As the sun set and the temperature dropped, Enzo was thoroughly embarrassed and frustrated. Flynn had held nothing back, making it clear that Enzo’s chops as a hunter were clearly lacking.

“I swear boy, have you ever hit anything?” Flynn questioned as another arrow whizzed past the target, wide by several feet. “I bet the game you’ve caught over the years were all accidents. Poor animals died of boredom, watching you run around picking up arrows.”

“I’m pretty good at setting snares,” Enzo replied sharply.

“Ah, so they died out of pity then,” Flynn shot back. “Surely they could’ve easily found other food, but decided to take your bait just so they didn’t have to watch you flail around anymore.”

“This is a load of shit,” Enzo barked back as he went to the far end of the range to retrieve his arrows for the hundredth time.

All in all, he’d managed to hit the target just three more times over the course of the afternoon. Some combination of the wall and the buildings created a strange swirling breeze along the range that shifted constantly. Enzo spent the entire afternoon shooting arrow after arrow, yet he felt no closer to making any improvements.

“I bet no one can shoot in this wind,” Enzo complained. “Every shot is off course the moment it leaves your bow and every adjustment is a waste of time. I’d have a better chance shooting blindfolded.”

Flynn frowned as the young man returned to the shooting area. Without a word, he took the bow from Enzo. He drew an arrow back and stared down its length, taking a deep breath and holding it. After a moment of intense concentration, he released the arrow. It struck the target in the dead center, with a satisfying thud.

“No one can shoot in this paltry breeze?” Flynn spat over his shoulder at Enzo.

He quickly drew another arrow and repeated the process, this time firing just fractionally to the left of the first arrow. Flynn looked back at Enzo as he knocked the third arrow.

“Blindfolded huh? Watch,” Flynn said in a gravely tone. He closed his eyes and seemed to relax. At first Enzo didn’t take him seriously. There’s no way he’s going to shoot with his eyes closed.

Still, the old man had hit the target with both of the previous arrows, something Enzo hadn’t managed all day. He watched the old man’s form intently, and began to notice the differences.

Flynn breathed slowly, and allowed the wind to pass over his body. Rather than trying to see the movement, he felt how the air flowed through the area at any given time and how it might affect the shot. He held the bow with a firm grip, yet there was a fluidity to his motion as he released the arrow. No wasted energy, no wasted motion, just a smooth, clean shot. The arrow struck a finger’s width above the first arrow, in the center of the target.

As Enzo watched, a better understanding of how to shoot began to form in his mind. I need to relax, and keep my breathing steady. Stay centered and make my adjustments. Read the air currents the same way I do when I work with fire and use them to inform my adjustments.

Flynn returned from the target with the handful of arrows and a self satisfied smirk on his face.

“It’s not so bad, boy. Even an old man like me can do it,” he called out, smugly teasing Enzo. “Let's call it here for tonight, I don’t think I can watch any more- '' but paused as he approached Enzo.

The boy’s demeanor is different. He took me seriously and looks like he’s trying to work out what I did. Let’s see what he’s learned. Without another word, Flynn handed the bow back to Enzo.

The frustration of the afternoon combined with the ease Flynn displayed completing the same task threatened to overwhelm Enzo but he kept his cool and managed to center himself. He held the bow and knocked an arrow again, this time in a more meditative state.

When I tried this the first time, I tried to adjust the shot with magic but I couldn’t control every aspect of the situation and it flew off wildly. Flynn showed me that it isn’t about control here, the key is being adaptable to the situation and taking what the environment is giving me.

Enzo looked down the shaft of the arrow, feeling the wind slowly blow. As he waited, the wind shifted around him, eventually settling into blowing behind him. His adjustments made, Enzo drew the arrow back and fired without hesitation. The shot struck the top left corner of the square target, the first hit Enzo had registered in hours. He breathed deep and lined up the second shot.

Feel the air flow change around me. Let the bow do the work, exhale and release.

The wind shifted again, this time blowing left to right across the shooting gallery. Enzo released the second shot and it collided with the target a hand’s width from the center. A small smile spread across Flynn’s face. Enzo repeated the motion again with the final arrow and was rewarded with a solid connection just inches from the middle of the target. Flynn clapped him on the back.

“Tell you what kid, that was pretty good,” Flynn said cheekily. “I take back what I said before. When you put your mind to it, you might just hit the occasional deer.”

Enzo glowered at the old man, but Flynn just chuckled.

“The swirling wind in this corner is the real reason the range is here,” Flynn explained. “If you can hit that target consistently, you can hit a deer in the forest, or a bandit in the field. Now you need to practice that patience.”

Enzo smiled despite the constant ribbing and nodded. “Thank you for the demonstration,” he replied sincerely. “I’d be out here for weeks getting no better than where I started without you.”

“Well, don’t let it go to your head now,” Flynn replied. “You hit a couple shots, but you’re no pro. This takes practice just like everything else. I want to see you make time to put some shots into that target around your other chores and lessons. Build up your skill with a bow and you’ll never need to use that hammer.”

Flynn took the arrows and bow, and returned them to their place along the wall. He turned back to Enzo, and gestured back into the village.

“Now let’s head back to the barracks,” Flynn continued. “The captain will want to introduce you to the rest of the men.”