The Mimic in Monsterland

Chink…Chink…Chink. The sounds of coins rattling together in a leather pouch filled the air. A small bead of sweat inched its way down the back of her neck. She sat in a chair 10 feet away from Mort. A rough uncomfortable stool, but she wouldn’t show anyone that it bothered her. The afternoon light slipped through the cracks of the rough wooden structure they were in. Shadows striped across Mort’s face.

Mort sat upon his makeshift throne, crafted from scrap wood and metal. The top was decorated with the head of a serpent-like monster that she didn’t recognize. He repeatedly threw the bag coins in the air with one hand while leaning into the chair. He stared down at her. His beady eyes drilling into the top of her head.

Suddenly, he threw the coins much higher into the air. He readjusted in the chair, sitting up. He plopped his hand down on the armrest. The bag fell right into his palm. He jiggled it one last time, his eyes narrowing. He then stood up and handed the bag to his Minotauran bodyguard standing next to the chair.

“Ingrid. My dear. That bag feels light. I thought we had an agreement. 700 coins two days after every raid. That last bag felt twenty shy. I even gave you a discount this time because of the spoils you scavenged from the raid field.” Mort’s condescending words lashed against her ears.

He was right. It was actually 23 coins shy. But she needed those extras. Prices were on the rise in the city. These last few raids were wearing on the people and more importantly, the merchants and tradesmen. They couldn’t hire as many squads to defend their caravans and resource collectors. Ingrid was barely scraping by as is.

Mort breathed in, his index finger pointed up and then back at her. “But. I like you Grid. You are one of the few debtors who actually tries to pay me back. Poor Roofen over there. His club-swinging arm has been awful sore lately. Right, Roofie my man?”

The Minotauran snorted while nodding and rotating his shoulder.

“So because I like you, I will let this…clerical error slide.”

Ingrid turned her face to Mort. His mouth formed a sardonic smile. Two yellowed thin fangs rubbed his bottom lip. She turned back down to the floor. “Thank you Mort. It won’t happen again.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, I thought that was already implied.” His voice turned into a hiss.

“You’d better not be short next time. Or else.” His hands wrapped up in her hood. He pulled it down revealing her long dark blue ears. “Your kind are quite adept at making money in other fields.” His tongue whipped right next to her ear.

He released the hood. Ingrid immediately hoisted it back over her head. Her eyes undoubtedly filled with hate as she glared back at him. She stood up.

“Ooo, feisty today are we?” He quipped.

“Then we’re done?” She said, some venom tinged her question.

He scoffed at her. “Yes, my Grid. We are.”

She stood up and turned on the spot, heading straight for the door, head hanging low.

 

She left the claustrophobic den, taking a deep breath of fresh air once she was a couple hundred steps away. Securing her hood, she hurriedly walked away. Her temper still hot. Her thoughts steeped in the discomfort and unpleasant nature of her talk with Mort.

Scum son of a bastard and beast. That raid wasn’t even a full moon since the last. And I would have made more off the battlefield spoils than his ridiculous discount. Asshole.

These thoughts pervaded her entire walk back home through the Gloom. She passed by the beggars and broken without ever once looking at them. Just as she was treated in the past. A drunken fool, tripped by a pothole, fell in her path. She hopped over him. Another day in the life.

Not long after, she walked in front of the abandoned building she called home. It was a large three story building that had been forsaken by the Green Lady years ago. Back when she closed off the Gloom. Other families and individuals nested here as well, making for a tightknit community. She lived on the top floor. Not many dared that floor, worrying that the floors would cave. But she was light. Damn near the only perk of her gene in her mind.

She pushed the half broken door, into the main entrance floor. The smell of malaise entered her nostrils, causing her to pause for a moment. Her head swiveled to its source. It was Mrs. Guntha. A middle-aged human; her arms and legs looking even more covered with scales then last time Ingrid came by. Her Morphosis is speeding up. If it gets much worse, I’ll have to… She sighed. She didn’t want to think about that right now.

The woman coughed up a storm. That medicine I gave her looks like it's done next to nothing. Ingrid shook her head and clamped her fist. She nodded at the woman who gave a weak smile in return, one of her eyes glazed in an orange hue. Ingrid made her way to the rickety stairs of the building. She passed by some other families and people on her way. Some gave her a greeting.

She climbed by the second floor, and then entered the first door on the third. She lowered her hood, freeing her ears. The room hadn’t changed. Some bed sheets that looked like they were recently beaten and dusted laid on the floor. Afternoon sunlight poured through the hole in the wall she created. Home sweet home.

She heard two squeaks come from another room. She forced the doldrums from her mind, placing a practiced smile on her face.

Two little children poked their heads around a corner. The little girl’s whiskers twitched in happiness upon seeing who it was, the little boy’s face was blank, but his short wagging tail gave away his feelings.

“Sis!” Exclaimed the girl. She ran up to Ingrid and jumped on her. Ingrid caught her and held her.

“Hey now I told you: no jumping. You can’t trust these floors.” Ingrid said.

The boy walked up to her, choosing to just hug her leg, not saying anything. She patted the boy's head.

After the hellos, she put the girl down next to her brother and knelt on the floor. Eye level with the two now, she spoke.

“Were you guys good while I was gone? You didn’t give the people here too much trouble?”

The twins responded with a head nod in unison. "We even patted down the beds because we knew you were coming home soon."

“Good. So what happened while I was gone? Tell me while I get some food ready.” She said while pulling out her pack.

 

She listened to the ramblings of Macie, who regaled her with stories of what happened throughout the last week. Kende gave some input here and there whenever Macie left something he deemed crucial out.

Ingrid half listened to their tales, keeping an ear out for anything strange or concerning, while she pulled out some cloth wrapped food from her bag. She had managed to get some moderately fresh Karibu meat from a foot cart, along with some bread and sandwich fixings.

Macie was in the middle of talking about how they were playing with some of the other kids in the building when Ingrid finished making the meal. Kende’s mouth was drooling at the sight of the food. Ingrid cuffed his head. “What did I tell you about the drooling?”

“It's poor manners.” He said sullenly. “Sorry.”

Macie had given up her story and was sitting next to Kende.

Ingrid gave them a slightly oversized sandwich each and watched as they devoured the food. She pulled out a piece of dried boar and snacked on it. The sandwiches were gone in an instant, the two kids looked content. They turned and faced each other. Smiling and nodding.

Before Ingrid knew it, both kids had snuggled on to her lap. Ingrid looked out the makeshift window. The sun was far from setting. I’ve got time before I meet with…whoever it is. She had already scoped out a place to wait before she met with Mort this morning. It was close to her home. About a ten minute walk.

She was a bit skeptical of the whole ordeal, but she felt like she owed the strange old dude a chance.

She continued to pet the heads of the sleepy children who invaded her lap. Her eyelids grew heavy as her hands rhythmically caressed their hair.

 

——

 

“The Gloom?” Fennel asked in a weary tone. “Sundown is almost here. That’s not the best time to be stomping around there.”

Jaren shook his head. “Yep I’m aware, but Len apparently told the contact the meeting was going down at sunset. In front of Laurel’s Fountain.” Fennel deflated upon hearing the answer.

Fennel had just gotten to the construction site of Len and Jaren’s guildhall. The entrance was empty but he did hear some rustling coming from somewhere. He was going to investigate but Jaren found him first. He told Fennel to come into the office on the second floor.

Fennel didn’t know anything about the guild’s purpose but he’d come here plenty of times. He and Jaren did the majority of their training here as opposed to the Legion Barracks. The training room in the back was one of the best Fennel ever used so he was fine with it. He could only imagine how much those sigils under the floor cost.

Fennel sat down in the chair in the office. Jaren was sitting on the other side, uncharacteristically working through some documents.

“Could I at least ask Len who I’m meeting? What's their name? What they look like? Their age? Anything?” Jaren put the document in his hand down and looked up at Fennel.

“He is…indisposed at the moment.” Jaren said. “Something guild related came up.” He snorted. “Glad it's him and not me.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing bad, just inconvenient. Oh and to answer your question about the contact’s info. It's a half-elf girl who wears an oversized cloak.”

Fennel stared at him, waiting for the rest of the description. Jaren looked back down at the documents spread out and sighed. He picked up another one and started reading. Fennel’s mouth opened slightly.

“That’s it?”

Jaren looked over the paper. “Yep.”

Fennel laughed at the absurdity. A cloaked half-elf girl. How many match that description? These old men, I swear. Maybe the Second isn't looking so bad.

“And what am I supposed to say to this well-detailed girl?”

“Oh right.” Jaren opened one of the drawers in the desk and threw him a rolled up paper and a pouch filled with some coins.

“There, that’s got everything in it. And don’t read it. Len’s orders. Now go on.” He waved his free hand. “I’d go with you but Daila dumped all this shitty paperwork on me. Punishment for making her miss a scheduled lecture. That and Len said only one person would be there. Now shoo, daylight's burning.”

Fennel stood up. He saluted Jaren out of habit and walked towards the door.