The Holder of the Mist

In any city, in any country, go to the nearest pond or lake on a cloudy night. Point your finger thrice to the sky and call for the clouds to descend from their perch. If they heed your call, and a mist begins to roll in from the water then remain stationary. If not, then quickly jump into the water and stay under until you can hold your breath no more. If you are not killed when you emerge, then try again on the next full moon.

However, if the mist does roll in from the water, then consider yourself lucky. Walk slowly forward, do not fear the water, for it shall never touch your feet. As you travel further into the mist, horrible screams will grace your ears. Roars of animals not seen by man will rip through the air, but do not fear, while you walk in the mist none shall touch you. If the mist begins to thin, quickly turn and walk in a different direction, for leaving the mist will result in a quick death.

After what seems like hours of wandering, rays of light will begin to pierce the cloudy world. Keep walking until you emerge onto a vast arid desert. There will be a swarthy man with a turban sitting next to a large cactus. This is the Holder of the Mist. Do not approach him, you must stand in the hot sun without water until a tumbleweed blows by. Once that happens, you may approach the man.

There is but one question you may ask him, "What happens when they can see no more?"

The man will grunt, and reach inside of his turban to pull out a water-skin. If he drinks from the water-skin, then prepare to die slowly from dehydration. However, if he hands you the skin, sprinkle a little bit of its contents on the ground and the mist will return. Walk into the mist and do not stop until you are back at the body of water where you started.

This water-skin is Object 392 of 2538. When you cannot see, the only way left is forward.