Chapter 11 - Lessons to Learn

“So you are going to finally teach me something! I was hoping it wasn't another ‘training’ like last time. I was nearly died due to starvation through that you know?” I said to Teacher.

Teacher Hen didn't give a response and just stood there stoically. The silence between us only lengthened. After what felt like 5 minutes, I finally had to ask, “Umm… Teacher? Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing is wrong. That was the first test of many. I was testing your patience. As an archer, one of the key principles is patience. A hasty shot just means less ammo and a much closer and annoyed target. Suffice to say, it surprised me that your patience could last 6 and a half minutes.”

Seems I was nearly right in my guess of 5 minutes.

“Alright,” Teacher Hen continued. “The second phase of this training is getting to learn the feel of the bow. How she pulls, how strong she is, how fast her release is. That bow of yours will be your closest ally in the times to come, so treat it as if it were your lover.” Subtly, I think I heard Teacher mention Emilia under his breath again. She seems to be a major factor on who Teacher is today.

He took to me to a clearing in the middle of the forest with small targets hanging from tree limbs and some being propped up on the ground. Seemed like the targets had seen some use. Some of them would've put a beehive to shame.

“Alright Greenhorn, now is the time for you to hit stationary targets. First I want you to draw your arrow and loose it toward a random target. Then I'll tell you what you did wrong.”

He's already going into this doubting that I'll actually hit the target… If I had any confidence in the last praise he gave me, it was quickly extinguished with those lines. I drew the bow nonetheless and let an arrow fly. Not surprisingly, it flew wide to the right of the target. “Damn and I'd hoped I'd be able to rub it in his face.” I thought.

“Mmm. That's just about right,” Teacher Hen commented. “The reason it flew wide was because you didn't have a good enough grip on the arrow itself. When you let it go, the arrow started going off the bow at an angle. Which caused your shot to miss completely.”

He noticed what I did wrong with just a single shot… that makes me both sad and amazed. He then stood behind me and held me hand and pulled the string back.

“You'll want to keep a firm grip on the arrow in between your fingers. You'll need to start developing callouses there eventually. For now though, just bear with the difficulties.” Teacher Hen explained as he handed me another arrow.

I tried to remember his advice and drew the bow taught. I took a pause to focus on my fingers and how they were holding the arrow and another to look at the target. Then I let the arrow fly.

It managed to stick in the fringes of the target this time. I glanced back to Teacher to see him nodding. I looked away in time to hide my grin.

I made my first step into the world of Aeon.

“That was a good shot. Especially since that was only the second arrow you've ever shot before. You may have a knack for the bow Greenhorn. Now keep trying until you hit the center. I'm going to go get some beer.” Teacher said as he walked off.

“Got it…. wait… you're what?! You're going to leave me here alone again? What happened to teaching me hands on?” I cried somewhat indignantly. Only somewhat though.

“You've got to learn the feel of the bow for yourself first. I can't do much to help you with that. So I'm off to get me some beer.” He said as he continued to walk away.

“You unappreciative fucker. No wonder you don't have students if this is the way you treat them.” I muttered under my breath and turned to face the targets.

A rock came flying and hit me in the back of the head for 30 HP damage. “I heard that you twerp.” Teacher Hen yelled at me as he nonchalantly continued to walk away.

Time passed and the sun was beginning to set. I still hadn't been able to hit the bullseye though. I thought about stopping and about the ache in my arm. I had shot what felt like over 200 arrows today. Having to fetch the 20 arrows I had after shooting them made it only more tiring.

I decided to continue anyways. I was desperate for that damned bullseye. I felt that something great would happen if I managed to connect with it.

I picked up the spent arrows for what must've been the eleventh time now and lined up to start shooting again. My fingers had already been rubbed raw by the string and the arrow. I persisted even through the pain, just as Teacher Hen had instructed. I persisted even though I wanted to badly to stop and rest. I persisted, never stopping until I got that final shot done.

‘I can honestly say that I didn't expect him to be here still…’ was the first thought that ran through Hen’s mind. It had only taken him about ten minutes to actually get the beer, but he decided to remain hidden instead of going out there. Hen Feltai, archer extraordinaire, was still sitting in bushes, watching Foris as he continued to shoot. It was long past the optimal time for target practicing but Hen couldn't find it in him to stop Foris from completing the shot. The kid was too persistent. In many ways actually. He had never had a student actually want to stay with his training after he showed them that he always leaves them to their own training.

“The best way to learn, is through your own trial and error.” That was a sentence that Hen lived and taught by. Give the student a few pointers and have them find out everything else. They'd need to be more self-reliant in the future anyways. Which goes even more true for Wanderers.

“Geez, when is this kid gonna get tired?” Hen contemplated. As Hen was dazing and thinking about the past, he heard a loud shout. Startled, he nearly fell out of the bush. He caught himself before the revealed his position and looked at Foris.

That idiot greenhorn actually had pulled his bow for so long that his fingers were bleeding slightly. Noticing Foris’s gaze, he looked toward the target to see that he managed to hit the fringe of the bullseye. Pleased with his student, he chose this time to reveal himself. “Congrats! You finally made the shot.” Hen congratulated, but Foris wasn't even paying attention. As Hen got closer, he noticed that the kid actually passed out while standing. Chuckling to himself, Hen heaved the kid over his shoulder and fireman-carried him back to the town’s inn.

END

We’ll be returning to the other world for a little after this.

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