Three years had passed, and the group had come far. No longer were they just a collection of rookies trying to survive dungeons and monsters. They had grown into seasoned adventurers, leading their own guild—The Devil's Shadows—a name that had become legendary in the City of Magina and beyond.
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A Guild of Their Own
The Devil's Shadows guildhall was bustling with activity. Adventurers from all over came to join, inspired by the tales of their fearless leaders—Angel, Jackson, Mark, and Lissy. Each member of the group had honed their skills to near-perfection:
Angel, now a dual-wielding expert, moved with speed and precision, her blades cutting through enemies like wind through leaves.
Jackson, wielding JC's staff, had mastered light magic, his barriers and attacks giving the team a crucial edge.
Mark, the group's tank, had become a wall of impenetrable defense, his sheer strength unmatched.
Lissy, the tech genius, had taken her mechanical creations to a new level, crafting advanced weapons and traps that were both devastating and efficient.
Despite their successes, there was one shadow they couldn't escape—JC.
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The Missing Leader
JC's absence loomed over the group like a ghost. The others tried to move on, but every victory felt incomplete without him. Jackson often stayed up late in the guildhall, practicing with JC's staff, silently wishing for his return. Angel avoided the subject entirely, focusing on the guild's growth. Mark dismissed any mention of JC, calling it a distraction.
But for Lissy, forgetting was impossible.
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Lissy's Burden
Late one night, while the others celebrated another successful mission, Lissy sat alone on the guildhall's rooftop, staring at the stars. The cool night breeze brushed against her face as she clutched a small, worn notebook—JC's old mission log, the only physical reminder she had of him.
Her mind wandered back to the nights they had spent training together, JC's calm and reassuring presence guiding her through her insecurities. She remembered his quiet words of encouragement, his unshakable resolve, and the way he had always seemed to know what to do, even in the most dire situations.
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A Memory That Lingered
One memory stood out above the rest—a night when the group had barely escaped a dungeon alive. They had been battered and broken, but JC had stayed up all night tending to their wounds and devising a new strategy.
"Don't give up," he had told her, his voice steady. "You're stronger than you think, Lissy."
Those words had carried her through the years, but now they felt like a distant echo.
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Unfinished Business
As she sat under the stars, Lissy whispered to herself, "Where are you, JC? Why did you leave us?"
Her voice trembled with a mix of anger and sadness. She wanted to forget, to move on like the others, but she couldn't. The bond they had shared as a team was too strong, and the thought of JC out there, alone, haunted her.
The sound of footsteps behind her broke her thoughts. Angel appeared, her arms crossed as she leaned against the rooftop railing.
"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Angel asked softly.
Lissy nodded, clutching the notebook tighter. "I just can't let it go, Angel. He was our leader. Our friend. It's like a piece of us is missing."
Angel sighed, her expression softening. "We've come so far, Lissy. He'd be proud of us. But you're right… it doesn't feel the same without him."
The two sat in silence, staring at the night sky, each lost in their own thoughts about the friend and leader they had lost.
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A Lingering Shadow
Down in the bustling guildhall, Mark and Jackson exchanged glances. They didn't speak of it often, but both of them felt the same void JC's absence had left. Despite their efforts to move on, the memory of their nights together as a team lingered in the back of their minds.
None of them knew where JC was or if he would ever return, but one thing was certain—the bond they shared was unbreakable, and his shadow would always be a part of them.