I left the broken yet still magnificent specimen behind me as I powered through the forest in search of my final obstacle. My Father’s beast. Although my sword now felt heavy in my wounded hands and my foot slid weakly behind me as I continued, I couldn’t have felt more determined to end this devilish being’s life. There was no moon whose light could guide me, so I was stuck with my own intuition to lead me on. My eyes darted between the trees, sensing movement all the time.

        Grown utterly exhausted, I found a place to rest underneath a large tree. My head was tight and my eyes were strained. Nothing felt right about the nighttime. I was unable to sleep. But as I sat there under the trees branches, thinking deeply about what lay ahead for me, I heard a loud grumble erupt from somewhere nearby. I remained silent, listening intently for the beast’s call. It sounded again, this time much closer. My eyes caught hold of something sliding between the trees like a viper: a tail of massive size was curling around the trees as the beast walked circles around me. I staggered to my feet, wincing with pain, and readied my sword for battle. It was still stained with the old woman’s blood.

        The beast let out a fearsome growl as it stopped just feet away from me, eyes opening to reveal thin yellow slits that shone murderously in the night. I stood my ground, letting my sword sit lightly in my hands. “I am not scared of you, beast!” I shouted, tapping my sword against the ground menacingly.

       A strange laughter came from the beast. “Of course not, oh brave warrior,” his deep voice echoed through the forest. “But I am not scared of you either.” He narrowed his eyes, and I felt something sharp stick me in the arm, making me drop my sword. The tail’s spike ripped my flesh as it pulled out, rearing back to strike again. I leaned downward quickly, attempting to locate my sword. I had no time. The monster’s tail attacked me again, sending me diving away to avoid it. Out of the corner of my eye, I could spot the gleaming sheen of my sword but a few feet from me. It was then that I realized that it had been shattered. The force the beast had exerted on it had effectively broken it, deflating my bravery in an instant.

        Before I could think more upon that, the monster’s tail reached for me again. Instantly, I grabbed the tail’s spike with my hands and pulled on it. The beast whipped his tail back and forth angrily yet I still managed to hold on. Using the last bit of my strength, I pulled the spike out of its hold, still grappling the beast’s tail with both my legs. Climbing up the monster’s back, I finally reached its head. The beast’s eyes shone gloriously bright in the darkness as the spike came down upon them with such force that I swore I heard the creature’s skull crack. It thrust me down from my perch, flailing about in agony as it whined. I scrambled back toward the tree trunk, pushing my back hard against it as the creature collapsed into the mud with a sickening thud. My hand was still molded tightly around the monster’s spike as I fell unconscious.

Next Chapter: Denouement