Chapter 97: The Mimic Part 2

Jasmine: “Are you guys trying to die or are you just unlucky?”

Nathan: “Anais isn’t with us, so probably the latter.”

The large deer staggered to its feet. Now with half of its left antler gone, it became enraged. It was much bulkier and larger than any deer Nathan knew and with its black and red fur, it was a menacing sight. However its antlers were white and seemed to have a slight glow to them, it was strange offset to the more dread-inducing sight of the actual body and it growled and bared its teeth like a dog as it stared them down with an insane expression. Nathan was thinking that when several more of the creatures, jumped out of the woods, looking to charge at them at any moment.

Ash: “This won’t take long.”

Jasmine: “No wait, this is the herd Zane was looking for.”

Nathan: “Zane wanted these things?”

Jasmine: “Mr. Fynel, commissioned us for this reason, he wanted to gather their antlers for profit. There worth a ton of money if you can get them the right way.”

Ash: “Ah say no more.”

Ash unsheathe his weapons and took off, as did the Hart that had its antler chopped off. With its powerful charge, it closed that gap between them fast, but with ‘Hyper Reflexes’ Ash reacted faster.

Jasmine: “NO WAIT DON’T!”

Ash slashed at the Hart several times, its body falling to the ground mid-charge and slowly its life faded away. Ash smirked at his handy work and while keeping an eye on the rest of the herd. Seeing their companion so easily slain, caused the herd to think twice about charging the group.

Ash: “What the hell is this?”

The once white, glowing majestic-looking antlers that once were set atop the Broken Hart, had become dull and black.

Jasmine: “I swear, would you two just listen to me? I was trying to tell you, the antlers only shine when they’re cut off, while the beast is still alive. The Antlers are like that to the creature’s mana and there is no mana without a life-force. If you kill it, no more mana.”

Nathan: “Who cares if its dead?...it, along with the rest of them, are currently blocking our path.”

Jasmine: “I do, like I said we need them to complete our request.”

Nathan: “Well that not really our problem, these things are about to charge and really don’t have the luxury to try an’ keep them alive.”

Nathan grew his plants, ready to fire at the deer. He’d had enough on his plate with the trial, Iris’s condition and being hunted by the mimic; which he was damn sure was still following them. He didn’t have the time to worry about others’ problems. Even though she did save him earlier, he didn’t have the time to repay that debt right now.

Jasmine: “No wait please, just let me hunt them for a bit, just to gather enough antlers. Then you could do whatever you want.”

Nathan: “I really can’t.”

Ash: “Nathan just let her do it.”

Nathan: “Ash, are you kidding with me right now?”

Ash: “I’m not saying we have to stay, just use your plants to hoist them up into the air. Their out of our way and she can stay here and hunt them.”

Ash then moved in close so only Nathan can hear.

Ash: “Besides, you and I both know, the Mimic is still out there and with her around, we can’t out-run it. The Mimic should follow us if we leave and she will be safe to gather.”

Nathan looked over to Jasmine, she was pleading with her eyes, for him not to kill them all. Nathan looked down to Iris, who had fallen back to sleeping and sighed out loud. Then with a wave of his hand his Snyare plants shot forward. The Harts, let out noises and one by one there were hurled into the air, before vine after vine entangled them.

They struggled to free themselves but the more they struggle the tighter Nathan had his plants squeezed. After a little while the deer lost consciousness and Nathan turned to Jasmine who was elated.

Nathan: “There this should make up for saving us earlier.”

Jasmine: “Thank you so much, this will do just nicely.”

Jasmine pulled out a knife and began the process of removing the Antlers from the deer. She raised the knife into the air and then with one quick slash, cut off the antler.

Nathan: “Well, you have fun, we gotta go.”

Jasmine: “What…you don’t want any of these? I wasn’t planning on taking them all…”

Nathan: “Its fine, just keep them, with this we’re even.”

Jasmine: “Well if you’re sure, see-ya then.”

Nathan: “Yup.”

With a wave of his hand, Nathan and Ash left Jasmine to her work, allowing them to assumingly lead the Mimic away.

-===-

Nathan: “Finally, we’re back on track.”

Since leaving Jasmine behind, Nathan and Ash were able to cover more ground and soon they had made it back to their original path.

Ash: “See, traveling through the trees is much faster.”

Nathan: “How was it Iris, was it too bumpy?”

Iris: “Not at all, it was rather exhilarating I’d have to say.”

Nathan: “Then I guess you’re feeling better, the red in your face is gone as well.”

Nathan smiled down as he looked Iris over, she seemed to be getting better. She still was to weak to fly, but was a minor concern. The red in her face had gone away and she stopped drifting in and out of consciousness, it seems liked the worsed had pass, just like Ash said it would.

Ash: “Though I gotta say the few times when you slipped or missed a branch was really funny.”

Nathan: “Don’t laugh, it’s a fricking rainforest, of course its slippery, but I’m surprised you caught onto that, since every time that happened, Iris caught me.”

Iris: “Ah.”

Nathan: “Don’t ‘ah’ me, even if you’re feeling better, don’t over-exert yourself for something so silly as this.”

Iris: “What if you would have fallen?”

Nathan: “You know I wouldn’t.”

Iris: “But, ah, Master stop.”

Nathan started to playfully hammer her on her head with his chin, Iris using her hands to hold his chin up, only to sink into his clothes from the wait. She resurfaced only to have him do it again. Iris using her abilities would another good sign of recovery, so he wasn't truly upset, but found it fun to tease her all the same.

Nathan: “No buts, no more of that until you’re feeling better.”

Ash: “Nice to see you guys flirting again.”

Nathan: “Who’s flirting?”

Ash ignored Nathan’s retorts and turn and search the tree line behind them.

Ash: “Do you think it’s still out there?”

Nathan: “I don’t doubt it if what Jasmine said was true, then there’s absolutely no way it wouldn’t keep chasing us. Actually, she knew an awful lot about it.”

Ash: “Yeah but ‘Threat Detection’ stopped a while ago.”

Nathan: “That just means, it’s no longer within range to attack.”

Iris: “……………. Could it have found a new target?”

Nathan: “Who else would it target, Jasmine?”

Ash: “Yeah, right?”

When Nathan and Ash ran the thought through their minds, it could actually be the case. They’re ‘Threat Detection’ stopped soon after leaving her behind, but they thought it was of how much ground they were covering and that the Mimic simply couldn’t keep up and was just lagging behind. Nathan and Ash looked toward one another as they both came to a stop, both looking really nervous.

Nathan: “No, no, no, that can’t be it right, she said that it hounds for treasure? And who has more treasure then me?”

This wasn’t Nathan being conceded, from what he took with him from the study and what he took from Gideon’s vault, he held a king’s ransom in gold, jewels, weapons and many other valuables. There was no doubt that he was the most valuable target for the Mimic.

Iris: “Yes, but what’s to say the Mimic even knows what you have inside of the inventory? The Spatial-Rend gem is a space all its own, wouldn’t it be hard to detect? With it being inside our Insignia’s, no one should even been aware of its existence?”

That was another fair point, the inventory is activated through our Insignia’s and without prior knowledge, no one should know about it.

Ash: “Well, she doesn’t have anything of real value back there, right?”

Nathan: “R-Right.”

Nathan and Ash stood still thinking, only moving once Iris spoke.

Iris: “Didn’t she say, the antlers she was harvesting from those creatures were very valuable? Could they be a reason it goes after her?”

Boys: “SHIT!...”

Nathan and Ash tore off running back the way they came. Solidifying their worries, their ‘Threat Detection’ ability did not go active, meaning the Mimic was not following them.

Ash: “Ah, so stupid…what were we thinking? Of course it would target her.”

Nathan: “No it’s my fault, I was in such a rush, I wasn’t thinking things through.”

Iris: “Now is not the time for that, you must quickly return to help her.”

Boys: “Right.”

Nathan and Ash leapt up to the tree tops and took off back in the direction, praying that they would get there in time.

-==-

Jasmine: “Shit, shit, shit, why is it still following me?” It was just supposed to be a simple antler gathering?”

Jasmine sped through the forest, at full sprint as she tried to escape with the bag of Hart antlers on her back. She glanced back, hearing some rustling, but saw nothing. Her breath had grown heavy and she felt like falling over, but she couldn’t afford to stop, even if she couldn’t see it; she knew it was there and still hot on her trail.

Then she heard it, the sound of something charging toward her, coming in fast. She quickly grabbed her bow and fired just as a shadow leaped out of the bushes. To her surprise, the shadow screamed in pain, stopping to see what she shot, she found a Broken Hart laying on the ground after the arrow penetrated its side. Then another Hart jumped out of the bushes and leaped over its friend before heading directly at Jasmine. She quickly nocked her bow but stopped when she realized the Hart had no intention of confronting her, it was fleeing and there could only be one thing it was running from.

*Gooooorrggggghhhhh*

Turning back around, Jasmine was met with a magnificently frightening sight. Where the Hart once was, now set a gold and red chest, causing a small ruckus. Inside of the chest currently was the Hart, slowly being chewed to bits. The grotesque sound of flesh being ripped apart and the sound of the Hart screaming in pain as it wresltled around inside of the Mimic. The scene gave Jasmine renewed strength as she begun to run away.

Taking one look back at the Mimic, still fight-eating its current meal, before she doubled her efforts to escape, unless she wanted to end up like the Harts that were unable to escape the vines. She cursed herself for not listening to them, she was crying about them not listening and she turned around and did the same thing.

*Goooorrrrrrrggggghhhhhhh*

With that scream she realized the Mimic had finished its meal and now returned to hunting her. She didn’t know when it would attack, all she could do was prey that she got to a clearing, before the Mimic got to her.