Halo's body shivered, coursing goosebumps beneath his skin.
The next thing he knew, his shadow seemed to gain form. The shadow disjointed itself from Halo's form and rose to its feet.
Its body was drowned in pitch-black shadow, so deep it erased every facial feature except for those burning, pupilless white eyes.
It shared Halo's muscular frame and arms but surprisingly also had his dirty-white hair with vivid red streaks and identical height.
Halo gulped. The sight of his clone unsettled him deeply. If it wore clothes and covered those faceless features, anyone would mistake it for him.
However, he frowned. Something was off about the clone.
He moved closer and reached out to touch it, feeling the cold, dark presence of the creature. He even ran his fingers through its hair.
The hair, unlike the other features, was no different from real hair, but the remaining features were tangible, unlike the other shadowy tropes Halo was familiar with. It was as though it had skin, flesh, and bones of its own but was made of darkness.
But as he examined his clone, unease crept over him. He could feel its body shivering with what seemed like panic.
He drifted into thought, questioning the strange circumstances. But when he retreated a step to survey the scene properly, realization struck. His lips curved into a contemptuous sneer.
The clone was both trembling and perspiring heavily. But the sweat looked wrong somehow, thicker than normal, with a pale white tinge. The moment he noticed it beading on the clone's forehead, recognition hit him.
Halo's eyes narrowed, his sneer turning into a smile as he concluded.
"Were you feeling uncomfortable?"
The clone gave him a positive nod.
Halo's grin widened. "So you can think but can't speak?"
The clone nodded.
He responded with a smile. He knew his capabilities. If he were to strip off everything, letting coldness eat deep into his soul, he could become quite formidable. But as far as it went, he was still human, and the mere mortals he had slain couldn't prove otherwise.
But his clone was different. It could lead him down the path.
But as he stood there, the bronze screen popped up before his eyes.
***
[ You've received a purpose:
Atop Silent Hill lies a weapon: the Mangus Blade. Wielded by many, yet by none. Retrieve the blade of survival. ]
***
He smirked. 'Finally. A Purpose… but where is Silent Hill supposed to be? The game at least had a map.'
While he stood there, drowning in thoughts, the creature gestured toward the bridge behind them.
Halo snapped back to reality in an instant.
He had a purpose now, and he needed to head to Silent Hill and fulfill it.
This wasn't a task he could be reluctant about or fail at, players died because of that in the game, and he wasn't going to test that in reality.
Halo sighed. Still wasn't going to stray him from his path though. He needed to locate the hero.
The clone was proving useful already, yet somehow he couldn't bring himself to show appreciation. He started toward the bridge with the clone trailing behind.
The moment he neared it, he hesitated and swallowed hard. He took a first step, testing its strength. With the thick fog and a deadly drop beneath him, he had to be extremely careful.
But as he deliberated, the clone touched his shoulder and motioned toward the bridge. Halo grasped its meaning immediately: the clone wanted to take the first step.
Halo stepped aside to give it room, and the clone took several casual steps forward, stopped, and then gestured for Halo to follow.
His shadow had vanished, as if the sun no longer acknowledged his existence, yet he found himself enjoying the sensation despite his grim expression.
Halo had never had a companion except for his best friend, not even a pretend one. Not because no one wanted him, but because he showed no interest in others, closing off any path they might have taken to fill that void.
But Halo saw no need for it. Friendships always ended sooner or later, and maintaining them required meeting expectations and obligations he had no interest in fulfilling.
His best friend had made a decision that most likely would ruin him forever. But if he knew Halo was poisoned, then his actions weren't easy on him either. This wasn't something Halo could imagine himself doing so lightly.
Whether his bond with the clone would develop into that kind of connection, he couldn't say, but right now, he simply wanted someone to share the weight with.
Perhaps the clone possessed all of his memories and understood him completely.
However, though the bridge shook with each step for a moment or two, it was firm and reliable for the most part as they gradually entered the mist with the clone leading the way.
***
The knots on the footbridge were tied by the most skillful hands the land could offer, and each step landed on neatly polished wood. Too hard and mighty, and even the moist mist couldn't decay it. Yet, it seemed as though there was no destination.
Fatigue held Halo enslaved. He didn't want to spend the night outside, but with the bridge's nature, they couldn't help but burn time.
His limbs trembled as he clung to the rope rail on the bridge, his movements sluggish as he swayed from side to side.
His clone, however, was different. It moved as though tireless, periodically turning back to check on Halo and sometimes gesturing for him to be more active.
But this went beyond a long journey for Halo. They were already approaching sunrise, and he was starving.
The mist and darkness around them were thick and blinding, silent enough for him to hear his pulse. It devoured him psychologically, making him hallucinate from time to time.
However, before his predicament could force him off the bridge, his clone turned to him. It didn't say a word, but from the gestures and the way its white eyes bulged wide, Halo instantly understood.
There was something better ahead.
He peered past the clone, and at a great distance, there was the edge of the bridge. Halo smiled, his eyes filled with hope as he gestured for them to hurry.
But before he could take a step, it was as though a switch within him flipped. His expression instantly became unreadable despite the thrills racing down his spine.
However, before they could reach the bridge's edge, the clone halted again, prompting Halo to do the same. Without turning back, it gestured toward a figure near the bridge's end.
Halo scowled.
There was a figure clothed in full black armor, the tip of their sword driven deep into the soil below, their hand perched on its hilt. Behind them stood an enormous gate, wide enough for a thousand to enter simultaneously.
Halo gulped.
Was this the Silent Hill?
The clone turned to him and turned back to the figure. Halo's eyes narrowed.
He supposed the clone saw the figure as a threat, but that wasn't the case. It was worried about something else.
Halo was lost in thought for a moment before his eyes widened in realization. The clone.
Despite how unpredictable this world was, he doubted clones like his walking around were normal, and he knew nothing about the god that empowered him either. Death.
Everyone feared death. No doubt they'd despised him and thought him a cold-blooded murderer. And sure, he killed people. Just… professionally, with purpose, not a clueless killer.
He sighed. "Can you poof out of here and pop back in when I need you?"
The clone gave him a firm nod and dissolved into a dark orb on the bridge before abruptly reattaching itself to Halo, just like the shadow it was.
"This is… weird. I guess I'll have to name it. But… what name? What should it be?" He shrugged it off not long after. "Later."
Without a moment's hesitation, he began hurrying toward the end.