He shook his head to remove water from eyes and ears. Before him was the completely wet hunter.

“Is it over yet?” asked the warrior with a tired voice.

“Seems so, I did not find your comrade. Did he dive further away?”

“No,” answered Ymdaton, feeling the unease rise in his chest, “Right beside me,” then he quickly added, “Here, here he is.”

Indeed, Paltisumas appeared from behind the trees. He slowly walked towards them, piercing two men with an unblinking gaze, his face bearing a smile.

“Do not move,” hissed the gatherer.

Crewslayer did not understand, what the hunter wanted of him. When Paltisumas was five steps away from the water, sand exploded under his right foot, revealing an iron trap. The thing snapped, hitting warrior’s ankle with a sickening sound of shattering bones. Ymdaton expected a scream of pain, an outburst of cursing. Not a sound came.

Not a muscle flinched on Paltisumas’ body. The crewman did not even lose his smile. He simply glanced at the wounded leg and back at the two in front of him. Crewslayer smoothly raised the shield and the blade, Zvenmir readied his axe.

Countless battles taught Ymdaton the ways in which the human body works, the limits of it and most common movement sequences. The next action of his former comrade was nothing he could have expected. Paltisumas charged forward with a speed that was not possible for a mortal man, let alone the one with a shattered ankle. In the time barely enough for the pair to move aside, he already was between them.

Zvenmir made a hasty swing and missed, Ymdaton was bereft of the opportunity to strike, as he blocked a kick with a shield. The impact was powerful enough to throw him backwards. As he flew through air, he saw with horror the thing wearing the face of Paltisumas grab the hunter by the leg and literally swing him over the head. The monster slammed its victim against the ground and it was the last thing Crewslayer saw before falling into the water.

After some moments he emerged and rushed to the bank. The false crewman was tearing innards out of the fallen hunter’s body. With his bare hands. The thing heard the warrior approaching and turned its head. Ymdaton stopped and assumed a stance. Not-Paltisumas was missing his right eye, black hole of a socket glaring at Crewslayer. The flesh around it was severely decayed. The grin stayed, now displaying pointed predatory fangs instead of human teeth.

Ymdaton slowly moved out of the water. As soon as he stepped on the sand, the monster charged again. Now the crewman expected its movements. The thing was fast, yet it attacked in a predictable beastial manner. Crewslayer avoided hands reaching for him and swung his axe. The swing was supposed to be perfect, cutting between the shoulder and the neck.

Yet as the foe glanced at the blade with its missing eye, the wet handle slipped in Ymdaton’s hands and he missed. The answer was a powerful shove to his gut. Crewslayer was swept from his feet.

He barely managed to get up when the next attack of the doppelganger came. He tried a different tactic now. When the foe was too close to stop its momentum, he met it with the blade of his axe. Again the monster glanced at the weapon, and with its next step hit a branch which was buried in the sand.

The other side of the branch was right under Ymdaton’s feet. It rose into air and the warrior was forced to step away, so he won’t tumble. Doing so, he waved his hand and the edge of the axe moved over the attacking thing. As the punishment for the failure came the punch to the ribs. He staggered backwards, yet did not fall this time. Ymdaton’s chest was aflame with pain.

The false Paltisumas pressed forward. Crewslayer tried to push him back with the shield to the face. While doing so, he tripped over a vine. It left him completely open to the attack. An uprising kick to the jaw sent him to his back. His head ringed, he kept consciousness only by a tremendous effort.

The monster was upon him in a moment, stomping at the forearm of his right hand, as he tried to swing weapon in defense. The armguard buckled under the pressure. Ymdaton did not even feel pain at that point, he only heard his bones break. The thing raised its arm, intending to deliver a final blow.