Sanctum: Evigilationis

Bear of night

I stopped cold. Wisdom and Patience did the same. We stared ahead. Something was moving. Something that made the birds stop singing, and the wind stop blowing. Some evil set it's will against the rest of nature, and utterly silenced it. The birds huddled together, silent. Their feathers ruffled in the wind. It was suddenly dark and cold. Wisdom and Patience backed up to form a cricle around me. I took the bow that had been slung from my back and nocked an arrow. Not that it would have done any good against what I saw. 

In the distance, a mighty black shape made it's way across the woodland. It cared little for the patches of light that touched it, yet, I knew it was evil. Wisdom started bcaking up and her ears were up, listening to everything. Her hair was raised on her back. Patience was still. Her eyes locked with this thing. Her hair was also on end, but with a different feeling. It was not a preparation for an attack, like Wisdom. It was a preparation to run. Her ears were pressed flat against her head. None of us moved except me as I readied to draw my bow.

Blood flowed to my ears. My eyes focused and if there were any noises, I was sure i would not hear it. I was calculating. Wind speed, distance, obstacles, targets, possible other enemies, good spots to target. But I was willing to wait for the shot. I knew I needed to conserve my ammunition. And I knew that I was ill equiped for this fight. The shape then turned to us. And stood up.

I knew what it was. It was a black bear. But this was no ordinary black bear. It was about twice the size of a large Grizzly Bear. Even from the distance I was at, I could read it's own name. It was not a collar like the wolves. It was made by scratches and wounds in the bear's chest. Comatus.

We made eye contact. Three sets of eyes, on one set. Yet this one set seemed to make our stares seem inadequate. I felt hopeless, like all strength was leaving my body in painful ways. Comatus looked at us one last time. His stare piercing us. Then he landed on all fours. He started to walk away, and I started to relax. The further he went, the less I worried. Then suddenly, I tensed. He turned sharply rose to an upright position, leaned his mighty head back, and let out a roar.

This roar shook the wood on it's roots. Wisdom and Patience started panicking. I myself felt to the earth and clasped for my ears. It felt like I had been punched in the head. My ears were ringing and pounding. Then the shockwave hit me. I felt like I was kicked hard. Wisdom and Patience flew back a few feet. Time seemed to slow down again. It was similar to the fight with Arrogance, but completely different at the same time. Panic filled my head. I could hardly move. My clothes were moving, like a srtong wind was blowing them. The only thing I could think of doing was running. I stuggled to my knees. I was not goin anywhere easily. I pushed off, trying to get up, trying to move. Then suddenly, the force stopped, and time played normally. And I went flying a few yards.

After landing face first in the snow, one would think you would be hesitant to move, but I was still stricken with fear. I pulled myself out of that snow bank. The trees seemed to blur in front of my eyes. Pain surged through my chest like miniature explosions were happening inside my chest. I just barely turned my head in time to see the black shadow pass as life came back to the woods. Birds started singing. The wind blew again. The sun shone out all the clearer. 

"So" I though to myself, "this is what I have to fight." My mind worked it out in my head. I slumped back down the tree near my kill. THe blood had sprayed from it's dead body into the snow at least 10 yards away. How could I fight this thing?

My encounter with Comatus had more tha startled me or hurt me. It scared me. I could not think quite staight. The only thing I knew was that I had to get back to the cabin. I had to get back to safety. The pain that I felt everywhere now seemed greater in every way. My arm throbbed, my chest constricted. Life was being sucked out of me still. I grasped at my chest and tried deep breaths. Nothing was working. I could not shake this feeling. So I picked up the deer and ran.

I ran and ran and ran. Nothing could stop me. I knew Patience and Wisdom were following. They barked as they ran, as if to insure me that they were ok and that I should keep going. I readjusted the deer upon my sholders and ploughed through the snow. My limns screamed in complaint to my motions, but I somehow kept them from entering my mind. I knew I had to get to the cabin. I could not get back fast enough. My tracks were fading. It had been snowing on and off all day. I should not have been surprised. Then I looked up. I had to get back even faster. I was now carrying life and what seemed like death on my shoulders. Life for food. Death because I was holding a dead deer and the sun had just slipped beyond the horizon.