Time seemed to stretch endlessly on this side of the Death Gate. All around them, there was only the sound of dark purple mist flowing slowly, like a dream from which they would never wake.
After a little over half an hour, the mist suddenly churned. The twenty skeletal constructs from earlier emerged with stiff steps, carrying ten stretchers. The figures lying on them were no longer mummies wrapped entirely in white cloth, but ten people covered in white sheets, with only their heads exposed.
Yu Lin Bloodhawk narrowed his eyes, his heart involuntarily skipping into a faster rhythm. Those were ten "people," or rather, ten bodies that had just been given new life. Their skin was the same grayish white as Calmyra's. Though bloodless, their flesh was firm rather than withered like that of a decaying corpse.
Judging by the outlines beneath the sheets, the bodies reshaped through shadow Flesh Reforging had smooth, powerful muscles. Their chests rose and fell slightly, as though they were breathing, but those were merely imitative movements made to adjust to their bodily functions. Or perhaps their souls were still repeating the instinctive memories of life.
All ten had unmistakable High Elf features, most notably their long, pointed ears. Yet a veil of dark energy seemed to shroud their faces, obscuring their features. Clearly, their souls were intensely reshaping everything from within.
"The first batch is complete," Calmyra said calmly. "Their souls are 'sculpting' their facial features. As for when they wake, that varies from person to person."
Sylvanas stepped forward and gently brushed her fingertips across the nearest body's cheek. Her touch was light, as though she were handling fragile porcelain, but a little of the coldness on her face finally melted, giving way to a complicated expression.
Shidewa and Xingluoge had long