When I opened my eyes I saw an area covered by water, there were parts of it that were open and areas dense with trees like a forest. Tall grass and pointy shrubs peered out from the water, and the place was crawling with dragonflies, turtles and of course frogs. There was a thick layer of mist over the place making it hard to see very far out. I figured this was normal for a bog.

There were strange things about my surroundings though, for one the sky was dark and the moon was out. It was still day out when I closed my eyes, and besides that this moon was ridiculously huge, taking up almost half the sky. ‘This is all in my head’ I reminded myself. I stood up from the rock I was sitting on when Celeste brought me here and took a look around. Everything was wet here, and the trees swayed in the wind. I couldn’t actually feel it though.

I stepped into the muddy water, it went up to my waist but I didn't feel my clothes or my body get wet from it. I could still feel a slight resistance as I waded through the water but not nearly as much as you’d expect. It was as if my mind was imagining the sensation that’s supposed to be happening right now. It reminded me of something a soldier told me about some time ago; that after he lost his hand, he could sometimes feel it like it was still there. I imagined maybe his experience was somewhat like this, your mind filling in the gaps when something is missing. I pressed forward when suddenly a voice spoke closely in my ear.

“Cassian, can you hear me?” The voice belonged to Celeste. It startled me for a moment, but hearing a familiar voice in this strange place was comforting too.

“Yeah, I hear you.” I said out loud.

“Your body is still here with me, it’s your spirit that’s there. I’m watching you through the crystal ball.”

A realization came over me that Celeste was speaking in my mind. Turning my head wouldn’t change how close or far she sounded. There was also her explanation, which made sense of everything. I wasn’t really here, I was basically a ghost. I smiled as the pieces started coming together.

“This is incredible.”

“Yeah but don’t get cocky, your spirit isn’t untouchable. If something happens out there I won’t be able to get you back.” There was empathy and concern in her warning, but I felt no fear.

“Keep my eyes peeled, I get it. Can I ask why the moon is so big?” I asked her, staring up at the otherworldly sky.

“Your subconscious can affect your surroundings when you’re in this state,” she answered. “Your mind has been separated from its body, it’s not bound to the physical anymore. It’s probably tied to childhood memories. Think of it as an optical illusion, focus on the things that seem real, that come from our world.”

“So ignore the giant moon. Gotcha.”

My mind latched onto what she said about childhood memories, I thought about the nights on the sea. As a kid the moon always seemed so big and bright, I used to think the moon was made for us. Lighting the way for generations of Nightwaters, helping them sail through the darkness. Then bad memories came flooding in, so I ignored them the best I could and pressed forward. As I did, I began to feel strange emotions come over me, it was concern for the safety of a friend. But why though? Who was in danger? Then it dawned on me.

“This spell, can it let me feel your emotions?” I asked Celeste.

There was silence, then she replied.

“I was warned that might happen when I learned this spell. I’m surprised you actually noticed it.”

“You’re nervous..” I explained. “You've only done this a handful of times, and you’re afraid something will go wrong and I won’t come back. That nervousness stood out to me.”

“So you’re not afraid of what might happen to you?” She asked.

“Of course I am.” I lied to her on instinct, then I realized she could probably sense my emotions as well. There was a moment of pause between the two of us.

I didn’t want her to know the ugly truth, that I had nothing to live for anymore. I didn’t hunt monsters for gold or fame, it just seemed like a good way to die. Helping others by ridding them of the beings that terrorize them. I wasn’t sure if Celeste could sense that I was lying, and I wasn’t going to inquire about it, but things were getting awkward.

“My employer told me he was robbed by bandits in here. I should try and find where that happened.” I said, changing the subject.

“I’ll stop distracting you.”

“Yeah.”

I needed to find where the robbery happened, so I did what I thought Alistair would’ve done and found a pretty clump of plants. From there I could start my search. Sure enough I got lucky and found a muddy trail with horse shoe tracks on them. It made some sense, I didn’t imagine Alistair going deep into this place especially with how foggy it was. I’m honestly surprised he didn’t turn back the moment he saw what the Sleeping Bog looked like. Was he brave or just plain stupid?

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

It was then that my investigation was interrupted, the mist that surrounded this area contorted into the figure of a person and hovered over to me. On instinct I wanted to grab my sword but realized that wouldn’t do anything. I stood my ground, ready to run. The foggy figure spoke in a wispy voice, that which belonged to a man.

“You should not be here.” the fog said with venom in its words. “But my powers have no effect on you. How are you still awake?”

“I’m just a ghost.” I said with a coy smile. “And what are you?”

“I am of no concern to you. All you need to know is that this is my land, and I am its king.” it replied. “Leave!”

This thing was responsible for putting people to sleep, maybe it was some kind of spirit. Fey perhaps? All I knew was it acted real stuck up, something humans know best. I decided it was best to play along, even if it’s first attempt against me failed I didn’t want to risk a second attack. So I took a bow before the ‘king’

“Your majesty, I am looking for a white horse that was stolen by some men in these parts. Can you help me?” I asked, trying my best to sound authentically polite.

“I know of the white horse. It belongs to my subjects now.” The cloud asserted.

“The horse belongs to its rider, who really wants it back.”

The fog cloud floated in the air, not responding. I imagined it was making an annoyed face at me.

“You can tell the rider he can eat shit from a bucket. My subjects own that horse now.”

I was losing my patience talking to this misty whoever the fuck.

“Fine, I’ll come back here and take the horse myself.” I told the cloud.

“You enter these lands again, you’ll die here.” it threatened. “I don’t care if you’re a fuckin’ ghost, no one can defy me!”

“We’ll see about that, cloudy little shit.”

I turned my back to the mist and walked away, having seen enough. I made sure to get far away from the foggy parts of the bog before I spoke.

“Celeste, I have a trail I can follow. Can you bring me back?” I said aloud hoping she’d hear me.

“Okay.” She responded.

“Sit down somewhere, and try to envision yourself back at the tent with me. I’ll do the rest.”

I walked back to where I first opened my eyes, found the same rock and sat on it again. Before doing anything else, I paused and took a deep breath to calm down. I shouldn’t be letting a damn cloud get me riled up, I need to control my emotions. Flying off the handle can get me killed. Besides, I was looking at an extraordinary view and I wanted to take it in before I was back in my body again. After a moment of sight seeing, I closed my eyelids shut and let my imagination bring me to the tent, and back to Celeste.

“Breathe.” I heard her voice guiding me.

I took a breath and rubbed my finger against my thumb - the sensation felt real again. I opened my eyes, and there she was in front of me.

“I’d call that a success.” She smiled.

“I’d call that an experience.”

I stretched my limbs, my muscles were tense. Celeste leaned over, licked her thumb and wiped whatever symbol she drew off of my forehead.

“How long was I gone?” I asked.

“An hour.” She told me.

Damn, it felt a lot shorter in my head.

“Don’t stand up right away.” Celeste warned. “Your body is still adjusting to everything that happened.”

“Good to know.” My stomach did feel a little queasy when I came back from the spell. Rather not make it worse. “By the way, while I was there I saw a person in the form of, like a man-shaped mist cloud. You wouldn’t know anything about that would you?”

Celeste put a finger to her chin. “Air Elemental?”

“I don’t think so. This thing behaved the way a person would. It’s able to put people to sleep if they enter the bog. And it doesn’t want to give the horse back.”

“What are you going to do?” she questioned.

“What I always do, solve problems and piss off monsters. I have a plan that might work.”

“What would that be?” She looked curiously.

“I think I could brew something that might help me resist whatever sleeping spell the cloud could put on me.” I explained to her. “Only thing is, I need fairy dust.”

I had a feeling Celeste may have had some fairy dust on her, it was a useful alchemical ingredient. Fairies have an innate resistance to magical effects, especially things that affect the mind like sleeping spells. If I could make a simple tonic with fairy dust in it, that might just be enough to keep myself awake while in the bog.

Celeste chuckled to herself. “You’re lucky I like you, Nightwater.” she said while reaching for a pouch. “I traveled with a caravan before I landed here. Did some trading and got my hands on some.”

She placed the pouch in my hand, I smiled at her, “I knew I could count on you.”

“Yeah yeah, we’re even now. After this I’m charging for my services.”

“Your services are worth every coin.” I got up on my feet, “I should get out of your hair. I need to head off before nightfall.”

“It was good seeing you Cassian.”

I walked over to the hanging beads by the entrance of the tent and stopped. There was something I wanted to ask her, it had been on my mind since the moment I learned she was in Thorneglade. I debated with myself if I should do it or not. Finally I turned around and met her gaze.

“I’ll come visit you after the job is done.” I told her.

“I’m holding you to that. Don’t die on me.” She nagged lightheartedly.

I couldn’t make any promises.