They kept going at it till it was sundown. Only then did they retire for the day. Training went on like this for days. Mike had Jake meditate, then he swung his sword around for close to five hours then they sparred and on and on the cycle continued. It was already the twelfth day out of their they had to train.
"Am I only going to learn to use swords?" Jake asked his Uncle
"No, I'm also going to teach you to use a bow. But you have to master the use of a sword. If you do, the other weapons will come easy."
Mike knew that Jake wasn't going to have enough time to completely master the use of one weapon. That's why he tried to push him to his limit.
It was the twentieth day. Ten days left. Mike had decided that the last ten days will be used to learn the use of a bow and arrow. Jake could already handle a real sword, though he still had a way to go but at least he had mastered the basics, he could attack and also block attacks from a sword.
Uncle Mike was setting up the targets while Jake was meditating. He was almost done and so was Jake. He picked a bow in readiness, he patted the handle and spun it around and also plucked the string taking each process like it was a ritual.
Jake was already walking towards Mike, Mike then nocked an arrow in the bow aimed and released. Jake's eyes followed the arrow from the bow till it struck the target, just as he was still looking, another came flying, it hit the second target and almost immediately a third.
Mike had fired the three arrows in quick succession and all three had hit the bull's-eye in their different targets.
"Take this" Mike called Jake who was still staring at where the arrows hit their targets.
"Aim for the target" Mike told Jake as he collected the bow
"Which"
"Any" Jake started reaching for an arrow, but Mike stopped him.
You need to be able to handle a bow first before you can nocked an arrow"
Jake tried to grip the bow just as he had seen his Uncle do it. Mike by now had realized Jake's unusual ability to easily copy whatever he saw, he just needed a little guidance.
"Not quite" his Uncle corrected his set-up "You have to put your hand here" he placed his left hand on the bow "and you drag"
"Nice" Mike commended Jake's stance after he had taken his imaginary shot. A few more attempts like that and then he was allowed to nock an arrow.
Jake picked an arrow, nocked it in the bow and aimed, trying to steady his hands.
The arrow whistled as he released, it completely missed it's target, hitting a tree behind the targets. He picked another arrow, and shot.
This time he couldn't see where he shot the arrow off to.
"You have to concentrate" he could hear Uncle Mike walking up to him "Breathe in and make sure your hand is steady, feel the movement of the wind on your face, visualize your target within shooting range. Pretend there's nothing else but you and your target"
Jake nocked another arrow, this time he took his time. He took slow breaths till he was sure his hands were steady, visualizing his target he released the arrow.
"Thud" the arrow struck just the edge of the target.
"I did it" Jake screamed in delight
"You didn't hit the bull's-eye, but you did well" As much as Mike needed him to progress faster, he felt the need to commend him.
As practice continued Jake kept getting closer to the bulls eye. Though sometimes his shot went completely off course but progress was being made. Soon enough he could hit the three targets in four shots.
Jake was sure that he had shot and picked over a hundred arrows but his hands were already used to the stress by now…
It was finally a day before the resumption date of the School of Magic. And also the last day of training. Mike had decided to teach Jake a special skill before sending him off.
"Jake you'll have to practice a lot more on your own be as I won't be there to guide you.
I've taught you all you need to survive without magic, it's only up to you to master those skills and hone them to the best of your abilities"
"Yes, of course. I intend to train every single day"
"That's nice. But there's something I must teach you"
"How to shoot multiple arrows at once?" Jake asked excitedly
"No, I'll teach you how to draw our your full potential. It's a technique called 'THE ZONE'. When you're in the zone, you are at the peak of your abilities.
All your abilities are amplified, you become able to move faster, stronger and your senses are also heightened to it's peak. But to enter the zone, there are criteria that must be satisfied.
You must have pushed yourself to your very limit. You must become one with nature."
"How do I become one with nature?" asked a confused Jake
"That's the harder part of entering the zone, the meditation I had you do helps you connect to your innerself, it helps you maintain a calm state of mind.
You know how when a water is still and you drop an object into the still water, waves emerge from that point and travel all over the surface of the water"
"Yes" Jake nodded
"You have to be like that water. Calm and still in order to sync with nature" Mike explained "You might not get it now, but surely as time goes on.
Not everyone is able to enter the zone but I see your potential and I believe you might just be able to enter the zone".
"Zone right" Jake mused.
"Even if you can't enter it, don't pressure yourself, I've seen worthy people fail to enter the zone for decades"
"How was it before you entered the zone" Jake asked his Uncle
"It took me seven years, but don't judge yourself with my experience. It's different for everyone.
Training ended earlier than usual today, so Jake could prepare for school.