Spirit Warriors: A clan shall rise

At one point, a large group of villagers had surrounded them. Concern and worry wandered through the crowd. Many of them were friends and family of the youngsters who were about to face the trial.

No words were needed. All of them knew it was inevitable and that the young men and women would need to venture into the forest to undertake the trial. As the time neared, more and more villagers appeared to send the group off.

"It's time to go." 

The words were like heavy bells ringing against the hearts of the villagers as they saw their youngsters rush into the woods with excitement and eagerness.

Eirik was the last to pass the stone gates. He shot his father a nod, to which his father nodded in reply. Encouragement flickered in his eye.

Soon, everyone had disappeared beyond the dense foliage, but the villagers stood like sentinels, watching.

"What do you think? What are their chances?" a soft voice echoed from the crowd, breaking the silence.

"Well… of the eight, probably only Yelena and Torvin," a rather aged voice spoke beside him. The words rang out, but no sparks of debate appeared. Such were the ways of the spirits; only those deemed capable of reaching the summit would have the chance to be blessed, but even then, they would need to be favored by a spirit or have a bloodline spirit blessing in order to receive the Ancient Warrior Blessing.

"Maybe so… how great would it be for all of them. I certainly agree that Yelena and Torvin have the best chances…" another man continued, his voice like a whisper, wishing, dreaming.

"Aye, how great would that not be?" Suddenly, a strong but aged voice rang out from the group. And all the villagers turned to face the incoming elder.

"Thane," each villager greeted enthusiastically. The elder was the leader of the village and one of the great Thanes under the command of the Great Boyer Clan Dunveth. His aged expression was weathered and bruised with scars of the past.

One particular scar across his cheek stood out, a final remnant of the Alpha wolf from all those years back. His murky grey eyes locked onto the silent lone figure standing before the opening to the forest.

"What are you wondering about so hard, my old friend?" Despite the seemingly aged appearance of the great Thane, he was only a few years older than Hjarn, but due to him burning his core, he lost a great many years of vitality as well.

"I worry… he may be exceptionally skilled in the ways of the sword, but he…" Hjarn spoke, his calm expression breaking, replaced by regret and worry.

"No need to be so worried. We all know it… but I believe that he will make it. After all, he is the son of the great Hjarn, the Hunter of the North!" the aged man spoke, trying to uplift the man's mood.

***

Eirik traversed the dark pine forest with caution, his sword hanging loosely at his side. Eirik kept his hand close and steady to the hilt of the sword, ready to lash out if faced with an enemy.

They were taught that the woods were a gathering place for many a beast, prey, and predator. Fatal to any who walks into its depths. Eirik was no stranger to the stories and forewarnings of his elders and teachers of the Greywood Vale woods.

Yet as time went past and Eirik slowly trudged through the woods, he found no sign of danger. The scurrying of small game such as hare, small deer, and mice was all he had known for the last four days since entering the woods.

The occasional beast roared in the distance, but Eirik hadn't even encountered an ordinary beast, not to mention a Tier 1 Eldbeast. 

Four days, and not even a sign of a predator. I don't know if I should be concerned or relieved. 

He thought silently, his mind wandering. It was late evening, and the sun had already begun to set on the fourth day. The last embers of light were slowly being extinguished by the dense foliage of the woods.

'I can't stay in the open, I should probably find shelter for the night. Once the sun rises I will continue on' He thought, determined and pleased with his thoughts.

During the day, the danger was there, but running into beasts was on the lower end of the spectrum. Most of the beasts in the woods come out in the night, and Eirik didn't want to be up and about in the dark whilst running into them.

He already had a physical disadvantage, but even then, they were still normal humans, and these beasts are accustomed to the night; trying to venture through the night and fight them would be no less than suicide.

It was not long after he stumbled upon an open cave, Eirik cautiously entered, and to his relief, the cave seemed to be uninhabited. He chose to stay the night and would continue onwards in the morning.

The woods seemed eerily quiet as the night passed. Even the occasional roars of beasts and predators had seemed to calm. 

Early in the morning, Eirik stood at the foot of the mountain slope, his breath fogging faintly in the cold morning air. Behind him, a trodden path of steps and the pine woods standing eerily still, snow-dappled, vast, and mesmerising. Before him, the Eldvorn Crag rose like a great black wall into mist-veiled heights.

It took Eirik four days to reach the bottom of the mountain, a journey which would have been much faster if not for his leg flaring up and him needing to rest in the process.

The Eldvorn Grag was the tallest mountain in the Vethkarin range, but as Eirik stared up towards the peak, hidden beyond the mist and clouds, it felt like it.

Cold wind dragged down the cliffs like the breath of a sleeping giant. Cracked stone jutted like ribs from the hillside. The snow was thinner here, not because the land was warmer, but because the wind allowed nothing to settle.