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I leaned against the rock, wheezing for my life, as I started mending myself using the med kit I had found. We were at the Crotus Asylum, and as far as I knew, it was me, David, Quentin, and Ace. I had no idea as to who the Killer was, nor did I know if they were still lurking nearby, waiting to strike again. The tension in the air was palpable, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. The second I finished healing, a hand grabbed my arm, and I nearly screamed in terror before realizing it was just David, looking equally as shaken.
He whispered urgently, "Have you seen the Killer?"
I shook my head, my heart pounding in my chest as I scanned our surroundings for any sign of danger.
"Quentin says it's Wraith," he tacked on, and I swore under my breath.
"Then he could be anywhere. We need to stick together and keep our ears open," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. As we cautiously moved forward, the sound of footsteps behind us made us both freeze in fear. A second later, the familiar sound of the Wraith's Wailing Bell pierced through the air, and he uncloaked himself right in front of us. David and I apparently had the same idea, and we both split up, darting in opposite directions in an attempt to confuse the Wraith.
I dared to glance behind me and wheezed when I saw the Wraith quickly closing in on me. I forced myself to keep running, my heart pounding in my chest as I searched for a way to escape. In a split-second decision, I made a sharp turn and ducked behind a rock, grinning sharply when I heard the Wraith's weapon bounce off the rock, making him snarl in anger. I managed to loop him around the rock long enough for two of the three generators left to pop, and I could hear his rattling breath growing more labored as he realized that the pressure was mounting.
Suddenly, there was a muffled thudding sound, and the Wraith let out a noise that was a mix of a dog and a demon's howl.
A sound I instantly recognized.
He was in pain.
I screeched to a halt and turned to see the Wraith on the ground, clutching his ankle and hissing in discomfort. As tempted as I was to turn tail and run, my healer's instinct was screaming at him to stay and help. I cautiously approached the injured Wraith, ready to offer assistance despite how dangerous he was. When he noticed that I was shuffling closer, he snarled at me in warning, but I could see the fear in his eyes beneath the anger. It was then that I realized that despite his terrifying appearance, he was just as vulnerable as any other creature in pain.
Instantly, I raised my hands in surrender, and gave him a small—hopefully warm—smile that made him squint suspiciously at me.
"Hi. I'm Ciera. I just wanna take a look at your ankle. I still have some bandages from my med kit I can use—if you'll let me. I won't do anything you don't want me to do," I said softly, hoping to calm him down. The Wraith hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly, allowing me to carefully approach and begin treating his injury. I could tell he was tense and nervous and ready to take a swing at me, but as I continued to work on his ankle with gentle hands, he gradually relaxed and even let out a small sigh of relief.
"Luckily, it's just a sprain," I reassured him. "You'll be back on your feet in no time."
I made sure to keep my tone soothing and reassuring, hoping to show the Wraith some trustworthiness as I tended to his injury. The Wraith let out a few rumbling growls of discomfort as I applied the necessary bandages and ice to his ankle, but he remained surprisingly still, showing a small level of trust in my abilities. After finishing the treatment, I stood up and held out a hand just as the last gen popped, making the ground shake slightly. The Wraith hesitated for a moment before tentatively accepting my help to stand, his glowing eyes reflecting gratitude for my assistance. I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment as he gingerly tested his weight on the injured ankle, a small smile forming on his ghostly face.
"Thank you," he garbled out, a grimace of pain appearing on his face. I nodded in response, giving him another small smile as I noted that speaking seemed to cause him pain for some reason. As he limped away, I moved to do the same, but a noise from behind caught my attention, causing me to turn back and see that the Wraith had paused.
"Philip," he whispered, but I heard him easily over the ringing bell of the Entity. A moment later, he was gone, and I was racing towards one of the gates. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I made my escape with my teammates, knowing that I'd be thinking about that for a while.
The next time I was in a trial, I ended up with Feng Min, Laurie, and Dwight, and we were at the Coldwind Farm. As Laurie and I worked on a generator while Feng and Dwight split up, I couldn't shake the memory of the Wraith's grateful look after I bandaged his ankle. It was a strange feeling, knowing that he could've killed me at any moment but chose not to. It made me wonder if there was more to the killers in the Entity's realm than meets the eye. Laurie suddenly took off in a random direction, making me frown, wondering what had caught her attention.
A stick snapping behind me made me stiffen just as the gen popped to life, and I slowly turned around to see a familiar shimmer in front of me accompanied by familiar, rattling breathing, revealing himself to me with a couple of rings of his bell.
The Wraith—Philip, I remembered—stood there, his eyes meeting mine with a mix of curiosity and recognition. He then raised his hand and wiggled his fingers in greeting. Unable to help it, I let out a startled laugh, surprised by his unexpected friendliness. The Wraith took that as an invitation and immediately got in my space, letting out soft, rumbling purrs that sent a shiver down my spine.
He was so close, I could practically feel his muscled chest and shoulders pressing against me, and I bit my lip to hide my amusement.
Despite his intimidating appearance, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of comfort in his presence. He raised his arms and paused, tilting his head curiously as if waiting for a response. I hesitated for a moment before tentatively reaching out to touch his outstretched hands, feeling the rough texture of his skin beneath my fingertips. As I made contact, the Wraith's purring grew louder, a sign of approval that put me at ease. He raised my hands to his face, closing his eyes in what seemed like a moment of pure bliss as he soaked in my gentle touch.
I couldn't help but smile, somewhat sadly, as I felt the burn scars underneath his mud-covered face, realizing the pain he must have endured. A sudden shout from behind me jolted the Wraith out of whatever trance he was in, flipped me around, and pulled me against his chest, his arms wrapped around me protectively. I could feel his heart pounding against my back, a stark contrast to the calmness he had exuded just moments before.
Feng Min stared at us as the Wraith snarled warningly at her, making it clear that he would do whatever it took to keep me safe. I bit my lip again, feeling the need to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but held it in as I watched Feng Min back away slowly. I caught her eye and jerked my chin in the direction of the exit, silently urging her to leave before things escalated further. She nodded subtly and made a quick escape, leaving me alone with the Wraith who continued to hold me close, his grip unwavering.
"Hey, Wraith," I murmured gently.
He didn't answer, still scowling at where Feng Min had stood just moments before.
I sighed, huffing a tiny laugh.
"Philip."
This time, he turned to look at me, his expression softening slightly.
"Thank you for protecting me," I said, amused, as I saw a hint of embarrassment flash across his face. I cupped his face again, making his purrs return tenfold.
Sensing that I didn't have much time, I then grabbed the front of his cloak and dragged his lips to mine, kissing him deeply. The Wraith made a noise of surprise before wrapping his arms around me, pulling me closer as he returned the kiss with equal fervor. I could feel his purring deep in his chest, vibrating against me as we kissed. I moaned into his mouth, feeling a surge of desire coursing through me. As we finally broke apart, I gave him an apologetic look—a look he responded to with a small smile before pulling me back in for another kiss, his eyes filled with longing and passion.
"I need to go," I rasped softly. "Before the Entity punishes us both."
The Wraith's grip tightened, reluctance evident in his eyes as he released me.
"I'll find you again," he promised, his voice laced with raspy, painful determination.
“I’ll hold you to it,” I murmured. With a final longing look, I turned and disappeared through the exit gate, knowing our strange, forbidden connection would only deepen in the shadows of the Entity's realm.
A loud, terrified scream pierced through the air, and I—torn from sleep—abruptly sat up in my tent and promptly smacked heads with someone, causing us both to yelp in surprise. As I rubbed my head, I focused on the person I had collided with.
The Wraith sat there, in my tent, rubbing his head as well, his weapon sitting in his lap and a look of discomfort on his face.
"Phillip?" I hissed before turning to the open tent flap to see that Feng Min was standing there, shock and fear on her face as she wordlessly pointed at the Wraith.
"No, shut up!" I squealed as I lunged out and dragged Feng into the tent and shut the flap behind us. I could feel the Wraith's eyes burning into me as he watched me and Feng, unsure of what to do next.
"What is he doing here?" Feng whispered harshly.
"I dunno! I woke up to you screaming and nearly concussed myself smacking my head on his!" I snapped, rubbing my eyes as I felt the Wraith wiggle closer to me, low rumbles emanating from his throat.
"Well, he certainly seems to like you," Feng said, her eyes narrowing as she watched the Wraith, who nodded vigorously and tugged on my sleeve, almost playfully.
"Great," I muttered, watching him do so with a mix of amusement and unease. "You fix one guy's sprained ankle, and suddenly he thinks you're the best thing since sliced bread."
The Wraith just purred loudly at those words.
I groaned, dropping my head into my hands in exasperation.
"Just what I need," I grumbled, feeling the Wraith nuzzle against me affectionately. Feng chuckled, shaking her head.
"Shut up!" I whined, biting my lip as the Wraith buried his face into my neck, and I could feel his warm breath against my skin.
"You're not helping, Phillip," I muttered, trying to push him away gently. He whined, nuzzling even closer to me. Feng laughed harder, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"You know what? If you're just gonna sit there and laugh, you can just fuck off," I laughed, knowing that she was enjoying my discomfort. Feng raised an eyebrow, still grinning.
"Oh, come on, he's just showing you some love," she teased, causing me to roll my eyes in response.
"Fine, fine," I relented, finally giving in to the Wraith's affectionate display. The Wraith grumbled happily, practically drooling as he wrapped his arms and legs around my waist, refusing to let go. Feng chuckled, shaking her head at the sight before finally getting up to leave us alone.
"You two make a strange pair," she commented before disappearing from my tent, leaving me with the Wraith's warm embrace.
"Pretty woman," the Wraith wheezed, his voice barely audible as he nuzzled his face into my shoulder, his grip tightening slightly. I couldn't help but chuckle at his attempt at a compliment, and I leaned against him.
"Thanks, Philip," I chuckled.