Chapter 9: The Reluctant Teamwork

Aether’s flashlight flickered as he cautiously made his way through the maze, the dim light casting eerie shadows on the damp walls. Scaramouche walked beside him, arms crossed and a scowl plastered on his face.

“Why are you even here?” Scaramouche muttered, his tone laced with irritation. “I don’t need your help.”

Aether glanced at him, unimpressed. “You were the one being chased and dragged into safety. A thank-you would be nice.”

Scaramouche rolled his eyes. “Don’t expect gratitude for something I didn’t ask for. Besides, I had it under control.”

“Sure you did,” Aether deadpanned. He stopped to examine a faint marking on the wall—a small arrow etched into the stone. “We’re close to regrouping. Just try not to get us killed before then, okay?”

Scaramouche scoffed, leaning against the wall with feigned nonchalance. “If you’re so confident, lead the way. But if that ghost shows up again, don’t expect me to save you.”

Before Aether could respond, a faint humming sound filled the air. Both of them froze, their flashlights cutting through the darkness as they tried to locate the source.

“Did you hear that?” Aether whispered.

Scaramouche frowned, his usual bravado slipping slightly. “Yeah. And I don’t like it.”

The humming grew louder, a melodic yet unsettling tune echoing through the corridors. Aether tightened his grip on his flashlight, glancing around for any sign of movement.

Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw it—the faint outline of the lady, her figure barely illuminated by the weak glow of his flashlight. She stood still, her eerie presence sending a chill down his spine.

“She’s here,” Aether said, his voice low.

“No kidding,” Scaramouche snapped, taking a cautious step back.

The lady began to move, her unnatural jerking steps closing the distance between them. Aether’s mind raced as he grabbed Scaramouche’s sleeve and yanked him in the opposite direction.

“Run!”

They bolted down the corridor, the lady’s wails echoing behind them. The maze twisted and turned, the oppressive walls making it difficult to navigate. Aether glanced over his shoulder, relieved to see the lady lagging slightly behind.

Scaramouche, however, was glaring at him. “Stop pulling me! I can run on my own!”

“Stop complaining and keep moving!” Aether shot back, rounding another corner.

The maze opened up into a small chamber, and Aether skidded to a halt, his flashlight revealing an old, weathered map pinned to the wall. He stared at it, his breath coming in quick bursts.

“The map!” Aether exclaimed. “This will tell us where we are!”

Scaramouche glanced at it, his sharp eyes scanning the faded lines and symbols. “The exit is marked here,” he said, pointing to a spot near the edge of the maze. “It’s not far, but we’ll need to backtrack a little.”

Before they could move, the lady’s humming grew louder, and her shadow loomed at the entrance to the chamber. Aether’s heart dropped as she stepped into the faint light of their flashlights.

“Great timing,” Scaramouche muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Thinking quickly, Aether grabbed a nearby lantern sitting on the floor and ignited it. The light flared to life, forcing the lady to stop in her tracks. She screeched, her form flickering before retreating back into the shadows.

“That’ll buy us some time,” Aether said, setting the lantern down. “Come on, we need to find the others and get to the exit.”

Scaramouche didn’t argue, following Aether as they navigated the maze using the map. The tension between them was palpable, but for now, their survival depended on working together.

As they turned another corner, the faint sound of voices reached their ears. Aether recognized them immediately.

“Hu Tao? Lumine?”

They ran toward the sound, relief washing over them as the faint glow of their friends’ flashlights came into view.