Love & War 6: Replicants
Chapter 10: A Grim Future
As a protege of Rose, Menat is a young fortune teller hailing from Egypt, but resides in Italy as a work in progress. During the Black Moons crisis, Rose sent Menat on a quest to share her predictions around the world, predictions that only she knows."
"Are you the one known as Menat?" asked Melody.
"I am, Melody Jones."
"How do you know who I am?"
"Your reputation precedes you, does it not?"
"It does, but..."
"You have conquered great evil in the past, as I have foreseen."
"You foresaw my past?"
"Exactly. I have heard a lot about you, Melody. I also foresaw your arrival."
"Really? What of my intentions?"
"You wish to know where the duplicates are coming from. I must warn you. A sinister being from another world is creating these duplicates, and they are not called duplicates, they are called Replicants."
"Who is this demon?"
Menat waves her crystal ball. Melody saw a gargoyle-like being.
"What the...?"
"Gargos, a being of an Ichorien race, is also known as a Shadow Lord. He is from a astral plane. Long ago, the other astral beings resisted him, but he killed them and stole their powers. The Guardians, good creatures, fled to other dimensions, and sealed the astral plane behind them so no corruption from Gargos could never taint another world."
"Could be the one who's creating these duplicates?"
"If he was, he was doing so to test the endurance of humans. But knowing that there are stronger, more skilled fighters throughout Earth, there will be a time when said fighters will face their own imperfections. Melody, your future is grim as the others. You must prepare for the apocalypse."
"I need you to come with me..."
Menat agreed and went with them to the Kanzuki estates. Menat explained a dire future, one that will force themselves to fight their own imperfections. Believing this to be true, Jade could face her clone. Even worse, Tanya was becoming paranoid. The thought of her clone returning made her faint.
The next day, Tanya woke up at Chris's beach house.
"Are you ok, Tanya?'
"I thought my clone could never return, but this Gargos... I could face my clone again, only this time...
"Don't say such things. If what Menat says was true, then we must prepare. The thing is, we don't know when it'll happen. For now, we must prepare for the tournament."
Jade and Tanya sees Melody and Tatyana sparring. They had just finished.
"The tournament starts tomorrow, Melody," said Master Raven. "I hope you're ready."
"I'm hearing some doubt from you."
"It's what Menat said yesterday that puzzles me. Imagine facing your clone, equally as skilled as you, equal in every way."
"That will be quite a challenge. But it's mother I worry about. If she faces her clone, it'll bring back memories of her as a assassin, memories she should never have again."
"She may have no choice, Melody. Neither will you or me."