The Systems Challenge

With the bear running, holding on to its fur was a lot more difficult than when the bear had just been walking.

Jonas wouldn't have thought that that'd be the case, but he found it a little surprising at how hard each time the bear's paw hit the ground shook the bear, almost like it was a mini-earthquake each time. Which naturally made it difficult to hold onto the bear's fur, let alone to climb any farther up the bear.

While it was difficult to do anything against the bear before it had changed from whatever Kim had accomplished after entering the bear's mouth, it certainly not moved a lot faster than it had before. Which Jonas had to assumed was a good thing, since otherwise it wouldn't be such a challenge.

While he had managed to get Kim out of the bear a little, he'd been surprised at how he'd run out of MP before he'd been able to get her the rest of the way out. Though, having fallen however far that height was wasn't a pleasant experience for him. Not to mention the other effects of having run out of him MP while using that skill.

Maybe he could have been a little more judicious of it's use when he'd essentially jumped from Sonya's back with Patrick and Patricia, but he was pretty sure that it wouldn't have mattered that much anyway. That he'd still have ended up not being able to finish helping get Kim out of the bear. Plus, if it was possible that it could have ended up with Kim falling from the bear head first towards the ground.

If that had occurred, he was fairly sure that he wouldn't have been able to do anything to help Kim after that. As he wouldn't see a way for her to survive that outside of anything short of divine intervention.

Still, as he was looking around, wondering if there was anything else that he could do in the situation, he could see that he was almost to the bear's shoulder, but that didn't mean much when he couldn't get the rest of the way up to the back of the bear. Nor did it help that he hadn't a clue as to when the bear would stop running.

It was possible that the bear would continue on until it ran out of it's stamina, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't take that long. Not that he had a clue as to how that it would be if it had been the case.

However, about that moment is when the bear seemed to think that it was a good time to stop running. Which allowed Jonas to be able to continue on his way up o the back of the bear.

Although, as he started climbing again, he realized a problem: he had no idea what he should do once he was on the bear's back. The vital organs that he was aware of would be easier to access through the side of the bear, just behind it's shoulder or from the underside.

None of which would be something that he'd be able to realistically manage in the current situation that he was in. Since, for example, if he tried cutting through the side of the bear, he doubted that he'd be able to get very far before the bear took action of it's own.

If only to roll on its side before moving on its way. As in that case, Jonas would either be crushed or he'd have to drop to the ground to avoid that fate. Which would still result in the bear surviving and leaving him in no better of a position than he had been before.

Although, on the other hand, he was pretty sure that they bear was essentially already fatally wounded, it just didn't realize it yet. Since Kim had entered through the bear's mouth, he could only assume that she'd ended up in the bear's stomach. Though, whether that was before or after whatever she'd done to affect the change in the bear was merely academic speculation.

Though, letting the bear die from its own digestive juices wasn't something that Jonas felt good about. From what he knew, it could take months for a person to die from anything like that, outside of other complications. It just felt too cruel to let it suffer that long. That he should end its life before it really begins to notice just how much of a problem it really had. He merely hoped that she'd be able to make it quick and not torment the creature much before its end.

As Jonas focused on climbing up the bear's fur, making sure that his grip was secure before letting go with his other hand, he wondered if she should at least try for the bear's eyes. While it wouldn't be an especially pleasant thought of entering in such a location, it was at least a place where they wouldn't need to worry about how thick its skin was or even how far away from a vital organ it was. After all, its brain shouldn't be very far from where its eyes were and the eyes would be an easy way into its skull as well.

Though, he couldn't say how easy it'd be to do that. Especially since he was pretty sure that they'd need to stand on the bear's nose in order to get a clean shot at it's eyes, and he was pretty sure that it would notice them on its nose, just by their weight alone.

Despite the knowledge that he wasn't the only one climbing the bear, he didn't say anything of his thoughts. Partly because he didn't want to get distracted from his climbing, since it was hard enough as it was, and also partly because he didn't want to get into a debate while struggling to climb. If the debate occurred while they were already on the bear's back, that would be one thing, but other than that, it'd be an unnecessary distraction.

Besides, discussing how to kill the bear while they were climbing the side of it felt like putting the cart before the horse. It might sound good on the surface, but he had a feeling that it would merely complicate things more than anything else.

When he finally reached the top of the bear's back, where he could start putting some of his weight on his feet again, he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. He was confident that he'd be able to hold on in the even t the bear started running again, though he didn't think that was likely to happen. As nothing was attacking it right then. Which meant that the bear wouldn't likely feel the need to flee from any potential threat. Assuming that's what happened in the first place.

Taking some time to rest even his mind, Jonas was surprised when he felt himself getting shaken awake. He hadn't expected that he'd have actually fallen asleep, but he wasn't going to complain. If he fell asleep, then it was likely because he needed it more than he'd realized.

Looking up, he saw Elwin was the one who shook him awake. "Patrick seemed alright to let you sleep, but I think the sooner we figure out how to put down the bear, the better. Especially since I don't like the look of those clouds over there," Elwin said.

Jonas looked and saw some dark clouds on the southern horizon of the afternoon sky. He couldn't be sure if they'd exactly be clouds that would give them any kind of storm or if they'd e even heading in their direction in the first place. All he could acknowledge about them was that he didn't like the look of them either and if they were heading in their direction, the sooner they were off of the bear, the better.

"Well, the only thing I could think of would be to try to get to the bear's brain through it's eyes, but I doubt it'd like anything just standing on its nose, especially if its eyes were being attacked," Jonas replied, not sure how helpful his idea would be. Just that it was at least an idea.

"I could always see what the bear would do if I set it on fire," Patrick offered.

"And burn the forest down with it?" Elwin asked, a little too critically in Jonas' opinion. "Not a chance."

Patrick merely shrugged, as if he didn't really care, but Jonas was pretty sure that it bothered him. He was just good at not letting it show.

"Well, what if we went from below?" another voice asked, startling everyone present.

Jonas looked around frantically, but when his eyes landed on the speaker, he felt a little annoyed to find he was the last to spot Kim. Though, while the sight of her certainly was a pleasant surprise, it wasn't that he forgot about Kim, it was more that he hadn't expected her to still be with the bear. That she'd either have been able to have gotten out on her own or that she'd have essentially dropped from the bear on her own.

"What do you mean 'from below?'" Patrick asked. "You're not suggesting we climb all the way back down the bear, are you? Not after it took so long to get up here."

Kim merely shrugged, which is when Jonas realized that her clothing was in tatters, filled with holes and her sin was red underneath. While he understood that she likely had gone to the bear's stomach, he hadn't expected that its stomach acid to work that fast. Though, he couldn't say for sure if there hadn't been anything else that might have contributed to that point. As there was just too many unknowns about dealing with this bear that he'd had to endure up to this point.

"If you wanted to climb back down to the ground that'd be your prerogative," Kim commented disinterestedly. "I was merely suggesting that you could try to get to the bear's insides from the way I got out."

Jonas felt like he'd suddenly been doused with cold water. Why hadn't he thought of that? It was so simple, yet apparently he'd completely forgotten about that part. Though, if they were able to do anything about it would determine whether or not it was a viable option.

"I just wanted to first check about something," Kim continued. "How far are you able to send out your flames? Like as if you were launching a flamthrower?"