"Exactly, that's where the fun is!" Tangling with bears is a particular hazard of a life roaming the wilds between jobs, one of Asher's great joys because bears are big and powerful, with nice warm pelts to keep you cosy.

With a mage in his own company, he's used to magic flying through the air and this time there isn't the smell of burning hair to go with it, always a bonus because it's a pretty pungent aroma. He strikes again, the blade going up under the front leg to the throat, following through to strike it with the handle as it rears and crashes down, knocking Asher with it.