- I would like to know what happened to you. - Alexander said, looking at her seriously. - Why does your copy run through the forest and sow death?

Julia sighed and looked away.

- It’s difficult... Right now, I’ll try to put my thoughts together. - the girl thought, leaning back in her chair. Alexander involuntarily admired her breasts, which could be seen through the sweater that the girl seemed to be wearing on her naked body.

Meanwhile, Julia gathered herself and began her story.

- After you left, that same day, it seemed to me that I was being followed. I was still running around the park, enjoying the moment. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was constantly watching me. - she began, looking to the side. - I got scared and tried to run away. First through one park, then through a small alley. But I turned around and saw the faces that were there in the park. They followed me. In my panic, I didn’t even notice how I left my copy behind. My take. It was strange, she looked identical to me, but I found out later. And then, I just ran and it seems that my pursuers fell behind.

Alexander listened carefully, his gaze filled with concern.

- What's next? - he asked carefully.

- I hid and ran to the house. And my copy... It remains. I found out this later. It's a little complicated, but I'll try to explain. - Julia paused, as if gathering her thoughts. - When I returned home, I suddenly saw memories of how my copy tried to escape from my pursuers. But all this was a deception of consciousness. There was no one. Nobody followed me. I just thought of something for myself. And then, my copy disappeared, having completed its task, transferring its memories to me. It was as if I had experienced an extra couple of hours of life.

- And then, were you able to create a duplicate yourself? - Alexander asked in surprise. - Did you understand what it was and learned to manage it?

Julia nodded.

- Yes, I experimented with this. My copy and I were having fun in the apartment like twin sisters, but then it dissolved into ashes. It was incredibly sad. I felt lonely again. I wanted to create a copy again, but I didn't have the strength. I feel that one more step and the double will be created, but my copy scattered and never formed. And then I decided to do something crazy. I killed myself to get to the Edge... It was hard for me. I couldn’t make up my mind for a long time, constantly putting it off, but I really wanted strength...

The girl looked at her palms, at her unmanicured fingers. Julia continued the story:

- In the Edge, as you taught me, I tried to choose weak souls and defeat them in the battle of souls. I managed to collect ten souls when She appeared in the sky. And everything changed with her words. The entire space around began to fill with people. It seemed strange to me and I decided to leave, but it was my mistake. I gave myself away and everyone wanted to kill me. I could barely escape. But not entirely successfully...

She paused, taking a deep breath.

- Once in the portal, I was attacked by a crazy woman. She wounded me, and in fear I created a duplicate, falling out into reality with it. I didn’t even have time to realize everything when my duplicate was already hanging over me with the desire to kill. I saw it in my own crazy eyes. But then she realized that she was in reality and simply ran away from the apartment. I thought that she would disappear and all the problems would be solved, but how wrong I was...

Alexander listened carefully.

- A couple of days later the murders began... Sometimes I saw them... Like visions. It's like I'm doing it. It was terrible. - she finished, swallowing tears.

Alexander felt anger rising in his heart.

- This means that your duplicate is still somewhere out there, in the forest park, and continues to kill. We need to do something about this, find a way to stop her. Under your guise, she will do a lot of terrible things.

Julia nodded, depressed.

- I'm afraid and I don't want it. I just want to be close to you.

- We will find a solution together. - Alexander said firmly, taking her hands. “I’ll help you, we’ll get through this together.” I promise. But here's what interests me...

Alexander carefully asked Yulia:

- Why don’t you dispel your duplicate? Or, as you promised in the forest, you won’t kill yourself? I understand that it sounds crazy, but this would solve your problems...

Julia hardly looked up at him.

- I... I don't know how to do this. Creation happens intuitively, I don’t even think about it too much. And the opposite effect is like emptiness for me. “I don’t feel anything...” she answered in a quiet voice. - And to return to the Edge... I’m scared, now everyone there wants me dead. What if one more person attacks and I create another monster. Let's just live, please...

Alexander nodded, understanding her words. Suddenly Yulia’s eyes became glassy, and she froze, as if in a trance. After a moment, she sighed heavily and said:

- My duplicate is again in the forest belt, she is hunting. Watching some man. - the girl shook her head, and then covered her mouth with her hands, as if scared of something.

Alexander kissed Yulia tenderly and began to get ready.

- I will find and kill her. There is no need to shed tears. Sit down, I'll go alone. - he said when Julia tried to object.

“But I want to help...” she began.

- No, Julia, it’s too dangerous. And now I’m in full combat readiness. I want to try out new abilities, let's see what they bring. - Alexander interrupted her. - Stay here, I'll be back. Soon.

He quickly got dressed, put on his jacket and left the apartment, leaving Yulia with her worries and fears. Plans were spinning in his head about how he could face Yulia's duplicate and put an end to this madness. Fortunately, he had many methods and they were all charged.

Walking through the forest park, Alexander carefully examined his surroundings. His intuition told him that someone was watching him. He understood that he just needed to find the place where Yulia’s duplicate was hiding, or discover the unfortunate victim that Yulia was talking about. Surely, this is all her hunting ground. And having found the body, he will find the beast in human form...

Making his way through the dense thickets of the forest park, Alexander felt tension in the air. His instincts told him that he was in potential danger, in foreign territory, where every rustle and movement could be the beginning of a deadly attack. He tried to move silently, but at the same time not to use the cover of the Lost One. He needed to be found, and it was too late for secrecy. Alexander was sure that as soon as he entered the shadows of the trees at the beginning of the forest park, they already knew about him.

Approaching the place where he noticed the movement, Alexander discovered the body of a man lying on the ground among fallen leaves. The body was pale and the look empty. Death overtook him suddenly and cruelly. Alexander carefully examined the crime scene, trying to find any evidence or traces that could indicate the presence of a duplicate of Yulia.

Suddenly, Alexander felt a sharp hatred, a look full of malice directed at him from behind. Turning slowly, he faced Yulia's duplicate, who stood a few meters away from him, hiding in the shadows of the trees. The duplicate's eyes sparkled with the coldness and calculation of a predator.

“So here you are...” Alexander whispered, preparing for the upcoming confrontation. - Why do you hate me? I can feel it right on my skin.

The duplicate only grinned in response, without saying a word. His gaze was full of undisguised hostility. Alexander realized that in front of him was not just a reflection of Yulia, but a being with its own goals and intentions. He prepared for battle, realizing that a difficult fight lay ahead. And he turned out to be right.

Yulia's duplicate attacked with incredible speed, flashing sharp knives tied to her hands. Alexander, armed with a light blade, deftly repelled each attack, but realized that his opponent was extremely agile.

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The battle was intense, Alexander dodged fatal blows only by a hair each time. He tried to calculate the movements of the duplicate, but she was unpredictable, like a shadow flickering in the forest. The copy of Yulia skillfully used her lands, which she knew well. Alexander almost fell a couple of times, on the wet grass or tripping over a root.

The duplicate repeatedly tried to pierce him with its blades, but each time ran into the cover of the Lost - an ability that intuitively changed Alexander's position, making his dodges as effective as possible.

During the fight, he admired his opponent's agility and speed. Despite all his efforts, Alexander could not reach her, no matter how hard he tried. He felt that without the protection of the Lost One, he might have gone to rebirth...

Realizing that conventional techniques would not work here, Alexander decided on a risky move. He deliberately exposed himself to the attack, allowing Cassandra's gift to work out. As soon as the duplicate saw the vulnerable spot and rushed to attack, Alexander heard a familiar whisper in his ears: “You’re growing, boy.”

Suddenly, a vision appeared before his eyes - the moment of his death at the hands of the duplicate.

Alexander saw in a vision how the duplicate pierced his side, tearing his flesh. The vision was realistic and Alexander was ready to fight back when he realized that everything around him had slowed down. The girl moved unusually slowly. This gave him the opportunity to move to the side, avoiding the fatal blow. But even so, there was still room for action.

At this moment in time, Alexander realized something important. He realized that his abilities had evolved due to the improvement of Cassandra's gift. Now he could see and predict the enemy's movements, capturing the moment in slow motion. It was like a personal pocket of opportunity.

Taking advantage of this moment, the young man struck with his light blade, quickly cut off the knives tied to the duplicate's hands, and threw her to the ground with a strong kick. Not wanting to waste time, which had returned to normal, Alexander jumped on the girl, holding her hands with his knees. The girl screamed in pain, and the young man thought for a moment, preparing to strike the decisive blow with his light blade.

Suddenly, Yulia’s scream was heard breaking through the forest silence.

- Do not do that! Please stop! – her voice sounded desperate and full of fear.

Alexander froze, looking at the duplicate, which hissed and tried to resist, but panic and fear were visible in his eyes. At that moment, Cassandra's gift worked, plunging him into memories. The young man expected to see another story, someone's life, but this time, everything was different. He froze for a moment, amazed at the depth and complexity of the visions.

Julia was reflected in the depths of her gaze, but this was not the Julia he knew. This was her dark side, filled with anger, resentment and pain. In this look there was anger at the whole world, at those who could walk and live a full life, not understanding their happiness. There was no external soul that attacked her - it was the embodiment of Yulia's inner demons that she always hid in the depths of her soul.

Alexander saw himself in his youth and although he tried to help her, she hated him for pitying her. She wanted to live watching her classmates play in the yard. How she was bullied at school. They laughed at her. A difficult childhood grew into a difficult youth, when she wanted love, but no one needed it. How Alexander was taken into the army and there was no one left to pay attention to her.

Suddenly the duplicate made a jerk, trying to free herself and the visions stopped, but Alexander held her tightly. Suddenly the duplicate calmed down, something like realization flashed in her eyes. At this time, the real Yulia ran up to them, shouting for Alexander to stop. Her voice pierced the silence of the forest, filled with fear and despair.

- Don't do this, please! - she screamed, approaching them. - She... She is also me... This is part of me... I can’t... Don’t kill her!

“It’s you...” Alexander whispered barely audibly. - Your pain, your anger, your fears... They are all here, in your duplicate.

Yulia, standing nearby, burst into tears.

- I was always afraid of this. I was afraid of myself that you didn’t see. - she admitted. “I was afraid that my pain and anger might burst out.” But I never thought they could become so real. That they will take human form and be angry with the whole world.

Alexander looked at Yulia, then back at the duplicate, whose breathing was becoming more and more even. He understood that this was not just someone else's soul. This was a part of Yulia, whose soul suffered and fought for survival. And thanks to Duplication, she found a way out. The complexity of the moment was oppressive. Alexander moved the light blade to the side and slowly stood up, letting go of the duplicate. The blade in his hands dissipated, and the guy himself wiped his face tiredly.

- I can't decide for you. And I will not. - he said quietly, turning to Yulia. - Do what you think is necessary.

- It's my fault, my dark side... I didn't know that my ability could cause something like that. But I don’t want to kill her, I can’t... Please, Sasha, let me be alone with her. Let's meet later, okay? And don’t worry about me, I still can’t die, like everyone else here. Please go away.

Alexander walked away, watching Yulia holding her copy like a mother holding her child. He couldn’t understand how she felt and just walked, watching how autumn increasingly painted the world in bright colors. The young man took out his phone and decided to call Roman, but he was still unreachable, which suggested bad thoughts. The guy had no desire to think about anything and he simply walked, looking at the city in which he grew up and at the courtyard into which he had now entered. He wanted to rest and headed to his apartment.

Alexander sat on the scattered things in his apartment, feeling thoughts raging in his head. As soon as he entered his home, his consciousness began to work, wanting to understand everything that had happened. He remembered the words of Yulia, who asked him to leave, and her hug with the duplicate. It was a strange and touching sight, full of sadness and reconciliation.

Depressed and wondering about his next steps, Alexander decided to evolve Cassandra's gift. He performed well in battle and being able to see everything in slow motion was a nice bonus. The young man could not even imagine what his ability could develop into after a couple of such evolutions.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, channeling his energy into improving the gift. He began to send compressed souls to the core of his gift, feeling how each of them flowed into him, strengthening and changing its structure. Surprisingly, the process began to bring pain and itching right inside the head.

“A little more... Damn, how much you need,” Alexander whispered to himself when the pain and discomfort became almost unbearable.

When the last of the twelve souls was used, Alexander felt his gift transformed. He opened his eyes and the symbol of infinity appeared before his inner gaze, emitting light and energy. This was the personification of his new abilities and understanding. But this was only a brief vision, after which he again saw only a cluttered room.

I would like to try you in action, Cassandra's gift. I wonder what interesting things you will bring me. - Alexander said with reverence in his voice.

While Alexander was thinking about his new gift, he suddenly felt a strange feeling. It was as if someone or something was watching him from afar. He stood up, walking around the apartment in search of the source of this feeling, but found nothing.

“Maybe these are just the consequences of improving the gift...” he thought.

Alexander looked at his watch and realized that it was already late. Tired, but determined to continue on his way, he lay down on his bed, preparing for sleep, which he hoped would bring him peace and perhaps clear his thoughts.