To help a new member...
Days passed as fast as light, the worlds were stir-about taking actions after a long time of being mute and still. The team was ready to start their journey to Groan fourteen days before them, boring and austere riding on horses, but to reach what they intended, fatigue was equal to a nonsense absurd death. This trip was necessary as Daniel had thought.
**
They moved through a forest road and aimed to pass the mountainside entering to Henson boundaries and ride to Groan, didn't have any intention to go inside the Henson city which might get involve with there and delay. Henson had many haunters who were getting hired by people and some of them were good people, but some criminals or even thieves.
On the way, as they passed villages and small towns didn't hear about any attack and monsters, it sounds they were yet tales to entertain them.
The night was still young when they were supposed to stop by the plains, twelve days passed since they moved for Groan, and the arc moon was getting more like a blade and mysteriously darkening the sky.
Silman set the fire, flames flared and he sat beside the others. Daniel shifted his head to Crystal who was trying to memorize what he had taught her through days.
"Get up, show me what you had learned recently", Daniel stood right there and she got surprised, her eye wide opened didn't expect that comes of a sudden, the light of fire made his face a bit scary.
"Now? Isn't it so dark for shooting an arrow?"
"Yes, it is dark, but devils won't care if it's dark or rise and what your wish is".
She followed him and they walked close to a dry tree, all eyes fixed on them.
"Let's bet guys, how many arrows will catch the tree?" Arno sneered curiously.
"Two, but not so sure", Mohan said.
"All of them, you've underestimated girls", Everin protested.
"I'm not getting into this!" Silman said and livery gestured!
Arno turned to Lorena and waited for the answer, his eyes were shining in eagerness, he was looking at her differently not one of those he has for other girls till now. She could make his heart trembling, her power, her feature, and attitude all were beyond explanation to him. As he thought she was a complete pack of being capable to him.
"You are the best archer here, I won't bet since you've taught her a few tips". Lorena answered that look.
"Ahh, thank you for whether this compliment was, but I say she will beat the tree with 6 arrows, but only one in the center." Said proudly.
"Then let's see whether it is or not!" Mohan stated.
Crystal let out a sigh doing her best to get rid of that dismay, anyways she had to face it one day. Daniel's look got bona fide, it was the way she asked him to not take easy on her.
"You have 10 seconds and seven arrows, ready?" he said and his eyes flashed, well aware that her skills aren't that good yet, very soon to make her strong and fast.
"Isn't it impossible?"
"When you are fighting with a demon being fast and evaluating your actions is the most important part, first you must learn these because your skills will improve during the time, now learn how to survive".
"I got you…So I'm ready," she felt the warmth in her heart, forcing herself to learn was tough enough and may push her through mistakes, but those words were inspiring her to keep hard working. She placed the quiver right in her back to avoid any time-wasting. She rather archery, but not fencing which you could feel the blade more hurting yourself while getting close to the target especially when that's a monster with a stinky smell like a worm-eaten egg.
"Aim", he ordered,
Her heart beats paced, as she grabbed the grip and adjusted the string on the nock of its feather tail, radicle fiber of string made it easy to draw back the Dacron string by the first and middle finger. Straightened her slouched shoulder. Her hands reached out along her body to where the tree was. As she peered in the sight window, shoved away any mala fide although it was the hardest part.
"Release", as he cried out she released it, the sort of string would give more speed into an arrow, very suitable for distant targets. The arrow ripped the air, but as expected her anxiety brought shatter to her muscles and it hit the rock backside the tree.
Sounds of clapping and encouraging her rose.
"Come on Crystal you did it very well, just need more focus". Arno warbled.
Daniel curved his lips, looked at the falling arrow with cocked eyes too pestering for her and nodded, "Hmm, that was horrible next," she took out another as he added, "stop overthinking or traumatizing ten seconds is gone and you're dead already, the target caught you! Go ahead you have six arrows and five-second".
This time she got more concentrated on her target without paying attention to all around her, the tree turned as a hell-spirit into her sight, she remembered that middle head with its golden eye, staring at her in thirst showing its teeth ready to tear up her flesh, her blood boiled and flared out of her ears, kept her breath in, took out arrows one by one and shot, the second one tugged to edge of its arm, the monster in her imagination was getting close, but third, fourth… finally the last one immersed in where it must.
Arno cheered very enthused that she could control her time and give more pace to her arms. He won!
"You're the ultimate sister good job", Everin shouted and Lorena agreed, "It calls girl's power, right?" and the sounds of laughter raised.
Daniel satisfyingly smiled and said, "You've got a chance to run".
"I couldn't kill it?" she looked innocently disappointed, but Daniel cupped her face between his big hands and articulated, "You must be patient sweetheart, you can't kill a hell-spirit only by shooting an arrow into its golden eye!"
"How do you know that?" she marveled how he guessed she was seeing the tree as that monster.
"The unfriendly look of yours revealed it", he was staring at her the whole time monitoring each of her moves. He bent on her and she blushed as everyone was watching, she could feel his warm breath near hers, but he whispered, "But you look so damn hot during that! If I knew that I would teach you earlier!" she became like a little furious girl and start beating him with those small fists. Daniel grabbed her between his arms and took her to join the others.
*
Days and nights they have camped, set the fires having their foods or rests. The team passed rivers, mountains, plains, deserts… when they finally arrive near the Groan boundary.
The sunlight was getting weak, running down behind mountains' peaks more like an egg yolk slipping away from your blue frying pan. It was windy and kicking hays like sweeping them away around with an invisible broom. More like hens running away from their keeper who is trying to push them within an aviary before dark hits them down and getting surprised by stray wildlings. All you could see tramping around were dried teasels, but no spirituous biped passing by-lanes! There wasn't like a marginal town full of merchants and people who are coming for trading and now just similar to a gravestone!
They arrived in a down street where a board was hanging and groaning as the wind beat it. Even dust wasn't brushing away from doorways! So wind would take the responsibility of cleaning up before they get buried under the soil!