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Chapter 16: Miracle

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A point came where even Noah and Nious had to stop their practice just to observe the monster before them.

He surpassed them in under a month where they took years to master the way of the bow.

He took a month to transcend that. They could ever sense the slight movement of the ether when they focus on him.

That signifies his first step towards becoming a grandmaster archer. In reality, even reaching mastery takes a long time. It's named mastery for a reason.

The ancient scholars didn't see it worthy to set any stage lower than mastery because anything lower than that is useless against the majority of the dangers in the world.

Val's movements were light and swift as he continuously picked arrows from his quiver and placed them in the bow, pulled the string, and released it.

Each arrow created a hole of its own on the poor target dummy to the point that the latter started losing any semblance it has, seemingly a tower going down and becoming mere debris scattered all around.

The target dummy was made of brown wood. That allowed the dark metallic arrows to pierce right through it with ease.

He continued that way until his quiver became empty again. There was a smile on his face throughout the entire thing.

His smile wasn't forced in the slightest. in fact, It looked as natural as the beauty of nature, like the movement of the river, obeying the laws of nature.

'This... How did I not practice archery before?' Val couldn't help but wonder to himself, feeling his current state.

The absolute focus and comfort he feels as he pulls that string only to give it its freedom back a moment later.

'Elegance, perfection, and tranquility. Using the rapier back then, I found some artistic beauty in its movement but nowhere near this. This needs a poem...'

Val stood straight, no longer in the archery stance. He closed his eye and entered a state of light meditation as words came out of his mouth.

"Under its nightly beauty, I breathed a sight.

Under the stillness of darkness, I witnessed it bright.

I saw the light that warmed my heart.

I felt the wind brushing that warmth.

The movement of the wind merciful It was not.

For my heart was taken out and fleed without a second thought."

His concentration and joy were well hidden beneath his smile. The joy that almost blinded him from witnessing a sight.

However, it was too much to miss. He felt the movement of the ether, his words it obeyed.

The art of his words guided it towards a new goal. He didn't stop the poem, the words continued, but he paid close attention to the movement of the ether.

He only opened his eyes once the poem ended then he saw it. It was a sight to behold.

The spectacle of a faint white figure floating before him. Its coldness can truly freeze one's heart in more ways than one.

It was shaped like an arrow, one that releases its light throughout the surroundings, giving an illusionary feeling of warmth.

Val marveled at the spectacle before him. He himself didn't fully understand what's going on, but he knew he caused this, and he felt like its natural as he set the last piece of the puzzle.

"I'll call it 'Movement Of The Wind'" He warmly uttered these words as lifted his hand and pointed at one of the intact target dummies.

Then it was heaven, for the dummy that is. The illusionary arrow's light shone upon the target as it traveled towards it, seemingly seeking to warm it up even further.

And so the dummy found itself hollow, a slight cold wind passed through it, following after the merciless cold arrow.

Val found himself with a wide smile as he looked at the dissipating cold arrow through the large hole on the dummy's chest. If it had a heart before, then it has it no more.

Val walked up to the poor heartless dummy, carefully cheeking it up. He then asked the baffled duo. The usually silent brothers became even more silent... If that even make sense?

"I've read a significant portion of the books in the castle for the past month. However, I have yet to come across one that describes anything like this. Do you know what's going on?"

"I don't know? It appeared as if you had cast an ether art without the subsequent chant and runes?"

Even the two brothers who have already reached the second sequence were confused, their proficiency in ether arts seemingly useless.

Just as Val was thinking about asking Alvion, the latter appeared before them, wearing a simple open black robe, beneath it was a crimson leather shirt and black pants.

He had a frown on his face as he ordered, "Come to the main hall now, all of you." He then slipped right through the shadow of the night silently.

Val was planning on just that before so he didn't mind and started making his way to the castle with the two brothers.

"You two must've read much more books than me, so you should've come across many poems. I did as well, and I've even read some of them out loud..."

Noah and Nious found themselves intrigued for the first time by what felt like forever, "We did but we noticed no disturbance in the ether. It's unlikely to be entirely caused by the poem. It must've been mostly because of you."

Val nodded, seemingly agreeing though his words were saying otherwise.

"I agree, the poem was perfect. The air, the words, the passion. They all came together and even forced the ether to shed tears. Those tears transformed according to my vision thus the spectacle before."

Val couldn't help but nod at himself and went on to stroke his ego further, "It makes perfect sense. It seems that even the ether has its priorities straight."

Val paid a bit of attention to their stunned look before continuing on his way, causing his expressionless brothers to have any sort of reaction is a challenge even Alvion gave up on ages ago.

Val however feds upon such reactions. Human emotions are fascinating, especially when drawn in paintings.

'Ahh my dear paintings, I hope their new owners are taking good care of them. Now that I think about it, I have to start many things all over again, and it's rather lovely.'

At the end of the day, for him, it's all about entertainment. He found himself glowing with happiness and satisfaction since his first moment in such a wonderful world. How long will that go for? I wonder.

Alvion appeared within the castle hall and took a seat on the throne. His expression indicates his deep thoughtfulness at the moment.

"Eliminate everyone who witnessed the sight or even sensed it." Until those words came out of his mouth, to whom they were directed is unknown, but his order was fulfilled before the trio entered the hall.

He didn't have the chance to speak because his mischievous child broke the tense atmosphere, "Now that I think about it, you must be quite old, at least five hundred years old."

Alvion truly thought Val had more to say, but he waited for a few more seconds only to find the latter just looking at him as if waiting for him to say something.

"Am I supposed to have a response for that? What're you getting at?" He couldn't help but inquire.

Val, on the other hand, just shrugged his shoulders, casually responding, "Nah, I was just saying."

"And am starting to regret some of my life choices." Alvion seemed to have realized his son's ploy a bit too late, but he at least knew he had to keep his guard up from now on.

"Noah, Nious. I don't think I need to tell you, but I will anyway, tell no one of what happened, not one soul, not even Rhys."

Once they nodded in acknowledgment, he continued, "You all will halt your practice in archery. I will have a private training space arranged for you underground. You'll all practice in there and help each other."

Val didn't mind, in fact, he preferred it that way. So he nodded and waited for his father's next words.

Alvion picked on that and added, "From what I know, there are few cases where that happens.

The first is for path lords, but you're obviously not one.

The second is what's called wonders, something that happens in certain vague circumstances.

I don't know much about it due to its rarity, but I know it happens due to willpower, desires, and emotions. I will look for more information about it though what you should know is that an event only witnessed in a lifetime, so it's unlikely to happen again."

Val nodded while stroking his chin, seemingly contemplating something, 'I recited the poem again, but nothing happened so he might be right. However...'