Reborn As A Ghost: Time To Build My Undead Army!

-----

This wasn't a world I belonged to, this wasn't even a world I've been for as long as the others, but since I started the trial in this world, that I've begun to realize its biggest challenge.

It wasn't fighting, I have yet to struggle with any battle. It was something else, it was… It was taking responsibility for other people's mistakes.

It was taking the place of another person, someone forgotten, that sacrificed themselves, and live their life.

Without a doubt, through my three lives, this has been, perhaps, one of the hardest of challenges. It was more challenging than fighting a god, or even a sin.

Maybe not as hard as having to find my brother and then having to reconstruct him from zero… But close to it, I guess.

When everyone places their expectations into me, believing I am someone else, when they cheer for me, believing I am someone else, and when they ask me favors, when they trust me their beloved, believing I am someone else…

And right now, I have promised someone I would protect and love, and make smile one of these people, who believe I am someone else.

"…"

As the mask faded away, I felt heavy weight over my shoulders, an invisible weight, perhaps. This trial was never going to end unless I took responsibility for everything, even if I hadn't done it, even if I didn't belong to this world.

The reason why it was never cleared, it's pretty clear now. Its because of how hard it is, even for the strongest climber of the Tower, to take responsibility for a life they didn't experience, and for friends that they have never known.

"Hah… I really did promise that, huh?"

There are no take backs now, I'll have to make her smile, and protect Sofia. I killed the only person that loved her to the extent of giving her a false happiness, that went to the extent of making a Nightmare Domain, all for her happiness.

"It's gone, huh?" Emily wondered. "Maria, are you ok?"

The brown skinned tomboy wondered if I was alright, tilting her head in confusion. She was cute, I had to be honest.

"I'm fine, thank you Emily. I just… Ah, I'm tired."

Alma walked to my side, patting my shoulders.

"Let me heal you, Maria. You've fought the most between all three of us…"

She used her magic to heal a bit of my exhaustion. It shouldn't really work on me because I'm so strong, but it somehow did.

It soothed my mind, at least. And that's all I really needed.

"Thanks… Anyways, we're done here," I said. "Let's go… Sofia is on the third floor; the stairs are at the other side of that door."

"Alright…" Emily nodded. "Hahh… I'm running out of Stamina though; we have to finish this quickly."

"I've never used magic for so long, I also feel exhausted…" nodded Alma. "But the more we fight and pushed ourselves, the more our powers evolved."

"Yeah! But without Maria here to carry us, none of that would have even been possible anyways," Emily laughed. "Seriously, thanks a lot."

"It's fine," I sighed. "It is what I had to do… Let's finish this already."

Without wasting any more time, I opened the door, breaking the black chains with my bare hands. The door creaked, revealing a room full of old furniture, statues, portraits, and photos.

At the end of the room there was a stair leading upwards, a strong shadow essence surged from within, resembling a mass of miasmic liquid, like a membrane leading somewhere else.

"That must be it… Hm?"

As we walked around, we couldn't help but look around, the portraits, the photos, and even the statues, they weren't some random images or something, they looked like they were authentic pieces of Sofia's memories.

"This is… Is this Sofia when she was a child?" wondered Emily, looking at a photo.

Sofia was there, with her long white hair and her silver eyes, glancing at the photographer with a face that clearly showed she wasn't happy.

She looked exhausted, tired, and seemed completely absent of the joy and innocence of a child. At her side seemed to be her mother, she looked a lot like her, but taller, with sharper eyes.

Her hair was short, only reaching her neck, and she seemed to be faking a smile, holding Sofia's hand barely.

Then at her left side was her father, a tall, strong-looking man with short hair, his face was serious, his eyes silver eyes seemed lifeless.

"A child that isn't happy or even seems afraid, a mother that is faking a smile with eyes like those of a viper, and an emotionless, expressionless father…" I said. "I wonder what happened in this house that they all look so bitter?"

"Just what did Sofia went through…" sighed Emily.

"I remember that her father was very strict with her," said Alma. "Hmm…"

We continued walking, quickly noticing another photography, it was yet another family photo, this time Sofia was a few years older, looking a bit more straightened, with a proud stance, she was pretending to look smart, yet her eyes… they looked sad.

Her father remained the same, but was growing a beard now, and her mother… She was smiling with an even wider, and even more fake smile.

It was almost creepy.

"This is where she started to change, Sofia…" said Emily.

"Hmm…" I nodded.

"Sof…" Alma gently touched the photo.

We continued moving, there weren't any Nightmares hiding or anything, this was a completely empty room with no threats.

Only photos, memories.

We saw another photo of Sofia and her family, this time her mother looked much more ghostly, pale and exhausted, her face seemed to have aged decades.

Sofia was much taller and with a more prideful expression, but her eyes showed concern, and her father, now with a fully grown short beard, remained unfazed, emotionless, as ever.

"Her mom… is she sick?" wondered Emily.

"I think so…" Alma said.

Then, we moved to the third photo.

Only Sofia was there, with her father.

Sofia was crying, covering her face with her arms.

And her dad remained there.

Standing, emotionlessly and expressionlessly.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

-----