A ship moved through the calm sea with quiet confidence, the numerous scars and scratches decorating it's dark wooden hull a testament to it's experience.
Sunlight glinted faintly along it's sides, catching on painted trim near the stern where deep red panels and black accents still held their colour, proud remnants of careful craftsmanship.
The deck was alive with movement and noise, crowded with people laughing, spinning and stamping their boots against the worn planks. Tankards were raised high, as ale sloshed over the rimes, and the air rang with music, clapping hands and shouted toasts.
Below all that celebration however, dark was pressed in thick and heavy, broken only by faint shafts of light slipping through narrow grates above. The air was damp and close, carrying the smell of wood, sweat, and stagnant water.
Dozens of people were crowded together in the gloom, their shapes barely distinguishable as they shifted, whispered or sat in exhausted silence.
Amongst them however, two stood out rather starkly. Not just by their looks, but also by the sheer weight of the air around them.
One of which was a handsome dark haired young man, with a thick steel collar wrapped tight around his neck, and a chain connecting it tightly to the ships wall.
Next to him was an equally charming boy in similar chains, except there were strange engravings mixed on his own. He had dark blue hair, as well as black marks under his eyes signaling his exhaustion.
'How much longer do I have to deal with this crap?'
**
'WHY! WHY! WHY!'
Panic drove him though the forest, breath tearing from his chest as branches whipped across his face and roots threatened to send him sprawling.
Every footstep sounded too loud, every shadow seemed to move,
Just a moment ago where he had passed through, a giant blue mass trampled throughout as the Azure bear chased after him on all fours.
Noticing two tightly packed trees straight ahead, Azdin darted right through it at the last second, his shoulder scraping bark as he twisted his body sideways. Loose gravel and leaves slid beneath his feet, but he kept moving regardless.
Breathing a sigh of relief, he turned his head back to check on the demented thing.
To his utter disbelief, he watched in horror as it simply charged straight through the gap, knocking both trees down without even slowing it down in the slightest.
In fact, it seemed even faster.
'Why the hell is it so angry??'
Now aware that the surrounding river was the bears territory, believed that if he ran far enough away from it, the bear would eventually just give up and turn back around.
Despite that though, he had run just over a kilometer away from its supposed territory, and yet it kept persisting after him, displaying an unusual tenacity and aggression.
Even worse, he was starting to get tired.
He was an awakened, but that didn't mean he possessed unlimited stamina, just copious amounts of it. But even that was starting to bottom out, and thus this chase would soon come to an end.
'I have to fight it.'
It wasn't even that he was insecure of winning, but it was that he didn't want to kill it if it were possible. All in order not to end up as he once were, he would kill as little as necessary.
Right when the Azure Bear was just but a few inches away from him, it suddenly leaped forwards with startling speed.
Just before the two made contact, he ducked, allowing it to dive right over him and collide straight through a thick tree which it knocked over with frightening ease.
Quickly regaining his bearings, Azdin took a basic swords stance, planting his feet wide apart and grounding himself against the earth as if daring it to move him. Both hands closed tightly around the hilt of his sword, with the blade held steady in front of his body, with his shoulders squared and knees bent slightly.
It wasn't anything elegant, but it would do for now. This was just his first proper fight, after all.
The Azure bear reared back up onto its hind legs, towering high as it's massive frame blotted out the sun, casting a shadow right over him.
Thick muscles rolled beneath it's fur as it lifted it's head and roared, strings of drool spilling from its jaws and splattering onto the ground below.
It could smell it. The familiar scent of its child, and yet this human was not it's child.
Letting out another roar, the bear hurled one of its massive claws forward, the swipe cutting through the air like a falling blade. The force behind it promised bone-crushing impact, yet Azdin did not falter.
Rather, steeling his determination he shifted his stance and met the attack head on, steel flashing as his sword deflected the claw aside with a sharp clang.
It was stunned, but didn't stop. The bear exploded into motion, unleashing a savage flurry of claw strikes, each one driven by brute strength and blind fury.
One after another they came, left then right, heavy arcs meant to tear and crush. And yet, Azdin met them all. His sword moved with uncanny precision, steel snapping into place again and again as every blow was turned aside, sparks flashing at each perfect parry.
'Not yet.'
Still, the sheer force behind the attacks could not be denied. With every deflection his bare feet scrapped backwards through the dirt, heels digging in as ground was slowly surrendered, his control unwavering even as the bear's relentless assault drove him back step by step, toward the edge of the clearing.
The barrage was merciless, each strike filled with the intent to kill and rip apart. Blow after blow crashed down until Azdin was forced back hard enough, to the point that one knee struck the ground, dirt scattering beneath him.
Even then, he did not break.
'Not yet!'
From that lowered position, he continued to parry with unyielding focus, blade rising up again and again to intercept claws that should've ended him.
The Azure bear drew back for a final, devastating strike, muscles coiling as it raised its arm high.
With this, it would not only break that paltry sword of his, but tear straight through him in two.
It was then that Azdin could see it, the dark red light that only he could see, spreading forth from the bare chest of the Azure bear.
The light of an opening.
Essence began to rush throughout his body, tremendous strength and power fueling him all at once. The sensation was euphoric, simply divine.
He felt omnipotent.
With a single, lightning-fast motion, he surged forward and slashed across the bear's torso, the strike clean and precise, cutting through fury and momentum alike before it's next blow could fall.
Dark red blood spilled from the gash, soaking into it's fur and splattering on the ground below. It seemed to flatter, it's massive form swaying as the wound took its toll.
'It wasn't lethal, but that should make it—'
And then it roared once more, louder than before, pain twisting into pure, unrestrained fury. The bear lunged again with renewed savagery, movements wilder and faster, every strike driven by rage rather than reason.
Azdin barely had time to react, abandoning any thought of defence as he scrambled and spun around the beast, blade flashing as he desperately parried another blow, and then another.
Right then, he could feel the grip on his blade loosen, what had been accurate precision quickly became frantic motion.
"Stop it already!"
Ignoring the warning, it continued to attack without pause. It's claws hammering down in a relentless onslaught that left no room to breath. Azdin retreated and turned, steel ringing over and over as each blow was barley kept at bay.
And then, between strikes, the red light of an opening appeared once more. He stepped in sharply and drove forward, thrusting with purpose as the blade cut across the bear's side.
"You've lost, so just quit it already!"
It seemed finished. It's massive body sagged and seemingly fell over, breath coming in ragged, shuddering gasps as it's weight trembled and began to fail.
The fight looked to be over.
Breathing a sigh of a relief, Azdin prepared to escape.
And then with brutal determination, the Azure bear surged forward, jaws snapping wide as it lunged in a savage attempt to crush Azdin's head between it's teeth. The attack came too fast to think, and only instinct saved him.
He twisted aside at the last possible instant, feeling hot breath rush past where his face had been. In the same motion, he drove his sword forward with all the strength he had left, the blade slipping beneath it's guard and plunging deep into its chest.
The strike found it's mark, piercing it's heart, and the enormous creature froze mid-motion as it's final roar died in its throat.
Quickly pulling out his blade, Azdin took several hurried steps back as the Azure bear toppled over.
It was then that he heard that same, cold whisper echoing in his ears.
[You have slain the Awakened Demon, Azure bear.]