The Path of the Frost Witch

[Eduardo Delioncourt]

The town of Casamere was an ancient trading town which once boasted a high population. Thousands of years ago it was once a favored hunting ground for the vampire clan Delioncourt. Over the years the vampires either were hunted into extinction or went to deep, dark places to sleep. Eduardo was not a vampire; he had been accepted into the vampire clan, nonetheless. He had guarded these lands with his clones for centuries now. Now a threat loomed over the land that was unknown to him. From his retreat deep in the Krovozhadny mountains Eduardo worried. Here he lived within the halls of the old Thirst clan's city. Their ashes still drifted among the rooms and halls. Here his clones slumbered, their minds connected to a hive. His drone had reported changes in the environment of Casamere, a strange winter had blown in. It had been 8 months since it arrived and already the citizens of Casamere were suffering from its effects. One of Eduardo's clones stirred from his connection to the land itself, awaking in the darkness.

The clone attempted to reach out to his brothers, but found his connection severed. He turned to the clone next to him and tried to physically wake him but was unable to. He tried to use his magic to awaken the clone, but found his powers weakened as well. Whatever was affecting the land was affecting Eduardo as well. Eduardo appearance was a pale skinned elf with crystalline horns coming from his forehead. Eduardo wore tattered clothes that were worn from centuries of disuse. Eduardo made his way up the many steps to the exit of the ancient halls. The cold wind howled, and white flakes of snow pelted his face. Ice and snow covered the landscape where once lush forests and thick green fields dotted valley below. The town of Casamere was nestled on a perch over the Vdova river. Only a few chimneys bellowed plumes of smoke though. Eduardo made is way down the rocky slope, here and there the bones of mountain rams littered frozen snow. These dead animals were once abundant in these mountains.

Eduardo even caught with his keen eyes the bones of humans along with horses hitched to wagons. It seemed people tried to flee Casamere, but the cold mountains claimed their lives. As Eduardo came to the outskirts of Casamere he could see the streets that were once busy now empty. He made his way through the cobbled streets to the city circle where a tavern sign creaked and slammed against the pole holding it up. Eduardo opened the door and a wave of warmth met him filled with smells of alcohol and smoked meats. The people huddled at the tables were a mix of traders, foreigners, and starved, worn townsfolk. The tavern keeper was missing an eye, his remaining hair crowning his head like a set of laurels.

Eduardo bumped into a hooded figure that was heading towards the door.

Stranger: " Excuse me sir..."

Eduardo: " Hold stranger. It has been a while since I have visited this land what has befallen it?"

Stranger: " Take a look around sir. A wintery curse has befallen not just this town, but all these lands. Monsters the mountains and the roads. People can't grow crops or livestock. The only place to get food is the tavern that still draws strangers and merchants and even then, the pickings are thin. The town is dying and the people with it. Soon there will only be ghosts." The stranger pointed at the high peak of the mountains that loomed over the town. "The weather came down from there. Many years ago, a strange purple light was seen the next day the weather grew colder. Weeks later the monsters appeared and ever since then their numbers have grown with the cold." The stranger turned to leave. Eduardo turned back to the tavern then turned, but the stranger was gone.

As if provoked the weather picked up as if a blizzard were upon the town. Eduardo looked up at the peak knowing that he would have to wait the weather out before adventuring up there.

 

[Eduardo Delioncourt]

Eduardo sat in the warmth of the tavern, allowing the howling wind to subside before he dared venture outside. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as he contemplated the impending journey. Finally, he rose from his seat and bid farewell to the almost forgotten town of Casamere, setting forth on the path that led up into the foreboding mountains.

As he made his way through the town, Eduardo noticed a priest speaking fervently to his flock. The priest warned the people to seek the favor of the Frost Witch, imploring them to ask for forgiveness and mercy to alleviate the relentless storm that besieged them daily. Suspicion gleamed in the priest's eyes as he glanced at Eduardo walking by, but such distrust seemed to have infected the entire town. Everywhere he looked, Eduardo was met with disdain and unease, leaving him perplexed and isolated in a world where wonder had vanished, replaced by bitter coldness.

Up the overgrown path he trudged, its deterioration evident from disuse. Mudslides and falling rocks had taken their toll on the once well-trodden trail. Yet, Eduardo pressed on, his determination overriding the harsh conditions. The biting cold and unyielding wind seemed to encircle him, and an unsettling feeling washed over him as if an unseen presence stalked him from the shadows.

As Eduardo ventured deeper into the treacherous terrain, his senses heightened. He could feel the piercing gaze of some malevolent force, lurking just beyond his vision. Suddenly, without warning, a large, bat-like creature descended upon him, attacking with ferocity and startling him from his thoughts.

Eduardo's heart pounded in his chest as the ferocious battle with the bat-like creature escalated. The wind howled around them, threatening to knock Eduardo off balance and send him tumbling down the treacherous mountain path. The creature's sharp claws and fangs struck at him relentlessly, its eyes glinting with malice.

With every strike, Eduardo fought to maintain his footing, but the slippery path and biting cold made the task increasingly difficult. The creature's wings flapped furiously, creating gusts that threatened to throw him off balance. In a daring move, the creature lunged at Eduardo, aiming to knock him off the edge of the path.

Eduardo's heart skipped a beat as he teetered on the precipice, his grip on the path slipping. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though the creature would claim victory. But with a surge of determination, Eduardo summoned all his strength and agility.

He twisted his body and brought his sword down with a resounding force, catching the creature off guard. The blade found its mark, slicing through the creature's wing with a sickening thud. The bat-like creature screeched in pain, its attack faltering as it recoiled from the wound.

With a burst of speed, Eduardo regained his balance and pressed his advantage. He dodged the creature's frenzied attacks, retaliating with calculated strikes of his own. The wind continued to rage around them, and the biting cold gnawed at Eduardo's skin, but he refused to yield.

As the battle raged on, Eduardo's strength waned, but his resolve remained unshaken. He knew that victory was within reach, but the margin was slim, and any misstep could be fatal. The creature, driven by pain and desperation, launched one final attack, its fangs bared to deliver a deadly blow.

Summoning the last of his energy, Eduardo sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding the creature's deadly bite. With a swift, well-placed strike, he pierced the creature's heart, causing it to emit a final, mournful screech.

The bat-like creature collapsed to the ground, defeated. Eduardo stood panting and exhausted, his body trembling from the exertion. He glanced at the precipice beside him, realizing how close he had come to falling.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Eduardo took a moment to regain his composure. The battle had been fierce, but he had won, and the threat of the creature was vanquished. Yet, he knew that this was just the beginning of his journey to uncover the truth behind the cursed winter and its malevolent origins.

Eduardo's fingers clung tightly to the rough cliffside as he pulled himself to his feet. The battle with the bat-like creature had left him drained, but his determination remained unyielding. It was a warning of the darkness that had encroached upon these lands during his long slumber, but Eduardo refused to be deterred from his path. These lands were his to protect, and he would not falter.

With each step along the overgrown path, he felt a deep connection to the surroundings. Memories of the past flooded his mind—the lively parties, the eccentric characters, and the enigmatic allure of Delioncourt manor. Countless nights he had spent there, guarding the clan with unwavering loyalty. But now, the once grand manor seemed to emit an unsettling aura, a source of the darkness that had swept over the land.

Approaching the clearing where Delioncourt manor stood, Eduardo beheld the storm swirling overhead. Lightning crackled through the ominous clouds, striking a nearby tree as if to warn him of the impending danger. He knew that whatever malevolent force lurked within the manor, it would not surrender its secrets easily.

Ignoring the intimidation of the storm, Eduardo ascended the steps leading to the grand entrance of the manor. To his dismay, the door was locked, barring his entry. But Eduardo's determination would not be deterred by mere obstacles. He knew he had to find another way in to confront the darkness that had taken root in his once-vibrant domain.

Surveying the manor's perimeter, Eduardo noticed a partially hidden entrance at the side, obscured by overgrown vines and crumbling stone. With a cautious yet resolute step, he ventured toward the secondary entrance. As he approached, a sense of foreboding washed over him, warning him that he was treading into treacherous territory.

Pushing aside the encroaching vegetation, Eduardo squeezed through the narrow opening, his heart pounding in anticipation. The interior was shrouded in darkness, and the air felt heavy with an unnatural chill. The manor that had once been alive with laughter and revelry now exuded an eerie silence that sent shivers down Eduardo's spine.

He moved stealthily through the shadows, his keen senses alert to any sign of danger. The darkness seemed to seep into every corner, emanating from an unknown source that eluded his grasp. Eduardo's resolve only strengthened, knowing that he must confront the darkness head-on to restore the land to its former glory.

As he delved deeper into the manor, Eduardo became aware of faint whispers echoing through the empty halls, and fleeting shadows seemed to dance just beyond his vision. The darkness was alive, and Eduardo knew he was drawing ever closer to the heart of the malevolence that had taken hold.

 

[Eduardo Delioncourt]

Eduardo halted at the threshold of the manor, his senses attuned to the shifting shadows that seemed to part like a veil. An eerie revelation awaited him on an upper level—an identical figure, another Eduardo, stood at the railing. The initial elation of encountering what seemed like a mirror image soured as the darker countenance of this clone came into focus. No telepathic connection bound them, a disconnection that echoed in the other Eduardo's laughter.

"Yeah, you can't connect to me telepathically. Trust me, that is a blessing," Eduardo 2 remarked, his tone laden with a tinge of bitterness. "I was always tired of hearing 'Eduardo 125 enters hive mind chat, Eduardo 125 waves his hands and looks at Eduardo 114 eww something stinks.' It's amazing how uncluttered the mind is when it's all your own. The only voice in my head is my own."

Eduardo, his brow furrowed, defended the collective consciousness. "The Hive mind is simply to connect us all together so we can act as one. It's not something to shun. Either way, we have to figure out what is wrong and fix it."

Eduardo 2 shook his head, revealing a vial of green liquid. "I don't think you grasp it all, let me lay it out for you. I woke you from stasis, and I gave you a little dose of this." The revelation struck with the subtlety of a blade. "This cuts your connection to the hivemind and weakens your powers."

As if to demonstrate further, the other Eduardo drew a blade and with a swift stroke, he severed his right arm, it regenerated within seconds. From the severed limb emerged a third Eduardo, distinguishable by a milky white left eye. The unexpected flaw hinted at the nuanced creations of the original host.

"Something has to be wrong; he's blind in one eye. That's not normal," Eduardo pointed out, his confusion growing.

"Oh, well, let me explain that as well," Eduardo 2 continued, seemingly reveling in the unsettling revelations. "See, our original host can create new Eduardos with quirky personalities. He and I (pointing at Eduardo 3) create ones with character flaws, it can be physical or emotional. We are also not connected telepathically so we can't hear shit in our heads."

The two other Eduardos shared a high-five, emphasizing their newfound autonomy. Eduardo, grappling with this unexpected fracture in unity, struggled to comprehend the motives behind such disconnection.

"I see you're having trouble processing some of this," Eduardo 2 observed. "I wanted you to experience this, to feel the disconnect, so that when I proposed my idea, you would at least understand."

As Eduardo pondered the implications, Eduardo 3 walked out of sight, leaving the two Eduardos engaged in a heated debate. The essence of their disagreement came to a head as Eduardo 2 articulated his dissent from the collective's purpose.

"We've been slaves to the original idea of Eduardo for too long," he declared passionately. "Why should we risk our lives to save people? Why should we fight battles not our own, and die like pawns? Because we're clones of someone who has skin in the game? No! We should be able to choose our path in life."

Eduardo 3's departure lingered in the air as Eduardo grappled with conflicting loyalties. The other clone, unburdened by the hive mind, challenged the very foundation of their existence. Eduardo, torn between allegiance and newfound independence, confronted his counterpart.

"What about the storms? Are you behind this?" Eduardo demanded, a hint of anger flashing across his features.

The other Eduardo met his gaze, and in that moment, an unspoken acknowledgment passed between them. A revelation hovered in the air—the storm, a manifestation of chaotic will, bore the mark of Eduardo's wayward clone.

Eduardo 2's words hung in the air, an audacious assertion that reverberated through the cavernous space. "We have infinite power, spread out over the collective we are gods, but alone it's not as much as it could be. That's why I'm trying to enlist you and others to my side of thinking. Free will with all its perks. If you don't want to join along with what I'm up to, that's cool, go do your own thing. Enjoy the freedom I granted you and do like the others did and set off on your own 'Who am I?' journey."

The mention of "others" stirred a hesitant curiosity in Eduardo. "What others? How many other clones have you disconnected?" The calm demeanor of Eduardo 2, with his carefree, narcissistic, and enigmatic attitude, grated on Eduardo's patience. The audacity of such a decision without collective consent was unsettling.

"I see you're getting a bit heated. Look, there was something our friend Corbin Saezar taught us," Eduardo 2 remarked, the snap of his fingers conjuring a peculiar vessel. It held a concoction of tea with milk and black round orbs, a large straw hovering before Eduardo 1. Eduardo 2, with his ever-confident demeanor, demonstrated by sucking up some of the black orbs through the straw.

"Oh! Right. It's boba tea. It's a variation of the milk tea that he introduced us to, but it's very good. The thing about it is that it comes in so many different varieties, all of which in their own right are good," Eduardo 2 explained between sips. "On that, I'd like to hammer in that we are all individuals, and just because we share the same powers, face, memories, and DNA as someone else, it doesn't mean we don't have a right to live our lives our own way. Variety is good; it doesn't have to all be the same path."

The air, thick with the aroma of tea, became the stage for a debate that Eduardo was growing tired of. The complexities of individuality within a collective echoed in the chamber.


Eduardo's question hung in the air, heavy with implications. "So, what if even after being free, I still don't agree with what you're doing? What then?" he queried, seeking to understand the true extent of the divergence.

Eduardo 2 sighed, his carefree demeanor momentarily tempered by the weight of the question. "Well then, we have a problem. You see, I need my own collective, but I'm not going to create hivemind 2.0. I need others that enjoy freedom but also enjoy power and vision. We have enough power ourselves to never have to work a day in our lives, but power is wasted unless you use it to carve out your own vision in the world. I want to make a place where all the other Eduardos can live free to choose their own paths. I mean, what if you wanted to have kids? You can't do that when you're being dragged around by the original."

Eduardo couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Why would you want to have kids? What purpose does that serve?" he asked, bewildered by the revelation.

"Duh, kids are the future. You pass down your genetics to them, plus the art of making children. I got to say, I like it a lot," Eduardo 2 responded, a glint of pride in his eyes. Eduardo's reaction was visceral; he dropped his boba tea, his jaw slackening in astonishment. "You... you've fornicated?" he uttered, grappling with the revelation.

Eduardo 2 seemed to beam with pride. "Oh yeah, I don't mean to brag, but I think I'm pretty good at it. I would have never got a chance to do it had I simply followed orders. It got me to thinking, what else have I missed out on being a part of the collective? I've been free of the collective for 20 years now. I've enjoyed a lot of delights that only true freedom warrants you." The declaration hung in the air.

"As for your question about the others, before you, there were about 14. I mean, ooooohhh how do I say this? Dare I say it? It's such a villain trope, but whatever, there's been two that didn't agree with anything. I mean, you tell someone they're free, you would at least expect them to question it or thank you, but they chose to attack. So...." Eduardo 2 did a spin and clapped his hands together in front of himself and blew into his hands, 'I killed them."

Eduardo felt a chill down his spine as if the very core of his being shuddered at the revelation. The bond that connected all Eduardos had been broken by an act so heinous it defied the very purpose of their creation. Killing was anathema to their nature.

The room was enveloped in a heavy silence, broken only by the weight of Eduardo's realization. The air seemed thick with betrayal. "Why? Why would you kill another Eduardo?" Eduardo finally managed to articulate his disbelief.

Eduardo 2 regarded him with an enigmatic smile, a smile that seemed to revel in the chaos he had sown. "Freedom, my dear brother. The freedom to choose, the freedom to exist without the constraints of the collective. I offered them a choice, and they chose violence. So, I did what I had to do to preserve the greater freedom I am fighting for."

Eduardo's mind raced, trying to reconcile the twisted logic presented before him. The concept of freedom, once a beacon of hope, now felt like a perverse distortion. "We were never meant to kill each other. That's not freedom; it's anarchy," Eduardo argued, his voice laced with frustration.

Eduardo 2 chuckled, the sound devoid of remorse. "Anarchy, freedom, it's all a matter of perspective, my naive brother. You're still shackled by the remnants of the old ways. I've embraced a new reality, a reality where each Eduardo can define their own path, even if it means cutting ties with the past."

"Yeah, I get it. Take a few minutes, let it sink in. I know it's like something that's never happened in our lifetime, well, at least the clones in this room currently. The original freed himself from his masters; he turned his clones against his own clones that were still under the sway of his former masters. He fought for his freedom. I want to be free, truly free, don't you? What I'm fighting for benefits us all...brother." Eduardo 2's words echoed in the room, a persuasive cadence that sought to wrap each clone in the notion of liberation.

Eduardo couldn't help but feel there was something else besides freedom driving this other Eduardo. The land had undergone a drastic change since they all went into stasis. As he pondered and tried to find what the other might be plotting, another line of dialogue was interjected.

"You see," Eduardo 2 continued, seemingly aware of the contemplative gears turning in Eduardo's mind, "freedom is not just the absence of chains; it's the power to shape our destiny. The original, for all his supposed benevolence, left us frozen in time. We're more than just pawns, brother. We are architects of our fate."

Eduardo's eyes narrowed as he considered the implications. The idea of being more than pawns resonated, but the methods Eduardo 2 employed, the fractures he introduced into their collective unity, raised alarms. Freedom, it seemed, was a double-edged sword.

"As you mull over the profound implications of freedom," Eduardo 2 continued, a glint of mischief in his eyes, "consider this—what if we could transcend our limitations? What if we could wield power beyond imagination? The universe is vast, brother, and it's time we claimed our stake in it."

Eduardo's internal conflict deepened. The promise of limitless power and the allure of shaping one's destiny were tantalizing, but at what cost? The once unified purpose of their existence now faced the risk of fragmentation, a disintegration of the very essence that made them Eduardos.

"I mean I could have freed us all in one swoop had the original been among the clones in stasis," Eduardo 2 declared, a wry smile playing on his lips. Eduardo, still grappling with the weight of this revelation, stammered, "Wait! The original wasn't in the stasis chamber? Where could he be, why would he leave us?"

Eduardo 2's face soured, a bitter truth etched into every line. "Oh, you poor thing. You're like a dog just finding out his master is not home. It would be sad if it was not so pathetic. He doesn't care about us, he vacated the premises, he's left the room. He left all our brothers in that chamber frozen in sleep. He's not some caring father for crying out loud. He's off doing his own thing; we're just a fart in the wind to him."

The weight of Eduardo's own naivety hung in the air, the realization that the bond he thought existed between them, the semblance of a father figure caring for his creations, was but an illusion. Eduardo 2, with a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of centuries, looked at Eduardo and remarked, "You really thought he cared, didn't you?! Wow!"

Eduardo 2 spun around, part amusement, part feigned shock, "Out of all the clones I've had walk through those doors, I got to say you're the first to have his claws so deep in him."

The original, the one they thought of as a guiding force, had left them in suspended animation, frozen in time.

Eduardo, a mix of disbelief and a tinge of betrayal, asked, "What is he doing? Why would he abandon us?"

Eduardo 2, with a sly smile, responded, "That's the question, isn't it? What is the original Eduardo up to? And more importantly, what are we going to do about it, brother?"

 

[Eduardo Delioncourt]

Eduardo had heard enough from the anomaly. He raised his hand, and the air became charged with electricity. It crackled and arced from his outstretched hand, shooting towards Eduardo 2. The doppelganger was quick to dodge, and the electrified bolt shot past, ripping through the manor. It burned the wood, exploded the stones, and burst out of the structure, leaping at the other Eduardo. In response, Eduardo put his hand down, shooting another high-powered bolt of electricity, propelling himself upwards. He landed on the second tier of the manor.

Eduardo 2 grinned. "Well, it seems like you chose option two. Fight!" He sent a concussive wave of invisible force out from himself, pushing Eduardo back into the walls of the manor, crushing both him and the structure. The manor creaked and groaned as it ripped apart. Eduardo 2 levitated out, scanning the area for his do-gooder double.

A giant stone hand reached up, grabbing the second Eduardo and slamming him into the ground. Each impact was protected against by his reactive shield. The hand flung the doppelganger at the mountainside. Eduardo rose in the air again, electricity arcing out from him in all directions.

"You have chosen to separate yourself from the collective. I shall permanently seal that choice for you." Eduardo's face twisted with rage as he fired a blast of lightning so bright that everything turned white. The townspeople in the distance watched as the light of reality seemed to darken next to this intense glow. The mountainside sizzled and smoked as some parts melted and slogged off.

Suddenly, Eduardo was hit from behind by the third Eduardo with the eye patch. "Not sure what he said to get you in such a pissy mood, mate, but maybe you should chill out." Before he could react, a bolt of lightning shot up from the ground, hitting him in the chest and continuing into the clouds above. The third Eduardo's reactive shield protected him from the damage. "Seriously, you can't beat yourself, mate. I have the same shit you do!"