WRAITH

“We have to protect each other. We’re in each other's bodies, so we can’t just protect ourselves.”

“You’re right,” Chinatsu sighed.

“That’s right, I’m–” Miyabi was caught off guard by Chinatsu’s sudden agreement.

After the encounter with the Minotaur, the two of them continued with an overabundance of caution. Now that the adrenaline had completely worn off, they increasingly found the need to take breaks from walking.

“We don’t know if there are more of those things in here, or what other dangers this place could pose. So we need to come up with an actual plan.”

The sun was beginning to get low enough in the sky that the maze was going dark, its tall walls casting tremendous shadows on the paths. It could be dark in there before they knew it. Chinatsu knew that they’d have to press onward soon. They were trying to get out of this place as fast as possible.

“Miyabi, do you remember what the outside of this place looked like? Can you draw it?” Chinatsu asked, digging out a notebook and pen from the school bag.

Miyabi took them and began drawing a shape that almost looked like the outside of a gear.

“Okay, so these must be the entry points. They’re all dead ends, so we can just avoid heading towards any outer walls in this place,” Chinatsu said, pointing at the drawing. He took the pen and began drawing the path they’d been taking.

“We encountered the Minotaur right here,” he said, circling the spot on the map. He then placed an X on points with dead ends.

“We can keep marking this map with anything we find. Maybe there’s a pattern to it, or if we encounter something dangerous, we can find an alternate route,” Miyabi suggested.

“Right. And we have to be aware of our surroundings too,” Chinatsu started. “Miyabi, don’t touch any treasure chests you find!”

“Huh? Treasure chests?” Miyabi scratched her head.

Chinatsu started drawing something on the paper.

“Yeah, they look like ordinary treasure chests, but if you open them, they turn into monsters that eat you,” he explained, holding up his crude diagram.

Miyabi was speechless.

“How do you know all of this?” she finally asked.

“I uh, started playing TTRPGs last year, so I know about the kinds of monsters you encounter in dungeons,” Chinatsu muttered.

The two of them got to their feet, ending their break and pressing on.

“I’m surprised a meathead like you has a hobby like that,” Miyabi chided.

“Huh!? You wanna go!?” Chinatsu snapped.

Miyabi chuckled while she put the notebook and paper into the bag she was carrying.

“No, but I’m glad because now you get to be the brains and I’ll be the brawn,” Miyabi grinned.

Chinatsu felt his face flush and turned away from Miyabi.

“You still probably have me beat in the brains department, though,” he mumbled.

The two of them trudged onward with the sun setting, the maze growing darker and colder. Soon, it became almost too dark for them to see, save for the bright, full moon.

Chinatsu’s feet were throbbing. Miyabi was a model student, and so she adhered to the dress code by wearing plain brown loafers with her uniform. He stared at the sneakers on his body, the ones Miyabi was currently wearing, with envy. Chinatsu was starting to fall behind.

“Keep up,” Miyabi urged.

“Sorry, I’m trying,” he said through gritted teeth.

Miyabi turned to look at him and found him limping along in her body. She stopped and bent on one knee.

“Is it the cut on the leg?” she said, inspecting the scrape on the calf.

“Ah, no,” he said. “It’s my feet. I think I got some blisters from your shoes.”

Miyabi sighed.

“Sorry, we can take a break. It’s been quiet, so maybe we can get some rest now.”

The two sat on the cool ground and leaned against the wall. Chinatsu took off the shoes and found that some of the blisters had already burst. He peeled the bloody socks off his feet and winced at the cool air touching the fresh wounds.

“You don’t happen to have any bandages, do you?” he asked, digging through Miyabi’s school bag.

“If I do, it’s not nearly enough for all of that,” she sighed.

Nestled in the school bag, Chinatsu found something else–a bento! It had been jostled a bit, so the contents were a mess, but regardless, it was food.

“Let’s share this!”

Miyabi looked over the small box held out by Chinatsu. The portions were small. Packed to serve Miyabi’s normal appetite in her normal body.

“You can have it,” she said.

“Huh!? Why!? Aren’t you hungry too?”

“I don’t think it’s enough for both of us,” she sighed. “Besides, I don’t need you starving to death in my body.”

“What about my body!” Chinatsu snapped. He grabbed a handful of rice and shoved it into Miyabi’s mouth.

“MMMFF–”

“Eat,” Chinatsu commanded.

The two split the bento as best as they could and ate every last crumb. They were starving after all.

“There’s a bottle of water in my bag,” Chinatsu said, swallowing the last bite.

“There’s one in mine too,” Miyabi replied.

“Then we should ration them out. We don’t know if we’ll be able to find more water here,” he said, taking a big swig from Miyabi’s pink water bottle.

“Hey! Don’t drink it all!” she said, tugging the bottle out of his hands.

Miyabi was also desperately chugging water when Chinatsu noticed a light in the distance over Miyabi’s shoulder. It was slowly coming down the path toward them. The air began to grow colder.

Chinatsu directed Miyabi’s face towards the approaching light.

A chill took over. The hairs on Chinatsu’s arms stood on end. As the light drew closer, the two of them could see their breath.

The light they saw made up its glowing eyes. Its form was like that of smoke but with a corpse-like face. Chinatsu was fairly certain this creature was a Wraith, as skeletal hands reached towards them.

Chinatsu jumped up to run away, but the broken blisters on his feet were like walking on blades. He looked behind him to see Miyabi transfixed on the Wraith.

She had her hand on the hilt of the sword. As the Wraith approached, she withdrew the sword and slashed at it.

The Wraith’s form dissipated, but Chinatsu knew that wouldn’t be enough. He grabbed Miyabi’s arm and pulled her to her feet.

“We have to run!”

“But–”

As Miyabi protested, the Wraith’s smoky form began to come together again. She gritted her teeth and picked up Chinatsu as she dashed away.

The Wraith pursued them. It seemed to cut through the air just as fast as they could move.

They were entering uncharted territory of the maze. A left, then a right, then–a dead end…

Miyabi set down Chinatsu and held out the sword as she shielded Chinatsu with her new body. She was trembling.

The Wraith moved in on them. It extended its arms and reached out to Miyabi, pulling her into a cold embrace. She dropped the sword.

Chinatsu went for the sword. He knew he struggled to lift it before, but maybe this time he could…

“Chinatsu…run…” Miyabi gasped as the Wraith sucked the living breath from her.

Chinatsu couldn’t. He couldn’t leave her behind! Not just because she was in his body, but because he needed her. They needed each other to get through this. They agreed to protect each other after all.

He tried desperately to lift the sword high. If he could just slash at the wraith, then maybe they could get away again. Maybe they could keep slashing at it until dawn, since sunlight was a Wraith’s weakness after all.

Chinatsu lifted the longsword. His hands holding the hilt braced against his thighs to help support the weight and balance it. Chinatsu cursed this body of Miyabi’s. He was going to buy her a weight set for her birthday if they got out of there.

Miyabi’s arms went limp, and the body she was occupying seemed to begin to give out as the Wraith consumed more of her life force.

Chinatsu threw his body with the weight of the sword at the Wraith, slashing at it enough for it to dissipate for a moment. Miyabi crumpled to the ground.

She coughed and gasped for breath. She was still alive.

Chinatsu dropped the sword and helped bring Miyabi to her feet with some difficulty due to the current height difference–Chinatsu had been close to 180cm at his last physical. He was determined to do it, though. He’d drag that body to the finish line if he had to.

With Miyabi slumped over his shoulders, Chinatsu struggled under the weight of his real body as he desperately tried to get away from the Wraith before it could take form again.

“I’m not going to let it end like this!!” he shouted to himself.

Just as Chinatsu felt the chill of the Wraith’s presence take hold, a blinding light enveloped him.

It felt like a warm caress.

Chinatsu opened his eyes to see the Wraith’s form transform into that of a young boy, before vanishing completely with a contented look on his face.

He blinked to adjust his eyes. That light felt like staring directly into the sun. What was it?

Chinatsu looked ahead to see a small figure standing just barely illuminated in the darkness, shrouded in a cloak and holding a silver staff.