My fingers ached as the strands flew forward. Wrapping around two nearby tree's to provide stability they launched towards the mouth of the mimic. Wrapping teeth and more as I braced for the sudden pull. My feet skidded in the dirt slightly and my arms were partially wretched open, but I held, the mouth of the mimic held open so it couldn't bite down.
I yanked my arms as the mimic was thrown back, hissing as I had stolen one of its prey from inside its jaws.
"H-Hurry up, its heavy and my strings won't hold forever!"
I yelled as I could already feel the twinges of strings snapping.
Selene fell backwards; her body covered in wounds. Kaelen ran to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. He was a bit pale
"Hear me mother of love and family, let your embrace wash over your people and mend their tired bodies before your loving hearth!"
As Kaelen said the prayer Selene's wounds knitted themselves together at a rapid rate, the gouges from the teeth and the acid burns turning back to normal skin, however Kaelen started spitting up blood, small veins bulges all over his body as his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth began to bleed as he stumbled back, gasping in pain.
You have used skill Marionetting fingers(E)
You have restrained the Mimic(E)
Party member Kaelen has used skill Healing prayer(E)
Party member Kaelen only has 17 of the required 25 faith for the skills activation
Party member Kaelen's body has been cannibalized to make up the difference.
Party member Kaelen has taken 16 damage
Selene turned back to Kaelen with a worried look as I realized everyone wasn't taking this fight seriously yet.
"He attacked with lethal force, this isn't Sir Braedon, it's a mimic!"
I yelled as I launched my strings towards Selene, my mana ticking down as I channeled power from my ring to regain more energy. Selene, Aiden, and Liora turned to me with a nod. Selene jumped up, her left arm growing and expanding, purple streaks of color spreading to parts of her face as she lunged forward. Selene's hand shot forward as her fist slammed into the mimic. Its leaned to the side, its foot sliding in the ground as it caught the impact to remain standing, so I yanked my strings, the strike swinging back around to strike again.
The mimic slid back in the dirt, the plates of its armor on its right arm was cracked. Jax rushed in beside Selene, his paw covered in a coating of energy as he slammed it into the mimic's chest. The metal bent in as the mimic flew back trough a tree with a thunderous sound and skidded to a stop. The tree falling to the side of the battle
Party member Selene has used Soulskill Chimeric Surge(C)
Party member Selene's strength is enhanced for the next 20 seconds
Party member Selene has used skill Claws of the Beast(E)
Mimic has taken 20 damage
You have used skill Assisted Strike(E)
Party member Selene attacks again
Mimic has taken 15 damage
Party leader Jax has used skill Iron fist(E)
Mimic has taken 44 damage
Seeing the mimic fly trough the tree, I threw my strings out, the ring was empty and I was down to 48 mana left, so 5 more if I go over my energy limit like Kaelen did. My strings lunged as they began to wrap the mimic up, but as they formed they were snapped.
We were so close to winning, we just needed to hold him down long enough to land the final blow. So I channeled more mana. A skills activation would automatically take an amount of energy from the body, but every bored kid over the age of 10 knows that you can feel the energy in your body and even move it if you concentrate.
So I forced mana into my fingertips, channeling 5, 10, 20 mana into the strings, 3 times as much as normal. More strings shot forward, as the mimic tore 1 I sent two, as it tore 10 I sent 20. It wasn't a hold in the traditional sense, instead I was holding it by forcing it to try to rip the strings away.
"It won't be still long!"
I yelled as Liora and Aiden rushed forward. Liora jumped back into the air, footholds forming of air under her feet as she swung her staff, the air blast flying while Aiden grabbed the leather belt on his shoulder as he yanked the ripcord. His speed increasing as the engine revved to life.
Liora's blast shot forward as the mimic ripped a hand free, striking the hand forcing it back as it tried to reach over and rip the rest of the strings away. Aiden rushed in and thrust his spear into the mimic's chest, the spear emerging out the back of the mimic. There was a moment where excitement rose in everyone as we looked to the system screen to see the announcement of XP and victory.
You have used skill Marionetting fingers(E)
You have overcharged your Marionetting fingers(E) skill, its effect changes
Party member Liora has used skill Soaring Rythme(D) to create a foothold in the air.
Party member Liora's wind magics are bolstered by the skies
Party member Aiden has used item Clockwork Coil(E)
Party member Aiden's senses and body are pushed faster than normal
Party member Liora has used skill Wind Blast(D)
Mimic has taken 40 damage
Party member Aiden has used item Spear of the 7 hunts(D)
Mimic has taken 17 damage
Mimic has stabbed at Aiden
Mimic has stabbed at Aiden
Party member Aiden has taken 15 damage
Party member Aiden has taken 23 damage
WARNING WARNING WARNING: Party member Aiden has fallen unconscious
WARNING WARNING WARNING: Party member Aiden is bleeding out
Aiden slumped where a set of twin spikes of flesh were sticking out of his back like his spear was trough the mimic. SHIT! Kaelen is out of energy and Aiden is the backup healer. I had a healing potion at my side I had made with Aiden's help, but It wouldn't help unless the mimic retracted its spears.
It on the other hand seemed keen to keep them up and use Aiden as a shield, an almost wicked grin emerged as it held Aiden's limp body between itself and Liora. I thrust my hand forward, feeling my blood hiss as my chest and head become wracked with pain as I gave some of my body to get the two more mana for 20 and spent it all on my strings to grab Aiden.
They shot forward wrapping around Aiden and yanked him free. A painful ripping noise sounding as I was silently thankful Aiden was unconscious. Selene rushed forward and caught Aiden, her knees sliding painfully as I could see the stones where she slid covered in a layer of blood where she skinned her legs as she bit her lower lip to prevent a cry of pain of any kind from escaping.
Jax rushed forward. His mouth shot forward as he lunged, his head diving into the mimic's stomach mouth. It began to bite down, but suddenly shuttered as the armor started to crack and fall off and the mimic started to fall apart like a scarecrow bursts into hay when you cut their strings.
You have used skill Marionetting fingers(E)
You have cannibalized your body to gain two mana by taking 4 damage
You have overcharged your Marionetting fingers(E) skill its, effect is changes
Party leader Jax has used skill Iron fist(E)
Mimic has taken 38 damage
You have killed a Mimic(E) + 20,000 XP
We didn't have time to celebrate. I rushed over to Aiden's side where Selene was holding the wound trying to prevent the bleeding as her skill ended as she visibly whittled, her left arm returning to its normal state. I grabbed my potion and the ones on Aiden's side as I poured the contents of my potion in his wound, as I poured his into his mouth to drink.
The wound was graphic, bits of what seemed to be his guts pouring out onto the ground as I gave the potions of two reasons. Unlike healing magic potions can only heal cells that are aware they are damaged. Thus I had to both apply it to the exterior of the wound to close him up, and give it orally so the internal damage would be mended as well.
I checked the system as I noticed that my potions effectiveness was much less then Aidens, but what I was mainly worried about was making it wrong, however it still worked.
You have applied Healing Potion(E) to party member Aiden's wound
Party member Aiden has been healed for 10 HP
You have made party member Aiden drink Healing Potion(E)
Party member Aiden has been healed for 21 HP
Aiden shot up, reaching for his spear as he looked around for a moment before he saw the pile where the mimic had died. Aiden fell back and laid on the grass as I grabbed one of his other healing potions and handed it to Kaelen who looked drained and half dead.
Then again, I wasn't feeling much better. Running to zero on energy was a bad feeling, but using more energy beyond zero was like I was walking through mud, everything felt slightly numb as I felt weak and lightheaded. I sat down next to Aiden as I took a moment to stare up at the sky.
I had done it this time, I haven't failed. My mind drifted back to my home as the unpleasant memories resurfaced. The pleading for people to listen that something was wrong. The dismissive looks I was given. The shattering of wood as the stones moved and quaked.
"Wonder if that mimic had a quest after them."
Jax asked as he laid sprawled out.
"I don't think so."
I said shrugging.
"Plus, I don't think we can take a quest after we have already completed it."
Liora said laying down next to Jax
"Thats so dumb."
Jax said with a sigh
"Agreed"
We all said in response.