Do you know I exist ?

If you're the guy waiting down the alley, your eyes should be scanning the walls for any small thing – anything. A movement that didn't match the straight up-and-down line. Like someone peeking around the corner. Generally, you don't want to be the guy peeking around the corner. He'd been around long enough to know that without a decoy, what you needed to do was back up in a precise straight line with the corner, very slowly. If a guy had a bow or a sling, he'd have to step into the center to fire at you, giving you a chance to see who, what, and possibly how many.

Gamleon had learned the value of preparation after years of sometimes painful trial and error. He'd slept as well as possible the night before and was up as usual at first sunlight. He was thinking again about time, specifically how much time was left before the light filtering in from somewhere above stopped filling this part of the chamber. So many thoughts filled his mind. It was hard to focus on exactly what to do next.

Filling the flask with the fresh, clean, cold water was always a good idea. The loss of water from the larger skin was far too much for him to make it all the way back home. He was going to have to stop and refill on the way out too. Gamleon made his way over to the stream. He stood at the edge and looked hard at the water. It was normal looking. He bent down and scooped some up in his hand and smelled it.

He picked up his sword a well made Xiphos, looked at it, turned it, then leaning out plunged it into the water slowly. He expected it to touch the bottom, but it didn't. He got down and stuck his whole arm in. He moved it around. He didn't feel anything but steady flowing cold water. He quickly withdrew and wiped all the water from the trusty sword, very thoroughly.

Running over and picking up the oar, which was much, much longer was a given. He stuck the oar into the water as well and walked along the edge of the river. He bent as close as he could arm outstretched, oar held tightly. Still no bottom that he could feel. He pulled out the oar and set it down as he was reaching out for his sword and shield.

Just then the a large cave bear began its charge. Gamleon grabbed for the shield first, knowing that it would serve him better in the attack. The first blow hit the shield just as his fingers wrapped around the handle of the sword. The large, heavy bear had him off his feet and pinned flat on his back with one swipe. The shield dug into the muscles of his chest, even though his light armor was there.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

He lashed out with the sword in his right hand, aiming precisely at the toes of the bear's left hind leg. As the sword severed off the bear's big toe, it let out a roar of pain. The blow stunned the beast long enough to allow Gamleon to get up. Getting back up was crucial. Being flat on your back denies you of all your power and any of your maneuverability.

The big, angry bear swung hard and fast. Gamleon came up and blocked the oncoming paw with his sword. He could feel the blade hit bone. The other paw was right behind it, striking the sturdy ram horns that grew from his triangular head. The blow hit him so hard his thick muscular neck tilted so quickly that the black tunnel was all he could see. He was out cold before he hit the ground.

When his eyes opened again, he saw the strangest thing he had ever seen. So strange that he thought he might still be dreaming. Filling his vision was the most unusual creature. The only thing he could compare this to was honey. If honey could come to life and move. It was something and it was coming up out of the water, slightly formless but soon taking a roughly human shape.

It wasn't gold and brownish like honey, though. It was clear mostly kind of bluish green and there were what looked like sand and little rocks or something floating all around in it. If it had a face, he couldn't see it or tell what it was like. Arm-like things kept growing longer off of each of its sides.

The bear was trying to get to the food inside Gamleon's pack by licking and biting at the flaps. Even though food was crucial he couldn't take his eyes off of this thing. The bear becoming more frustrated and being hurt reared back and started to come down hard in another blow aimed at his chest. It was then that the mysterious creature finally reached out and touched the bear.

A part of its arm-like thing wrapped around the bear's injured paw. The bear continued downward, but at the last moment suddenly came to a complete stop. Its body frozen in a very awkward pose. Its bright eyes continued to move curiously. The bear's body simply could not be rigid in that position and remain upright.

It toppled forward only partially striking Gamleon on the way down before it hit the ground. The creature withdrew its tentacle-like arm back at the right time . It was then that Gamleon could see that the whole top third of this thing's head looked like one giant eye facing upward.

Gamleon hadn't survived this long by being ignorant or slow.

Using only the very limited amount he thought he knew about this thing. He guessed it wasn't capable of sudden burst of speed. It was however obviously the cause of the bear laying still next to him. The bear was dry, meaning it probably wasn't the same one he had seen earlier on the other side of this narrow river."