Jurot led the pair onward, humming to himself a tune. It was a joyful tune, Adam could tell that much at least, though he wasn’t familiar with it. They were already on the dirt path leading to the forest, with the sun still yet to peak above them, though still basking the area in its warmth.

Jurot approached the edge of the forest and then stopped. He squat down and rest his elbows against his upper thighs, which had splayed outward, before then peering at the floor. He reached down and brushed the hard dirt, his hand following an invisible line that only he could see, before he then rubbed along the tree and then peered further into the forest.

Adam watched as Jurot started his examination, remaining silent to allow the barbarian to concentrate. Just what was he trying to see and feel? Adam had very little survival ability, though luckily Jurot complimented the lack of survival skill with his own.

“They say you can tell the story of a forest by its edge,” Jurot said. “This forest is quite old. It once was twice as big as it currently is, but it’s still like the sea. Most of the inside is still unexplored by most. If we spend too many days within it we may become lost to the woods.”

“You could tell that all by its edge?” Adam asked, his brows raised in surprise. Was Jurot actually a genius?

“No,” Jurot said as he shook his head. He turned back to look at Adam with his steely gaze. “It is what my father told me.” A smirk grew onto his face.

“Oh.”

With that the pair continued forward into the forest, Jurot still ahead. The sounds of the forest soon accompanied the pair as the barbarian continued his whistling, though soon even that stopped. Then there was the swaying of branches, like the wood’s symphony, and the distant sounds of tweeting and shuffling.

Jurot’s ears twitched every so often, and he would often pause. He would examine a tree or two, checking the dirt as if trying to find something, before then continuing onward.

“You mention your father a lot,” Adam said. “Are you close?”

“He has taught me a great many things,” Jurot replied. “The man I am, I owe to him.”

“He sounds like a good man.”

“He was a good man,” Jurot said as he pushed aside a branch that was in his way. “He died last year.”

“Oh… I’m sorry to hear about that.”

“You too have lost family.”

“I have.”

“It is a sad thing to hear, though we of the Iyr do not believe in grieving for our dead.”

Adam was surprised to hear that. No grieving for the dead? What was that about…

“My parents taught me a great many things as well,” Adam finally said. It was true enough, even if it wasn’t true in this world. Or was it true? What was his past like, the time before he awoke in this world? He could not recall.

“Magic?” Jurot asked curiously as he threw a glance back towards Adam.

Adam nodded. “Among many other things.”

“What kinds of other things?”

“Sword play, smithing, that sort of thing.”

“I would like to see how good you are at your swordplay.”

“Would you like a spar when we return?”

Jurot stopped and turned back to look at Adam, his eyes sparkling. “Tomorrow morning?”

Adam looked Jurot up and down and then nodded. “Tomorrow morning, but only if we manage to slay a bear.”

“Tomorrow morning then,” Jurot said, already certain that the pair would slay a brown bear.

Jurot dropped down and then ran his fingers along a small plant before plucking out some tiny buds. “Here,” he said as he handed over some of the buds, “black-buds.”

SMART

D20 (6) + SMART (4) = 10

SUCCESS!

Black-buds were tiny fruit that were filled with sugar. The fruit is extremely sweet when they are plucked young, though can grow up to the size of a coin if left to ripen. They are favoured by birds of all kinds, as well as children, and even some adults since black-buds can be made into wine.

“Thanks,” Adam said as he popped a few into his mouth. The flavour burst through into his mouth and his face scrunched up as though it was a storm. He chewed a few time before swallowing down the fruit. It was far too sweet for his taste buds, and even Jurot made a similar face as he ate his few.

“My father and I would often pick them on our journeys,” Jurot said as he continued along the way. “It is still my favourite treat. It’s no longer quite as sweet.”

Adam had no idea what to say so he remained silent, allowing Jurot to continue leading them.

They trekked for a few hours until Jurot finally squat down and then noted some marks against a tree, and then looked at the earth about to try and find something. The sun was high in the air now, though the canopy up ahead provided them some shade. That was a good thing, for Adam was beginning to feel like a slow cooked stew in his armour.

“A bear,” Jurot said. “I do not know what kind, the prints are muddled. Black or a young brown.” He turned to look at Adam.

Adam shrugged back. He had no idea what the paw print would suggest. “I’ll leave that to you.”

Jurot nodded and then drew his shield. Adam followed the action and then Jurot continued to lead them onward. Jurot kept his other hand free though, not yet drawing his axe. Adam decided he’d keep his hand free too, just in case.

Jurot would often stop and search the area before changing their position and continuing onward. Adam found it hard to keep track of where they were heading, but he left his faith in Jurot and his abilities.

“Do you know the way back?” Adam whispered.

Jurot nodded and then raised a hand, pointing over to a tree. Adam looked towards it. It looked like a pretty normal tree to him, though the ground around it was covered in some kind of herbs. He recognised a few from the poster he had taken when he went herb picking, but right now he wasn’t herb picking and so he wasn’t entirely sure what he was meant to do with the information. He threw a quizzical look to Jurot and shrugged.

“Those herbs do not grow together,” Jurot said as he approached the tree, his hand on the handle of his axe.

Adam followed as silently as he could, and taking his lead from Jurot, his hand held onto the grip of his blade.

STEALTH

D20 (11) - QUICK (1) - HEAVY CHAIN (5) = 5

FAILURE!

His armour continued to jingle and jangle as Jurot threw back a look that told Adam that perhaps he shouldn’t be following so loudly and that he should stop, and so he stopped.

Jurot rounded around the tree, looked about for a few moment and then squat down to look at the herbs. Adam looked around on watch for a moment before Jurot let out a heavy breath.

“These herbs, they are not made of nature.”

“What?” Adam asked as he approached, looking down at the herbs.

NATURE

D20 (9) + SMART (4) = 13

SUCCESS!

Jurot was right. These herbs were not natural, they grew too straight and too perfect. They had grown within a cluster, far too close than they should have, especially considering the surrounding area did not have similar herbs, at the least Adam hadn’t seen any and Jurot hadn’t mentioned it.

“What could have done this?” Adam asked.

“A mage? A druid?” Jurot said as he looked back to Adam. “There is a mage nearby?” the barbarian mused.

“Could be,” Adam replied, unsure. “Is there anything else that could have done this?”

Jurot shrugged his shoulders.

“We should be careful then,” Adam said. “We don’t know if this mage is friend or foe.”

“Well said.”

With that the pair continued, keeping their shields up as though it would protect them from the magic of whatever mage they would find themselves against. Jurot moved more cautiously now, his steps slightly slower than usual and he would sometimes stop to check on the area for a while longer than usual.

“Another set,” Jurot whispered as he pointed to the earth, his whisper as loud as usual. Within it Adam could spy a paw that was far larger than the previous set Jurot had pointed to.

“Brown bear?” Adam asked, his voice barely more audible than the wind.

“Brown bear.” Jurot nodded. He looked back to Adam with a playful grin on his face. “It is big.” His grin grew further. “It is close.”

“How close?” Adam whispered as the hair on the back of his neck stood tall. He was pretty sure he had no hair there, but the feeling seemed to be there regardless.

“We will see. I will take the forward, you will need to remain a little behind. Your armour is too loud.”

Adam nodded his head, which caused some of his armour to jingle once more. He remained deathly still as Jurot stepped forward until he was about thirty feet ahead, before the man then turned and waved with a hand. Adam followed the barbarian from this distance, hoping his jangling armour wouldn’t give up their position too quickly. He should probably get something that wouldn’t be so loud as heavy chain, but it did protect him well enough.

Jurot stopped up ahead and Adam stopped far behind. Jurot then stepped backward slowly until he had finally retreated to Adam. He looked up at the half-elf with bright eyes.

“It is no brown bear,” he whispered as quietly as he could.

Adam raised his brows in surprise. It was a proper whisper, not the loud whispers that Jurot usually did. Adam was unsure of what Jurot was talking about, so raised a single brow curiously as he expected himself to be louder than Jurot at this moment.

“It is a herbearvore,” Jurot whispered.

“A herbivore?” Adam replied as quietly as he could.

Jurot shook his head. “Herbearvore.”

ARCANE LORE

D20 (12) + SMART (4) + TRAINED (3) = 19

SUCCESS!

A herbearvore, a bear creature that was born under the star of Radabor. When a black or brown bear is born, if it basks within the light of the star of Radabor it has a chance of becoming something beyond just a typical bear. A herbearvore is a creature of nature, a bear in tune with the very forest it was born. She holds a few magical properties that affects the world around her, such as bringing forth herbs every few weeks or so near her den. They are always female.

“A herbearvore,” Adam whispered.

Whoever named it must have been a dad. A man or a woman, but a dad for sure.

“It is a powerful creature,” Jurot said, his eyes gleaming brightly.

Adam stared into Jurot’s gleaming eyes. He knew what the gleaming eyes meant, the hope and the excitement within them. Adam replied with a single nod and with that Jurot began once more, keeping a hand back to let Adam know when he should come close. He stepped until he was about thirty feet ahead and then wiggled his fingers for Adam to approach.

Adam did, slowly. He glanced down at the ground and then stepped as quietly as he could at a step where he wouldn’t break any twigs. Then he looked up to see Jurot had disappeared. He froze.

Where the hell was Jurot? Adam remained still for a long moment before he then worked up the courage for another step. Jurot had not yet engaged it in battle, otherwise he would have heard two figures roaring at one another. Jurot wouldn’t have abandoned him, right?

STEALTH

D20 (11) - QUICK (1) - HEAVY CHAIN (5) = 5

FAILURE!

His armour continued to jingle and jangle, causing him to wince. Then he heard the quizzical growl. It was a low growl, one that emanated from something unworldly. A shadow appeared ahead of him, blocking against the trees as a form began to lumber, a creature so large that the ground shook beneath his boots. The creature then rounded the trees directly ahead of Adam.

“Holy shit,” Adam cursed. “What have you been eating?”

Ahead of him was the unforgettable form of a bear. Large, powerful, with broad shoulders and thick fur. It was brown, like a brown bear, but atop its head was a large bud, as green as any herb he had ever seen. It was quite literally only a brown bear with a flower on its head, but any brown bear that would have walked up to it would have been like a dwarf in comparison to its giant size.

It roared aloud and Adam’s eyes grew wide, his heart thundered, the cold sweat began to flow down his body. Was he going to die? Jurot had abandoned him right before coming face to face with this behemoth of a bear, but he could not flee from it, with its size it would easily catch up to him.

It was then another roar echoed through and a figure leapt from a tree and landed down on the back of the bear, hacking onto it with his mighty axe.

It was Jurot of the Iyr.

His axe tore into the back of the creature, though even with his mighty strength, it seemed undeterred.

‘Jurot! You crazy bastard!’ Adam could feel a little shame thinking that Jurot, a man of the Iyr, would abandon him so.

BATTLE ORDER

D20 (16) - QUICK (1) = 15

Herbearvore attacks first.

Adam attacks second.

Jurot attacks third.

The herbearvore shook its body to try and take Jurot off of it, but its focus then returned to Adam.

‘Oh no.’

The herbearvore roared once more and then charged towards the heavily armoured half-elf ahead, who raised up his shield and sword in preparation.

The herbearvore misses an attack with its bite.

The herbearvore misses an attack with its claws.

The large lumbering creature snapped its jaws right beside where Adam’s whimpering head once was, though the half-elf managed to duck in time, and the powerful swipe of its claws struck the tree beside him, causing it to shake wildly. Seemingly the creature wasn’t quite as nimble as Adam had thought it was, which made sense since it towered over himself and even now he couldn’t quite see Jurot.

Adam was in no mind to hold anything back against the creature, and so he activated every single ability he could on the first round.

OVERDRIVE ACTIVATED

SAMURAI SPIRIT ACTIVATED

(2/3)

ATTACK

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

SAMURAI SPIRIT ACTIVE

D20 (18) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 25

HIT!

D8 (7) + MIGHT (4) + DUELING (2) + OVERDRIVE (2) = 15

15 damage!

Adam hacked into the creature with a fearful hack, slashing across the side of it’s shoulder, its thick hide providing little resistance to such a powerful strike. It let out a roar of pain that thundered against his ears, which brought forth another blow from the half-elf’s blade.

ONWARD SOAR ACTIVATED

(0/1)

ATTACK

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

SAMURAI SPIRIT ACTIVE

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

HIT!

D8 (5) + MIGHT (4) + DUELING (2) + OVERDRIVE (2) = 13

13 damage!

Adam’s blade sank once more into it’s fur and flesh, pouring down crimson as the creature let out another wail of pain as Adam’s eyes grew wider. He was only making it angrier, and that terrified him to the very core as a coldness seeped within him. He was barely able to control his bladder when he heard a wail behind the creature.

“Iyaru!” Jurot exclaimed.

Jurot climbed across its back and then grabbed onto its neck. “Fall to my axe!” He exclaimed with a face of red rage and joy. He struck against the creature’s neck, causing it to fumble beside Adam as blood seeped out of its neck, its life seconds away from fading.

A blast of brown and gold filled the air as the plant atop its head opened up and shot out the cloud all about them. Adam gasped, inhaling the sharp scent as his eyes began to water.

TOUGH SAVE

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

SUCCESS!

It was a sour scent, seeping deep into his lungs and yet his muscles tensed and flexed against the invading strength of the cloud which aimed to make him still.

Even Jurot coughed, his axe almost slipping from his grasp before he gripped the handle tightly. “Do not fall yet, Adam!” Jurot exclaimed. “It is nearly dead! Kill it!”

His voice was almost drowned out by the herbearvore, which tried to toss him off once more before turning to face Adam, rage filling its eyes.

The herbearvore misses an attack with its bite.

The herbearvore hits an attack with its claws.

Health is reduced by 15.

39 Health remaining.

It snapped with its maw, but it found air once more. Adam was squat into a ball and was unable to block the heavy claws, which managed to strike him true against the side, and Adam’s entire form crashing against the tree beside him as he let out a gasp of air. He coughed out a breath as he looked at the creature, whose eyes were piercing into his own. It had done so much damage to him and without even critically hitting him.

Could he really kill it?

“Adam!” Jurot roared out, his axe ready to strike.

Jurot’s voice forced the strength to the half-elf’s legs, no longer shaking in cold fear. Adam hoisted himself from the tree and leapt forward, blade in hand. “Araaa!” Adam finally roared and then brought his blade down from overhead.

SAMURAI SPIRIT ACTIVATED

(1/3)

Health increased by 5.

44 Health remaining.

ATTACK

D20 (7) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 14

SAMURAI SPIRIT ACTIVE

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

HIT!

D8 (3) + MIGHT (4) + DUELING (2) + OVERDRIVE (2) = 11

11 damage!

His blade pierced through its neck where Jurot had struck it, causing it to let out a blood-choked growl, its body slowly falling limp. Its muscles grew taut as it managed to remain on its feet, not yet defeated.

“Jurot!” Adam shouted as he tried to pull back his blade, though it had managed to stick deep within the creature which was now seconds and inches away from striking him.

Jurot brought his axe up, about to strike when he finally lost his footing and rolled off the creature’s side.

‘Oh no.’

The creature stared into Adam’s eyes, inches away from dying. Yet it still had some strength left in it.

The herbearvore hits an attack with its bite.

The herbearvore misses an attack with its claws.

Health is reduced by 9.

35 Health remaining.

It bit into Adam’s side, piercing through his armour with it’s maw, crushing Adam’s armour against himself. Adam let out a pained roar and then pulled his sword out, trying to hack against it a final time, the fear in his body fueling his attack.

SAMURAI SPIRIT ACTIVATED

(0/3)

Health increased by 5.

40 Health remaining.

ATTACK

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

SAMURAI SPIRIT ACTIVE

D20 (20) + MIGHT (4) + TRAINED (3) = 27

CRITICAL HIT!

2D8 (1+5) + MIGHT (4) + DUELING (2) + OVERDRIVE (2) = 14

14 damage!

His sword pierced through where he and Jurot had opened a wound against its neck, his sword pushing right through it. The herbearvore gurgled, loosening its grip with its maw before it dropped, dead beside the half-elf.

Adam stared at Jurot and then back to the creature. Jurot stood up, axe still in hand as he stared down at the still creature. The pair remained silent for a moment before Jurot looked back up at Adam, and Adam returned the gaze.

The pair began to laugh.