The sun had fully risen over this lush land. The young man pulled his horses reins to get her to stop as her took in this new world that lay out before him. Growing up in an endless sea of sand did hold a sense of beauty, but this was unlike anything he'd ever seen. Tall green grass blanketed the ground with a clear blue pond rested beside trees taller than any plant the young man had seen. Glorious mountain's dotted the sky line behind this peaceful scene. Each one had spots of white at the top, which the boy could only guess that it was snow. The word felt foreign in his mind and he smiled. It had only been a day since he left home and already the new adventures this land promised was overwhelming. "This is where we belong." He spoke softly to his mare, his only companion. The large horse whinnied in reply and the young man smiled and closed his eyes, great full for the cool breeze on his skin.
The mare whinnied again, this time louder. She shuffled back and forth, tearing up the soft dirt beneath her hooves. The young man rubbed her side, trying to calm her. He spoke in a gentle tone, "Epona? Hey calm down girl. What's wrong?" his answer came in a loud snap coming from a group of trees adjacent to the pond. Epona leaped back on her hind legs just as a giant monster came running out in to the clearing. "EPONA GO!" the young man shouted and urged on his mare in the opposite direction. Epona charged up the steep hill behind them and continued into the woods. The young man had complete trust in his steed and let her instincts lead them away from the beast.
He turned on the saddle to try and get a look at what was attacking them. It was large, huge in fact with multiple legs that moved with incredible speed. "Keep going, girl. We're losing it!" thought the thing was fast, Epona was leaving it in the dust until her rider couldn't see it anymore. The two continue their breakneck speed and headed towards a wooden bridge. The young man's relief was ripped away as the monster skidded out from the surrounding woods and tumbled into the river. It used two of its spider-like legs to crush the bridge and their only way out.
Epona neighed in distress, her hooves carving into the remaining wood as she skidded to a stop. "Time to end this!" the young man shouted. With one swift motion, he tore the cloak from his back and took up the bow strapped to his saddle. Epona leaped to her hind legs once again and the young man took to the offensive. He leaped off his horses back and loaded an arrow into his bow. He pulled a trigger on the arrows tip that ignited a type of magical energy. He let the arrow fly.
It landed with a thud in the center of the beast, right in what appeared to be its eye. The beast sprang back from the man and his horse. It reached up with its multiple arms and tried to force the arrow out, but it was too late. Whatever energy stored within the weapon had finally been released. It appeared as though tiny bolts of lightning were raging throughout the beast as it convulsed and squirmed on in the shallow river.
The young man watched until the beast stopped moving. He slowly walked up to the giant corpse to retrieve his arrow. He climbed on top of the beast and yanked the shaft out. Just then he, heard a gasp. He turned quickly towards the sound, an arrow already draw. What he saw was more shocking than a monster. A tiny girl stood at the opposite bank, her wide eyes staring directly at the now dead beast. The young man quickly put away his weapons and jumped off the carcass. As he splashed into the water, the little girl's attention shifted. She stared at him, her eyes growing even larger. Her little voice was full of awe.
"You- you're a hero, mister!"