Lucian shot two arrows in succession at the direction the other one had come from earlier. When the arrow landed, he heard a low grunt of pain which meant that he had landed his target.
Having caught her in place, Lucian moved fast towards his master while shooting arrows after arrows. He wasn't shooting aimlessly at any direction he won't land a hit. Although the rain was too heavy and he could barely see through, he still was able to follow the sound of her steps.
Lucian kept on firing the arrows without giving his master a breathing space. The young lady on the other hand held her bow and arrow firmly as she decided to stop playing and fire back.
Lucian ducked and the two successive arrows passed by his head. He used this opportunity as a counter taking the young lady by surprise. Before she could fire again she felt a sharp pain in her arm and turned to look at the place Lucian's arrow had pierced. The young lady broke the shaft of the arrow leaving the wound bleeding. She sat onto a nearby rock and took out a rejuvenation potion and drank it. She poured the rest of its content on the wound before taking a deep breath. Before she could take a breath, somebody pulled and pinned an arrow against his fore head.
"Guess who won in the end??" Lucian said in a mocking tone .
"You did well" The young lady said and Lucian smiled. Since his training began, this was the first time the young lady had appreciated his hard work. Or maybe so he thought. At that moment, he felt a cold object underneath his throat. He had totally forgotten the person he was actually dealing with.
"Now get that off me" the young lady said to Lucian who put away his bow and arrow as she also pulled away the fighting blade.
Just then, the intensity of the rain began to reduce as though it was being Manipulated by an external force or power. Still, exhausted, the two made their way to their respective cabins. "You start the final part of your training tomorrow. Rest for now" Lucian heard the young lady before she entered her room. The boy entered the room with a smile of satisfaction on her face. He was now able to get a descent hit with his shootings, far better than what he was capable of in Frosgate.
The next morning, Lucian woke up early but not as early as his previous trainings.
He went ahead to make breakfast before
taking a bath. He changed into his fighting gear before going out.
When he went to the training ground, he found the young lady already there.
The rain from the previous day had left the earth damp and heavy. Mist hovered low across the field while droplets clung to the leaves of the surrounding small trees. The targets placed around the grounds were no longer ordinary wooden boards like he had practiced with a few days ago. Some were tied to swinging ropes, some hidden behind thick trunks, and others partially covered with dark cloth.
The young lady stood in the middle of the field with her bow resting against her shoulder.
"You learned how to shoot," she said calmly, looking at the practice dolls "Now you learn how to become an archer."
Lucian frowned slightly. "Is there a difference?"
"A massive one."
She tossed three arrows toward him.
"A fool fires arrows. An archer controls the battlefield."
Lucian caught them and attached his quiver behind his back.
"The first lesson," she continued, "is breathing."
Lucian blinked. "Breathing?"
The young lady suddenly kicked the back of his knee, forcing him into position.
"Every amateur focuses on the hand. Every true archer focuses on the lungs."
She moved behind him and adjusted his posture with brutal precision.
"Your feet decide balance. Your waist controls stability. Your shoulders guide direction. But your breathing controls death."
She placed a hand lightly against his chest.
"When you inhale deeply, your muscles tighten. Your aim becomes unstable. Release the arrow between breaths. Not during."
A/N: Happy Birthday To Meeee!!!