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He was six years old when his shadow first began to play with him. It was kinda scary at first but when his shadow reassured him that he just needed a place to rest for a while and Stephen got to know his shadow a little better. It was like having an imaginary friend but even better because his shadow could do stuff and help him out.
His friend had three purple eyes and looked like a man except when he had tentacles or horns or other things. After Stephen introduced himself, his shadow laughed a bit and introduced himself as Armani. It was a rather weird name but Stephen’s mom taught him to not judge others for what they couldn’t choose.
Armani was very nice despite looking kind of scary sometimes. He said he had a condition and that is why he hid in Stephen’s shadow. Stephen didn’t mind but worried constantly for his new friend. His shadow protected him from bullies at school and promised to keep his family and him safe. Stephen merely accepted his new friend and explained about the new teacher that had appeared at school that day.
Armani never left, even after over two decades had passed. Stephen was a neurosurgeon and fully believed in science but a tender part of his heart still kept the supernatural in mind. He considered his shadow almost like a brother at this point. The being had been through every triumph and loss and knew all of his secrets. At this point, Stephen truly didn’t care what Armani was. The man was a shy and private person who also happened to resemble an eldritch horror at times when he got too emotional and hid in the shadows.
The car crash was truly where things began to turn.
Stephen woke up battered and broken in his hospital room to find the room completely engulfed in shadows contrasting the sun outside.
“I’m so sorry that I didn’t prevent this from happening.” His friend sounded agonized and all he could see was the familiar glowing purple eyes.
“It’s not your fault, Armani. You can’t see the future. Unless you can and you’ve been holding out on me.” Stephen rasped and he heard a small whine in response. The shadows seemed to pull into themselves until finally, after nearly three decades he finally saw the face of his friend.
It was like looking into a mirror, only Armani’s face was full of sharp angles and deep bags under his eyes. He was dressed in dark blue and maroon robes with a black and gold cape. It looked like he stepped out of a DnD handbook. He also looked impossibly sad. Actually, this might make sense if-
“No- I didn’t adapt your looks into mine. This is merely how I look.”
Damn, that’s one theory gone. What about-
“I’m not from the future either.” Armani said with a smile. Double damn. “I am you from an alternate universe. Only my universe was destroyed by my actions and I spent a good couple millenia doing penance for that.”
Oh. Well-
“I was also in a car accident very similar to yours. However, instead of my hands, I lost Christine.”
“That makes an insane amount of sense for concepts that should be the plot of a science fiction novel.” Stephen wheezed. Armani, or rather it seemed he was also Stephen, smiled (honestly he would stick with Armani).
“Fun part is that I’m actually a sorcerer, an extremely powerful one at that. When you’re healed up I’m dragging you over to Kamar Taj because honestly that’s the only thing that will help you. That and it’s a fixed point and I am not going to be breaking any of those ever again.”
Stephen spaced out as a wave of exhaustion came over him. Sure, magic. It wasn’t the weirdest thing he’d come across. With a yawn, he nodded his agreement to his…double…better just go with twin. Armani let out a small smile and began to sink into the shadows of the floor.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep watch as always. Just rest and know everything will be fine.”
Stephen fell into his own darkness, comforted at his twin’s presence, and drifted into peaceful sleep.