KAI'S SHADOW

The doppelganger restrained Kai. Kai managed to break free and pulled out his guns and fired at his clone. But the doppelganger was too fast for Kai, and knocked him to the ground. The doppelganger raised his fist to strike, but suddenly he was raised in the air. It was Brooklyn Masefield. Using his powers, he flung the doppelganger over, and he came crashing to the ground...

The doppelganger's eyes snapped open. Miraculously, he'd survived the fall, and had barely any injuries. He stood up and glanced upwards and started to climb.

He soon arrived at the altar where Kai and Brooklyn had escaped after Voltaire's defeat. Voltaire was kneeling beside it. He had survived the battle against his grandson. "Like the new look." the doppelganger chuckled.

Voltaire glared at him. He now looked like a thrall, but had managed to retain his mind. "There's too much of my grandson in you for your own good, slave." he snarled. "Okh Eshivar." he chanted. The doppelganger's eyes glowed as he fell under Voltaire's control. "Take me back to your birthplace, now." he ordered. The doppelganger helped his master to his feet.

The two soon arrived at a strange device. The doppelganger helped Voltaire into the seat. Voltaire pulled the lever, but there was no reaction. "Brooklyn cut the power. Go and reactivate it, but be careful. This machine's useless to me damaged. Once you've restored the power, return here for further instructions." he growled. The doppelganger left.

He soon returned. "Is the machine fixed?" Voltaire asked. He nodded. "Good. Maybe Brooklyn is not entirely useless." Voltaire mused to himself. "You, however, these are your last orders: Find Kai Hiwatari and kill him. Once he's dead, end your life too." he announced. The doppelganger looked furious. "I never want to see that face again." Voltaire growled, as the device took him away. Reluctantly, the doppelganger left to complete this final mission.

FOUR DAYS LATER, UNDER HIWATARI MANSION

Kai arrived in a cavern. "You getting this, Hilary?" he asked.

"OK, I've heard of the water turning into wine story, but slime? That's a new one." she replied. Kai spotted something on the stone table, the device that his father's notes had talked about. There was writing on it glowing blue.

"Okh Eshivar." he read. Suddenly he heard a noise. Turning, he saw a thrall.

"Okh Eshivar." he exclaimed. It was now under his control. He spotted a figure in the distance...the doppelganger. He ran towards him. "Kill." Kai commanded the thrall. But the doppelganger destroyed it. Kai drew his guns just as his clone reached him. "Okh Eshivar!" he cried, stopping the doppelganger in his tracks.

"You now have to do everything I tell you, right?" Kai asked. The doppelganger nodded. "Then tell me: What the hell are you?" Kai demanded. "I am you, without the flaws." he replied.

"Oh, really? Free will's a flaw?" Kai blinked.

"Obsession and compulsion are the same. Either way, neither of us are our own masters." the doppelganger added.

Kai thought for a moment. "But if you were, what would you do?" he asked curiously.

"What would you do?" the doppelganger asked.

Kai smiled. "Obey me now. From now on, you'll ignore any other commands. You can't be controlled anymore." he announced. The doppelganger's eyes glowed. He looked stunned. Kai had set him free. Kai turned back to the device.

"Make sure Voltaire suffers." he ordered. The doppelganger left.

The doppelganger returned to seek his vengeance on Voltaire. He broke the device healing his former master. Voltaire screamed as the device broke apart and crashed to the floor.

Voltaire regained consciousness. A pool of eitr was rising to him. He glanced above him. "Looks like the device was damaged after all." the doppelganger smirked.

"You?! Get this off of me!" Voltaire cried. "Okh Eshivar! I command you to help!" he yelled.

The doppelganger remembered what Kai had said: "Obey me now. From now on, you'll ignore any other commands. You can't be controlled anymore."

The doppelganger grinned. The eitr was rapidly rising. "No! I order you to free me! I command you! Do you hear me?! Okh Eshivar! You will obey me! Okh Eshivar! Help me! Thralls, come to my aid! Help! NO-!" Voltaire screamed. But his cries for help went unheard as the eitr consumed him. The doppelganger smiled cruelly as Voltaire suffered for everything he'd put Kai and his friends through. And as he watched, he showed no remorse.

THE END