Chapter 18

Just the thought of retreating had always made Mertieha's skin crawl. The fact she was retreating from the Veronsen-Vii made it all the worse, but truth was they'd been overwhelmed. Back at the ice caverns, she allowed her people to get some rest, whilst she paced along the craggy passes thinking of a way to get the Veronsen-Vii back for what they did. It was strange just how far her thoughts now were from rebellion and somehow she knew they weren't going to return their anytime soon. After all, what did her own people need with more positional power, when there was a greater threat to their safety?

Eventually, and with great exhaustion, Mertieha reached her own private cave. The second she entered it she felt as though something was amiss and it didn't take her long to spot the trespasser in her chair.

'This room belongs to the leader of the Sli Reama Tribe,' the person in the chair imitated her voice perfectly, 'you have no right being in here uninvited.'

'I have every right to be in here uninvited,' Mertieha snarled, 'this is my room.'

The person in the chair laughed and rose to their feet; even from behind Mertieha knew what was coming.

'If you are the leader of your people, then I am your doppelganger,' the intruder turned round to reveal herself as a perfect imitation of Mertieha.

'What do you want,' Mertieha gritted her teeth, as she manifested a weapon ready to defend herself.

'Uh, uh, uh,' the doppelganger wagged her finger at her, 'don't you know hurting me will only hurt you?'

'Don't you know Doppelganger is a rarely mastered Power Limitless technique,' she held her ground, hoping to catch her opponent out.

At that her mimic simply laughed and manifested a weapon of her own. But instead of turning it on Mertieha, she used it to cut a line across her own bicep. The line on her instantly healed, but as it did Mertieha felt a sting of pain. Looking down towards her own arm she noticed a thin line of blood, which grew steadily thicker as it trickled down her arm. Swallowing hard Mertieha lowered her own weapon.

'You are convinced then,' the Doppelganger grinned at her.

'Yes,' she nodded.

'Good, because I need you to do something for me.'

'What?'

'Hickarama's gotten herself mixed up with those Veronsen-Vii; I want you to get her unmixed up with them.'

'And in exchange for that?'

'What makes you think there is anything in exchange?'

'There must be some kind of incentive for me to do this for you.'

'In exchange I don't kill you.'

'You wouldn't anyway; my people would avenge my death.'

'Not if they think you're a traitor they won't.'

'They would never think that of me.'

'Wouldn't they,' she tilted her head in a strange manner. 'I'm a lot more powerful than you might ever give me credit for; I can make people think anything I like.'

'I still say that you wouldn't.'

'Fine,' the Doppelganger relented, 'have it your way. In exchange for you stopping Hickarama I'll give you…'

'Hello,' Arados glanced around the seemingly empty cave.

Since Nansetter had left the place had gone back to being uninviting. Still at least when she returned she'd be bringing a much more comfortable bed for him to sleep on. Or at least that's what Arados was hoping. Just like he was hoping the noise he heard was nothing more than her return.

'Hello,' he tried again, more apprehensively this time.

Still there was no reply, only the faint traces of his echo bouncing off against the cavern walls. A prickling shiver ran up the length of his spine, causing him to shudder violently. Wrapping his arms around himself, he tried to convince himself he was just being silly and that there was really nothing to worry about.

'Come on Ara,' he kept his voice low, 'you're physically stronger than anything which could come to attack you. You're only really worry is about how much trouble you'll be in if you accidentally kill them.'

He laughed nervously at that thought, before tightening the grip he had around himself and pacing fretfully. Somehow he knew he'd never be able to take a swing at someone when he had the fate of his unborn child to worry about. After all, the last thing he wanted was for any harm to come to it and that included him being branded a murderer. For a moment Arados wondered how likely it was he'd be put behind bars for killing something that shouldn't be on Giya in the first place. If he was being honest with himself he knew anything which happened here would be punished by the Mistresses or at least two of them with the First currently unreachable.

At that thought his heart fell fretfully. He'd left before being able to switch Jo and Crovell's natures back and without saving his father. Both thoughts made him feel cringingly guilty and he half wanted to correct both situations.

'What should I do,' he stared around the inclosing stillness surrounding him. 'Tell me, what should I do?'

'What youse should do is stay here fur now laddie,' Nansetter's voice sounded from behind him.

Turning, he spotted her, and a steal framed bed with an overinflated mattress, watching him. Seeing the bed Arados couldn't help but grin. He'd only expected her to come back with something more comfortable to lie on, not a full blown real bed.

'Thank you,' he bleated out automatically.

'Fur what,' she beamed at him, 'I'm in charge of y'comfort, remember? An it wouldne go down well if I didn't excel at that now, would it?'

'Yes, but this is still…' he hoped his face showed the full extent of his gratitude as he struggled to find the words he needed.

'Well laddie, just tell may where's you want it.'

'Um…' his eyes stared round for a moment, before he spotted the perfect spot. 'How about there?'

'Just what I was thinking laddie,' she chuckled. 'Great minds, hey?'