We all picked up the pace as much as we could, trying to not get left too far behind Altria as she ran ahead of the group. We must have been hurrying along like this for about ten minutes, when some ways up ahead Altria came to an abrupt halt. She gave a hand signal to stop. Immediately Serin caught the meaning and brought the party to a halt. Altria came running back to the group, barely making a sound as she went.

"What is it?" Lillia quietly asked as she returned.

"Spotted one, a short way ahead of where I was." Altria explained.

"Okay let's make a move on it. Leave the heavy gear here." Lillia instructed.

We all left the heavy travel baggage under one of the more recognisable nearby trees and carefully moved forward led by Altria. When we had made it to the position that Altria had signalled from the creature became visible. It was still someway off, but I could already make out its massive form through the undergrowth. I had seen bears before, but only at the zoo. This monster only resembled those animals in form, it had to be at least twice their size. As we drew closer, Altira fell back and took the rear with Lillia. From here on it was a slow creep until we got into the range of Lillia's magic and Altria's bow. I followed Serin's lead as we inched forward.

Serin didn't need to be told when we had reached the correct point, she knew from experience. She signalled the group to a halt, not a moment too soon.

"Remember what I told you?" She whispered to me.

I nodded in response.

"Good." She replied and gave the okay to the two girls stood behind us.

I braced myself for what would come next as I watched the giant beast, still some ways off and still unaware of presence. A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead as I thought about what might happen. Just a single swipe from this thing would cause serious damage. There was a quiet twang as Altria loosed an arrow. It caught the creature in between its shoulder blades. It immediately got up on its hind legs, letting out a blood curdling roar. It only took a second for it to spot us, dropping back down to all fours it charged.

It came barrelling towards us frighteningly fast. Lillia hit it with the status effect daze, but this barely slowed its movements. When it had covered half of the distance between us, Serin made her move. She dashed forward at full speed, facing the creature head on. There was a swoosh as Altria loosed another arrow. It hit it between the shoulder blades once again, right next to the first. This time the creature came to a stop. Serin closed the distance between her and the creature in the blink of an eye as I ran behind trying to keep up. The bear stood up on its hind legs and as it did so Serin struck. She was in like a flash. In a blur of movement, I could just about make out two strikes with her blade, as she stabbed its chest. The creature swung its massive arm at her, but she deftly dodged the attack, jumped back and moved to create some distance.

The monster was now completely occupied by Serin who was drawing it away from my approach. As it turned its back to me and the rest of the group, I moved. Running it down as quickly as I could, trying to gauge the best point to strike as I made my approach. Just like the wolves, I was going to need to inflict heavy damage with each strike. It still hadn't caught wind of me as I drew near, I came at it from behind and dove my blade in just under its armpit, blood gushed out as I pulled the sword back out. It was the speed of the creature's reaction that took me by surprise. As it spun round its arm flew at me, I managed to step back and duck its strike, but by this time it had already completely turned to face me. Without thinking I drove my sword deep into its chest almost up to the hilt, but I had missed my mark. I was just off its heart by an inch or so. The bear roared in agony, but it still stepped forward after me.

I didn't have time to pull the blade back out. I had to jump back just to avoid its arms, backing away as quickly as I could. An arrow appeared in the side of its throat, Altria had seen what had happened and was backing me up, but it still came for me. I didn't want to turn and run, but it was starting to look like the only option. It was just then that a blade appeared through its face. Poking out the eye socket with a piece of eyeball and optical nerve hanging off it. It was Serin's rapier, she had run up the creature's back a drove the blade straight though its skull. The creature crashed to the ground and she casually stepped off its back.

"Good work!" She called over.

"Huh, but you killed it." I replied, still gathering my breath, and thanking my luck.

"That last blow you gave it would have been fatal in another ten seconds. I only intervened because it looked as if it was getting too close." She said as she put her blade back in its scabbard.

There was a tada noise to denote the gaining of points from the assist. Serin stood next to the bear and with her right foot pushed the massive creature onto its back as if it were nothing. I had to wonder just how strong she was. With the creature now flat on its back I could see my sword still poking out from its chest, although only half of the handle now protruded. Serin leant over and pulled out the blade with little effort and offered it to me.

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

"Hey, don't be down about that." She said noticing the look of dissatisfaction on my face. "You did well to avoid it after your first strike and to have landed the second. Just be mindful in future that you might not always get a critical strike."

As we talked, we were joined by Lillia and Altria.

"Well done you two." Congratulated Lillia.

"It's Serin you should thank." I told her.

Altria put her hand on my shoulder.

"No, you did well." Altria said encouragingly. "Many fledgling adventurers have been killed after attempting something like your first strike. You moved well. If you had pierced its heart with the second strike, the kill would have been all yours."

"But I missed."

"It was your first time and that was a pressured shot." Added Lillia. "Come on, we don't have time to stand around and chat. We need to move on and hopefully find another before we pass through. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll make the next one." She said smiling warmly.

We headed back to the tree where we had left our heavy gear, before setting out once again. Just like the first time, Altria ran up ahead in search of the next trail and the rest of us walked as fast as we could to keep up. We soon passed the corpse of the first bear as we headed deeper into the forest.

We had barely been moving again for five minutes before Altria gave the signal. The party stopped and ditched our heavy bags as we waited for Altria to re-join the group.

"Another one?" Lillia asked.

"Yes, just up ahead." Altria answered.

"Okay everyone, you know what to do. Let's go!"

We moved forward as a party, steadily and quietly. It wasn't long before the beast came into view, we crept forward as we moved into range, still unnoticed. Our attack followed the same pattern as before. Altria loosed an arrow, hitting the bear and drawing its attention to us. When it charged Lillia hit it with daze and Serin moved in. Altria loosed another arrow and hit the creature again, but unlike the first, this one kept up the charge. Serin faced it down unphased, leaping in the air, landing on its head with one step, continuing to run down its back, peppering it with stabs as she went and gracefully jumping off as she reached its tail.

This was more than enough to draw the creature's full attention to her and as it gave chase I followed behind. As I ran up behind as quickly and quietly as I could, I attempted a new strategy. It was still unaware of my presence as I closed the gap. I drove my sword straight into the centre of its back, only about seven or eight inches this time and removing the blade in same movement. This time I had hit my mark, severing its spine. I stepped back as the bear fell to its side and when it crashed to the floor, I plunged the blade deep into its skull to confirm the kill. The familiar tada noise rang out as I did so, with the confirmation message telling me I had gained another level.