Come Back Witch

Vinces took a step closer towards his friend, who didn't seem to be scared by his sudden appearance at all, instead his gaze had a faint undertone of confusion.

He didn't seem happy about his arrival either, as if he wasn't really there himself and was just waiting for something.

Their gazes met each other for only a few moments until Lers finally seemed to react.

"Vinces... It's you. Where have you been?'' His concern sounded genuine, yet something about it came a heartbeat too late, as though he had chosen the expression instead of feeling it. The sudden change in behavior made Vinces stop in his tracks.

But before he could think about it too much, Lers stepped closer to him while opening his arms, inviting him for a hug.

''It must've been hard out here for you. You should come with us back to the village.'' His voice and stance were perfect, nothing different than usual and still Vinces felt something, but he just couldn't grasp it.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he placed the spear onto the ground as he embraced Lers in a warm hug, finally happy to make some progress on his survival and the reassurance that his friends are fine.

Lers too seemed to have gotten stronger; it wasn't unlikely his friends too had been through a lot. As they distanced themselves again, Vinces continued to inspect the uniform of his friend.

His student ID was still hanging on his chest, so it couldn't have been his being left behind in the firepit. Lowering his head, he ignored the question asked from Lers and instead answered with one of his own.

"Where is the rest of our class?'' As he slowly positioned himself close to his spear lying on the ground again. Being ready to grab it at any suspicious movement.

''This was our temporary campsite until we managed to find a way back to the village.'' Lers voice was calm as his gaze wandered the ground, shortly stopping at the skull lying a few meters away.

Vince followed his stare with his eyes, but the lack of reaction at seeing the skull once again filled him with suspicion. It was unlikely for Lers not to question everything; normally, with his extroverted personality, he would've casually or with a joke asked him if he killed somebody.

But his new behavior was different, much more distant, as if they had just met a few times before and not survived hours upon hours of studying.

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"Then why are you here, Lers?'' He asked, keeping his voice as casual as he could, not wanting to give away that he was on guard.

As Lers refused to answer him directly, his suspicion only grew, instead he took his time, waiting several seconds.

''I thought, I have forgotten something.'' He slowly answered into the deafening silence, as he seemed to slowly realize it had made a mistake.

But Vinces still wasn't sure; he knew there were probably mimics out there, but if they had been made by his nightmares, they should be extremely aggressive and not so deceitful.

''This maybe?'' While pointing towards the skull he carried here, staring at Lers face he could see it darkening at his accusation.

While Lers continued to stare at the skull, probably trying to find another excuse, Vinces let out his breath, slowly closing his eyes. He concentrated on his sixth sense, as in the dark world around him a small dark light lingered just where Lers should be standing.

He wished standing in front of him was his friend, but the combination of its lies and his new sense rendering him as a monster, he lost his hope.

Opening his eyes with determination, he only now noticed Lers was staring at him directly as if he wanted to read his thoughts. But it seemed to noticed the change in him, as Lers slowly moved his hands towards his pockets.

Seeing Lers getting ready to fight, Vinces acted like he was about to surrender, holding his hands up into the sky, confusing the mimic, which didn't seem to have anticipated his move and slowly began to let his guard down.

But Vinces wouldn't fall so easily, instead he had already calculated his options to start the fight. He didn't know the power of the adversary, so one clean kill blow would be the most effective way to get out of here.

Raising his hands had only been a preparation to lower his enemy's guard and get himself ready to attack. He slid the tip of his boot beneath the spear's shaft.

With one explosive kick, the weapon leapt from the ground. Meanwhile pain burned through his broken leg, as it wasn't ready to be used at full power yet.

Even in pain, he grabbed the spear from the air with his right hand, watching the confused minic as he thrust it forward towards it, his power great enough to scatter stone easily.

But it didn't reach its intended target, and for a moment his stomach dropped, as thunder shot through the cave and revealing the mimic's ability. Its body moved with speed barely observable to the side, crashing against a wall.

His initial attack had missed and now he was at a disadvantage, with the enemy having survived the surprise attack and being able to use magic; only his weapon allowed him to stand his ground.

The monster seemed to have barely felt its powerful crash, standing immediately again, this time reaching into its pocket and pulling out two short iron daggers filled with runes.

Their standoff didn't last long as another thunderclap shot through the cave, pushing the monster directly at Vinces, who couldn't avoid the attack.

As one of the daggers pierced his arm, he nearly let go of his weapon, instead he simply grabbed the sharp top of the spear with his left hand, pulling it towards himself. The lower end instead started moving away from him in a circle, hitting the mimic's chest directly, sending it flying backwards.

Blood slowly ran down his arm as pain nearly blinded him. He was still debating if he should use magic too, but the risks were just too high against such a mobile foe; any moment of shock or pain could easily cost him his life.

The monster wasn't going to give him another moment to rest instead, it moved forward this time without thunder going through the cave. Trying to close the distance to gain the advantage in weapons too.

Vinces moved his spear in a swinging motion, trying to get the monster away from him. Instead, it simply bent backward with inhuman flexibility, letting it slide over its body.

Still being stuck, with his right arm in the swing, the situation was clear, but instead of trying to gain distance, he committed completely. Using his left arm, he hit the shaft of the spear from above exactly when it flew above the body of the mimic.

The force sent the spear down instead of sideways, forcing the creature to raise its weapons into an X-shaped block. Having stopped the momentum of the beast. Vinces pulled the spear backwards, getting into a fighting stance once more.

Meanwhile, the mimic slowly lowered its body, as if it were about to use the lighting ability once more. Vinces readied himself for its strike, staring at its daggers.

But with the flick of its wrist.

Vinces vision vanished.

As sunlight flashed across the polished daggers.

Blinding Vinces as thunder rang through the cave.