Level Five

A thunderous boom rang out through the rainy night, like a muffled peal of thunder.

The bald Warrior descended from an evil god and the Giant Bear from Heaven slammed into each other.

The difference in their size was enormous. Sarevok was merely a tall human, six and a half feet at most—nearly two meters. The celestial bear, though, was an evolved specimen. Even on all fours, its shoulders stood nearly a head above Sarevok's. An ordinary brown bear, no matter how large it grew, would only reach a strong man's chest at the shoulder. If this one reared up on its hind legs, it might stand twelve feet tall or more. At three-point-seven meters, it was practically as tall as a stone giant!

Faced with such a vast difference in size, Sarevok looked like Don Quixote charging a windmill. Or an egg hurling itself against a rock. Charname and Imoen were sure he would be smashed to pieces in the next instant—or torn limb from limb. Much the same thing, really. It all depended on what the Giant Bear felt like doing.

But when they collided, Sarevok merely took two steps back before finding his footing. The Giant Bear staggered instead, swaying so badly it could barely stand.

A horrific wound ran from the beast's left shoulder to its right chest, tearing through flesh and hide. Blood practically gushed from it. Anyone standing in front of the bear would have been drenched scarlet in an instant.

Sarevok gave a cruel smile. "You came here in the flesh! Excellent. Shame about the hide—it won't make a quality rug now. But your head will decorate my living room. Yes, I'll hang it beside the fireplace."

With that, he drew a deep breath and charged the Giant Bear again.

Clearly, the Giant