by B. T. Narro
“You look like a true archer,” I said, careful not to stare.
“Yes, well I’d rather have the skill of a true archer than to look like one, but one of those things I can help.”
We walked down the hall beside each other.
“Would you like to shoot a few arrows in the courtyard as we wait for Eden?” I asked.
“I guess,” she said dubiously. “Leon did say you might teach me something.”
I didn’t understand her cold tone.
“But how much do you really know about archery?” she asked skeptically.
So that was it. She didn’t believe I knew anything. “A little,” I answered modestly.
She shrugged. “Well, a little is a little more than I know.”
I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t been more honest about my skill. I supposed I didn’t feel like trying to prove anything to a woman who treated me like a liar. I didn’t understand. Was it just because our rooms were next to each other that she distrusted me? She couldn’t possibly think I had something to do with that?
We started down the stairs.
“It looks like a good bow,” I said as I gestured at the weapon she held. “Have you had it for a while?”
“No. They told me to purchase one with my weekly stipend,” she said dismissively.
“I think you chose well. The quality looks good to me.”
“Am I right to assume that you spent your entire stipend on the vibmtaer?” There sounded to be judgement in her voice. Perhaps she thought my choice to be wrong.
“Just about.” I didn’t mind admitting the truth. I was proud of myself for what I had accomplished.
A silence passed.
I was growing more irritated. She hadn’t been this cold toward me when we’d first met, and I hadn’t seen her behave like this toward anyone else. What had I done to piss her off?
After a tense walk, we arrived at the target. Surprisingly, she held her bow up to me as she barely glanced in my direction.
“Why don’t you shoot first to show me?”
It was tempting, especially because Aliana sounded like she didn’t trust that I knew anything about archery, but we were about to go into the forest. Time would be better spent helping her.
“Actually, I’d like to see how you shoot.”
“Fine.”
She set herself into position and drew back the string. She completely lacked confidence in her stance, understandably. At least she didn’t hold the string back too long, which was a common mistake that beginners made, letting go soon after the string was back. The arrow sailed over the target and into the stacks of hay behind.
She looked at me without really looking at me as she waited for my answer. Ignoring her attitude, I’d noticed a few issues just from that one loose.
I hummed as I tried to determine where to begin. “Has Leon given you lessons yet?”
Her hands fisted around the bow. “Do you mean screaming at me to stop missing?”
“That’s not at all what I mean,” I said. My tone was starting to match hers as much as I tried to remain friendly.
“Then no, he hasn’t. He did shoot one arrow to demonstrate for me, but he missed over the target and mumbled something about how sorcery was better so he hasn’t needed to learn the bow.”
I could picture that quite clearly.
“He told me later that you might help me learn,” she said as she eyed me suspiciously.
I forced myself to sound more positive about this than I felt. “And learn you shall. Can I ask something first?”
Aliana set down the corner of the bow. “Go ahead.”
“Can you tell me more about being a ranger?”
“Why?”
“It’s just that I don’t know anything about it. Some information might help me instruct you, if it relates to the bow.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know much myself. It was my writing tutor I first spoke to about the mana I felt, though I didn’t know what it was.”
“I had the same experience of not knowing what I felt.” Except I didn’t have a tutor.
Could it be that Aliana was another young sorcerer from a wealthy family? She didn’t have the lilt, but it might explain her attitude if she saw me as less than her, as Reuben did.
“Yes, I’d heard that about you.” Her tone implied there were other things she may have heard as well, not that I knew what. “My tutor asked if she could set up a meeting with a sorcerer. I was happy for the opportunity, though it was a surprise when the king’s councilman showed up instead.”
It really was similar to my experience. “So you had no idea what this mana did?”
“No, but I’d felt it for years.”
“I was under the impression that everyone else had trained for a long time before coming here.”
“I think most of the others have, but I haven’t. I still don’t know exactly what being a ranger entails. I’m a little scared to ask Leon because he’s…”
“Because he’s Leon.” I finished the statement for her.
She nodded. “He told me to channel my mana and listen to what it tells me. He has no personal experience with Low-Lower B. He says it’s up to me to figure it out. Was it similar with your mana?”
I was glad to see her open up a bit. “Actually, that’s where we’re different. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my mana after coming here. Then it was just a matter of forcing myself to learn it.”
“I see,” she said disappointedly.
“What do you feel when you focus on Low-Lower B? My mana can’t go that low.”
“It’s an odd sensation,” she said, finally looking into my eyes when she spoke to me. “It’s like I can tell where things are going without hearing them or feeling them. I’d had hints of it growing up, but ever since our trip to the mountains it has become strong enough for me to be sure. I don’t really know what to do with it.”
“Are you saying you can feel movement on the ground?”
“Something like that. It’s difficult to describe because it’s still relatively new.”
“So if I go over here…” I went about five yards away. “And I jump, you can tell?”
“I don’t know.” She faced away from me. “Try it, but don’t tell me when.”
I waited a few breaths, then I jumped and landed.
“Now,” she called out. “I’m sure.”
I returned to her side. “I didn’t know something like this was possible.” I might’ve complimented her if she hadn’t been so cold toward me earlier.
“I haven’t gotten used to the feeling. It’s like a voice inside my head that isn’t mine.” She shuddered.
“I’m sure that discomfort will pass. I felt the same way trying to cast with four different notes.”
“You can actually cast with dvinia now?” Aliana’s tone made it clear she didn’t believe I could.
“I can.”
She looked away with an expression that told me her thoughts.
“You don’t believe me.” I said.
“I think you can cast some semblance of a spell that doesn’t do much.”
“Hold out your hand,” I told her.
She stuck out her palm and didn’t appear the least bit afraid of me accidentally hurting her. Of course I wouldn’t, but it would’ve been a little nice, at least, to see her worry a bit about my strength.
I prepared my mana, aimed, then pushed her hand back with a wide force of energy. She stumbled back.
“Whoa, that was strong.” Aliana looked surprised. “I really didn’t think you could do much.”
“I could tell.”
“Was that the hardest you can cast it?”
“No.”
“Show me the hardest.”
“There’s no way I would do that to you.”
“Really? It’s that strong already?”
I didn’t want to sound like a braggart, but I was more worried about injuring her. “Yes, I might be able to pick you up with it i
f I tried.”
“You really had never used dvinia before coming here?”
“I hadn’t. I never knew mana, like I said.”
She looked into my eyes pointedly. “It’s just very hard to believe.”
“I’m not sure what to tell you. It’s the truth.”
I didn’t appreciate being called a liar, even indirectly as she had done. It made me less inclined to help her, but we had come this far.
“Why don’t you shoot another arrow?” I suggested.
“If you say so.” She started to ready an arrow but paused. “Any tips first?”
“Not yet.”
Aliana drew back and shot another just like the first. It sailed over the top of the target about fifteen yards away. I thought she was standing a little too far away for someone of her skill level, but she had chosen this spot on her own and was somewhat close to hitting the target.
“It really doesn’t look like it’s too high when I’m aiming,” she said.
“That’s the first thing to keep in mind. Your eyes are always going to be higher than the arrow you’re aiming. You’re actually tilting the bow upward, probably without realizing. It’s a common mistake. Just aim a little lower than you think.”
“That’s all?” she asked skeptically.
“The other changes will make it easier to hit the target once you have the angle right, so they can wait.”
She shot another arrow. This one struck the top of the target.
This didn’t seem to satisfy her very much as she looked at me. “I’m ready to hear the other changes.”
I went through everything with her one problem at a time. First, she had all her fingers holding back the string. She should only use three. Second, she pulled the string too far away from her face as if scared of it hurting her, which she admitted she was when I asked. I told her she had to hold it very close to her face for better control and aim. Third, she held the string too tightly, which caused her knuckles to pinch the arrow. Ironically, this made the arrow fall off the bow rather than hold it steady. She had to grasp the string more loosely.
These were all mistakes my father had helped me through when I was a boy.
By the time Eden was walking across the courtyard toward us, Aliana was shooting much more comfortably. She was drawing the string back with confidence, bringing it up right up to her cheek and chin. She was also hitting the target every time. Her callous demeanor had disappeared as well, a great relief to me. I was sure that it was in part because she finally realized I wasn’t a liar, but I still wondered if there had been another reason she had been so cold toward me.
She struck the bullseye as Eden arrived. Aliana gaped at me if something was wrong.
“What?” I asked.
“That’s the first time I hit the center.”
“Congratulations,” I said with a smile and was happy to see her smile back.
Eden walked up to us. “Looks like you’re ready to kill something!”
“If it doesn’t move,” Aliana answered. “And if I have five tries. Jon’s actually a good teacher.” She wore an expression that held a bit of surprise.
“Really? How long have you used the bow?” Eden asked me.
“Probably…ten years, it’s been.” I was somewhat shocked by my answer. It hadn’t felt like that long.
“You said you only knew a little!” Aliana complained.
I shrugged.
“Let’s see you hit the middle,” Eden challenged.
“From here?” I asked incredulously.
Eden looked at the target again. Then she squinted at me. “I can’t tell if you’re saying it’s too easy or too difficult.”
Aliana handed me the bow.
I knew that no one liked a showoff, but I just couldn’t help myself. I walked back until I was about thirty yards out. Without heavy wind, this was a shot I could make consistently. But just then, Michael was walking up to us. He stopped somewhat near the soon-to-be trajectory of my arrow. I stared at him.
“Go ahead!” he called to me.
“I know what you’re going to do,” I told him.
He muttered something as he walked off, or pretended to walk off. When I tested him by raising the bow, he spun around and lifted his hand.
I set down the bow again.
“Fine, I won’t do it,” he said.
I didn’t believe him. So in one quick motion, I drew the string as I aimed the bow and then let go, something I had practiced many times. Michael still tried to blow my arrow off course with wind, but he was caught off guard by my speed.
I was pleased to see my arrow strike the center of the target. The three of them started whooping in surprise.
“Damn that was fast!” Michael said.
“Had to get it past you,” I told him.
Eden and Aliana had their mouths open as I tried to hand Aliana the bow.
“No way. You keep it.”
“It’s yours.”
“But I’ll never be that good!”
“Ali, you’re a ranger. One day you’re going to be better than me, because I will help you get there.”
She seemed surprised by my words. “Why?”
“We’re all in this together now, no matter what happens. It’s what I was trying to tell Reuben at dinner yesterday when I asked him to sit with us.”
Aliana took back her bow as she smiled at me. “Thank you.”
Eden asked me, “Is that the insult he claimed you made against him?”
“No…the insult is not worth repeating. I shouldn’t have said it.”
“Yes, you should’ve,” Michael said quickly.
“What does Leon have you doing today?” I asked Michael in hopes of changing the subject.
“I’ll just be training today with the rest of the people who still need their essence. Leon says we can have them until tomorrow, then he’s hiding them from us. What about you three?”
Eden answered, “We’re going hunting. I need animal parts to work on my enchanting skill. Aliana has to practice her ranger skills. And I suppose Jon is here to practice his babysitting skills, because he obviously doesn’t need to train more with the bow.”
“Have any of you been in the forest before?” Michael asked.
“We have,” Eden answered for her and Aliana. “Separately, not together. We didn’t know each other before coming here.”
“You had me fooled,” Michael said. “So Eden, are you a full-fledged enchantress?”
“Hmm, some might say so,” she said with a wink at him.
Michael looked a little confused. “Does that mean you can enchant Aliana’s bow?” he asked.
“Oh, you mean an enchanter,” she said. “An enchantress is just a whore of mythical proportions.”
“Oh…. Oh!” Michael laughed. “I see,” he said with a wide smile at Eden.
“Calm your britches, it was a joke,” she said with a flirtatious grin. “I probably could enchant Ali’s bow with enough tries, but it wouldn’t help her aim.”
I asked, “What happens if you fail an enchantment?”
“It could weaken the structure of the bow.”
“What I wouldn’t give to understand everything about ordia,” I said. “Shall we go?” I prompted, quite eager to leave. We could chat on the way.
“We shall,” Aliana said.
“Just be careful,” Michael told us, “even if you’ve been to that forest before. It’s not that I don’t trust Leon to not send all of you into danger, it’s…wait, did that make sense? Too many nots.”
“It did,” I said.
“Not,” Eden countered.
“Ah, I just mean it could be dangerous,” Michael said. “I wouldn’t go too far.”
“How far is too far?” I asked.
“What did Leon say?” he asked in return.
“Nothing.” I looked at Aliana.
“Nothing to us, either,” she said.
“Then I guess it should be fine,” Michael said. “You’re com
ing back before night, right?”
“Yes,” I said. “We have until the evening to return.”
“Maybe you can’t go far enough to get into trouble, but I’d be cautious anyway.”
“We will,” I assured him.
We said our goodbyes. Then I took the lead and set a quick pace.
“You seem to be in a rush,” Eden commented. It appeared to be hard for her to keep up, given her short legs.
“If we don’t hurry, then it’s going to be time for lunch when we finish buying the food we need.”
“Leon made me purchase food for this trip yesterday.” She gestured at her backpack. “With my own coin, by the way.”
“Oh, thank you,” I said. “How much was it? I can pay you back after our next stipend.”
“No, it’s fine.” Eden paused. “You don’t mind stale bread, right?”
“Very funny,” Aliana said.
After some time, I asked, “What else did Leon mention to the two of you about this trip?”
Eden mimicked his deep voice. “Eden, have you been to Curdith Forest? Good. You’re going there tomorrow. Have Aliana kill something that will be useful to you. Don’t get killed yourself. Stay behind Jon.”
“That’s about what he told me as well,” Aliana said. “I never saw you show him you could shoot, Jon. Did he just take your word for it?”
“Pretty much. He asked what weapons I could use, then if I’d ever hunted before, and that was that.”
“He’s certainly a believer of letting his students teach themselves,” Aliana remarked.
It didn’t take us long to leave the city. The edge of Curdith Forest was only a mile out, just past the river. There was a short bridge where the river was wide.
“What have you heard about the forest so far, Jon?” Aliana asked. She seemed like a completely different person than the one I’d met outside my room.
“That it’s full of massive trees and exotic animals.”
“I wouldn’t call them exotic,” Eden said. “More like vicious.”
Aliana said, “Kat strongly believes Gourfist is sleeping at the center of the forest and the dteria created by him is what gives life to all the creatures.”