[Note: I will be using Third Person POV for fights in chapters like this.]
It was larger than the ones Clovis could remember.
He stared at it. Was it fear? Maybe. No— Normally, he wouldn't even be afraid of demonic beasts like this. He'd just wear them down—hit their weak points, retreat and repeat until it dropped.
But just like his regression, his mind couldn't fully process it—this thing wasn't supposed to exist anywhere near here. Yet here it was.
Not to mention, this was a different variant—one Clovis had never encountered in his previous life. It still had the same features: an exposed ribcage, and flesh dripping from its rotting frame.
And its exposed ribcage rattled with every step, producing a low, eerie sound—like a child's laughter. That's where the name came from—
The Mocking Ghoul.
This variant was unusually tall and slim—but what truly cemented its name was what it did once it found its prey.
It would open its mouth with a low growl, and its withered, skull-like face would stretch into something awful—an expression that almost looked like a grin.
Ysinia found herself curious. She could sense something strange in its mana—something she couldn't explain in words. It didn't feel as oppressive as it looked.
But seeing Clovis afraid, she raised her hand, even with her body starved of energy—this was nothing she couldn't kill.
... I couldn't let him be afraid of that. Don't wanna burden him further.
This time, she didn't bother drawing from the environment—it would take too long. She reached for her own but Clovis grabbed her wrist. The grip was shaky, but enough to stop her. She blinked, caught off guard, and looked at him.
"Huh?"
It was an unstable grip but it did stop her. Clovis wasn't gonna let Ysinia make a mistake this time, not when that mistake will actually cost them their lives.
"... Save... that for later. Until I tell you to do so."
Clovis knew it would be a wasted effort—and would drain her remaining mana. Still, she couldn't help but wonder: why was he so afraid of something like this?
But that thought didn't last long as the beast opened its mouth even wider forming an even bigger grin.
"... Save... that for later. Until I tell you to do so."
Then, in a distorted but eerily familiar voice, it repeated Clovis's words. Clovis and Ysinia gulped as the beast started moving again in a slow predatory like manner.
While doing so, it repeated Clovis's words making For the first time, Ysinia felt a twinge of unease. What... was this thing?
Clovis hurled sticks and debris, anything just to startle—even knowing it wouldn't work, then yanked Ysinia by the waist.
"Friend!?" Ysinia yelped.
That sudden reaction of desperation alone prompted the beast to swim across the river. It confirmed that they're prey.
Taking a glance behind them, Ysinia couldn't believe her eyes. The beast swam unnaturally fast despite its rotting frame—almost like water was its natural habitat.
Clovis knew this absurd adaptability from such creature as he decided to go deeper in the northwest instead, trying to trace back their earlier paths.
How the hell am I supposed to fight that thing with this shitty body this early!?
He couldn't panic. Not now. Not when the wrong move meant death. But what else can he do against this thing without proper equipment?
Behind them, the beast had already crossed the river as it let out the same rattling sound making the hair on Clovis's skin stand up.
There's no time to hide nor climb anything, they wouldn't even be given the luxury of time to do so.
Looking around the area, he couldn't find any place to hide since all the trees here are thin but what scared him the most—
Is the fact that demonic beast suddenly disappeared and it isn't making the same sound anymore. It had entered its third phase, he definitely couldn't protect Ysinia this time.
This thing's mutated variant. There's no way a Mocking Ghoul would disappear immediately unless it got into a comfortable... distance...
Clovis paused for a moment as Ysinia looked up to him, this time expressing concern.
And the worst part? He had forgotten one of the Ghoul's most unsettling traits.
They don't outright kill you, since they're rotting—anything they consume isn't for food.
It's out of wanting to psychologically kill its prey.
"Ysinia. Have you recovered enough mana?"
Before Clovis could take a glance at Ysinia, she yelled.
"Watch out!"
The demonic beast came from the left side attempting to strike them both with its long talons when Clovis was unaware.
Thankfully enough—Ysinia had created a magic barrier around them but it clearly showed that she's taking a slight strain.
Immediately after, Clovis took a step back before bolting away while the beast was stalled by the barrier.
He ran as fast as he possibly can while holding Ysinia tightly as to not let her fall—even she is groaning.
I should've fed her a lot, damnit!
Passing by multiple trees, Clovis finally found a suitable one to hide, not so big it'd be obvious, not so small they couldn't squeeze behind it.
A sudden idea struck his mind as he placed Ysinia behind the tree, making her rest there.
"... Uhn..."
She lets out a weak groan, her eyes half-lidded.
"Hey, don't sleep now on me, listen closely."
Clovis shook Ysinia slightly, causing her to snap back in reality—it seems that her stamina is at the verge of giving up especially when using that barrier to stall a beast like that.
"... Wait..."
Her voice is barely above a whisper, almost to the point of incomprehensible. Even if Clovis felt a bit guilty making her do this—this would be their only chance for survival.
"How long do you need to create an arrow like what I did last time? That would be sufficient."
Ysinia looked to the side before closing her eyes, nearly dozing off.
"... 2... minutes."
Clovis gulped as he heard that answer, just 2 minutes. If he could stall for just thwt time, they would be safe.
Exhaling slowly as he placed a hand over Ysinia's shoulder before giving her a straight look in the eye.
"Listen to me, I won't repeat myself for a second time, Ysinia. I'll buy some time for you to cast that magic."
Even when she's weakened, Ysinia held onto Clovis's arm not wanting to let him go at all because in her eyes, that'd be suicide.
"... Don't."
She uttered trying to hold onto him but Clovis already decided that if they want to get out of here alive—they must kill that thing at all cost.
Even if one of them dies in the process, the other must live regardless.
"Hit it where you think it's the most vulnerable. Trust me."
With those final words, Clovis freed himself and stepped in front of what seemed to be an open clearing that is obvious for the Mocking Ghoul to spot.
*This will be the longest two minutes of my life.*
CRACK!
Immediately, Clovis was greeted immediately by what sounded like a loud bang, barely turning his head to see a blur of rot and rattling bones coming from the one of the trees.
"Son of—!"
He ducked—just in time. A claw tore strands of his hair loose. A second slower, and he'd have been headless.
The force of its leap caused the tree to break and send some splinters flying.
There's no way he's dodging that insane speed with a second chance.
As soon as it vanished, Clovis threw himself behind another trunk, panting.
10 seconds have passed.
He peeked—nothing. The Mocking Ghoul was gone again. No rattling. No footsteps. Just that same damn annoying silence.
His eyes scanned the area looking for any signs of the beast nearby, any shadows—his ears strained trying to listen for any clue but all he got was his own heartbeat thumping in his head.
But then—
"Friend..."
Clovis was terrified and frozen in place, that was Ysinia's voice.
Just like her usual deadpan voice but in addition, it sounded like she's calling for help.
"...Don't."
It was nearly mimicking Ysinia's voice hadn't it been for the slight distortion, he would've ran immediately towards her aid.
But... how did it mimick that specific word when that's just a whisper from Ysinia.
While a Mocking Ghoul can mimick a voice—doesn't mean their hearing is well above average.
So then, it already knew where they were hiding all along?
Just on cue, Clovis turned as his eyes narrowed.
There it was, clinging on topside of a tree like a spider with that vicious grin, bones exposed before its ribcage began to rattle again.
"Watch out!"
It crooned again, tilting its head.
"...Friend..."
50 seconds had passed.
However, it didn't attack—it almost felt like it was enjoying Clovis break down on the spot.
Clovis felt as if he was gonna vomit on the spot listening to this demonic beast mimicking Ysinia's voice.
He hasn't experienced something like this, not with this kind when they're mostly treated as pests.
It had found something way better to do than just outright kill them.
Out of desperation, he picked up stones as if they were gonna do anything than make the demonic beast feast on his anger.
"Creepy fucking bastard!"
Hurling those stones simply prove pointless in the beast's eyes until it began genuinely laughing at Clovis's pitiful struggle watching the stones simply bounce off it.
But then—
He saw it, the opening.
In the beast's ribcage lies a certain core that fuels its entire body like a hard, while needing to be stricken multiple times—it can be done regardless of how powerful the strike was.
Well, at least in the case of weaker men like Clovis.
And so while it was distracted, Clovis threw a multiple rocks in a scattered shot with all his strength.
Obviously hitting the beast's core at least three times as it flinched from that alone.
"You're more pathetic than the rest of your kind. I've fucking hunted a lot of you back then that it became boring!"
He exclaimed provoking the Mocking Ghoul, albeit the part where he hunted a bunch of them was a lie especially when he thought it was a mundane task but this is good.
It stopped laughing.
Instead, it tilted its head, the childlike giggle now replaced with an unsettling silence.
That silence wasn't peace—it was an increasing pressure in the air.
Clovis swallowed the lump in his throat, stepping back.
Did I piss it off or impress it? Either way, it was moving now.
But unexpectedly, it screeched in this deafening combination of voices from an adult man, a child, a woman, my voice and Ysinia's — those at least discernable.
This caused Clovis to cover his ears or else it would pop.
1 minute and 40 seconds have passed.
He had stalled enough time but even that felt like more than a minute.
It's about time for her to take the spotlight!
Clovis forced his aching legs to move along. As every breath he took felt like his last.
The Ghoul lunged again, this time from the side, its talons slicing bark and kicking up dirt as Clovis dove—barely evading the blow.
Again, this thing is showing more traits unbecoming of a normal Mocking Ghoul.
His shoulder hit the ground hard, but he rolled, grabbing another handful of rocks as he scrambled to his feet.
Shit, shit, shit!
He threw them—more wild shots than aim—but the beast didn't even flinch. His temporary confidence vanished alongside the Mocking Ghoul's desire to play with him.
It had already adapted to whatever Clovis is doing.
Clovis's hand began trembling.
Even that trick's done.
Instead of struggling any further, Clovis raised his arms in what seemed like surrender to the demonic beast.
He knew this monster had some kind of intelligence drilled into it rather than acting as what god intended.
In the eyes of the monster, it was just a free kill as it lunged towards Clovis—this time, its talons are aiming for his neck and end this annoying prey's life once and for all.
"Two minutes have passed."
He uttered.
Behind him, a faint hum. Air shifting. Mana gathering to form a familiar arrow.
SWOONG!