----This chapter required rewriting once because I mucked it all up the first time. Also I needed to establish complex events and motivations of the characters involved to figure out what each one would do, then somehow I managed to completely ignore half of the backstory I put together because adding it in killed the suspense. You'll see it later when it becomes relevant, I guess. Sorry it took a bit, next chapter will be a hybrid chapter with more from our mc and sir robert.-----

"Damnation!" I screamed. "Aelina! Lorence! Retreat!" As they pivoted and followed, Lorence threw Aelina on his back and began channeling the power of the earth, his footsteps now shockingly loud and double the pace. Aelina concentrated on the rear, deflecting crossbow bolts with air magic. Satisfied they were safe, at least for the moment, I concentrated on our current situation, and mustered as much speed as I could manage, gasping for air and clanking as I went. Someone had known when and where we would be. Was our mission that important? There had to be 500 men chasing us, and all far too well armed to be a bandit group. Behind me, I heard a distant, echoing roar that chilled me to my bones. "Gods above, was that a bear?" I shouted to the two keeping pace beside me. If anything, I was slowing them down, but they stayed beside me, even in this dire situation, and that only made me grit my teeth and push harder. Aelina was looking over her shoulder, worry on her face. "They must have a warbear." She yelled in return. We wouldn't be able to lose them in the woods then as I had planned. I thought furiously.

There were few places that could help us lose the keen nose of a warbear, plus they were prodigiously fast. It was fairly far off now, but that wouldn't last for long. "The lake!" I shouted Lorence nodded in understanding, and we both changed course. Aelina set fire to a particularly large stand of bushes as we passed, and I mentally applauded. The smoke should help cover and muddy our trail. I should have thought of that.

Soon, we had outdistanced most of our pursuit, but I was fairly sure they were just pausing to reload and follow the bear, who had grown closer despite the smoke. The ones who remained on our heels must have been at the peak of fitness or had a touch of magic to keep up with us at this pace, but there were only a dozen or so, compared to the hundreds before. I made a hand gesture towards Lorence, our signal for attack. We both swiveled, near simultaneous, pitching thin glass flasks of alchemical acid at our pursuit. I instantly drew my sword and charged at the man bearing down on me, shearing off half of his skull with two blows to the head before he could bring his own weapon to bear. We had hit with the acid, and four men were down, the splash from the impact all over what was left of their legs. Lorence had simply punched a man and instantly killed him with the force behind the blow. Aelina was on Lorence's back, piggyback style, and wherever her eyes fell, flames erupted, charring man and vegetation alike. "I guess this means all those drills were worth it." I said in the sudden quiet. I flipped up the visor on my bascinet and selected and drank the contents of an alchemical flask on my belt, a vigor tonic to help me push back my exhaustion until later. I let my visor fall again, and I turned about and resumed our flight, unable to look at the carnage we had left in our wake for another moment.

We fled with great haste, and the lake grew closer and closer in my vision, but the bear became louder and louder each time it roared. The bear and rider had surely lost their comrades at that speed, but we had all spent so much physical and mental strength I was unsure if we would survive a close quarters fight with an alchemically enhanced bear, let alone the rider.

I ploughed through a patch of brush at breakneck speed, and suddenly the world spun around me, and I realized I was falling. I hit the ground with a muffled clank, sprawled on my back, and my world was all pain. Hands shaking, I took the last vial from my belt, quickly unstoppered it, and downed it before I could reconsider. A regeneration potion like this one cost a months salary, but without it, I was a dead man. A pleasant, tingling warmth filled my body, and my disorientation and pain vanished. I felt the bones in my left leg shifting around, and heard popping noises from my back, and quickly stood, whole once more. I looked around, standing at the bottom of a 15 foot pit concealed by the brush above. A wide tunnel stretched into darkness in front of me, smelling of damp. I smiled. Maybe we would live after all.

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Aelina floated both herself and Lorence into the pit with me, their hefty robes flapping in the breeze. When they were touching the ground once again, I spoke rapidly. "No one will likely find us down here but the bear. If we can kill the bear, we can hide here for a few days until they give up. Can either of you kill the bear?"

Aelina rubbed her forehead with her free hand, frowning. "Perhaps I can charge up a big fire and air spell, make a big explosion. It will take time though, and I'm not sure it will kill the bear." Lorence spoke up "Perhaps if I wove water into it, like we did at Banner's rock. Boil all the blood from a bear and it will definitely die, no matter how strong." "Are you crazy! We did that on accident! There's no telling if we can even replicate it, plus there's no telling what it will do to us in a confined space!" Aelina hissed, face turning crimson. "I'm pretty sure I can replicate it. I've been practicing." Lorence said evenly "Besides, we know exactly what the bear will do in a confined space. It will kill us all."

"I don't care what you do, so long as you stop arguing and keep moving. We need to head down the tunnel and find a decent chokepoint. Argue later." I interjected. "You're right, Robert. Let's get moving. Lorence, walk next to me, we'll prep the spell just in case. I'm not saying this is a good idea, but I can't think of anything better." With that, I led the way down the tunnel at a jog. Lighting a torch as I blazed the way, my two companions casting minor light spells behind me, I descended into the dark. Aelina and Lorence followed, talking animatedly.

The tunnel reached about 40 feet underground and was astonishingly regular, like a giant worm had bored into the rock. I slowed down as I neared the end, wanting to avoid being eaten by any possible cave residents. I slowly strode into the cave, warily scanning the surroundings when I heard a loud hiss from up ahead, like the noise a disturbed snake might make, only much much louder. "There's something in here" I said. I advanced, moving my light about to see into the shadowed corners of the room. I saw nothing however, and heard nothing further. "Must be one of those damned giant lizards." I muttered under my breath. Slightly louder, I said. "I, Sir Robert Reginald Haniball the third, will not be driven from my course by a giant lizard."

Suddenly, behind us and far too close, came another roar from the warbear. I whirled around. It was practically here! How was it here already?

I rushed forward sword and torch in hand, ready to interpose myself between the bear and my companions, the warm tingle from the regeneration potion still buzzing weakly through my veins. I charged forward, right into the path of the onrushing bear. I held my sword fast and readied my stance, prepared to use its own momentum to skewer it, but at the last moment, it swerved and a dwarf rose from the thick fur on its back and struck the sword I held from my hands, following with three savage blows that tore through my heavy armor and the flesh beneath. I struck the bear with my torch as it slammed into me, knocking me into the wall with such force I blacked out.

I awoke again and quickly came to my senses. I felt extremely weak, and I immediately knew something was wrong. I should have healed, I could still feel the regeneration effect functioning, but I was still weak and in pain. I attempted to move, but I only flopped about slightly as my right side lit on fire with agony from the attempt. A quick probe with my fingers confirmed my suspicions. The armor plating had lodged in the wound, preventing full recovery. I fumbled at the buckles on my cuirass, cursing the darkness. Suddenly a huge form came between me and the extremely weak light that permeated the cavern, completely silent. I cried out in shock, fumbling for my knife, but it was gone a moment later.

I held still for a moment, listening, and heard the rustle of robes dragging on the cavern floor. I tried to drag myself toward the sound, but I was too weak from blood loss. "Lorence! Aelina!" I rasped, struggling to make myself heard. There was no reply save for the splashing of water in the distance. Soon, I descended into darkness again.