February 1996

Mountains near Kyshik

Somewhere on the mountain is a road which leads to a cabin. That cabin is a home to 5 people. Ivan, his wife Jovana and his 3 sons: Dimitri, Igor and Yuri.

"HARDER, FASTER!", shouts Ivan at Yuri who's hitting a large punching bag,"is that all that you can do? Pathetic!", he slaps Yuri and then holds him by his cheeks,"listen here son, in a fight you're not gonna have time to rest nor the time to make a strategy. You'll have to think on your feet and never stop. Every second you spend standing still and resting is a second your opponent can use against you. Now come on! AGAIN!" Yuri starts hitting the punching bag harder and faster. About 10 meters away, Dimitri was doing pull-ups and Igor was doing push-ups.

Igor:"Dad is being hard on Yuri again."

Dimitri:"Of course. Yuri is the oldest one. When dad is gone, he'll have to take charge and responsibility."

Igor gets up:"Stop saying that! Dad's not gonna leave."

Dimitri sighs and gets down from the pull-up bar:"Listen Igor. One day-", they're conversation is cut short by their mom,"Ok boys, time for lunch!"

Everyone stops and heads inside the cabin. Dimitri and Igor, even though they weren't doing much, were more exhausted than Yuri. This was because Yuri has been training longer and harder then them. Every day he would stay out longer and train, often not even sleeping and training and night. Everyone was worried about him, even his own father sometimes. Even though Ivan was a strong man, Yuri at the age of 14 already exceeded him and his expectations. He was truly a force of nature, but was that a good things.

Inside the cabin, Jovana prepared lunch.

Dimitri:"Thanks mom."

Igor:"You're the best!"

Jovana smiles but then looks at Yuri who doesn't say anything just starts eating.

Ivan gets angry:"Yuri, you will respect your mother!"

Jovana:"Ivan please not now."

Ivan:"NO JOVANA! He needs to learn respect!"

Yuri lifts his head and looks at Jovana:"Thanks for the lunch mom", he says with a cold and emotionless voice. The family continues to eat and no one says a word. Yuri is the first one to finish his lunch and leaves the room. Jovana soon after follows him and finds his sitting alone in the bedroom he shared with his brothers. She sits next to him and puts her arm around his shoulders.

Jovana:"What's wrong Yuri?"

Yuri:"I didn't mean to disrespect you."

Jovana:"It's okay. Just tell me what troubles you."

Yuri:"I...I'm lost. Father keeps telling me how I need to be strong. Every day he makes me train and I don't know this is alright or not. I was taught to listen to him and to survive on my own, but I'm just confused because I don't know the purpose of this."

Jovana:"Yuri let me tell you a story about your father. When he was very young he joined the military to follow in his father's footsteps. He worked his way up to a lieutenant. But then war happened. He was sent to Syria and he saw hell. Even though he saved a lot of lives, he lost way more. The war broke him. He thought he was ready, he thought he was strong and that he couldn't lose, but he was wrong. He stayed for some time but he couldn't take it anymore. He left the military and went to Stalingrad. There he met me and I was able to piece back the man he once was. But there were still cracks that remain to this day. Those are cracks he wants to seal through you. He wants you to be ready. The war is over but there will be another. He fears it will break you just as it broke him. That's why he wants you to be ready. That's why he's to hard on you."

Yuri's eyes were opened. He understood everything now and he was fine with it. He knows what he must do and why he must do it."Thank you mother.", Yuri sheds a few tears.

Jovana wipes them of:"Don't cry Yuri. Take this.", she gives him a silver orthodox Christian cross,"your father says that you can't trust anyone in this world. That's not true. There are people you can trust, people that will trust you and people that will love you. You just have to find them. And if you can't, you can always put your trust in God."

Yuri hugs Jovana:"Thank you. So much."

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(Later that night)

Yuri is outside hitting and kicking the punching bag. Everyone else is asleep in the cabin. Igor wakes up and goes outside. He sees Yuri.

Igor:"Yuri what are you doing it's late?"

Yuri:"Just get inside Igor. I'll be come in after I'm done."

Igor:"Why are you doing this? You're just gonna be even more exhausted tomorrow after your training with dad. Please just stop."

Yuri stops hitting the punching bag and turns around:"Listen Igor, one day dad won't be around anymore. And when that day comes-"

Igor:"SHUT UP! You and Dimitri are always saying the same thing! Just stop it!"

Yuri:"Igor-"

Igor:"Why don't you ever try to explain it to me? You think I'm too stupid to understand?!"

Yuri:"Igor-"

Igor:"And why can't I train with you?! Is it because I'm weak?! Am I to weak to even be noticed by you?!"

Yuri grabs Igor by his arms:"IGOR ENOUGH!"

Igor starts crying.

Yuri hugs him:"Listen, you're not weak. You're stronger than you think you are. You always were. I'm training so I can protect you. This world is cruel, and as brothers it's our duty to protect each other. I'm the oldest one, it has to be me.".

Igor starts crying. He then hugs Yuri:"I'm sorry, I shouldn't of said that."

Yuri wipes his tears:"No, the fault is mine. I should of treated you as my equal."

Igor:"If you have to get strong, then I'll train with you. We'll get stronger together."

Dimitri walks out:"Fine by me. Let's do this."

Yuri smiles:"Just make sure you keep up. Don't expect me to pick you up if you trip."

Ever since that night, the brother train together. Yuri kept teaching them everything Ivan taught him. Every time Ivan saw them training together and improving each other, he would have a proud smile on his face. Their mother, even though against such things, was overwhelmingly happy that they were together and was sure that no matter what happens they would look out for each other.

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(3 weeks later)

First week of March 1996

The days have become warmer than before. Some birds started flying around and animals became more active. The clouds were clearing up and the first sun was piercing through. Spring was close.

Despite all of this, the atmosphere in the family was less than ideal. The brothers were sitting next to each other. Jovana was siting in front of them, struggling not to cry and squeezing here clothes. Yuri and Dimitri were wearing their coats and were holding large backpacks.

Ivan comes out of his room with wearing his coat,"It's time, let's go." Yuri and Dimitri stand up and go outside to their father's pickup truck.

Ivan exits the cabin but Jovana grabs his hand:"Ivan...does he really have to go? He's still to young, can't we wait?"

Ivan:"No. This has to be done. It's his turn to become a man. He's no younger than Yuri when it was HIS turn."

Jovana:"Yes but-"

Ivan:"No buts! This is not up for discussion."

Igor gets out:"Dad? Will Dimitri be all right?"

Ivan:"He will have to be. There's no other option.", he turns to Yuri and Dimitri,"let's go!"

They get inside the truck and head out. Jovana falls on her knees and starts crying. Igor hugs her,"Don't worry mom, they'll be all right." She hugs him back.

(One hour later)

On a road through the forest

Ivan was driving, Yuri was sitting next to the window and Dimitri was in the middle. They stop in front of an old oak tree with a sign in the shape of a wolf. They get out, Dimitri and Yuri grab their backpacks and stand in front of the oak tree.

Ivan then gets out of the car, stands in front of Dimitri and puts his hands on his shoulders:"This is your test, son,"he says with a cold and emotionless voice,"you will have to be strong and fierce. If you pass this, you will become a man. But if you don't, don't come back. This is a world build for the strong. If this is something you can't handle, it's no place for you."

Hearing this Dimitri was petrified. His eyes were as wide as they could of gotten. His heart was pumping faster than ever before, his breathing was so shallow that he felt he would pass out and his body was so heavy he felt as if he was imbedded into a mountain.

Ivan lifted his hands but Dimitri remained the same. He was seeing darkness around himself.

Yuri then grabbed his shoulder and snapped him out of it:"Let's go, this is no time to freeze. Are you about to disappoint father already?"

Dimitri looked at Yuri with determination. He closed his fists and started walking into the forest.

Yuri looks at Ivan:"Don't worry, I'll look after him." Ivan goes back into the truck and leaves. Yuri follows Dimitri into the forest.

Ivan sheds a few tears:"Good luck my son. Please, return home."

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(Later in the forest)

Dimitri sets up his tent. Yuri sets one up a bit further away.

Yuri:"If you open your backpack you won't find food or water there. There are only tools and weapons. Your test is to hunt and survive in this forest for a month. I will be with you and observe until you finish. However, I will not be assisting you in any way. Should you be struggling I won't help you. Understand?"

Dimitri looks him in the eye with determination:"Yes."

Yuri:"Good." He pulls out a piece of paper,"these are your assignments."

Dimitri reads from the paper. It's a list that says: rabbit, fox, wolf, deer, fish, bear(optional),"what is this?"

Yuri:"That is the list of animals you will hunt. You must hunt at least one of each and bring me the heads of your first kills. That will be proof you can hunt them."

Dimitri:"Why does the bear say optional?"

Yuri:"If you believe you can kill him, go ahead."

Dimitri:"Did you a bear?"

Yuri rolls the sleeve on his right arm and shows Dimitri a bracelet with bear fangs:"You think I bought this at a gift shop?"

Dimitri stares in awe. He couldn't believe that his brother killed a bear at the age of 12.

Yuri:"All right then. Go!"

Dimitri takes his bow, arrows and a knife. He runs into the forest and starts looking for tracks. Eventually he finds fox tracks and follows them. They led him to a tree with visible roots. Underneath those roots a fox was sleeping. Dimitri pulls his bow, breathes in then out and and fires an arrow and it hits the fox. Dimitri pulls it out and brings it back to his tent. He puts it in a bag and buries it in snow. Yuri writes something down in a small notebook. Dimitri rests for the day.

(One week later)

7th of May 1996

Yuri and Dimitri had already set up their individual camps. Even though Dimitri's camp was good, he was filled with envy from his brother's better and more organised camp.

Yuri:"Why am I intimidating you?"

Dimitri:"What? No!"

Yuri:"You keep looking at my camp like it's better. Why?"

Dimitri:"Because it is. It's better organised and everything."

Yuri:"Does your camp not fulfil your requirements. Is it missing something you need?"

Dimitri:"Well...no."

Yuri:"Then it's good enough. Whether my camp is better than yours has nothing to do with your survival. As long and it's good enough for you to live in, it's perfect. Don't be intimidated by the performance of others if yours is good enough for you."

Dimitri was feeling relief. He was filled with the will to do more and to do it better. He understood that the only person that has power over his life is himself.

Yuri:"Now go! You caught a fox and a rabbit but your missing the other two!"

Dimitri hurries into the forest. After an hour of tracking he finds rabbit tracks. He follows them but they become messed up. He keeps following them and finds a wolf eating a rabbit. He becomes nervous. He starts sweating and his heart starts beating faster and faster. He lies down on the ground and keeps telling himself:"Calm down, calm down, you can do this."

He gets up and pulls his bow. But as he gets ready to fire, the wolf turns around and the two of them look each other in the eyes. Dimitri becomes scared. He fires his bow but it misses. The wolf runs towards him. Dimitri tries to run but he trips and falls on the ground. The wolf pounces on him and goes for his throat, but Dimitri puts his bow into his mouth. The two of them begin struggling. It was a fight to the death. Yuri stands 20 meters away form them and draws his bow but waits.

He wants to see what's gonna happen,"C'mon Dimitri, don't make me fire this arrow, please!", Yuri thinks to himself.

Dimitri then pulls out a knife and stabs the wolf multiple times. The wolf falls over and Dimitri keeps stabbing him while screaming:"DIE DIE DIE. YOU SON OF A BITCH, DIIIIEEE!"

He calms down and looks in front of him where Yuri was but there was no one there. Yuri stands still behind a tree and exhales in relief.

Dimitri later that night brings the body of the wolf back to Yuri and throws it in front of him."Why?"

Yuri:"Excuse me?"

Dimitri:"Why didn't you shoot the wolf that pounced on me?"

Yuri:"I don't know what you're talking about."

Dimitri:"DON'T BULLSHIT ME! I know you were there! Why didn't you help me? I thought we were brothers!"

Yuri stands up in anger:"And I thought I told you that I wouldn't help you no matter what. Did I not?! This is your test and yours alone. Weakness, hesitation, fear... all these things will get you killed. You felt all three of them in front of that wolf. Erase these things from your mind. Only then will you truly know what it means to kill and survive."

Dimitri wanted to cry but instead he just went to bed. Yuri sat down and started writing something in his notebook."

(20 days later)

27th of March 1996

Dimitri finally manages to track down a deer. Je follows the tracks for some time. He finds a deer digging under some snow looking for grass. Dimitri pulls his bow and shoots the deer in its left side."Yes, I got it!", he thinks to himself with pride,"All I have to do is finish it and it will be over."

The deer starts running deeper into the woods and Dimitri goes into a pursuit. For a moment it looked like the deer was getting away, but the wound started taking it's affects. The deer slows down and falls over on it's right side.

Dimitri prepares his knife and kneels next to the deer."Ok, this is it.", he thinks but he starts hesitating. The deer looks at him with it's dying eyes.

Dimitri's hands start shaking and he drops his knife into the snow."Why can't I do it? It's right there in front of me! So why!", he keeps asking himself while scratching his head in frustration.

Yuri comes up behind a tree:"Weakness, hesitation, fear. I told you, these things will get you killed. And right now, they're holding you back. You had no problem killing that wolf, so why are you having problems now?"

Dimitri:"That was self defence. If I hadn't of killed him he would of killed me."

Yuri:"So you're saying that justifies you killing him?"

Dimitri was speechless when he heard that.

Yuri:"Killing is killing. Whether is be self defence, vengeance, anger, survival or even just fun, taking a life is always the same. You may feel differently, but your actions are identical."

Yuri walks up to Dimitri and gives him his knife. He holds his hand and together they stab the deer. Yuri lets go and Dimitri pushes the knife deeper. His hands stop shaking and he starts breathing normally.

Yuri:"Keep the knife. Also, if it makes you feel better, it was gonna die anyway. This way you gave it a quicker death and saved it suffering."

Hearing those words Dimitri was feeling some relief. He took the knife and carried the deer back to camp where he spent the last few days with his brother until it was time to come back.

(4 days later)

31st of March 1996

Yuri and Dimitri returned home. Their mother hugged them while crying. So did Igor. Dimitri shed a few tears. Only Ivan and Yuri didn't cry, but Yuri did have a smile on his face. They went inside. While Dimitri was unpacking everything, Ivan pulled Yuri away.

Ivan:"So? What happened?"

Yuri pulls out the small notebook he was using. And inside were detailed notes of the animals he hunted and the means with which he survived.

Ivan:"So he's a pass?"

Yuri:"Yes. Yes, he is."

The day ended with a nice dinner.

End of chapter 1

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(Character information)

Ivan-Age:45

Height:190cm

-Former soldier of the Soviet military and special forces. Ivan served the military from the age of 19 until the age of 30 after which he retired. He was sent on tours in where he earned a reputation as a formidable soldier who follows through with every command. He reached the rank of lieutenant first class but left the military before his promotion. The war got the better of him and he wanted to prepare knowing the truth of the world.

Jovana-Age:41

Height:170cm

A house wife. She met Ivan in Volgograd in a bar almost past out drunk. She gave him a ride to her apartment and over the course of a year they got married. Soon after they had a son and named him Yuri, who was followed two years later by Dimitri and another two by Igor. She supports him and knows of his true violent nature. Nevertheless she always stands by his side. She prays for the family.

Yuri-Age:14

Height:180cm

The eldest son of the Maksimov family. Started basic training and the age of seven. He was a true prodigy when it came to self defence and survival, even surpassing his father when he was his age. However, this led to lack of socialisation and trust, not to mention knowledge of the outside world. Yuri is a dedicated individual, never giving up and always completing his tasks and overcoming challenges.

Dimitri-Age:12

Height:165cm

The second oldest son. A boy who wishes to follow in his brother's footsteps. Often questions himself and his abilities which leads him into trouble. Even though trained in independent survival he prefers to follow others. His morale compass is different from Yuri's and his father's which makes him feel like the black sheep of the family.

Igor:Age:10

Height:149cm

The youngest son. He's a boy that wants to explore and doesn't like being left behind. He thinks that because he's younger, smaller and weaker he will be left behind by his brothers. But that doesn't stop him from getting stronger and pushing towards becoming better. He often takes care of his mom and spends more time with her then the rest, which made a loving and caring person who prefer not to solve problems with violence.