The growl grew louder, rumbling through the forest like an oncoming storm, until finally, the massive form emerged from the shadows.
Aiden's heart pounded as he took in the sight—a bear, towering over him at nearly twice the size of any he'd seen before.
Its fur was pitch black, thick and matted, its hide marked with old scars that told tales of countless battles. But what sent a chill down Aiden's spine was the sheer power it exuded. Every muscle seemed honed for violence, and its dark, intelligent eyes glinted with an unsettling awareness.
Without hesitation, Aiden shouted, "Surround it!"
His six undead sprang into motion, fanning out around the massive creature, forming a loose circle. The bear let out an earth-shaking roar, a sound so primal and fierce that the birds roosting high above took flight, their wings flapping frantically as they fled the scene.
Aiden steadied himself, watching as the bear shifted its weight, standing on all fours. The ground seemed to tremble beneath its enormous paws, and Aiden felt the air grow dense with the creature's raw power. One swipe of its claw could easily fell a tree, or crush a human.
This beast wasn't like any other creature he'd encountered—it was a force of nature, hardened by battles and scarred by countless encounters.
The bear lunged forward, its jaws snapping at the closest undead, who swung its weapon—a cracked club—toward the bear's side. The impact made a dull thud, but it barely even ruffled the bear's fur.
It turned its head, swiping with a massive paw, and the undead was sent flying, slamming into a tree with a sickening crunch. Aiden winced, but the undead quickly picked itself up, its movements slower but unyielding.
Another undead charged from behind, stabbing with a rusty dagger aimed at one of the bear's old scars. The blade made contact, but it barely scratched the surface. The bear's hide was like steel, scarred yet unyielding, and the weapon bounced off harmlessly.
Aiden clenched his fists, frustration building as he realized the bear's hide was nearly impenetrable with the makeshift weapons his undead carried.
The bear roared again, raising itself up on its hind legs before slamming back down, sending tremors through the ground. It swiped at another undead, its claws slicing through the air like scythes.
The undead managed to dodge, but the force of the swipe uprooted a nearby bush and splintered branches from trees. The sheer power of the beast was unlike anything Aiden had encountered.
One of the undead, armed with a bent shovel, struck at the bear's leg, trying to find any vulnerable spot. The weapon scraped against the bear's hide, producing a dull clang but no visible damage.
The bear turned, its dark eyes locking onto the undead, and in a single swift motion, it lunged forward, sinking its teeth into the undead's arm. With a powerful jerk, it tore the arm clean off, leaving the undead swaying but undeterred.
The remaining undead pressed the attack, weapons swinging in uncoordinated strikes, but every blow seemed as ineffective as the last. The bear swiped again, its claws raking across an undead's ribcage, snapping bones and tearing flesh.
Aiden's undead staggered, missing ribs and broken limbs dangling loosely, but they continued their assault, undeterred by the damage.
Aiden gritted his teeth, watching as his undead took hit after hit. Broken arms, missing ribs, and crushed skulls did nothing to slow them down, but their resilience was met with the bear's overwhelming strength.
One undead attempted to strike at the bear's face, aiming for its eye, but the bear shifted its head and countered with a powerful swipe, sending the undead tumbling across the forest floor, half its skull caved in.
The bear was relentless, each of its movements calculated and precise, while Aiden's undead seemed like toys in comparison, their weapons chipping and breaking against its hide. But they continued, swinging broken weapons, attempting to gouge its flanks or stab through its scars.
One of the undead managed to get close, raising a rusted axe above its head, but before it could strike, the bear reared back and slammed both paws down on the undead, flattening it into the dirt with a force that left cracks in the ground.
Aiden felt his own frustration growing. His undead were relentless, rising to their feet again and again, even as their bodies were battered and broken.
But their persistence was met with futility—each strike glanced off the bear's hide or slid off its scars, leaving little more than superficial marks. His power could raise the dead, but it seemed powerless against a beast like this.
The bear roared once more, shaking the air with a sound so loud and fierce that Aiden's own resolve wavered for a moment. His undead regrouped, forming a shaky circle around the bear, but it was clear they were outmatched.
The bear lunged forward again, swatting two of the undead with a single swipe, sending one crashing into a nearby boulder and snapping its leg clean off. The other was flung into a tree trunk, its torso twisted at an unnatural angle.
Aiden clenched his fists, trying to think of a strategy. His undead wouldn't stop—they'd continue attacking until their bodies were nothing more than broken scraps.
But at this rate, they'd be nothing more than a pile of bones long before they managed to do any damage.
Aiden's mind raced as he watched the battle unfold, frustration boiling within him. But as he observed his undead, he noticed one of them instinctively aiming for the bear's eye—a weak point.
'Of course,' he thought.
The bear's hide was impenetrable, but its eyes… that might be the only vulnerable spot.
"You," he commanded, pointing to one of the undead.
"Distract it."
The undead nodded with eerie obedience, shambling forward and waving its weapon to draw the bear's attention.
Aiden focused, waiting for the perfect moment. The bear turned, snarling as it zeroed in on the undead moving toward it. Then, just as the bear reared back, preparing to strike,
Aiden shouted, "Now! Aim for the eye!"
The undead beside the bear lunged with surprising speed, jabbing its weapon straight toward the bear's left eye. This time, the blow hit its mark, piercing the soft tissue. The bear roared in agony, rearing back, and the ground trembled beneath its fury. Blood oozed from its wounded eye, staining its pitch-black fur, and a terrifying glint of rage filled its remaining eye.
The creature seemed to grow larger, more feral, as if the pain had awakened something even more dangerous within it.
Aiden felt a shiver of fear as he realized the bear had entered a berserk state, its anger pushing it into a blind fury.
"Spread out!" he ordered, his voice firm despite his own nerves.
The undead obeyed instantly, scattering in all directions as the bear thrashed, its claws tearing through the air with deadly force. Each swipe was powerful enough to fell trees.
but as the undead spread out, the bear's attacks struck nothing but air. Its roars grew louder, echoing through the forest as it swung wildly, each missed strike only fueling its rage.
Aiden watched carefully, keeping his distance. The bear's remaining eye scanned the area, its breaths heavy and ragged, steam puffing from its nostrils. After a few moments of futile swiping, the bear paused, huffing as it tried to focus, its eye landing on one of the undead nearby.
With a low growl, it charged forward, its massive form barreling toward its target with relentless force.
"Dodge!" Aiden commanded, his voice laced with urgency.
The undead responded immediately, leaping to the side with surprising agility. It threw itself out of the bear's path like a goalkeeper diving to save a distant shot, narrowly avoiding the bear's charge.
The bear's momentum carried it forward, crashing into a tree with a force that made the ground shake, splintering bark and sending leaves raining down around them.
Aiden exhaled, steadying his nerves. The undead had managed to avoid the attack, but he knew the bear wouldn't give up. It backed away from the tree, shaking its massive head and glaring with murderous intent. Blood still trickled from its wounded eye, and its body tensed, preparing for another charge.
He knew this wasn't over, but the strike to the eye had clearly weakened it, the bear's movements slower and more erratic now.
'I just need to keep them coordinated, keep them moving.'
"Prepare for the next attack," he muttered,
his gaze fixed on the bear as it readied itself for another onslaught.
Aiden's mind raced as he analyzed the bear's movements, noting how it stumbled slightly whenever the injured eye faced its opponents.
'It's blind on the left', he realized,
a spark of hope flickering within him. This was an advantage he couldn't afford to waste; his survival depended on it.
He watched as his undead continued dodging the bear's furious swipes, each narrow escape wearing the beast down further. Despite its strength, the bear's movements grew more erratic, its patience unraveling into blind rage. And each time it roared, Aiden observed something else—its mouth opened wide, revealing the vulnerable flesh within.
'If its hide is like steel on the outside, then maybe…' Aiden thought, a plan forming in his mind. He knew he had one chance to make this work.
"Stay ready!" he whispered, gathering his concentration as he observed the bear closely.
He instructed his undead to maintain a safe distance, moving to the bear's blind side, waiting for the perfect opening. He could feel his heartbeat echoing in his ears, the tension thick as he prepared for the moment that might decide his fate.
The bear, now even angrier, threw its head back and let out a thunderous roar, exposing the vulnerable interior of its mouth.
"Now!"
One of his undead leaped forward, lunging into the bear's open mouth with precision born from Aiden's desperate control. The weapon struck hard and true, plunging deep into the soft tissue at the back of the bear's throat. The undead pushed further, driving the weapon upward in a final strike to the brain.
The bear froze mid-roar, its remaining eye widening with shock and pain. The towering beast staggered, its massive body quivering as its strength drained away. With one last shuddering breath, it slumped forward, collapsing to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Aiden felt his legs go weak with relief, his heart still racing from the intensity of the battle. The forest was silent again, the echoes of the bear's final roar fading into the distance.
His undead, battered and broken, stood over the fallen beast, their blank expressions as steady as ever.
Aiden exhaled, a victorious smile tugging at his lips. He'd managed to survive, all thanks to the vulnerability he'd spotted and his quick thinking.
For now, he was safe—but he knew that his journey was far from over.