1 So it begins
Julian Marcus sighed, his head hanging as he settled onto the uneven and rugged cave floor enveloped in darkness.
"I am so useless…." he whispered to himself as he held up his hand, gazing at the white, clover-shaped locket that glistened in the dim light of the dying torch beside him.
"I hope this ground….swallows me whole…" he muttered as he rested his head against the cave wall, his breath shaking while he closed his eyes.
A strong rush of air roared loudly in the deep, silent cave, making the darkness feel even thicker, the noise echoing off the cave walls.
Julian's eyebrows furrowed as he heard a low grunting noise, his eyes opening slowly.
The earth beneath him vibrated lightly, causing him to reach for the dagger on his waist belt.
His silk shirt clung to his body, it's once pristine white now dulled and stained from wear and tear. Smudges of dirt and grime marked its fabric, as well as his black trousers.
Rising slowly, he picked up the torch, hand trembling as the ground continued to vibrate, its vibrations gradually growing in intensity.
Stones fell around him, and an uneasy smell of musk lingered in the air.
"What is that…." He murmured, sweat forming on his forehead as he squinted against the low light.
Julian slowly began to retreat, his heart pounding against his chest as three large orbs came into view.
His eyes widened as his breath halted. They weren't orbs at all; they were eyes.
Before him stood a large bear with black fur. Eight legs protruding from its sides came into view as it approached. The bear was taller than him, and had it been standing up, he estimated it could stand around 15 feet. Its three eyes were covered with cataracts.
"What on earth is this….?" He exclaimed, his dagger slipping from his hand and clinking against the stone flooring.
The bear's ears perked forward at the sound of the dagger hitting the floor. For a moment, the two of them stood still, until it let out a deafening, mighty roar.
Its muzzle wrinkled as it bared its teeth and lunged towards Julian.
Julian quickly snapped out of his shock and jumped out of the way just in time.
He knew he had to run, to escape if he wanted to survive.
"Who says we have to run away? Let's just accept our fate." A voice inside his head urged him to give up, to allow the beast to end his miserable life, once and for all.
"That's right….it can all end here. Right here, right now." He thought in response to the voice.
Julian closed his eyes and took a deep breath, ready to let the deformed bear gobble him up, when another voice echoed in his head.
"You're so weak, Julian! You're really so useless. I'm so embarrassed you're my family. You're not brother of mine!" The harsh words of his brother echoed over and over again, the hatefulness hanging on every word.
"No…I am NOT!"
Anger surged within him as she shouted out, his eyes flying open.
The bear turned towards him, gnarling it's teeth at him once again.
Swiftly throwing the torch at the beast, Julian dove for his dagger.
The rocky and uneven surroundings became even more treacherous as the flame was snuffed out.
"Damn it…" he muttered under his breath as he squinted against the darkness.
The smell of burnt, rotting hair filled the air as the beast let out a painful screech.
Julian jumped up and bolted in the opposite direction.
He didn't need to look back, the ground beneath him quaked and he could practically feel the bear's breath on his back as it chased him in pursuit.
"Damn that thing has an advantage…" he thought, remembering its cataracts.
It was hot on his trail, using its heightened sense of smell and hearing to home in on its target.
He winced as he ran, the small pebbles and rocks beneath him stabbing into his bare feet.
Finally, just as he was about to lose hope, a glimmer of light appeared, and a breeze of fresh, cool air tickled his skin.
Julian ran out into the sunlight, the fresh air providing much needed relief from the disgusting stench of the monster behind him.
He glanced behind him.
"Damn! What the hell is that thing?!" Julian yelled as he got a better look at the bear.
Its legs had folds and its ears were misshapen and the claws on its massive paws were hooked and serrated.
There was a forest up ahead and he pushed himself to run even faster, his legs burning and aching underneath him.
"Just….have to…..make it…..in there!" he thought as he gasped for air, his lungs feeling as though they were on fire.
Praying the canopy and foliage would provide him some safety, he pushed and pushed until he made it inside.
He leaned against a tree, placing his hand on his chest and closing his eyes as he gasped for air.
"Fina-" Just as he was about to relax, he heard the snapping of branches and the rustling of leaves.
He peeked out from behind the tree to see the bear just on the other side.
Julian's hands flew up to his ears as the beast let out another deafening screech.
The tree behind him shook as the bear headbutted it, unsure exactly what was in its way.
Julian took the opportunity to make a run for it, hoping the tree would provide enough distraction for it, but he was wrong.
Another glance behind him showed that the bear was once again right behind him, chasing desperately for its next meal.
Almost an hour into his escape, he found himself out of breath and desperate for some relief. His body was beginning to give out, his feet were shredded from the cave and the thorny brush of the forest. He knew he couldn't keep it up much longer.
With the forest teeming with dangerous creatures and having no idea of his location, Julian realized he needed to find a place to hide, and FAST!
Just as his desperation was about to reach its peak, the very thing he feared the most occurred: the bear caught up with him. Although he wanted to run, his legs betrayed him, giving in to their fatigue causing him to stumble to the ground.
"Come on!" he urged his body, but it wouldn't move. It felt as though gravity was sucking him into the ground.
Slowly, he looked up to see the bear standing tall in front of him. Its disgusting mouth, wide open, growling hungrily.
Birds in the trees scattered from their nests as the bear's head slowly approached Julian's trembling body. His face was inches away from the beast's, the foul stench of its breath penetrating deep into his nose. Its sharp teeth spattered hot saliva onto his face.
Time suddenly began to feel as though it was moving in slow motion as he stared deep into its rancid mouth.
"This is it…" a voice inside him rang out, "…this is your end. To die being eaten by a hideous monster. Your body doesn't even deserve a grave, Julian."
Julian's heart ached, but deep down, he felt a strange sense of relief. Perhaps this was destiny, his suffering would finally come to an end.
His hand fell lifelessly to the ground, ready to accept his fate, when suddenly a deafening cry from the beastly bear rang out, causing him to cover his ears as he felt blood splatter on his face.
Julian hesitantly opened his eyes. Inches away from his face was a sword piercing the bear's face. The sword moved slowly, slicing the monster's head into two.
Its body fell to the ground, lifeless, revealing the wielder of the blade. There he stood; tall with broad shoulders clad in leather armor, long gray hair flowing down to his shoulders. Though not old, his eyes held the wisdom of a seasoned man. His posture was commanding, emitting an extraordinary aura.
The man eyed Julian for a moment, inspecting him before speaking with a low and heavy voice, "Are you okay?"
Julian stared, stunned yet intrigued by the mysterious man. "Yes…Th-thanks…who are…you?"
Wiping blood from his face, Julian slid back, resting against a nearby tree trunk.
"Klaus. Klaus de Xavier." he replied, kneeling before the bear, and taking a dagger from his waist.
"Klaus?" Julain questioned, repeating the name as he stared at the once 15-foot-tall bear no lying dead before him, its head split apart.
"Yeah. I'm a monster slayer," he replied as he cut into the bear's chest, digging his hand inside, pulling out the heart.
He held it in his bloody hand, staring at it with his green, cat-like eyes.
