself away from the tear and approached.

  What has he done? she demanded.

  The Sun Spirit looked at her.

  The draugars have him! He gave himself to them! Oh, my boy, no!

  The souls around her spun in alarm. Panic flared through her entire being; her tail stilled and she thought she might fall out of the sky. All her fury transformed into sheer terror.

  She stared at the Northern Edge. Its icy surface shone in the afternoon light, the hole in the centre so small that it looked as though it had been pricked through fabric with a needle. She could just about see the trail of Tuomas’s prints across the snow; his skis sticking upright on the lakeshore.

  Her eyes rose to the cleft in the sky.

  She didn’t stop to think. In all her centuries of existence, never had she made a decision so quickly.

  She gathered all her strength. Her aurora bloomed even though it was the middle of the day. Then she shot forward like an arrow and leapt across the rip. It pulled at her, trying to keep her in the World Above, but she let out an almighty cry and tore herself through.

  Something ruptured around her. The edges of the hole flew in opposite directions and split the entire sky in two. A collective scream rebounded between the stars.

  What are you doing? the Sun Spirit screamed. White Fox One, stop!

  She didn’t listen. The air became denser and she fell. It was still daylight; the Sun Spirit was high in the sky. Her Lights flickered, unable to find purchase, incapable of even moving. She needed the darkness… she shouldn’t be here…

  She focused harder than she ever had before and thought of the body Tuomas had given her. She drew herself together; made a chest and breathed into it. Legs and arms sprouted, and pointed ears; white hair burst forth from her head. She opened her eyes.

  In a matter of moments, she had transformed from shapeless aurora into a physical girl. Then she came down hard on the ice.

  Its firmness made her hiss. Everything was solid. It all felt heavy and constrained; the physical flesh was like a cage after floating free. The Sun Spirit’s glow bore down on her like a weight and burned so deep, she cried out in agony. In the World Above, they could exist alongside each other, but not here.

  The Spirits were screaming at her. She sensed them in her mind: all overlapping each other in a frantic chorus of dread and rage.

  She looked up at the sky and gasped with horror. What had she done?

  But her own panic was greater. She would deal with the rip later.

  Biting her lip against the pain, she crawled as fast as she could towards the hole in the middle of the lake. She thrust her power towards it, wrenched open the gateway, and leapt through.

  She fell again, through a haze of nothingness which then transformed into heavy rainclouds. The light disappeared and a wonderful rainy night surrounded her. She panted with relief and landed in a boat in the middle of the lake. The surface was hidden beneath a thick coat of mist.

  Several Earth Spirits were dragging bodies onto the banks. They reached out their hands as soon as they saw her.

  White Fox One! they called. What are you doing here?

  She didn’t answer; just threw herself into the water. Darkness surrounded her, but she burst through it. Her tail swept back and forth and transformed the lake into a flickering pool of green and blue. Then she saw a mass of slimy, swirling figures – and in the middle of them, a glow as bright as the Sun Spirit.

  She flung her Lights at the draugars and struck them with the force of a tempest. The creatures shrieked and swam away, slithering over each other in a desperate attempt for shelter. They left Tuomas hanging in the water, surrounded by blood. She saw shallow bite marks all over him and a deep wound on his chest.

  To her amazement, he was still alive.

  She plunged her hand into him and drove deep until she found his souls. They were beginning to separate, their shine dimming by the second. A moment more and she would have been too late.

  With a great push, she forced them back together. Then she wrenched herself free, seized his body and swam upwards. They broke the surface and she held his head above the water while she kicked towards the bank. As soon as they were within distance, the Earth Spirits ran over and pulled them both away from the lake.

  She grabbed hold of a tree to steady herself. She could barely stand; she had never used so much energy so quickly before.

  The Earth Spirits laid Tuomas beside the other bodies. They looked as though they were made of the mist, but with every moment, colour slowly returned to their cheeks. Life was coming back to them, bringing firm flesh and warm blood. They were all unconscious, but she could tell they were breathing.

  She tapped Tuomas’s face in an attempt to get him moving. No response came. Desperate, she held a hand on his chest to stem the blood. Rain soaked her, pulling her hair straight and making her ears droop. Every drop was like acid – even their faint touch was almost too much for her to bear.

  One of the Earth Spirits approached and helped her press down on the wound. Blood spilled over its leafy fingers.

  The draugars will come after him, she said. Summon the Great Bear.

  Do you have any idea what you have done? the Earth Spirit asked in a trembling voice. Did you not feel it? You tore the –

  Summon the Bear, she repeated firmly.

  An awful slithering sounded from the water. Then a torrent of draugars burst through, their eyes furiously fixed on her. There were thousands: more of them than she had ever seen. The entire lake was filled with them. They slinked up the bank and came straight towards Tuomas.

  She threw another stream of Lights and knocked them back several feet.

  Not a step further! she shouted.

  The draugars skidded to a halt. She couldn’t help a surge of satisfaction when she saw they were afraid.

  White Fox One! they shrieked. The boy is ours now!

  I contest that! He is the Son of the Sun! He is far above any grasp such as yours, you disgusting, scavenging bottom-feeders!

  She rose to her full height and swept her tail back and forth. With every movement, a miniature aurora flew through the air, its edge red with rage. In her human form, she was smaller than the draugars, but her presence was enough to stop them in their tracks.

  The nearest draugar thrust its chin toward her.

  He is ours! He came to us willingly! He gave us his taika!

  And you have not taken his taika yet! she snarled. His life-soul is still where it belongs, and that means it is still his own!

  The draugars didn’t back off. They crawled as close as they dared, threat in their flaming eyes. She held up her hands and they glowed warningly.

  The deal was made, they hissed. An exchange greater than any human has ever offered, and it was accepted! By coming here, you have broken it, White Fox One! So we claim not only him, but all those he has tried to save! Every single one of them!

  She took a step forward.

  You do not challenge me! Ever! she bellowed. You know who I am, and I will crush you all!

  The draugars quietened, but they still gnashed their teeth at her. Their fear turned to disdain.

  With all due respect, they drawled, there are more of us than of you. You may be strong, White Fox One, but so are we. And you have a weakness unlike any other Spirit. You love him… like a human.

  She heard more slithering behind her and spun around. To her horror, the huge crowd of draugars had crept through the trees and now encroache
d from all sides. She, Tuomas, the bodies and the Earth Spirits were trapped by a wall of monsters.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Where was the Great Bear? They were all here, in prime position for it to trap them…

  Why should we not drag you with us too? they said. Their eyes shone with slimy triumph. The Son of the Sun, and the Daughter of the Moon. Ours, together, forever. Tell us, White Fox One, what does human love taste like as a Spirit?

  Dread wrenched deep inside her. This had been what Kari wanted to do, after he discovered who she was. These creatures were just like him. And just like him, she would strike them down. They would look upon her and be afraid, as all things should be.

  She flung out her hands and threw up a circle of Lights. The aurora struck the ground and bloomed like green fire, but it was too late. The draugars shouldered their way through, hissing in pain, but not allowing it to hinder them. The Earth Spirits hurriedly surrounded Tuomas.

  Stay away, or I will destroy you all! she thundered. It might take me a hundred years, but not a single one of you will escape! I will not warn you again!

  You cannot win, White Fox One! the draugars cried. We will have you both!

  In response, she shot a jet of Light around the circle. It was so powerful, every draugar at the front fell and didn’t move.

  A flicker of fear flashed around the crowd, but disappeared just as quickly, and they swarmed forward like a plague. She hurled out more auroras and tried to repel them, but they were soon upon her. The Earth Spirits tried to help, but one swipe from the draugars’ arms smashed their thin leaf shells apart.

  There was nothing left to do. She grabbed the two bodies nearest Tuomas – Aki and Elin – then threw out a second circle around the four of them. Closer to her, she was able to hold it easier, and she swept the freezing flames high over her head until they were completely encased. The amount of energy was so extreme, she dropped to her knees, but never once did she lower her hands.

  She screamed. The sound tore through her like a knife; her lungs opened properly for the first time and her throat felt as though she had swallowed an icicle. She was too weak; too vulnerable from the daylight and the dive, and the leap across three Worlds in a matter of moments. Every part of her body hurt.

  Her arms trembled. She couldn’t hold the monsters off…

  Something swept over her and blew the aurora away. She jumped up, ready to defend herself, but paused.

  All of the draugars were floating limp in the air. Some were so high up; she couldn’t see their faces. Even the rain had stopped still and hovered as though frozen. And above everything, the clouds had twisted into the unmistakable image of the Great Bear Spirit.

  The Earth Spirits quickly reassembled themselves from nearby leaves and stared into the sky. More appeared from within the forest, some scaling the trees to see better.

  The Bear turned its eyes to every single one of them. Then it looked straight at her. She almost buckled under its gaze; she had never known it so incensed.

  It spoke, in a silent voice that still managed to rattle the ground underfoot.

  Take them to the Deathlands.

  The clouds broke apart. At once, the Earth Spirits reached out towards them and swept them down. As the cloud passed over the draugars, it ensnared them like flies in a spider’s web. Soon the twisting vapours covered the entire forest and she couldn’t even see her hand in front of her face. She crouched over Tuomas protectively and watched as the Earth Spirits forced the draugars into the cave.

  When the last one had disappeared, the sky was left perfectly clear and dark. Even the torches around the trees had been extinguished in the fray. She flicked her tail and sent a gentle green glow into the night. A few reindeer peered from behind the carved trunks, their white coats ghostly under the aurora. The lake shone; the blanket of mist was gone, as though it had never been there.

  Her ears pricked up in alarm as she looked around. The three she had grabbed: Tuomas, Elin and Aki, were still there, all the mist vanished from their bodies. But the others – Sisu, Eevi, Paavo – had vanished.

  Tuomas was still bleeding from the gash in his chest, but it was beginning to slow down. She pressed on it again and her snowy hands stained red.

  He shuddered beneath her; coughed and spewed half the lake out of his mouth. He gasped for air, then inched his eyes open. They were bloodshot and weary, but alive.

  “Lumi?” he mumbled in disbelief.

  Her anger flooded back. She thrust out a hand and sent his head flying onto the ground. The impact knocked him unconscious again.

  Good. At least that way, he couldn’t cause any more damage.

  One of the Earth Spirits stepped out from the cave. As it approached, it drew leaves from the ground and swirled them around itself until they found places as skin, clothes and hair.

  Where are the souls? she asked.

  The Spirit lowered its head sorrowfully. We could not hold them off. The draugars took them again before we could reach them.

  She stared at it, then at Tuomas. Her eyes lingered over his bruised and bloodied body. All his clothes were torn so badly, they barely covered him. Small pink crescents, dotted with the unmistakable dents of teeth marks, peppered every inch of his skin.

  He did all this for nothing? she cried, unable to hide her anguish. That is why he tried to sacrifice himself, is it not? To save them all?

  Yes, said the Earth Spirit. I tried to stop him. He would not listen.

  Hardly surprising, she snarled. Stupid fool! He had no idea what he was doing!

  He is not the only one guilty of that, White Fox One.

  She looked over her shoulder. A shape was rising from the lake. It walked with purpose and grace; nothing like the slithery movements of the draugars, and its entire form was made of water. A thick body took shape, then powerful paws and eyes as bottomless as time. It held something solid in its mouth: a drum.

  Immediately, the reindeer lowered their heads as it passed. The Great Bear regarded them with the gentleness of a parent. The Earth Spirit bowed too, and so did she. She kept her eyes on the ground until the Bear was standing directly over her. It deposited the drum at Tuomas’s side. The skin was slack and saturated with water, but amazingly, the symbols were intact.

  Have you any idea of what you have done? it said.

  I am sorry, she said meekly. I just had to save him –

  And in that you have succeeded, replied the Bear, but at such cost! You have torn the boundary between the Above and Between! And it is not a thin rip such as your brother made – it is the entire skin! That is why it took me so long to reach you when you summoned me here! You were with me when we warned him about abusing the power – you knew the danger and you still acted!

  She cowered. She had never known the Bear to shout. Its words were so sharp, it physically hurt her to hear them in her mind. It was the feeling of crushing disappointment, of ice cracking under itself.

  I will repair it, she insisted. When I come back, I promise I will undo what I have done!

  The Bear was silent. Only when she met its eyes did it answer her.

  The tear is too great. You cannot come back.

  She was so shocked; the Lights froze in the air and she fell over. The Bear didn’t move. Every fur on its watery body shone, as though each one contained a trace of stardust.

  You must be able to go back, she cried. Take me with you!

  I am beyond all three Worlds. I am all three, everything in them, all that was and ever will be. Yes, I can pass between them: the only Spirit who can now. But I will not take you back to the World Above with me.

  She dug her fingers into the earth in disbelief.

  What? Why?

  You have brought this upon yourself.

  But his soul – his Spirit – would have been lost forever! I had to save him!

  Which I could also have done, replied the Bear. He made a choice upon which I could have acted. You chose to act rashly, with no thought or consequence, ju
st as you have before. But this time, it was not out of your wounded pride – no foolish human boy who dared not lower his head when he saw your display.

  It drew so close, its nose almost touched hers.

  The Silver One was correct in one respect, White Fox One, it continued. The human love you have learned is a strength, but it is also your greatest weakness.

  She sat so still, she thought she might turn to solid ice. The Earth Spirit beside her laid a hand on her arm, but she hardly felt it. Even the sharp physical touch suddenly seemed so far away.

  The Bear stepped back a little, but didn’t take its eyes off her.

  I shall grant you the ability to shift between your forms, not to be bound only to this one. Girl, fox, aurora – all are yours, it said. Then it moved towards Tuomas, Elin and Aki. I will take you all to Anaar. Do what you all must to recover.

  And then what would you have me do? she asked quietly.

  Your brother should have completed the task I set him and not tried to outwit the draugars. I told him to do this because I have another he must complete: the very reason why he lives again in this body. Now, you will do it alongside him. Then you must both repair the boundary together, as both of you have contributed to it. And finally…

  It paused and pressed its nose into Tuomas’s chest. As soon as it touched him, light surrounded his body, and she watched as it settled around his head and hips. The wound over his heart closed into an enflamed line until he was left with his original scar, although notably larger than before. Then two pointed ears and a tail emerged, but unlike hers, they were not white. They were a stunning golden red.

  After what he has done today, his power grows towards its peak. He is truly a Spirit in human form now. And yet, all things must come to an end. The choice of how will be his.

  She ground her teeth.

  More riddles? she said, unable to keep the impatience out of her words.

  The Bear eyed her again.

  It is what I am.