Bonds are like rituals. One that sends your body into a deep ocean, and all the water around is trying to eat away at you. I'll never forget the pain of a bond forged through death.
Milo knocked Flio's bread out of his hand as he stood up. Flio stared at the bread for a second.
He picked it up and shoved the whole loaf in his mouth.
"Whuss na matter, kid?" Flio mumbled with his mouth full as he looked at the boy.
"Godda piss?"
"A-"
Milo couldn't seem to get the words out.
Flio could see the sweat begin to form on his face, and Elias turned to see what the matter was about. One by one, the men turned to face the boy.
"Do you..."
The mimic opened its eyes.
Elias' eyes widened in response.
He raised his hand to stop the boy.
"Milo. No." His voice was calm.
"Do you count..."
"Milo, stop!"
"...as a person?"
Elias ran over to the boy and grabbed him by his collar.
"Do you have a death wish? Do you want to die?! Huh?!"
"I-"
Milo looked around at the others. Their expressions mirrored a similar disdain for his actions.
Chewed bread spilled out of Flio's mouth as his jaw hung open.
Elias threw the boy onto his butt and walked over to his gear, took hold of the sword's handle, and turned to the boy.
A familiar voice stopped him.
"Yes. Zero questions remaining."
Everyone turned to the mimic.
And then to Milo.
Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at the group. The red moonlight reflected on the surface.
"W- What does that mean, Milo?" Jackson asked.
Milo rubbed his eyes with one sleeve while he pointed with his other hand. The group followed his direction and looked where he was pointing.
The mimic.
Everyone sat in silence for a while.
Ralph broke the silence first.
"I don't get it. I say we sacrifice the kid to the Gods and hope for the best," he shrugged.
He stood and began walking towards the boy. Hands flew up to stop him.
"Aye aye aye," they said in unison.
Everyone had jumped to block his path.
Jackson broke from the barrier and walked over to Milo. He knelt.
"Milo, tell us what you were thinking."
Milo didn't say a word. He simply walked over to the mimic and picked it up.
He took one arm out from underneath it and began pointing at the top of the creature as brown slime oozed down his body.
"One. Two. Three. Four."
He looked up, but no one knew how to respond—no one but Elias.
He sheathed his sword.
"I see."
The others looked to him in confusion.
Elias sighed, "Milo solved the mimic's game. We cross four at a time."
"Correct," the mimic confirmed.
Jackson seemed to pick up the hint second.
"Four pairs of eyes, four mouths, four noses," Jackson whispered.
"Ahhhh," the rest of the group echoed.
"But, there are only nine of us. How are we supposed to cross in groups of four?" Conrad asked.
Elias turned to Milo, seemingly giving him the chance to explain.
The boy nodded.
"The mimic was supposed to be one of the people crossing with us. We started with eleven; add the mimic, and it equals twelve. Three groups of four."
"Well, I'll be damned," whispered Ralph.
The group congratulated Milo on his achievement and quickly packed up to cross.
Milo shoved the mimic in his satchel. He joined Jackson and Flio as the second group to cross. Elias told the group it would take at least a day, but the trap would dissolve once it was solved, so at least one person was forced to stay behind.
"Why not wait it out then? Y'know, once one group crosses?" Flio asked.
"Mimics can warp space pretty well," Elias nodded toward the bridge.
"We don't actually know how far this bridge will take us, and completing the mission is top priority. Four more, along with the advancing group, could be the deciding factor against fighting a more dangerous monster and completing this task."
A lack of objections seemed to signify agreement within the group.
"I'll stay," a man named Piers volunteered.
"Me too," another chimed in, "it's better to have two stay back than one alone."
As they watched the first group step off the bridge, Jackson, Milo, and Flio began walking across with the mimic in Milo's satchel.
A couple of steps onto the bridge, Milo flinched.
The sound of something cutting through the air made him turn to Flio in the back.
Flio looked up at Milo as an arrow pierced through his chest.
"Shit! Run!" Piers shouted as a horde of goblins stormed towards the entrance of the bridge.
The two men did their best to keep the goblins away, but were soon overwhelmed.
Milo ran to Flio.
Briefly, Milo stopped and looked at Flio's face. It took everything he had to stop himself from crying.
Still breathing.
With every ounce of strength he had built over the past week, Milo strained to haul Flio upright. Veins popped out of his legs as he finally stood him up. He wrapped Flio's arm around his neck and walked across the bridge as fast as he could.
I can hear his heartbeat. That's good. Or is that mine? I can't tell anymore.
Why is everything moving so slowly?
Jackson reached out to help Milo carry Flio.
His hand. It's like it's moving through water. Jackson, hurry! Why are you moving so slowly? Do you not care about Flio? Move faster!
Please!
Milo raised his hand to meet Jackson's. Their fingers were centimeters apart.
The others were holding back Elias as he tried to force his way onto the bridge. Milo couldn't hear what he was screaming. Everything was muffled.
He... looks sad.
The step of a goblin onto the first plank sped everything back up.
"No!" Jackson screamed.
The scene changed in an instant.
They were all in a dark room, hidden from the moon's red glow. Torches left a soft reflection on the damp walls. The light wasn't enough to see perfectly, but it was enough to navigate.
Jackson was still screaming by the time he realized it was too late. His voice trailed off.
Rage filled every bone in his body. The goblin snarled in the corner.
He stepped forward to kill it, but was hit across the room by something behind him.
"Augh!"
Jackson crashed into the wall.
He stood to face his opponent, but was sent to the ground, coughing blood
"Shit," he whispered.
"Milo!"
Milo stayed focused on Flio, whom he had laid on the floor.
"Milo!"
He snapped out of his trance and whipped his head to Jackson.
"Take care of the goblin while I deal with the orc."
The boy looked up to see a large, leathery beast. Its belly was round, and its body was partially clothed in scraps. A large wooden club sat in its left hand. It cast a sharp gaze at Jackson and let out a deep roar.
Jackson charged, weapons clashing.
Despite its size, the orc was fast. Its speed matched Jackson's movements.
Jackson's hurt.
It was going to be a close battle.
Milo laid Flio's head down on the ground as he turned to the small green creature.
He reached for his waistband, but stopped himself. He looked down at Flio and then at the goblin.
Amy, Paul, Garrison, Leena, Mikey, Lee, Julia, Leo...
He clenched his teeth and clicked his tongue. Milo raised his guard and stared into the beast's eyes. The boy screamed and charged forward.
"Rahhh!"
The goblin met his ferocity and charged as well.
Milo's eyes began to splotch with black, obscuring his vision. Each punch and claw the goblin threw felt like nothing. Milo felt the impact, but not the pain. They were weak, or maybe he couldn't feel anything due to the adrenaline.
The goblin thrashed like an animal in a cage, throwing his fists around recklessly. As rapid as they were, none compared to Elias' speed in Rings.
Milo didn't bother staying out of range or blocking. He met animal with animal.
Claws ripped across his stomach and arm, but he ignored them. They exchanged blows until Milo bashed the creature's left eye with his fist.
"Rwuah!" It let out a high-pitched scream and stumbled back.
Milo charged and kicked downward, breaking the goblin's ankle.
Before the goblin could fall, Milo kept it upright with a left hook.
The goblin collapsed to the ground. Its breath was shaky, and its face was bloodied. Tears streamed down its face.
Milo panted as he looked down on the beast.
He didn't reach for his knife.
It looked at him through one eye as Milo raised his leg and slammed it down.
The goblin gasped for air as the breath was knocked out of him. Over and over. Stomping and stomping again. And soon, the stomps turned to cracking, and then to sounds of crushing bone.
Each crunch only made Milo stomp harder and harder. He grunted with each.
In one swift motion, he stomped with all his weight, pulled out the knife, and stabbed the goblin in the skull.
Limp.
Milo fell to his knees and screamed to the sky as tears streamed from his face.
"AUGHHHH!"
He held the scream as long as he could.
His voice cracked as he began to sob.
"I'm..." he gasped, "...sorry."
His body was shaking uncontrollably. Both hands were covered in blood, and his knuckles swelled purple. The stomping tore his right shoe, and the bottom of his foot hurt.
He sat back on his butt and looked at the sole of his shoe.
His fingers trembled as he slowly pulled a shard of bone from his foot.
A dim light caught his attention as he threw it aside.
He wiped his face and tried his best to stop the tears.
Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the light. A small orb floated above the goblin's chest. It had a blue aura and a white center. Blue essence floated around like a wisp of fire.
Even though pain radiated through his body, his mind became engulfed by the orb.
As he stared intently, he raised his hand to touch it.
Suddenly, the orb shot itself into his chest, and Milo screamed.