Trials of the Beast

Ereek was a Shifter of good reputation amongst those who knew him: hardy in body, strong in arm, and thick in skull. It was usually this last trait that landed the fellow in trouble. He was a hunter for his clan, and often would come back with impressive kills. One day, the signs were clear: there was a predator in their hunting grounds, and it was higher than them on the food chain. The birds had gone quiet, no small rodents rushed through the underbrush, the deer and aurochs had already gone. The other hunters quickly gave up, retreating to the safety of the clan's camp. Ereek stayed behind, eager to prove himself against the beast.
He found it, a mountain of flesh, bone, claw, tooth, and sinew, in a clearing, as it was looking about for food. He knew it would likely kill him to attempt to fell the beast, but could not bear going back to the camp after boasting that he would fell the beast. He had to try, and if he got injured, then he could return home with dignity, and show that he had been outmatched.
He charged the beast, immediately drawing its attention. The monster, probably one of Jakular's pet creations, turned towards him and stomached him in a single bite, leaving behind only his hand axes on the floor of the clearing. When the hunters went out the next day, they found that the beast had moved on, but found Ereek's axes on the ground. They bore them solemnly to his wife, Aeret, quickly.
Distraught, Aeret wept and prayed for a tenday, asking for her love to be raised, to be reunited, many of the prayers those grieving send to their gods. The difference was that Aeret was answered. She had always been devout, and had been visited by a Wamparog during a Jakunon some years prior. Moved by her grief, Jakular gave her an opportunity to be reunited with her love. She would have to defeat the beast three times. Once to negate the loss of Ereek, once to prove her own strength, and once to overpower death. Killing the beast, Jakular told her, was the key to Ereek's freedom from death. Each fight would be harder, but she would have time to prepare. The beast would be back in the clearing at the beginning of the next Jakunon. Then would return in the middle of the month for the second fight. Finally, the last fight was to take place on the night of the final day of Jakunon.
She trained her body and her mind, reading herself for the fight. She learned a number of weapons, and was even tutored by a druid for a time. She quickly became the best warrior her clan had ever seen, and had to go elsewhere to continue her training. Finally, in the days leading up to the first match, she rested.
When the first battle commenced, it was very nearly a slaughter. Aeret managed to kill the beast with a single swipe of her blade, upon which she had layered a few spells. The playing field was now level, Ereek's loss negated.
The second battle was more difficult, but similarly won. She had proven her own strength against the beast.
When she appeared at the clearing for the third time, she felt much like Ereek did when he faced the beast: outmatched and scared. She decided to fight it intelligently, and took out her bow. Firing twice, she took out both of the beast's eyes. From there, she dismantled the beast, each of her attacks removing more of the cursed thing's flesh.
Finally, the beast felled, Ereek emerged from the stomach, and was reunited with his wife. Death had been overpowered, and the two lovers had come back together. Her time becoming a champion of Jakular had changed Aeret, however, and she was no longer content around the camp. She left to continue testing her strength, and Ereek followed her, becoming the first disciple of Saint Aeret, patron of Growth.