SPELLCRAFT: Reincarnation Of A Magic Scholar

Ciara's eyes bore into her doppelganger, filled with a mixture of solidarity and determination. The weight of her next question hung heavily in the air, the very essence of it threatening to crush her interlocutor.

"How... did Jerry die?" Ciara's voice trembled, the words escaping her lips with a raw vulnerability.

She braced herself, her heart pounding in anticipation of the truth that awaited her.

The doppelganger's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her voice choked with sorrow as she began to recount the harrowing events that had stolen Jerry's life.

"They... they used me as bait," she uttered, her voice trembling with pain. "Knowing my connection to Jerry, the Grand Federation lured him into the fray, hoping to eliminate him once and for all."

"But I thought you decided to support him."

"I had indeed made my choice to stand by his side, but I chose to help him and the Freedom Fighters from within the Grand Federation."

In essence, she became a double agent.

Ciara's breath caught in her throat, the weight of the doppelganger's revelation crushing her soul. She clutched her fists, her knuckles turning white as she listened intently, her eyes locked onto her doppelganger's face.

The resolve this girl had was even more than she had given her credit for.

"The Grand Federation must have discovered our relationship," the doppelganger continued, her voice tinged with bitterness. "They sent me on a solo mission, a mission so dangerous yet I had no choice but to go. Jerry, ever loyal and fiercely protective, found out and insisted on joining me as backup."

Ciara's heart clenched, the love and devotion between Jerry and her doppelganger painting a heartbreaking picture of sacrifice and courage.

"We arrived at the mission site," the doppelganger whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of guilt. "And that's when we realized it was a trap. Countless Grand Federation operatives lay in wait, concealed within the shadows. They wanted to kill both of us."

Tears streamed down the doppelganger's face, her pain and remorse etched across every feature.

"Jerry... he used his failsafe," she choked out, her voice barely audible. "A forceful teleportation device. He activated it, sending me away, while he... he was executed by them."

The room fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the stifled sobs of the doppelganger. Ciara's heart shattered into a million pieces as the gravity of the doppelganger's words settled upon her, the weight of loss and regret engulfing them both.

The doppelganger buried her face in her hands, her voice muffled by the despair that consumed her. "It's my fault... I led him to that trap, I couldn't protect him. I should have known... I should have..."

Ciara's hands, trembling with a mix of grief and resolve, reached out to gently touch her doppelganger's shoulder, offering a momentary comfort amidst the storm of emotions. Through tears of her own, she spoke, her voice laced with determination.

'It is indeed your fault. You should have protected him more, but...' Ciara's eyes glowed bright blue as she stared blankly into space.

"... Those bastards are the ones most at fault. And they deserve to SUFFER!"

Ciara smiled at her doppelganger, trying her best to comfort her while also feeling the pain of loss that Jerry's demise must have cost her.

"Ciara Epilson, let me help you!"

"W-wha...?"

"Let's do this together! I know you want to be the one to bring them down, and I respect that. But count me in too! We're both pretty much the same, so that logic still follows, don't you think?"

"W-wait, what are you trying to say exactly? You... want to help me?" Her doppelganger's eyes widened in both warm surprise and an emotional expression of gratitude.

"Damn right, girl. I'll let you deal the finishing blow, but I also want to take down the Grand Federation!"

It seemed the current plan had slightly titled from her original one.

Instead of selling out the Ciara in front of her, she would work together with her to take over the Grand Federation! Once that was done, she would gather all the useful information an technology that could help her return home, while her doppelganger would finish the job and destroy the Headquarters.

'In the end... it's a win-win!'

>BZZZTTTZZZZZ!!!<

A buzzing sound suddenly echoed across the room, interrupting the emotional moment both Ciaras were having, and a bright voice followed.

~Ciara! It's Jared, from our Original World. I'm with Kuzon and Aloe, and we finally traced your whereabouts.~

"J-Jared?!" Ciara's eyes widened as she looked around her, her lips cracking open in relief and unexpected happiness.

'Jerry isn't with him, though...' Her mood plummeted instantly.

~We have a way to return home. And now that we've found you, we can finally be on our way.~ Jared's voice echoed once more.

~So, Ciara... why don't we go back now?~

**********

[Meanwhile...]

[Zone 0: The Unknown Territory]

A man reclined in his comfortable seat, surrounded by holographic screens that flickered with information and data.

His eyes darted across the displays, absorbing every detail, as a faint smile played on his lips. He muttered to himself, his voice filled with a mix of admiration and frustration.

"Well, well, I underestimated that golden-haired boy and his band of misfits," he murmured, his tone laced with a begrudging respect. "They proved to be more formidable than I initially anticipated."

His dark hair swayed and his lips curled up as his face reflected the little flashes of light in the darkness of the room.

Rubbing his chin in contemplation, he continued his soliloquy, his voice tinged with a touch of annoyance.

"And my soldiers... all destroyed on that remote planet of the spatial singularity. I thought they had the upper hand, but clearly, I was mistaken."

His gaze shifted to one particular holographic screen, displaying the image of his android duplicate lying defeated. A scowl crossed his face, quickly replaced by a self-assured grin. "Even my duplicate couldn't handle that golden-haired brat. Impressive, I must say."

Leaning forward, the man's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "But what they don't know is that they've only taken over Zone 1 of the Grand Federation. The true headquarters, Zone 0, remains untouched, impregnable."

He seemed to be truly enjoying himself.

"They'll never reach me here." A sense of triumph infused his words as he spoke, his eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and anticipation.

"Ah, yes, Project Phoenix XY-001. It's almost time for its grand operation. Soon, everything will align according to my plans."

A laughter, equal parts exhilaration and madness, bubbled forth from his lips, echoing in the room.

"I can't wait to see it all unfold. They won't even know what hit them. The power, the control, all within my grasp."

As the sound of his laughter dissipated, a chilling silence enveloped the room, leaving only the soft hum of the holographic screens.

The man's eyes sparkled with a malevolent gleam as he relished the impending chaos he had orchestrated, his mind already envisioning the triumph that awaited him.

'This entire universe... and even beyond... they will be mine!'