With a feral snarl, Thaddeus lunged at the visitor, his bear claws aiming for the towering Bearman's chest. But Bearman was faster and sidestepped effortlessly, swatting Thaddeus with a backhand that sent him crashing into the fort’s gatehouse.

"Weak! So weak, are you sure you trained him Dhruvah?” the Bearman laughed.

Thaddeus shook off the dizziness and charged again, this time feinting to the left before aiming a swipe at the visitor’s injured eye. The Bearman roared, his paw meeting Thaddeus's mid-attack. Their claws clashed, sending Thaddeus flying again. This time the fort’s gatehouse completely crumbled. Fallen rubble cascaded down onto Thaddeus' injured body.

Gotta be faster than that, cub," The visitor taunted, his voice tinged with a growl.

Winded but not defeated, Thaddeus staggered to his feet. Panting, Thaddeus looked down. He was bleeding. There were large abrasions across his torso. Using his paw, he looked at the blood in rage. Staring murderously at the visitor. He growled loudly. His roar was so loud that Elwood heard it 50 miles away.

Galloping faster, Thaddeus charged again, like his last two attempts. Mixing in feints and misdirection, he summoned his giant battle axe and activated cleave. His axe came down on the Bearman’s head. Just before acting, he saw the Bearman stop laughing.

"Finally, you’re acting like a Bearman and not just a bear. Clever move, but not good enough," Brax sneered, parrying the attack, and following up with smacking Thaddeus’ temple with the broad side of his sword.

"I may be beaten, but I won't give up," Thaddeus declared, his eyes ablaze with resolve.

For the next few minutes, the town’s main entrance was a whirl of fur and muscle. Thaddeus tried every VR tactic he'd learned and employed every active skill. Yet each was deftly countered by Brax's superior strength, agility, and skill.

The Bearman stared at him for a long moment, his gaze piercing. Finally, his stern expression softened into a smirk. "You've got spirit, cub. Most would've been begging for mercy by now."

Ten minutes later, Thaddeus transformed back to his naked hybrid humanoid form. Covered in bruises and bleeding, the visitor threw him a blanket.

"Fine, I'll train him. He’s weak and stupid. You can call me Brax or a teacher. Be warned halfling, I won't go easy on you. Are you happy now, old man?”

“Thank you, Braxton,” Dhruvah said happily.

“Thank you?” Thaddeus said unsurely. Looking around, he took in the damage. The fort’s main gate and walls collapsed. There were craters in the cobblestone street. And his body was injured and hurt like hell.

Ignoring Thaddeus and the damage, Brax pointed to the keep and said, “I’ll live there. Training starts tomorrow morning. Make sure, you’re in the training yard at 6 AM!”

“My army officers already live in the keep. You can’t just walk into my city and tell me where you’ll live!” Thaddeus shouted.

“You can tell me where to live when you can beat me,” Brax said ignoring him.

Not willing to let Brax slight his lord, Sergeant Ulysses and his nine imperial soldiers attacked Brax. The fight ended in less than 3 seconds. Braxton choked, the Level 150 Sergeant Ulysses until he passed out, then threw him to the side like trash. The gatherers who came to help the scared woman observed Thaddeus and the imperial soldiers’ brawl with Brax. Feeling dread, they quietly walked back to their houses. That Bearman was too frightening.

Grasping Dhruvah’s offered hand, Thaddeus' face looked weary. "Elder, who is that man?”

“He’s Braxton Bearnhardt. A formidable Marshall Warrior. Like you, was an outcast of one of the five major Bearkin Clans. He may be brash, but he’s an excellent warrior and strategist. He’ll train you to become a brave Bearman Warrior. Learn from him. He’ll hone your skills. Study well and you may get permission to visit the hidden Bearkin kingdom and see your mother.

“Yes, elder,” Thaddeus said wincing in pain.

“Thaddeus!” Sabrina shouted worriedly.

“Go to your mate, we’ll talk again before you leave,” encouraged Dhruvah, walking out of town.

“Thaddeus, how are you? I heard you got in a fight with another Bearman?” asked Sabrina. In fright, she looked at his bruised naked body wrapped in a blanket.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine. My Bearman Warrior teacher and I just introduced ourselves,” he lied.

Sabrina sighed; she could see his battered body but said nothing. Slowly, she helped him return to the manor.

Early the next morning, before sunrise, Thaddeus followed Brax deeper into the wilderness until they reached a dense clearing. The clearing was thick with the scent of earth and foliage and the ground was marked with deep grooves from past training sessions.

“Do you know what happened here?” Braxton asked.

Thaddeus shrugged unknowingly.

“This is where Dhruvah broke through to become a Forest King. This place is rich with earth and wind mana. And this is where you’ll learn how to fight like a Bearkin Warrior. Now run ten miles. Run!" Brax ordered; his voice gruff.

Thaddeus took off, his paws pounding against the soft earth. He returned, panting and sweaty, but his eyes met Brax's with unspoken determination.

“About time, let’s move on to strength training” Brax complained. “Now, lift this log 100 times,” Brax said, using a claw to bisect a large oak tree.

Thaddeus began lifting weighty tree trunks. Yet, Brax never happy with his weight training seemed to have an unerring ability to choose logs that pushed Thaddeus to his limits, straining his muscles to the point of trembling but never breaking.

“Your body is so weak. It’s like you never trained a day in your life,” Brax said disappointedly. “But it’s too late to get rid of your sorry ass since I already told Dhruvah I’d take you as a ward.”

Hearing Brax disparage him made a vein on Thaddeus' bulge.

Then came martial training. Brax introduced Thaddeus to Bearkin Sambo—a martial art that combined brutal efficiency with sheer animalistic brutality. Brax was a stern but effective teacher. He showed Thaddeus how to lock his jaws onto an opponent in a grip that few could break, how to use his powerful forelimbs to execute throws, and how to pin an opponent with devastating efficiency. In the Bearkin form, these techniques were deadly, harnessing the raw power of their bear bodies into efficient movements designed for both attack and defense.

Thaddeus learned to use his claws and fangs not just as weapons but as tools for grappling, for seizing an opponent and bringing them to the ground. He learned the art of powerful strikes, and how to channel his weight and strength into blows that could help even the most formidable foes. Brax also trained him how to throw his weight into his strikes, aiming for vulnerable points on an opponent's body. He practiced complex grips and holds, learning to lock his massive paws around an enemy in a vice-like embrace they couldn't escape.

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“Now show me what you remember?” Brax demanded.

Modeling what he learned; Thaddeus displayed a suplex.

“Wrong! You want to drop your full weight on your opponents, use your mass to crush their resistance,” Brax explained.

Brax demonstrated, leaping up and dropping down on Thaddeus with enough force to shake the ground. A stunned Thaddeus felt the impact reverberate through him.

“Do you understand the simplicity of the move? The idea is simple but effective—use your size to crush the fight out of your enemies,” Brax described.

Thaddeus nodded in agreement, touching the pain in his back.

Next came the throws and drags, techniques designed to use their strength to uproot enemies and use them as unwilling projectiles. Brax grabbed a thick tree branch, pretending it was an opponent, and flung it across the clearing, where it smashed into another tree, splintering upon impact.

"Imagine doing that to an enemy, tossing him into another, or better yet, into a wall or obstacle," Brax said, a wicked grin forming on his face. "The chaos, the destruction—it can turn the tide of any battle."

Thaddeus practiced lifting heavy logs and throwing them with guided precision. The logs weren't just stand-ins for enemies; they were a test of his strength, his ability to generate enough force to turn any object—or opponent—into a weapon.

But what intrigued Thaddeus were the advanced techniques aimed at the spine and neck, designed to disable, or even kill. Brax was careful here, emphasizing the responsibility that came with such lethal skills.

"We use these only when necessary, as a last resort. Bear Warriors are not butchers; we're warriors. There's a code, and you'd do well to remember it."

As days turned into weeks, Thaddeus's training involved running, lifting, and mastering these techniques. Every joint lock, every throw, every crushing drop—he practiced them over and over until his muscles screamed in protest.

The runs became 20-mile treks over uneven terrain and each week Brax increased the weight of the logs. Sweat mingled with blood and snow as Thaddeus strained against the added weight, but he completed the run, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.

As the weeks progressed, Brax's brash personality lessened. Normally, he nods in silent approval. But occasionally, he would utter a compliment like, “Better.”

Through it all, Brax was there, a stern, unyielding presence who demanded nothing less than perfection. Yet, for every rebuke, there was a nod of approval, each one fueling Thaddeus's desire to improve, to become the Bear Warrior he was destined to be.

It was a grueling, punishing regimen, but as Thaddeus looked back on his progress, he realized that he was no longer just a bear or a man, but something far more formidable—a Bear Warrior, trained in the lethal arts of Bearkin Sambo, capable of both defending his people and breaking those who would do them harm.

Better yet, Thaddeus watched as his stats and skills soared. After two months of training, he reached Level 62 and earned himself 20 attribute points. Returning to his human/ Bearkin hybrid body, Thaddeus looked at his stats screen. Thaddeus added five points to strength and agility. Then he added 10 points to the constitution. With his strength and constitution reaching 80 points, Thaddeus could feel his body become stronger.

Name: Thaddeus Brown

SKILL NAME

SKILL LEVEL

Race: Human/Bearkin

Earth Magic

53

Class: Artisan

Two-Handed Axe

15

Sub Class: Druidcraft

Lumberjack

81

Titles: Pioneer/ Baron

Analyze

76

Level: 62 (42,156/47,611)

Surveyor

52

HP: 5,412/5,412

Field Dress

14

MP: 627/627

Woodworking

101

STR: 80

Cooking

16

AGI: 74

Leatherworking

72

VIT: 66

Tailoring

60

INT: 33

Forging

74

WILL: 19

Smelting

66

CON: 82

Toolsmith

75

Charm: 9

Architecture

15

Free Attribute Points: 0

Wagoner

6

Free Skill Points: 0

One Handed Axe 

56

Fame: 35

Cleave

49

RACIAL SKILLS:

Bash

50

Oversized Weapons

Fast Slash

38

Nature Affinity

Growl

33

SPELLS:

Druid Grove

8

Rock Wall

Polymorph

12

Erosion

Fletching

5

Arrowhead

Herbalism

9

Rock Dome

Track

9

That evening, after a particularly grueling training session, Brax motioned for Thaddeus to sit by the fire. He handed him a bowl of hot stew, and for a while, the only sounds were the crackling of the flames and the chirping of nocturnal creatures.

“You’ve come a long way in two months,” Brax began, his voice softer than Thaddeus had ever heard it. “I saw potential in you from the start, but the potential is nothing without hard work and dedication. You’ve shown both.”

Thaddeus met Brax’s eyes, noting the genuine respect that glimmered there. “Thank you for your training, your guidance.”

Brax chuckled, “I may have guided you, but it was your perseverance that got you here. Remember that. No matter how skilled a teacher is, if the student isn’t willing, it’s all for naught.”

A comfortable silence settled between them, both lost in their thoughts, the weight of their journey heavy on their minds. After what felt like hours, Thaddeus finally voiced a question that had been nagging him.

“Brax, why did you agree to train me? You could have easily turned Dhruvah down.”

Brax looked into the distance, the flickering firelight reflecting off his eyes. “It was his dying wish. He was supposed to meet us here."

"Dhruvah is gone?" Thaddeus asked, tears forming in his eyes.

"Yes. Death is the only reason why that stubborn bastard isn't here."

"We need to bury him. Where is he?" Thaddeus said standing up.

"He's gone back into the god's embrace. There's probably a new bear king of the forest. Except for you immortal Travelers, death is absolute."

"We still need to do something to honor his memory!"

"You know, I see a lot of my younger self in you. I was kicked out of my clan too. But I fought my way back in and finally killed the man responsible for my mother’s misery. I felt anger, the need to prove myself, and the desperation to belong. You may not show it, maybe because you’re a Traveler, but I can recognize the pain and loss in your eyes. That's why, I want to give you a chance, a real chance, to harness that potential and become something greater.”

Thaddeus swallowed the lump in his throat, overwhelmed by the honesty of Brax's words and Dhruvah's death. He was impressed by the realness of Heaven’s Gate NPCs. The more time he spent in Heaven’s Gate the more real the NPCs seemed.

“Thanks,” Thaddeus replied after a moment of silence.

Brax smirked, “You’re welcome. But don’t think I’m done training you. So far, all I’ve taught you are the basics. Your real training begins now. Do you know the difference between Bearmen Warriors and ordinary Bearmen?”

“Warriors fight in the army?” Thaddeus jokingly guessed.

“Armor,” answered Brax putting on his imposing armor and meticulously detailed hilt. The aged bronze metal, embossed with intricate designs, spoke of a warrior of distinction and honor. His helmet, half-covering his face, has a fierce visage. His thick fur peeked out from beneath the armor, emphasizing both his raw strength and the sophistication of his attire. “For a Bearkin warrior, their armor represents their essence. To have one’s armor removed is a great shame to a warrior. To become a warrior, you’ll have to craft your armor. We warriors call our armor dæmons. Bearkin Druids call their familiars the same. To a Bearman or woman, a dæmon is a spirit companion and soul bound to them. That’s why there is no greater shame, to be stripped of your dæmon. To become a warrior, you’ll need to find your dæmon."