Archer & Disciple: by Nick Venom (short books to read .txt) 📕

snapped to Avin, her mouth gaped open. “Master!”

Avin shrugged his shoulders. “You should be able to defeat those goblins while standing in one place. That moving and hitting tactic is okay for rookies, but I need you to be able to kill them without running.” He turned away and approached the goblin on his back, an arrow going through his shoulder. He drew his bow, pointing it at the goblin. 

He glanced up at Jaylee and Elizabeth. He released the arrow, splattering the goblins’ brains out. “I need better.” He turned away, beginning the walk back to Paradise.

Elizabeth helped Jaylee up. “Is he always like this?” She asked. 

Elizabeth nodded. “When he’s in teaching mode, he’s stricter than anybody you’ll ever meet.”

“Why? Couldn’t he be a little nicer, especially when it’s my first time out with him?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “He doesn’t want to baby anybody. Especially if they tell him they have experience with bows.” She glanced behind at the massacre of goblins. “He was teaching every child and teen in Paradise and was too lax with them.”

“What happened?” Jaylee asked. “Were they too weak to help him?”

Elizabeth nodded, facing her. “They took advantage of his kindness and got themselves killed. After that, he’s become extremely strict. Everybody dropped out when it became too much, except for me.”

Jaylee stared at her, tilting her head. “Don’t tell me you’re the same as him.”

She shook her head. “Master is leagues stronger than me. I can only barely keep up with him, even though he’s been training me for two years now.”

“Wow, you must be very skilled now.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“You don’t?” Jaylee asked, tilting her head even more. “Well, you must be stronger than me. I’m probably a bug under you two.”

“Don’t say that,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head. “Don’t think of yourself as a bug. You’re the same as us, you just… You only need some more experience.”

Jaylee nodded, picking up the pace. Her energy was slowly being replenished and stripped away from her at the same moment. She turned to face Elizabeth, memorized by her eyes. “Still, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you become his disciple? I mean… you’re a…” Her voice trailed off as she tried to figure out a way to phrase her sentence.

“A farmer’s kid?” Elizabeth asked, raising an eyebrow. “You’re free to call me that. I am a proud child of a farmer.” She smiled an honest and genuine smile. She loved her family, even if they embarrassed her every once in a while. “As for me becoming his disciple, it happened because my parents are close to Avin and were convinced I had some affinity to bows. Avin relented after refusing hundreds of times and took me to train.”

“Were… Were you bad at first?” Jaylee asked, almost nervous to hear the answer.

Elizabeth nodded her head, still smiling. “I was really bad. So bad that Avin refused to train me. However, I didn’t give up. I kept training without him and, eventually, became good enough that he accepted me as his First Disciple and truly began training me.”

“Wow,” Jaylee muttered. No other words came to her mind, Elizabeth’s story almost leaving her speechless. 

“Well, how was it for you?” She asked.

Jaylee rubbed her nape, unsure how to answer. “My story isn’t all that great. I was a prodigy in my hometown. My parents were sure I would become a Master Archer like Avin, so they sent me here to train under him.”

“What about training?” She asked, not hearing an ounce of dedication being put into her bow. 

Jaylee shook her head. “I trained for about a year before being sent here. My friends and family were sure I would be a powerful archer, but Avin doesn’t think so. He’s right that I’m not good enough; an amateur.” She hung her head low.

Elizabeth shook her head, grabbing Jaylee’s face with both hands and raising her eyes to meet hers. “You will become a Master Archer like Avin. All you need is time.”

Jaylee gave her a small smile. “You’re right… I will.”

Elizabeth released her grip on Jaylee, taking a step backward. “I’m sure you will.”

Jaylee nodded. “Well, first I need to become the Second Disciple before I can reach the title of Master Archer, but you’re right. All I need is time.”

 

TBC…

Episode Three "Esperanza"

“Slow down your breathing. Don’t force yourself.” The woman told him. 

“Yes, Master,” Avin remarked, drawing a short bow. His aim was shaky. He closed one eye, staring at his target, a dummy a hundred feet from him. Slooowww dowwwnnn. He told himself internally. He released his grip, letting the arrow fly. It flew towards the dummy but missed its torso by a few inches. It nicked the dummy’s side and flew off.

The woman shook her head, facing Avin. “Steady your aim, otherwise, you’ll be hitting the dirt for the rest of your life.” She grabbed his arms and steadied them using hers. “Fire again.”

He released the arrow, watching as it cracked through the air and hit the dummy’s shoulder. The woman nodded her head, backing away from Avin. “Good, you’re doing better. A couple more tries and you’ll be stronger than me.” She said with a large smile.

Avin shook his head. “I can’t be better than you Master. I still have a lot to know.” 

The woman chuckled softly, shaking her head. She looked up at the clouds flying overhead, different shades of white and gray. “I am in my late thirties-” She glanced down with a stare that screamed, don’t you dare question my age or tell anybody. She looked back up at the clouds. “-and I’ll be retiring from my archery days. When I do, I need someone to take my spot on the Legends of Historia list. My title of Master Archer will soon escape me; I need somebody to take it from me.” She grinned, facing Avin. 

“But… I’m not as strong as you. You faced strong beasts, I barely killed a deer yesterday.” Avin said. 

“Ha!” She exclaimed, sitting down on the grass. Avin sat next to her, watching her face as she spoke. “I’m not as strong as you painted me as. I’ve never been able to defeat the Deity or the demon king. Those are monsters out of my grasp. However-” She glanced down at Avin. “-you may be able to defeat them.”

“How?” Avin asked, almost jumping to his feet. “Can I do it soon?”

“Hahaha,” She shook her head. “I’m afraid that you can't do anything without activating Master Archer’s Lifetime Arrow.”

“Then…” Avin glanced down at his bow. “... all I need to do is become a Master Archer?”

The woman shook her head again, smiling. “You make it sound like becoming a Master Archer is easy. Well, you have to become a Master Archer to have a chance at getting the skill, but more is needed.”

“What? Mana? Aura?” Avin questioned.

“Aura Force isn’t the same as the Lifetime Arrow. Aura Force coats your weapon with your mana, creating a blue glint, which takes years to do. Lifetime Arrow, on the other hand, takes almost an entire lifetime, as the name implies, to activate. It’s a hidden skill that only activates for every one in ten Master Archers. However, there are not that many Master Archers around.” 

“Then… is it impossible?” Avin asked. 

The woman shook her head. “I think you’ll be able to master it with ease. As long as you’re patient, it should come to you naturally.”

Avin nodded, staring at his bow. “Thank you, Master.”

The woman laughed. “I should be the one thanking you. If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve given up long ago.” She patted his head. “You’re my bright disciple. I expect a lot out of you, so do your best. Even if you don’t get the skill, as long as you become stronger than me, that’s all I care about.”

Avin nodded, staring up at his master. “Yes, Master.”

“You don’t have to be so stiff. You can call me by my name.”

Avin hesitated, unsure if he was being tricked or not. The woman nodded her head, forcing him to say it. “Thank you, Nyla.”

“Anytime Avin.”

***

Avin and the others returned to Paradise, passing through the main gate and heading to his house. Once there, Jaylee collapsed onto a wooden chair, her stress and exhaustion flooding out. 

“How did she do?” Elizabeth asked. Jaylee glanced at Avin.

“Honestly?’ Avin sat down on a chair that was nearing its end. “I think she did better than expected.”

“So she’s accepted?” She asked.

Jaylee jumped out of her chair, exclaiming  “You accept me?” 

“Well…” Avin’s voice trailed off. “You didn’t do bad and there are many things I need to fix. I could tell Griv and Itdayda didn’t train you as an archer. They taught you how they think you should be taught, but they were way off the mark.” Avin stood up from his chair, approaching her. “Firstly, what is the name of your bow?”

“My bow… My bow’s name?” She asked, tilting her head. “Why would it have a name?”

Avin chuckled. “Every being deserves a name. In combat, who saves you?”

Jaylee shrugged her shoulders. “Myself, I guess?”

“Wrong, your bow does. It shoulders your emotions and gives you an outlet to express them. Every time you draw the bow, you’re pushing your emotions onto the string. When you release the string, you release your emotions. That’s why bows are an archer’s most valuable partner, excluding family.”

Jaylee glanced at Elizabeth. “Does your bow have a name?” She nodded. “What is it?”

“Phoenix.” She answered. 

Jaylee turned around to face Avin. “What about you?”

Avin smiled. “Esperanza. It’s an otherworlder word that should mean something similar to hope. Because this bow and the person who made it for me gave me hope. Hope for the future.”

Jaylee nodded, looking down at her makeshift bow. “Then I should name it?”

Elizabeth, meanwhile, turned away and strolled to a window facing the middle of the village. She had heard some noises, straining her ears to track them.

“Only if you have a name in mind. Don’t give it a name that doesn’t match your feelings.” Avin said. “Think of bows as your children. Every child needs a proper name. Names that have no emotion in them won’t work. Make sure it matches what you want.”

“So, I think I have a name,” Jaylee remarked, staring at her bow. “I will name it-” She was interrupted by screams and shouts. They were coming from the middle of the village. Elizabeth turned around to face Avin, her eyes widened.

Avin dashed outside, hearing more shouts and screams.

“Call Avin!”

“Monster!”

“Help!” 

He heard multiple people calling him, which slightly frightened him. However, the fright left as quickly as it entered. He pressed forward, drawing his bow as the monster’s head filled his sight.

“Don’t betray me now Esperanza.”

 

TBC…