[Book II Chapter 128] LIGHT: A Phantom Of The Past
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Ghostly apparitions haunted the cottage at the glen’s edge, their transparent robes flapping under the moon’s soft light. Their visages wore an air of wistful determination.
Light observed the surreal scene, his mind in turmoil. This evening they’d repelled another assault led by the Red Hound, and the camp around him was deathly quiet as a result. Everyone was taking advantage of the brief respite to get a good night’s sleep.
The last week had been rough. Following that first night, Sekken had activated his Sublime Vagary, ‘hounds of war’, at every clash. Torrents of demonic canines had poured forth from the ground, lashing out at everything in their path. If not for Garreth Black and his host of heroic spirits, they’d have been overrun.
None of this mattered to Light right now, his mind obsessed with a single question. What is she? There would be no rest until he obtained the answer.
The door opened, and a man in black stepped out, staring straight at him. <
Frowning, Light jumped over and followed. More specters filled the cottage, their supernatural glow providing the light. Some lounged on the furniture, and others leaned against the walls. None was the one he was searching for. “Where’s Nephrite?” He asked.
“She’s recovering in the Ether.” Garreth answered, installing himself next to the unlit fireplace. Relief washed over Light at this revelation, helping him focus.
“You read my thoughts, and from so far away… That’s beyond the abilities of an ordinary telepath.” Light commented.
Garreth shrugged. “I’m not a beguiler. The oath prevents that type of manipulation.”
Light nodded, having deduced as much. The necromancer’s skill in this area were abnormal, but he had a more pressing matter to inquire about. “She spoke to me. Nephrite, I mean.”
“It was after the battle tonight. I was surprised. We had a short chat, and she asked how my teammates were doing. Our interactions flowed naturally. It was just as if she was still alive…”
“That’s not all. She also reacted to me, in a way that was so vivid I can’t believe it wasn’t real…”
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He thought about the end of the conversation. The specter of Nephrite had gone silent, studying him closely. Finally, she’d asked, “What is that taint I sense on you?” He’d frozen stiff, unwilling to admit what he’d done to himself. Seeing this reticence, his former comrade had shaken her head and left.
“So she approached you…” Garreth sighed.
Light fixed the necromancer with his eyes. “What is she? What are your heroic spirits?”
“They’re embellishments.” Garreth revealed. “I craft the echoes of departed souls into their idealized forms. I make them stronger than they were in life, selecting those whose lingering desires align with my objectives so that they lend me their strength. Most commonly this involve heroic aspirations, a desire to smite evil and to protect the world. Nephrite was one of this type. However, I deployed her too early…”
“What do you mean?” Light asked.
“Normally, I remove the memories of individuals from their past life and alter their appearance so they are not recognized by those who once knew them. This sidesteps troublesome interactions. Unfortunately, I hadn’t done this yet for Nephrite. How was I to know her comrades were here, so far from Messanic? Not to mention the sovereign that killed her.”
“Wait…” Light felt revulsion. “You mess with their minds?”
Garreth smirked. “The oath does not apply to non-entities such as ghosts, so yes. I freely shape them into my fearsome warriors. Pardon if this upsets you.”
A beguiler of the dead… Light didn’t know what to think. “That seems wrong. Rather, isn’t there way to bring them back? To put them in new bodies somehow?”
Garreth grimaced. “That’s impossible. My heroic spirits are more fragile than you realize. While they can acquire basic knowledge, they cannot grow as people. The core values which sustain them must remain unchanged. Otherwise, the abyss seeps in and shatters their forms. This is true even if they are attached to a corporal form.”
Of course it wouldn’t be that simple. Light bitterly accepted this reality. Still he couldn’t entire let go. “Can I ask you not to erase her memories? At least not just yet.”
“Regrettably, I can’t, even if I wanted to.” Garreth replied. “Her situation has become complicated. From her exposure to familiar elements, she’d developed a will to act on her own. When spirits are in this state, any meddling risks their destruction.”
Light felt a ball in his stomach. “What happens if she stays this way?”
“If her level of engagement grows into a desire to live, she’ll break apart and vanish.” Garreth replied.
Is this because she met with me? Am I going to be responsible for killing her again? Light was reeling.
“She’s not a real person, just a phantom of the past.” Garreth said gently. “There’s no need for guilt.”
Light wasn’t listening. “Please try to keep her together as long as possible. I’ll find some way to stabilize her.”
“As you wish.” Garreth acquiesced. “But be aware that if you succeed, I’ll finish refining her and she’ll forget you entirely. Either way, you’ll be losing her again.”
“That’s… fine.” Light stammered. I won’t be responsible for erasing Nephrite’s last remnant. Better that a tiny fraction of her endure as a heroic spirit than disappear into nothing.