Alive

Far, far away from the gravity-ridden cage stood a majestic city full of vigor. It was called the town of Zalas, built at the base of three mighty volcanoes, giving it a natural protective border. The buildings, which gave the skyline a majestic feel, were built with grace and stones made from the crumbles of the volcanoes, for the natural borders of the city were no ordinary landscapes.

The city was named Zalas, home to one of the most powerful clans in the world. It was built between the volcanoes, located on an independent island, which meant that it was free from the royal family's control. That was the reason why it became a shelter for a barbarian named Stein. Years ago, this large man was feared by many; he was hunted down by experts in all martial arts and all races, for they felt he was a threat to their existence.

Now, he was a forgotten man, known as the Immortal Bear because he was as large and had lived in a small wooden house at the edge of the island for as long as anyone could remember. No one knew how long this man had been alive; all they knew was that he came into town only once every two weeks to get the necessary items for survival. He always wore a metallic black mask covering his whole face, with strange characters carved onto it. No one had ever seen his face. Stein was a man of no words; his character embodied a giant, unmovable wall—this was the armor he had put on toward all and any. Deep down inside this stone-cold man was a mountain of regret and sorrow.

More than six thousand years ago, he had made a mistake that caused the only person he cared about to disappear. This grief drove him deep into seclusion, cutting contact with the world entirely, waiting for his natural demise. Today was the same as any other day; he woke up with the same hole in his heart that formed the very second he felt a soul disappear. He ate a huge chunk of the uncooked boar he had caught last night, sating his body's dietary needs. After that, he walked to the cliff located right outside his house and meditated, pulling his soul force out of his body and into the air, reaching deep and searching wide.

That was what he had done every day for the past six thousand years, for it was the only way he could search for his master. Stein sat there, dressed in only thin cotton pants and a white, tight-fitting vest, showing off his powerful arms, cross-legged and not moving an inch as the cold winter wind blew violently. The sky turned from orange to black, changing the white clouds into bright, shining stars. Today was like any other day; he sat there from daylight to daybreak, searching and not finding what he craved. It was like any other day... except today, like a candle flame being lit deep within his black soul, a familiar presence he had not felt in over six thousand years revealed itself to him.

He had finally found her.