The candle went out as Hilko gave a quick yell, falling back into the debris mound.

"Ha, I've always wanted to do that."

Hilko stared into the dark before him, trying to recover as the ghost suddenly became visible.

"Yeah, real funny." The runner started trying to light his candle again. It was easier now with the blue haze of his ghastly visitor near him. The dead young man started dancing a little sailor jig as he did so.

"You were so scared." The ghost laughed.

"Yeah, you're really scary. Ok. Now, leave me alone. I see your type all the time. Right now, I have bigger problems."

"I saw him. You must have pissed off Regaar when you came back here. Makra doesn't like little tunnels. What'd you do?" The bluish outline started dancing again, becoming more distinct.

"That worthless pufta had me snatch this disk." He gave the item a cursory look before sliding it into the small satchel he carried.

"Cursed one-eyed bandit was betraying Silna and me to the Amryno. I took it back."

The candle suddenly sprang back to life. When Hilko looked back, he suddenly recognized the spirit.

"Thoma, when did you die? I never heard."

The ghost halted his jig, and his face went sour.

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't. I was trying to find that thing you have. I made it to the vault room, and after I called up the tunnel, Regaar told me to check the other shafts. That's my corpse buried in the pile right behind you."

Hilko stood, holding the candle out to see the feet sticking out of the other side.

"I'm sorry. That makes two of us that hate Regaar. No wonder nobody knew about it." The ghost nodded in agreement while Hilko came up with nothing more to say.

"Well, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I'm going to look like you soon if I don't find a way out of here."

The smuggler started around the rock and dirt mound. Thoma walked next to him, still dressed in a half cape covering his white shirt and knee-length pants with long stockings. Hilko always wondered why the spirits had on their clothes, but he did not care to ask at that moment.

"Trust me; you'll end up like me if you go that way. Traps are everywhere," Thoma stated.

Hilko sighed, stopping as he got close to the entrance.

"I don't have any choice. Unless you know a better way, the other shafts will lead me back to Regaar or his man. I am not strong enough to beat Makra in a fight."

The spirit of Thoma smiled and started dancing his jig again. He stopped when he saw Hilko's pained expression.

"Sorry, for some reason, I'm just bursting with energy. Listen, I know we weren't friends, but maybe we can work a trade. I can guide you out of here."

Hilko gave Thoma a curious look. The ghost was correct; they were more competitors than friends.

"Why would a spirit try to help me?"

"You think I want to hang down here and watch my body rot? I can float around and see things around this area, but before you showed up, it was just blackness. I want to leave. Something inside me says I need you for that."

He paused a moment.

"Besides that, I've had a lot of time to think. I want you to tell my mom what happened so she can pray to Zaarin. Maybe that'll get me into the next world. I remember hearing somewhere that an unrested soul haunts a place forever. Can you imagine hanging out in this black chamber for eternity?"

The ghost shivered at the thought, his luminous glow growing dull. Hilko stared at the ominous tunnel ahead of him. Usually, the spirits he encountered with just shadows. Creepy things that sometimes tried to talk; however, most of the time, the ghosts were just replaying their death repeatedly. After some gruesome scenes' initial shock, watching the spirits grew monotonous.

"You know where these traps are at?" Hilko asked suspiciously. "Why should I trust you?"

The spirit gave him an evil grin as he rose in the air and whipped like a long smoke trail to the opening.

"Well, I could have just let you walk over this thin little wire here and let the top of the roof collapse on you, just like it happened to me. Then you and I could hang here together."

He started jumping back and forth over the line. Hilko walked closer and saw the nearly invisible cord.

"No, if I end up like you, we wouldn't get along. I'd try to kick your ass."

Thoma laughed.

"I'd have fun if you tried. No offense, but you're a jerk. Trying to act independently from the rest of us. Worse, you're always hanging out with that big ugly prostie. The guys always said Silna should have paid you."

The smuggler's eyes narrowed.

"Don't go there. She saved my butt twice from Regaar's friends."

He paused, and his voice softened when he recalled the woman's last cry for help.

"Just a while ago, she saved me again. Silna stopped them from catching me. Now Regaar's got her."

"Sorry," the ghost stopped and floated up to the cave's roof.

"I need to learn when to shut up. You know, the chamber was quiet as a tomb. Anyway, to be fair, I know where the first few traps are. I never had the energy to go far. But now I think I can travel anywhere as long as I stay close to you. I feel this incredible force hanging around."

Hilko hesitated.

"I don't know. Even if we get out of here, I will end up where Regaar and his cronies hang out to let your mom know that you're dead. That's like jumping from the pan into the fire."

"That's the deal. I can't help you otherwise. Besides, how do I know you'll keep your side of the bargain? You could get to a tunnel and just take off. I'm not a fool."

Thoma walked into the tunnel, yelling hello as he tried to get an echo. No sound came back.

Then Hilko heard footsteps echoing from the tunnel that Makra took. He had no other option.

"Ok, I'll take your deal," he growled out. "Let's get out of here."

The ghost happily smiled as he floated back. "Great, you saw the first trap. Now, just step on over, and we can go."

Glancing over his shoulder, Hilko took a deep breath and carefully stepped forward. He avoided the wire, half expecting the tunnel to collapse on him. He used candlelight to enter the shaft. The pair hadn't gone too far past the entrance when they heard Makra shouting. Realizing the thug must have seen him enter, Hilko told his ghost partner they needed to move on.

"There's another trap ahead," the ghost warned as he floated ahead. "It's in that support beam."

The runner followed the spirit closely. As they neared the timber supporting the tunnel, they heard Makra's echoing command for Hilko to stop as the thug shouted insults at him.

Suddenly, a groaning roar blasted past them as the entrance roof fell on Makra. The candle blew out as choking dust filled the air, sending Hilko into a coughing frenzy. Falling to his knees, he again pulled his tools to relight the candle while covering his mouth with the edge of the cape he wore.

Thoma sat next to Hilko, leaning against the beam as the light returned.

"Well, that's one you don't have to worry about now."

"Yeah, too bad it wasn't Regaar. At least, they'll think I'm dead as well," Hilko replied while fanning the air trying to see ahead of them.

"Now, where's this trap?"

"Right through my middle," the ghost grinned.

Sure enough, when Hilko crawled closer, he could see the barbed tip of an arrow coming through the translucent body of the ghost. Several more arrows lined the timber frame, creating another deadly trap, which was hard to see in the dusky light.

"Where's the trigger?"

"Probably one of those patterns on the floor," Thoma said as he tried to stomp his foot. He looked up and smiled when nothing happened.

"I guess I'm too light."

"No doubt." Hilko agreed while he cautiously looked across the floor ahead of him. "Well, I guess we find out."

Hilko backed up and took a running jump over the stones. Reaching the other side with no arrows in his body, he looked back at the ghost.

"Alright, your turn. Lead me out of here."