I dragged my tired feet along the ground as I walked through the snow-covered forest. The forest was quiet. The morning sun had not yet fully broken through, since I had decided to wander out in the very early morning to not disturb my sleeping parents.

I had realized while watching the two people fighting the other day, that I was nowhere near their level. They were only a few years older than me, but I could see that I was weaker, it made me feel like I was progressing slower than I should be.

I had followed my father hunting for a while, but I had not yet been able to kill a single thing. So, I decided to prove to myself that I had grown. I was planning to take on the first challenges my parents gave me. I was going to kill a grizzly without the support of my parents. I left them a note to explain where I went. I had taken with me some rope so that I could take the beast with me back. As well as a weapon and a chain mail tunic that I wore between my clothes.

I traversed further and further into the forest. With little to no sunlight the forest became stranger, more uncertain.

I placed my hand on the sword I had taken from the armory, preparing myself for combat. As I walked deeper into the dark forest, I saw one.

A large beast that walked on all four. Its forelegs were longer and had sharp claws. It looked like an unholy combination between a bear and a wolf. It has sharp teeth inside a giant maw on its round face. Its large body was coated in a thick golden fur that made it warm during winter, yet cold during summer. According to my father, the adults were able to hear and smell something about a mile away. Their skin was also thick enough to take several slashes, and an adult's claws could slice a rock in half with ease.  

I ducked down and covered my mouth when I saw the adult grizzly's, not wanting to get spotted by them. My father told me that the difference between an adult and an adolescent grizzly was that the adolescent once had a red mark on their head.

I started to crawl away from the adult grizzly continuing my search and eventually I found one. In a clearing a bit away from the other grizzly I saw before. A grizzly with a red mark on its head.

Crawling behind some bushes so as not to get spotted, I look towards it again.

"I shouldn't just barge in. Maybe if I try to attack its legs I could give myself an advantage?"

"But then again, their skin is apparently pretty sturdy. But I will have to try."

I slowly stand up and unsheathe my borrowed sword. I slowly walk out of the bushes not wanting the grizzly to see me approaching. As I hold out my sword, I notice my hand shaking. I quickly grab the sword with both my hands to make it stop. I let out a breath and glared towards the unsuspecting beast in front of me.

"Here we go..." I say as I start to run towards the grizzly and slash its hind legs.

Unfortunately, my attack wasn't as effective as I had hoped. I barely made the creature bleed and now a thunderous roar came from the grizzly's maw as I slashed it. The grizzly quickly turned around to face me and it used its heavy paw to smack me away. The attack made me fly into a tree knocking the wind out of me.

I notice the grizzly rushing towards me. I throw myself to the side to dodge its gaping maw, which chomps down on the tree that stood behind me. I quickly got back on my feet, hearing the grizzly rushing towards me I try to move to the right. I barely dodge its claws, I feel its razor like claw scrape by my cheek. Facing the creature's side I take my chance and strike. I slash my sword down on its side, not wanting to lose momentum, I let the sword continue to move upwards in a circular motion. Twisting my body to let the sword continue its path, I spin on my heel to slash down on the beast a second time.

The grizzly jumps quickly and maneuvers back in response to my attacks.

"Quite agile for your size." I say staring into the beast’s emerald green eyes.

The grizzly didn’t seem too pleased by my comment as it quickly moves towards me. Standing on its hind legs, it swipes down its fore legs down on me. Using my sword, I block its attack. We find ourselves in a stalemate. As the grizzly presses down more of its weight on my sword I feel how my legs start to give in.

"Run. I need to run away!" the words echo in my head as I can feel the grizzly's hot breath on my face.

Moving my sword down letting the grizzly swipe down I jump back and start to run. Noticing the grizzly follow me, I run around the trees to find somewhere to hide for the moment. Seeing a large tree to my right I decide to feint the grizzly by quickly pretending to move to the left, taking two steps to the left I quickly turn around and sprint to the tree and hide behind it. My feint seems to have worked as the grizzly starts to look for me confused.

I feel something drop onto my hand. Its blood. Stroking my cheek, I notice I'm bleeding.

"Shit-"

I take some snow and mush it into my face hoping it will be enough to disturb the scent of blood. But to be extra safe I decide to take some rocks and throw them away from me, hoping to trick the grizzly.

The grizzly quickly ran after the sound.

"It is obviously stronger than me, but if I can wear it down. Keep attacking but not to kill but to weaken? If I go for its eyes, then maybe I could have the advantage"

"Well let's do this again" I say standing up.

"Hey, you, golden murder machine! come and get me!"

When the grizzly notices me it starts to run towards me. Throwing itself with its arms wide as to trap me with them. However, I swing my sword to the side, hitting the face of the grizzly and slashing its right eye, using the motion I throw the grizzly of its course.

The grizzly now laying on its side growls in pain from losing its eye.

Taking the opportunity, I run towards the grizzly and stab it in its stomach. The quiet forest now fills up with the loud roars of the grizzly as I try and move the sword, but as I try, I get hit by the beast’s paw. Its claws dig through my chain mail and start to slash my flesh. Making me let go of the sword leaving it in the beast’s stomach. The grizzly gets back onto its feet and with its other paw slashes my arm and the side of my stomach. The attack pushes me away from the creature and into some bushes.

"Fuck!" I let out as I lay buried in the bushes.

I hear how the grizzly slowly starts to walk towards me.

"Move! Get up and move! Just move!"

As I try to move an immense pain shoots throughout my body. No matter how much I plead my body to move it won’t. As I lay in the bushes the grizzly only comes closer. When I feel its warm blood starting to drip on my legs, that is when I actually notice it. The appalling look on the beast’s face, it almost looked like it was smiling. Smiling at my pain and fright.

"Move!" I shouted out as to command my body but still, it wouldn’t budge.

As the grizzly moved over me I felt its disgusting and warm breath on my face. As it stared down at me with its remaining eye.

"If I don't do something I will die. Father and mother aren’t here to swoop in and save me at the last minute. I'm alone. Only I can actually do something. So do something!"

Laying there feeling the beast’s face come closer to mine I felt the pressure waves from the ground more clearly. They weren't as complex and harsh as the ones emitting from the wind. Having nothing else to resort to, I decided to try.

I concentrated on my own pressure waves and felt them intertwine. Instead of forcing the pressure waves of the ground to form with mine, I decided to force my own to be similar to the ground’s.

I was told by my father that depending on how I alter the pressure waves different results will occur. Like forcing something to be like my waves would give a result like Mirage, while altering the edge of my pressure waves to the waves of another and having an idea of what I want will give a result more fitting to what I want to cast.

As I alter my pressure waves only one thought rushes through my head.

"I need to get it off me!"

As the pressure waves cross, I feel an incantation being formed in my mind.

"Thread!" I shout and from the ground thin tall spikes burst out piercing the grizzly.

The spikes aren’t enough to fatally wound the grizzly but it seemed to hurt it, and it gave me an opportunity to crawl away. Be it that I got the grizzly of me or adrenaline, whatever it was I finally started to move. I dragged myself away from the beast and slowly got myself back up.

The grizzly stands on its hind legs attacking the spikes in a rage.

"Should I run? No, if I run it will surely catch up. I just have to keep fighting. If I don't then how can I expect myself to be strong like the kings, like Ezekiel."

Slowly I start to run towards the grizzly. Seeing the grizzly trying to get the spikes off, I run until I'm once again right in front of it. Using both hands, I grab the sword’s hilt and start to push. With all of my strength, I pull my sword from the beast’s stomach, gashing it in the process, leaving its guts exposed. Using the momentum, I spin around slashing the grizzly yet again.

It roars at me but at that moment I saw it. An opening, while the grizzly charged at me with its paws stretched out in what resembled a hug, I charged towards it with my sword close. When I'm in range I stab it, I stab the grizzly and push with every piece of strength I could muster. I feel how it claws my back tearing through my thick fur coat and pulling on the chain mail underneath. However, I keep pushing. I feel how the grzzly starts to be pulled along my attack and eventually, it falls. With a loud thud, the grizzly now lays on its back with me standing on top of it.

I pull out my sword from its chest and with a smooth motion I circle the sword around me and strike down on its neck. The grizzly lets out a low whimper before it relinquishes its last living breath.

I scream. A scream of pain and victory, as the pastel white snow starts to fill with the warm blood of the grizzly. I had fought and killed a grizzly. The first task was now done.

"Oh right..." I say as I remember something my father always did when he was out hunting.

I stand proud and raise my sword.

"To you seventh God. God of hunting and of nature. I thank you for this hunt and I give you a piece of the spoils as gratitude." I say as I stab the dead grizzly and twist my sword.

I used the rope that I had tied with me to tie up the grizzly and I start to head back home.

As I drag the dead grizzly home I feel weird. Like something was observing me. Looking around I see that I'm right. In the shadows of the forest, a sea of red eyes stares back at me. Seeming almost impressed at my feat. Not sensing any hostility, I continued my walk back home.

Noticing the familiar path I was on, I Instantly felt more safe. Even more when I started to hear someone shout.

"Arameth! Son is that you?" I heard my father shout as he started to approach me.

"Arameth, my boy, are you okay?" My father says after embracing me.

"I saw your note, what were you thinking? are you alright?"

"You’re bleeding and what is it you are pulling... Is that? Did you?" My father asks after noticing what I was dragging behind me.

 "I...Killed a grizzly...I-completed the first task." I say with a tiered breath. Before collapsing in my father's arms.