"If you want me to pay anything, I will Sir. I just need help, I need you to help train me, please." Lecter, standing in front of Agnar, begged.
He had gotten to their home and found the three men about to step out. He had made up his mind to ask Agnar to train him and that's what he did. He made mention of the Academy's exams and like a bell rung in Agnar's head, the man remembered he had heard of it and wanted to tell his sons. But due to some incidents, he forgot.
"It might be for a short while, but this child will regret his decision." One-eye said and Raymond nodded in agreement.
The twins who were busy with Goldfield and paid no mind to Lecter's words suddenly got interested when they heard of the entrance exams. "Are you for real?" Kiyan asked with a gleam in his eyes. Lecter gave a simple nod.
"We actually have nothing to do for the week. We already sent a letter to the guild leader stating you were ill, based on what happened last night. So you're free to accept or decline." One-eye said to Agnar.
"I don't know, I'm feeling a bit lazy" Agnar yawned. "Boy, I don't think you can handle what I'm going to throw at you. Are you sure you want this?"
"Yes, I'm sure." Lecter replied.
"Alright then. You just need to answer a few questions," Agnar began. "Is your mana unlocked?Do you have an ability? What is your preferred weapon?"
"Yes, no, and since I'm good at archery, I'm comfortable with bow and arrows." Lecter replied honestly.
"Bow and arrows? Well that's limited." Agnar suddenly stood up. "I will do you a favour and not start with you right away. One-eye handle this one for me?"
"What? Me?!"
"You chimed in about helping so I guessed you'd be in the mood."
"Oh, come on! I have other things to do."
"Like what? Being lonely? Help the kid out and stop whining." Agnar said and turned his attention to his sons. "Since the exams are near, there's no time to waste. I think the break is over boys, we have work to do." He said and walked towards his sons who almost fainted hearing his words.
"I don't feel too good. Can we do this tomorrow?" Kiyan said crouching and holding on to his belly pretending to be unwell.
"Get up." Agnar kicked him up not buying his pretence. "I think we need to take a little trip to the woods. Let's have some fun with nature." Agnar smiled deviously while his sons were shaken.
Walking out of the backdoor with two bags hung over her shoulders, Marie on Agnar's orders, was ready to return to Demas. She wanted to inform him she was leaving and at least see the two boys she had grown fond of once more before she left.
"Excuse me, are Master Agnar and the twins still home?" She asked the closest person to her, being Raymond.
"They ventured in there." Raymond pointed in the direction of the woods in front a bit far off.
"I see, I will be on my way then." She said and turned to leave.
"Why don't I see you off?" Raymond offered putting a smile on Marie's face. Whenever she thought of the beasts that supposedly dwelled around, she would be unimaginably scared. To think she would have to leave the hill alone, she was petrified but got relieved after hearing Raymond's offer.
"That would be delightful, thank you." She said with a smile.
"What are you doing, Raymond?" One-eye asked sarcastically watching his compatriot's unusual kind action.
"Just helping a lady walk down a treacherous hill, to keep her safe from whatever dangers might be lurking." He responded with a grin. "Consider this a 'thank you' for the delicious meal you prepared." He whispered over to Marie and then stretched forth his arm. "Shall we?" Said he.
"Mu-must I hold your hand?" She asked rather timidly.
"Well it's out and I am not putting it back down without your hand in mine. Unless you want to walk by yourself, then..." He replied and was about keeping his hand back down, leaving her to walk on her own.
"No no, I'll take your hand." She said rather nervously and placed her hand in his.
"Very well then, let's leave." He said with a grin and led her down the hill.
Returning his attention to the boy in front of him, One-eye ran his fingers through his thick grey hair which Lecter found odd due to One-eye still looking to be in his early forties. "What do I do with you?" One-eye wondered. His gaze made Lecter feel small and uncomfortable. "You are good at archery, yeah?" He spoke and moved off in the distance. Lecter took it as his cue to walk with him.
"Let's see how good you are. Shoot at that tree." He spoke and pointed at a tree far off in the distance. "Can you do that?" He asked.
Lecter said nothing and picked an arrow from his bag placing it on his bow and pulled on the string. He aimed at his target, pulled hard on the bowstring and took a deep breath before releasing the arrow. He had his eyes closed after the shot as if afraid to see the results.
"Oh my, you are good." One-eye said half impressed.
Opening his eyes to take a look, Lecter saw his arrow stuck on the stem of the tree he aimed at. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. For a second he had doubted himself.
"I do not have much to say or teach to you, more like I do not know what to." One-eye mumbled the last part. "But, I can tell you this, the academy is looking for new students, a better generation, a stronger, smarter one. So the test this year will definitely be tougher than others. Not what would be expected but you might have little combats here and there."
"Having no ability yet will be a make it a bit tough, but I guess you can go far with your arrows, the question is, how many do you have?" One-eye told him what he should know about the academy and how he should prepare. He even had a practice spar with him but it was rather disappointing as Lecter could hardly throw a punch.
One-eye decided they focus on his archery and less on fighting. But still gave him lessons on how to defend himself and just a bit on offense. For the entire day, Lecter kept pulling on his bowstring, his fingers began to bleed and his body was sore from the body training he had at intervals with One-eye which felt like punishment to him. There was no break in between and they both kept going. He dared not to ask for rest even though his body craved it, for he had asked for this and had to bear it.
Well into the evening, Agnar resurfaced with the twins on both his shoulders, tired, battered and bruised. Lecter looked at his friends with horror, he wondered what must have happened.
"Basic tier?" One-eye asked.
"Of course." Agnar replied. "I want to help them get stronger, not outright kill them."
"How many?" One-eye asked again. Lecter was utterly confused by the back and forth question and reply. What was basic tier? And how many of what?
"Just a few." Agnar grinned.
"You are heartless."
"That stung." Agnar pretended to be hurt by One-eye's words. "Has Marie left already?"
"Yes, she has. Who would watch after them now?"
"What have I been doing since they were born?" He raised a brow and walked in the direction of his house when he noticed Lecter still standing, breathing heavily. He also noticed the griffin lying down casually off to the side as well.
"Let the boy go home. He looks like he will die of you push him any further." Agnar said and left.
"You heard the man." One-eye said to Lecter after assessing Agnar's words may be true. The boy will not die, but definitely willl collapse. "See you again tomorrow, if you will come back." He said and walked off, not letting the lad reply.
"I will of course come back, if I stop when there's pain, what then will I gain?" Lecter said to himself and made his way to his griffin with every part of his body aching.
"It's a good thing I brought you here or I wouldn't be able to get home." He sighed and pulled dragged his body up on the saddle on the back of his griffin - Goldfield. Goldfield spread it's wings, flapped them slowly, as if warming up, and then took off to the skies. In no time, they were home.
________
Hello readers, we are drawing closer to the days of the academy where secrets will unfold and the life of the twins will take a massive turn.
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