Vassek tightened his grip on the axe, instincts screaming at him to move. The bear's eyes locked onto him, intelligent and assessing. Then, with a snort, it swiped its massive paw through the air.
A surge of force followed—a slicing gust, almost invisible, but sharp as a blade.
Vassek reacted on instinct, hurling the axe mid-lunge. The weapon spun end over end, aimed for the beast's head.
But before it could connect, another gust of wind cleaved through the air.
The axe split in two, the halves spiraling uselessly into the dirt.
His momentary distraction cost him. Another flick of the beast's claws sent twin blades of wind tearing toward him. He twisted, barely avoiding one, but the second caught his side. Pain flared as his skin split open, not deep, but enough to jolt his mind into something familiar.
This sensation. The way the air moved unnaturally, controlled by force rather than nature.
He'd seen it before. No—he'd done something like it before.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
Vassek pushed forward, diving for the sword he had set aside earlier. His fingers wrapped around the hilt just as the bear charged, its bulk crashing through the undergrowth like a living avalanche.
With a sharp exhale, he pivoted, sword in hand.
Vassek barely had time to steady his stance before the bear lunged. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature's crushing weight as it slammed into the ground where he had just been. Dirt and shattered branches flew into the air.
He sprang to his feet, gripping his sword with both hands. The beast whirled, faster than something its size should have been, and with a flick of its claws, another gust of cutting wind lashed toward him.
This time, he was ready.
Vassek ducked, feeling the force of the attack slice clean through a tree behind him. He pushed forward, closing the distance, and slashed at the bear's exposed flank. The blade met resistance—its armored plating. Sparks flew as his sword barely left a mark.
The bear swung a massive paw, and Vassek barely managed to throw himself backward, feeling the wind from the strike rush past his face. He landed hard, rolling through the dirt to regain his footing. His side ached from the earlier wound, but he forced himself to focus.
The armor was too thick. A direct attack wouldn't work. He needed to find an opening.
The bear exhaled sharply, and Vassek caught the faint shimmer in the air again. Another attack was coming.
Instead of dodging outright, he moved toward it. As the wind blades cut through the space where he had been, he surged to the right, where the bear's underbelly was briefly exposed.
He struck.
His sword carved deep, meeting flesh. The beast roared, staggering back as dark blood spilled onto the ground.
It wasn't done.
Enraged, it reared up, its full height towering over him. With a deafening roar, it swiped both claws downward. Vassek had no choice but to brace. He raised his sword, angling it as the massive blow crashed down.
The impact sent a shock through his arms, but he twisted the blade, redirecting the force. The bear stumbled to the side, momentarily off-balance.
Vassek didn't hesitate.
He moved in, blade flashing. His sword plunged into the beast's throat, past the gaps in its armor. The bear let out a choking growl, its movements growing sluggish.
One last pull, and the blade tore free.
The massive creature collapsed with a final exhale, the unnatural shimmer in its eyes fading. The forest was silent.
Vassek stood over the body, catching his breath. His hands were steady, his mind oddly calm despite the battle that had just taken place.
Then, a voice cut through the quiet.
"By the gods…"
He turned. Calder stood at the edge of the clearing, staring at the fallen beast. His expression was unreadable—shock, maybe something more.
Vassek barely registered it.
A wave of dizziness hit him, and suddenly, the world around him blurred.
The forest was gone. The present faded.
And then—
Memories. Magic.
A different place. A different time.
He remembered wielding power beyond a sword. He remembered commanding forces like the wind itself.
But just as quickly as it came, it slipped away.
Vassek staggered, his breath uneven.
What had he just seen?