It was true, time was running out. Fearless ambitions had been presented on the leaders' table, and they chose to turn a blind eye. The city's engines were rusting underneath the decaying architecture, debriefing the city of a chance to leave this frosty prison and join the modern-day world once for all.

But Julies didn't stand and gaze. He devoted his life to plotting a scheme to blow life back into these engines and get the city flying again. It wasn't easy, and the council knew it was quite impossible to reach these engines. Delaying that conflict was only a matter of time as both sides wished to cross the icy mountains to the lands of the living the shunned them. This cruel isolation depressed the generations residing inside this city, aware of the ties they've had outside this prison. They grieved what they lost, unaware of what lay behind the white hell.

I. Julies' schemes.

Back and forth walked Julies anxiously. He had been invited into Anysa's private mansion alongside Berat Arslan, whom he disliked. He was in the grand office, unable to sit still on the chair until the lady had arrived. He kept wondering if this was a positive step towards his goal or a dark conspiracy against him. Berat sat down reading the journal, not quite distressed by this sudden call.

"Do you mind sitting down?" Berat coldly eyed Julies from behind the journal. The room was wide enough for him to stroll, it was decorated in strange ornaments foreign to the eyes of the two gentlemen. There was a vast collection of books laying in a grand library, all of different languages and topics. The windows had artificial lights fixated on them to imitate sunlight, a fancy way to pretend this isn't Boneclad.

"Leave me alone." muttered Julies at the height of his stress. He could hear the clicking of Anysa's heals louder and louder. He predicted a thousand scenarios concerning this secret meeting, but what he didn't know was that he was ignorant of the only right one.

"Gentlemen." spoke Anysa softly as she approached them dressed in her nightgown. The two men were struck to see her in such an informal attire, a side of her which they never saw before.

"Good evening." She said as she sat down on her chair, facing the two councilmen with a stern look on her wrinkled face.

"Good evening, Lady Anysa." Replied the two in on breath as Julies finally sat down. Anysa gestured her assistant to leave the room as she took out a document she had sealed in her safe.

"You must be wondering why you're invited here, in this late hour." Anysa eyed them both calmly as she opened the document. She watched Julies' blue face and Berat's cold one. She didn't hesitate before she had taken out a necklace hidden deep inside that "document".

"See this?" She showed it to the two men. Julies inspected it hastily. "A necklace? Seems normal." He said, on the other hand, Berat was much more focused than him. He was intrigued, carefully tracing its details as he processed what his thoughts were. "A duplicate, I presume." He spoke, Anysa nodded. "Indeed." Anysa put it down as Julies' face turned bright red.

"I will be straightforward from you two from now on." Anysa declared. "And Julies, pay more attention to my words." Anysa asked Julies who was rudely starring at the original necklace she was wearing.

"Uh, yes, ma'am." He shrugged as he sat down.

Confusion arose among the attendants. A duplicated necklace was merely a coincidence, but from Anysa's tone, they concluded that there was more to it. A duplicate that was identical to a presumably costume-made jewelry piece, a very expensive one, could be explained as a theft attempt.

"I am sorry to say we've underestimated our enemy many times, but this time had almost become fatal." She explained. "That necklace is identical to the one I wear, with every single detail including the lost pearl I didn't fix." She continued. "To help you see the bigger picture, this necklace was worn by another me. One that looked identical to me in every way." She declared and the two men were shocked.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Berat was able to maintain his calm attitude but on the other hand, Julies seemed rather terrified.

"That being had every single detail of my body that was never shown to anyone on this planet. Scars, birthmarks, you name it."

"I don't have to explain what this being's purpose is, but what baffles me is the fact it was deployed while I was still alive, without any attempt to assassinate me." Anysa continued.

"What does that mean? They're not that stupid!" Julies wondered. Bert's silence only meant that he was concluding something Anysa wanted to. Julies was not on the same page as them, but he was bound to understand.

"They're cloning us. It's not news, there have been rumors of this for a while." Berat spoke. "But the true question here, how could they slip and make such a stupid mistake?" He wondered. "You mean.. Not assassinating Lady Anysa first?" Julies wondered. "Yes. Deploying such an identical clone whole the original was Still alive could only mean they were attempting to spread panic and make people start questioning the council if this was to go public. But I don't think this was the case." Berat explained.

"Go on. "Anysa rested in her chair.

"I believe this was the work of an ally. One on the other side of the frontier." Berat spoke his idea, it intrigued both Julies and Anysa. Julies seemed rather distressed and disagreed. "No way we have allies among those beasts!" He said. "I think we need to start thinking of them farther than beasts, and closer to humans." Berat expressed his controversial opinion that even Anysa raised an eyebrow to, but chose to let him continue.

"Speak your mind." Anysa ordered Berat as Julies' face became reddish.

"If we were to think one of our lost loved ones survived on the other side by pretending to be one of them, they're bound to attempt to help us in one way or another." Berat spoke. "We have a list full of names that went missing during the last battle, and before that, we are aware that most of our deceased were once humans and could maintain a very clear memory of who they are." He continued.

"To think that even though their newfound nature is untamed, they could still possess the willpower to help us. I don't believe it's far-fetched. And I have sympathy for those who have met such fate." Berat spoke his controversial opinion confidently without fearing the reaction of the king's pawn.

He knew he wasn't disposable.

There was silence among them. The tight committee stirred their thoughts quietly, forging a thousand scenarios and all of them were bleak. Julies dismissed the thought of an ally from beyond the wall. His grudge was too strong to humanize his enemy, and he had the right to. On the other hand, Anysa seemed satisfied by Berat's thought process, perhaps she knew more.

"We have talked a lot." Anysa said. "What's left is the right course of action." She continued. "Berat, I want you to sweep the city looking for a clue regarding the cloning process. I want a list of suspects, and any unusual activity within the parameters of the northern district." She ordered Berat who nodded and lightly smirked, realizing he was now a step closer to the king.

"And you, Julies. I want you to do something more.. Interesting." Anysa said in a stern tone.

"I want you to go and aid Ivanka in her ongoing research. I have already sent her a note."

"But, the engine scheme? I can't abandon this now-" Julies complained, rising from his seat nervously.

"You do as I say!" Anysa commanded him. "This is your chance to prove yourself worthy." She continued, and Berat eyed Julies in a mocking manner that boiled his insides. Julies realized where he was, and who he faced. He sat down, fixed his tie and took his breath. "Fine." He spoke. "This isn't it." Anysa said. "I need you to monitor Ivanka closely, keep an eye on her actions and report them directly to me." She ordered him , the two men became suspicious but they could only storm their thoughts without wondering what was the reason behind this mission.

The meeting was dismissed and Julies had left the mansion with a heavy heart, grieving his wasted work. But then, he realized what he was getting into. Why would Anysa want to keep an eye on Ivanka? That madwoman with a mind twisted by the machines she speaks to. He wondered what the two of them would work on, and how was it possible for a council member like him to be under the command of such a low-class scientist, as he viewed her. She might be smart and efficient, but her blood was not of a royal-like him.

Ivanka's secret was soon to be exposed, but would Anysa be a friend, or an enemy?