Dr. Winter remaiern, “Kintovar, you should know better than to ask that question. I’m no fool. I’ve studied the doppelgaheory extensively, and I’ve seen firsthand the lengths to which people will go to deceive us.”

  Kintovar’s fusion deepened. “Doppelgaheory? Dr. Winter, I don’t uand. I’m Kintovar and I was taken by Oysa Osemahed.”

  Dr. Winter’s eyes bore into Kintovar with unwavering suspi. “Cut the crap! You’re pretending to be the Kintovar I knew,” she decred. “The real Kintovar has been iern Jancito Jail for years now. I know about doppelgaheory, and you won’t fool me with your act!”

  Kintovar’s eyes fshed with frustration. “Dr. Winter, did you know this all along?”

  Dr. Winter remaiern. “I had someone check with the Western Jancito Jail. They firmed that a Juliana Kintovar is still incarcerated there. So, who are you really?”

  Kintovar took a deep breath and then said, “Think for a moment. My on, the BG360, is desigo work in jun with the Elimination on’s Super Trump card. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it make sehat I bear some retion to the Kintovar who’s imprisoned?”

  Dr. Winter’s eyes narrowed. Her grip on the DA-56 tightened, but a flicker of doubt crossed her face. “Even if what you say is true, it doesn’t ge the fact that we’ve beeo. Your as have cast doubt on your identity.”

  Kintovar’s eyes met Dr. Winter’s. “Listen, Dr. Winter, I expihing. You o hear me out.”

  Dr. Winter growled. “Give me one reason not to pull this trigger right now.”

  “Because that would be too hasty, and you know it. In the short time we’ve been together, I’ve gotten a good read on you. You’re a stist who would value evidend reason over rash decisions. Pulling the trigger now would only close off the ce for the truth to e out.”

  Dr. Winter’s face hardened, but her eyes held ption. She lowered the DA-56 slightly but didn’t fully rex. “You’re saying you have proof?”

  Kintovar responded with a serious gaze towards Dr.Winter. “My proof will be my story.”

  Dr. Winter raised an eyebrow. “Expin yourself, then. Start from the beginning.”

  Kintovar took a deep breath and then began. “It all began on a Mystical Isnd, far from here, where a dense forest domihe nd. I was born there and had a difficult life. Mages ruled the isnd, and their power was absolute. My father, a kind ale man, was killed by the head of these mages. It was a moment of immense loss and suffering for me.”

  Dr. Winter and the others listened ily. Kintovar tinued, “I vowed to seek revenge for my father’s death, and after years of struggle, I achieved that goal. But I couldn’t stay on the isnd any longer. I mao escape, and my journey led me here, to Jancito City.”

  She paused briefly, and Dr. Winter spoke up, her toill cautious but more open to uanding. “That’s quite a story, Kintovar. But how does it expin what’s happening now? Why did you act as if you knew us when you first arrived?”

  Kintovar nodded, realizing that the timeline o be addressed. “I didn’t anticipate the reas you all had when you saw me. But as for the hole in the barrier around the city, that was created when I arrived. I used a powerful device that I made on the Mystical Isnd to el the power of the forest and break through. I had no idea it would cause such chaos and otion.”

  Dr. Winter’s gaze softened, but her resolve remained. “Your story is pelling, Kintovar,” she said, l her on further. “But before we fully trust you, I o firm it with your panions. For now, you’ll be taken into custody as a prisoner of Shadowcroft until we firm your story with your panions.”

  Kintovar face turo . “What about my creations and Mystomina? Where are they?”

  Dr. Winter’s gaze softened slightly. “They were already detained before you arrived. Mystomina, in particur, mentiohat if you returned, you clear things up and everyone would be freed. For now, they’re being held until we sort this out.”

  Kintovar tried to keep her tone measured despite her frustrations. “I uand. I’ll cooperate fully. Just make sure my panions and creations are treated well.”

  Dr. Winter nodded. “Mystomina’s fiden your return suggests that there might be some truth to your story. l however, will follow protocol.

  “Dr. Winter, I promise you, I will cooperate and provide whatever information is o prove my identity and ehe safety of my creations. I o see them, to make sure they’re alright.”

  Dr. Winter responded. “We will arrange for you to see them after firming stories, Kintovar, but you will be fined here in the meantime. We ’t risk any further fusion.”

  Kintovar and Haras found themselves in a cold underground facility, escorted by Shadowcroft security persohe duo were roughly thrown into one of the cells on the B1F. Kintovar called out to the security personnel, “Hey, watch the b coat! This thing took me a long time to design, and it’s very special.”

  Haras chimed in, “Yeah! Watch the b coat! It’s got to look good while I cook up some of my amazing stific experiments!”

  The Shadowcroft guards paused for a brief moment and processed Kintovar’s and Haras’s protests. They exged gnces before ultimately dismissing the ents with a unified shrug. Without a word, they turned and walked off.

  Kintovar brushed off her b coat with frustration. “Well, that was unpleasant.”

  The B1F of Shadowcroft Jail was a subterranean byrinth of small, cramped cells with little more than narrow, grated windows for ventition. The walls were made of thick, cold stohe only source of light came from the overhead bulbs.

  Kinthed. “I got careless. I spoke with Oysa without a solid pn for my return. I didn’t expect my secret to be exposed like this.”

  Haras, with her usual energy, looked up at Kintovar and smiled. “It’s okay, Kintovar. You really care about me, don’t you?” She hugged onto Kinthtly.

  Kintovar broke free from the hug. She paced the small cell and said, “We have to wait for firmation from everyone. Hopefully, they’ll e through soon. I just didn’t anticipate the situation turning out like this. Though I would prefer it if we weren’t bound by these limitations.”

  Haras, full of energy and ideas, began suggesting one pn after another:

  “What if we build a giant paper airpne and fly out of here?”

  “Haras, that’s physically impossible, and we’re underground.”

  “Okay, how about we pretend to be invisible and just walk out the door?”

  “That won’t fool anyone, Haras.”

  “What if we dig our way out with our bare hands, like in those old prison movies?”

  “We’re not going to dig our way out of a high-security facility with our bare hands. Think again, Haras.”

  Haras, uerred, then suggested her final idea: “What if you meet the other Kintovar? The one i Jancito who’s imprisoned. Maybe she vouch for you.”

  Kintovar raised an eyebrow. After a momentary pause, she smirked. “Haras, that’s a silly idea, but you know what they say—sometimes the craziest ideas are the ohat work.”

  A day had passed in the underground jail cell at Shadowcroft, with Kintovar and Haras anxiously awaiting any sign of a pn. Dr. Winter came down to the area. She approached the cell and observed them with a critical eye. “I trust you’re both fortable in your aodations.”

  Kintovar didn’t waste time in speaking. “Dr. Winter, I o know what it would take for us to meet the other Kintovar in the West. We believe she vouy identity.”

  Dr. Winter folded her arms. “Meeting the other Kintovar won’t be easy. She’s in a high-security facility, and they won’t simply let us in to chat. Besides, she’s been locked up for years, and she might not even be willing to cooperate.”

  Kintovar’s eyes gleamed. “I’m fident that the other Kintovar would be eager to speak with a family member. If we arrange a meeting, I believe she’ll be willing to vouy identity.”

  Dr. Winter raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think she’d want to see you? After all, she’s been isoted for years. Why would she care to speak to someone she’s never met?”

  Kintovar took a deep breath, “I didn’t get a ention this before, but I am Juliana Kintovar’s daughter. I’m sure she would jump at the opportunity to see a family member after all these years.”

  In her mind, Kintovar was mentally crossing her fingers. This was a huge guess, a massive leap of faith, but she o py her part vingly.

  Dr. Winter’s eyes widened slightly, and she coughed. “You’re...Julia Kintovar?”

  Kintovar was expeg her own o be called but…that name was not her own. ’Damn... I guess I have to keep up an act, ’she thought.

  Kintovar nodded. “Yes, Julia.”

  Dr. Winter’s eyes widened in shock. She took a step back, mumbling to herself. “Julia Kintovar? No way. Julia was supposed to have died a few years ago…”

  She paused momentarily and then thought bad gained a curious look. “Wait… in my st versation with Juliana—years ago—she did mention something about Julia ing back to life. But… that’s unbelievable…. What teology could be responsible…?”

  Dr. Winter’s gaze flitted between Kintovar and Haras. “This is beyond anything I anticipated,” she muttered, shaking her head. “I o cheething. This… this could be huge.”

  Before Kintovar could say another word, Dr. Wiurned abruptly and walked away. “I o firm this,” she tio mumble while retreating down the hallway.

  Kintovar watched her go. “Wait! Dr. Winter, you haven’t answered our question!” she called out while trying to rea arm through the bar, but Dr. Winter was already too far away.

  A siderable amount of time passed in the jail cell. Kintovar and Haras grew increasingly restless, but finally, Dr. Winter returned with news.

  Dr. Winter ehe cell. “Good news, Kintovar. I’ve mae a meeting with the other Kintovar in the West. However, there’s a dition.”

  Kintovar and Haras leaned in, eager to hear the details. “What’s the dition?” Kintovar asked.

  Dr. Winter expined, “The Western Chief, who has trol over the facility where the other Kintovar is held, agreed to our request, but only if you are escorted by someone from the South. Unfortunately, Shadowcroft doesn’t t as an official representative of the South. They only reize Oysa as their ruler, and that’s where the issue lies.”

  Kintovar’s eyes narrowed with frustration. “Shadowcroft isn’t on good terms with the ruler of the South.”

  Dr. Winter sighed. “That’s right. All official business, including any requests for diplomatic or security assistance, has to gh Oysa. Unfortunately, despite Shadowcroft’s role in security and other operations, our requests for such approvals are sistently denied by Oysa. Shadowcroft, despite our extensive security and teological expertise, has been sidelined sihe arrest of the other Kintovar.”

  Dr.Winter leaned against the cell bars. “Oysa used to value Shadowcroft’s tributions—our advas in security and teology were seen as essential. But ever sihe other Kintovar’s impriso, she’s shut us out. She decred that the desert tow need our teology or support anymore, and her dark rule has only solidified.”

  Kintovar’s eyes narrowed. “If Shadowcroft ’t escort us and you’re not able to get approval for assistance, how are we supposed to meet the other Kintovar?”

  Haras piped up. “Couldn’t we try to find someone from the South who might be willing to help us out? Maybe someone who has a reason to oppose Oysa’s rule or someone who’s sympathetic to our cause?”

  But before they could delve further into this new dilemma, a darkness interrupted the sight of everyone.

  “It’s simpler than you might think”.

  The room grew cold as Rawna strode in. Behind her, Oysa floated. She sat on a moving throh a sinister grin on her face. “They ’t imprison someone who belongs to Oysa.”

  Dr. Winter was in plete shock. She fell to her knees i. “What the hell? I didn’t eveheir presence…. Did they somehow slip past Security? This isn’t good… Shadowcroft is finished!”

  Oysa, with a ‘hye hye,’ leaned closer. “Oh, don’t worry deary, I’m not going to destroy Shadowcroft just yet. Hye hye… I have far worse pns than that for the likes of you…”