Desolate World

Ace had to admit that Noah's idea would require many people. So, as he knew Aria wouldn't be able to tolerate the project, he chose to back down. After all, based on the information from Jordan, the undead didn't dare to enter the misty forest for a while.

Ace then tried to find another means while listening to the debate between Noah and Aria about the topic of the outposts.

"Hey Ace, You are already here?! It shucks. The dinner isn't ready!" From behind, Ace heard his brother's voice.

Ace then took a look and there were Sampson, Adrian, his family, and around 40 people from the majority of human races and a small portion from other races. Their presence stole the attention of all people. Most of them were juveniles, whether boys or girls, and there was a small number of middle-aged men and women among them.

Their levels were between 5 to 7. They seemed to be tired but everyone could see the vigorous spirit in their eyes.

"Oh… Captain Sampson has arrived. Did the training go well?" Ace said with a teasing smile.

"You brat!" Sampson said with an annoyed expression. 

Then, a dark figure passed Sampson.

"Hei!" Sampson exclaimed. But after knowing the identity of the figure, he just sighed helplessly.

"Guild master! Everything was fine. The captain led us to the South this time. Many of us have leveled up today. I'm one of those who leveled up," A cheerful young female shadow reported to Ace. Her gesture made Ace amused. As he wanted to say something, he saw another figure running behind her.

"Mila! Don't disturb the Guild Master! Don't you see, he is talking with Elder Noah and Elder Aria," A human girl that for some reason had a similar face with the young female shadow pulled her hand with an embarrassed expression.

"It's okay, really…," Ace said with a knowing smile.

"N-Nila, Mila, are you here? Wow, you two have level 6 and 7. The last time I saw you, you're still level 3, right?" Noah said with a trembling voice. For some reason, his gaze was focused on the human girl. 

***

Let's come back to a week earlier. 

Mila had been resurrected to be a shadow by Andrea. It's not only her. In fact, there were many wandering spirits among the townsmen who finally chose to be resurrected as shadows. 

Based on Cloud, most of them couldn't let go of their past lives, so they couldn't pass over.

Many of them were bound to people, items, or not bound by anything at all. They just followed the refugees to this place, and then wandered around without aim. 

Cloud had seen them for a long time, but most of them ignored her. And even if somehow she met with spirits that were aware of her presence, they just greeted her without asking for help. 

A spirit like Mila, who asked for her help was really rare. As most of them realized that Cloud couldn't give what they wanted, which was an opportunity to live again.

However, when the shadows came, everything changed. The shadows could give them what they wanted. They could revive them with a price. 

Their price was to recognize and embrace the power of the shadows and let go of their past life's obsession and revenge. In short, to be a new individual and have a new start.

Even Mila had gone through this process. Although Ace didn't see the moment himself. From Cloud's description, it was a heartbreaking moment. 

That day, Andrea prepared a ceremony to turn Mila into a shadow. Before the ceremony, the girl said to her sister that couldn't see and hear her, her unwillingness to forget Nila's existence. However, to be able to live with her once more, Mila had to do it. She asked Cloud to tell her sister her request to tell her story to the new her. 

How she spent her childhood with her sister and family in a small village. 

How happy she was when her father bought her and her sister a dress from a city for their 10th year birthday. 

The promise they had said in front of their dying mother after the attack of the orcs to always help each other.

The struggle they had experienced after their father was missing at the battle with the skeleton army outside the Iron Gate Fortress.

The love that they shared for a man. And finally, because the two of them didn't want to hurt each other, they had to bury their feelings.

And finally, Mila asked Cloud to tell her sister to pursue once more her love after she was resurrected.

After Cloud said Mila's final wish, Nila cried hard. With the urge of Mila through Cloud, Nila finally nodded.

Mila then said, even if she wouldn't remember her past life, she promised would help Nila to fight her love. 

After that, Mila asked Andrea to begin the ceremony. The last words that she said before she embraced the darkness were, "I'm grateful to be your sister. I love you."

Then her spirit was enveloped by the shadow from Andrea's body forming a black cocoon. It needed an hour for Mila's transformation to finish.

Then the black cocoon was cracked and little by little the number of cracks on its surface increased. As the cocoon dissolved into black fog, a naked young female shadow appeared. The black fog then was absorbed by the girl in a minute.

As she opened her purple eyes, instinctively she looked at Andrea. From Andrea's explanation, Cloud knew that the new shadow always regarded the shadow who resurrected him/her as his/her parent.

Andrea then welcomed her to her family and told her that her name was Mila Voidcrow.

Like they expected from the start, Mila was changed after becoming a shadow. She didn't remember her past, and the past quiet Mila became cheerful. 

In the end, Nila didn't tell the shadow Mila her past as she had promised. She said to Cloud, looking at the cheerful Mila, she felt it was better for the new female shadow to really restart her life.

But, it seemed the bond between Mila and Nila was so strong that the rule of the world couldn't sever it. Although Mila didn't remember her past, she became close to Nila almost immediately. 

Looking at the relationship of the sisters, Andrea asked Mila to join the guild that was founded by Ace. Her reason was, many veteran shadow stalkers had joined the Night Guards. For Mila who was born as a shadow stalker, it was best if she got pointers from Jordan and the other nine shadow stalkers. 

Nightglow guild was basically the part of the Night Guards, as was also led by Ace. Joining it was the same as joining the Night Guards.

So the former twin sisters became best friends. As a note, Nila had become a healer after using the job-changing scroll after deciding to join the guild.

***

Ace and Aria then looked at each other with smiles. Aria then said, "Let's end the meeting for today. We will talk about the topic tomorrow. It's better if you have a plausible idea by then. I will help the girls to prepare the dinner."

"Yeah. It seems the dinner will be ready soon. I have to find Geo. Where does he go with Avril's daughters?" Ace said, while standing up.

Aria and Ace then left the place. Mila then said goodbye to Noah and followed Ace with Sampson and the rest of the members of the Nightglow guild. 

There were only Nila and Noah that were left behind.

"Do you want to sit?" Noah asked with a smile.

After a brief silence she said shyly, "Good." 

***