Panning back the camera lens here a bit, starting to drop what kind of world we're in and WTF is going on beyond just dungeoning. Very interested in critical feedback going forward, esp. plot and worldbuilding related.
A couple things about this story: (spoiler tag for length, no actual spoilers dropped)
- This is the first multi-chapter story I've ever written. I recently got back into writing after a 17-year hiatus-- I stopped in my teens, back when most of the crap I wrote was formulaic, tropey, and... not very good.
- Mimic was originally a humorous prompt response oneshot, with my intention being to just write chapter one and leave it as a short. I was... encouraged... to keep going on Tumblr by quite a few people after it popped off and this multi-chapter story is the result. I do intend to continue it as an ongoing serial; however I am new to this and a little intimidated at how much it is growing as a narrative. Right now it is being written live on Twitch for the most part. The strength of the narrative is largely thanks to a small but dedicated (and passionate!) group of fellow authors who have provided invaluable ideas and feedback for where this story should go.
- I am currently building out the plot and mechanics of the world. Do I have everything nailed down? HELL NO. Do I intend to try to make this a cohesive story that satisfyingly concludes? HELL YES.
- Mimic, as well as all my writing thus far, is essentially "practice" for a sci-fi novel trilogy I am currently planning / plotting in detail and would like to start (gitgud tryhard) writing in late 2024. While I am not putting my full effort into Mimic (or any of my practice writing) you can expect the current quality level or better going forward. I absolutely hate when quality drops the farther you get into a story and I want to ensure that does not happen here.
- No update schedule as of yet. Sorry. I'd rather slower semi-unpredictable updates than a slow decay or sudden dropoff in the "awesome banger"-ness of the narrative.
- Thank you for reading. I love you. Yes, you.
I stepped from the sloping stone path of the cave and into daylight.
Everything sparkled gold as I passed through the opening that hung in the air, the mimic right behind me. The pale dirt road in front of me was surrounded by a grassy meadow, the sun high in the sky.
I glanced back, excitement rising. I just had to wait for it to—
The opening flashed golden for a split second and no longer showed the cave. Beyond it was the stone wall of another dungeon, a sputtering torch half-visible.
It would be even cooler if I could control it. Higher-level dungeon monsters could– the chimeras definitely could– which was part of why just walking into a dungeon gateway without weapons at the ready was so dangerous.
I was tempted to stand there and watch the destination rotate some more, but I really did want to head back home. I turned and started towards a signpost stuck into the ground about a quarter mile away, mimic following faithfully behind.
We made good time. The signpost had two narrow boards nailed to it; one pointed back the way I came and said “DUNGEONS.” The other pointed out to a valley between the green rolling hills. It read “HOOHAM”
I turned to the mimic behind me, adjusting the straps on my pack from where they were cutting into my shoulders.
“Hey.” I said. “You can’t come with me.”
The mimic stared at me. I stared back.
“Look.” I said. “You eat people. I mean, you haven’t eaten me, and I appreciate that, but you do eat people. Nobody is going to be chill if I show up in town with you following me.”
I paused and looked down at myself. My suede tunic had more ragged holes than fabric. The lower half of my right boob was just hangin’ out there in full view. Not exactly the best look for going into town, not when I was dealing with both American and Revellionan propriety.
I looked over at the mimic.
“Hey.” I said. “Kinda a long shot, but do you have a shirt I can wear in there?”
It started coughing.
“No.” I said. “No, I was kidding. N—”
It spat out a pile of fabric and sat back looking inordinately pleased with itself.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I said to the general air around me. “This is bullshit.”
I stooped down and picked it up, shaking it out. It was sticky and covered in spit, but it was recognizably a woman’s crop top. The material looked natural. Linen, maybe.
I thought back to the hand around the arcane wand, glancing down at it still stuck in my pants. I guess I should have… shuddered? Or felt bad. Maybe even been horrified that I had stolen this dead woman’s weapon and her clothes.
I didn’t really care, though; she was dead. I wasn’t.
“Thanks.” I said to the mimic. “You’re useful as hell.”
It radiated smugness.
The fabric was gross, though. I really didn’t want to wear it as-is and I needed to at least rinse off both it and myself before putting it on.
Fortunately, there was a bridge on the way to town.
It took thirty minutes to get there, the mimic following me the whole way. Repeated exclamations of “dude, stop!” and “seriously, you cannot come with me,” did nothing. Which was total bullshit, because it clearly understood english.
The bridge was high above the placid river, whole-log and covered, single-lane. Really pretty. There was a small rock path to one side that I took down to the slow-moving water.
I stripped off my boots and suede pants and jumped in.
A moment later I flung the remains of my tunic on the rocks as well. Ah, skinny-dipping. Just like old times, except not at all like old times because I’d never done it to get the remains of my own lungs off my skin before.
I was using sand from the bottom to scrub off dried blood and other bits when the bridge rumbled above me.
“Shit!” I hissed. I was under the bridge, the mimic nestled to the side up on the rocks of the riverbank, out of sight. “Fuck. Fuck!” I turned and stared at it. “You. Can’t. Be here.” I ground out. “Fuck. Why did I let you follow me?!”
It stared hard at me as I panicked, splashing a little.
The rumbling stopped two-thirds of the way across. Directly above me.
“Oh FuckFuckFuck…” I hissed to myself, looking around.
“Maiden?” A male voice called from above. “Did you fall in? Do you req— Ahhhhhhgh!”
Great.
I looked up. A man’s upper torso was hanging over the side of the bridge. He had his eyes covered with his hand.
“Forgive me!” he shouted. “I— I was unaware you were bathing!” I don’t think he meant for me to hear his mutter: “Fool! The water is calm and slow, of course she is only indisposed, you scoundrel…”
I winced and crouched down in the water so it came just above my navel. “It’s cool!” I shouted back. “We’re good! I’m, uh, decent!”
He made a ‘V’ with his hand and glanced at me out of one eye, then took his hand away. “I apologize.” he yelled. “You are bathing. I— I will go. Good day to you.”
“Yeah man, no probs!” I yelled back. “Just got kinda gross from the dungeons, it’s no big. You have a great one now!” The rumbling started up again. I didn’t stop staring at the underside of the bridge until it faded into the distance.
Poor guy probably wouldn’t stop being mortified for a few hours; anything visible from navel to knees was a serious no-no on this side unless you were actively doing the dirty with someone. And also very married. To them.
I turned back to give the mimic a piece of my mind about how close that had been.
It was gone.
I panicked. Flailing, splashing, the works. My naked ass was scrambling up those rocks like a demented little monkey, in full “ohshit” mode.
Because it was my fault. This thing ate people and I had taken it out of the dungeon dimension it was in and brought it here. If it ate somebody, it was… kind of completely my fault.
I mean, it was the mimic’s fault, but it was also kind of my fault.
I stood up on the rocky riverbank under the bridge, panic-stricken, buck-ass naked, and stopped.
A full coin pouch made out of heavy-duty leather was sitting on a rock right where the mimic had been. I looked at it sharpish.
Either I had the worst fucked-up luck and a huge problem, or…
“Mimic?” I asked, feeling real stupid about talking to a leather pouch on the ground. “Buddy? Chest? Please be you.”
It shivered hard once, then went still.
“Oh my God.” I said, feeling limp and loose as all at once my brain quit dumping adrenaline into my body. “Holy shit. Warn me next time!”
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Thank you for writing. This has been a blast to read already.
Funny comedy, thanks for the chapters