Chapter III

Mimic : A creature who can polymorph into an object and back into its true form. A well known predator who uses this skill to trap and devour its prey. Luring in whoever it can to make them its next meal. They have no moral code and can be highly aggressive when hungry.

Axl and Soren were called to the alps of Ashval Notch to a cabin called Moribund. Records say that the cabin was built in the late 1950s. The inside walls varied in different shades of browns, yellows, and greens with accents of gold and burnt orange. Up against the far wall is a brick fireplace with two wooden bear statues on each side of it. On the pine floor is a circular patterned rug in the center of the room. A single faded leather recliner is arranged in front of the fireplace, providing its visitors somewhere to relax. The room is lit by hanging lanterns suspended from the ceiling.

It’s everything you would expect out of a potential rental in the Alps. Down in the basement is something very particular. Where a padlocked door and warning signs are plastered over the door and the surrounding walls. Even with the signs enforced by the owner, people were still disappearing. This is the reason why the owner of Moribund contacted them.

The elderly lady introduced herself as Marilee Ellery, seventy-two years old, a local of Ashval Notch. Marilee then went on to explain that in the past few years of renting her cabin, those people had gone missing. The police had searched the place top to bottom. All except the room with the warning signs. The previous owner had even warned her to never open the room and to keep the signs up.

Axl had asked if the previous owners explained why it was locked up. Marilee had answered that she hadn’t, and as far as she knew, it had never shown signs of being opened. Marilee didn’t know who else to turn to since she had been pressured so much by the grieving families who only wanted closure. Axl understood and agreed to help her out. She told him where to find a hidden set of keys to get inside and wished them good luck.

When they arrived, both were dressed from head to toe in winter wear so they could brave the cold chill of the air and snow. Soren gathered up their ears while Axl searched for the hidden key outside and opened the door. As he stepped aside for Soren to go in first, Axl noticed that the nameplate on the cabin next to the entrance was hanging loose. Axl wondered if there had been a survivor who left from this place without contacting Marilee or the police. When he stepped inside and shut the door, Soren walked up to him, a look of confusion on his face.

“Axl, do you know what we’re dealing with?” Soren asked.

“Yeah, I know what it is down there…I think.” Axel answered.

Axl walked over to their supplies and began dragging things out, scratching the back of his head. Soren was flabbergasted and pinched the bridge of his nose. Out of the two of them, Axl was the one who was the researcher of the two. Gathering all the information they needed. Soren was the guy who stabbed things. If Axl was wrong or made a mistake, both of them could end up dead or missing, just like the people before them.

The air became stale, almost suffocating, making it hard to breathe. There was a creak below their feet as if someone was walking up the stairs. A mix of voices blended together soon flowed up with it. They were a mixture of cries for help and screams of pain. That made both Axl and Soren visibly shiver, sharing a knowing look that whatever was down there knew they were there.

Soren was the first one to descend the stairs with Axl right behind him. As they opened the basement door, the voices stopped, and the smell of something metallic and rancid invaded their nostrils. Soren swallowed the bile creeping up his throat and crouched to cough and spit the sour taste out of his mouth. Axl’s eyes watered as he covered his nose with his sleeve. He saw the door with the signs as Marilee had described; this room held the predator inside.

Axl remembered that his father was obsessed with Mimics. They use voices to lure people into a false sense of security. It would explain why no one was able to open the padlock of the basement, as it was part of the polymorph itself. How long had it been down here in order to make itself into an entire room? “Soren, I want you to take the lead.” Axl instructed, stepping aside and holding out two items in his hands.

“I beg your finest pardon?” Soren stood wiping his mouth with his jacket sleeve as he stood next to Axl, grabbing both items from his hands. “This is a liquid nitrogen grenade and spray can. Use the spray on the lock and toss the grenade inside.” said Axl. Mumbling about it being unfair and how he was supposed to work in these conditions, Soren pocketed the grenade and picked up a metal pipe next to the door before spraying the padlock. It froze instantly, giving him time to step back and swing the metal pipe with all the strength he could muster and smash the lock. The door slowly creaked open, the light inside flickered on, showing the contents within.

On the floor of the room were scattered bones and blood-soaked clothing. The room itself pulsed, and a clear, watery fluid dripped from the ceiling. “Well, now we know where the missing people went.” Soren muttered, digging the grenade out of his pocket. “When you pull that pin…it will activate the salt inside. So you will have to slam the door shut that way the fire won’t spread.” Axl explained. Soren furrowed his brow. “What are you going to do, give it heartburn?” he remarked sarcastically.

Putting the plan into action, Soren pulled the pin, hearing it begin to sizzle, and threw it inside. He slammed the door using the metal pipe to prop it up with his hand. As the compressed element leaked, merging with the salt, it began to heat the sensitive lining of the mimic’s stomach, causing a cacophony of voices and sounds to bellow out. A wailing roar caused the door to rattle as if it were trying to escape from the fire that began to spread. Axl and Soren rushed up the stairs, shutting the door at the top.

“Let’s give it some time before going to check if it’s dead. Then we’ll call Marilee and the Huntsman Pyro Control Unit.” said Axl, sitting down on the recliner. Soren nodded and sat across from him on the floral couch, listening to the voices slowly die down. He wondered if a mimic knew how to play dead, especially one with such high intelligence. “I know that look…I bet you’re wondering if we really defeated the mimic or not.” said Axl, looking at the focused expression on his partner’s face. Broken from his thoughts, Soren met Axl’s gaze, rubbing the back of his neck, ashamed he’d actually zoned out instead.

“Actually...I was wondering if it was possible if mimics could play dead.”

Axl laughed a smile forming on his lips.

"Young mimics do so as a defense mechanism, but not the older ones.”

Soren felt his cheeks heat up and hung his head. He felt embarrassed that he wasn’t good at identifying monsters like Axl. Soren was the muscle after all, not the one who mixed the potions and made the ammunition for his weapons. Axl did that while Soren would build any type of monster-slaying device they needed. “Axl…I was wondering if sometime you could teach me about the monsters we hunt.” Soren asked, rubbing his hands on his knees.

“Only if you teach me how you make your weapons.” Axl responded, standing up and holding out his hand to Soren, who happily shook it before letting his partner help him to his feet. Enough time had passed, and Axl took out his phone, calling Marilee and the Huntsman Pyro Control Unit. The HPCU beat Marilee there, and so both Axl and Soren acted as a distraction till they were done. Axl received a text that the remains had been cleaned up and disposed of, and what was left to identify was being transported to labs. He sighed in relief, showing Soren, who was thankful that the families would soon have closure.

Marilee thanked them for their help and was happy to know they found out what was going on. Axl told her that a carpenter they knew would be by to make the repairs to the room. For now, they would stay out of the cabin till the work was done. Since one mimic had been spotted in the area, then it must mean that there was a nest nearby, and thus wards would have to be placed. That would ensure that an unfortunate accident like this wouldn’t happen again.