Descend- Seeing Stars by Sean Oswald (the ebook reader .TXT) 📕

the thin cables that held the targets started to sway back and forth slightly making the targets mobile and unstable.

      Namur-san signaled for warriors who shoved six spears into the ground next to each of the competitors. “The targets are set out every fifty feet. There are two at each range. The winner of this contest is the one who can hit the most targets. But it only counts if you pierce or break the target.”

      Jay nodded to Eesa and said, “My people have a saying, ‘ladies first.”

      With that, Eesa whirled, grabbing one of the javelins and then continued her spin with almost supernatural ease as she threw it right through one of the marks at two hundred feet. On the one hand, Jay was impressed. She was agile and skillful at a level no normal human could have attained. Then there was another part that once again realized how unfair this was for her.

      Jay scanned outward toward the targets with his senses, activating the Hyper Accuracy that he now possessed. Then he picked up a spear, intentionally slowing his movements so that he only would appear to be moving at almost blur like speed. The projectile launched from his hand faster than any arrow and he guided it with his Kinetic Manipulation so that when it hit one of the three-hundred-foot targets it blasted the target into fragments that flew in every direction.

      The crowd that had erupted in cheers for Eesa a moment ago was deathly silent now. Jay looked at Eesa and said, “Excellent job, do you want to move onto another challenge now?”

      “No, if nothing else, my lord husband should know that his wife finishes what she begins,” Eesa replied.

      Then she whirled and threw another spear taking out the second marker at two hundred feet. Then without waiting for him, she took slightly more careful aim and threw for one of the targets at two hundred and fifty feet. It was a close thing, but she managed to drive the spearhead through the target.

      Jay realized what she was doing. He couldn’t let her get more of the high value targets. So, he threw a spear and took out the second target at two fifty. He judged it unlikely that she would be able to handle the three-hundred-foot target, so he moved in a blur and took out both the targets at one hundred and fifty feet.

      Eesa returned the favor and took out both of the hundred-foot targets. Then wanting to keep things close, Jay threw one to take out a fifty-foot target. That left each of them with a spear. Jay assumed that she would be forced to take the other fifty-foot target which would give him a clear win if he took out the second three-hundred-foot target.

      He learned though that he underestimated both her competitive spirit and willingness to take a risk. She backed up three paces and then bolted forward to the line putting all of her strength through the final three-hundred-foot target even if just barely. That resulted in her having eleven hundred and fifty points while he only had nine hundred.

      The only remaining target was a fifty-point target and that clearly wouldn’t close that gap. At first glance there was no way for him to win now and the smile on Eesa’s face showed she had done the math too. Unfortunately for Eesa, Jay had grown up watching Robinhood. So, he knew that just because your enemy hit the target first it didn’t mean the day was over.

      Jay focused and took his time, even more than was necessary. Then he fired out his final spear with enough strength to shatter stone. Again, while he didn’t have Eesa’ martial skill he did have kinetic powers to make sure the course of the spear was perfect. The audience’s gasp was delayed by a couple seconds in awe as his spear struck and split hers from the end of the shaft up to the metal tip and all the way through the three hundred point target sending shards flying everywhere.

      Namur-san was the first to speak, “Most impressive, you may be a worthy match for her after all.”

      Jay looked at Eesa but she simply said, “There are still more events in the challenge.”

      He shrugged and then followed as they were led to another section. There they found two circles cleared out and smoothed in the ground at the foot of a cliff which had risen from the ground to tower three hundred feet above them. Each of them was directed into one of the circles.

      Namur-san said, “This is a test of your jumping ability. You must leap from within your circle up as high as you can on the wall. The height of our leap is important, but you can also earn extra points by carrying weights upon your back. Each of you will get three leaps and the best overall leap wins.”

      Jay nodded at Eesa who first made a leap without anything on her. He had no idea that the Tamoori were this physically powerful. Watching her made him wonder how humanity could have dealt with such a foe prior to evolution. She made it a full two thirds of the way up the side of the cliff in one powerful bound. Her claws scored the rocks at the apex of her leap and then slowed her descent as she slid down the cliff face.

      “Why don’t you rest and then do your other two jumps. I will only make one attempt,” Jay said.

      Once his words were spread to the crowd there were whispers of how confident he was. Others seem to think he was foolish. One very human voice could be heard above the others calling him a bone head.

      For her second jump, Eesa had the equivalent