Progress went on slow and steady when it came to further exploring the dungeon. There were a lot of dead-end tunnels, but there was an occasional Shark-Man by themself. The ambush tactics to kill a single Shark-Man made it so easy now I was admittedly feeling more at ease with the fights. And half of those Shark-Men had hanging seashells containing rubies, opals, and sapphires.

  It was nice not to be poor anymore.

  It was definitely a higher yield in terms of money versus what other dungeons would give and Eva was practically skipping with joy every time we found a Shark-Man with a hanging seashell.

  Near the end of the day we found a good place for point three.

  It was very similar to point two, a cavern like room with a domed ceiling where stalactites hung. But there were only two connecting tunnels to the room, the one we came in from and the other we haven’t explored yet. Some people might assume it was good thing to have less tunnel connections, meant less places to watch out for monsters entering.

  It also meant less means of a escape though, if monsters happen to occupy the only two tunnels to a campsite. I lost count of the number of times the Heroes Party only survived by running away. Andy would call them ‘regrouping maneuvers’, I called them get your ass to safety.

  The next morning we once again ran into a trio of Shark-Men. We still used the narrow passage with ice trap, but this time we tweaked the strategy some. I intentionally stayed near the Shark-Men and shadowed them when they approached the party. Then yelled some very rude insults to two of them while Duncan hacked at the one which slipped on the ice.

  “You smell like low tide and the ocean junk it brought with it.”

  “Your parents must be embarrassed—assuming they didn’t eat each other first.”

  “No one uses tridents, how does it feel knowing how to fight with the most unpopular weapon ever?”

  I know I heard a snort of amusement from Eva with the last one. There was a risk factor, I had to get ready to dodge if they used those unpopular trident skills to throw one at me. Seeing a skinny scout in leather give them both the finger though appeared to make me a priority as a target. But I didn’t have any fear when it came to out running them because this time I had Hellene’s Instant Grace spell.

  So while three party members gave one Shark-Man their full attention, I acted as bait for the other two, always yelling an occasional insult as I ran through tunnels ahead of them. Then when nearly ten minutes passed, I activated Darken Stealth and they’d lose me. Back they go to find their dead comrade, another tries to squeeze through the narrow passage, and I insult the last Shark-Man.

  Chase happens again with one Shark-Man only, they lose me and it’s back to the party. It worked out so well that I felt stupid we didn’t try to use this plan before versus my stupid stunt of trying to climb on top of Duncan.

  After that it was more sightseeing of the dungeon, finding the sporadic single Shark-Man. In my mind I couldn’t help, but picture the Reflecting Water Dungeon as a spider-web in terms of structuring. Lines of tunnels which connected to chambers, most going outward to dead-ends while a few occasionally led to another junction.

  Our exploration hadn’t been perfect in terms for accounting for every tunnel. I was certain we missed some areas, but the main goal was to head to the dungeon boss. And all the good treasures would be found on the way to the boss. As for which direction to go to get to the dungeon boss, it was simple- head in the direction with the densest monster presence.

  Near the end of the day we found yet another group of three Shark-Men which in its own way pointed to exactly the direction we’d head to tomorrow after sleeping. Our effective ‘Will acts as annoying bait’ tactic was employed and the three Shark-Men were killed. By the time we all went back to point three to sleep, I was level 40, Hellene was level 38, and Eva and Duncan were level 36.

  As we settled into point three for the night, I stretched my tired arms above my head, feeling my muscles protest after the day's exertions. The cave's natural acoustics carried the sounds of everyone unwinding—Duncan removing his breastplate with a metallic clatter, Hellene reading runes in a spellbook only she understood, and Eva methodically checking her bowstring for wear.

  "Will," Eva said suddenly as she unstrapped her leather gauntlets, "I've been wondering something."

  I glanced up from where I was practicing a thrust move with Blood Thirst. "What's that?"

  "Did you ever use this bait tactic with the Heroes Party?" She tilted her head, curiosity evident in her green eyes. "It worked so well today, I figured you must have perfected it with them."

  I opened my mouth to answer automatically, then paused. Had I? Surely I must have done something similar at least once during all those years. I searched my memories, trying to recall a specific instance where I'd played the role of bait, drawing monsters away while the others handled the main threat.

  But nothing came to mind. Not a single time.

  Just countless recollections of me lurking in shadows, reporting back monster positions, then watching as the Heroes charged in together.

  "I don't think I ever did," I finally admitted, surprised by my own answer. "Not when I was dungeon diving with them."

  Hellene looked up from her book, lips forms into a smirk. "What a surprise," she said, her eyes twinkling. "You have such a talent to give out the silliest insults."

  I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "Well, it's not like the idea never came up." I ran my fingers along Blood Thirst's hilt, avoiding their gazes. "Andy actually suggested something similar once, when we were facing two ogres in a Three Sigil dungeon."

  The others exchanged glances, and I could sense their unasked questions hanging in the air.

  "I refused to do it," I explained, my voice growing quieter. "And looking back, I think I made the right call."

  "Why?" Eva asked, setting her bow aside. "It worked perfectly today."

  If Eva noticed the dark glances from Duncan and Hellene, she didn’t acknowledge them. I appreciated the protectiveness, but Eva was asking a valid question. It wasn’t her fault it brought up bad memories.

  "Because today, you were supposed to come looking for me if I didn't show up within thirty minutes after the chase began." I met her gaze, light blue eyes staring unblinking at green eyes. "That was the plan, right? You’d be my backup if something went wrong."

  She nodded, still looking confused.

  "When Andy proposed his plan, he said—and I remember his exact words—that 'he'd personally' look for me if I wasn't heard from after they took down the first ogre."

  I could still remember the smile he had on his face when he said it. It was the same smile I saw when he dealt with nobles, politicians, and even overzealous fans. The one where he’d tell them whatever they want to hear and then insult them the second they were out of sight.

  I couldn’t stop myself from giving a bitter smile. "He never specified how long they'd wait before looking. An hour? Two? And the way he phrased it—like he'd be doing me some grand favor by checking if I was still alive."

  My fingers tightened around Blood Thirst's hilt before I forced myself to set it down. "I couldn't trust him to actually care if the ogre caught me. But with you all..." I gestured around our small circle. "Eva was supposed to look for me after thirty minutes. That was clear from the start. And I knew you would."

  The silence which followed felt heavy. Duncan cleared his throat before speaking.

  “Well you can always trust we will back you up, right Eva?” Duncan added a warning glare to the girl as he said the last part. Eva appeared momentarily uncomfortable, probably regretting her inquiry.

  “I.. yes, you can trust me to look for you after thirty minutes,” Eva said, then seemed to realize just how awkward her answer sounded and quickly turned back to study the string of her bow again. I gave Duncan an appreciative nod before going back to practice thrust moves with my dagger.

  ***

  The next morning as Eva and I scouted, I couldn’t help noticing a change in the dungeon structure. There were a lot fewer tunnels leading to dead ends, fewer tunnels which existed at all. Our travel was finally feeling more linear, we were going in one direction only because it was the only option.

  The new norm was the tunnel would lead to a chamber containing a Shark-Man, the chamber itself having an unusual quirk. Such as having extra thick glowing moss on the walls, stalagmites forming on the floor and the roof, or even in one case having stone statues of various sea life such as fish and turtles.

  I have to admit though the sight we saw when finding the seventh chamber was so far the most impressive.

  I stopped in my tracks when we reached the chamber entrance, Eva beside me, as we stared at the breathtaking sight before us.

  A magnificent waterfall cascaded down one wall of the chamber, at least thirty feet high, water thundering into a crystal-clear pond below. The water's surface rippled with concentric rings where the falls met the pool, disturbing an otherwise mirror-smooth reflection. In the dim light of the chamber, the water seemed to glow with an ethereal blue luminescence. At the far end of the pond, I could see where the water drained away into what appeared to be an underwater tunnel.

  Our obvious path forward was another tunnel on the other side of the pond. There was no way to it unless one was willing to take a swim. Eva’s jaw had dropped as she stared upward at the place where hundreds of gallons of water fell.

  “That’s.. how is that happening? We’re not under a lake or ocean,” Eva whispered, appearing both in awe and slightly fearful. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. Incredible sights like this were one of the perks of dungeon exploring.

  “Dungeons aren’t logical and oftentimes appear to be a whole different world. I remember one which returned the Heroes Party back to their campsite after we literally walked eight hours up a spiral staircase.”

  Eva noticed my amusement and I was pretty sure she was blushing, but I couldn’t tell with the scarf hiding half her face. She cleared her throat and began surveying the chamber.

  "No Shark-Man," Eva observed, her voice barely audible above the waterfall's constant roar. "First chamber we've found without one."

  I nodded slowly, feeling a strange tension coil in my gut. "I think we're reaching a transition point in the dungeon. In the other Four Sigil dungeons I explored with the Heroes Party, we'd typically encounter new types of monsters after traveling about two-thirds of the way through."

  Eva's eyebrows rose slightly. "Like what? What kind of monsters should we expect?"

  "It varies. In the Arctic Depths Dungeon, we started with Frost Wraiths and then began encountering Ice Trolls. In Whispering Cloud, it was Harpies followed by Thunder Hawks."

  Eva's gaze drifted back to the waterfall. "So what's your intuition telling you? Is something lurking in there?"

  I closed my eyes, focusing on my Wisdom-enhanced intuition. The familiar tingling sensation spread outward like ripples in the pond, searching for danger. Strangely, I detected no immediate monster presence, yet something felt off. An uneasiness settled in my gut that I couldn't quite explain.

  "I don't sense any monsters," I admitted, opening my eyes. "But something doesn't feel right about this place."

  Eva studied me for a moment, then the chamber again. "It looks safe enough to me."

  "That's what bothers me," I admitted. "It's beautiful. Inviting, even. When has anything in a Four Sigil Dungeon ever been inviting without being a trap?"

  The waterfall continued its relentless cascade, the sound almost hypnotic. The longer I stared at it, the more convinced I became that we shouldn't proceed without the others.

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  "Let's go back," I said suddenly, turning away from the enticing view. "We should bring Duncan and Hellene before we explore further."

  “We’re going to get the others based on your gut instinct?”

  “We’re getting the others based on my very much Wisdom enhanced gut instinct,” I said cheekily, getting an eye roll from Eva. If Osirus was here, he’d peck my forehead and lecture me to listen to what my mind ‘senses outside’. I really missed that bird, I hoped the cardinal was taking good care of him.

  For all of Eva’s reluctance, it took us only a little over an hour to get the other two and come back.

  Duncan was the first to speak as we all stared at the waterfall chamber.

  "This is going to be difficult," he said, gesturing toward the pond. "Getting everyone across with both my armor and the packs of supplies..." His voice trailed off as he glanced at me, a hopeful look in his eyes.

  I quickly shook my head. "Sorry, my Inventory Box is already nearly full with supplies. But you should be able to get each piece of armor across as long as you take them one at a time."

  The disappointment on Duncan's face was almost comical. I sometimes forgot how others viewed my Inventory Box as some magical solution to every carrying problem.

  "Don't worry," Hellene said, tapping her staff against the stone floor. "I can use my Telekinesis spell to float Duncan's armor and the supplies over the pond. It's not difficult."

  Relief washed over Duncan's face. "Thank you," he said, then immediately drew his sword as he stepped deeper into the chamber. The rest of us followed, weapons ready, tension radiating through our small group as we moved forward.

  I activated Heighten Senses, focusing my attention on the crystal-clear pond. The water was so transparent I could easily see the smooth stone floor beneath—no plants, no fish, nothing lurking beneath the surface. Just pristine, glowing water.

  Duncan and Hellene joined me at the pond's edge, all three of us studying the water's surface with suspicious eyes. That's when we heard it—angry cursing echoing over the waterfall's thunderous cascade. But something was wrong with the sound.

  "Back away from me, impostor, or I'll put this arrow through your eye!"

  The three of us turned toward the waterfall simultaneously. My jaw dropped at what I saw.

  Two Evas stood near the base of the waterfall, each with an arrow nocked and aimed at the other. They were perfect mirror images—identical leather armor, identical scarves, identical fierce expressions. Even more disturbing was how they spoke, cursing and threatening each other with exactly the same words, in precisely the same voice, at exactly the same time.

  “How are you-ugh stop talking!”

  The stereo effect was unsettling—like one person speaking through twin speakers. I couldn't distinguish any difference between them, not in appearance, voice, or mannerisms.

  Duncan raised his sword defensively, his eyes darting between the two figures. "Both of you, lower your bows. Now!" His voice carried authority, but the uncertainty in his eyes betrayed his confusion.

  “The one who attacks first will be labeled the fake!” Hellene yelled as she aimed a glowing hand at the two. Both of them flinched with hurt flashing in their eyes. The real Eva definitely felt betrayed by the threat. The old woman though didn’t show an ounce of guilt, simply appearing ready to fling a spell at whoever attacked first. With muttered curses, both dropped their bows and put their arrows back into a quiver.

  I squinted, trying to use my Heighten Senses to detect any minute differences between the two Evas. Nothing. Every detail—ones even normal human senses couldn’t pick up—told me they were identical. I could smell the cheese and jerky sticks their gloved hands touched at lunchtime for a meal. I could make out a tiny scar just below the left ear. I could make out a scratch right under the bow handle and a dark stain on the leather armor which never washed out.

  Even my intuition wasn’t helping me, it didn’t tell me there was a person and a monster in front of me. It just told me there were two people in front of me. The fake had to be a monster somehow able to fool us.

  You’re not putting this intuition ability to its full use though.

  As we approached slowly with weapons drawn, I could see the Evas tensing. No doubt the real one was terrified her own companions were going to attack her.

  “Everyone, I’m going to try something. Duncan be ready to attack if either tries anything,” I said, mentally concentrating on the Soul Detection ability. I hadn’t resorted to using this since first trying to find Hellene in the swamp. And it just barely worked with finding her. A factor in it working was I needed to focus on a person’s unique traits or as Osirus would say- feel for them with my heart and not my mind.

  I had literally been in Eva’s presence for less than a week and she wasn’t exactly an open book. My heart probably wasn’t going to have an easy time making a connection.

  Still though I closed my eyes and tried. I thought about her blunt approach to talking, how she was more hard than gentle. But somewhere in there was a softer side, the person who taught me scouting tips without judgment.

  And bit by bit, I felt a sliver of a string attaching us. I raised a pointed finger, I was close, I could feel my ability about to activate and point in which direction Eva was at.

  I suddenly felt a sharp pain shoot through my skull, as if a jagged blade had been driven between my eyes. My pointed finger curled back reflexively as my hand flew to my forehead, pressing hard against the searing agony that seemed to be splitting my head in two.

  "Argh!" I hissed through clenched teeth, staggering backward.

  The connection I'd been forming—that tenuous thread linking me to Eva's essence—didn't just fade; it was violently severed. The pain was unlike anything I'd experienced with Soul Detection before. This wasn't the gentle resistance I'd felt when trying to locate Hellene in the swamp. This was deliberate, hostile—like something had detected my probe and lashed back.

  "Will!" Duncan rushed forward, catching my arm as I swayed. "What's happening?"

  I couldn't answer immediately, the pain blinding me momentarily. When I finally managed to open my eyes, both Evas were staring at me with identical expressions of alarm.

  "Something blocked me," I muttered, lowering my hand from my forehead. "It felt like my ability was being attacked."

  Hellene's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "Interesting. Very interesting." Her gaze flicked between the two Evas. "I believe we're dealing with a doppelganger— a dangerous monster which can perfectly mimic its prey."

  “I can understand your conclusion, but how is it literally stopping Will’s ability,” Duncan said, still keeping his sword posed and ready. A part of me wondered if he could really bring himself to attack something wearing Eva’s face.

  “Monsters have all sorts of abilities if they’re high level enough, including ones to counteract our abilities. The Shark-Men were level 37, now that we’re deeper in the dungeon, I wouldn’t be shocked if this doppelganger is at least level 40,” I said as I massaged my temple, finally feeling the horrible migraine disappear.

  Hellene huffed in frustration and pointed to the Eva farthest from the waterfall.

  “You there, I’ll ask questions and you answer. And yes, other Eva will get a chance to agree with the answers or say something different,” Hellene said, giving the other Eva a pointed look. Personally I was just glad we wouldn’t hear identical voices saying identical things- it was creepy as hell.

  "Wait," I interrupted before Hellene could start her questioning. "One other thing." I took a step forward, keeping my movements slow and deliberate. "Both of you, lower your scarves."

  The two Evas exchanged identical wary glances.

  "Why?" they asked simultaneously, causing me to suppress a shudder.

  "Because seeing your full faces might reveal something. The smallest expression could give away the impostor." I kept my voice steady, hoping this might work where Soul Detection had failed. Facial expressions were harder to mimic perfectly than appearance.

  Neither Eva protested. Their hands moved in perfect synchronization to pull down their scarves, revealing identical bronze-skinned faces with the same sharp jawline.

  “Right then, tell me what happened after we took our eyes off you,” Hellene said, keeping her eyes focused on the girl she just pointed at. The Eva gave her twin a quick smirk before opening her mouth.

  "I decided to check out the waterfall while the rest of you were studying the pond," she explained, her voice no longer echoing with her double's. "That's when I saw it—a humanoid creature made entirely of water stepped right out of the waterfall. Before I could even react, it transformed into... well, me." She gestured toward her double. "A perfect copy."

  The other Eva's face contorted in outrage. "That's exactly what happened to me! I was examining the waterfall when this water creature emerged and transformed into my likeness!"

  I studied both faces carefully. Their expressions seemed equally genuine—the indignation, the frustration, even the subtle flare of nostrils as they glared at each other. Nothing stood out as artificial or forced.

  "This isn't working," I muttered to Duncan, who remained tense beside me.

  "We need another approach," he agreed, his sword still raised.

  Hellene tapped her staff against the stone floor, drawing everyone's attention. "Blood," she announced. "The monster will probably lose mimicry control of any fluids it loses, so the blood will change when separated from the body."

  "Great," I said, reaching for Blood Thirst. "A small cut should—"

  "Wait!" both Evas shouted, backing away. One of them—the one closest to the waterfall—reached slowly for her dagger. "I'll do it myself," she said, drawing the blade. Without hesitation, she made a small cut across her palm. Dark red blood welled up, looking exactly like human blood.

  The other Eva immediately followed suit, producing an identical cut with identical results. Both turned their injured hands into fists and squeezed some drops onto the floor, red splashes appearing before their feet.

  We watched the newly formed red stains on the stone floor, waiting apprehensively for the spots of crimson to change. But after a few minutes, they stayed the same, appearing as identical drops of splattered blood for a human.

  "Damn it," Duncan groaned, "That should have worked."

  "It might not just be the doppelganger causing this, but also the dungeon helping them," I suggested, frustration mounting. "The dungeon could be altering reality to make this duplication happen."

  "What about the Party System?" Hellene suggested. "Have them both send their ability information."

  Both Evas nodded, making identical gestures in the air. Twin translucent blue windows materialized before us, displaying identical lists of abilities. As I stared at the identical windows, I noticed it was still only Eva’s combat abilities.

  “You know, maybe if you also sent us your thief related abil-”

  “-not happening.”

  If having one Eva shut down my suggestion felt harsh, having two do it simultaneously made me almost flinch. Hellene chuckled which she quickly tried to pass off as a cough as I turned to glare at her.

  “Right, right, not funny. Ah! How about you both try to demonstrate your Mana Web Arrow ability over at that far wall? And no funny business about accidentally shooting anyone,” Hellene said, the last words stern. I could be wrong, but I think she was actually enjoying this. There was even a smile forming on her lips as she saw both Evas turn and fire an arrow at the wall, both arrows upon impact creating a gooey web like substance.

  I remember Elane once saying how her teacher enjoyed puzzles. I guess in a freaky way, this was a puzzle.

  “Alright, let’s see just how much the mimic knows their target. You two stay there while we form a plan,” Hellene said, gesturing for Duncan and me to follow her away from them. As we walked away, Duncan kept looking back with a frown.

  “Are you sure it’s wise to put this much distance between us and them. What if the doppelganger attacks her?” Duncan said once we were out of earshot.

  “I don’t think it will. With all this trouble to fool us, I doubt the monster would be satisfied with only taking out Eva,” Hellene said as she leaned on her staff, “Besides I can still hit one with a Frost spell even from this distance.”

  “So what’s the plan?” I asked, keeping a sharp eye on the two girls. Like Duncan, I didn’t entirely share Hellene’s faith that the disguised monster wouldn’t attack.

  “Here’s what we’re going to do,” Hellene said, rubbing her hands together. What she explained afterward was a good plan, a test of knowledge. Hellene and I would question one Eva at one side of the chamber and Duncan would question the other at the other side of the chamber.

  We’d ask a question about something we’d learned outside the dungeon, just in case the said dungeon somehow was helping the doppelganger. We’d ask different questions. And for some reason, Hellene also insisted the questions be asked at exactly the same time.

  As we went back and had one follow Duncan and another stay with us, I couldn’t help but think it wouldn’t work. Logically I could see how it should work, but it just felt too easy. Also I couldn’t help but think if a creature could copy the subconscious behavior of another, it would have zero issue copying the conscious knowledge of its target.

  Still I wasn’t about to verbalize my doubts, especially considering how much Hellene was enjoying her attempts to solve this. I waited patiently as Hellene raised up her hand and snapped her fingers loudly as a signal for Duncan to ask his question. Words quickly spilled out of her mouth.

  “Why did Will not contact the Thieves Guild?”

  “Because Andy is a prick.”

  I had to give her points, she didn’t just give an accurate answer, she responded instantly with it. We turned to look over at Duncan who nodded, his gesture instantly caused Hellene’s shoulders to slump. The other Eva had gotten her answer right as well.

  “Stay here,” Hellene said with a sigh and we approached Duncan. It seemed the old woman was even reaching her limit and now found this tedious.

  “What did she say?” I asked as Duncan met us halfway. The question Duncan was supposed to ask- How did Eva find Hellene and me in the graveyard?

  “She said- Perth found you thanks to his creepy familiars.”

  “I wish his creepy familiars were here now so they could tell us which one is the fake,” Hellene said, massaging her forehead. Duncan rubbed his chin as he looked from one to the other.

  “Perhaps a test of their combat skills? We’ve seen Eva fight in battle several times now.” Given how Duncan’s profession was about fighting, I could see how his mind would go there.

  Still probably wouldn’t work, I’m sure the doppelganger-

  “Duncan, you’re a genius,” I said, an idea quickly forming in my mind.

  I instantly called out, "Both Evas, come over here!"

  Their brows furrowed in a identical fashion before approaching me, wariness evident in their matching green eyes. Duncan opened his mouth to ask what I was planning, but I was already moving, positioning myself between the two women and pointing toward a distant stalagmite where thick moss grew along its left side.

  "I want you both to pull out your bows and shoot an arrow that scrapes off the moss on that stalagmite," I said quickly, my voice commanding.

  Both Evas began to speak simultaneously, "Why would you—"

  I made a sharp chopping motion with my hand, cutting them off. "Do it now. No questions."

  With nearly identical annoyed glares, they both pulled out their bows and nocked arrows. The tension in the chamber was palpable as they drew back their bowstrings and took aim. They released at exactly the same moment, both arrows whistling through the air toward the distant target.

  The arrow from the Eva on my left made a perfect shot, creating a streak pattern as it just barely clipped the stalagmite, shaving off the moss with surgical precision. The arrow from the Eva on my right hit the stalagmite head-on and missed the moss completely by a couple of inches.

  I didn't hesitate or second-guess myself. In one fluid motion, I drew Blood Thirst and slashed at the Eva on my left. She was incredibly fast, ducking backward just enough that my blade caught only her bowstring, snapping it in half with a sharp twang.

  "What the hell, Will?" she screamed, her face contorted with genuine shock and betrayal. "Why are you attacking me when I made the shot?"

  I kept my dagger pointed at her, my voice steady despite my racing heart. "Because Eva was never good enough to make that shot on the first try."

  The Eva in front of me froze, her expression shifting from outrage to something else entirely. For a moment, she just stared at me, and then her lips curled into a smile that sent chills down my spine. I activated Displaced Image, blade posing to do another attack.

  That's when her face began to... melt. There was no other word for it. The bronze skin rippled like disturbed water, features dissolving into a featureless mass. Three tentacles suddenly erupted from where her mouth had been, shooting towards me with frightening speed.

  Hilariously, I was never more glad to have horrible flying tentacles trying to rip my face off.