"Roar!" The wild brown bear unleashed a deafening cry, swiping its jagged claws at the young man. A shimmering white wave of force followed the movement, slicing through the air with lethal intent. He leapt aside, narrowly avoiding the strike.
The shockwave missed him but sheared through the thick trunks of the trees behind him like a hot knife through butter. Raising his left hand to chest height, palm open, he spoke in a calm, steady whisper. "Oh Mighty Ruler of Cold and Ice, grant me your spell: Ice Spear!"
Emmediately, three spears of frozen cerulean light materialized above him. Each was five feet long, razor-sharp, and bleeding white mist from the sheer intensity of the cold. He dropped his palm. "Go."
The projectiles shot forward with incredible velocity, piercing the beast one by one. Sck. Sck. Sck!
The sound of frozen tips burying themselves into flesh echoed through the clearing. Icy energy surged through the bear's veins, and within heartbeats, the massive creature was frozen solid—a lifeless statue encased in a jagged block of ice."Body enhancement," the young man muttered.
His muscles surged and tightened as his strength amplified. He hoisted the massive, frozen carcass onto his shoulder with ease and glanced toward the leaden sky.
Rain was coming. After a short trek, he reached the small cave he called home. Inside, he struck two stones together, coaxing a spark into a warm campfire. Despite his affinity for ice magic, he was still susceptible to the natural chill of the mountain.
The bear would provide enough meat for two weeks, though it would take a long time for the enchanted ice to thaw.
Fortunately, he still had a small cache of meat from his previous hunt to tide him over. As the rain began to pour, he decided to wash.
He left the shelter of the cave and headed toward a nearby river. Since it was barely a hundred paces away, it took only a few minutes to reach the bank.
The water was so clear the riverbed was visible even through the ripples of the rain.
The downpour, combined with the mist from a nearby waterfall, gave the woods a haunting, chilling vibe.Stripping off his clothes, he waded into the stream, submerging himself in the freezing, crystal-clear water.
His body was lean, the frame of an adolescent just entering manhood, but his skin was a map of scars—scattered across his arms and back as a testament to his survival.
He scrubbed away the grime of the hunt, washing the dust from his face and hair. Even with his powers, the biting cold of the water made him shiver.
Once finished, he rinsed his clothes against the stones to remove the dirt and blood before heading back. By the time he returned to the cave, night had fallen.
He used his magic to seal the entrance with a wall of ice, trapping the heat inside. After hanging his wet clothes by the fire to dry, he changed into a fresh set and sat cross-legged.
Closing his eyes, he began to meditate. With only the rhythmic crackle of the wood being consumed by the flames to accompany him, his mind drifted into a deep, undisturbed calm. After half an hour, he opened his eyes.
He pressed a hand to his chest, then his abdomen, checking for anything unusual.
Feeling nothing but his own steady heartbeat, he let out a long sigh of relief and finally settled down to sleep.