Arcane Advent Diaries: The Wolf's Doppelganger

Author's Summary
A side story taking place after Arcane Advent: The Dark Bible, it follows up a few months after the Silverleaf mission. The aftermath of Leidolf coming into contact with the Grdskinn, a powerful grimoire once wielded by Galdra-Louptr to commanded an army of undead and other dark creatures, is explored in greater details. Because of the grimoire recognizing him as compatible, he has gained immense power…at a steep price.

The influence of the grimoire is slowly corrupting his soul and tainting him with its evil, driving the mage closer into insanity. His boss, the girl that only goes by the name of ‘Supervisor’ informs him of a mission that will bring him face-to-face with another relic from Galdra’s age. Can it provide the solution to his problem?

This is the first short story of over 8000 words in the Arcane Advent Diaries series, a collection of short stories that serve as side tales to the main novellas, dealing with daily lives, mysterious pasts, and interlinked plots.

Detailed Summary
Months after the grimoire has recognized Leidolf as it's master, a phantasmal copy has been lingering over his shoulder, tempting him with power. Staring at the bathroom mirror, Leidolf contemplates on the subject when Aria appears to tell him that an order he placed with Paulina has come in. Afterwards, Tanmay comes to take Aria to school, whole Leidolf reinforces his mental defenses to stave off the influence of the grimoire.

Upon arriving at Mystern Alley, Leidolf is attacked by three teenagers and quickly puts them down, before retrieving his order from Paulina. However, he has an intense hallucination from the grimoire and visualizes killing Paulina and licking the remains, before she snaps back and leaves to find the Supervisor.

The Supervisor tells him of the recent activity of a Doppelganger in Iceland, stating that it could serve as a method of relieving the influence of Grdskinn. At the site, a mountainous forest, he is dropped off by a Taxi Driver, who tells him about the tale of the Lady of the Forest. Searching for the Doppelganger with no luck, Leidolf settles down in peace, until he realizes it's nearby.

The Doppelganger becomes a copy of Leidolf, and fights him to a draw, until Leidolf uses the Krafla spell, and causes the Doppelganger to become a werewolf-like creature from accessing the rest of the grimoire. It quickly overpowers him, leaving him near death, until he summoned black ice that became a wall between the two, and caused the Doppelganger to run.

Two days later, Leidolf finds himself being healed by the Lady of the Forest, who is actually an Huldra, and the mission's client. She gives him information that is essential in defeating the Doppelganger, along with help from the Supervisor after a quick call, and leaves to find the Doppelganger a second time.

Utilizing the Isa rune and using Ice Spells, Leidolf manages to defeat it, before falling into lake. The Lady of the Forest finds him once again and tells him that someone is on the way to pick him up (Fai) and that he'll have her blessing.

In Ramona's office, Leidolf has another attack from the grimoire, but a small wolf pup that appeared consumed the darkness, and the Supervisor arrived. The wolf pup is actually the blessing of the client, born from darkness to devour it, named Myta.

The short ends with Fai attempting to blackmail Leidolf in good fun.