The Last Doppelganger

It was a strange hut indeed, very small in size, filled with small dangling objects of significant magic symbolism. The dry air made it evident he was still in the desert, inhaling the smoking incense he slowly hefted himself up until he was sitting.

The desert hobo that had found him was gone for a moment, but Tyronis had the distinct feeling the hobo was much more than he seemed. Just from their brief meeting he’d sensed this, a great power emanating from him like he had never sensed before, not even his angel half could match it.

Getting up on his feet he felt extremely dizzy, room spinning around him for a moment before returning to normal, enduring a small headache he walked out of the tent, finding himself in the middle of the vast desert.

It was a curious sight, all around him was desolate emptiness and in the centre of it all was one small tent with one mysterious hobo, as he began to explore in hopes of finding something a voice came from behind him, " Fifty leagues you’ll reach a small town, if a blind man can walk that distance I am certain you can."

That was an odd thing to say, this scrawny looking hobo with the ragged beard and worn out clothes seemed to be hinting that he’d met Ares. Not able to resist, Tyronis asked, " You have met Ares? In this desert?"

The hobo grinned, exposing two rows of very sharp teeth on top and bottom, a total of four sharp rows of razor sharp teeth gleaming white. Now that he looked closer he could see that his eyes were very peculiar indeed, even compared to Ares’ cursed yellow eyes.

They had no colour in particular, it seemed to change at every second in a whirl resembling a hurricane. The pattern was mesmerizing , he replied, " He layed in the same bed you did, you realise he was blind when he woke up but he noticed much more about me and my lodging than yourself, why is that?"

Tyronis was too busy examining the hobo more closely to even hear him, his ears were not human but not quite elf like. Although they had a point to them they curved to the side and went down half way down his ear, looking like two small deadly scythes.

Even his skin seemed different now that Tyronis truly looked, although hardly visible there were markings of some unknown ancient language all over his skin, save for his purely black lips. The man sighed, " I preferred your brother, at least he did not stare, you can go ahead and ask."

Tyronis took his gaze off, asking, " What are you? Your not human, your not an elf or any other race I can recognize. You probably know of my angel half, he does not know what you are either."

The stranger grinned largely at this, what was even stranger was the way his teeth seemed to change in curve every second, almost as though this stranger was in a constant mode of change. He replied, " Of course you haven’t, well you have but never in any real way before, I am a doppelganger. I have no real form, I am chaos in a fleshy package, I can take any form."

To demonstrate this power he turned into Tyronis without even a second’s warning, no spells needed. Now facing himself he turned, finding it awkward and began to walk away. Suddenly the doppelganger in its original hobo form was in front of him.

He continued, " I am magic, I am chaos, I am life, I am all. I know your plans, but Tania is dead so you will find no help there, or maybe you will but it is no longer certain. But my people can assure you get their help, if you will approve the plan."

It still hadn’t registered in his head that this seemingly innocent hobo was a doppelganger, the creature of his nightmares since childhood, that is where he recognized him from. The creature that came to see him every night and taunted him, injured him, made him do vile things.

He asked skeptically, " What can I do to help you? You overpower me a billion to one no problem, unless your offering an army then that would be greatly appreciated, but what can I do?"

The hobo kept grinning, this positive feeling was really getting to him in a negative way, filling him with a cold fright one only felt in their worse nightmares. He replied, " Nothing, I want you to do nothing. The Queen is not dead, she is alive and it was but a ruse, no one is aware of this however. We had her replaced with a doppelganger seconds before she was killed, so fast not even the great Ares seen her."

Tyronis was truly shocked, Ares was by far the most powerful being he’d met, and if the doppelganger had been so swift as to evade his senses then he could do anything, he could slit his throat in less than a fraction of a second, dig a hole and bury him.

Now able to control himself he asked, " She’s alive? We must inform the Kingdom before another replaces her, she is the key to the world’s survival at this point, I must join my friends with the Royal Kingdom’s army or we will not have sufficient force."

The feeling of fright was growing to pure terror but using all his diplomatic training he hid these fears behind a mask of neutrality, better to show no emotion than pure fear. The hobo nodded, " Its done, she’s in her throne room right now resuming her usual business, as far as everyone in the castle is concerned she never died, now go and meet with her."

Without waiting for a response he was gone, not even the usual flash meaning a teleportation charm, he was there and then he wasn’t. Turning around he teleported to the Royal city’s gate himself, leaving with a bright flash and slight muffled noise.

************************************************************************

Everything was normal as usual, no funeral or heightened security. The Doppelganger had been correct, they must have had something to do with this widespread amnesia. If there were truly beings of such power Tyronis imaged they would be a great ally, or a devastating foe.

Walking through the city he looked around, although it matched Constatino’s city in size this was a good city, streets were crowded as fairly wealthy people travelled the wide streets shopping for various reasons, some going to work and some just walking for the sake of walking.

They were truly a free people, protected from most outside dangers although they suffered occasional attacks, the city was well defended. Walking to the castle the guard looked at Tyronis and recognized him immediately, " Come with me sir, the Queen has been waiting for you."

Tyronis frowned at this as the guard led him to te throne room, it was a beautiful castle. Tapestry of all ranges of magnificence were placed at an interval of two metres each, decorating the halls exquisitely, giving it a historic feel.

Pushing the throne room doors open the Queen sat at her throne, looking bored as she read over a scroll of some sort of legal affair. Looking up she smiled, " Tyronis, I was told you would come and awaited your visit with great anticipation." Turning to the others she yelled, " Clear the room!"

The slaves and guards quickly rushed out, leaving only herself and Tyronis she continued, " You have come for my help have you not? You saved me and my children once and now you want to make things even?"

That was the gist of it Tyronis had to admit, but he had not meant to put it in such words. Suddenly another Queen walked beside her, " Or maybe you hope to manipulate me, to confuse me into giving you my army so you can fight your bloody war against your brother."

Two Queens, from this distance he could not tell which one was the real one when a third Queen appeared, all dressed in the same manner the third Queen added, " What did you do with them anyway? With the children, did you really give them up for adoption or did you kill them?"

More and more Queens kept surrounding him, taunting him in every way until he was trapped in a circle of ten Queens, all looking the same to him his mind was filling with confusion. Suddenly all the Queens began to go into each other until there were only two Queens again.

The real Queen stepped forward, " You need not ask for I know why you are here, and not only will I give my army to you, I will come with you. I have sat in that throne for too long, I was once a fighter and I may be old but I can still fight."

The doppelganger laughed hysterically at this, turning into his true form he fell back on the throne, laughing face to arm chair. The Queen turned and said sternly, " Get off my throne or I will have you..." Before she could finish she was surrounded by ten armed versions of Ares with the mirrored mask.

He knew her fear, her fear of the assassin. As she filled with terror he took them away, getting off the chair he said, " You can’t have anything that I can’t take away, you train an army I can eradicate them with the blink of an eye, or summon one just as quickly."

Tyronis grinned, " I know you now, you are the legendary last remaining doppelganger. You can die, your people were once a mighty race, but when a doppelganger dies the power spreads throughout all others, sharing the energy. But all your race’s energy is in you now, you are all that remains of the mighty Doppelganger Empire."

For the first time since he’d met the doppelganger it stopped its malicious grin, it was not accostumed to being addressed to in this matter and in his face was consumed by pure anger mixed with sadness. Tyronis lifted into the air, pinned to the ceiling the doppelganger yelled, " You talk too much, I could take you apart particle by particle, kill your angel half and use it to consume you."

Lowering him gently to the ground his face changed, now remaining neutral he said, " You are correct however, I have been here ever since, multiplying so I can be everywhere at once, I really am alone. The last of the godlike doppelgangers, but I will render my omnipotent power to you by granting you three wishes, and from now on address to me as Symbolsian"

Turning away from Symbolsian he said, " The bigger the army we gather the better it will be, once your army is gathered I will be awaiting in the sea-side prairie of Monstolis." Not waiting for a reply he turned, Symbolsian walking alongside him in his now ornate armour of the purest gold and diamond they left the town, knowing that the three wishes Tyronis chose could mean the difference between defeat or victory.