The ground was firm beneath my feet. The air felt thin, each breath sharp and cold. Dim sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. My senses sharpened-every hair on my body stood on end. My eyes focused, locked onto the ferocious beast before me. The Black Steel Bear. Its monstrous claws glinted like sharpened steel, its massive frame towering even as it stood on all fours. Yes, I can smell it. I can feel it. Fear gripped me, cold and unrelenting. I could feel it in my chest, tightening my breath. But does it matter? Why should it? I have a duty to uphold.

That's when it happened.

I can move. My body is listening. One step.Two steps. Four. Why am I getting closer? Why wasn't I backing away? Ah. That's right. If I retreated, someone else would face this terror. It means my mother, Terra, or the villagers could be at harm's way. By stepping back, I would be putting them in harm's way. Seven steps. I don't want that. I don't choose that.

Ah, I understand it now.

That's the essence. That's your nature. No. More than that. That's my nature. I'm not backing down. 10 steps. Why isn't it moving? Do you not see me as a threat? Is that it? Fifteen steps. I'll be in its range soon. No. Seventeen steps. He'll be in my range. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. It stood up?

DOOOOM

What is this feeling? The weight of its presence slammed into me like a falling tree. My knees buckled. This pressure. Is it...looking down on me? Am I that insignificant? Each breath is harder to gather than the last. My vision is getting blurry, but I can clearly see it. Its towering form that loomed over me. Its eyes that don't bother to look at mine. Its claws that look like they could scratch through even the great tree in the middle of the jungle. My vision continues to fade. My mind wandering...my senses lost...

"GRAIN!"

The cry shattered the darkness. Grain's mother calls out. Almost breathless, she crouches down to see her son laying down unconscious in front of the shrine of their family animal. The shrine glows a warm brown hue.

"Have you been here all night..?" She thinks as she carries him to lie next to Terra in another tent. His small frame was heavier than she remembered, the weight of growing years settling on her. Gently, she laid him down beside Terra in their tent. "Goodness, Grain... You're only twelve," she whispered, brushing his damp hair from his forehead. Her eyes lingered on the shrine. It only glows when there's a shift in affinity... What did you experience, my son?

"Mother?" Terra calls out as she slowly wakes up. It was beginning to turn dawn. Terra looks over to Grain still unconscious in her mother's arms. "Is big brother okay?" she asks with worry written all over her face. "My child, you need not worry," Mother Igo says as she caresses Terra's cheek, "Grain just needs more rest, he's a growing boy you know". Mother Igo lets out a laugh trying to disguise her worry for her son.

Grain had been at the shrine trying to find the ability to uphold his promise to his father who left last night. That much was obvious to his mother.

"Return to your sleep Terra, I'll go and prepare your favorite meals for breakfast," Mother Igo says as she lays Grain back down to rest. "Ok Mother," Terra says as she lays back on the leaf covered ground, holding her older brother's tender hand. Her worries rushed quickly away from her face.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Mother Igo exits the tent thinking, "Did this son of mine really wait until we were asleep to go and do this?"

As dawn broke, Grain stirred awake. His body felt heavy and sore, as though he had been carrying the weight of the jungle itself. His eyes reluctantly opened, greeted by the sight of the woven tent above and Terra's small tender hand still clasped tightly around his own. Warmth spread through his chest at her presence. Terra always had this effect on Grain.

"Big brother!" Terra's voice was a blend of relief and excitement as she sat up, her face radiating with love and affection for her brother. "You're really awake! Mother said you just needed more rest, but I was still worried!"

Watching Terra's happy expression with tears in her eyes, Grain mustered the strength for a weak smile, squeezing his sister's hand ever-so gently. "I'm alright, Terra. Just had a...strange dream."

To try to get Terra's mind off things, Grain talked about the adventures they had in the jungle. As the 2 conversed about their discoveries of ruins and lost artefacts, Mother Igo entered the tent, balancing a tray with earthen bowls of steaming porridge and fruit. Her sharp gaze softened when she saw Grain awake. "My thick skulled son is finally awake," she said with a chuckle whilst setting the tray down. "You gave Terra quite a scare."

"Sorry, Mother. I didn't mean to worry you all."

Igo's smile faded slightly as she placed a hand on his forehead, checking for any lingering fever. "What were you thinking, Grain? Spending the whole night at the shrine without a word to anyone? You know how dangerous that is." Grain hesitated, his mind replaying the events: the weight of the bear's presence, the overwhelming fear, and the strange clarity that followed. "I...I needed to know if I could..." Grain said teary eyed. "Could what Grain," Mother Igo asked while holding her son's hand firmly. "If I could keep my promise to father..." Grain admitted begrudgingly and now with tears flowing down his face, "to take care of you, Terra, and the tribe! If I was strong enough to..."

Igo's expression softened, and she cupped Grain's face with both her hands. "My foolish son, you are strong. But strength isn't just about standing against what frightens you. It's about knowing when to seek help and trusting those who stand beside you. You have me and your sister. You have your friends in the village and the elders. And more than all that, you have the Goddess of Earth and Nature and all that is life, Estrial Terra, who watches over us all."

Grain, still with tears in his eyes, nodded to his mother and hugged her. "I understand mother, I understand. I'm sorry. I just don't want to lose any of you." Mother Igo simply caressed her son, reassuring him they would be just fine.

"Big Brother, you big dummy!" Terra said as she began to hit her brother on his head."Terra-" Mother Igo said as she was about to stop her, she noticed Terra's angry and sad expression.

"If anyone tries to hurt my big brother I'll be right there to stop them! So stop trying to handle everything alone..." Terra said as she started hugging her brother. The 3 simply stayed there sobbing and reassuring another. That's when Mother Igo remembered.

"Grain, listen." Grain looked at her in anticipation. "After I found you collapsed on the ground, I saw the shrine. It was glowing."

"Does that mean-" Grain asked. "Yes, this only happens when there's a shift in your connection with the spirit animal. It means your affinity is getting higher. Whatever you felt, it's a sign that you're growing." Her words filled Grain with a mix of pride and apprehension. "That means I'm ready to take on the trial..."

Igo's lips pressed into a thin line. "The trial is still years away, Grain. But what matters is that you're preparing for it in both body and spirit." She ruffled his hair, a rare gesture of affection. "For now, focus on recovering. The jungle isn't going anywhere."

As Grain ate his meal, a quiet determination grew within him. He would uphold his promise, not just to his father but to everyone he cared about. The bear had shown him a glimpse of his nature, and he intended to live up to it. Yet, a flicker of doubt lingered.

If I couldn't even stand before the spirit bear in my mind, how could I hope to survive the trial at sixteen? The thought sent a shiver down his spine. A whole week alone in the jungle... The idea was both thrilling and terrifying. But he clenched his fist beneath the table. I have to be ready-for my family, for my tribe, and for myself.