The Mimic in Monsterland

Rage flourished in my chest as it was being forcibly compressed by the bull-horned jackass. The brute wrapped his arms around mine, right at the forearms. His legs coiled around my waist. He squeezed down, making sure I couldn’t move. I sliced him to pieces, how dare he not fall. Incredulous.

My hands and claws wiggled around, searching for something to dig into. But he held them at the perfect spot to ensure that wouldn’t happen. The force kept growing, the breastplate he wore dug into my back further and further.

“Agh! Get off, scum.” I strained out.

Another quick squeeze sent more pain shooting down my back. The bull snorted and scoffed in my ear. “You should have finished me while you had the chance, idiot. Now I’m going to show you why. Maybe a broken rib or five will teach you something.”

Teach me! This utter lower baseless cretin; teach me a lesson? Ridiculous and impossible. I flexed every muscle in my body, striving to break his hold for even a second. I knew if he gave me an inch, I could work with it. Or tear some chunks of flesh from his body at the very least.

He returned my struggle with some of his own. The pressure he bore down on my body doubled. I heard a worrying pop sound coming from several of my vertebrae, but I didn’t have time to fret over that. I needed to find a way out of his grip. Now. My lungs were beginning to empty, and it was only getting more and more difficult to breathe. And I absolutely, undeniably, unequivocally refuse to lose to this jackass. I am that which leads to the apex of all creation. I simply cannot lose to such a lowborn thug.

Yet the longer I flexed, the more it felt like his grasp tightened. It was turning into a battle of endurance and attrition, one where I was at the disadvantage. I was sure if I loosened my muscles, I would pass out immediately. But how then? My eyes searched around the scene wildly, searching for an answer.

The spectators’ gaze burned on my skin. I had ignored them up to this point, but one of them caught my attention. I looked over at the woman support that just joined the squad. She watched my struggle, almost expressionless. Then she did the unthinkable, she turned her head and started chatting with the person next to her. She had already decided this match was over, that it wasn’t worth her concentration any longer. That I lost.

The realization ignited something deep down inside. A sensation that I couldn’t describe properly. Whatever it was, the feeling made all of the stupid pride-induced anger quell for a moment. I looked back over to the side of the arena, and saw the spear and dagger I laid down at the beginning of the match. Then a plan bloomed in my head. A plan that I despised, but I think it was just Tigris form that didn’t approve. It relied on the other forms I had, and that hurts its hubris. But this is my body, and it still has a few tricks left.

I looked at my stamina, 27%. Surprisingly higher than I thought it would be, but hopefully good enough for this maneuver.

After sucking in as much air as my compacted lungs could take in, I flexed as hard as possible. The goal wasn’t to break his cling, that wasn’t possible; it was to give myself as much room as possible. Zaner tried to counteract with more squeezing, but I could see that his fingers stretched out an inch or two. He was getting tired as well. Those few inches were all I was going to get out of it.

Then, at the height of my flex, my skin turned green, and my body shrunk down. The bull’s grip loosened for half a second. Which was plenty. I activated Fight and Flight and slipped out of his arms and legs with my more nimble form. Without deactivating it, I rushed over to the spear and dagger, grabbing them and turning back to my opponent.

Zaner was already getting back up. I ran back to him, spear raised. I aimed for the largest wound I gave him, the gash on his inner thigh. I rammed the spear into it. Zaner roared in pain, dropping to his knee. I tried to lodge the spear in a different wound, but the blunt wooden dagger was worthless for that plan.

Zaner grabbed the spear and tried to yank it out of his leg. I shifted out of Gremlin form and then into Apis. I climbed up the man’s back and to his shoulders. He tried to throw me off, but this form was great at climbing. Once I was at his shoulders, I jumped with all of my might. Straight up into the air, getting as much altitude as I could for my finishing blow.

I looked down at the onlookers with a wild smile, then back down at the bull below me. His face wore a look of confusion while he tried to dig the spear out of his leg, but he didn’t move. That was the important part. At the zenith of the jump, at that point when you feel your body float in the air for a millisecond, I curled myself into a ball. Stone covered my skin and then crusted over my clothes. My entire body encased itself in hard, tough rock.

My stone body fell through the sky, then stopped abruptly. I heard a loud crack, then my stone form hit the ground and rolled for a moment. I unfurled myself, turning back to my opponent with my arms up, in case my reckless attack didn’t pan out.

Fortunately, there was no charging bull coming for me this time. Zaner’s unconscious form laid prone on the ground. One of his horns chipped at the top, the small piece sat next to his head.

“The winner of this match is Liam Foster. Congratulations to the winner. Supports come down and administer aid to the loser immediately.” Daila made the declaration to the silent crowd. The pretty feathered girl, the scaled support woman, and another man with large fangs protruding from his mouth ran up to the unconscious bull. Green glowed from their hands as they flipped him over.

Being overjoyed at my hard fought triumph, I couldn’t help but pump my fist and throw it in the sky in celebration, along with a shout of victory. Which was a terrible idea. My chest and back screamed at me. But I noticed something once I began to calm down. I heard no cheers.

Once I finished my own self jamboree, I scanned the crowd that surrounded me. There were a lot more people around now. Some more squads must have gathered around while I was fighting. Just checking what the hullabaloo was about, most likely. I looked into the eyes of those around. Each one held different emotions. Some looked terrified, others indignant. The majority held the same expression, though: just plain old confusion.

I caught Fennel’s gaze. He gave me a clumsy smile and a hearty two thumbs up. At least someone is happy about my win. My legs wobbled underneath me. Woah.

They failed me, and I slumped to the ground, landing on my knees. I checked my status bars, health sat at 40% and stamina at a whopping 3%. The pain receptors in my body turned back on as the adrenaline dispersed from my veins. My whole chest wracked with pain from the inside and out, until I ultimately collapsed.

I heard some more shouting right as my own vision began to fade.

 

——

 

Fennel rushed over to Liam, catching his new subordinate’s body before it hit the ground. He looked up and over to Gloria. She met his eyes and nodded. He lifted up the strange guy’s body and began walking with it slumped over his shoulders back to his squad hall’s door.

The other onlookers watched, but were reprimanded by Daila. She told them to return to their respective training halls. Then gathered the rest of A5 and spoke with them. She ordered them to do self training for the time being. Until Zaner and Liam could join in.

At some point on his trek, Lukkans slid under the other shoulder of the fainted Liam’s. Easing some of the burden. Fennel wasn’t having any problems carrying Liam, but Fennel still appreciated the help.

“Just what is he, Cap?” Lukkans asked while they walked.

“I have no clue. And honestly, I don’t think anyone does. He got picked up by Le… ahem Councilor Ainsworth over half a year ago. I've trained with him a few times last week, so the constant change in tropes and abilities isn’t new to me. But what he did in the air. That weird rock thing. That is new to me.”

Lukkans' eyes went wide, wider than they were always in any case. “Wow. That’s crazy. Are all Ferals like him?”

Fennel shook his head. “I don’t think so, not that I would know. But from how Commander Holdsburn and Ainsworth speak, I think he’s a special case.”

“Incredible. And a tad scary.”

Before he spoke with Lukkans more, Liam’s deadweight on his shoulders lessened even more. “What?” Fennel turned his head back and found the two half-elf siblings that just joined the squad today lifting up Liam’s legs.

“Tawny, Hait. What are you doing? You should be training right now.”

The sister sibling spoke up. “We're…we're pretty sure this guy saved our lives. We didn't recognize him until he was green but we're almost positive it him.”

The brother spoke next. “Yeah, so we figured we need to help him as well. We owe him a debt.”

Fennel stopped walking. While they did help reduce the load, their efforts made Liam’s body twist in a strange way. One that couldn’t possibly feel good or natural, especially with cracked ribs and a bruised spine.

“Thank you, privates. But me and Lukkans have this covered. Go and train, Daila has your regimen ready. She will be training you two for now. Our squad hasn’t had long range mages like you two for some time, before I was captain of this squad. So, Daila will be heading up your training for the next few weeks. You can speak with Liam later. For now, go and find Daila.”

The two siblings looked at each other and then back at Fennel.

“That’s an order privates.” The boy nodded and punched his sister in the arm. The two dropped Liam’s legs and saluted, twisting around and running back to where Daila was. Fennel and Lukkans readjusted their grips and continued on.

Lukkans sighed. “They are a bit young, don’t you think? To be thrown into the Legion.”

“Yes, but what can you do? They’re of age to join the ranks. Half-elves just mature slowly. And those they’re long range casters, that’s rare on its own. So they won’t be right up front on the battlefield. It’s up to us to keep them safe. ”

“You got it, boss.”

They got up to the door leading to their squad hall. Lukkans gave Liam over to Fennel and opened it. They walked in, Lukkans jogged over to the door leading to the medical office, holding it open for Fennel.

Fennel dropped Liam onto one of the open beds in the room with a huff.

Lukkans looked down at the slumbering man. “He was the one in that last raid, wasn’t he? That black dot that ran through the monsters’ backline. Before you pulled my ass out from those missiles, I saw that same shadow bubble he used on Zaner.”

“Yes. I ran into him that day. In the raid. I thought he was an actual shade panther, so before it could get to our line, I was going to handle it.”

“Dumb move, Cap.”

“Don’t worry, Jaren and Daila threw the book at me over that already. But then I watched him plow through a whole group of Karibu on his own.”

“Glad he’s on our side.”

“Me too.”

The door to the medical room opened. Fennel smiled when he saw Gloria walk in. She, however, walked directly to her new patient. “Anything I need to know?” She croaked out softly as she sat down on a stool next to the bed. Lukkans took the opportunity to slip out of the room. He had his own training to do.

“He has a naturally high regeneration on his own. A full stomach and sleep will see him recovered fully. But I need to run drills with him and the other frontliners today. So give him a boost. I’d rather not wait longer than two hours.”

She nodded. “N-no problem Fennel.” Her voice cracked a little as she answered. Fennel reached his hand out, going for her shoulder but stopped himself. He coughed. “And Zaner?”

She shook her head. “He’s down for the day.”

“Drat.” That threw his schedule for the day out of whack, but it couldn’t be helped. “Thanks Gloria. I need to get back out there. You’re the best.”

She turned back to Fennel and gave him a radiant smile. His heart melted for a moment. He turned and rushed out of the room, hiding his blushing face. Fennel left the squad hall, passing by the other two supports, Rumi the new girl and Toman the squad’s veteran support, dragging Zaner to the medical office. He tried to help, but they told him to focus on the rest of the squad.

He stood next to Daila, who had already gotten the members of his squad running warm-up exercises. “Sorry about that, ma’am.”

“No issue, Captain. Any problems?”

“Private Heaver is out, Liam, I mean, Private Foster should be up in a few hours. In time for group training. But ma’am. Did you feel his Aura in that fight?”

She gave a curt nod. “But not now, Captain.” She straightened her back. “You may take over here. I will focus on your two young recruits.”

“Aye ma’am.” He saluted as she walked over to the young mages, currently holding a small ball of their respective elemental powers in their palms and sweating profusely.

He looked over to the frontliners who were currently running. “Sem! We’ve been over this. Arms up. Shoulders back.”