text: Nick Venom Archer & Disciple: Season One 
   
   
   Episode One "The Master Archer" 
   “See you next week!” An older woman shouted from the doorstep of her house. 
   “See you, Ms. Hankins. Your back pain should be fixed by then.” He remarked, waving goodbye to the woman. 
   She nodded, thanking him again before he continued going down the long paved concrete road to his home at the edge of the village. However, he was stopped several hundred feet down the road.  
   “Hey, Avin! Off to train?” A man shouted. Avin turned his head to face the man, finding a pale skin frail man staring at him.  
   “Morning, Mr. Pollard!” Avin said. “I need to keep myself in check.” 
   “With a body like that? There shouldn’t be anything you would need to do.” Mr. Pollard remarked, glancing at Avin’s skinny but muscular body. Avin’s hair was lime green and extended to his waist. His hair was straight and well-maintained. Avin’s eyes were deep blue, a darker shade of the color than anyone had ever seen. It was memorizing and enchanting. It matched well with his tanned skin that was more on the whiter side than the darker one. 
   He wore a mostly white, with a few splashes of red, robe that felt loose on his body, ending at his ankles; not covering his shoes. His robe had splashes of red on his sleeves, creating long streaks and flowers, which were sporadically placed around. 
   On his back was his longbow and his quiver filled with a large handful of arrows. The quiver was made of Darkwood, a mixture of mana and normal wood that was better suited for long-time use thanks to Darkwood’s increased strength and duration. 
   “It appears so, but I need every day to keep it,” Avin responded. 
   “Come on, at this point you’re making every guy in the village insensitive about their bodies.” He joked, pointing at his own body. He was lean thanks to the back-breaking hours in the fields. “And you’re luring away all the girls in the village. Soon the men will hate you all.” Mr. Pollard said before chuckling softly. 
   “I’ve said it before,” Avin said with a smile. “I’m not interested in any women.” 
   “Except ours.” Mr. Pollard’s wife chimed in. She stepped onto the front porch alongside her husband, a frail woman a few inches shorter than Mr. Pollard. She stood straight, her back not being destroyed like most of the people her age.  
   “Elizabeth is still waiting for you.” She said. 
   “I’m afraid Ms. Pollard, but she’ll have to wait an eternity,” Avin told her. He noticed two emerald eyes peering out of an open window. The eyes disappeared inside the house before reappearing by Ms. Pollard’s side.  
   “Don’t say that!” Elizabeth, the Pollard’s child, exclaimed. She stood in front of her mother and covered her mouth with her hand. “Don’t say anything more.” 
   Ms. Pollard tried to say something, but it came out muffled. She tried again, but Elizabeth pressed down her hand against her mother’s mouth.  
   “Awww, our daughter seems to be embarrassed.” Mr. Pollard remarked, flustering Elizabeth. 
   The pale-skinned girl shook her head. Unlike her parents, she had emerald eyes where her parents had brown and brown hair where they had black. There were some doubts of Elizabeth’s true parents, but those doubts were often silenced. 
   “Don’t tease her too much, Mr. Pollard,” Avin said, glancing behind him. “I’m afraid, I have to go.”  
   Ms. Pollard took her daughters’ hand off her mouth, turning towards Avin. “Don’t worry, Elizabeth will wait two eternities for you.” She said with a smile. 
   “Mom!” Elizabeth shrieked. “Don’t say that!” Both of her parents and Avin erupted in laughter as Elizabeth looked down, doing her best to hide her blushed cheeks.  
   Avin waved goodbye, heading further down the road to reach his home. He had finished his business with Ms. Hankins and now it was time to rest and regained his lost six hours of preparing. However, other business prevented him from doing so.  
   “Leave me alone!” A female’s voice shouted. It came from an alleyway not far from Avin’s house.  
   “You’ll sell for a pretty good amount in Asher.” An older man declared, his voice being kept close to a whisper. 
   Avin peered down the alleyway, seeing a man grabbing a girl and slamming her into a wall.  Disgusting slavers again,  Avin thought. He drew his longbow, pointing an arrow down the alleyway.  
   “You wouldn’t want to do that here.” His voice boomed. The slaver heard Avin, frightened instantly. “I am Avin, the protector of this village of Paradise. Any action to hurt those under my protection is a threat to me. I eradicate threats.” 
   The slaver looked behind him, noticing stares from passersby. They were all directed at him. Knowing that he was trapped on both sides, he threw the girl before brandishing a knife. He sprinted away from Avin, hoping to capture a hostage and get out that way. However, he misjudged Avin’s strength, not feeling the arrow piercing his leg until his head hit the ground. 
   Avin had fired off an arrow that went through the slaver’s leg, tripping him. He crashed to the ground, looking up at the passersby in front of him. Two people, dressed in iron armor, grabbed him and dragged him away. They were part of the security in Paradise. 
   Avin rushed to the girl’s side, asking if she was alright. She nodded, bruised but not beaten. She stared at Avin, her large hazel eyes on full display. “You are Avin?” She questioned. 
   Avin nodded. “Yes, I am.” 
   “Then-” She kneeled in front of him, looking at the ground. “I am Jaylee and I’ve been looking for you.” 
   “Me?” Avin questioned. “Why?” 
   Jayle looked up at him. “My family told me to come here. They want you to take me in.” 
   “Who is your family?”  
   “My father is Griv and my mother is Itayda.” She told him. 
   Avin sighed, taking a step back. “Of course, those two are your parents.” 
   “You do know my parents?” Jaylee tilted her head.  
   “They were my ex-party members. How are they?” Avin asked. 
   “They’re okay. They retired in a village known as Warlock.” Jaylee said. She glanced at the crowd that had formed on each side of the alleyway.  
   Avin didn’t notice the crowd. “How is your brother, Blaze? Has he been adventuring?”  
   Jaylee nodded. “Blaze is a rank D adventurer now.” 
   “Rank D!” Avin exclaimed. “Wow, time has definitely moved. It felt like yesterday that Blaze was a small boy who looked up to me and wanted to be an adventurer like me. Those were the days… Okay, going back to the topic, they want you to serve as my disciple?” 
   Jaylee nodded. “They said I had potential with bows, so they sent me off to find you,” Jaylee told him. She showed off her bow, a makeshift bow that was on its final legs.  
   Avin turned around, noticing the crowd. He waved them off, leading Jaylee out of the alleyway and towards his house. “If you want to become my disciple, you’ll have to prove your worth. I don’t take anybody, even if they’re prodigies, if they have no ambitions and can’t put an ounce of dedication into training.” 
   “Do you have any other disciples?” Jaylee asked him, glancing behind her. A shy Elizabeth followed after them, holding a bowl of vegetables.  
   Avin glanced over his shoulder at Elizabeth, stopping. He turned around and pointed at her. “She’s my first and only disciple. She wasn’t a prodigy, but her dedication to her training has far surpassed them.” 
   Jaylee turned around to face Elizabeth, who muttered a weak “hi” to her.  
   “Okay,” Avin cleared his throat before continuing. “I’ll have you take care of a small den of goblins not far from here. If you can do it without Elizabeth or I’s help, then I’ll accept you. If you rely on us, then you’ll have to return to Griv and Itayda.” He told her. 
   Jaylee nodded. “I’ll do it.” 
   “Perfect.” He grabbed fruit from the vegetable bowl, thanking Elizabeth. “Let’s go right now. Elizabeth, ask your parents and then meet with us at the main gate. We’ll be heading out to see whether or not I have a new disciple.” 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   *** 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   “What do you mean you’re leaving me?” A younger Avin asked a woman. The woman, a blonde dark-skinned girl wielding a longbow, turned around to face him. She had a long face that made her look older than she was with charcoal-black eyes. 
   “I’ve done what I wanted. You’re now the youngest Master Archer and part of the Legends of Historia list. I’ve done the best I can. It’s time you spread your wings and return to your parents’ hometown while I search for a way to replicate your achievements.” 
   “But my achievements are yours,” Avin whined. 
   The woman shook her head, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I might’ve taught you how to walk, but you’re the one who started running.”  
   
   
     
   
   
   TBC… 
   
   
   
   Episode Two "All I Need Is Time" 
   Avin led Elizabeth and Jaylee to the goblin den, stopping a hundred feet from the main entrance. He turned to face the girls, who both were in their late teens while he was nearly a decade older. “I’ll lure them out, Jaylee, focus on killing them. Elizabeth, stay back and help her only if she’s on the verge of death.” He ordered. Both girls nodded their heads, turning towards the goblin den.  
   Avin dashed forward, drawing his bow. He enchanted the arrow with his skill of Light Arrows, using another skill named ‘Enchanting’ - a rather straightforward name. 
   He released the string, throwing the Light Arrow down the cave that housed the goblins. It was joined by a Wind Arrow, made to spin at fast speeds and pierce any goblin it made contact with. Both arrows were enough to provoke the goblins hiding inside, throwing them out. 
   A small handful of goblins expelled themselves from the cave, searching around for the culprit of the arrows. They were a disgusting mixture of dark green and brown; small beings wielding a variety of weapons stolen from adventurers or unfortunate passersby. 
   With the goblins lured out, Jaylee pushed forward. She drew her makeshift bow, putting an arrow on the bow. She released it, hitting one of the goblins in the shoulder. It didn’t kill him, only throwing him to the ground. 
   Jaylee drew another arrow, releasing it and dinging a goblin in the head. It flopped backward, crashing on the ground. This irritated the other goblins more. They darted towards her, hoping to attack her before she drew another arrow. However, their short legs weren’t quick enough to deal with her. 
   She drew her third arrow, piercing the head of another goblin. She then sprinted around them, gaining distance. She stopped and drew an arrow, killing another goblin. She continued this tactic, playing an intense game of cat and mouse, moving around before plucking off a goblin or two then moving away. Using this tactic, she took care of the small number of goblins that came out from the cave. With them dead, she could finally crumble to her knees, her mana and energy drained. 
   Elizabeth rushed to her side with a towel. She wiped the sweat off her forehead. “Are you okay?” 
   Jaylee nodded. “Thanks.” 
   “Of course,” Elizabeth said with a smile. 
   Avin walked up to Jaylee. “You’ve done good, but I wouldn’t call you a prodigy.” 
   Elizabeth’s head snapped to Avin, her mouth gaped open. “Master!” 
   Avin shrugged his shoulders. “You should be able to defeat those goblins while standing in one place. That moving and hitting tactic is okay for rookies, but I need you to be able to kill them without running.” He turned away and approached the goblin on his back, an arrow going through his shoulder. He drew his bow, pointing it at the goblin.  
   He glanced up at Jaylee and Elizabeth. He released the arrow, splattering the goblins’ brains out. “I need better.” He turned away, beginning the walk back to Paradise. 
   Elizabeth helped Jaylee up. “Is he always like this?” She asked.  
   Elizabeth nodded. “When he’s in teaching mode, he’s stricter than anybody you’ll ever meet.” 
   “Why? Couldn’t he be a little nicer, especially when it’s my first time out with him?” 
   Elizabeth shook her head. “He doesn’t want to baby anybody. Especially if they tell him they have experience with bows.” She glanced behind at the massacre of goblins. “He was teaching every child and teen in Paradise and was too lax with them.” 
   “What happened?” Jaylee asked. “Were they too weak to help him?” 
   Elizabeth nodded, facing her. “They took advantage of his kindness and got themselves killed. After that, he’s become extremely strict. Everybody dropped out when it became too much, except for me.” 
   Jaylee stared at her, tilting her head. “Don’t tell me you’re the same as him.” 
   She shook her head. “Master is leagues stronger than me. I can only barely keep up with him, even though he’s been training me for two years now.” 
   “Wow, you must be very skilled now.” 
   Elizabeth shook her head. “I don’t think so.” 
   “You don’t?” Jaylee asked, tilting her head even more. “Well, you must be stronger than me. I’m probably a bug under you two.” 
   “Don’t say that,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head. “Don’t think of yourself as a bug. You’re the same as us, you just… You only need some more experience.” 
   Jaylee nodded, picking up the pace. Her energy was slowly being replenished and stripped away from her at the same moment. She turned to face Elizabeth, memorized by her eyes. “Still, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you become his disciple? I mean… you’re a…” Her voice trailed off as she tried to figure out a way to phrase her sentence. 
   “A farmer’s kid?” Elizabeth asked, raising an eyebrow. “You’re free to call me that. I am a proud child of a farmer.” She smiled an honest and genuine smile. She loved her family, even if they embarrassed her every once in a while. “As for me becoming his disciple, it happened because my parents are close to Avin and were convinced I had some affinity to bows. Avin relented after refusing hundreds of times and took me to train.” 
   “Were… Were you bad at first?” Jaylee asked, almost nervous to hear the answer. 
   Elizabeth nodded her head, still smiling. “I was really bad. So bad that Avin refused to train me. However, I didn’t give up. I kept training without him and, eventually, became good enough that he accepted me as his First Disciple and truly began training me.” 
   “Wow,” Jaylee muttered. No other words came to her mind, Elizabeth’s story almost leaving her speechless.  
   “Well, how was it for you?” She asked. 
   Jaylee rubbed her nape, unsure how to answer. “My story isn’t all that great. I was a prodigy in my hometown. My parents were sure I would become a Master Archer like Avin, so they sent me here to train under him.” 
   “What about training?” She asked, not hearing an ounce of dedication being put into her bow.  
   Jaylee shook her head. “I trained for about a year before being sent here. My friends and family were sure I would be a powerful archer, but Avin doesn’t think so. He’s right that I’m not good enough; an amateur.” She hung her head low. 
   Elizabeth shook her head, grabbing Jaylee’s face with both hands and raising her eyes to meet hers. “You will become a Master Archer like Avin. All you need is time.” 
   Jaylee gave her a small smile. “You’re right… I will.” 
   Elizabeth released her grip on Jaylee, taking a step backward. “I’m sure you will.” 
   Jaylee nodded. “Well, first I need to become the Second Disciple before I can reach the title of Master Archer, but you’re right. All I need is time.” 
     
   TBC… 
   
   
   
   Episode Three "Esperanza" 
   “Slow down your breathing. Don’t force yourself.” The woman told him.  
   “Yes, Master,” Avin remarked, drawing a short bow. His aim was shaky. He closed one eye, staring at his target, a dummy a hundred feet from him.  Slooowww dowwwnnn . He told himself internally. He released his grip, letting the arrow fly. It flew towards the dummy but missed its torso by a few inches. It nicked the dummy’s side and flew off. 
   The woman shook her head, facing Avin. “Steady your aim, otherwise, you’ll be hitting the dirt for the rest of your life.” She grabbed his arms and steadied them using hers. “Fire again.” 
   He released the arrow, watching as it cracked through the air and hit the dummy’s shoulder. The woman nodded her head, backing away from Avin. “Good, you’re doing better. A couple more tries and you’ll be stronger than me.” She said with a large smile. 
   Avin shook his head. “I can’t be better than you Master. I still have a lot to know.”  
   The woman chuckled softly, shaking her head. She looked up at the clouds flying overhead, different shades of white and gray. “I am in my late thirties-” She glanced down with a stare that screamed,  don’t you dare question my age or tell anybody . She looked back up at the clouds. “-and I’ll be retiring from my archery days. When I do, I need someone to take my spot on the Legends of Historia list. My title of Master Archer will soon escape me; I need somebody to take it from me.” She grinned, facing Avin.  
   “But… I’m not as strong as you. You faced strong beasts, I barely killed a deer yesterday.” Avin said.  
   “Ha!” She exclaimed, sitting down on the grass. Avin sat next to her, watching her face as she spoke. “I’m not as strong as you painted me as. I’ve never been able to defeat the Deity or the demon king. Those are monsters out of my grasp. However-” She glanced down at Avin. “-you may be able to defeat them.” 
   “How?” Avin asked, almost jumping to his feet. “Can I do it soon?” 
   “Hahaha,” She shook her head. “I’m afraid that you can't do anything without activating Master Archer’s Lifetime Arrow.” 
   “Then…” Avin glanced down at his bow. “... all I need to do is become a Master Archer?” 
   The woman shook her head again, smiling. “You make it sound like becoming a Master Archer is easy. Well, you have to become a Master Archer to have a chance at getting the skill, but more is needed.” 
   “What? Mana? Aura?” Avin questioned. 
   “Aura Force isn’t the same as the Lifetime Arrow. Aura Force coats your weapon with your mana, creating a blue glint, which takes years to do. Lifetime Arrow, on the other hand, takes almost an entire lifetime, as the name implies, to activate. It’s a hidden skill that only activates for every one in ten Master Archers. However, there are not that many Master Archers around.”  
   “Then… is it impossible?” Avin asked.  
   The woman shook her head. “I think you’ll be able to master it with ease. As long as you’re patient, it should come to you naturally.” 
   Avin nodded, staring at his bow. “Thank you, Master.” 
   The woman laughed. “I should be the one thanking you. If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve given up long ago.” She patted his head. “You’re my bright disciple. I expect a lot out of you, so do your best. Even if you don’t get the skill, as long as you become stronger than me, that’s all I care about.” 
   Avin nodded, staring up at his master. “Yes, Master.” 
   “You don’t have to be so stiff. You can call me by my name.” 
   Avin hesitated, unsure if he was being tricked or not. The woman nodded her head, forcing him to say it. “Thank you, Nyla.” 
   “Anytime Avin.” 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   *** 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Avin and the others returned to Paradise, passing through the main gate and heading to his house. Once there, Jaylee collapsed onto a wooden chair, her stress and exhaustion flooding out.  
   “How did she do?” Elizabeth asked. Jaylee glanced at Avin. 
   “Honestly?’ Avin sat down on a chair that was nearing its end. “I think she did better than expected.” 
   “So she’s accepted?” She asked. 
   Jaylee jumped out of her chair, exclaiming  “You accept me?”  
   “Well…” Avin’s voice trailed off. “You didn’t do bad and there are many things I need to fix. I could tell Griv and Itdayda didn’t train you as an archer. They taught you how they think you should be taught, but they were way off the mark.” Avin stood up from his chair, approaching her. “Firstly, what is the name of your bow?” 
   “My bow… My bow’s name?” She asked, tilting her head. “Why would it have a name?” 
   Avin chuckled. “Every being deserves a name. In combat, who saves you?” 
   Jaylee shrugged her shoulders. “Myself, I guess?” 
   “Wrong, your bow does. It shoulders your emotions and gives you an outlet to express them. Every time you draw the bow, you’re pushing your emotions onto the string. When you release the string, you release your emotions. That’s why bows are an archer’s most valuable partner, excluding family.” 
   Jaylee glanced at Elizabeth. “Does your bow have a name?” She nodded. “What is it?” 
   “Phoenix.” She answered.  
   Jaylee turned around to face Avin. “What about you?” 
   Avin smiled. “Esperanza. It’s an otherworlder word that should mean something similar to hope. Because this bow and the person who made it for me gave me hope. Hope for the future.” 
   Jaylee nodded, looking down at her makeshift bow. “Then I should name it?” 
   Elizabeth, meanwhile, turned away and strolled to a window facing the middle of the village. She had heard some noises, straining her ears to track them. 
   “Only if you have a name in mind. Don’t give it a name that doesn’t match your feelings.” Avin said. “Think of bows as your children. Every child needs a proper name. Names that have no emotion in them won’t work. Make sure it matches what you want.” 
   “So, I think I have a name,” Jaylee remarked, staring at her bow. “I will name it-” She was interrupted by screams and shouts. They were coming from the middle of the village. Elizabeth turned around to face Avin, her eyes widened. 
   Avin dashed outside, hearing more shouts and screams. 
   “Call Avin!” 
   “Monster!” 
   “Help!”  
   He heard multiple people calling him, which slightly frightened him. However, the fright left as quickly as it entered. He pressed forward, drawing his bow as the monster’s head filled his sight. 
   “Don’t betray me now Esperanza.” 
   
   
     
   
   
   TBC… 
   
   
   
   Episode Four "Old Rivals" 
   The monster was the height of three stories, composed of stone and mud - a stone golem. It moved slowly, flinging its limbs at the roofs of buildings, but never at the bottom. It pressed forward, avoiding people in its path.  
   Avin drew Esperanza, releasing an arrow. It cracked through the air, flying through the air and hitting the head of the golem. The arrow was crushed, falling to the ground. The golem continued forward as if nothing had happened. 
   He drew another arrow, attaching his Wind skill to it. It flew through the air, hitting the golem’s head. The wind propelled the arrow into the golem’s head, going cleanly through it. The golem stood still for a few moments, as the hole in the head became apparent. However, it quickly sealed itself up, the hole disappearing as the golem healed itself. The golem then turned its head to face Avin, revealing a man dressed in a black cloak standing on its shoulder. The man recognized Avin, pointing a long index finger at him. The golem moved towards Avin. 
   Avin drew a third arrow, enhancing it with Light. He released this arrow to little effect, simply bouncing off the golem. The Wind Arrow was pushed forward by the wind, but the normal and Light Arrows had nothing that could pierce or, at the very least, dent the golem. 
   The man motioned for the golem to kneel, jumping off it and facing Avin. He was a black-haired man, his body masked by a black cloak. He was around Avin’s age but lacked the same muscles as he did. He had a smaller frame than him. 
   “I’m here to challenge you Avin. It’s time to end this rivalry and see who’s the true King.” The man remarked. 
   “It’s been a while Sudo,” Avin remarked, drawing a Wind Arrow. He pointed it at Sudo. “You haven’t changed.” 
   “How can I change when I haven’t beaten you?” He remarked. 
   Avin glanced at the Golem kneeling behind him. “Was all of this necessary?” 
   Sudo nodded. “Of course, this is necessary. If I didn’t make a grand entrance then I wouldn’t have gotten your attention, right?” He said with a smug face.  
   Avin sighed. “If you wish to get your petty revenge then you could have simply asked for it. Now you have included the citizens in it. For that, you don’t deserve the chance to fight.” Avin said. He then muttered something under his breath, something in a demonic tongue that Sudo reacted to quickly. Sudo bolted towards him, hoping to strike him before he finished his chant. 
   Avin activated a skill that he rarely used, known as Inescapable Barrier. As the name implied, a barrier of transparent walls left the people inside unable to escape from it. 
   He cast it on Sudo, stopping his momentum. Sudo hit the transparent walls hard, bouncing off it and landing on his back. “Well,” he said before sucking in air. “, you still have that ability.” 
   “And I will continue to use it against your petty grudges,” Avin remarked, turning around. “Help me Elizabeth, I need to-” He noticed Elizabeth’s eyes frightfully staring at something behind her. She pointed at something behind her, forcing him to turn to face it. It was a petite tanned girl standing in front of him. She had golden locks that went down to her waist, straight and clean. She had a tanned face with large features; large eyes that were doubled the normal size, big lips that were thin and petite but large enough to be noticeable, and ears that stuck out like a sore thumb. 
   She was dressed in a black and purple robe that covered her body, only her face and her hands being seen. She wielded a two-foot thin wand the color of night. She held it tightly, pointing it at Sudo. “Well, it would’ve worked if I didn’t join him.” Avin froze as he eyed down the girl. She was another rival he had in his earlier days, a magician who was known as the ‘Witch of Red’ 
   “Why are you here, Hill?” Avin asked. “It couldn’t be that you want to beat me as well?” 
   “Would you believe me if I said yes?” Hill asked. 
   “As much as you telling me that you like Sudo.” Avin teased. Sudo turned to face Hill, his eyes widened. Hill shook her head, blushing. 
   “I don’t like Sudo, he’s lying. I like-” She cut herself off. “Oh, now you provoked me.” She said while smiling menacingly. She began chanting, getting rid of Avin’s Inescapable Barrier to his annoyance.  
   She then focused her chanting on Avin, activating a fire spell and a water spell. She threw Fireballs and Water Slashes at him. He glanced behind him, noticing his disciples behind him.  That’s how you want to play?  Avin thought to himself before he enchanted the arrow he drew to become a Wind Arrow, releasing it. It cracked through the air, passing through a few fireballs and nicking Hill.  
   Hill dodged the arrows, chanting for more spells. She threw everything she had at Avin, who eliminated them with his Wind, Light, and normal arrows. He used a mixture of the three to stop her attacks. He couldn’t move or the attacks would hit his disciples. 
   Elizabeth noticed this, grabbing Jaylee and taking her away. She left his back empty, allowing him to dodge without worrying about their safety. 
   Jaylee drew an arrow, releasing it. It flew towards Sudo, who had recovered and was retreating to his golem. The arrow nicked him. He glanced in her direction, seeing both of them. However, they were too far for him. 
   He jumped onto his golem, ordering it to attack Avin. The golem complied, staggering towards him. Avin, meanwhile, fought Hill’s spells head-on. He threw the spells towards unpopulated land or extinguished them. 
   “I can’t believe none of them are connecting.” She exclaimed, her mana on the low side. “You made me use this!” 
   Avin’s eyes widened as he recognized what she was trying to use. “Hill, don’t use it! It’s too dangerous!” He shouted. He drew a Light Arrow, infusing it with wind. He fired off the mixture of both elements, watching as it neared Hill, but dissipated against the spell she cast. She threw a spell towards him, a magic circle made of black goo. It moved quickly towards him.  
   Sudo noticed the black magic circle, his eyes widening further. “Hill, that’s dangerous. You’ll kill him. It's supposed to be a simple duel, not one to the death!” He shouted. 
   He glanced behind him, towards his house but didn’t see his disciples. He sat them a comfortable distance away.  Good idea Elizabeth.  He thought, smiling for no more than a second. He turned back to face the oncoming threat.  I told Master Nyla I’ll never use this skill, but I can’t wait any longer. Hill has already sacrificed everything for this petty duel and this spell will take everything out of me, so what do I have to lose? My disciples? They will be sad without me, but Elizabeth can train Jaylee in my stead. Maybe Master Nyla will return and train them. 
   Avin activated his fifth and most dangerous skill - Ruin. Ruin was a dangerous element that needed the fusion of every Main Element into one---Fire, Water, Light, Darkness, Earth, and Time. The Ruin element was the seventh and often forgotten Main Element. It was the most dangerous of them all. 
   He drew his bow, pouring a skill under Ruin known as Drain, into the arrow. He knew that the skill and the element itself would have a large backlash that could kill him, but if he didn’t extinguish the spell in front of him, the city would be destroyed. 
   Hill cast Instant Death, a vicious skill under the element of Death, which itself was an element under the Ruin element. Instant Death was a poison that didn’t stop once it made contact with something. It would continue to move, fighting against all beings and corrupting them all. If Avin’s house was affected by Instant Death, it would move like a parasite to cover the remainder of Paradise before absorbing the rest of the world. It was too dangerous to leave alone, the only way of stopping it being to extinguish it before it hit anything. 
   He took in a deep breath before releasing the arrow. It flew towards the black circle, piercing through the middle of it. The circle began to disintegrate but continued with its momentum. Avin took a few steps back, grabbing an arrow from his quiver. He was out of arrows, the Ruin Arrow being his last one. 
   A Fire Arrow came out of nowhere, striking the black circle and finishing the job. Avin glanced at his side at Elizabeth, who had her bow now pointed at Hill. Her bow’s name wasn’t random as she named it Phoenix because Avin taught her because of her fire skill known as Hellfire. It burned faster and did more damage than normal fire. 
   The black magic circle was gone, the last-ditch attempt made by Hill failing. She collapsed to the ground, her mana running out. Sudo, who saw that the duel had changed and Elizabeth now drew an arrow aimed at him, jumped off his golem and went to Hill’s side.  
   “We give up, the duel has gone too far. It’s Hill’s fault. Since I brought her here, it’s also my fault” Sudo kneeled, one hand resting on the collapsed Hill. 
   Avin approached them, his body trembling out of Mana Exhaustion. Sudo looked at the ground, ashamed. “You did well. You’ve improved.” 
   Sudo looked back up to see Avin smiling. “You’ve done better than I expected.” 
   Sudo smiled back, a tear escaping his eye. “It wasn’t done how I wanted, but I made a big golem. And Hill has learned more spells, it’s just…” 
   “It’s okay Sudo,” Avin said, resting a hand on his shoulder. “However, you two must face your crimes of destroying parts of buildings and inciting panic. You should-” Avin collapsed, his body hitting the ground. Sudo jumped, taken aback. 
   Elizabeth and Jaylee rushed to his side as Sudo stared, confused and surprised.  
   Am I dying?  Avin thought before he went unconscious.  Is this the end of me? 
   
   TBC…  
   
   
   
   
   Episode Five "Leader" 
   Avin awoke two days in his bed after he collapsed from the backlash of using Ruin.  What happened to me?  He thought as he strained his neck to look around. His bedroom was empty and devoid of sound. It was eerily quiet.  
   Where is everybody?  He thought to himself as he forced his body to sit up, his body trembling softly as he readjusted himself. He positioned his back against the head of the bed.  
   Now sitting up, he looked around again. He strained his neck and ears to detect if anybody was nearby.  Did the spell touch anything? Could… Could everybody be…? 
   He got out of bed, wincing at the pain. He stumbled towards his bedroom door, opening it and peering outside. He saw Elizabeth and Jaylee in the dining room, which was in front of his room. 
   “Master!” Elizabeth shrieked, sprinting towards him. She hugged him tightly. “You’re okay!” 
   Avin patted her head, smiling. “Don’t worry, I-” He winced in pain. Elizabeth released him, shifting backward. 
   “Sorry Master.” She told him, staring into his eyes. He could tell she had been crying, her bloodshot eyes being evidence of it.  
   “Don’t worry about it Elizabeth.” He glanced at Jaylee. “How have you been?” 
   Jaylee looked up, smiling an ingenuine smile. “Good,” She weakly responded. It was apparent that she had been crying, less so compared to Elizabeth. 
   Avin nodded. “Was there any destruction after or during the duel?” 
   Elizabeth shook her head. “Nothing was destroyed.” 
   Avin nodded his head. “That’s good,” He took a step towards the door, wincing at the pain. Elizabeth rushed to his side, helping him outside. Jaylee followed suit, holding his other side. They helped him walk outside to sit down on an old rocking chair.  
   Once on the chair, Avin looked around. He noticed people freely walking around; mothers heading to the stores, construction workers fixing up any minor damage caused after the duel, and children playing with each other - all without a care in the world. Nothing that could reflect the aftermath of a dangerous duel. 
   “Master, there was someone here for you,” Elizabeth said, standing by his side.  
   “Who was it?” Avin asked, his eyes focused on the town and not his disciple. “Another rival of mine?” He joked. 
   “Yes,” 
   Avin furrowed his brows, facing her. “Who was this person? Was it a female?” 
   Elizabeth shook her head. “It was a bulky man. His name is Tian.” 
   Avin relaxed, nodding his head. “Good, it was just Tian. Do you mind calling him here?” 
   “No need.” Tian appeared, coming from behind Avin’s house. “It’s been a long time Avin.” 
   Avin stared at the bulky black-haired man. The man had a chiseled jawline, bulging muscles, and a clean-shaven face. He took a step towards him, his outfit on display. He wore a large and loose black tee and faded jeans with black boots. His clothes hugged him tightly; it was blatant that it was a size too small for him.  
   “Tian? Why were you behind my house?” 
   “Repairs, you had a broken wall,” Tian said, closing the distance.  
   “You caused the damages?” Avin asked with a raised eyebrow.  
   Tian shook his head playfully. “If I was the culprit, wouldn’t you be the only one to fix it?” He joked. 
   “I’ve always cleaned up after your messes.” Avin teased, smiling.  
   Tian was now face-to-face with Avin, his large seven-foot stature intimidating Elizabeth and Jaylee. “Well… you WERE the leader, right?”  
   Avin scowled at him. “Doesn’t mean I have to pick up after you.” He said, chuckling. “Anyways, why are you here Tian?” 
   “To bring back the two idiots.” He bowed his head. “My bad, I didn't have my eyes on them, which led to your current state.” 
   Avin waved his statement off. “Not your fault. I should’ve ended everything in the past, not leave it alone for the future.” 
   Tian raised his head, smiling. “Can we talk… privately?” 
   Avin turned to Elizabeth, asking for her and Jaylee to step inside. They complied, heading inside and leaving Avin and Tian outside. Avin, satisfied with his disciples gone, turned to face Tian, his hands resting on his lap. “What’s wrong?” 
   Tian’s smile disappeared at the snap of a finger. He, instead, had a serious expression on, staring Avin in the eyes. “ She’s  on the way.” 
   Avin nearly jumped out of his chair, the pain shooting him back onto the chair. “She? Is it…?” 
   Tian nodded. “She’s on her way here to challenge you. However, I managed to delay here. She’ll be here in… maybe a year or so.” 
   “Then I have a year to prepare. Thanks, Tian.” 
   “No problems, Avin,” Tian said. “Any punishments you have in mind for the idiots? I already have one in mind, but I want your opinion.” 
   Avin thought about it for a second. “The same as the past.” 
   Tian’s smile returned. “Vicious.” 
   Avin smiled. “For what they did, my punishment is nowhere near enough.” 
   Tian nodded. “Okay, I’ll take them out of Paradise. They’ll be out of your sight. 
    I only have one question? Are you okay?” 
   Avin went to nod but stopped halfway. “Elizabeth! Bring me, Esperanza!” He shouted loud enough for his disciple to hear. Elizabeth scrambled to grab Esperanza and his quiver, handing it to him. He thanked her before taking out an arrow from the quiver. He left the quiver laying against his chair as he laid the arrow on the bow’s thin string. He pulled the string back, pointing it away from the buildings and Tian. He released the arrow and, to everybody’s dismay, it went four feet before plopping down.  
   Tian shook his head. “Drain took a lot out of you. It appears that it absorbed your strength.” 
   “What does that mean?” Elizabeth chimed in. 
   Tian looked at her, biting his lip. “He’ll become a cripple if he doesn’t heal himself.” 
   Avin nodded, trying to wrap his head around Tian's statement. “Is there a way to heal me?” 
   Tian stroked his chin. “Maybe the Fountain of Youth, but rumors say that it’s in the Spirit Realm. Then… maybe the Holy Springs of Asher. It’s a far journey, but it’s the only place that can heal you.” 
   Avin nodded. “Then I’ll venture there.” 
   “I’ll go with you,” Tian said. 
   Avin shook his head. “I’ll go alone.” 
   Tian shook his head. “You can’t! You have no strength in your body anymore. You need protection to reach the springs.” 
   Avin shook his head. “You have to deal with Sudo and Hill. I’ll leave this village in my disciples’ hand. I’ll go alone.” 
   “We’re not letting you go alone, Master!” Elizabeth chimed in. 
   “Yeah, you haven’t even officially accepted me as your disciple!” Jaylee exclaimed, coming out of the house. 
   Tian nodded his head. “Take your disciples. They’ll help you reach the springs. Remember that she’ll appear in a year. The journey could take half a year, more if you venture alone. You’re the only one she wants to face and if she can’t find you, she’ll destroy the village.” 
   Avin nodded. “Fine, I’ll do as you say.” He turned to face his disciples. “First Disciple Elizabeth, ask your parents for permission. If they agree, pack your stuff.” He directed his attention to Jaylee. “Second Disciple Jaylee, pack your bags. You’ll be assisting me in the journey. You’ll experience real combat on the road.” He ordered. His disciples nodded, dispersing to do as they were ordered. 
   With them gone, Avin faced Tian. “Can I ask you a favor?” 
   “I already know, Avin. I’ll remain here with Sudo and Hill to defend the town. Sudo and Hill’s punishment will be to fix their image in the villagers’ heads. Don’t worry about Paradise, it will remain as it is.” 
   “Thank you, Tian,” Avin said. 
   “No, all the thanks are for you… our leader.” 
   
   
     
   
   
   TBC… 
   
   
   
   Episode Six "Six Months" 
   “How did you think it turned out? Do you think he healed himself?” Sudo asked, walking alongside Tian and Hill towards Avin’s house; Hill remained quiet during their conversation, only Tian and Sudo speaking. “It’s been six months already, he should be up and running already.” 
   “Shut up Sudo,” Tian said, waving at passing villagers. The villagers waved back, saying their hellos to the guardians of Paradise. With Avin and his disciples gone, someone needed to step up and protect the village in their stead. “The trip takes around six or seven months for him to reach the springs. It’ll take the same time to return here. They still have a lot of time before we can expect their arrival.” 
   Sudo shook his head. “When is  she  coming? Do we have enough time before she arrives?” 
   “Five or six months. She’ll be heading our way soon and when she does, we need to be ready for her.” Tian told them. “In the past, she was the most vicious out of the seven of us. She’ll destroy Paradise without a second thought if she can’t find Avin here.”  
   “Then what do we do?” Sudo asked, being the first to reach the front door of Avin’s house. He pushed it in, heading inside. “We can’t fend her off for a month or two. And what’s stopping her from arriving a month early? We’re definitely dead.” 
   Tian shook his head. “We can delay her further. I’m sending Hill-” He glanced at her. Hill looked down, barely speaking a word after the incident. She was the reason behind Avin’s injury and all of the villagers knew it. “-to scout for her.” 
   Hill looked up at him, her stare saying,  why me? 
   “Because-” He read her expression clearly. “-you’ve been inside for too long. And you haven’t been socializing with anybody. Go to Black Rapids and see what you can find about her. Anything you can find, even a shred of information.” He told her. “If you find her, delay her as long as you can.”  
   Hill shook her head defiantly.  
   Tian ignored her. “It’ll take you two months to reach Black Rapids and two months to return. Find as much as you can.” He ordered. Hill opened her mouth to argue but closed it. She nodded her head, turning around. She headed outside, walking down the dirt road and towards the main entrance. Tian and Sudo watched her until she disappeared from their sight.  
   “Will she be alright?” Sudo asked. 
   “She will. Think of this journey as her redemption. She made a mistake and she’ll need to correct it.” Tian said, turning away from the door. He walked deeper into the room. “Sudo?” 
   “Yes?” Sudo closed the door, turning around to face him. “What’s wrong?” 
   “I need you to contact the Victor Orc Tribe and ask them for warriors.” 
   “The Orcs?” Sudo questioned. “Why them?” 
   Tian turned around to face him. “Orcs are born with greater strength than humans. If Hill can’t stop her or delay her long enough, we’ll need help to protect the town.” He took out a cloth bag filled with coins. “Take this and hire as many warriors as you can. Don’t get any non-warriors, we don’t need them.” 
   “What about her magic?” Sudo asked. 
   Tian shook his head. “Her mana pool was minuscule, so I doubt she’ll be able to use any magic spells. Focus on brute force, we’ll take her down if needed using it.” 
   Sudo nodded, turning around. “Give me a few weeks and everything will be in order. Will this… factor in future punishments?” He asked, facing the door. 
   “Keep delaying your order and I’ll punish you here. Run seven laps stark naked.” Tian said. Sudo shook his head, sprinting out of the house. 
   “No thanks!” He shouted as he headed in the direction of the orc tribe. Tian watched with a smile as his orders were being put in place. With orc warriors arriving to defend the town and Hill delivering reliable information on  her . They would have enough to delay her. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   *** 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   “Master, we’re almost there!” Elizabeth exclaimed, pointing at a sign that read, “Holy Springs of Asher; 5 miles.” 
   “I see,” Avin said, sitting in the back seat of the carriage. Elizabeth sat across from him and Jaylee sat by her side. “We’re almost there.” 
   Jaylee peered out of the carriage at the sign. “5 miles? We’re almost halfway done, Avin.” 
   Avin nodded, Esperanza laying on his lap. “It’s been six months and a half and we finally arrived. I’m afraid we’re falling behind schedule. Paradise’s destruction is set at twelve months.” 
   “Well… maybe Tian can delay her for long enough.” Elizabeth thought out loud.  
   Avin nodded. “We’ll have to hope so.” Elizabeth and Jaylee nodded their heads, staring outside of the window. Avin stared at his disciples, analyzing them. 
   
   In the past six months, these two have gotten stronger. Soon, Elizabeth will surpass me and Jaylee is already nipping at her heels. I think Nyla would be proud of me. Raising two disciples and having them become Master Archers is a feat already amazing. Let’s hope they surpass my ranking and become part of the Legends of Historia list. 
   
   Avin’s thoughts lingered in his mind for an hour as the carriage crept closer to the springs. Elizabeth and Jaylee, on the other hand, were engrossed in the yellow grass and green trees that filled their sights. The scenery was beautiful, on full display to everybody. The large open plains, surrounded on one or two sides by trees, sandwiched the road. 
   Due to the springs being maintained and protected by the royal family, the surrounding land was under the same effect. Everything was kept beautiful to attract customers while also ensuring the springs remained a wonder of the world. 
   `“Sir, we’re here.” The driver said, looking over his shoulder. “Welcome to the Holy Springs. Your stop is here. 
   Avin nodded. “Thank you.” He turned to face his disciples. “Ready to go?” 
   “Yes,” Jaylee said. 
   “Yes, Master,” Elizabeth said. 
   
    “Then let’s get going. We need to return before  she  arrives. Otherwise… Paradise will be destroyed.” 
   
   
   
   Publication Date: October 25th 2021 https://www.bookrix.com/-na50a1c958baf75