It wasn't long before they found themselves standing stone-silent at the edge of a clearing. A massive bear was curled up in the center of the glade looking for all the world like a small hill. Tess hadn't ever seen a bear in real life so didn't know how big they were supposed to be, but she thought their paws were only the size of a human head. Only, she thought with a mental snort. The front paws of this thing were the size of her entire torso and its head was easily half of her height. She guessed its maw could take her at the waist without even choking on her head.
She looked at Maisy and saw her returning the look, her pupils so wide that Tess couldn't see any color. She sent a message through the chat, "Are you sure we can handle this?"
The only answer was a flip of a tail to Tess's back before Maisy dropped into a stalking crouch. Tess's heartbeat sped up as they stepped into the clearing, but another flip of the tail put her back in the moment. Maisy projected a calm confidence and was signaling Tess to do the same. Right, she thought, this isn't the time for doubt. She took a calming breath and slowed her heartbeat before stalking after the massive cat.
When they were only a few paces away Maisy stopped, hunched onto her back legs, then leaped into the air, soaring straight on the bear's back. She buried her teeth into its neck and instantly raked her claws over the bear's eyes. It surged upwards with an alarmed roar and shook its head frantically.
Despite her earlier confidence, Tess froze. This thing wasn't the size of a bear, unless bears grew large enough for their heads to reach the peak of her house's roof when they were standing upright. Fear overrode her muscles and she was locked into place even as the bear came down again, its front paws slamming into the earth. It must have been a magical attack because the ground around it rippled in waves and Tess was tossed backwards in a clumsy roll, dropping both of her machetes.
She recovered and leapt to her feet just as she felt the surge of Maisy's instinctual communication that meant "ATTACK!" come through the interface. In an instant she had both guns out and emptied their magazines into its chest. She'd avoided the face for fear of hitting Maisy, which turned out to be a mistake. Small pops of blood erupted from the wounds but the bear seemed more annoyed by the sound than the actual bullets. It erupted into a run and reached her faster than she was able to react. She'd assumed that its bulk would make it slow, but that thing came at her faster than a Mack truck on the highway.
A massive paw swiped at her and she barely managed to roll under it, struggling to get her feet under her. The shockwave had made the ground an obstacle course of destroyed vegetation and concentric mounds of dirt that made recovering her footing a challenge. She saw Maisy being flung around like a flag in a windstorm, her teeth and claws burrowing deep into its skin. They didn't seem to be doing any damage though, the damned thing's hide was just too tough.
She spotted one of her machetes and ran for it, dropping into a slide to dodge another swipe. Maisy had taken out its eyes but it didn't seem to need them. She guessed it was locating her by sound since it swung at where she'd been rather than where she was.
She scooped up the machete in a run and banked hard to the side, pulling out the Toxic Weaver Dagger. She knew they'd never overpower this beast so their only hope was to wear it down and poison it until it fell from the venom or blood loss.
Weapons in hand she spun and steadied her footing. The bear was still roaring and trying to reach Maisy with its long claws but she managed to just skitter away from them each time. She gave it another vicious rake across the eyes then pounced off in a leap that took her 20 feet away, landing silently. She spun instantly to face it and there was a brief moment as the two women faced the bear that was pawing madly at its eyes.
They turned to look at each other and Maisy sent an impression to Tess. Flee?
Tess considered, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a momentary breath just as the bear dropped back down and started sniffing the air. Its massive head swung back and forth then centered on Tess.
She tightened her grip and replied. No. Kill. And with that all three of them charged.
Maisy flashed in low, tearing terrible rents in the bear's underside while Tess whirled and spun around the paws. It was like dodging a backhoe's shovel, but one that moved at the speed of sound. She just managed to stay ahead, her Toxic Weaver Dagger stabbing and slicing in staccato rhythms too fast for the eye to follow.
They alternated attacks, Maisy keeping its attention while Tess spun in horizontal slashes meant to take out its Achilles tendons. When it spun to attack her Maisy would leap onto its hind quarters and gash deep ravines down its thighs.
A flash of one massive paw sent Maisy spinning uncontrollably into the underbrush and Tess had to roll backwards across the rough ground just to get out of its reach. It was running forwards on its hind legs at an angle that should have been impossible, body stretched forwards and its huge paws swinging faster than they should have been. Tess fell to her back and watched as a paw large enough to crush her came sweeping downwards. In a moment of desperation she angled the machete straight upwards and slammed its handle into the dirt. She rolled out of the way just as the bear impaled itself on the blade, roaring upwards and biting at the bloodied metal that stuck through its paw.
She looked around in desperation and saw her other machete laying forgotten about 10 paces away. She took off at a sprint and leaned to pick it up at a run, grabbing it just as a paw took her in the side and launched her into a tree 30 feet away. She slammed into it with a bone cracking crunch that knocked the wind out of her and made her see spots. Both weapons dropped from her hands as she slouched at an awkward angle.
She lay there, her thoughts swimming as they tried to form into something coherent. She could see a massive brown shape in the near distance and it seemed to be pulling on something shiny sticking out of a massive paw. Clarity started to return just as the bear pulled the machete free, slicing the entire side of its paw off in the process. It gnashed and whipped its head around, the machete flying off into the woods in the distance. She knew she'd never find it in time.
"TESS? TESS? ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT'S HAPPENING?" Zavier's panicked voice dispelled the last of the haze in her mind.
"Fine," she sent back and winced as she felt the bones in her ribcage shift.
"Your health just dropped by half! You need to get back now!"
"Fine. Stop calling."
"TESS, GET BACK HERE NOW!"
Anger roiled inside of Tess. Who did he think he was? Why did he think he always had to protect her? She was tired of feeling helpless and useless. She was tired of him feeling like he needed to take care of her. She was tired of everything from depression to the world to this FUCKING BEAR taking her control. Her life had been pain - it was her oldest friend and worst enemy. She'd endured pain that most people would have killed themselves over, and she'd done it while smiling at annoying coworkers who had no idea that she just wanted to go home and down a bottle of pills. She'd survived everything that had ever been put on her. This wasn't the first night she'd lain there in pain, wondering if she was going to die tonight.
She'd beaten bears bigger than this son of a bitch, and she'd take this one down too.
She pushed her hands back against the tree and forced her way to her feet. She leaned down to pick up the knife and couldn't stifle the short scream that ripped out of her. The bear froze and whipped its head her way, then lowered it and charged forward in a limping run. Tess squared herself and held the knife at the ready, the other hand balled into a fist. She knew she was about to die but she'd be god damned if she didn't take this thing with her.
Tess tensed and opened her mouth to scream in defiance as the bear got to within 10 feet of her. Suddenly there was a black and beige flash and Maisy flew into its face, her claws glowing with a silvery light as Ethereal Claw activated. Ephemeral claws slashed and the entire side of the bear's head and its right shoulder sloughed off. Maisy landed in an ungainly tumble and was struggling to get to her feet.
The bear slid to a stop and let out a choked, gurgling roar of fury. It pulled itself across the ground towards Tess with its one remaining arm, worming forwards a few feet with every pull. She gathered her strength and limped towards it, feet unsteady on the uneven ground.
She reached it and paused to glare into eyes that were level with hers, even as its chin was resting on the ground. It took a clumsy swipe that she should have dodged, but Tess was too injured to move out of the way and it sent her rolling again, her health dropping even more. She got to her feet with an effort and limped toward it again. It took another swipe but she was ready for it and managed to sway out of the way.
She stared, feral excitement bubbling up inside of her. She gave it another moment of life then whispered "Fuck you," before slamming the knife home into its exposed brain.
Zavier exhaled a long, shaky breath he hadn't realized he was holding as Tess's health surged back to full. "Sweet jumping Jesus," he whispered, sagging back into the chair, the weight of his relief almost making him dizzy. The tension that had coiled tight in his chest finally began to unwind. He'd been pacing for the last hour and had just about reached the decision to run out after her. The only thing keeping him there was that he had no clue where she was, and that she'd probably end up having to rescue him in his current state. If they both died out there then what would happen to the kids?
He rushed to the front door and stepped outside, Cass's bat held in a tight grip. He stepped around the house and tried to keep an eye on the front door while giving himself a line of sight to the woods. He paced in place for what felt like forever, muttering to himself.
"Come on Tess, come on. Come on, Love, come on. Come on."
He was getting ready to run into the woods, consequences be damned, when he saw her and Maisy step onto the lawn. He bent at the waist and leaned against the bat, the relief taking the air from his lungs. Standing up a moment later he saw Maisy jump easily on the roof as Tess walked his way. She looked like carnage incarnate, covered in more blood, dirt, and plant life than he'd ever seen anyone covered in before, but her white smile shone bright in the darkness. Without a word she grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him into the house, then into the shower.
Chapter 48: Character and Creature Sheet Chapter
Tess Torres, Level: 8
Class: Lone Warrior
Core Stats:
● STR: 17
● AGI: 20
● END: 12
● INT: 15
● LUK: 9
● CHA: 8
Combat Skills:
● Melee Combat: Basic 4
● Ranged Combat: Basic 2
● Defense: Basic 1
● Tactics: Basic 1
● Attack: 8
● Defense: 4
Magic and Technology:
● Magic Affinity: N/A
● Tech Savvy: N/A
● Spellcraft: N/A
● Enchantments: N/A
Ancillary Skills:
● Leadership: N/A
● Survival: Basic 3
● Crafting: N/A
● Stealth: Basic 3
Special Attributes:
● Enhancements/Impairments:
Enhanced Perception 2
● Achievements:
Third kill
Two protective kills
Skills and Abilities:
Weapons Mastery 2 Indomitable 1
Skill Name: Indomitable
Type: Combat Skill
Level: 1
Description:
Due to your experience with terrifying adversaries and overcoming insurmountable odds against creatures far greater than your level, you have developed a profound resistance to fear. This skill was born from a defining moment when you stood firm against both fear-inducing magical abilities and overwhelming physical threats.
Effect:
Fearless Resolve enhances your ability to withstand fear-based attacks - both magical and mundane. Your mental fortitude allows you to operate under extreme stress without succumbing to panic, making you a steadfast figure in the most dire situations. This skill not only enables you to resist psychological warfare but also ensures that you maintain clarity and focus when others might falter.
Usage:
Active: Automatically negates the first fear effect encountered in a battle. Passive: Provides a continuous minor boost to your resistance against fear effects.
Maisy, Level: 9
Class: Mystic Predator
Core Stats:
● STR: 20
● AGI: 20
● END: 6
● INT: 16
● LUC: 6
● CHA: 18
Combat Skills:
● Melee Combat: Intermediate 3
● Ranged Combat: N/A
● Defense: Basic 1
● Tactics: N/A
● Attack: 5
● Defense: 3
Magic and Technology:
● Magic Affinity: Basic 1
● Tech Savvy: N/A
● Spellcraft: N/A
● Enchantments: N/A
Ancillary Skills:
● Leadership: Basic 2
● Survival: Basic 5
● Crafting: N/A
● Stealth: Intermediate 3
Special Attributes:
● Enhancements/Impairments:
Regenerative Sleep 1
● Achievements:
First kill.
Planetary first
Skills and Abilities:
Arcane Sheen 2 Ethereal Claw 1
Name: Umbral Ursine
Level: 9
Description: The Umbral Ursine resembles a formidable grizzly bear, but its fur seems to absorb light rather than reflect it, casting an aura of darkness around its form. Its eyes gleam with a supernatural purple hue, adding to its eerie presence. This creature moves with a surprising grace despite its size, capable of sudden bursts of speed.
Abilities:
Roiling Earth: With a powerful stomp of its front paws, the Umbral Ursine can create an earthquake that ripples outwards. This ability destabilizes the ground, making it difficult for nearby enemies to maintain their balance and tearing up the earth as it resonates with dark energy. Paralyzing Roar: The Umbral Ursine emits a bone-chilling roar infused with dark energy. This roar has the effect of instilling a deep-seated fear in nearby creatures, effectively paralyzing them with terror.
Weaknesses:
Light Sensitivity: The Umbral Ursine's affinity for darkness makes it particularly sensitive to bright light and radiant energy, which can disorient it and temporarily weaken its abilities. Slow Recovery: After using its Roiling Earth ability, the Umbral Ursine requires a brief recovery period during which it is slower and less responsive.