Revolt of the Archers [14+]

[Kal Ancalas]

Revolt of the Archers

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Disclaimer: Maple Story and all therein belong to Wizet/Nexon Corporation and I make no profit from the writing of this story. All original characters and some concepts, however, are mine.

Rated 14+ for violence and language. May be some romantic elements later on that require a mention, but I highly doubt it.

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Author’s Note: Okay, first of all, a disclaimer. You may have been snooping around FF.Net and discovered a story that looks exactly like this one by the same author. Before you go accusing me of plagiarism, let me make it known that the Kal Ancalas on FF.net and the Kal Ancalas on Sleepywood.net are one and the same. The reason I am posting this here is because of a recommendation of a friend (apparently Sleepywood gets a lot more traffic than FF does, so I figured, why not.)

I warn you that unlike most stories in this section, this story is VERY LONG. And no, that’s not an exaggeration; I have written 330 pages of it so far. That is a little over 170,000 words, and even then I would assume it’s only about 60-70% finished. So we still have a couple hundred pages or so to go. If you’re looking for a quick, easy read, this is not for you. I would recommend it for people who have at least an hour or so on their hands.

Oh yeah, one more thing. If the first chapter sounds a bit…kooky, don’t start flaming just yet. The later chapters are much better. I promise.

Lastly, lest anyone break out the plagiarism banner, I acknowledge freely that I do on occasion draw inspiration from several sources; namely, the Eragon series by Christopher Paolini, and the video games Tales of Symphonia and Tales of the Abyss by Namco/Bandai Studios. (Two characters that appear later in the story are based on characters that come from TotA.) On occasion, I may edit and/or borrow some concepts from those titles to use in this story. Remember that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I remind you again that I make no profit from the writing of this story.

By the way, don’t bother contacting me in-game; I lost my taste for playing since I got hacked and lost a Dark Arund, and even if I hadn’t been, high school gets in the way much too often.

Um, what else should I say? Just read it, and enjoy, and feel free to critique.

-Kal Ancalas

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Chapter 1: The Price of Power

“You want to take the path of the bowman?” Athena Pierce eyed the young boy standing in front of her, eagerly.

“Yeah.” He nodded fervently, literally bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“It’s not going to be easy, you know.” Her knowing eyes rested on him for a moment. “You’ll have to work hard if you want to reach your goal.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” he spluttered impatiently.

She raised an eyebrow. He’ll go to pieces, this one. But at least he’s got determination. “Very well.” She sighed. “Give me your hand.”

He quickly held out his palm. She curled her fingers around his and murmured a few lines of ancient text, as she’d done so many times before. There was a brilliant but small flash of golden light, and the mark of the archer was imprinted on the young boy’s palm.

“Use your gift wisely.” she admonished.

He ran out without another word, no doubt to get his hands on his first bow and some arrows. Her knowing eyes followed him balefully. Somehow, something didn’t rest easily with her.

Whenever something didn’t rest easily with the founder of Henesys, something was really wrong.

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An eleven-year old Gault Isentryx ran out onto the beautiful fields of Henesys, his shoes gliding swiftly across the ground as he fervently clutched his beautiful blue War Bow in hand. A quiver of arrows was attached to his back.

After receiving the blessing from Athena Pierce herself, he’d felt totally on top of the world. Only Level 10, but a legend in the making.

“I’ll be the best archer in the world someday.” he smiled to himself, taking out an arrow and nocking it to his bowstring.

Fanciful words, those. Every single archer had said those very same words, right after receiving their blessing from the bowmaster that ruled over Henesys.

But none had actually ever reached that goal. No matter how hard you worked, there was always someone above you. That was the law of the world. Most people realized this in their midlives, put away their weapons, and settled down into a nice, quiet life, raising crops or making tools for a living. Something like that.

Gault was not one of them. His raven-black hair and dark eyes glittered eagerly, amost maniacally, in the sunlight. He was determined, at all costs, to make a name for himself in the beautiful world of Bera.

He pulled the string back and released the arrow. It flew through the air with a satisfying whirr and planted itself in the back of a Stump. The creature turned around to see who had fired the arrow, but too late. In lightning time, Gault had whipped out another arrow and struck it dead. He collected its branch and marched off, quite pleased with himself.

“Let’s try out this trick.” he murmured, flipping through a small book that Athena had given him. The Skills of an Archer. He glanced through the numerous techniques, until he found what he wanted.

He brought another arrow up to his bow and closed his eyes. Let your mind do the seeing. As an archer, your dexterity enhances all your senses. Hearing, smell, touch, and taste…There is nothing that escapes you. Look within yourself, and find the power. Let it suffuse you.

Still smiling, his eyes closed, he released the arrow. A small flash of blue light erupted from the symbol on his palm and melded with his arrow. The blade of blue whizzed through the air for a moment before striking a Slime. With a bang and a squeal, there was a shower of blue sparks as it fell dead with a last squish.

“Yes!” He pumped his fist. “Arrow Blow rules!” He dashed off, killing more monsters in a similar manner. He was totally addicted to it, the power coursing through his veins, the thrill of releasing arrows and striking down the monsters. There was nothing that could stop him.

Nothing.

“Thunderbolt!”

His arrow whizzed through thin air and fell in the grass, as a brilliant flash of blue-white light, brighter than his own technique, struck down the snail he’d been eyeing. Furiously, he whipped around to see a magician, a warrior and an assassin standing before him. Probably in their level 30’s. All of them wore cruel smiles.

“What was that for?” Gault spat, annoyed.

“Aww, ish the wittle baby scared?” the warrior mocked.

Gault felt his face turn a hot red. “I’m eleven!” he retorted.

“And we’re fourteen. Nice knowing you.” the warrior shot back. “Slash Blast!” He swung his sword in a wide arc, slicing through the monsters around him before Gault could even draw an arrow from his quiver.

“Stop that!” he commanded, pointing a finger at them.

“Stop that!” the wizard mocked. “That’s cute. What are you gonna do?” He flicked his wrist. “Thunderbolt!”

“Slash Blast!”

“Thunderbolt!”

“Lucky Seven!”

“Slash Blast!”

“Thunderbolt!”

“Lucky Seven!”

Finally, out of fury, Gault whipped an arrow out and shot at a nearby snail. It struck true. He cheered in triumph.

“Aw, the wittle baby got a hit.” The warrior laughed cruelly. “Well, here’s a hit for you!”

He struck out with his sword, the steel crushing through the soft wood of the bow, breaking it into splinters. The tip of the blade nicked Gault on the elbow and he fell to the ground, bleeding and stuck with splinters. Tears came to his eyes.

“Heh, does wittle baby want a tissue?” the trio laughed, cruelly, before leaving.

Gault panted fiercely as he lay on the ground, his blood slowly oozing onto the soft ground. But it wasn’t the wounds that truly hurt him. It was their cruel laughs and taunts that pierced his heart like arrows.

I will get my revenge on you all. Someday.

-----

My name is Zeraion Phoenix.

I was born eleven years ago in Henesys. Today’s my eleventh birthday.

Today, I’m going to be an archer.

It’s not the kind of thing that runs in the family. I have two brothers, one older, one younger. My older brother’s name is Ark Wolfen. My little brother’s name is Ascion Blade. We all have two first names, for some reason. I have a last name, but I can’t tell you what it is. Everyone has to protect their last name. I don’t know why, but Mom and Dad used to tell me it was really important. “Beware of the necromancers.” they used to say. “If they find out your name, you’re in trouble.”

Some people make up last names, but most people just use their first names in conversation. It’s not a big deal. Both of my parents are gone. Mom died after giving birth to Ascion, but we’ve never held it over him. I know it’s not his fault. Dad left a few years ago to do an errand, and he never came back. I don’t know what happened to him, and I don’t want to know, but I hope he’s still alive out there. I really miss him. He’d be proud.

Ark is a fighter. He went off to Perion some time ago to train, and came back with a huge axe over his shoulder. Dad made a big deal out of it when he came back, but Ark was too modest. He’s like that. He probably could be a Crusader, but ever since Dad left, he hasn’t trained much. Instead, he’s been like a role model to Ascion and me, taking care of the house, making meals, stuff like that. Ascion doesn’t have a job yet, he’s still a kid, but we’re hoping he grows up to be someone. He’s been talking about being a cleric.

Me, I wanna be an archer. At first, when Ark came home with that big axe, I wanted to be a warrior, but when I heard about the training he went through, I kinda put it off. I don’t want to be a magician and bury my head in books all the time either, and I don’t want to be a thief, having to live off garbage and steal pocket change for a living. So, I made up my mind to be an archer. They look so cool, with their bows and arrows, and with all that running they do, they don’t look too shabby either. Granted, I know it’ll be a lot of work, but everything’s a lot of work. That’s one of the things Dad taught me.

I want to be the best archer in the world, but like Dad said, it’ll be a lot of work. But I don’t care. I want to be someone respected, who can deliver death with a flick of my wrist. Maybe, like my big bro, I could even take the second job advancement, but I don’t worry about the third job advancement. I’ve heard stories about the Rangers. They’re legends. “Their power pierces the skies and rains destruction on all evil.” Or something like that. But I’ll never be like that. I know I don’t have the mindset for something like that. Heck, even Ark’s the highest-leveled guy I know, and he’s only halfway there.

Well, I should be off. Time’s a wasting.

I picked up my sword and inserted it into the sheath at my belt. Ark glanced up from a book he was reading. “Leaving, Zer?”

“Yeah, Ark.” I nodded. “I’m gonna be an archer!”

Ark laughed. “Don’t strain yourself, Zer.” He sighed. “Go get ‘em, bro.”

Heh, I love my big brother. Even if he is a warrior, he’s still really nice. I walked past the townspeople, all of them greeting me. I noticed a few archers and hunters skittering about. God, they look so cool. No rangers at the moment, though, but from what I heard, most of the Rangers are up in Ossyria training. I’m scared of Ossyria, even though I won’t admit it. I heard there are Yetis and Zombies that could tear people to shreds in seconds, and I’m not going to go there anytime soon.

I dashed past the gates of Mushroom Park, the fresh scent of flowers in the air. Quickly I ran and ran, towards the big tree where the founder of our town, Athena Pierce, lives.

Athena Pierce is really something. Not only is she a bowmaster, one of the legendary few who have mastered the fourth job (it boggles my head just thinking about it) but she also founded this town from wasteland and monsters almost single-handedly. She’s the master and teacher of all the archers in the world. Anyone who wants to be an archer talks to her. I heard she’s an elf and that she once killed a dozen Crimson Balrogs with one arrow, but she tends to take nice walks and instruct kids more than going out and being a hero.

As I walked through the door, the warm scent of fresh flowers hit me, even more so than in the park. Athena’s house was beautiful, built into the tree, flowers growing right off the wall. I wish I could’ve lived in a tree. I admired the house for a bit before going up to Athena’s desk.

She finished writing something on a piece of paper and then looked at me. “Well met. Who are you?”

“I-” I nearly choked with amazement as I eyed the woman who had reportedly slain twelve of the most powerful monsters in Victoria Island with one blow. I don’t know how I managed it, but finally I stuttered, “I’m Z-Zeraion Phoenix. I-I want t-to be an archer.”

“I see.” She got up from her desk. “Come over here for a bit.”

I walked over, nearly tripping over my feet. She took my hands in hers and stroked my palm with her fingers, murmuring things like “Ah” and “I see” the whole while. Finally, she eyed me directly.

“You really want to be an archer?” she asked.

“Y-Yeah.”

“It’s not an easy path. You will have to train hard and long if you wish to attain your goal.”

“I-I know.” I stammered. I found a little courage and then said, “But I want to be one of the best bowmen in Bera. I might even be a ranger someday, if I work hard. Please, Athena, I really want your blessing.”

A smile barely graced her lips. “Very well, Zeraion.” she said. “At least you have the mindset. Please show me your palm.”

I held out my hand, and she took it in hers. She spoke a few words of a language I couldn’t understand, and then she gripped my hand hard. There was a flash of bright golden light, and I couldn’t see for a bit, but I finally blinked and saw Athena looking approvingly at me. There was a strange, ornate glowing mark on my palm.

“Congratulations, Phoenix.” She took a small book from a shelf behind her and handed it to me. “You have now chosen the path of the archer. Train hard, and you shall be rewarded with the fastest of speed, the sharpest of senses, and the greatest of powers.”

I left the tree quickly, murmuring a hurried “thank you” as I ran out. I distinctly heard her say, “He’ll be a great one someday.” as I left.

-----

I immediately ran off to the Henesys weapon and armor store, and using some of the money Ark gave me, bought a War Bow, some green archer clothes, and a quiver full of arrows. I put it on and stared at myself in the mirror for a bit, and I had to admit, I definitely seemed a lot more dashing than I did a long time ago.

As I paid for my items, the man behind the counter said, “You just become an archer?”

I nodded in assent. He said, “Well congrats. But you know, it’s gonna be tough.”

“I know.” I said, hitching the quiver of arrows over my shoulder. “I’ll train hard, though.”

“Good luck, kid.” he murmured, cracking his knuckles on his desk before turning away. I sped out of the store, ready to rain justice on a bunch of monsters.

First, I picked up an arrow and set it to my bowstring. How does this work? You hold the arrow, pull the string back, and release…

My first arrow flopped lazily out of the bow and landed a foot away from me on the ground. Angrily, I muttered something and picked it up, and then tried again. And again. And again.

Finally, I was spared further embarrassment by a black-haired hunter nearby, who told me, “Easy, kid. You’re holding the bow backwards. You need the string towards you.”

“Oh, er thanks.” I muttered, red-faced.

“Hey, it’s no problem.” he said. “I had a lot of problems with my first bow, too. Here, try this.” He untied the string from my bow and restrung it, then plucked the string with his finger. “That should hold.” he smiled, tapping the wood with his knuckles. “Now try it.”

I took the bow and another arrow and set the arrow to the guide notches in the bow, then pulled hard, the arrow taut against the string. Finally, I released.

It was an exhilarating sensation that I’ll never forget. My arrow flew through the air with a whizz as it left my hand and planted itself about twenty feet away from me. It was a poor shot, but better than my first few. I smiled and turned towards the hunter.

“Thanks for your help.” I said. He smiled in return. “No problem, kid.” He left, no doubt to train on something that I probably couldn’t even hit.

-----

I drew two arrows from the pouch on my back and twirled them in my hand for a split second before raising them to my bow and firing. “Double Shot!” I roared.

The arrows struck the ribbon pig between the eyes as it charged at me. It let out a squeal as it slumped to the ground. Smiling, I untied the ribbon from around its neck and slipped it into the pack on my back. Those ribbons were prized by the women of Henesys and could sell for a decent price.

I was twelve years old now, a year older from when I’d first become an archer. Slowly, but surely, I’d gone from holding my War Bow backwards to being able to fire arrows swiftly without the string snapping in my face, at least not too often.

I hopped on a rope nearby and clung to it while I whizzed down a red potion, then jumped down again. Closing my eyes as the pigs ran around me, I selected my target. I felt the magic suffuse me as I brought the arrow to my newly bought orange Hunter’s Bow.

“Arrow Blow!”

The arrow burst through the air and landed with a bang, knocking out a pig nearby. I smiled with satisfaction. I never tired of using that move. Unsheathing the handy sword that I always kept at my belt, I sliced off the skin. I could dry it for leather later.

Oh yes. Life was good. I never had any cares except to train my skills with the bow on those porcine targets.

That is, until, I was interrupted by the sound of…

“Thunderbolt!”

Blue-white bolts of lightning shot from the sky and struck down the pigs faster than I could draw an arrow. Furiously, I spun around to see a wizard, smirking at me.

“Too slow, kid.” he snickered before blasting away at another group of pigs. I ignored him and drew another couple of arrows, but before I could strike the wizard beat me to the punch, yelling “Thunderbolt!” again and blasting down all the pigs at once.

“Oh, damn.” I muttered. If I stayed here, I knew I would not get much training out of it. I could only either leave or pray that a magic-resistant Iron Hog would appear and charge down the magic-user.

Out of fury I fired a few more arrows, but they all struck thin air as Thunderbolt hit its mark over and over again.

“Hey, you!” I heard a voice above me, and both I and the wizard twisted our heads to look.

It was a hunter. Level 50, I would have to guess, from the plush cap on his head, his blue-lined gown, and his blue Olympus bow. I’d heard stories about that bow, but never seen it in person. Then I realized who it was, from the raven hair and sharp eyes. It was the hunter that had first showed me how to use a bow.

“Stop harassing the kid,” he snapped, pointing his bow at the wizard, “or you’ll seriously regret it.”

“Make me.” the wizard snapped, blasting a few more pigs.

I could see a vein in the hunter’s forehead bulge. “You asked for it, you little shitbag.”

He then drew an arrow out of his quiver and set it to his Olympus. Then, he closed his eyes.

In disbelief, I stared at this hunter as the wizard continued to blast the pigs. What on earth was he thinking if he thought that taking a nap in the middle of the place would help-

“Arrow Bomb.”

It was a cool, calm, collected voice, and I will never forget it. It is the voice of someone who knows he is going to win before he even makes a move. The arrow, brighter than I could see, flashed flame-orange in the sunlight before it exploded with a large bang, taking out a large group of pigs while the wizard’s lightning struck the ground.

The wizard spun around, aiming for another group of pigs, but before he could even wave his staff I heard “Arrow Bomb” again, from the hunter, eyes still closed. This time, there was a touch of cruelty in the voice, as though the hunter was deliberately mocking the helpless magician. Again, and again, the wizard struck, to no avail. The hunter was simply too fast.

He opened his eyes and pointed his bow again at the wizard. “Now,” he said, venom dripping from his voice. “What did I say?”

The wizard needed no urging and fled, as I stared with amazement at this stranger who had come to my rescue.

“Holy…” I drew a deep breath. “That was amazing!”

“No need to thank me.” He waved a hand aside. “Just doing my job.”

“Yeh.” I murmured. “What level are you?”

“Fifty-six.”

“That’s high.” I drew a deep breath, yet again.

“Yeah.” He seemed to stare into the distance. “It’s my dream to become the best archer in the world.” He ground a fist into his palm. “And I won’t let any stupid magicians stop me.” There was a kind of fire in his eyes as he said that, and I stepped back from him a little.

“W-what’s your name?” I asked, slightly trembling.

“Gault Isentryx. I’m sixteen.” His raven-black hair fluttered slightly in the wind. “You’re?”

“Zeraion Phoenix.” I stammered.

“Nice to meet you.” He stared off into the distance a bit more before turning his attention back to me. “What level are you?”

“T-Twenty-four.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “Well, good luck training.”

“Yeah.”

“Listen.” He took my wrists and gripped them really hard. It hurt a little. “There’s an imbalance of power in the world right now. Warriors, Magicians, and Thieves get all the strength, and they lord it over us. I won’t accept that. I’ve had to endure it for years. I still endure it today.”

His eyes were burning fiercely and I wanted to turn away from him, but at the same time, I couldn’t. He had a passion inside of him. “I’m going to gather up all the bowmen in Bera, someday. And when we’re all assembled, we’ll show them all, that we won’t take it anymore. There’ll be a revolt. A revolt of the archers.” His eyes blazed again, and I almost could feel the heat from them against my skin. Finally, he let go of my wrists, leaving deep red marks where his callused hands had been.

“When you reach level 50...” He said in a low, dark voice. “Find me. Find your destiny, Zeraion Phoenix.”

Naturally, it is impossible to put into words what I was feeling at the time. I turned to ask him some question, but he was gone, scattered to the wind. The only fragments of his prescence were the burnt shafts of his arrows nearby, stuck into the ground.

I stared at them. His power…his passion…his words, they all resonated inside me.

When you reach level 50, find me. Find your destiny, Zeraion Phoenix.

-----

I did not return to Henesys until I was level 30. I lived near Lith Harbor for a while, training on the pigs, then I moved to Ellinia and rented a small hut in a tree, on Ark’s advice, who had told me to go there and train on the green and horned mushrooms that populated the tree dungeons. I’d always wanted to live in a tree ever since I’d seen Athena’s house, but my rented home smelled musty and of fungus, not clean and flowery. Still, I was determined to make ends meet, so to speak.

Finally, two years after I’d set off on my journey to become an archer, I was a hunter, at last. The second job. In more than one way, I’d become of age. First of all, I was now thirteen years old, but more importantly, I’d reached my thirtieth level, which meant I was old enough to become a hunter. From what Ark had said, the fighter’s job test was, as he bluntly put it, “An ass.” Hopefully, my test would be easier, but I doubted so.

When I’d hit level 30 after killing my last mushroom, I’d ecstatically sent a letter to Ark. In response, he sent a reply. He was glad that all was well, he congratulated me on my thirteenth birthday, and he told me that Ascion was well and grown, and was indeed training and studying hard to become a cleric. He also added that he’d sent me a birthday present.

Indeed, as soon as I set down the letter, I was greeted by a voice calling my name. I went to the door of my small room and opened it. A fairy was waiting for me.

“Zeraion Phoenix?” she asked, holding a long package.

“Yes, that’s me.” I nodded. “What can I help you with?”

“This package came for you, from your brother. He says happy birthday.” The fairy giggled and left, leaving the package at my feet. I picked it up and weighed it. It felt slightly weighty, but not much heavier than my Battle Bow. I shook it and was almost certain of what it was, my heart thumping, but I was too afraid to open it, my hopes too high. Finally, I ripped open the paper and beheld my gift in all its glory.

It was a Ryden. Gold-plated, with emeralds set in the guide notches, its handle finely covered with leather. I felt its sturdy metal frame and compared it to my Battle Bow. Certainly, it was superior. There was even a case accompanying it, and I opened it to find several bow-strings, made out of something I couldn’t place. I strung the bow and twanged it. The resonating note rung through the room and I felt my heart skip a beat. It was top-quality, probably scrolled. But where could Ark find the money to-

The note attached to the package had drifted to the floor and I slit it open. It was a small note from my brother.

Hey, Zer.

I found this one day while taking a stroll through Henesys. A wandering thief had it, and I made an offer. It wasn’t a pleasant process, the haggling, but I did eventually trade off my Sabretooth for it. Don’t worry, I can make do with my Blue Counter. It’s been scrolled with the best of scrolls, and it’s got 57 attack points to its name. There’s even a few Drake-gut bowstrings to go with it. Don’t worry about the price. Ascion says hi.

From your big brother,

Ark

I felt my heart twinge. How much could this have cost? I didn’t even want to know, but I felt tears of gratitude come to my eyes. I would have to repay him someday.

I slid the shining Ryden into my quiver and pawned my old bow off at the shop, buying a few potions with the proceeds. I would probably need them. Then, I went off to the taxi station and paid some money for a ride to Henesys, post-haste.

When we arrived, I bid the driver good-bye and dashed out, through Mushroom Park, barely stopping to smell the flowers like before, until I reached Athena Pierce’s familiar tree-house.

Athena herself was once again sitting at the desk, writing out something, no doubt a commendation for some ranger or sniper in Ossyria. I coughed and she looked up.

“Well met, Zeraion.” she murmured. “What wind blows you here today?”

“I just passed my thirtieth level, Master,” I murmured, bowing low. “I seek further guidance in the path of the bowman.”

Athena laughed, her voice tinkling in my ears. “Since when have you showed me this much respect, student? Last time I remember, you were too timid to even say my name.”

I felt my cheeks glow red. “Well, er, there’s a first time for everything.”

“You’re not the quivering boy I saw two years ere.” she murmured, making me blush a bit more. “I take it you’ve acquainted yourself with the bow and wish to become a hunter?”

“Of course.” I responded. “I find bending a bow-string more satisfying than pulling a hair-trigger on a crossbow.”

“So be it.” She nodded, then took up a quill and scratched something on a piece of paper. “I have a friend who would be more than happy to guide you through the next part of your journey. She is located on the Henesys route to the dungeon. It won’t be an easy test, but…” She paused. “I have faith in you.”

“You’re just saying that.” I murmured, scraping the ground with my foot. Athena eyed me amusedly.

“No, Phoenix, I’m not just saying that.” she said gently, laying her hand on my arm. “You show more talent and determination than almost anyone I’ve ever met. And I really mean that.” Her lips curled up in that same faint smile I’d seen two years ago. “You will be a great ranger someday.”

“Ranger…” I murmured, curling my tongue around the word. I didn’t know what to say to Athena anymore, but she merely saved me the trouble and waved me out, note in hand.

-----

I ran out of Henesys faster than a bullet, as I went up the dungeon path. I’d always supposed that path to be full of Crimson Balrogs when I was a child, but it seemed no more than a simple, grassy path with nothing too challenging, except for Iron Hogs that I decided to save for another time. In fact, the most challenging obstacle I faced were not the monsters, but the foliage. I got my arms so scratched by the thistles and thorns that I almost thought that fighting through all this was half the test.

After some rope-climbing through a briar bush, I cursed and plucked a thorn out of my sore, throbbing hand before laying eyes on a short, pink-haired woman wearing glasses and holding a blue, ornate bow. I supposed her to be Athena’s friend who would supervise me through the rest of this test.

“Ah, Zeraion.” She nodded at me. “Athena sent word of your arrival. I take it you are ready for the examination? If not, I’ll wait here until you are.”

“No, I’m fine.” I said. She raised her eyebrows at my scratched arms and legs, but said nothing. Finally, she gestured. “The test area is near here,” she murmured, pushing aside a bush. I could see something like a rabbit hole behind it.

“It looks dangerous.” I shuddered. In response, the instructor tossed her head angrily at me. “You expect to be a hunter, and you’re afraid of a little hole?” She slid down into the earth, and I had no choice but to follow.

She led me through the caverns, until we reached a small, isolated cave. Evil Eyes and Zombie Mushrooms skittered through the stone halls. I shuddered again. It smelled really musky and damp down here, and it was also dark. She stood on the edge of a platform, away from me.

“See those monsters?” She pointed. I cast a stare at them. They were certainly ferocious-looking and a far cry from the mushrooms I’d trained on in Ellinia, but something told me, inside, that I could handle them. I clutched Ark’s Ryden and reassured myself.

“Those monsters have been controlled by an evil that resides at the center of Victoria Island. Their hearts have melted away and replaced with shards of darkness, called Dark Marbles. You are to collect thirty of them, and then Athena will recognize you as a hunter. I’ll be waiting up here when you have them all.”

I tried to snipe safely from my current platform, but to no avail; my arrows disappeared into darkness and I couldn’t tell if I had hit anything. I realized I would have to go deeper into the darkness.

I felt something crunch under my feet as I walked. It was a bone. Slightly sickened, I rushed forward, eager to get myself out of this place as soon as humanly possible. I drew two arrows from my quiver and closed my eyes. The dark didn’t matter to me anymore; I saw with my hands and my ears, exactly where my targets were. I drew back the new bowstring and felt the bow bend slightly in my hands. I released.

“Double Shot!”

The power of my attack was so strong that the arrows flew out with amazing force and struck down a Zombie Mushroom instantly. Surprised, I didn’t know how I could have done something like that. Leave it to Ark and his 57 attack Ryden. My courage hardened, I quickly finished off an Evil Eye in quick succession and drew the sword from my belt. Quickly, I slashed it open (I tried to ignore its insides, even though I’d gutted monsters before) and drew the dark crystal from its inside. Feeling slightly sick by the smell, I threw the thing into my pack and continued onwards.

I eventually lost count of how many marbles I’d collected, but judging from the weight on my back it had to be a lot. I staggered back to the pink-haired instructor, clutching the rope with difficulty (as the marbles weighed me down.) Finally, with a heave, I pulled myself up. I almost wanted to throw up, from skinning all the monsters, but I managed to keep my composure and threw the pack at her feet.

“Done?” she asked.

“I think so.”

She began to sort through the pack with amazing speed, drawing out the marbles and counting them faster than I could see. Finally, she drew out the last one and murmured, “Fifty-four, exactly.” She nodded. “Very well, Phoenix. You’ve done well.” She led me to the exit of the cave, and I took a deep breath of relief as I inhaled the fresh Henesys air.

-----

I wanted to run to Athena’s house, but I didn’t dare. The contents of my stomach were already unsettled enough and losing my early meal over the floor of the leader of the bowmen’s house was not going to help the case of my promotion, so I walked very slowly, gingerly clutching onto anything I could for support.

I wobbled over and presented my medal from the instructor to Athena. She glanced at it, then slid it into a drawer in her desk. “Congratulations, Phoenix. This signifies your advancement to a Hunter.” She took another book from the shelf behind her. “I think I should go over the skills with you, since they may be a bit difficult to understand on your own.”

“O-okay.” I stammered, more out of my nauseousness than my nervousness.

“Let’s see.” She flipped through the pages with her long fingers until she found the one she was looking for. “Ah. Well, first, there’s Bow Mastery. It’s a series of little techniques that you can use to help in battle. It’s more really about looking sharper and pulling harder, but it helps.” She stared intently at me.

“Yeah.”

“Then, we have Bow Booster. It allows you to focus the mana inside your body and redirect it to your hands and arms. I could go into all the technical details, but it basically means you’ll be able to shoot faster. You know how Thieves get Haste? Well, this is almost the same thing, except it’s for your arms.”

“After that, we have Soul Arrow, which is definitely something you need. It allows you to focus mana and create projectiles out of the energy around you. It takes a little getting used to, but all you need to do is pull back on the bowstring, focus yourself, and release. It’s very helpful in tight situations, so you won’t have to carry a quiver of arrows everywhere you go.”

“Um, yeah.”

“And there’s also a technique we call Power Knock-Back. It allows you to temporarily amplify your strength and thus allows you to use your bow more effectively as a melee weapon. However, I wouldn’t count on it as a killing tool, as it saps your strength really fast, since you’re not a warrior.”

She paused to eye me, as I think I was kind of green at the time, and then continued. “And lastly, we have my personal favorite, Arrow Bomb. I think you’ll like this skill.”

No doubt, as I vividly remember a certain raven-haired hunter using it a year ago.

“You focus the mana around you into your arrow, and then you fire it. If done correctly, the arrow will explode, and you’ll be able to take out a large group of enemies at a time. Strongly recommended when you’re being mobbed by a crowd.”

I nodded. “Thanks.” Then I realized something, her arm deliberately covering up some of the page. “What’s that?”

“Oh, this?” she muttered. “It’s nothing.”

“No, really.” I said, a bit louder, even though I felt sick to my stomach. “Show me. I want to know what that is.”

She gazed at me, a penetrating and questioning stare, before turning her attention back to the book. Slowly, she moved her arm off the book.

“Final Attack.” I read the words on the page, slowly.

“Yes.” She nodded.

“Isn’t that for warriors?”

“Yes, it was.” Her eyes stared sadly at me. “We discovered that whenever mana was used in an attack, a curious effect took place. People felt a rush from performing an attack that used mana. At first, it was dismissed as a side effect, but the leader of the warriors did some research on it. He discovered that the effect, known as “mana burn,” was the result of leftover mana gathered from the initial attack. It quickly dissipated, but it left a curious sensation.”

She continued. “The warriors were interested by this, and experimented all they could with mana burn. It was a perilous process and several died…” She took a deep breath. “But in the end, the warriors discovered that this mana burn could be controlled, and harnessed after using the mana. In fact, the energy from this effect could be up to ten times more the energy of the previous attack.”

“Ah.” I nodded, partly understanding. She continued.

“I hope you see my point, Zeraion. You see, if too much mana burn is accumulated, it can destroy the body. The warriors knew this, but at the same time they were determined to control it. And finally, they did. They perfected the technique and published it in all the warrior manuals. It was introduced to the world as Final Attack. Suddenly, warriors dominated the world of Bera. None of our attacks could fare against them; they had the secret of mana burn. And they would keep it from us at any cost.”

“That is, until I performed my own research.” She stared sadly at me. “I knew that we bowmen, even with our powers, could not hope to match that of the warriors. I knew that the secret to our power would be mana burn. So I…I experimented with the effect. And I couldn’t risk using others, like the warriors did. So I performed the experiments myself.”

She drew back her sleeves, and I gasped, almost losing it right then and there. Her arms, which should have been beautiful and strong, were horribly disfigured, crisscrossed with scars and burns.

A tear dripped from her eye and she shook her sleeves over her arms again. “The price I paid was horrible. I nearly lost the use of my arms. And to a bowman, that would have been torture. But I managed to perfect the technique, like the warriors, and it was published in the bowmen’s texts as well.”

“I understand.” I said quietly. “But if it was mastered, then why doesn’t anyone use it?”

“Because,” Athena said, her voice still in that quiet, terrible whisper, “I could master the technique myself, but I couldn’t teach it to everyone who wanted to. We bowmen didn’t have the strength or stamina to withstand the pressures of the mana burn. As I had feared…many lost their lives perfecting the technique. I couldn’t allow this slaughter to destroy us, so I removed all mention of the technique from our books. This copy that I have is the only mention of it. I eventually developed new techniques to replace the power of Final Attack, powers that the rangers and snipers now wield.” She sat back in her chair. “So, now you know my story.”

“But…” I stammered. “Surely at least some must have able to been withstand the mana burn and master Final Attack, wouldn’t they?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “Those precious few, they survived and they mastered the technique. They became dominated by it, and they ignored the rules of our limits. They went above and beyond, creating attacks way beyond the grasp of even rangers and snipers. Dragon Pulse is one. Hurricane is another. However, Final Attack corrupted their minds, and those that remain have mostly sealed themselves away from the world, knowing their power and the destruction they could wreak with it.”

She shed another tear, and she drew back her sleeve a little bit, revealing part of her scarred, disfigured arm.

“They are the bowmasters and crossbowmasters, Phoenix.”

“N-no way.” I shuddered. “So Final Attack is the key to the legendary fourth job?”

“Yes, Zeraion.” She used my first name out of kindness and pity. “Without the secret of mana burn, you cannot hope to achieve the powers of the bowmasters. I did, but I paid the price. I don’t want you to go through that kind of torture. Please, listen to me.”

I did listen to her. Her words have always stayed in my heart since, but I also couldn’t help remembering what else she’d said.

Without the secret of mana burn, you cannot hope to achieve the powers of the bowmasters.

I made up my mind, right then and there. No matter the price, I would master mana burn. I would master Final Attack, and become a bowmaster. I had made a promise to myself that I would become the best bowman in the world.

“Athena.” I said, forgetting my manners and calling her by her first name. “I have listened to you. Every one of your words is in my heart. But I have made up my mind. I can’t live with myself if I let Final Attack and the secret of mana burn pass me by, and I don’t want to look back at the years I could have worked. I’m not afraid of the possible consequences. Please, give me the book, and I promise you I will work harder than any other student you’ve ever had. I won’t let myself be weak and succumb like everyone else.”

I held her still hand. “I promise I will master Final Attack.”

She looked up at me, and I could see she’d been crying. “Zeraion, I am not trying to overstate the gravity of this. I know you are a brilliant, studious and determined archer and I always predicted you would be a great ranger someday, but I don’t want to lose you just because of a silly technique.”

“I know.” I squeezed her hand lightly. “I understand, Master. That is why I am asking you for the secret. I trust myself and I trust your judgment.”

She stared up at me again. “You don’t act like a thirteen-year old.” she murmured. “All the hunters I’ve seen ask me for Arrow Bomb, trying to create the biggest and best explosions, but no one has ever noticed, let alone pressed me for the secret of Final Attack.” She managed her first smile in quite a while. “You definitely have determination. Like…him.”

“Like who?”

She caught herself. “It’s not important,” she muttered. For a while, she appeared in a state of deep thought. Finally, she made up her mind and handed me the book.

“Please, Phoenix, be careful.” she admonished, running her scarred fingers along my flawless arms, as if she knew they would be wounded soon enough. For that moment, I was grateful for her friendship, her trust, and her affection for me. I have always been grateful for it since.

I took the book. “Thank you, Master.”

She merely nodded. “Yes, Phoenix.” She turned away from me, and I didn’t want to intrude upon her any longer.

I knew I had to do two things. I had to master Final Attack, no matter what the cost, and I knew I had to find Gault Isentryx someday.

-----

With all this pressing upon me, I felt as though I had a very heavy burden upon my back. I did nothing except train relentlessly with mana burn, save for one point in Arrow Bomb. However, I knew that Arrow Bomb could do nothing for me when I became a bowmaster.

Indeed, as I went off to a secluded spot in Ellinia forest, I knew the responsibility that lay before me. True enough, I had accepted the challenge, but I hadn’t underestimated Athena’s words either. I had seen her tears and I had seen her scars. I knew that this was not something to be taken lightly.

First, I practiced Arrow Blow. I knew it to be a reasonably powerful skill, yet not very taxing. I closed my eyes, let my magic suffuse me, and released the arrow, the blade of blue flashing through the air and killing a wandering Stump. However, the monster was not my target. Rather, I was searching for that feeling of the aftermath of my magic.

I felt it. It was like a small gust of wind, as gone as quickly as it had came. I became very excited, for I knew what it was. Now, how could I harness it into an attack?

I performed Arrow Blow again, with the same result, but I couldn’t seem to grip the mana burn. It kept slipping away from me, just when I needed it most. I began to grow very tired, having to replenish myself with bitter-tasting bottles of blue fluid from the Henesys potion store.

On my sixteenth try, something happened. I performed Arrow Blow again, and this time, I concentrated fiercely.

I need this power. Please, grant it to me!

There was a flash of light and I released the bowstring, but at the same time, I felt a line of pain shoot through my arm, and I screamed, dropping my Ryden. But even as I fell, my eyes saw the shining arrow that I had fired. It shone with a beautiful golden light and flew through the air, faster and stronger than any arrow I had fired before, and it struck a snail head-on.

The snail gave a cry of pain as the ground around it exploded forcefully, its slimy body suddenly everywhere. I felt sick, but at the same time I felt a kind of grim triumph. So this was Final Attack. It was the equivalent of throwing a grenade, and I had only begun to use it. Who knew what it could have been like when it was mastered?

Suddenly, it clicked into place. What they said about Athena slaying a dozen Balrogs with one arrow had been true.

She had been using Final Attack, mastered by years of pain and torture.

I turned my attention to my arm. There was something like a scorch mark that ran up the length of my wrist, but the scarred flesh was a ghostly white, not pink like a regular burn. I felt even more sick, but I knew this was the price that Athena had paid, and it was the price I would have to pay for my pursuit of power.

I stood up, brushed the dirt off of my armor, and walked into the setting sun towards my home.

-----

So, how’d you like it? Should I continue? Are the chapters too short? Too long? I want feedback, people!

-Kal

[Jimmy99]

Good story long but that's what i love about stories. Keep it up look forward to reading more

[ZenIce]

Oh my.. very well written. I'd like to read some more please =)

[BoundHolySky]

I love how you put such an awesome and powerful twist on a skill most archers despise.

More please =)

[Duckyz]

i cant.. stop watching.. I NEED MORE NOW@!!!!@$P!@%U#(%$*@#!$(@
i beg u :[

[Devv]

The part where Gault kill steals the mage is like... every newbie's dream. It looks like this could be a pretty good shortish story. Keep writing.

[Fornicate]

a pretty interesting story.. keep going =)

[Kal Ancalas]

Chapter 2: Virtue Is A Grace

Author’s Note: Thanks for all your feedback, peoplez. Here’s the next chapter.

-----

I sat at my table. I had a kettle of water bubbling on my stove. I would make some tea later. At the moment, I was tending to my burn. One of the kind fairies had given me a burn salve, and although it stung, I knew that it was working. I smeared some more of the foul-smelling green stuff over my burn and put the salve away. Mostly, I was lost in thought.

So Athena had spoken the truth. I had known she had told me the truth the whole time, but I really hadn’t believed it, not fully, until I felt that sharp blade of pain tear through my arm. I remembered seeing her scarred, disfigured arms, and I gave an involuntary shudder. I stared at my own arms. I didn’t want them to be like that…

But I had to master Final Attack! I swore and pounded the table. Once again, my master had been right. There was no mercy from mana burn. Either you controlled it, or it controlled you.

The kettle began to whistle noisily and I quickly took it off the fire, then steeped a few witch-grass leaves in the hot water. The resulting tea was nasty, but it sped up the healing of my wounds. I sighed and rubbed my sore arm. The scorch mark was gone, leaving only the faintest trace of pale where it had been. Yet, as I stared at my arm, I knew this would not be the last scar I would have to endure over my journey.

I sipped a bit more of the tea, then set the cup down. My mind was full of thoughts, and following Athena’s example, I decided to take a walk to clear my head. So I slipped Ark’s Ryden into the handy quiver on my back and left the house.

Ellinia is one of the most beautiful places in Bera. The overall peacefulness of the place, the green foliage, the lights of the fairies and the magicians, and the sun barely piercing through the canopy of leaves overhead. I almost thought that I would want to be a magician, just for the view.

I balanced myself deftly on the narrow branches of Ellinia’s trees that now served as makeshift paths. People without much dexterity, like passing warriors and mages, always fell off, but there was no danger in falling, as a magical ward had been erected by the magicians long ago. Indeed, some people delighted jumping from the branches on purpose just to hit that soft cushion of magic.

A group of excited kids were lined up even as I walked, to take turns jumping through the air. “Whee!” “Whee!” “Whee!” I had to smile as I watched them. Even though I could be no more than three years older than them, I remembered Athena’s words.

You don’t act like a thirteen-year old.

Indeed, I thought, as I rubbed my right arm one more time. Then, I saw one of the kids from the group run over to me. “Heya, Zer!” he squealed happily, grabbing my leg.

I was surprised, to say the least. “Who the hell are-” but then I recognized that familiar mop of dark brown, disheveled hair.

“Ascion?” I said in surprise as I stared into my younger brother’s eyes. “What are you doing here?” I tickled his shoulder. “Shouldn’t you be in Henesys with Ark?”

“Well, big bro, Ark sent me to live with you!” he squealed, squeezing my leg tighter.

“What?!” I almost screamed, but restrained myself from doing so. What the- Why would Ark send Ascion to me? He loves him, and he wouldn’t plop the responsibility of taking care of a child on a thirteen-year old, unless…

My heart twinged. Had something happened to Ark? I seriously did not want to believe what I was telling myself…but at the same time, I couldn’t help it.

I sighed. So be it. How I could take care of my younger brother and fulfill my dream, I did not know. I only hoped that Ascion, like I, would mature quickly and be able to take care of himself soon enough.

“Come on, Ascion.” I muttered. “Let’s get you home.”

I led my brother to my home in the tree. He poked the fungus-crusted walls excitedly. “Wow! Rare achneaus fungus!”

“What?” I stared.

“Achneaus fungus.” he stated calmly. “I learned about it from my magic book.” He fished a book out from his jacket pocket, similar to my bowman’s manual, but a lot thicker. “Very rare and prized by the fairies. They use it to make healing unguents. It has also a very large amount of mana value and can also be used as a component in various-”

“Okay, okay!” I cut him off with a wave of my hand, laughing. “Go talk about your achy-whatever somewhere-” Suddenly I realized something.

“You’re a magician?” I paused, staring at him in mid-sentence.

“Yep!” Ascion giggled and drew out a wooden wand from his jacket. “I got my blessing from Master Grendel today! I’m gonna be a cleric soon!” He waved his wand, with that typical adorableness that all ten-year olds have.

A bolt of blue energy shot out from his wand and I dived to the floor, narrowly avoiding it as it burned a small hole in the tree wall.

“Whoops, sorry, bro.” he muttered sheepishly, pocketing his wand.

“Never mind.” I pulled myself up again. “Just make sure you don’t ignite that thing and lose your…” I bit my tongue before I enriched his vocabulary with a word he didn’t need to know. “I’ll get some supper. Take care of yourself.”

I left the house and went out hunting. Within minutes, I had collected a large pack full of snails. Perfect for escargot stew, Ascion’s favorite food. I returned home soon afterward and stewed the horrible-smelling invertebrates. My first culinary exploit didn’t turn out quite as well as I’d hoped, but then again, I didn’t have Ark’s skill with the kitchen by a long way. Still, I hoped it was edible.

Glowing, I presented my brother with a large bowlful of the soup, but he shook his head and pushed it away.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

“I used to.” he said quietly, scraping the wood of the table with his fingernails. “But I don’t want it anymore.”

“What?!” I could feel a vein in my forehead bulge as I stared at a small blemish I had on my arm from boiling water. “You used to like that stuff! What happened to you?”

Ascion took out his book. “Master Grendel said that we should not cause unneccessary suffering for pleasure. We should live off the plants, so to speak.”

I stared at the soup, then I stared at him, then back at the soup. I was ravenously hungry a moment ago, but now I felt the ache in my stomach dwindle away to nothing.

I poured the soup down the drain in the kitchen and bought two salads from the Ellinia potion shop. I’d never really enjoyed eating so-called “rabbit food” (as Ark had dryly called it once) but as my teeth went through the fresh vegetables with a crunch, I had to admit there was a kind of satisfying richness in the food.

Funny how ten-year olds can sometimes be blazingly intelligent at times.

-----

The moon was high over Henesys, occasionally obscured by a small, dark cloud every so often.

Athena eyed it with mistrust as she was out on her walk. Something didn’t rest well with her, again. It was the same feeling she’d had a few years ago.

She thought of Zeraion Phoenix. What on Bera could he be doing out there, a simple-minded thirteen-year old boy trying to control forces beyond his grasp? She shuddered and she thought of herself, when she’d tried to do the same things, it seemed, eons ago. She’d remembered the splitting pain, the blood from her wrists on the ground…

No, I can’t think like that. She shook her head, her long silver hair flowing behind her. He’s not simple-minded, by any means. He has determination. He has everything I want our archers to be. She sighed, remembering his words.

Athena, I have listened to you. Every one of your words is in my heart. But I have made up my mind. I can’t live with myself if I let Final Attack and the secret of mana burn pass me by, and I don’t want to look back at the years I could have worked. I’m not afraid of the possible consequences. Please, give me the book, and I promise you I will work harder than any other student you’ve ever had. I won’t let myself be weak and succumb like everyone else. I promise you I will master Final Attack.

She pulled back her right sleeve, gingerly, and felt the hard calluses and scars on her arms. It pained her to feel them, but she knew that they would be transferred to her student’s arms soon enough, and that hurt her even more.

He will survive, she reassured herself, and then continued walking.

“Master.” A figure stepped out of the shadows, behind one of the fountainheads, bowing low to Athena. The moonlight illuminated his razor-sharp, raven-black hair and shone an eerie light reflecting off of his gold-colored Hinkel bow.

“Isentryx.” she said in a low voice, neither yielding nor advancing to her student. “What brings you forth?”

“I have reached the seventieth level of my training, Master.” Isentryx said, his head still bowed towards Athena’s feet. “I now humbly seek your guidance through the third stage of my journey towards the greatest bowman ever.”

“There is no need for formalities at the moment, Gault.” Athena touched him on the shoulder, and he rose. He stood slightly taller than her. “How many do your years number?”

“Seventeen.”

“So you have come of age, both in a literal and figurative sense.”

“So it would seem.” Although Gault’s eyes blended in perfectly with the darkness, there was an eerie glimmer from his pupils. “Have you any blessings or advice for me?”

“My sincerest congratulations to you.” Athena responded in kind. “Your training has been the swiftest I have seen in my many years…No one has became a ranger at the young age of ten and seven before.”

“There’s a first time for everything.” Gault said, somewhat dryly. It reminded Athena of another one of her determined students.

“Yes, well, in any case, Gault, your age is not going to get you any allowances.” She sighed. “The path of a ranger is fraught with danger, sacrifice, and above all, absolute dedication to the art of archery. You cannot expect to lie back and become a bowmaster.”

“I have experienced all of those things and more, Master.” Gault said, turning slightly away from his teacher. “I do not ask, nor do I wish for, an allowance in my training regime.”

“Good.” Her gaze hardened. “As a member of the third class, you must uphold the balance that has existed between our four classes for countless generations.”

Surprisingly, Gault responded to this statement with a cruel, sardonic laugh. “Balance? Master, with all due respect, there has not been a balance in our powers.” He threw his arms above his head, and Athena could see a flash of red on his sleeve.

Before Athena could respond, he continued. “I have met warriors who have cleaved through the hardest of beasts with one stroke. I have met mages who have leveled mountains with a flick of the wrist. I have met rogues who have slaughtered a field of foes in less time than it takes to blink an eye.”

He continued darkly. “The three other classes lord their powers over us. We are outnumbered. Perion, Ellinia, and the city of Kerning have been increasing their territories by the day. Their reputation and their power grow. And what are we? To them, we’re just the little ones, the ones who play with our crude bows and sticks, the ones who live in a tiny village that could be run over at any moment!”

Athena’s eyes flashed with anger. “Gault, I assure you that Henesys would be extremely difficult to ‘run over’, not when we have a team of highly-trained support rangers and snipers experienced and famed the world over, ready to summon at a moment’s notice.”

“What of it?” he snapped. “Master, do you see bowmen running free through the forest, the plains, the wastelands, doing as they please? Our society and race is being extinguished by the others. We can’t live like this much longer!”

“If that is your opinion, Gault, then you are very shallow-minded indeed.” Athena said, in a dark tone. She drew a scroll out of the pocket of her gown. “I had been intending to give you this since I first met you, but I only wish it could have been under happier circumstances.” She handed the scroll, with a steeled face, to her student, who accepted it with a similar glare.

“Farewell, Master.” Gault gave a short bow and then disappeared into the black night.

“Farewell, Isentryx.” Athena’s eyes narrowed as she stared into the darkness that had once been her student. Her mind recalled the red on his sleeve. It had been blood, and she knew that it was not his.

She continued on her walk, quite resolutely, but her worries had not been relieved in any way, only supplemented with new issues to ponder.

-----

“Double Shot!” I roared, spearing the boar as it rushed towards me with two arrows of steel. It gave a cry as its flames extinguished and it slumped on the hard Perion ground. Unsheathing my sword, I hewed off its tusks, slipped them into my knapsack, then continued on my way.

I was on my thirty-fifth level of experience in the world of a bowman. The blue pole-feather hat I wore on my head was certainly fashionable, but it did little to shield me from the blazing sun above the Perion horizon.

A boar gave a grunt behind me and I had a second’s warning before it charged at me. I deftly leaped out of the way, and drew an arrow as soon as I landed. “Arrow Blow!”

The shot struck the boar in the head, but before it could strike I gathered my concentration and pulled back the bowstring again. “FINAL ATTACK!”

Out of thin air, a spectral, golden shaft materialized between my fingers, and as I released the string, it flew with a satisfying thwing and struck the boar directly, exploding. The smell of burnt meat greeted me as I cut off the tusks again with my sword. There was still pain, but not as sharp or as swift has before.

“Damn it.” I rubbed my throbbing arm for a minute before continuing. It was fortunate that my crimson-colored Legolier shirt came with long sleeves, or I would have had to endure a large host of questions from other people about my arms.

Ever since the inception of Final Attack in my training regimen, I had done nothing except train relentlessly on that one technique, attempting to focus the unstable mana that hung in the air every time I used magic to augment my shots.

As Athena had predicted, I was not immune to the ravages of that mysterious magic that I wished to control. The original scar I’d bore from my first attempt was long gone, but it had been replaced with several more wounds, each more grotesque and painful than the last. I ran my hand across the arm, cursing as I winced from the pain, but it was more my own feelings that hurt more than the actual wounds. I wished I could control Final Attack instantaneously and spare myself from this torture, but as I had promised Athena, there was no looking back, no respite from this continual hell.

Still, after five levels of concentrated work, I was able, to some extent, to control the rush of my attacks. After every shot, I could feel that mana flowing about me, ready to be harnessed. Yet, I still knew I had a long way to go- feeling the mana was one thing, and a big thing, but actually harnessing it was quite a different matter.

“Double Shot!” I roared, swinging around and killing another boar instantly. Another leapt out to take its place, but my eyes were already closed in preparation. My fingers flew instinctively to the bowstring as I gathered the mana, feeling it drift around me. I focused it to the tip of my fingers, I felt the arrow materialize. Now-

“COLD BEAM!”

Surprised, I lost concentration, and the mana burn that I’d harnessed came back with a furious recoil. A blast of tremendous pain shot up my left arm, and I swore loudly and clutched at my singed limb. The torrid smell of burnt flesh lingered in the air.

“Oh, sorry.” A sassy, sarcastic voice, probably female, came into my ears. “Was that your kill? I’m really-” Suddenly, a face swam into view. “Holy shit, is that your arm? Oh my god, what the hell happened to you?”

I blinked. A female ice wizard was staring at me from above, her long blonde hair drifting down and grazing my shoulders. Slowly, I managed to sit up, my right hand clutched around my arm. The initial pain was gone, although my heart still pounded from the shock and it felt like my arm was on fire.

“Dammit, I’m not a cleric.” she muttered. “You’re going to need some help right away, though.” She drew something from her pack, and I could see it was a long roll of white bandage. She unwound the fabric around my arm. Although it stung, it was soothingly helpful, in a way.

“Really sorry, by the way.” she said as she worked. “Didn’t see you there…what the hell were you doing, anyway? I saw your arm explode back there…Really creepy, if you ask me.” She shook her head and continued to bandage my arm up.

I tried to speak, but my mouth was glued shut, partly from the dry environment, partly from the pain, but also because the girl standing above me was…very beautiful.

“Whassurnahme?”

“Excuse me?” she said, eyeing me curiously.

“What’s your name?” I managed to speak, my throat smarting.

“Grace.” she said shortly. “Yours?”

“Zeraion Phoenix.”

“You have two first names?”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Well, just Phoenix will do for now.” She stepped back to admire her handiwork. My arm no longer stung, although it felt tight and stiff. “That should hold, at least until we can get you to a healer.” She grabbed my good arm. “Come on, I’ll walk you to Perion. You can get some help there.”

“Thanks.” I murmured, as she pulled me up. “Umm…” I hesistated, not knowing how to phrase what I wanted to say next.

“What?”

“You’re…kinda cute.”

I heard the noise of flesh hitting flesh, and next thing I knew, I was on the ground, staring up at Grace, laying very painfully on my bad arm, and with a throbbing cheek to boot.

“Call me cute one more time, stupid hunter, and I’ll kick your ass.” she growled, pulling me up from the ground again.

After we reached Perion, she left me at the potion shop in the care of Sophia, and excused herself. I could see that her cheeks were a shade of red as she took her leave. I didn’t know if I would ever see her again, but for the moment, I didn’t care, simply content to lie in bed and wait, wondering when I would be able to practice Final Attack some more.

-----

I did not return from training until sunset. It was a long walk to Ellinia, so I paid the taxi fare and soon found myself in front of my doorstep in the familiar tree-house. However, before I could go home, I went round to the Ellinia potion shop and ordered two salads and two bottles of water. Then I went home with my food.

Ascion was waiting for me at the door when I rang the doorbell, since my bad arm was in a sling and I couldn’t open the door.

“Zer, what happened to your arm?” he asked anxiously.

“It’s nothing. It’ll set up overnight.” I set the food on the table. “Come on. Let’s have a bite to eat. I’m starving.”

We ate together, and I felt a bit odd at the time, a thirteen-and-a-half year old sharing a meal with his eleven-year old brother. I felt like there was supposed to be a mother and a father eating with us, or at least some kind of guardian. It made me feel sort of happy, since it showed an independence of spirit, but at the same time it made me feel a bit sullen.

“Hey, Zer.” Ascion mumbled, his mouth full of lettuce and tomato. He swallowed and pointed to the nearby table. “Ark sent something. It was addressed to you, though, so I didn’t open it.”

“Really?” I mused. Darn it, my little brother was acting so much more like the responsible one around here. Stupid magician genes. I painfully got up and picked up the package. Not knowing what else to do, I ripped the seal off with my teeth. A whole load of books fell to the floor, burying my foot underneath.

“Ow! Son of a-” I grit my teeth, remembering that Ascion was in the room, and picked up the note that had fallen along with the books.

Hey, Zer.

I’m really sorry for sending Ascion to you on such short notice, but for reasons I can’t explain, I won’t be able to take care of him for a while. Don’t worry about me. Nothing’s bad happened.

I want you to keep up your education while you’re out in Ellinia, so I sent some light reading along. Have fun. I know it’ll help you some day.

Love, Ark

“Light reading, my ass.” I muttered in a low voice, eyeing my throbbing foot. I picked up a book.

Advanced Mathematics, Volume 1

What the hell? I picked up another book.

Life Sciences and Mana Studies, Book I

“What’d Ark send?” Ascion asked, getting up. He eyed the books. “Advanced math? Mana studies? Yippee!” He immediately sorted through the books, plopped himself on the couch and began to read.

Still nursing my throbbing foot, I sighed. “Oh, so all these are for you.”

“No, they’re for you, too.” Ascion giggled. “The fairy said it was for both of us.”

“Are you freaking kidding?” I yelled. “I’m a bowman! What am I ever gonna need with-” I picked up a book. “Advanced Trigonometry and Calculus? Come on!”

“Well, Ark said it’d be useful someday.” Ascion curled his legs as he continued to read. “And he’s always right.”

“Give me a break.” I sighed, but I picked up one of the tomes and flipped through it.

“Zer, if this stuff bores you, try geometrical constructions.” Ascion said calmly.

“What on earth are those?”

“Really fun, that’s what. Using only a compass and straightedge, you attempt to construct as many geometrical figures as you can. It’s a great mental exercise.” He smiled. “After that, you should try some trig, and then after that you might do a little bit of calculus-”

I glared at him.

“Or maybe some logic.” he muttered, his gaze shifting back to his book.

I sighed, but I went out and purchased a compass and a straightedge, got a pencil, propped The Encyclopedia of Geometric Constructions and Applications, Volume 1 in front of me, and began to work.

-----

Athena Pierce received two letters that day. Both were from two of her students.

She stroked the haft of her golden dragon bow, thoughtfully. It had been specially made for her eons ago, by a master craftsman. Only three Dragon Shinebows existed in the world, and two of them were lost in the depths of Victoria Island, guarded by the monolith Zakum.

Using her practiced hands, she slid her finger across the seal of the first envelope and burned it open. She drew the note out and read it.

Master,

I thought you would like to know that I am eighteen years of age this day. I wish you well. I have reached my nintieth level of training and I ask you for a favor that I hope will not be too presumptuous.

I would like to request permission from you and the other masters of Victoria to travel to Ossyria Dungeon and wage a battle against the monolith, Zakum. This creature has many treasures in its possession, including several highly-prized weapons that the bowmasters of old once wielded.

Do not fear for my safety. I have trained as your student for seven years, and I trust your judgment of my abilities. Even so, I will be going with several experienced companions if it so pleases you.

With all respect, I await your answer in seven days’ time.

Your student,

Gault Isentryx

She sighed as she read the letter. She didn’t fear for Gault’s safety or his abilities. What she did fear was the extent of his powers. There was no getting around the fact that he had advanced the farthest in the shortest time, out of any of the students that she’d had. But whether she could chalk it up to his determination or some other factors, she didn’t know.

The forced conversation that she’d had with Gault a year ago still lingered faintly in her mind. There had been a kind of force, a kind of…spirit? It was difficult to describe. She also remembered the blood that had not been his.

Could he…A jolt of horror shot through her body at once. There could be several different explanations for this phenomenon, all of them worse than the last, but the last, most horrible possibility rested in the back of her mind. She dearly hoped that her prediction would be wrong, but she could not doubt herself at a time like this.

Listlessly, she picked up the second letter and slit it open, then shook its contents upon the desk. She picked up the piece of parchment and read it.

Master,

I thought you would like to know that I am now fourteen years of age, and I wish you well. I am proud to tell you that I have reached my forty-third level of training this day and I beg of you a favor, which I hope you will not think too absurd.

I have done as I promised you and worked as hard as I could have on the mysteries of mana burn and Final Attack. While I have made some progress in the controlling and usage of this technique, I fear it is still inadequate. Only recently, a few months ago, I was involved in a serious accident and nearly lost the use of my left arm. Truly, I understand the gravity of your words those years ago, which is why I request your help now more than ever.

If it is not too much of an impediment on your schedule, I humbly ask that you allow me to train with you for an undetermined period of time, at least until I can master the intricacies of Final Attack. I have not strayed from my ultimate goal of becoming a bowmaster.

With all due respect, I await your answer.

Your student,

Zeraion Phoenix

So, he was on his fortieth level of training. Good news, indeed, and it was a small ray of light on her shadowed thoughts. She rubbed her arms once more and shuddered to think what pains had befallen her student.

Of course, it would be a tight squeeze to instruct him, but he was the most promising, intelligent and dedicated student she’d ever had, after Isentryx. Besides, not that she doubted his abilities, but he would probably kill himself with proper instruction.

Gault Isentryx and Zeraion Phoenix. Both so different…Gault was the serious, dark one with raven black hair and Phoenix was the sweet but determined one with blonde hair, and Gault was a few years older than Phoenix…but still, Athena noticed, comparing both letters in front of her, they were so similar, at the same time. She could only wonder what would happen if they met.

She rolled up her sleeves, taking a dark glance at her scarred arms, and then took up a quill pen and proceeded to write replies to both of her students.

-----

There was a blizzard in El Nath that night. Snow pelted against the windows of the buildings, barely illuminated by their lights. The cold wind and the frozen shards of ice were a deathtrap to anyone who dared to venture out, but Gault Isentryx didn’t care.

“Inferno.” he whispered, his breath barely visible in the roaring wind. A blazing flame appeared on his palm and he held it aloft, like a lantern in the clouds. The people behind him tramped on, reluctantly following alongside him.

“Isentryx, we can’t go on.” one of his companions said. He was a ranger as well, about the same level as Gault, although he was about twenty years older than his party leader. “We’ll have to spend the night in Nath. It’s suicide to go out, in this kind of weather, no matter what kind of armors or comforts we’ve got.”

“I agree.” Another person, a priest, spoke up. “It’s hell out here and we won’t be able to take on that bloody statue if we don’t get a good night’s rest.”

“I wasn’t asking your damned opinion, Gardner.” Gault spat at the older ranger. “We’ve got to press on. The altar can only be activated for a short period of time, and I’ll be a Lupin’s butt if I have to stop here after all this…”

The older ranger, Rathias Gardner, paused. He had dark amber hair and a light stubble on his chin. He was the analytical type and would have passed for a mage if not for his muscles. “Isentryx, get some sense into yourself. Even with all of us, it’s not going to do any good if we fall asleep right on the hearth of Zakum’s altar. We can’t risk it.”

“We can risk it and we will!” Gault roared. He looked as though he would have liked to shoot Gardner in the head for a second. “I’ve been waiting for this for years.” There was a maniacal glint in his eye that could be seen even through the whirling blizzard and wind. “I won’t let this stop me, and certainly not by a group of kids!” The irony in this statement hung in the frozen air for a dark minute, as Gault was the youngest one in the group.

“This is bull.” the priest spat. He was the only one in the group that didn’t have a bow or crossbow hitched over his or her shoulder and he had been picked by Gault only for his healing abilities and nothing more. “I’m not going on for all this…”

The blizzard was warmer than Gault’s stare. “I suppose you want to turn back now, don’t you, Luc?”

“Yeah, I guess I will. You guys go on to hell if that’s what you want.” The priest turned on his heel and began to walk away. The rest of the rangers and snipers shrugged and walked on forth. He’d come back. He couldn’t survive alone in this blizzard.

However, Gault stayed behind. Unseen by anyone, masked by the wind and the snow, he had drawn his Dark Arund, glittering with evil energy. He raised it to his shoulder, and dashed quietly until he was right behind the priest.

“After you, Luc.” Gault whispered in the priest’s ear.

It was the last thing he ever heard before Gault thought to himself, “Mortal Blow.”

The priest fell, his body hitting the now-crimson snow without a sound, and Gault turned away. He knew the blizzard winds would cover the body in a snowdrift.

“Sorry.” He returned to the head of the group. “I had to go check on something.”

Gardner’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s Lucian?”

“I assume he chickened out and went back to town.” Gault shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. We have plenty of elixirs and unguents anyway. We can go on.”

“Are we resting or not?” Gardner demanded, eyeing his younger counterpart with an icy stare.

Gault returned Gardner’s cobalt glare with an icy glance of his own. “No, Rathias. Now shut the bloody hell up and keep walking.”

For the slightest of seconds, Gardner’s sharp hawk-like eyes caught the tiniest drop of crimson on the sleeve of Gault’s robe, but the blizzard winds obscured Gault in a sudden storm of white for a second, and he dismissed the matter without a second thought.

-----

Far off, in the village of Henesys, the weather was completely different. The sun was shining brightly and a fair breeze was gently rustling the leaves on the trees.

Zeraion Phoenix took no notice of this. He could have cared less whether he was walking through a heat wave, a monsoon, a tornado, or an earthquake. All that mattered was his objective: to meet his master and continue the second stage of his training in earnest. He’d left his younger brother, Ascion Blade, in the care of the kind Ellinia fairies and magicians while he worked on his dream of becoming a cleric.

A few people who’d recognized him waved a hand in greeting, but he barely noticed them. He pulled the sleeves of his Piette dress shirt further down his wrists, fingered his Maple Soul Searcher briefly, and continued on, through Mushroom Park and towards Athena Pierce’s residence.

Athena barely heard the door open and she was shocked to see him slowly ease himself in. He looked so much different…it seemed like he’d aged ten years in thirteen levels. She noticed that his left arm drooped lazily, something that definitely shouldn’t have been present in a bowman of his caliber.

“Phoenix.” she murmured.

“Yes, Master.” he responded. There was no emotion in his voice.

“I received your letter.” she said, not knowing what else to say to him. How could she tell him about the injuries that he’d done himself, that there was a chance that he might never be able to pick up a bow again?

“Yes. I received your reply and I arrived post-haste.” He flexed the string of his orange Maple Soul Searcher.

“Is anything pressing you?” she asked, gently.

“Nothing of extreme importance.” Phoenix responded.

“Phoenix, listen to me.” The sharpness of her voice caught him off guard. “I have not been training my students for countless years to know when they are distressed, and I assure you, that will not help you achieve your goal.” Phoenix looked somewhat abashed, and she said in a softer tone, “So tell me, what troubles you?”

He fidgeted with his bow a little before saying, “I met a girl a few months ago.”

“Is that it?” Athena laughed. “So you’re feeling all downcast because of a girl?”

“Well-” Phoenix stammered. “She saved my life!”

“Ah, well that puts it all in a different light, then.” Athena calmly tapped her fingers against the wood of her desk. “Do you know who she is?”

“Her name’s Grace, and she’s an ice wizard. That’s all I know about her.”

“Well, I would advise you to put your mind elsewhere. You cannot master Final Attack by thinking about the opposite sex.”

Phoenix tilted his head sheepishly. “Yes, Master.”

“Anything else? If not, we can proceed.” Athena brought out her Dragon Shinebow and flexed it.

“Well…there was this hunter I met some while ago too.”

“And?”

“He was…strong. I owe him a lot.”

“Really?” She examined him for a bit. “What was he like?”

“Raven hair and dark eyes, that sometimes glitter with a strange light.”

Something caught Athena’s heart. Could Phoenix be talking about…

“He said his name was Gault Isentryx.”

Athena sat in stunned silence for a bit, but her thoughts were quickly disordered again by Phoenix’s words.

“He told me about something. He said the archers were outpowered by the rest of the classes. He told me there was going to be…a revolt.” He shook his head darkly. “A revolt of the archers.”

While Athena pondered the meaning of Gault’s enigmatic words, Phoenix continued. “And…and he told me to find him as soon as I became level fifty. That’s all.”

“I see.” She stared down at her desk, her mind besieged with relentless questions. So Phoenix and Gault had been in contact before. It was a mysterious coincidence, and she was happy to put it out of her mind, but what about Gault’s words? This wasn’t the first time he had complained about the archers being overpowered by the rest of the classes, but this whole revolt thing sounded ominous. Knowing the prowess of Gault’s abilities, she did not believe any good would come out of his plans.

“Master, do you have any more to say?”

“N-no, Phoenix.” She looked him over, and it suddenly came to her.

His letter. Zakum.

Her heart twinged.

The Dragon Shinebows. The mark of the bowmasters.

If Gault was really after the Dragon Shinebows, there could be no doubt that they had something to do with this “revolt” he was planning. There was no way that he could salvage such a powerful artifact and leave its powers alone.

Athena knew suddenly, in her heart, in that exact frame of time, that somehow, Zeraion Phoenix and Gault Isentryx would meet, and they would have to duel each other. It was a totally unfounded thought, but it was one of those premonitions that bursts upon you without warning, and somehow, you know, no matter how much you want it to be a trick of the mind, it is going to happen, whether you like it or not.

“Zeraion.” She set her hand on his. “There is something I should tell you, and I am afraid it will change your life forever, whether you want it to or not.”

“What is it, Master?” He could sense the urgency in her voice.

“Do you remember our previous meeting, when I told you about how difficult Final Attack was to master?”

“Yes. What of it?”

“It is imperative that you train with me now, because I must now compress years and years of pain, torture and knowledge into a span of seven levels. You see, Final Attack is not an easy thing to master. Those who have weak minds will find themselves consumed and destroyed by the mana burn. Only those who are truly dedicated to reach their goal can hope to master it.” She nodded at her student.

“Yes, I know that.” Phoenix shot a glance at his arm. “Believe me, Master, I understand the seriousness of your words.”

“Yes, Phoenix, but what I am about to tell you is even more serious. I understated the gravity of my statements before. Only three people in the entire history of Bera have truly mastered the art of the bowman’s Final Attack- that is to say, they can unleash it at will without fear of recoil. One of them is me. The second is a man called Rathias Gardner.”

“I see.” Phoenix felt a weight settle in his chest as he realized he would have to endure a nearly unbearable amount of torture in the years to come, under Athena’s guidance.

“The third being who has mastered the art of Final Attack…” Athena swallowed, then continued. “…is Gault Isentryx.”

Phoenix nearly fell out of his chair. “What?! That’s impossible! He’s only sixteen! How-”

“He is eighteen today.” Athena cut short his stammering with a wave of her hand. “But that is irrelevant. You should know that he mastered the technique by the age of fifteen.”

“Holy sh-” Phoenix bit his tongue before he used a word he knew he would regret.

“I understand your amazement.” Athena said. She stood up and strung her bow. “But I must share some ominous news with you. Gault Isentryx recently took leave for Ossyria. He is on his way to Zakum Altar as we speak.”

“Zakum Altar?” Phoenix stared. He could not believe that the same person who had helped him use a bow, the same person who had chased off that mage for him at Pig Beach, was a potential bowmaster and was heading off to the most dangerous place in all Bera.

“Yes. Zakum guards many treasures, one of which is this bow.” She held out the Dragon Shinebow to him. “This bow contains the ancient spirit of my ancestors. Only three were ever made in the history of Bera, and their power is not to be taken lightly.” She sighed. “The Dragon Shinebow would be dangerous enough in the hands of any evil-doer, but in the hands of someone who has mastered the art of mana burn…” She clasped her hand tighter around her student’s. “The Dragon Shinebow uses an extremely large amount of mana to sustain its power. As a result, the mana burn generated is intensely powerful. If that power were to be harnessed…”

Phoenix saw Athena slump slightly, and he continued her sentence. “Isentryx could single-handedly destroy the balance between the four classes.”

“Yes, and the world soon after.” She sighed. “There is always the hope that he could use the Shinebow for good, and I sincerely hope that this is correct, but I cannot place too much faith in this theory. So, we must prepare for the worst possible scenario.”

“This means I will have to master Final Attack as soon as possible.” Phoenix said, hollowly.

“Yes, it does.” She let go her hold on Phoenix’s hand. “And it also means that someday, you may have to come face-to-face with Isentryx in a battle. You cannot underestimate his power. He can only grow stronger in the years to come.”

“This is like a fairy tale where the hero is part of a prophecy to save the world.” Zeraion murmured.

“No.” Athena shook her head. “I think we can chalk this up to extremely unfortunate coincidence that you took an interest in Final Attack as Isentryx’s powers were nearing their peak.”

“There’s no turning back, is there?” Zeraion stared up into Athena’s eyes.

“No, Phoenix. There isn’t.” Athena straightened up and slid the Dragon Shinebow into her quiver. “Come along. We haven’t a second to waste.”

-----

“Focus your power!” Athena yelled at me. “Double Shot!” She drew back the string of her dragon bow and released, her arrows punching massive craters in the ground. She then closed her eyes and I could actually see the energy gathering around her. “Final Attack!”

The energy around her seemed to fuse and fly out of her bow. It assumed the shape of a massive dragon and flew through the air for a second before landing with a massive explosion. The crater it left behind had completely swallowed up the other two that she’d made with Double Shot. I remembered the legends about killing a dozen Balrogs at once, and now that I had seen it, I could truly believe it.

I brought my Maple Soul Searcher up to my shoulder. It was a welcome change after using Ark’s Ryden for thirteen levels straight, and it possessed much more flexibility and power than its yellow-green counterpart. I scrolled it myself, with weak scrolls, but it now possessed an attack rating of 65 points, 8 more than Ark’s Ryden. I hoped it would be enough to allow me to master Final Attack.

I closed my eyes. “Soul Arrow!” I could feel the mana around me moving into my fingers, ready to summon spectral projectiles at a moment’s notice. I drew back the string of the Soul Searcher and concentrated the mana through my fingers, feeling the arrow materialize.

“Arrow Blow!”

The arrow shot forth from my fingertips with a blast and a flash of blue light. Immediately, I felt the magic flow through the air and I concentrated hard, blocking out all other thought. I felt the unstable mana gather itself at my palm and I drew back the bowstring again.

“Final Attack!”

The spectral arrow left my hand with a rush and a blast of vicious heat, but I managed to keep my grip on the Soul Searcher as the arrow flew through the air and landed with a bang, creating a small explosion of its own and leaving a crater, though not nearly as large as Athena’s.

She nodded. “You seem to have the general idea of it, but you need to exert more control over the magic. Remember that it is unstable and it will destroy you if you let it out of your grasp. Focus!”

“Yes, Master.” I said. My hand was still hot with the heat from the attack. I wiped the sweat off of my forehead and drew the bow to my shoulder again, gathered the magic for my attack again.

“Arrow Blow!”

The arrow flew through the air and hit the ground with a bang, but I could have cared less about where it went. I was only focusing on the leftover, unstable magic around me, and I seized it with my mind. It is hard to describe the sensation of using Final Attack; a virtual tug-of-war with the unstable energy, trying to focus your mind and control it, as opposed to it revenging itself upon you.

I was ready to release, but I suddenly let my mind falter for a split second. It was the slighest fraction of a second, but it was enough. With a vicious roar, the mana freed itself from my mental grasp, as I struggled to recapture it.

I released the arrow and at the same time felt it sear my right wrist up to the palm. I bit my tongue and tried not to cry out from the pain, as the arrow feebly soared a few meters and landed with a small explosion.

“I told you to concentrate!” Athena rounded on me, her eyes blazing with fury. She showed me no pity, despite there being a vicious sear mark on my palm that I was frantically licking at, to ease the pain.

But at the same time, I knew there was going to be no pity. Isentryx was after the Dragon Shinebow as I struggled with the pain, and my only hope could be absolute mastery of Final Attack if I was to face against him. I nodded. “Yes, Master. I am sorry.” I hitched the bow up to my shoulder yet again and closed my eyes, this time concentrating harder than I had ever done before. I almost thought my head was going to explode.

“Arrow Blow…FINAL ATTACK!”

It was a perfect shot. The arrow left my hand, going perfectly. Instead of burning me, it left a warm, satisfying feeling that resonated throughout my body. I watched with grim satisfaction as the arrow lanced the ground and exploded, leaving a crater about ten yards in diameter.

“Good job, Phoenix.” Athena nodded. “I think that’s enough for today. You’re well enough as it is, and I don’t think you have to overtax yourself.”

“Thank you, Master.” I bowed as respectfully as I could, despite the aching in my arms, and left the archery range. I paid the Ellinia fare for the taxi and was soon among those beautiful forests again. Somewhat painfully, I climbed the large tree trunks, picked up the usual meal of salad for Ascion and myself, and opened the door to my house.

“Zer!” Ascion ran into my arms and I nearly dropped the salad, while the caretaker for the day, a young wizard, about level 50, watched with amusement.

“I hope he wasn’t any trouble.” I muttered to her.

“No, it was great.” she smiled. “He’s really smart, you know. I can’t believe he knows so much about mana studies for his age…”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Little freak.”

Suddenly, I recognized that blonde hair and that sassy voice, and this time I really did drop the salad in amazement.

“Grace!” I stuttered.

“Phoenix!” she gasped, equally surprised. “You’re-”

“Yeah, I’m already over getting my arm blown up.” I sighed, attempting to salvage the remains of our meal. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, some of the fairies were looking for someone to take care of someone’s kid, and I accepted.” She stared at me, then back at Ascion, and back at me again. “Aren’t you a little young to have kids?”

“He’s my brother!” I blurted out, crimson-faced.

“Ah.” She chuckled. “Here, let me help you with that.” She waved her staff and the salad returned itself to its bowls. “You might want to rinse that out before you eat it, though.”

“So,” I said hurriedly to her as I set the table, “you’re level fifty now?”

“Fifty-two.” she said unabashedly.

“Holy…” I sucked in my breath. “I’m only forty-three.”

“Yeah, well, I train a lot.” Grace said simply. She glanced at the table. “You expecting company?” I turned and saw that I had accidentally set the table for three.

“Oh! Um..er…” I turned an ever deeper shade of crimson. “Well, no- I mean, I was wondering if you might want to-” Behind me, Ascion was giggling, and I think I might have slapped him one right then and there.

She regarded me with that knowing look that all females have. “Sure, Phoenix.”

[Jimmy99]

Chapter 2 was great i liked it when Ark sent a lot of books.

[Fornicate]

*impersonates mr burns".. interesting... =).. can't wait for teh next chapter