The most dangerous category of relics was that of natural phenomena. Even Miburg's Life and Death Limbo could be classified as a natural phenomenon.
But Shade was not troubled by the information Iluna had provided. Instead, he frowned slightly. It was not because he was confident that his lack of fear of death meant the shadows were weak. Rather, he felt as though he had encountered something from the past again.
"Iluna, could these shadows disguise themselves as people we know to deceive us?"
Though the seventeen-year-old girl did not know why Shade was asking such a question, she still shook her head slightly.
"Absolutely not. If this really is Death Phobia, then they are ourselves. How could they disguise themselves as someone else? They are us; they are ourselves."
Her right hand tightly gripped Shade's left, as though she wanted to draw strength from his body heat. Fear of death would amplify the fear of death itself. Even a strong-willed girl like Iluna was inevitably affected as the shadows drew closer and she glimpsed their true nature.
"The Church's records do not mention how to defeat them. But as long as they do not touch us within a few hours, they will leave on their own. Though they will follow us again afterward, these things will not appear when there are four or more people present. They absorb happiness and positive emotions. We have to endure that."
Iluna spoke with a tremble in her voice. She desperately wanted to turn around and have Shade hold her, but she bit her lip, trying not to let him see her "weakness."
"They will not appear when there are four people, and they are ourselves... I understand. We do not have time to waste."
Shade extinguished the moonlight at his fingertips. Just