Solo [Antinous Training Grounds] Learning to Succeed

[Orion Michaels]

32nd of Fall, 513 AV
Antinous Training Grounds
15th Bell

It was getting simpler, but that didn’t mean it was easy. He’d only recently changed his stance, and the key was, as always, repetition. The knights had no expectation of Orion that he become the most skilled archer that Syliras had ever laid eyes upon, and that was a good thing. It was never going to happen. What he could do, however, was become consistent.

Sinewy muscles tensed as Orion drew the bowstring back slightly, bringing the bow up to the ready so he could begin sighting the target. His feet were spread just a bit more than shoulder width apart with his left foot just a bit out in front of his right. His torso was rotated to the side so that his left shoulder was facing down towards his target: a stuffed man sized dummy.

He’d actually started hitting fairly often, but the issue was simple. His shots were all over the place. While he was hitting his target, he wasn’t hitting it where he wanted to. Aiming for the chest, and catching the arm. Trying for the head and catching a thigh. Of course, the further away he was from the target, the less accurate he was. The training had been easy enough at this point, or so he thought. He’d set up a target, fire at it until he could hit the same area over and over and then move the target further back and then try again. It seemed like a great idea, until he moved the target closer again. By only looking at one distance at a time, he’d been conditioning himself to only be decent at specific ranges. If he was asked to alternate or change targets that were placed twenty or so feet apart, he may as well have been starting from scratch.

With four targets of varying ranges set up, Orion could set about remedying this mistake in his personal training.

The bowstring kissed the edge of his cheek as he pulled it back, deep blue eyes locked onto the closest target, about fifty feet away. In the edges of his vision he could make out the next target, another ten feet beyond that, and another ten feet beyond that were the shadows of a third. It wouldn't do him any good split his focus; he wasn't skilled enough at his craft to do so.

Orion lined up his shot, aiming for center mass on the closest target, then raised the bow slightly to compensate for the distance. With his elbow tucked in nicely against his body, his draw was tight and compact. The squire exhaled and released the string, sending the arrow flying towards its mark. It spiraled along, cutting through the otherwise still, striking the dummy. The arrow pierced the stuffed target in the right shoulder, sinking in and sending it swinging back somewhat on the rope which it was suspended from.

[Orion Michaels]

Orion wasted no time in admiring his shot, not that there was anything to admire. While it had the potential to be a debilitating shot, it wasn’t where he was aiming. The point of this drill, however, was rapid fire on differing targets, so that’s what he would do.

The squire retrieved another arrow from his quiver as he took a few steps to the side to enjoy a less obstructed angle on the second target. Movement meant, however, that he’d messed up his base, and he wasn’t skilled enough to truly rapid fire with any accuracy. He had to set up his stance again. Blue eyes darted down to his feet as he slid them apart to give him the strong foundation he needed. His left foot cheated forward and his upper body rotated to face down range.

”So much for quick firing, Orion?”

”Good afternoon, Dinah.”

”That’s Sera Lorene.”

Orion glanced over, the corners of his lips twitching into a faint smile. The woman was relentless in her teasing of him, but they both knew that it had created the environment in which he needed in order to thrive. Or at least partially succeed. Ups and downs they had traversed together, and somehow they’d not killed one another. Not that they hadn’t tried.

”Just making sure I’m doing this right,” he said, nocking the arrow and pulling the string back some as he brought the bow up. ”Doesn’t matter how fast I fire if I don’t hit anything.”

Dinah nodded, waving her hand down the range. ”Then get to it. I’ll just be here watching.” The redhead crossed her arms, smirking as she observed her squire. ”And judging, of course.”

”Of course.”

Orion pulled back on the string as he settled in on the second target. Same size, same set up, only sixty feet away. The further away the target was, the more adjustment he had to make, not just for distance, but for the conditions they fought in. Thankfully, Syliras was known for its rather mild weather.

The projectile slid back along the arrow rest as he drew the string back, muscles in his back and arm tensing as the strain of the bow acted upon them. His thumb stroked the side of his cheek, his own personal signal of an appropriate pull distance. With the previous shot having been about the correct height on the body, Orion adjusted just a bit further skyward than his last attempt, and satisfied with his aim, he relaxed his fingers and let the string slips from his grasp.

The string snapped forward, sending the arrow flying on its trajectory at the target. The sharp arrowhead slid into the midsection of the dummy, bringing a smile to Orion’s lips. It was exactly what he’d been trying to do.

”No time to gloat! Fire at the fourth target!” Dinah’s voice rang out, her arm jutting out with an extended finger pointing towards the furthest target. ”Now, Orion! Don’t stand around. An enemy wouldn’t be waiting on you!”

[Orion Michaels]

”Hurry up, Orion. From where you are, furthest target back. Fire.” Dinah’s voice was stern, commanding, and forceful. Orion knew when his training was being commandeered, and that voice was a sure sign that this was one such case. It was for the better that he cooperate with the woman. She would rarely take no for an answer.

Orion retrieved an arrow, nodding at Dinah in acknowledgement as he prepared himself to fire once more. The first step was to get his feet back in the proper form once more. At least, he thought so, but Dinah disagreed loudly. ”What are you doing, Orion? Fire at your target! You don’t have time to stand around and think about getting into your form. You just have to do it!?”

The former physician gritted his teeth, burying angry retorts deep inside. He wasn’t sure how she was expecting him to just fire away with no regard for form. It seemed counter to everything she’d taught him thus far. Form was everything. Do it right or don’t do it at all. Now she wanted something impossible. He’d try to oblige.

The squire nocked the arrow, pulled back the string, took aim for a moment before letting a shot sail. The arrow missed far and to the right, as he expected it to. There was no way he could hit if he was being rushed to fire so quickly. Blue eyes turned to the redhead, but before he could gloat about how right he was, another command came from her lips. ”Second target. Fire.”

So that’s the game, Dinah? Make me miss all these dummies?

While obtaining another arrow from his quiver, Orion’s gaze turned to the target she’d called out. His foundation was completely wrong, his feet uneven and turned in slightly, and as he drew back an old habit reared its ugly head when his elbow jutted out to the side, instead of maintaining the compact style he’d been instructed in. When the arrow was released it whizzed through the air at the target before diving and crashing into the ground several feet before it’s intended point of impact.

”Fourth target,” she said coolly, crossing her arms he continued with his struggles.

Another arrow found its way into Orion’s grasp as he turned to face his newest ‘threat’. He knew in real combat that the enemy wouldn’t be so plain, just standing there ready to be picked off, but if he couldn’t hit them here, what hope did he have to ever be successful in a real conflict? ”Yeah, yeah,” he muttered in reply before getting ready to take another shot. His feet ended up shoulder width apart as he brought the bow up and pulled the string slightly. Blue eyes sighted the target and the squire finished his draw, his elbow staying tucked in this time. He brushed his cheek once more, took final aim at the middle of the target, adjusted the bow a bit higher, and released the shot.

The arrow flew, and the arrow struck true.

Orion raised an eyebrow and turned his head to Dinah. ”Target one,” she replied plainly.

”Right. No praise. I forgot.”

[Orion Michaels]

The training would go on like that for nearly a full bell as Orion began to get used to concept behind Dinah’s on the spot lesson. By no means would he perfect this art within that bell, but it was a step in the correct direction.

”Third target,” Dinah announced, a faintly pleased expression touching her features. For all the complaining she’d dealt with from her squire, he was piecing things together quite nicely. His dedication to training had caused a rather significant jump in ability in quite the short time. He was nearly physically ready for the undertakings required of a knight. Emotionally, however, was another story all together. She wouldn’t recommend that he stand before the Windoak in his current state. It was valid to wonder if he’d ever be ready in that aspect.

”Second target,” she commanded, watching her squire continue to work at the task before him. Orion retrieved an arrow from his quiver, running his fingers along the remaining arrows to get a quick count. His quick maneuver put it at three left, plus the one in his hand. The only respite he got from Dinah was when he was setting up for more abuse from her.

The squire slid his feet into position, rotating his body to face towards his target as he did so. It wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t simultaneous movement, either. This time his feet were a little too close together, giving him a somewhat weak stance, and he didn’t get the bow up to position with any quickness. Still, it was better than before. In time it would become more natural, more fluid, more second nature. For now, however, it was nothing but a constant struggle.

The arrow came to rest against the bow string as Orion focused on his task. He’d missed this second target more times than he was happy to admit, but he had to grow more accustomed to acquiring his target in a more expedited manner. It’s what the training was all about. Even though he felt he adjusted quickly, his bow was still in motion and his aim was not true. The arrow he released was then out of his control, and it’s course would not take it to the target he sought. His aim was high, and as such, the arrow cleared the ‘head’ of the dummy, clattering harmlessly to the ground several paces past it. Dinah’s next command came and he snapped towards the fourth dummy.

The squire’s hand hunted for another projectile from his quiver, fighting his instincts to take his time and line up the shot. He wanted to focus on making sure he was standing in a proper way. He wanted to focus on his elbow, his shoulder, his drawing hand, his bow hand. Each of them individually, not fluidly as he needed, as Dinah was trying to make him learn to do.

[Orion Michaels]

It was somewhat of a shock when he finally had a kill shot. The squire had been training with the short bow for over three seasons and not a single time during the likely thousands of arrows he’d fired had he actually struck a zone on the dummy that would have potentially been fatal.. It was more luck than it was skill, but at least there was finally some skill involved.

For one perfect moment everything lined up for the squire. Recreating it would prove to be difficult, but at least he knew it could be done. His feet had shifted flawlessly as he prepared himself for the for the shot. His base was easily the most important part of the process. Without a solid foundation from which to begin, nothing else would line up and the chances of scoring a hit would decrease rapidly. Thighs and calves tightened as he simultaneously began his drawback.

Keeping his back straight was the next vital step. If he arched it back, then his shoulders were going to sag. Sagged shoulders resulted in extreme difficulties getting a good draw, affecting not only the ability to aim, but power and accuracy. A straight, or even slightly inward back on the other hand utilized the strong muscles of the back in creating the force needed to send the arrow forth. As he brought the bow up to level, his back remained straight and his initial draw remained compressed and tight against his body.

Blue eyes focused on the target while the rest of these movements were occurring. Orion still was getting used to this aspect of archery. His style of acquiring his target was quite simple and instinctual. Rather than truly aiming, he just had a ‘feel’ for where the target was. It was more useful against moving targets than any other types, but it also was a way best utilized by natural archers, of which Orion was not. Still, for the short ranges they were firing at, it would suffice.

The squire then completed his drawback, inhaling as his biceps and shoulders engaged in reaction to the pull the string had. Resistant to motion, Orion didn’t figure he would have been able to use this bow when he initially started training. Scrawny doctor arms didn’t seem to be able to get the job done, but squire Orion had proven a different story. Eventually.

The arrow touched his cheek, he adjusted his aim for what he felt was right and in a split-tick the projectile whizzed through the air and sank into the head of the target.

Orion froze, shocked.

Dinah did, too, if only for a moment.

Orion wouldn’t give her a chance to ruin the moment. He slung the bow over his shoulder and turned from his patron, a grin on his face. ”Well, Sera Lorene, it’s been a blast, but I better go study my rank structure. Boy do I love reading about those Captain Knights.”

”Orion…”

”Thank you for your help today, Dinah,” he shouted back at her as he walked away, refusing to look back.

Dinah crossed her arms, but watched her squire with a smile on her face. ”That idiot might just get it yet,” she said quietly to herself before chasing off after him. He might be done with archery, but she wasn’t letting him off that easy. The opportunity for growth was now, and she couldn’t waste it.

Orion didn’t know what he was in for the rest of his knightly training. Dinah was a unrelenting and endlessly creative in her training. Things were just getting started.

[Accolade]

Orion Michaels

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Short-bow	+ 5 XP
Planning	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Speed is nothing without accuracy
•	Dinah has no heart for blue-eyed slackers
•	The correct way to quick fire: Be quick about it
•	101: The importance of a good stance while firing
•	Learned: Killshot
•	Learned: Higher range creates more distance

Notes :

Good training thread! That is all.

The Sylir has spoken

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