Kael POV
The air in Eldrathin had a strange tingle that evening—like electricity before a storm, but… darker. Something was coming. I could feel it through my mana core, through the subtle vibrations of the Mana Construct surrounding me, even through Blue's faint Tempest resonance.
"Brown," I said, narrowing my eyes, "something's wrong."
He floated beside me, hands clasped behind his back, skull tilted in thought. "I smell a visitor. Not ordinary. Not from our world. And certainly… not friendly."
The system pinged:
[NEW ENTITY DETECTED — DEMONIC ORIGIN]
[Threat Level: High — Mimic Specialist]
[Note: Mimicry Skills Unknown]
I frowned. A mimic demon. I had read about them—rare, cunning, dangerous. Unlike most demons that relied on brute strength, mimics copied abilities, fighting styles, and even strategies.
"They don't just attack," I said, feeling the hairs on my neck rise. "They study. They adapt. And if we're not careful…"
"They'll kill," Brown finished for me. His voice, low and deep, carried a gravity that made the shadows shiver.
I activated Mana Construct around myself, extending a protective aura. The Tempest link with Blue shimmered faintly—his energy warning me before the danger even touched our reality.
From the western sky, a black swirl descended. The wind twisted unnaturally around it, carrying a stench of sulfur and decayed flesh. Its shape shifted constantly—sometimes humanoid, sometimes beast, sometimes completely alien. I recognized the telltale signs: a being that could mimic, a predator that learned from every observation.
Seraphelle appeared at my side, wings unfurled, her light piercing the dimness. "Kael, I feel the… inconsistency. It adapts rapidly. Be careful."
I nodded, gripping my blade tighter. "Brown, prepare the Shadow Legion. We may need to test it."
He grinned. "Testing is my specialty."
The mimic demon landed, its form stabilizing into a vaguely humanoid figure with four eyes and jagged wings. Its voice was a distorted echo of my own.
"Kael Eldrath…" it hissed. "I know you. I know your skills. Your Domain. Your Displacement. Your allies. And your secrets."
I tensed. "Brown, it's learning. Watch the undead. Don't let it adapt to them."
"Understood, Master."
I lunged forward. The demon copied my stance instantly, forming an identical mirror of my sword grip. Its movements were faster than normal reflexes—enhanced by observation and mimicry.
I activated Reflection → Displacement, expecting to redirect its blows—but the mimic anticipated it, striking in patterns I had never used before.
Brown's Death Knights surged forward, engaging the demon, but it countered effortlessly, replicating their attack sequences. Even the Shadow Legion struggled to adapt.
"This is… not good," I muttered, recalibrating my Domain Domination. Normally, Domain could bend the battlefield—but this demon manipulated space just enough to slip through, dodging with precision.
Seraphelle's aura flared. "Kael, allow me to shield you!"
She cast a protective barrier around me, bending the mimic's attacks harmlessly into the ground. "Use this! Analyze and strike!"
I gritted my teeth. The demon's mimicry wasn't just physical—it copied mana patterns, skill signatures, even instinctive reactions. Every move I made, it predicted, countered, and evolved.
"Brown," I whispered, "we'll have to bait it. Make it commit to something… predictable."
He nodded. "I have an idea. But it's risky."
I gestured, and Brown split the Shadow Legion into two groups. Half would lure the demon outward, while the other half—and his elite Death Knights—would flank from behind.
The mimic tilted its head, almost amused. "Clever. You think splitting forces will help?"
I smirked despite the tension. "We'll see."
The Shadow Legion surged like a black tide, drawing the mimic toward a narrow canyon. Its body morphed mid-flight, creating spikes and claws in real-time. But it committed to the attack, chasing the decoy legions.
That was the moment.
I activated Domain Domination, the ground bending violently beneath it. Simultaneously, I unleashed Mana Construct, forming multiple replicas of myself to attack from different angles. My blade sliced through the air, lightning arcing from the Tempest resonance of Blue's energy.
The mimic faltered—its rapid adaptations strained under multiple simultaneous variables. Brown and his Death Knights struck from above, shattering the mimic's temporary wings and forcing it to the ground.
Seraphelle's barrier pulsed, amplifying my attacks and preventing the demon from copying my mana patterns. "Now!" she cried.
I channeled all my focus into a single strike. The blade glowed with combined energy—my Domain, Mana Construct, and the lingering Tempest link. I struck.
The mimic screamed—a sound that resonated through bone and soul. Its form twisted violently, unable to keep up with the chaotic, multi-layered attack.
Finally, with a massive explosion of energy, it dissipated into fragments of void and shadow, leaving nothing but a faint echo in the air.
The system pinged:
[Mimic Demon Defeated — Skill Acquisition: Adaptive Combat Lv.1]
[Experience: +180,000]
[Warning: Mimic Fragments May Reform]
I exhaled slowly, lowering my blade. "Brown… we've only delayed it. Mimic demons aren't destroyed so easily."
Brown grinned, despite a few fractures in his cloak from the fight. "Master… I've never been so entertained."
Seraphelle hovered beside me, wings drooping slightly. "Kael… this is only the beginning. The Celestial War's agents are already active. They're learning, watching, preparing. The Mimic Demon is a warning."
I nodded. "Then we'll adapt faster. We'll evolve faster. And we'll protect everything—Eldrathin, REF, my family—before they can touch it."
The wind stirred. The shadows seemed to whisper in the empty valley. But Kael Eldrath, Brown the evolving lich, and Seraphelle the Queen Spirit were ready.
And whatever came next, we would meet it head-on.