Looking up to the gods he finally understood. Astral would walk over with the rest of his friends. Embracing Jaimie as he ran over. "I don't wanna keep doing this." Astral would bury his face into her. Feeling drained of all of his joy. Jaimie would just slowly stroke his hair.
"Hey, you are doing just fine. Its three battles left." She would hold onto him tightly as Adam would motion for the twins to back up a bit. "Take your time here and breathe." She would rest her head on top of his. His breathing became calmer as she would slowly pet him. He felt like he was about to explode from stress. She would console him to try and calm him.
"Yay I win!" Astrid would exclaim as she laid down her cards and Anders looked away in disgust. Jaimies glare towards the two while Astral breathed quietly in her arms spoke volumes to the two. They slowly backed up as Astral stretched himself out. Looking out to the arena he smiled, there was one minute left. Jaimie would lift Astral to his feet and look into his eyes.
"Hey, I understand that you are stressed. After we get out of here, we will take a nice break." Jaimie would cradle his head in her hands. Nodding silently he would agree and hold her hands. Burying himself the hands before he looked up and smiled.
"We got this." He would be glad to see her and her joyous face. Looking to his right he saw the stage and just a shadow. Feeling a sudden chill down his spine he embraced Jaimie one last time before waving back to everyone. Walking up to the stage he would see the fifth place member on the kill leaderboards. He looked like him. This cold dread couldn't wash away from what Astral had felt.
"Begin." The gods spoke. This match is their favorite on paper.
Astral would get into his stance and the shadow did the same as him. Astral would walk up to the shadow as it walked over to him. It seemed like every step was matched beat for beat with his. The two faces were millimeters away from each other. One purely devoid of all emotion and the other scared.
Astral needed to do something otherwise it would be his downfall. He launched the triple kick into the thing's head, but it was deflected. By the triple kick itself. Astral would flip backwards before rushing at the shadow again. Throwing a volley of punches where each one was met with another fist.
Astral was dazed for a moment as he would just mindlessly let loose with all of his punches. Each one being placed perfectly with another to block the next incoming one. Astral swung his left leg to sweep the shadow in front as it was met with a sweep to block it.
Astral stopped altogether and stood straight up, he reset the fight as Mimic did the same. Why would it stop the advantage it had? Astral would throw lazy punches that could be countered in an easier way, and yet each one was met with a punch to equal it. Astral spiced it up by throwing some extremely off punches every five. And the creature of the night met each one with speed.
Astral would launch a kick with his left leg to catch it off guard and try to get a quick blow in on the shadow. Being blocked by the left leg of the shadow. Astral would step back before closing the gap once again. This time throwing purposeful misses just outside of the shadow's body.
Each punch would be matched to a tee. It was mirroring him. Astral stopped directly and let the mimic come to him. "I feel like you won't make the first move. So I will let you get one free shot." Astral stretched out his arms as Mimic copied him. "God dammit, you don't make this easy."
Astral swung his arms side to side as this fight was more of a puzzle so far than any other, if something copies you move for move without any hesitation. There is no mistake or glaring hole to take a vantage point from.
Mimic would swing his arms back and forth as Astral motioned, hitting himself in the jaw and the shadow stood confused. "Oh for fuck's sake." Astral drew his pistol from the side and opened fire through the shadow. The bullets passed through as each one fell past him.
"Was worth a shot. Ha, get it? Worth a 'shot'. Fuck you." Astral rushed in and launched his hands upwards to slap the shadow into sense. It backed up each time to keep Astral from touching him.
Astral saw this as odd, first he mimicked me, now he wants nothing to do with contact. Astral threw a curving punch to the shadow's ribs as it was countered with an equal level punch. It shattered Astrals ribs as he slid back from the pain. He needed a way to find out about him.
His armor glowed as his wings came out. Broken but out to self repair using the nano fluids. Astral would just drop back as Mimic came closer, needing a clear moment of weakness to get at him. Then it clicked.
Teleporting behind him in a flash he would face his back to Mimic and bring his right elbow to hit its temple. Blocking with the matching elbow with a counter right leg high kick. Astral would block to match it and wonder who is mimicking who. Astral threw a volley of kicks being matched by Mimic's flurry of fists. Getting an opening Mimic would launch a flurry of kicks as Astral blocks by hand, and with the last one. Grabs onto Mimic's legs, feeling nothing but a cold space.
He had no soul, Astral would jump far away as Mimic would chase him down. Mimic launched a volley of kicks as Astral used a shield charm. Looking directly at Mimic. He was scared then it clicked. He can only mimic what he has.