Ruthless V5Ch37-Doppelganger

James and Hester exited the dream and stayed put right where they were in Dreamspace for a short time to debrief.

“Well, that was interesting, eh?” James said, prompting Hester to begin explaining what she had been doing while James was enjoying the show.

“I actually wasn’t watching the battle, sir,” she said. “I hope you gleaned useful information from it. But I realized, between this and the last time that you brought me into a dream, that the way resting human and mammal brains work is a bit more complicated than arachnid brains.”

“Uh huh,” James said, not really following.

“When I rest, my brain does not dream, exactly,” Hester went on. “Most insects and arachnids are basically just dormant when they relax. The state is called quiescence. It’s not quite sleep. As a descendant of Lord Anansi, I am a bit more complicated than the average spider, but my brain still lacks the architecture of a mammal brain.”

“Where are you going with this, Hester?” James asked. “Not to rush you, but I’m not sure I’m following, and I wouldn’t want you to have to repeat anything. What is the significance of your way of sleeping being different from humans and mammals?”

“While you focused on directing the dream, with its narrative and connection to a specific memory, I moved through the mind more fluidly and just wandered and tried to learn what I could inside of the Queen’s consciousness. I sort of treated her brain like it was an arachnid brain—lacking hard barriers between the ‘dream state’ and everything else, because sleep doesn’t fundamentally transform the nature of the brain or something.”

“Was she aware of you?” James broke in. The words came out with greater urgency than he had intended, but he was suddenly worried about that. If the Panther Queen recognized that someone unwanted had infiltrated her mind, she might look for some way of guarding against their future attacks.

“I don’t think so,” Hester said. “It’s impossible for me to say for certain, I’m afraid—but no, I think it’s really unlikely. I believe I was operating in a place where she could not be consciously aware of me. Especially when almost her whole consciousness was in the middle of the dream narrative with you.”

“That’s good. Tell me about what you learned, then.”

Hester began running down a list of the Panther Queen’s key relationships within her faction. Apparently, the spider had been able to track these associations down by trying to treat the Ruler’s brain as if it was in quiescence—like it was that of an arachnid rather than a mammal. Somehow that had worked, though the mechanism behind it was difficult for James to grasp.

I guess all mammal brains evolve from more primitive brains, James thought. Even if we don’t fully understand how and how much, all of us have aspects of those primitive brains still inside us. Everyone’s heard of the “reptile brain,” after all. I’ve just never heard anyone talk about the “spider brain” part of us…

“That’s impressive, Hester,” James said. “I think I’m going to need you to keep at this work. Even before you said anything, I was starting to develop a plan, but with you helping me…”

He began to go into some of his semi-concrete strategy, and the spider was only too pleased to be able to help him. No longer merely a chronicler of someone else’s story, she found herself written into the narrative. Given an important role.

When the conversation had run its course, James simply deactivated Dreamwalk. He didn’t want to migrate across Dreamspace back to where the Fisher Kingdom was located. It would take time and be completely unnecessary, since he could just open his eyes again in his normal location—as the present experience proved. And he also hoped that when he next used Dreamwalk, he might start off in the same space.

James had the idea that he was going to be spending a lot of time in Pantherfolk dreams, whether they were the Queen’s or those of some of the other significant subordinates Hester had mentioned.

As he blinked his eyes open, there was already a smile on his face. Being confined to bed was only forcing him to use his powers in more creative ways.

Considering his powers, James thought today might be a good day to spend a little time going over his Status sheet again. There were probably more Skills he could combine to prune down his list into the most elite and useful abilities. He wished he could be outside training his body, but this was the closest he could get to refining his strengths in the time leading up to the confrontation with the Panther Queen—and the time leading up to the Victors Tournament that would take place after the World Leaders’ Summit.

He spoke a few more words to Hester—he had an idea for how he wanted to reward her for her help later, but for now, he just thanked her and watched as she returned to her usual place on the wall—and then he opened up his Status.

Mina was still asleep, the morning rays still radiating very dimly through the window. James guessed he had an hour to do his thing before he would need to interact with any humans.

But at that moment, he received a ping. A sort of mental nudge.

The telepathic equivalent of, You’ve got mail! James had the sense that this ping had been sitting in a sort of in-between place, in the telepathic ether. Deferring its delivery until he returned from his expedition of the previous night.

Better not keep him waiting…

James closed his eyes and connected with the source of the ping.

Proceed, he sent to the presence waiting patiently for the Fisher King’s attention.

Yes, Progenitor. It was the monster James had fused together from the various creatures he had created. The creature that duplicated James’s own body and many of his physical attributes, and even now, as James conversed with it, spoke to him in his own voice.

Not creepy at all, James thought, joking with himself.

I have arrived at the destination you instructed me to travel toward, the monster transmitted. You wished to communicate through me, correct?

That’s right, James sent, pleased with how well the other followed instructions.

Also, the ego weapon you sent reached me while I was waiting to hear back from you, Progenitor, it continued. I am eager to wield Lord Roscuro in battle against all those who would defy your wishes!

Lord Roscuro? James thought. Maybe I shouldn’t have sent my evil sapient weapon to go hang out with my impressionable young double…

To the double itself, he sent a simple response, That’s great. Please avoid killing unless I expressly tell you to, though, all right?

I understand, of course, the monster sent. James could feel that somewhere, it was bowing its head slightly as if James could see the gesture.

Let’s deliver this message, then, James sent. Then I can send you somewhere where you and the monsters that compose you can get some real killing done.

Yes, master, the double replied. This time, James didn’t feel any body language from it—except perhaps a slight, bloodthirsty smile. An all too familiar expression for the Fisher King.

James thought about astrally projecting himself and actually inhabiting the double’s body, but there was no real point in his mind. The creature looked just like him, and it would literally speak in his voice, using the exact language James had in mind. There should be no trouble.

And James needed to be in his own body for another element of what he had planned, anyway.

The monster walked out of the wooded area where it had been patiently waiting, avoided falling into a sinkhole, and instead approached the edge.

“The Fisher King would speak with you!” it said, following James’s orders.

The monster even managed to nail James’s preferred tone: direct, cool, slightly arrogant.

It took only seconds for the other monsters to make their presence known, creeping up from within and around the sinkhole. The group of tortoises quickly surrounded the double and then almost as quickly lowered their heads in bows of submission.

The elder tortoise stepped to the head of the group and bowed as low as any of the others.

“It is my pleasure to welcome the Fisher King to this humble territory,” he said.

This was, of course, the same group of tortoises that Alan and the Fisher Expeditionary Force had run into just days earlier while migrating West and charting out new territories for the Fisher King. And it just so happened that James had plans for these tortoises and their land.

“The pleasure is mine, to formally receive the submission of my new subjects,” the monster said, again matching James’s suggested tone—and even the sound of his voice—perfectly. Ideally this would perfectly mirror what the tortoises would expect from the Fisher King.

“So, this is what you look like,” the tortoise said. “A powerful body, yes…” It shook its head. “Right! Yes, we are pleased to become your new subjects. Please take us under your protection, and we will serve, as discussed before. Every creature that lives within this land is agreeable to your terms.”

Damn, that was easy, James thought.

In his own body, he activated the Skill that he had attached to his wedding ring.

Dominion.

Waves of power coursed through him and then spread out in all directions—but only for a moment. James had better control over his aura than he had ever enjoyed before, and this time, he stretched it all out in one direction—straight toward the land of the tortoises.

He felt it when the monsters and their chunk of land began to come under his Dominion. Not all of it, only a narrow strip of land. But it was a start. He could sense the presences all around his double. He could sense the land itself, like an appendage he hadn’t known he possessed.

“I feel your power washing over me now, Your Majesty,” the tortoise said. James heard his voice both through the double’s ears and with his Fisher King powers, as he was now focused on that specific strip of land. “Not that I ever doubted you, but it is a relief to confirm it. Your protection feels like a warm blanket settled over all of us. Before, we survived through luck and the grace of the gods. Now, we have a protector.” The tortoise’s mouth moved slightly, almost a smile.

“I am glad you feel more secure,” the double said, again reciting words from James. “My power will spread further, until it encompasses this whole area over the next several days. However, there is something I must ask of you and all those who live on this land. Something difficult.”

“Name it, please,” the tortoise replied, unperturbed. “We are in your hands now.”

The double explained James’s wishes, and to the old tortoise’s credit—or perhaps just because he had a good understanding of the nature of his situation—he seemed genuinely accepting, ready to bend immediately. Through his Fisher King powers, James felt the other reptiles’ reactions, and they were more troubled than their leader, but they seemed ready to follow him.

Which was good. In James’s mind, his plans for the near future were growing more and more set. And the last thing he wanted was a bunch of unnecessarily dead tortoises.

James ordered his double to bid the tortoises adieu and proceed along a route that he sent to him.

When you get close, start splitting off some of your component monsters, James added. I want them to start getting some experience and leveling up. I was especially excited about that blood slime. I also want to know how many of these ingredient monsters you can lose and still be yourself…

If James could keep the double active and gaining experience while still building up some of the weaker monsters he had merged to make it in the first place, that would be ideal. For the next task he wanted the monster engaged in—and for many others in the future, for that matter—having numbers would be almost as much of an advantage as having a power differential on your side.

And the double acquiesced with the same meekness that the tortoise had displayed.

Yes, Progenitor, it sent. I believe most of the monsters can be split from my form without destroying my identity, should you wish it.

We won’t need to go that far, James quietly replied, almost troubled by the double’s apparent lack of any passionate desire to maintain its individuality. Just maybe a half dozen, a dozen monsters detached for now.

I am beginning to doubt that this thing was created from you, muttered another telepathic voice.

Roscuro, James sent. I’m surprised to still be hearing from you when you’re so far away.

Well, you are the only one to talk to, Roscuro replied. Your creature seems to be a nice enough fellow, but he does not have a lot to say.

There I was, worrying that you might corrupt my poor innocent monster, James sent in a tone of slightly mocking concern.

I will certainly try, Roscuro answered. But I do not see much to work with. He is an empty vessel. A hollow creature. A mere Doppelganger eager to fulfill his alter ego’s will.

That’s it, James sent. Now I know what to call him.

He directed his next telepathic message at the double.

Your name is Doppelganger, James sent. I may call you Doppel for short.

As you wish, Progenitor, the creature replied. But James felt a note of pleasure in its tone. Though the monster seemed unfeeling generally, it liked the name.

James ordered it to move out and gave the monster its next destination, which it accepted with the same equanimity that accompanied most of its responses to orders.

Before you leave, check when the residents will begin the evacuation, James added as a final thought.

At least there is to be more violence in the next part of the journey, Roscuro grumbled.

Then they were off, and James moved on to his next task.

Let’s see if I can shorten my Skills list a little and refine some into more useful forms…