I followed the ghost until I stopped. I began to realize something was off. I was no longer a child, my body had grown. Not just my body but my clothes had also changed. I was still wearing my red trench coat, but my red fedora had changed into a hood. The yellow scarf that was wrapped around my wrist had changed into a bracelet.
"How did you-?" I began to ask
"The Traveler's light is capable of may wonderous deeds. To ensure the a guardians survival, their ghosts are able to channel the light. Changing a person's physical characteristics or their standard attire is much simpler than resurrecting the dead."
...
"Wow"
"Indeed"
As I followed the ghost I began to investigate the environment around me. Other than the wrecked cars there was no sign of human development, except for the large complex off in the distance.
It stretched the entire horizon almost like a wall. Its outer appearance was scarred and broken in several areas, but it was still intact.
"An amazing feat of engineering." Said Ghost "The Wall, built to protect the Cosmodrome, it marks the entrance to the Divide, an area between the two. It still stands even after centuries have passed."
"Cosmodrome? Where am I exactly?"
"Old Russia. During humanity's golden age this place was where humanity could leave the earth for the universe beyond. Ships and people would come and go by the thousands each day... before the darkness swallowed humanity."
I took a moment to think about what Ghost and the system revealed to me. Humanity had stretched across the galaxy, terraformed and built on Mercury, Mars, and Venus. They had achieved numerous miracles and yet they still fell.
This world... was but a ghost of its former self... and I was too terrified to think about what that truly meant.
"I know it may seem hopeless" Said Ghost breaking my train of thought. " But humanity is not gone, you are not gone. The light might have died and darkness might have stretched out across the galaxy, but hope has not been extinguished... Hold right here."
I pause and watch in amazement as Ghost disappears before my eyes.
"Don't panic" Confused I heard a voice within my mind, but immediately recognize it as Ghost's voice.
"How did you do that?"
"As your ghost I am tied to your very being now. Wherever you go I will accompany you. My channeling of the light is at your disposal and I can even add or enhance your own abilities. I merged with you because we need to pick up the pace, night is fast approaching and we don't want to be caught out in the dark."
Looking up into the sky, I noticed that the sun was beginning to set. I continued to move toward the Wall in silence until I heard something in the distance.
Gunfire
"Sounds like the Fallen found someone inside their territory."
"Should we go help?" I asked
"While you maybe carrying your own equipment, it won't be enough to face the acolytes of the darkness. I need to get you to Titan"
"Titan?" I asked.
"The last city on earth... We are here"
Upon entering the Wall, I was standing within a large open area. In front of me stood a craft... a spacecraft.
"An Arcadia class jumpship. It might be an old model compared what most guardians use, but it will get us were we need to go." Ghost commented.
Suddenly I heard footsteps coming from behind me. Turning around I face three massive creatures. Each of them had four arms and had numerous eyes that faintly glowed blue. Two were armed with large sabers, while the third held a large firearm.
"The Fallen! Distract them while I warn up the ship!"
The ghost flashed into existence before racing toward the craft. I had questions, but I wasn't going to get a chance to ask them as the Fallen noticed me and attacked.