In a strange world as a Doppelganger

Chapter 49 - The Manifestation

As these versions of myself stand before me, motionless but somehow an invisible wind filled with magical particles surrounds them, the image of the crossbow-wielder fades as my mind focuses closer. The version of me that skulks in the shadows also disintegrates and becomes one with the darkness. Now left is the imagery of me surrounded by water and within there are two points of lights, eyes.

A drop of cold water hits my face and I shoot awake, fumbling for my blade. I am all alone it seems at first. Then I hear the faint sloshing of liquid, like someone shaking a bucket. Next to me, on the ground, there is a gathering of water. It looks like someone filled a barrel of water but then removed the barrel and the liquid kept its shape. I sit up and look at it. The water slowly starts shifting, amorphously adapting, until it looks like an approximation of myself. I lift one hand and the water mirrors me. I lift the other and the same result. I open my mouth.

"What are you?" the words seem to impact the water and ripples spread from where its mouth is and a voice echoes back.

"You?"

I startle back and the water does the same. I grab my blade and watch as the water version of me somehow grows a knife out of its hand.

"Where did you come from?" I reach a hand out tentatively to see if it reciprocates. Even though my first reaction was to treat it hostile it gives me a comforting sensation. Not like an old friend but someone I can trust though I know nothing about them. Strange as it may be I feel like we've met before.

As our hands touch a single word echoes inside my mind.

"You", and as I hear this, the water is struck by invisible reverberations and in what feels like an instant the aqueous version of me is suck into my hand and the only proof of it having ever been here is a wet puddle on the ground. I know instinctively what it was. My internal reservoir. That pool of magic that I draw from to create my spells. It's alive.

Looking around outside where I've been sleeping it's still early morning. Very few of the villagers are awake. I start to go for a walk and while the path under my feet stretches out behind me I find myself back at that old clearing with the boulder. The dew is cool on my feet and the first rays of sun are kissing the tallest trees. I can see several small forms moving quickly in the grass. I take a few steps closer and it's quite apparent that they must be the offspring of the rat that I shared the burrow with. While taking in the scenery in the dawning sun it strikes me that I don't know how long I've been away. I forgot to keep track at some point. The days have just started blending and I realize that I don't mind. There's no use trying to keep track since it's not like I am gonna get back from this. Back? Back to what? While wandering and thinking I come to the lake where I first woke up. Staring at my own reflection in the still pool it seems so obvious that I've changed. Even though I can't remember much of what life was like before I can still tell that the time since waking up has changed me.

I reach a hand out and focus. I feel a pulse from my center that spreads out into my arm and a spout of water shoots forth. Joining the lake water, I can feel the entity having left my reservoir. While it is not really visible or discernible from the rest of the waters, I can still tell where it is.

A few minutes after I've sat down by the lakes edge I see a deer come to drink from the spring. Might be the best chance I have to really try some things out. I observe for a moment while willing the water that is mine to come closer.

The deer retracts from drinking. Did it sense something? It the lowers back down. Two limbs of water shoot out from the surface, one of them striking the deer in the eye and snapping a horn off. The other missed unfortunately. While the deer is momentarily stunned a third pseudo-pod strikes out while the two retreat back into the water. It too misses as the deer reels up and starts to run away. A quick dart of ice pierces through its ribs and it falls over. I run over, draw my blade and give the creature its peace.

While by the lake I do some form of practicing with the water being. Seeing what its limitations might be and if it has any real sense of individuality.

It turns out it can't so much act on its own as it can keep acting on a command. If I tell it to hit a rock it will relentlessly to so till the rock is destroyed or it gets a new command. While idle though it tends to mimic me to some extent. Also absorbing it and releasing it takes some effort but has no direct affect on my stamina. It cannot cast spells or use magic much more than to just have a form. But handy enough because it can carry the deer without issue and without tiring.

While that might be the case I still return into to the wellspring within and carry the deer back by myself. All the way to the goblin village. This trump-card needs to remain as secret as possible.