Chapter 4: Skye’s Bow of Precision

Skye stood at the edge of the training grounds, clutching a simple wooden bow, feeling both excited and overwhelmed. The bow was heavier than she had imagined, its weight reminding her of just how far she was from being the seasoned archer she aspired to become. This world was still new to her, and every sight and every sound seemed amplified. In her old life, she hadn’t been a fighter—certainly not an archer. But here, in this new place, she had no choice but to learn.

Looking around, she noticed seasoned warriors practicing, their arrows flying through the air with deadly accuracy. Every archer seemed in perfect control, their movements fluid and confident. She, by contrast, was a novice—a level 2 beginner with no class, no stamina, and no skills to speak of.

"How am I supposed to measure up to them?" she wondered, feeling a pang of doubt.

The voice of her trainer, Garrick, pulled her out of her thoughts. He was a grizzled veteran archer, his weathered face a map of years spent in battle. His eyes, however, were sharp, and they took in every detail about her posture, her stance, and the way she nervously clutched the bow.

"You’re not here to compete with them," he said as if reading her thoughts. "You’re here to learn. This is your journey, not theirs."

Skye nodded, though her hands still trembled slightly. She wasn’t sure where to begin, but Garrick’s calm yet authoritative presence helped to ground her.

"Let’s start simple," Garrick said, stepping in front of her. "You’ve never held a bow before, have you?"

"No," she admitted. "I’ve never even touched one until now."

"Good," he replied, surprising her. "That means you’ve got no bad habits to unlearn."

He motioned for her to follow him to a clear area of the training ground where the targets were set up. Once there, he placed a heavier bow on the ground beside them, far more imposing than the one Skye held. She glanced at it, and her heart sank a little. If the lighter bow in her hands already felt heavy, how was she going to manage something like that?

"We’ll get to the heavier bows later," Garrick said, catching her glance. "But before you can even think about shooting, you need to understand how your body works with the bow."

Skye frowned. "What do you mean?"

Garrick picked up his bow, a beautifully crafted weapon that looked like an extension of himself. He positioned himself in front of her, his feet shoulder-width apart, the bow held loosely in his left hand, and his right hand resting at his side. "An archer doesn’t pull the string back with just their arms. It’s your entire body working in harmony—your back, shoulders, arms, and even your breath. You can’t just rely on brute strength. You need precision, balance, and patience."

As he spoke, he demonstrated, his body moving with an almost fluid grace. His posture was relaxed yet strong, and as he drew the bow, the movement seemed effortless, like the string was part of him. Skye watched, mesmerized by how easy he made it look.

"Watch my shoulders," Garrick instructed, drawing the bow again slowly. "Notice how they engage when I pull the string. This isn’t just arm work. Your back and shoulders do most of the heavy lifting. Your arms are there to guide the motion."

He released the tension and relaxed the bow in his grip. "Now, show me how you hold the bow."

Skye mimicked his stance, holding the bow in front of her with both hands. But her posture was stiff, and the bow felt awkward. She was keenly aware of how unnatural it all seemed.

Garrick stepped behind her, gently adjusting her grip. "Hold the bow with your left hand," he said, moving her hand into position. "You want a relaxed grip. The bow should rest comfortably in your palm—don’t strangle it. If you grip too tightly, you’ll lose control over your shot."

She tried to relax, but her muscles were already starting to protest. "Like this?" she asked.

"Better," Garrick replied, stepping around to face her again. "Now, your right hand. This is your drawing hand. Place three fingers on the string—your index, middle, and ring fingers. The string should rest just at the first joints of your fingers. You want your hand to be flat, not curled."

Skye did as instructed, though her hand still shook slightly from the unfamiliar position.

"Good," he said, nodding approvingly. "Now, draw the bow. But don’t release it yet. I just want you to feel the tension."

She tried to pull the string back, but it barely moved. Her arms shook with the effort, and the string resisted her every inch of the way.

Garrick raised an eyebrow, watching her struggle. "Don’t use just your arms. Engage your shoulders and back. Pull with your body, not just your hands."

Skye adjusted her posture, focusing on her back and shoulders as Garrick had demonstrated. She could feel the tension shift as she tried to pull the string again. This time, the string moved a little farther, but it was still incredibly difficult. After a few moments, she had to stop, lowering the bow and panting from the exertion.

"I can’t... it’s too heavy," she said, her voice tinged with frustration.

Garrick shook his head. "No, you just need to build your strength. You’re not going to master this on your first day. That’s why we start with basic exercises."

He led her over to a nearby set of pull-up bars. "Before you can draw a bow properly, you need to build strength in your arms, shoulders, and back. We’ll start with pull-ups."

Skye stared at the bars, dread creeping into her stomach. She had never been particularly strong in her old life, and now, her stats were embarrassingly low. She wasn’t sure she could even manage one pull-up, let alone a set of them.

"Go on," Garrick said. "Let’s see what you can do."

Taking a deep breath, Skye grabbed the bar, her fingers curling around the cold metal. She pulled as hard as she could, but her muscles burned in protest. Her feet barely left the ground before she had to stop, dropping back down with a groan.

Garrick crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "It’s not about strength alone. Use your back muscles to lift yourself, not just your arms."

Skye tried again, this time focusing on what Garrick had said. She could feel her back muscles engaging, but it still wasn’t enough. After several attempts, she managed to pull herself up, but only with Garrick’s assistance. Her muscles ached by the time she finished five pull-ups, her arms trembling as she dropped back to the ground.

"You’ll get stronger," Garrick said, patting her on the shoulder. "But strength isn’t everything. Archery is about precision as much as power."

Once her arms had recovered, Garrick handed her the bow again, but this time, he focused on her stance. "Let’s work on your posture now. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, like this." He demonstrated, placing his feet firmly on the ground and planting himself like a rock.

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Skye imitated him, though her legs wobbled slightly as she tried to find balance.

"Good. Now, your left hand should grip the bow lightly. You’re not holding it like a hammer. Keep your fingers relaxed, and let the bow rest naturally in your hand. Your right hand draws the string."

Skye took a deep breath, positioning her hands as Garrick had instructed. The bow felt a little more natural now, though the weight still felt awkward.

"Now, draw the string slowly," Garrick said, his voice calm and measured. "Take your time. Don’t rush it. Feel the tension as you pull. Your back and shoulders should do most of the work."

She exhaled slowly, focusing on her muscles as she drew the string. It was still difficult, but she managed to pull it farther this time, her body straining but holding the tension.

"Good," Garrick said, watching her closely. "Now, your fingers. The string should rest just at the first joints of your fingers, not too deep. Your grip should be firm but not rigid."

Skye adjusted her fingers, feeling the string bite into her skin. Her arms began to shake again, but she held the tension as best she could.

"And breathe," Garrick reminded her. "In through your nose, out through your mouth. Archery is all about control. You control your body, your breath, and eventually, the arrow."

Skye’s chest rose and fell as she tried to steady her breath, her heart pounding in her ears. She felt the strain in her shoulders and back, every muscle working to hold the bow steady.

"Now, when you release," Garrick continued, "it should be smooth. Don’t jerk your fingers away from the string. Just let it slip out of your grasp."

Skye nodded, her focus narrowing on the string in her fingers. She slowly released it, feeling the bow snap forward with surprising force. The string whistled, but the arrow didn’t go far, landing awkwardly just a few feet ahead.

She lowered the bow, disappointment washing over her. "I didn’t even hit the target."

Garrick chuckled.

"You're not supposed to hit it yet. Right now, we're building the foundation," Garrick said, stepping over to retrieve the arrow. He handed it back to her with a reassuring smile. "Hitting the target comes later. Right now, it’s about getting your body used to the motions. Archery is about control, and that takes time."

Skye stared at the arrow in her hand, feeling the weight of her inexperience pressing down on her. She was used to things coming a bit easier in her old life—academics, social situations, and even sports to some extent. But this... this felt different. Her body wasn’t responding the way she wanted it to, and the physical strain was something she hadn’t anticipated.

"Don’t get discouraged," Garrick said, reading her frustration. "No one picks up a bow and becomes an expert on the first day. This is about progress, not perfection."

Skye nodded, but her doubts lingered. She felt weak, uncoordinated, and completely out of her depth. Still, there was a flicker of determination inside her. She wasn’t going to quit, not when she’d come this far.

"Let’s take it step by step," Garrick said, moving closer. "I want you to focus on drawing the bow correctly. Forget about the target for now. We’ll worry about aim later."

He stepped behind her again, adjusting her stance. "Relax your shoulders. You’re holding too much tension in them. Let them drop. Breathe through the motion."

Skye closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and trying to let go of the tension. She repositioned her feet, grounding herself as she raised the bow again. This time, she focused entirely on her body—on the way her muscles engaged as she drew the string back, on the way her fingers felt against the taut string.

"Good. Now hold it," Garrick said, watching her closely. "Feel the weight of the bow, but don’t let it control you. You control the bow. You decide when to release."

Skye held the string, her arm trembling slightly from the effort. She could feel every muscle working, from her fingers to her shoulders and back. Her breath was slow and deliberate, and for the first time, she felt a sense of control over the motion.

"Now, release," Garrick instructed.

She exhaled slowly, letting the string slip from her fingers. The bow snapped forward again, the arrow flying farther this time but still missing the target. It wasn’t perfect, but it felt better. More natural.

"That was an improvement," Garrick said with a nod. "You’re getting the feel for it."

Skye’s arms ached, and her hands felt raw from gripping the bow, but the small sense of progress lifted her spirits. She wasn’t a natural, but she was learning.

"We’re going to work on that strength," Garrick said, leading her back to the pull-up bar. "Before you can shoot accurately, you need to be able to draw the bow without straining. So we’re going to focus on building up your arms and back."

Skye groaned inwardly as she eyed the pull-up bar again. Her arms were already screaming from the earlier attempts, and now she had to do more. But she bit her tongue, knowing that this was part of the process. If she was going to get better, she had to push through.

"You don’t need to do a full set," Garrick said, noticing her hesitation. "Just give me what you can. We’ll build up to more."

Skye grabbed the bar, her fingers curling around the cold metal. She pulled with everything she had, feeling her muscles strain as she lifted herself. Her feet left the ground, and for a moment, she thought she might be able to do a full pull-up. But halfway up, her strength gave out, and she dropped back down with a grunt.

Garrick was beside her, his hand on her shoulder. "That’s fine. You’re not expected to be perfect. We’re building strength, bit by bit. Try again."

She gritted her teeth and pulled again, feeling the burn in her arms and shoulders. It was agonizing, but she managed to lift herself slightly higher this time. After a few more attempts, she collapsed to the ground, panting.

Garrick offered her a hand, pulling her back to her feet. "That’s good enough for today. We’ll keep working on it."

Skye wiped the sweat from her brow, her arms trembling from the exertion. Her body was tired, but there was a sense of accomplishment, however small. She wasn’t there yet, but she was moving forward.

"Now, let’s work on your focus," Garrick said, leading her back to the shooting range. "Archery isn’t just about physical strength. It’s also about mental clarity. You need to be able to shut out distractions and focus on your target."

He stood beside her, pulling an arrow from his quiver and nocking it to his bow. "Watch."

Skye watched as Garrick raised his bow, his movements slow and deliberate. His body was completely still, his eyes locked on the target in the distance. He drew the string back smoothly, his muscles barely tensing as he held the bow steady.

"Notice how I’m not rushing," he said, his voice calm. "I’m in control of my body, my breath, and my focus. When you’re out there, it’s just you and the target. Everything else fades away."

He released the arrow, and it flew with precision, striking the center of the target with a satisfying thud.

Skye’s eyes widened in awe. "How do you stay so calm?"

Garrick turned to her, his expression serious. "It comes with practice, but you need to learn how to center yourself. It’s about finding that calm in the chaos. When you’re holding the bow, nothing else matters but your shot."

He handed her the bow again. "We’ll start with a simple exercise. I want you to focus on your breath. Close your eyes."

Skye hesitated but followed his instructions, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. The world around her seemed to disappear, and for a moment, it was just her and the rhythm of her breathing.

"Now, picture the target in your mind," Garrick continued. "You can’t see it, but you know it’s there. Focus on it. See it in your mind’s eye."

Skye tried to imagine the target, her mind’s eye struggling to focus. It was harder than she expected, especially with her body still aching from the training.

"Breathe slowly," Garrick said. "In through your nose, out through your mouth. Let everything else fall away. You and the target. That’s all that matters."

For a few moments, Skye stood there, her eyes closed and her breath steady. She could feel the weight of the bow in her hands, the tension in the string. Slowly, the image of the target began to form in her mind, and she felt a strange sense of calm wash over her.

"Now, open your eyes," Garrick instructed.

Skye opened her eyes, and the target came into sharp focus. It was like everything else had faded into the background, and the only thing that mattered was the target in front of her.

"Draw the bow," Garrick said quietly. "Keep that focus. Don’t lose it."

Skye raised the bow, her muscles still trembling from the earlier exercises, but she held it steady. Her breath was slow and deliberate, and her eyes were locked on the target. She drew the string back, feeling the tension in her arms and back.

"Now, release."

She let the string slip from her fingers, and the arrow flew forward, faster and farther than before. It struck the outer ring of the target, missing the center by a wide margin, but it was her best shot yet.

"Better," Garrick said with a nod. "You’re starting to get it."

Skye lowered the bow, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Her body was exhausted, and her muscles ached, but there was a flicker of pride in her chest. She wasn’t there yet, but she was getting closer.

"That’s enough for today," Garrick said, taking the bow from her. "You’ve done well. We’ll build on this tomorrow."

Skye nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow. Her entire body was sore, but she felt... accomplished. She wasn’t a natural archer, not yet, but she was learning. She was growing.

As she walked away from the training grounds, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement. She had a long way to go, but for the first time, she believed she could get there. With Garrick’s guidance, she would learn what it truly meant to be an archer.

And one day, she would hit that target with perfect precision.