I quickly scrambled my way towards the sounds of roaring and whistling blasts of wind. Judging by the sound, it seemed they were fighting on the move. The wind user running ahead of it, while the creature continued to chase it.

"Damn, they're heading for the city!" I realized.

This was bad for me. I wanted to fight this thing so I could unlock the strange power of my wulvari heritage. If they get to the city, then the city guard might get involved and they'll take my prey from me.

I had no obligation to help the idiot that had been following me. Heck, I hoped they'd get injured at least. But my only option was to cut the creature off from the chase and get it to focus on me instead. Then I could lure it back into the woods where I can deal with it in peace.

The only uncertain part of the plan was whether the stalker would run or stay. I honestly hoped they'd run off. I didn't want them interfering in my fight.

I soon came to an opening in the trees. It was a small meadow in the middle of the forest. Out in the center I saw a giant furry thing barreling after a human shaped shadow. Like me, the shadowy person also wore a cloak and I couldn't make out any distinct features.

I sprinted into the meadow at full speed. Right before I arrived, the creature swiped a massive paw at the person, clipping them in the shoulder. To their credit, they didn't cry out or scream... or they simply passed out from pain instantaneously, I had no idea.

I lunged forward and stabbed the thing in it's massive fuzzy thigh, then quickly jumped back before it could retaliate. Roaring in pain, it turned back to me.

Now that I could see it, I could match it's appearance with what I had learned in class. This thing was a red furred dire bear. Just like normal bears they are normally reclusive and fiercely territorial. The main difference was it's size.

If three full grown human men were to stand on top of each other's shoulders, these things were still taller when standing on their hind legs. They're already dangerous enough, but during the Fall they become even more aggressive as they fatten themselves up for Winter before they hibernate. These eating machines are considered an even greater threat than a basilisk. This is due to the powerful legs required to move their bulky bodies. A monster in every sense of the word and worse... it was currently Fall.

With it's massive frame, it stood on it's hind legs and glared at me from above. Thankfully, this one didn't look full grown. But it still made me feel tiny and insignificant as it towered above me. I noticed a few fresh cuts on it's face. They were probably caused by the idiot moaning and lying dazed in the tall grass behind it.

"Come on, ugly. Come and get me," I taunted as I tried to lure it away.

It roared at me but otherwise wouldn't move from that spot. It got back down on all fours, then turned around, moving back to the person they knocked down earlier.

"Don't see me as a threat, do you?" I growled. "Let's fix that then, shall we?"

I was surprised that a wound in it's thigh wasn't enough to make it think of me as a threat. If that wasn't enough, then I'd have to do something drastic. I took a stance that Roland had taught me. One that allowed you to throw the strength of your whole body into a single thrust. I took aim at the small unprotected hole right under it's tiny stub of a tail.

"This'll teach you not to ignore me!" I yelled as I rammed the sword straight up it's ass.

It was a good thing I flattened my ears before doing it or the resulting roar of pain and humiliation would have made me go deaf. I sure had it's attention now as I ran as fast as I could out of the meadow and back into the trees.

I ducked, weaved and jumped over and around the trees, while the bear just smashed straight on through. Seeing that, I thought that perhaps I had bitten off a bit more than I could chew. But then I remembered that's exactly what I wanted. Without something that could quite possibly kill me, my plan would never work.

Once I felt we were far enough away, I turned and launched my attack. I jumped straight at it and slashed right across one of the gashes already in it's face. It roared in pain and replied with a paw swipe, but I had already rolled out of the way. I felt the wind pressure from that mighty swing as it passed near me.

My pulse quickened and I started breathing harder as I fought. I could feel a familiar sensation creeping up in the pit of my gut. Any one of it's swipes could mean my death and I didn't care. The fear of death was there, of course. But more so was the fear that I might be going crazy, because in some sick and twisted part of my mind, I was enjoying it.

Again and again we would trade blows and every time I was the only one who landed a strike. It's face was covered in wounds and I was even beginning to slice through it's thick hide on it's shoulders, front legs and paws. There were several times that I could have gone for a killing blow, but I didn't take it. It wasn't enough yet. That "frenzy" thing hadn't happened yet.

It seemed to realize it was losing and started a desperate charge. Expecting a swipe just like countless times before, I wasn't prepared for what happened next. Right before it reached me it pushed off with it's front legs and stood with it's paws outstretched then quickly came back down, trying to crush me with it's weight.

I tried to leap backwards and barely made it out, but the impact as it hit the ground knocked me off balance, making me unable to dodge the incoming paw.

"Gah!" I yelled involuntarily as the blow struck me.

I had blocked as best I could with the broadside of the sword, but that didn't do anything with the impact. I sailed through the air and slammed into a tree with a loud crack! I had no idea whether it was me or the tree that made that sound. I coughed as I tried to get the air back into my lungs and spat out some blood. The forest seemed to sway as I tried to stand. And to my horror, the bear was closing in to finish me off.

"Damn," I grunted as I tried to force my legs to move. I had to move. "I'm not dying here. I refuse!"

Right as the bear pulled it's paw back for the kill, I felt something within me snap.

"It's here... It's here! It's here! IT'S HERE!" I yelled hysterically as my vision went red and my strength surged.

Before I even realized what I was doing, I had chopped the bear's paw right off. I didn't stop there, either. Not satisfied with taking it's paw, I slashed up it's chest, back, face and legs. I had completely forgotten what I was supposed to try once I finally got into this state. My only thought was to kill this thing in front of me.

It roared in agony as I sliced it up. And then there was silence as I stabbed the sword through it’s skull. It hit the ground with a loud thump in a pool of it's own blood. I noticed I had made quite the mess with blood splattered all over the trees and rocks.

As I began to calm down I vaguely remembered that there was something I was supposed to do. It was really important...

"Oh... wait, DAMMIT!" I cursed.

I had forgotten to try magic while I was in that state! It was too late. I had calmed down and I no longer felt that burst of strength I had before. All I felt now was pain from the attack I received. Getting home tonight was going to suck. Then I had to explain my injuries. I also had to do something about the hulking bear carcass.

Almost as an afterthought, I went to check on the stalker back in the meadow. But once I arrived, all I found was an impression in the grass where they fell. There was a small pool of blood too, but that was it. They were long gone.

________________

Remember, if you like the story, make a post or give a rating. Let me know! :D