The pair continued to laugh for a long while until finally their hearts returned to beating a normal rhythm. Adam stared at Jurot who was walking around the beast, circling around it twice before dropping down onto a knee ahead of it. He then began to whisper a prayer of sorts, and though Adam could not understand what he was saying, he was fairly certain it was gratitude.

EXP GAINED

1X HERBEARVORE (500) = 500

SUB TOTAL

500

SHARED WITH PARTY (-250) = 250

OTHERWORLDER BONUS (+250) = 500

EXP TOTAL

50 + 500

CURRENT EXP

550

Level up available!

Jurot then caught Adam’s gaze once more, a smirk on his face. “They say the meat of a herbearvore is the most delicious of all bears,” he whispered with great delight, his eyes twinkling.

Adam couldn’t help but laugh at the words. Of course Jurot would be thinking of such a thing, he was a man that was led by his stomach more than his mind, or perhaps it was that his stomach was his mind.

“I’ll need a moment to catch myself,” Adam said as he dropped down to the side and then looked up at the sky, through the canopy that still painted him with shade. He inhaled deeply and flexed his muscles, trying to get rid of his bruises through sheer will.

TOUGH SPIRIT

D10 (2) + LEVEL (3) = 5

Health increased by 5.

45 Health remaining.

“You have taken many wounds in the fight, are you alright?” Jurot asked.

“I’m fine,” Adam replied as he reached over to his side. “I just need a little rest is all.”

“Have you brought food?” Jurot asked as he left for a moment, climbing a tree like a monkey before he grabbed onto his pack and then dropped down nearby. He reached into his pack and brought out a set of rations, offering Adam half. The rations were some dried fruit and meat, as well as some hard biscuits.

“Thanks,” Adam said as he grabbed onto the share of rations. He bit into the hard biscuit and noted its distinct lack of flavour. He watched Jurot place some of the dried fruit onto a biscuit and eat it that way. Adam did the same and found that it was much better, the sweetness of the fruit only amplified by the biscuits lack of flavour. He took a swig of his water to wash it down.

“That was a good fight,” Jurot said. “I wished it would have faced me as well.”

“I wished it would have faced you as well,” Adam said with a hearty chuckle. He tried out the dried meat with the biscuits and it was pretty good too, though again he needed to wash it down with some water. He sighed. “How strong is a herbearvore?”

“We would have died if we were alone.”

“That strong?”

“Yes. My father would have been able to defeat it though.”

Adam nodded his head. “I’m sure my mother would have been fine against it.”

“Was your mother a magic user?”

“She was. She was quite powerful too, she taught me everything I knew, but she knew much more than that.”

Jurot nodded his head. “My mother raised donkeys,” he said as he tore into some more meat with his canines and then chewed. “Our donkeys are powerful, like bulls, though they do not fight. Our horses are bred large to take into war, they do not wince at weapons or arrow fire, useful for soldiers.”

“That’s amazing. Do you sell the horses?”

“It is one of the ways we make coin in these times, that and adventuring.”

Adam furrowed his brows in thought for a moment. “Do you send money back home?”

“Eventually, yes,” Jurot nodded. “We are not expected to until we reach iron rank, and then I will send back some of the coin I make.”

“That’s good of you.”

Jurot finished his meal, his eyes darting about the area, his ears twitching now and again.

“A herbearvore will give us quite a bit of gold, I think,” Adam said. “I received about fifty or sixty gold from the brown bear, so a herbearvore should be at least that much.”

Jurot nodded. “To think I can claim that I have defeated a herbearvore, my mother will sing such songs about me. I will need to return once I am of iron rank.” Jurot smiled to himself.

“Is the Iyr nearby?”

“It is a few days journey for me, though it would take others a week at the least.”

“Why is that?”

“I know of the secret paths that lead to the Iyr. A great many shortcuts are taught to us when we are young,” he said whilst looking off into the distance.

“That sounds cool,” Adam said.

“Cool?”

“Uh, excuse me, that sounds great.”

SIMPLE REST COMPLETE

Health is increased by 8.

53 Health remaining.

Tough Spirit recharged.

Onward Soar recharged.

With that the pair were finished with their meal and then they stared down at the herbearvore. It was much bigger than a brown bear and so would take much more effort. Adam was fairly certain he’d be unable to drag it back to the guild.

“It’ll be tough…” Adam said as he looked to the barbarian beside him who had already begun to lift up the creature. He supposed if Jurot was going to try, he couldn’t allow the man to try without him. Adam hoisted it up, already his legs burning with the effort of trying to lift the creature.

“We may have to spend the night if we do not carry it quickly,” Jurot said.

“Will you be able to march all day to return?”

“I will be able to, but we may not have enough time.”

“Then let’s get to it!” Adam then marched forward with the help of Jurot, who pointed to where they needed to go.

The pair continued to move onward, carrying the large creature over their back. They did not need to rest, it seemed, as the pair of them together could carry the large creature on their backs with some effort. Adam could feel his legs burn with the effort of it all, though he wasn’t going to stop and complain when Jurot wasn’t going to.

It was then, however, that they heard some rustling in the distance. Well, Adam didn’t really hear it, but Jurot so kindly pointed it out to him. With that the pair dropped the herbearvore behind them, Adam rolling his shoulders as he felt as light as a feather now, though his legs weren’t quite so fortunate as the burn continued.

It was then that the pair noted in the distance a large, brown furred figure, and Jurot pointed aside and noted another.

“A pair of brown bears,” Jurot said as he grabbed onto his axe and shield. “We must attack.”

“Do we have to?” Adam asked, not wishing to face another pair of creatures when he did not have access to his Samurai Spirit skill.

The pair of creatures in the distance roared. The roars were not simple roars, those of great bestial rage, but rather roars of great sorrow. It was within those roars that Adam could hear something, something that told him that they were up for a fight.

‘Oh darn it,’ he thought as he grabbed his shield and brought out his wizard’s die.

The bears turned to face the pair, though Adam already had a hand out as he pointed to them. Facing a brown bear was going to be rough, but he was at a much higher level than before, and this time he had Jurot by his side.

“My flames strike true!” Adam exclaimed as the electric feeling that was magic moved from his heart and then down his arm, a ball of flame beginning to grow before it shifted into the shape of a javelin and he shot it out towards the closest brown bear which was about to charge forward.

FLAME MISSILE

D20 (13) + SMART (4) + TRAINED (3) = 20

HIT!

2D6 (9) = 9

9 fire damage!

The missile shot through the air and struck a pair square across its face, though it didn’t seem to stop the will to charge, rather it emboldened the large mass of muscle and brown fur.

BATTLE ORDER

D20 (4) - QUICK (1) = 3

Jurot attacks first.

Brown bears attack second.

Adam attacks third.

Jurot slammed his shield with his axe, coaxing the creature’s forward as they roared and charged forth. Adam could see that Jurot was turning red with rage, though his lips were curled up into a joyful grin. He was ready and eager for more of a fight, the battle junkie not satisfied with the fight from before. He stepped forward, ahead of Adam, ready to take the abuse of attacks.

The brown bears both charged at Jurot, who had readied his axe to strike forward. He managed to sink his axe deep into the brown bear that had been struck by the flames, causing it to miss an attack with its claws. However, the pair of brown bears had managed to bite into Jurot’s thick flesh, piercing through his muscles as he let out a roar of pain. The fresh brown bear even managed a strike with its claws, slashing at the man’s side.

Adam’s heart thundered within his chest as he saw Jurot take quite a heavy blow. “Damn it, Jurot!” Adam leapt forth beside him, striking the bear with the singed face, trying to focus his fire against one of the bears in order to bring it down so they would be against only one foe at a time.

ATTACK

D20 (10) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 17

HIT!

D8 (3) + MIGHT (4) + DUELING (2)

9 damage!

He struck the bear straight against the side of its neck as blood spurted out, painting him in crimson, though he did not stop there, his muscles begged him to continue his assault in order to spare Jurot another round of heavy abuse.

ONWARD SOAR ACTIVATED

(0/1)

ATTACK

D20 (11) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 18

HIT!

D8 (2) + MIGHT (4) + DUELING (2)

8 damage!

His blade sank through the bear’s neck and with that the life within its eyes faded away, and it dropped ahead of them, dead. With that Adam walked around behind the bear.

“Come here! Oi bear!” he cried, trying to coax the bear to turn.

Jurot grinned wide as the second bear was no longer against him and so he tensed up and swung down wildly, as though he himself was a bear, and struck the creature square against the jaw, slicing up its mouth as it let out a roar of pain.

It seemed to pay little mind to Adam, instead it assaulted Jurot with its bite and its claws. Its claws rent through the barbarian’s skin before it finally bit him across the side.

Jurot caught Adam’s eye and then he grinned. “It’s all yours,” he said as he slumped within the bear’s jaws before his body was tossed aside, landing beside them.

“Jurot!” Adam exclaimed as the bear turned to face Adam, whose blade was already in motion.

ATTACK

D20 (2) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 9

MISS!

Yet the emotion was too much for him, and so he completely whiffed the bear as his blade struck through air. Adam roared out once more, this time with great worry. Jurot was down and he was alone with the bear. He didn’t mind facing the bear, he was still fresh with his wizarding abilities, he just needed to calm down so he could use them and then stabilise Jurot. He still had his Omen, but he wanted to save that for Jurot.

Brown bear misses an attack with its claws.

Brown bear misses an attack with its bite.

The bear whiffed Adam in return as he finally managed to get a hold of his emotions. If he panicked, Jurot’s life would be in grave danger. He needed to deal with the singular threat at hand, a giant brown bear that was aiming for his life.

ATTACK

D20 (1) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 8

CRITICAL MISS!

TOUGH SAVE

D20 (11) + TOUGH (2) + TRAINED (3) = 16

SUCCESS!

He attacked as calmly as he could, so calmly that his blade almost slipped from his hand. He managed to grip it just in time, though that allowed the bear a pair of blows against him.

Brown bear misses an attack with its claws.

Brown bear hits an attack with its bite.

Health reduced by 8.

45 Health remaining.

The bear tore into his shoulder, but that was fine. The trickle of blood meant nothing, he was still healthy and standing. He sighed and then this time struck upward to try and slay the bear.

ATTACK

D20 (11) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 18

HIT!

D8 (4) + MIGHT (4) + DUELING (2)

10 damage!

He managed to pierce through the bears shoulder, causing it to growl within his ear as it let go of his shoulder in order to claw at him once more, trying this time to bite into his leg.

The bear was about to hit him twice, he could see that was very clear, however he quickly brought up his shield.

“Not today!” Adam exclaimed as he called forth his magic in order to defend himself from both blows.

SHIELD

Increases defence by 5.

Mana

(2/3)

The bear clattered against the invisible barrier, letting out a growl of confusion as though it understood that this was wrong. It should have hit, why didn’t it?

ATTACK

D20 (9) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 16

HIT!

D8 (5) + MIGHT (4) + DUELING (2)

11 damage!

Adam took the opportunity to gouge through the bear’s neck, it’s blood spraying out towards him and painting him red as its ally once had. Adam let out a groan as the blood slipped into his mouth, tasting the sourness and the iron of its rich blood.

It was only now that the bear understood, after facing the mass of metal and sword with its mystical powers beyond its comprehension, that it was no match. So it roared and then turned, allowing Adam a single strike to try and fell it.

ATTACK

D20 (16) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 23

HIT!

D8 (8) + MIGHT (4) + DUELING (2)

14 damage!

With a final swing, Adam had finally brought down the mighty beast, watching it fall down ahead of him. Yet that was not most important. Adam fell before Jurot’s body and then he reached to try and tear off the barbarian’s clothing to try and bandage him.

MEDICINE

D20 (9) - WISE (1) = 8

OMEN

(17) - WISE (1) = 16

Adam stopped. Jurot’s body was cold. His chest was not moving. He placed his ears over the man’s lips, but felt no breath. He reached down to the man’s neck to feel a pulse, but there was nothing. He reached down to the man’s wrist to feel a pulse, but there was nothing.

Jurot, man of the Iyr, was dead.

Adam’s vision became blurry as he reached down to Jurot’s chest. “Jurot,” he called out. “Jurot.” He started to push down onto the barbarian’s broad chest.

No, he couldn’t be dead.

It had only been seconds, what, half a minute since he had fallen before Adam managed to get to him? Not even so, how could he be dead?

During the fight Adam had not paid much attention to Jurot, he was aiming to kill the bear before tending to the man’s wounds, but was it that during the fight that Jurot died.

Adam looked down under Jurot to see the large puddle of blood. Had he not noticed that Jurot was dying so quickly?

Adam’s heart pounded, his body growing cold as he stared down at Jurot’s face. The powerful jaw, the content look on his face. Tears spilled onto Jurot’s body as Adam weeped. His breath came to him ragged as he cried for a few minutes, the forest silent save for his sobs.

EXP GAINED

2X BROWN BEAR (250) = 500

SUB TOTAL

500

OTHERWORLDER BONUS (+500) = 1000

EXP TOTAL

550 + 1000

CURRENT EXP

1550

Level up available!

He wiped the tears with the palms of his hands and then pulled away. He shook his head, but stopped the dark thoughts that came to his mind. He wrapped his cloak around Jurot’s body to cover him. He couldn’t bear to see the man like this.

With that he hacked off the heads of the bears, all three of them, and then placed them within the heavy furs of Jurot, wrapped them with the rope that Jurot had kept beside his pack. With that he carried the dead body of Jurot back, trying to follow whatever path he could find.

SURVIVAL

D20 (19) - WISE (1) = 18

SUCCESS!

He managed to follow the tracks back until he found a heavily worn path, choosing to follow that until he finally managed to leave the forest behind him. He could see the sun was still in the sky, though it was beginning to set into dusk. He trekked through until he was at the road, following it back to the nearby town. A few minutes away he could see a couple of guards approaching. There he saw the wide, broad figure of Sharly, the guard he had spoken to before.

“What’s this, another bear?” Sharly asked with a giant grin on her face, still some ways away.

“No,” Adam said. “It’s Jurot of the Iyr.”

“Taking a nap, I see?” She laughed as she approached, still unaware of what was upon Adam’s back.

“No, Sharly.” Adam stopped and then his head fell, too heavy for him to hold up. “He’s dead.”

Sharly’s face slipped into surprise, then shock, before she hurried to Adam and then grabbed onto his shoulder with one hand and Jurot’s side with another.

“What happened?”

“Bears,” Adam said. “A herbearvore at first, then a pair of brown bears. He fell in the fight. I was too late in saving him.” Adam could feel her gaze, but he was too tired to actually say or do anything. “I was too late,” he whispered again as he almost fell forward, his body heavy from the day’s journey and its events, but Sharly managed to grab him.

She shouted something behind herself and Adam could hear the shuffling of armour, but he was too exhausted to pay much attention to anything.

“I’m so tired,” Adam whispered. “I’m so…” He closed his eyes and then welcomed the unconscious that set into his body.