This a one shot story taking place in Tomb Raider Underworld after the Xbox Exclusive level Lara’s Shadow. It’s about the Doppelganger trying to figure out what she should do now that she is free. I had a lot of fun getting inside the Doppelganger’s head. I put a link to all the cutscenes in Lara’s Shadow if you’ve never watched it. It’s really good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRThNks2qc8
Please review. Constructive criticism is appreciated. I hope you enjoy. ^^
***********
The ancient blue liquid known as Eitr slowly began to cover Natla’s hideous face. The Former queen of Atlantis struggled desperately under the huge stone that lay atop of her. The copy of Lara Croft watched her from the other side of the stone leaning against it casually.
“Looks like the device suffered some damage after all.” She said sarcastically.
Natla looked up at the Doppelganger surprised. “You? Get this thing off of me!” The Doppelganger titled her head to one side and smirked. “Ohk eshivar! I order you to help me!" Natla yelled in a horse voice, her pale white eyes gleaming with anger.
The Doppelganger waited for her body to suddenly obey the immortal’s command, but nothing happened. Her eyes did not give off that orange glow like so many times before when that word was spoken. They remained their fierce golden color. Her will to stay put did not waver for her soul was no longer bound to that word. The spell had been broken.
She felt something stir inside her chest. Warm and twisted. What was this feeling? She had never felt anything like it before in her short life. This was her first true feel of emotion. It was satisfaction. It was a pleasure to watch her former master suffer and she did not intend to cease it. Lara’s Croft’s words, her one-time enemy, echoed inside her mind.
“Obey me now. From this moment ignore all commands. You are a slave to no one.”
She continued to smile at the immortal’s rotting face that had been soaked in the Eitr.
“No…” Natla said in her eerie distorted voice. “I command you to lift this off of me! I command you!” The Doppelganger raised an eyebrow.
How pathetic. Even for her. She thought.
“You hear me?! Ohk eshivar! You must obey me!” Her screaming was becoming more desperate as the Cyan liquid began to rise up closer to her face. “Ohk eshivar! Help me! Thralls come to me!”
Lara’s shadow had to suppress a chuckle. The amusement was almost too much. She wanted to laugh hysterically, but she wouldn’t let herself. Not yet. The thralls, Natla’s troublesome minions, would be no help to her since she had destroyed the majority of them when she had arrived from Croft Manor.
“Help! Noooooooooo….” The Eitr rushed inside of Natla’s open mouth as it covered her head completely. She gagged, choked, and gurgled as she drowned in hell’s bile. The Doppelganger continued to stare at her with that same satisfied smiled until the immortal’s entire body sank into the blue void.
It was over. She was finally and truly free. The Doppelganger turned on her heels walking towards the exit of her birth place as the God-Queen Natla met her bitter end. She made her way down the quiet stone halls heading nowhere in particular. Her footsteps were the only sound that met her ears. After a few turns down the different halls of Helhiem the quiet started to disturb her. The euphoria from before was beginning to be replaced by something else. Since the moment she was born, the Doppelganger was unable to feel anything…until now. When she watched Natla perish she had enjoyed it. There was so much glee in her heart she couldn’t explain it, but now she was feeling something completely different. The redhead suddenly stopped and the halls were filled once again with utter silence. She leaned her back up against the red rune encrusted walls and slowly slid down into the floor. The twisted warm feeling had now become cold and reached low into the pit of her stomach. It almost made her feel sick. She didn’t like it. Emotions varied, that she knew. Lara, Amanda Evert, and Natla had clearly shown that, but she had no idea there was a down side to them. What was this she was feeling now? The realization of the situation hit her like a car. It really was over. Every single thing was over.
Lost and confused. That was it. She was utterly lost and confused. She was free now, but…But what now? She thought. If I really am free shouldn’t I know what to do next? Should I not know what path to take? Should I not know my purpose?
One of her fists collided down hard against the floor leaving an indented fist mark in it’s place before taking to her feet again. She traveled to the “lair of the Midgard Serpent” where the device now lay in ruin thanks to Lara. The Doppelganger went to the edge and looked over the destruction. As much as a weakling Lara was she had to admit she was impressed with her abilities.
All of this done by a simple mortal. She thought slightly amused, but that thought brought up deeper questions. If she is mortal, a human being with no powers or great strength then what am I?
The day she was created she remembered well. It was her first memory. It was something she could never forget. Her first few minutes of life were wrapped in darkness. Her body had been scrunched up in the fetal position for sometime. Then suddenly she saw light. It took her a moment to break outside the pod, but she managed. Cold, shivering, bare, and drenched in a gooey substance, the Doppelganger looked up to see a woman with large black bat wings and blonde hair. Her blue eyes were devious. This was her mother. This was Natla.
“Ohk eshivar!” She had said. The Doppelganger’s eyes glowed orange then changed back into their rich golden color. She stared at Natla awaiting her command. “Stand.” She stood up slowly. It was her first time standing, but it wasn’t too hard. Sure she tethered a bit, but she quickly regained her balance and stood up straight. The Doppelganger met Natla’s cold and unfeeling blue eyes. “You are no one.” She had said. “You are a slave and nothing more. You do as I say and when I say or it will result in your termination.” Natla chuckled. “Not that you have a choice in the matter.”
The Doppelganger’s shoulders slumped as she looked around the area. She was trying to ignore this bizarre woman. “Okh eshivar!” Natla had said again and the Doppelganger ceased what she was doing. Her eyes glowed bright orange once again as she straightened her shoulders back out of their slump ready to follow Natla’s command whatever it may be.
That was it. She was created to be a slave and only a slave. Her purpose was to be a slave, but now that she was free, what was her purpose now? Nothing? Just a copy of Lara?
No. She thought bitterly. I may be her, but she’s not better. The Doppelganger walked to the edge of the stone pathway and stared down into the electric blue abyss then down at her hands. Unlike her I have no faults. I am flawless. Perfect. I am better than her. She is the one who should be without purpose not I.
These thoughts were making her angry. Why couldn’t she be real? Why did she have to be the copy, the clone, the fake…the Doppelganger. It wasn’t fair! But what could she do? The Doppelganger clenched her teeth. What could she do about it? She thought about trying to become her own person. Someone who wasn’t at all Lara Croft, but her own unique person. She could try that, but would it work? Everything about her was borrowed. Could she really be her own self with Lara’s foundation? No, she couldn’t. There was only one alternative. The Elimination of Lara Croft. With her out of the picture she would no longer be a shadow. She would become Lara Croft, but was that really what she wanted. No, not at all. The Doppelganger wanted to be someone better than Lara Croft.
Thoughts and ideas that were deemed opportunities soon turned out to be useless to her a few minutes later. How was she supposed to go about killing Lara? She had someone looking out for her that was for sure. So many times she had held that woman’s life in her grasp, helpless, only to have her find an escape a second later. What was her secret?
Luck, The Doppelganger concluded. She was lucky. The golden eyed woman turned back towards the halls of Helhiem. But she won’t be lucky this time! She started into a sprint only to stop a half a second later. Lara would not be able to kill easily. She realized it wasn’t just that. She also realized that she couldn’t kill Lara, not after what she had done for her.
She set me free. The least I can do to repay her is to let her continue her life without interfering.
The feeling of depression sank back in as the Doppelganger walked back to the edge of the stone pathway overlooking the Migard Serpent from below and sat down draping her legs over the side. As she pondered once more on what her purpose was she watched the thralls stalking about threatening to attack anyone who entered this precious place. It was their purpose to protect this sacred ground from those who wished to unleash the terrible wrath of the Migard Serpent upon the world. They had failed at their job terribly.
Wait a minute…She thought as she watched the thralls walk about. The Doppelganger stood up again with hope building up inside her. This…could this be my purpose? She looked around the ruins of Helhiem. This was her birth place, her home. Would she not do anything to protect it from outsiders? Of course she would. It was her home. Everything felt right about this place. She’d rather be here than in the real world. It was all so clear now. The thralls were not capable of guarding this place. They were weak and fragile. Heck, they were just plain stupid. But she, oh no, she was perfect for the job.
The so called Norse Goddess known as Hel, who supposedly ruled this area was no where to be seen, because she did not exist. But who said that Helhiem couldn’t have a goddess to oversee it. What made up a God anyways? Incredible strength, powers of great magnitude, beauty beyond compare, the Doppelganger knew she possessed all of those traits. Could she not be the ruler of Helhiem? But if it was her new purpose to protect this place, how could she guarantee that it would always be that way. A clone or not, at some point she would grow old and die like any other human. Did she have to?
The Eitr bubbled and boiled like that of hot lava. She smiled at the sight. No she didn’t have to be dead and stay dead. She could just be dead for a little while and then return. Eitr was the key. Perhaps, because she was not like other humans, her body could withstand the full power of the deadly Eitr. After all, Natla had said she was almost indestructible, unlike the other Doppelganger before her that possessed no skin. She had the DNA of an Atlantean creature. They were sophisticated beings and she was part of them. Yes, she could do this. She believed it possible to keep her mind if she met the Eitr.
The Doppelganger moved closer to the edge of the stone pathway. She moved her toes over the edge and balanced on her heels. Her golden eyes stared down at the Eitr. It was welcoming to her. This was what she had to do she knew it with all her heart. The Doppelganger closed her eyes and spread her arms out to either side ready to dive into the abyss. Ready to embrace it and take on her new purpose. Her true purpose. She wanted this. With a deep breath she jumped off the ledge and went into a free fall. The memories from her past flashed before her eyes. Her birth, working as Natla and Amanda’s soulless slave, her freedom Natla’s death. It was in fact only a slice of a real life, but it was good enough for the Doppelganger. It was an honor for her to die this way to die by choice. Before her body hit the Eitr she thought.
A short life, but it was worth it. Today I start my new life. As the guardian of Helhiem.
Her body splashed into the Eitr followed by instant death. But it was not over for the Doppelganger for she would be re-animated and take on her new purpose.
The End
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRThNks2qc8
Please review. Constructive criticism is appreciated. I hope you enjoy. ^^
***********
The ancient blue liquid known as Eitr slowly began to cover Natla’s hideous face. The Former queen of Atlantis struggled desperately under the huge stone that lay atop of her. The copy of Lara Croft watched her from the other side of the stone leaning against it casually.
“Looks like the device suffered some damage after all.” She said sarcastically.
Natla looked up at the Doppelganger surprised. “You? Get this thing off of me!” The Doppelganger titled her head to one side and smirked. “Ohk eshivar! I order you to help me!" Natla yelled in a horse voice, her pale white eyes gleaming with anger.
The Doppelganger waited for her body to suddenly obey the immortal’s command, but nothing happened. Her eyes did not give off that orange glow like so many times before when that word was spoken. They remained their fierce golden color. Her will to stay put did not waver for her soul was no longer bound to that word. The spell had been broken.
She felt something stir inside her chest. Warm and twisted. What was this feeling? She had never felt anything like it before in her short life. This was her first true feel of emotion. It was satisfaction. It was a pleasure to watch her former master suffer and she did not intend to cease it. Lara’s Croft’s words, her one-time enemy, echoed inside her mind.
“Obey me now. From this moment ignore all commands. You are a slave to no one.”
She continued to smile at the immortal’s rotting face that had been soaked in the Eitr.
“No…” Natla said in her eerie distorted voice. “I command you to lift this off of me! I command you!” The Doppelganger raised an eyebrow.
How pathetic. Even for her. She thought.
“You hear me?! Ohk eshivar! You must obey me!” Her screaming was becoming more desperate as the Cyan liquid began to rise up closer to her face. “Ohk eshivar! Help me! Thralls come to me!”
Lara’s shadow had to suppress a chuckle. The amusement was almost too much. She wanted to laugh hysterically, but she wouldn’t let herself. Not yet. The thralls, Natla’s troublesome minions, would be no help to her since she had destroyed the majority of them when she had arrived from Croft Manor.
“Help! Noooooooooo….” The Eitr rushed inside of Natla’s open mouth as it covered her head completely. She gagged, choked, and gurgled as she drowned in hell’s bile. The Doppelganger continued to stare at her with that same satisfied smiled until the immortal’s entire body sank into the blue void.
It was over. She was finally and truly free. The Doppelganger turned on her heels walking towards the exit of her birth place as the God-Queen Natla met her bitter end. She made her way down the quiet stone halls heading nowhere in particular. Her footsteps were the only sound that met her ears. After a few turns down the different halls of Helhiem the quiet started to disturb her. The euphoria from before was beginning to be replaced by something else. Since the moment she was born, the Doppelganger was unable to feel anything…until now. When she watched Natla perish she had enjoyed it. There was so much glee in her heart she couldn’t explain it, but now she was feeling something completely different. The redhead suddenly stopped and the halls were filled once again with utter silence. She leaned her back up against the red rune encrusted walls and slowly slid down into the floor. The twisted warm feeling had now become cold and reached low into the pit of her stomach. It almost made her feel sick. She didn’t like it. Emotions varied, that she knew. Lara, Amanda Evert, and Natla had clearly shown that, but she had no idea there was a down side to them. What was this she was feeling now? The realization of the situation hit her like a car. It really was over. Every single thing was over.
Lost and confused. That was it. She was utterly lost and confused. She was free now, but…But what now? She thought. If I really am free shouldn’t I know what to do next? Should I not know what path to take? Should I not know my purpose?
One of her fists collided down hard against the floor leaving an indented fist mark in it’s place before taking to her feet again. She traveled to the “lair of the Midgard Serpent” where the device now lay in ruin thanks to Lara. The Doppelganger went to the edge and looked over the destruction. As much as a weakling Lara was she had to admit she was impressed with her abilities.
All of this done by a simple mortal. She thought slightly amused, but that thought brought up deeper questions. If she is mortal, a human being with no powers or great strength then what am I?
The day she was created she remembered well. It was her first memory. It was something she could never forget. Her first few minutes of life were wrapped in darkness. Her body had been scrunched up in the fetal position for sometime. Then suddenly she saw light. It took her a moment to break outside the pod, but she managed. Cold, shivering, bare, and drenched in a gooey substance, the Doppelganger looked up to see a woman with large black bat wings and blonde hair. Her blue eyes were devious. This was her mother. This was Natla.
“Ohk eshivar!” She had said. The Doppelganger’s eyes glowed orange then changed back into their rich golden color. She stared at Natla awaiting her command. “Stand.” She stood up slowly. It was her first time standing, but it wasn’t too hard. Sure she tethered a bit, but she quickly regained her balance and stood up straight. The Doppelganger met Natla’s cold and unfeeling blue eyes. “You are no one.” She had said. “You are a slave and nothing more. You do as I say and when I say or it will result in your termination.” Natla chuckled. “Not that you have a choice in the matter.”
The Doppelganger’s shoulders slumped as she looked around the area. She was trying to ignore this bizarre woman. “Okh eshivar!” Natla had said again and the Doppelganger ceased what she was doing. Her eyes glowed bright orange once again as she straightened her shoulders back out of their slump ready to follow Natla’s command whatever it may be.
That was it. She was created to be a slave and only a slave. Her purpose was to be a slave, but now that she was free, what was her purpose now? Nothing? Just a copy of Lara?
No. She thought bitterly. I may be her, but she’s not better. The Doppelganger walked to the edge of the stone pathway and stared down into the electric blue abyss then down at her hands. Unlike her I have no faults. I am flawless. Perfect. I am better than her. She is the one who should be without purpose not I.
These thoughts were making her angry. Why couldn’t she be real? Why did she have to be the copy, the clone, the fake…the Doppelganger. It wasn’t fair! But what could she do? The Doppelganger clenched her teeth. What could she do about it? She thought about trying to become her own person. Someone who wasn’t at all Lara Croft, but her own unique person. She could try that, but would it work? Everything about her was borrowed. Could she really be her own self with Lara’s foundation? No, she couldn’t. There was only one alternative. The Elimination of Lara Croft. With her out of the picture she would no longer be a shadow. She would become Lara Croft, but was that really what she wanted. No, not at all. The Doppelganger wanted to be someone better than Lara Croft.
Thoughts and ideas that were deemed opportunities soon turned out to be useless to her a few minutes later. How was she supposed to go about killing Lara? She had someone looking out for her that was for sure. So many times she had held that woman’s life in her grasp, helpless, only to have her find an escape a second later. What was her secret?
Luck, The Doppelganger concluded. She was lucky. The golden eyed woman turned back towards the halls of Helhiem. But she won’t be lucky this time! She started into a sprint only to stop a half a second later. Lara would not be able to kill easily. She realized it wasn’t just that. She also realized that she couldn’t kill Lara, not after what she had done for her.
She set me free. The least I can do to repay her is to let her continue her life without interfering.
The feeling of depression sank back in as the Doppelganger walked back to the edge of the stone pathway overlooking the Migard Serpent from below and sat down draping her legs over the side. As she pondered once more on what her purpose was she watched the thralls stalking about threatening to attack anyone who entered this precious place. It was their purpose to protect this sacred ground from those who wished to unleash the terrible wrath of the Migard Serpent upon the world. They had failed at their job terribly.
Wait a minute…She thought as she watched the thralls walk about. The Doppelganger stood up again with hope building up inside her. This…could this be my purpose? She looked around the ruins of Helhiem. This was her birth place, her home. Would she not do anything to protect it from outsiders? Of course she would. It was her home. Everything felt right about this place. She’d rather be here than in the real world. It was all so clear now. The thralls were not capable of guarding this place. They were weak and fragile. Heck, they were just plain stupid. But she, oh no, she was perfect for the job.
The so called Norse Goddess known as Hel, who supposedly ruled this area was no where to be seen, because she did not exist. But who said that Helhiem couldn’t have a goddess to oversee it. What made up a God anyways? Incredible strength, powers of great magnitude, beauty beyond compare, the Doppelganger knew she possessed all of those traits. Could she not be the ruler of Helhiem? But if it was her new purpose to protect this place, how could she guarantee that it would always be that way. A clone or not, at some point she would grow old and die like any other human. Did she have to?
The Eitr bubbled and boiled like that of hot lava. She smiled at the sight. No she didn’t have to be dead and stay dead. She could just be dead for a little while and then return. Eitr was the key. Perhaps, because she was not like other humans, her body could withstand the full power of the deadly Eitr. After all, Natla had said she was almost indestructible, unlike the other Doppelganger before her that possessed no skin. She had the DNA of an Atlantean creature. They were sophisticated beings and she was part of them. Yes, she could do this. She believed it possible to keep her mind if she met the Eitr.
The Doppelganger moved closer to the edge of the stone pathway. She moved her toes over the edge and balanced on her heels. Her golden eyes stared down at the Eitr. It was welcoming to her. This was what she had to do she knew it with all her heart. The Doppelganger closed her eyes and spread her arms out to either side ready to dive into the abyss. Ready to embrace it and take on her new purpose. Her true purpose. She wanted this. With a deep breath she jumped off the ledge and went into a free fall. The memories from her past flashed before her eyes. Her birth, working as Natla and Amanda’s soulless slave, her freedom Natla’s death. It was in fact only a slice of a real life, but it was good enough for the Doppelganger. It was an honor for her to die this way to die by choice. Before her body hit the Eitr she thought.
A short life, but it was worth it. Today I start my new life. As the guardian of Helhiem.
Her body splashed into the Eitr followed by instant death. But it was not over for the Doppelganger for she would be re-animated and take on her new purpose.
The End
