She collapsed backwards in a dead faint. Stumbling into a coffin behind her, sliding down, eyes fluttering into unconsciousness. She lay upon the ground, motionless, lights out.

——

The knight stared at her. He lowered his sword uncertainly. After a second, he nudged her with one foot, the sabatons gingerly making contact with her leg.

“…Hello?”

The despoiler, the young woman, was out cold. The whites of her eyes were showing. The [Knight], for he was a [Knight], or had been, pinched at the bridge of his nose.

“Wonderful.”

He inhaled, though he didn’t need to. It was just reflex, like many things he did. The [Knight] raised his sword, hesitated, cursed, and then planted the tip in the stone floor instead of in her chest.

“Noelictus take me!”

It sunk in easily; if he did not concentrate, he did not interact with this world.

After all, he was a ghost.

“I suppose I should scout for more intruders. They may be using [Invisibility]. How did she even enter? I must have her name first, and that answer.”

The [Knight] shook his head. And then he walked off. He passed through a tomb, and then vanished.

Floating towards where she had unsealed a grave, to drag the stone lid more perfectly back into place.

And see where this stranger had come from. He never noticed the young woman’s eyes roll back down and stare after him.

——

After she was sure, sure, he was gone, the actress got up. She was shaking. That could have gone—

poorly. She looked around for the ghost, but he’d floated away. For a few seconds she took deep breaths, and then ran for it.

“Oh god, oh god, oh fucking hell—”

She panted as she ran. That was a ghost. She had seen him go through a coffin, and she’d touched him and nearly lost her hand to frostbite! But he’d cut her hair so he could clearly hurt her! She kept feeling at the cut ends.

At least he was an idiot. She’d pretended to faint. A useful trick that, very helpful in any number of situations. Stages, public events, visiting the relatives, uncomfortable dates—although those turned from bad to worse depending on what happened next, which was why you also brought pepper spray…

She wished she had a weapon. A rosary? Or—anything! Since she didn’t have time or materials to fashion one, she ran.

It was a good six minutes before she heard the shout from behind her. Then, the young woman stopped.

She looked around in the near-darkness—the ghost’s light was visible from far away, lending the slightest illumination to this place—and then raced left. She threw herself behind a stone coffin and hid.