Before the village of Einar lay under the watchful protection of the Spirit Bear, before the forest whispered secrets through the snow, and before Einar became known as the Bear Slayer, there was a pact—a covenant between the ancient spirits of the forest and the first settlers of the land. This pact was born from necessity, a mutual understanding that for both to thrive, a balance must be maintained.
In the time when the world was younger, when the trees stretched so high they seemed to touch the sky, and the spirits roamed freely among the living, the first villagers sought to make their home at the forest's edge. They understood the sanctity of the land, the sacredness of the woods that teemed with life and ancient magic. In their wisdom, they knew that to live in harmony with such a force, a pact must be made.
The elders of the village, guided by dreams sent by the forest spirits, ventured deep into the heart of the woods, to a c