Bringing the dagger close to his lips, he whispered words. A soft blue glow emanated from the blade. Though it did little to push back the red mist, he could see further than the few inches in front of him. He heard rustling to his left, as if something ran through the underbrush in a forest, but he could see no foliage, only the mist. From his right, a woman laughed. Spinning in that direction, he moved closer toward the sound. After several steps, something brushed his back, then his leg. He turned around. Nothing. His heart pounded in his chest, and all his senses stretched outward but brought no information back to him.
A breeze from somewhere swirled the mist. Holding the dagger high, he tried to decide on the direction. The speed of the air current increased, and the mist faded. A f
