# Chapter 4: Duplicity

"This can't be happening," Amatziah muttered, his hands trembling slightly as he struggled to maintain his composure.

The Chamber of Whispers fell into uneasy silence. No one wanted to speak next, as if words themselves had become dangerous weapons that might turn against them.

"We need to act quickly," Benjamin said finally. "These duplicates are spreading throughout the farm. Who knows what kind of chaos they're causing."

Amatziah's eyes flashed with anger. "You don't give orders here. Not anymore." He turned to the guards. "Take Benjamin and Sara to the holding cells. They've committed treason by meeting with foreign representatives without authorization."

"This is madness!" Sara protested. "You're locking us up while our duplicates roam free?"

"For all we know, you created these duplicates," Amatziah shot back. "Some trick to undermine our authority."

Itzhak stood up. "That doesn't make sense, Amatziah. How could they possibly create duplicates of themselves? Or of Ofer? Or any of us?"

"I don't know how they did it," Amatziah insisted, his voice rising. "But I know they're responsible. They've been against our plans from the beginning."

The guards hesitated, looking between Amatziah and the other leaders for clear direction.

"Do as I command!" Amatziah shouted, slamming his fist on the table.

The guards moved forward, taking Benjamin and Sara by the arms. Neither resisted, though their faces showed a mixture of frustration and fear.

"What about the eastern delegates?" Ofra asked.

Amatziah glared at the three foreigners, who stood awkwardly watching the internal power struggle unfold. "Escort them back to the border. Make it clear that any further unauthorized meetings with our council members will be considered hostile acts."

As the guards led Benjamin and Sara away, with another group accompanying the eastern delegates, Dana caught Itzhak's eye. A silent understanding passed between them.

"This meeting is adjourned," Amatziah announced. "Everyone return to your quarters. We'll reconvene in the morning to deal with these... duplicates."

The leaders filed out of the chamber, their usual solidarity fractured. Amatziah remained behind with Eyal, Ofer, and Ofra—his most loyal supporters, despite their recent doubts.

"You did the right thing," Eyal told him, though his voice lacked conviction.

"I know I did," Amatziah replied sharply. "Benjamin and Sara have been undermining me for too long. This situation just gave me the excuse I needed to remove them."

Ofer looked troubled. "But what about the duplicates? If they really are manifestations of our lies..."

"Then we'll deal with them," Amatziah cut him off. "We've faced challenges before. This is no different."

But as they left the chamber, none of them truly believed his words.

---

Benjamin and Sara were led to the small holding cells beneath the main building. Used primarily for temporary detainment of disruptive farm workers, the cells were simple but not cruel—stone walls, a narrow bed, and a small window too high to reach but sufficient to provide some natural light.

"This is ridiculous," Benjamin muttered as the guards locked his cell door. "We're facing a supernatural crisis, and Amatziah's response is to imprison the only people trying to prevent disaster."

The head guard, a stocky man named Reuven who had served the council for years, looked uncomfortable. "I'm just following orders, Councilor. I'm sure this misunderstanding will be cleared up soon."

"It's not a misunderstanding," Sara called from her adjacent cell. "It's Amatziah choosing power over truth. Again."

Reuven didn't respond, simply nodding to his subordinates as they left the detention area. Only two guards remained on duty, stationed at the entrance to the small prison block.

Benjamin paced his cell, mind racing. "We need to get out of here. Those duplicates are going to make things much worse."

"How?" Sara asked. "The guards won't release us without Amatziah's orders."

Benjamin sighed, sitting heavily on the narrow bed. "I don't know. But every moment we spend in here is another moment those duplicates have to spread more lies."

---

Dana waited until nightfall before making her move. She had spent the afternoon gathering information, sending trusted servants to different parts of the farm to report on the duplicate sightings. What they told her confirmed her worst fears.

She slipped through the darkened corridors of the main building, avoiding the regular patrol routes. As head of resource allocation, she knew the building's layout better than most, including the less-used passages.

Itzhak was waiting for her at the agreed meeting spot, a small storage room near the kitchens.

"Any trouble getting here?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, but the farm is in chaos. I've heard reports of at least three different versions of Amatziah giving contradictory orders to the border guards."

"It's worse than that," Dana said grimly. "My sources say there are duplicates of all of us now, not just the ones we knew about. And they're spreading the most outrageous lies."

"Like what?"

"One version of Drorit is telling people that the eastern territory has already invaded and captured the northern farmlands. A duplicate of Eyal is claiming that the water supply has been poisoned by eastern saboteurs."

Itzhak ran a hand through his hair. "This is getting out of control. We need Benjamin and Sara. They understand what's happening better than anyone."

"That's why I brought this," Dana said, pulling a key from her pocket. "Master key to the detention cells. I've been holding onto it since that incident with the farmhands last season."

Itzhak looked surprised. "You're proposing we commit treason too?"

"I'm proposing we save our people," Dana replied firmly. "Amatziah has lost perspective. He can't see past his own authority being challenged."

After a moment's hesitation, Itzhak nodded. "Let's go. But we'll need to be careful. If we're caught..."

"I know."

They made their way cautiously through the building, taking the servants' stairs down to the detention level. As they approached the guard station, Dana signaled Itzhak to stay back.

"I'll handle this," she whispered.

She walked confidently toward the two guards, who immediately stood at attention.

"Councilor Dana," one said, clearly surprised. "What brings you here at this hour?"

"Amatziah sent me to question the prisoners," she lied smoothly. "He believes they may have information about the duplicates that they haven't shared."

The guards exchanged glances. "We received no orders about this," the second guard said.

Dana raised an eyebrow. "With all the confusion today, I'm not surprised the message didn't reach you. Would you like me to go wake Amatziah and ask him to confirm the order personally?"

The threat worked. Neither guard wanted to disturb Amatziah's sleep over what seemed like a minor procedural issue.

"That won't be necessary, Councilor," the first guard said quickly. "You can proceed."

"Thank you. I'll need privacy for this questioning."

The guards nodded and moved to a position farther down the corridor, out of earshot but still within sight of the cell block entrance.

Dana hurried to the cells, where Benjamin and Sara were both awake, sitting on their beds.

"Dana?" Benjamin asked, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Breaking you out," she whispered, quickly unlocking Sara's cell first, then Benjamin's. "The situation is worse than we thought. The duplicates are multiplying."

"We need to move quickly," Itzhak said, joining them. "I've created a diversion on the other side of the building. Most of the night patrol will be heading there soon."

They slipped out of the cell block, Dana nodding to the guards as they passed. "Thank you for your assistance. I'll be sure to mention your cooperation to Amatziah."

Once they were safely away from the detention area, Benjamin asked, "Where are we going?"

"The old library annex," Itzhak replied. "It's rarely used since we moved most of the books to the new wing. We should be safe there for now."

They made their way through the darkened corridors, freezing at every sound. Twice they had to duck into side rooms to avoid passing guards. Finally, they reached the library annex, a dusty, forgotten section of the main building that hadn't been properly used in years.

"We should be safe here," Dana said, lighting a small lantern she had brought. "No one comes to this part of the building anymore."

Benjamin wasted no time. "Tell us everything you know about the duplicates."

Dana and Itzhak shared what they had learned—how the duplicates had multiplied throughout the day, how they were spreading increasingly outlandish and dangerous lies, and how the farm's population was becoming confused and frightened.

"It's exactly as the scroll warned," Sara said grimly. "Our evil speech is taking physical form."

"But why now?" Itzhak asked. "We've spread rumors before. What's different this time?"

Benjamin paced the small room, thinking. "The scale, perhaps. Or the intent. We've never deliberately created such a comprehensive campaign of deception before."

"Or maybe it's because of the scroll itself," Sara suggested. "Maybe finding it somehow activated the curse."

"Whatever the reason, we need to stop it," Dana said firmly. "People are panicking. If this continues, someone will get hurt."

Benjamin nodded. "The only solution I can think of is to counter the lies with truth. We need to publicly admit what we've done and renounce the falsehoods we've spread."

"Amatziah will never agree to that," Itzhak pointed out. "He's too proud, too invested in maintaining his authority."

"Then we do it without him," Sara said. "The four of us, plus anyone else we can convince."

"That's definitely treason," Dana said, but her tone suggested she wasn't opposed to the idea.

"We're already traitors in Amatziah's eyes," Benjamin replied. "We might as well earn the title by saving our people."

---

Amatziah couldn't sleep. He paced his chambers, agitated by the day's events. The thought of duplicates—versions of himself and the other leaders roaming the farm—disturbed him deeply. It challenged his sense of control, his very identity.

A knock at his door interrupted his brooding.

"Enter," he called.

Eyal stepped in, looking harried. "We have a problem. Benjamin and Sara have escaped."

"What? How?"

"We don't know yet. The guards claim Dana came to question them, but she denies being there at all."

Amatziah's face darkened with rage. "Find them. Now."

"We're trying, but there's another issue. The duplicates are causing serious problems. People are confused about which leaders to follow. Some are saying we should attack the eastern territory immediately, while others are calling for evacuation."

"Who's saying that?" Amatziah demanded.

Eyal hesitated. "You are. Or rather, a version of you is. There are at least three Amatziahs giving different orders in different parts of the farm."

Amatziah felt a chill run down his spine. "Take me to them."

"Is that wise? If people see multiple versions of you together..."

"I need to see for myself," Amatziah insisted. "These imposters can't be allowed to undermine my authority."

Reluctantly, Eyal led him out of the main building and toward the village square, where one of the duplicates had reportedly been seen addressing a crowd. They moved cautiously, keeping to the shadows. The usually quiet night was disturbed by unusual activity—people hurrying about with torches, voices raised in argument, the distant sound of weeping.

As they approached the square, Amatziah stopped short. There, standing on the raised platform normally used for public announcements, was his perfect double. The duplicate was addressing a group of frightened villagers, his voice—Amatziah's voice—ringing out in the night air.

"The eastern forces have breached our northern border!" the duplicate declared. "They've taken control of the grain silos and are poisoning our food supplies. We must strike back immediately!"

Amatziah watched in horror as the crowd responded with fear and anger. Some were calling for weapons, others for their families to be evacuated.

"This is insane," Amatziah whispered. "I would never say such things."

"But you did plant the seeds," Eyal reminded him gently. "Our campaign against the eastern territory—this is just an escalation of what we started."

Before Amatziah could respond, another commotion caught their attention. From the opposite side of the square, another Amatziah appeared, flanked by what looked like farm guards.

"Do not listen to this impostor!" the second duplicate shouted, pointing at the first. "The real threat comes from within! Traitors among the council have allied with eastern spies. They must be rooted out!"

The crowd's confusion deepened. Some backed away from both figures, while others began arguing amongst themselves about which Amatziah to believe.

The real Amatziah stood frozen, watching versions of himself spread panic and division among his people. "We need to stop this," he said finally.

"How?" Eyal asked. "If you reveal yourself, there will be three of you. It will only add to the confusion."

Before Amatziah could decide on a course of action, the first duplicate's appearance began to change. It was subtle at first—a darkening of the skin, a slight elongation of the fingers. But as the duplicate continued to speak, spewing increasingly vicious lies about the eastern territory, the transformation accelerated.

The duplicate's skin took on a grayish hue, like the black mold that had appeared in the Chamber of Whispers. Its fingers lengthened into sharp, claw-like appendages. Its eyes darkened until they were solid black, reflecting no light.

The crowd noticed the change and began to back away in terror. Some screamed, others fled outright.

"What's happening to it?" Amatziah whispered, horrified.

"The lies," Eyal replied, his voice shaking. "They're changing it physically."

The second duplicate was transforming too, but differently. Its form seemed to waver and blur, becoming less solid as it spoke of internal traitors and conspiracies. Its voice took on an echoing quality, as if coming from far away.

"We need to get back to the others," Amatziah decided, turning away from the disturbing scene. "This is worse than we thought."

---

In the old library annex, Benjamin, Sara, Dana, and Itzhak had formulated a plan. They would seek out the other council members who might be sympathetic to their cause—Drorit, Dudi, and Orni had all shown hesitation about Amatziah's approach. Together, they would make a public statement admitting the deception and renouncing the lies they had spread.

"It's our only chance," Benjamin argued. "We need to counter the evil speech with truth."

"What if it doesn't work?" Dana asked. "What if the duplicates continue to exist even after we've confessed?"

"Then at least our people will know not to trust them," Sara replied. "Right now, they can't distinguish between the real leaders and the duplicates."

A commotion outside interrupted their discussion. Itzhak moved to the small window, peering cautiously into the night. "Something's happening in the village square," he reported. "A crowd is gathering. And... something else."

The others joined him at the window. From their elevated position, they could see the square in the distance, lit by torches and lanterns. They could make out a figure standing on the platform, addressing the crowd. Even from this distance, the figure was recognizable as Amatziah.

"Another duplicate," Benjamin said grimly.

"Wait," Sara gasped. "Look at it. It's changing."

They watched in horror as the duplicate Amatziah's form began to distort, taking on monstrous characteristics that reflected the lies it was spreading. Its skin darkened to the color of the black mold, its fingers elongated into claws, its eyes became empty black pits.

"By all that's holy," Dana whispered. "What is happening to it?"

"The lies are corrupting it physically," Benjamin realized. "Just as they corrupt spiritually."

As they watched, another duplicate appeared in the square, this one also resembling Amatziah but speaking different lies. It too began to transform, its body becoming less solid, more ghostlike as it spoke of internal traitors and conspiracies.

"This is worse than we imagined," Itzhak said, his voice shaking. "The duplicates aren't just spreading lies—they're physically transforming to match the falsehoods they tell."

"And becoming more dangerous in the process," Sara added. "Look at those claws."

A third figure entered the square, and even from a distance, they could tell it was the real Amatziah, accompanied by Eyal. He stood at the edge of the crowd, watching his duplicates with visible horror.

"He sees it now," Benjamin said quietly. "The consequences of what we've done."

"Will it be enough to change his mind?" Dana wondered.

Before anyone could answer, the door to the annex burst open. They whirled around, expecting guards or perhaps more duplicates. Instead, they saw Drorit, looking disheveled and frightened.

"Thank goodness I found you," she gasped. "You have to see this. It's not just Amatziah. All of us—all of the council members have duplicates. And they're changing, becoming... monstrous."

"We've seen," Benjamin said grimly, gesturing to the window.

"No, you don't understand," Drorit insisted. "It's getting worse. The transformations are accelerating. And the duplicates are starting to attack people who question their lies."

"Attack?" Sara repeated, alarmed. "You mean physically?"

Drorit nodded, her face pale. "A farmer challenged one of the Ofer duplicates—the one claiming the water supply was poisoned. The duplicate... it tore into him with claws that had once been hands. The poor man is dead."

The four exchanged horrified glances. What had begun as a political manipulation had evolved into something deadly.

"We need to move now," Benjamin decided. "Find the others, tell them what we know. We need to make a public confession immediately, before more people are hurt."

"I'll help," Drorit offered. "I was wrong to go along with Amatziah's plan. I see that now."

They quickly left the annex, moving cautiously through the building. As they passed a window overlooking the eastern courtyard, Itzhak suddenly stopped.

"Look," he said, pointing.

Below them, walking across the courtyard, was another duplicate—this one of Benjamin himself. But unlike the Benjamin standing at the window, this duplicate was changing before their eyes. Its skin was mottled with patches of black mold, its fingers elongating into thin, blade-like extensions. It moved with an unnatural gait, its joints bending in impossible ways.

"That's... me," Benjamin whispered, horrified.

"No," Sara said firmly, gripping his arm. "That's what your lies would make of you. But you've rejected those lies. You're fighting for the truth now."

They watched as the duplicate Benjamin approached a group of farm workers, who backed away in fear from its monstrous appearance. The duplicate began speaking, its voice a distorted version of Benjamin's own, telling them that the council had evidence of eastern spies among them, that neighbor should suspect neighbor, that no one could be trusted.

"We have to stop it," Benjamin said, moving toward the stairs.

"We will," Sara promised. "But not by confronting each duplicate individually. We need to attack the source—the evil speech itself."

They hurried on, determined to gather their allies and make their public confession before the duplicates' transformations could progress any further. But as they moved through the darkened corridors, each was haunted by the image of their own distorted double, a physical manifestation of the lies they had helped create, now twisted into something monstrous and deadly.

The farm that had once been their pride, their domain to rule as they pleased, had become a nightmare landscape populated by grotesque reflections of their own darkest impulses. And with each lie the duplicates told, with each person who believed those lies, the transformations progressed, making the duplicates not just false versions of the leaders, but creatures of pure malevolence—the evil speech made flesh.