'Still not good enough'
These words echoed through his mind as Sundrin stared down beneath him.
The duel had ended just a while ago, and once Lioren could get up, he glared at him one last time before he left.
Although Sundrin had won, he didn't let this victory get to his head. Lioren was just another trainee and was also an ordinary one at that, thus, he didn't find it any challenge, and in conclusion, didn't have fun.
But as he reflected on his previous duel, he understood many things about his own weaknesses,
'First of all, my agility is too low, I need to work on my stamina and speed, secondly, I need to learn another weapon that I can use alongside my bow, maybe a dagger will be good.'
He thought deeply about it for a second as the crowd started to disperse,
*sigh~*
"Maybe I am getting used to saying this, but it is indeed true, there is a long path ahead."
He said, exhaling a tired sigh as a wry smile crept up on his face and he looked up at the shining moon.
*bam!*
Before he could even appreciate it for a bit, however, something crashed onto him.
Sundrin, caught off guard, looked down to see that it was Torvyn who was hugging him tightly as he cried a lot, and snot came out of his nose,
"Hey! hey! Hey! You will get the snot on me!"
He said as he quickly pushed his friend away, Torvyn fell on his back, but still kept on crying as he said,
"I was so scared!"
Sundrin couldn't help but smile wryly as he shook his head,
"Why were you afraid? I was the one fighting, you know."
He asked, and Torvyn's reply was instant,
"What do you mean!! I was scared for you!"
This time, Sundrin was caught off guard as he burst out into laughter,
"Hey! It's not funny."
Sundrin totally ignored him as he kept on laughing, but then suddenly he remembered he had lessons with Granny Ignessa today, so he quickly pulled up Torvyn and said hurriedly with a smile,
"Ok, I need to go now. You head back to the cottage and get some sleep, No one should bother you for the next few days."
After having said that, Sundrin swiftly moved like the wind, heading for the forest, not even waiting for his friend's reply.
Torvyn just stood there dazed, and only after a while did he finally get up as a thankful smile crept onto his face.
He started walking and headed back to the cottage.
Today, he truly felt proud of his friend whom he thought of as a little brother, so he would go back and boast to everyone that he had a friend like this.
.
.
.
.
As the moon shone upon his figure, Sundrin hastened his steps and approached the clearing where he usually met Ignessa.
Soon, he could see the huge boulder, but as he came closer and closer, a frown appeared on his face.
The reason for his confusion was that he could see the silhouette of two people at the place where he was walking towards, one was the same old figure of Ignessa that he would recognize even from far awy.
The other was a small girl of nine or so who had a lithe figure as raven black hair cascaded down her back.
Once he was close enough, he slowed down his pace as the girl and Ignessa turned their heads to look at him.
As the girl moved her head, their eyes met, and he could see the beautiful abyss-like dark eyes of the girl.
Sundrin stared at her for a moment before he recognized her and turned his head to look at Ignessa as he stood before her.
Ignessa, with the same gentle smile as always, looked at Sudnrin as she opened her mouth to speak,
"Sundrin, meet Solenya, she is almost the same age as you and will also learn the veena from me, so be nice to her, ok?"
Sundrin nodded his head as he didn't have anything to complain about.
He knew only a little about Solenya. He knew that she was one of the four topmost promising kids of this session and also that she liked to remain alone while also being a woman of few words.
Solenya also didn't say anything and turned her head to focus on Ignessa,
"Well, since Solenya has just joined us, I will be teaching her the basics, so wait a while and then I will continue on with your lessons."
Ignessa said with her signature smile and started the lessons.
Soon, time started to pass, and the three figures practised the veena cascaded under the moonlight.
Sundrin didn't know why, but whenever he practised the veena, he would forget everything about the outside world and just get lost in the art of learning it. This not only helped relax his mind but also steadily increased his patience.
The moon rose higher and higher, and soon it was midnight,
"That will be all for today."
Ignessa said as she got up and stretched a bit,
"Both of you should train well, there is going to be an event in two months, kind of like a test. But knowing you two, both of you will be fine. Well then, good night and be careful on your way."
Saying that, the old woman starts leaving and enters the forest, soon disappearing in the darkness.
Silence once again returned to the place as the two kids stood under the star-filled sky, looking towards where Ignessa had left,
'Well, this is awkward.'
Sundrin thought this to himself as he tried to start a conversation but found that the words were too hard to utter.
He had never been a person who talked much, and not having any friends of his own age only worsened the situation. Thus, a long, awkward silence enveloped the place, and the only thing that could be heard was the distant howls of some unknown beasts.
Finally, Solenya turned her head to look at him with an expressionless face, causing him to flinch,
"What is your name?"
She asked in a monotone voice.
Sundrin was surprised but still introduced himself,
"I-it's Sundrin, nice to meet you"
He said with a shy expression, he was always shy when talking to new people, and this would not go away that quickly,
"Mine is Solenya."
Solenya nodded and turned to leave, surprising Sundrin once more,
'Just like that? The conversation's over?'
He thought to himself as he gave out a wry smile and shook his head. He looked at the disappearing figure of Solenya and also started heading back.
Today had been a rough day, he needed some rest.
.
.
.
.
*chirp~*
The morning birds chirped as they sat peacefully in the trees near the practice grounds.
The sun had risen a while ago and was now ruthlessly shining down upon the kids and the third elder standing in the fields.
Two months had passed since Sundrin's battle with Lioren, and summer had arrived as the surroundings grew hotter by the day.
Today, as well, was another hot sunny day, as the kids who were sweating buckets gathered around the third elder in the practice grounds,
"You all have done well surviving these past few months, it is not an exaggeration to say that the kids from four months ago have toughened up a bit."
Survath said with a small, amusing smile on his face.
All the kids gulped, having a bad feeling. By now, they had understood the third elder a bit, and whenever this older man praised them, it meant they were in for some tough love.
Survath ignored their worried looks as he continued,
"After evaluating all of your records and feats, I have decided upon the top fifty candidates of this session. All these candidates will form a team and participate in a seven-day hunt held near this forest under the supervision of the guards."
"The hunt will be held five days from now. Does anyone have any questions before I mention the names of the fifty candidates?"
After having finished his explanation, he asked the students, and after a while of silence, one boy at the front raised his hand.
The third elder nodded, permitting him to speak,
"How many people can there be in a single team, and can those not in the top fifty make their own teams or go solo?"
Survath opened his mouth to clear the doubts going through the minds of the kids,
"There can be no more than seven people in a single team, and as for those not in the top fifty, they can make their own teams if they want to, but you all will need to submit your groups and the members in them to the head guard."
"Also, at the end of the hunt, all of you will be judged on a point-based system, and those in the top fifty start with fifty points, thus they have an advantage, but they have earned it by themselves, so no one can complain."
"Any other questions?"
He asked one last time, and no one spoke as all their doubts had been cleared. The third elder nodded his head and finally said what the kids had been waiting for in anticipation,
"Now, I will be calling out the top fifty!"
All the kids grew excited as soon, they would find out who are the top dogs of the session and who among all of these four hundred or so kids was the best.
And thus, Survath started announcing the names in list under the heated gazes of the hot-blooded youths.