He moved quickly and quietly as a fox over the fresh powder from the blizzard, dodging trees and fallen branches protruding from the ground. The air was crisp and the figure could see his breath as he ran through the shrouded forest. His heart was racing, for he feared for his own life as he pursued this large beast. As he ran, the man noticed something, it was an animal that had been slaughtered by the beast. He examined the corpse closely, the stench of decay was very prominent as he got closer. He determined that the monster was close by, so he continued to follow the tracks, more cautiously than before. He came to a clearing where a river was surging forth. This river was very wide and the pace it was moving at made it difficult to pass. The man was tired, so he decided to settle down and rest for a while. He set down his pack and observed the forest.

The sun was setting, and he knew that the forest would only become more dangerous at night. As the sun dipped below the horizon he heard a screech in the distance, a kind of noise that he had never heard in this forest before. He needed to move so he gathered his things and stretched his legs. He followed the river down to a point where the current wasn't? as strong. He jumped in the river, gasping because the water was cold as ice. After he had crossed he found the tracks again and he resumed following them through the forest. As he ran, he thought of how this monstrosity could have entered this part of the woods and what it? intended to do. The vegetation was becoming less dense and the claw marks on the trees were fresh. He was getting close. He moved at a faster pace now, but he was more cautious then ever.

The forest soon gave way to a large meadow, and there it was. The creature he had been tracking all along. It was in the middle of the meadow and he was no more than 400 yards away. It was just smaller than the trees in the forest. It was the color of ash and it?’s eyes glowed like beacons in the night. It stood on all four legs and had claws that could slice through flesh with ease. By the looks of it, it?’s skin was as thick as concrete. It was feeding on a fresh kill, making all sorts of repulsive noises as it did. The man pulled something from his bag, it was silver and sharp, it was a sword. This sword was no ordinary sword, it was a sword that had been given to him by his father, which had been passed down throughout his family tree. It radiated with energy as he held it in his hands. He felt a new surge of energy pass through him. Just then the noises of the feast ceased and the beast sniffed the air alerted by the smell of the man. The man?’s heart was beating and he could see the beast? could see him. That?’s when the monstrosity released a terrifying screech. A screech that sounded like metal scraping against metal, it tested the man’s very soul and willpower. The screech did not deter the man though for when he held the sword he was unstoppable

The beast began to charge towards him with an unfaltering speed. It’s footsteps shook the very ground beneath him. The man got up and stood his ground as the massive beast barreled towards him. The man knew that he had one chance to make it out of this fight alive. Everything seemed to slow down as the man became focused on the approaching threat. He had noticed a break in the beast’?s armor. Just below the stomach lay a deformity, the Achilles heel of the monster. It would be difficult to hit, but he knew that it must be done to be able to bring the monster down. He began to run towards the beast now, his senses heightened and he felt as if he was watching himself from above. The beast was now 100 yards away and it traveled at the same pace as it did before. Just before they connected, the man slid below the beast. Time was moving at snail's pace to the man. He was just below the deformity, then he thrust his sword up into the beast and the sword cut like slicing butter. The man made it to the other side of the beast. The monster was motionless, then came the vibration of the beast falling, the nightmare had toppled over and lay there dead. The sword no longer glowed as he returned it to his bag. The objective had been completed, so he thought. He heard movement from where the beast was and he turned just in time to see a dark mist darting towards the trees, then it was gone. The man knew that this was far from over.