The Way of the Bow (Archer)

[Hayden Warr]

Early Morning

Hayden lined up three training dummies side by side. The last time he'd been in the training grounds he noticed a bow and decided to give it a shot. The assassin-in-training wanted to expand his horizons from hand to hand combat which he was already exceptional at and try his hand at ranged combat. To limit one's self to one style of combat left the person unprepared and the bow would be perfect for his new job as assassin. Blasters were too loud and were too mainstream. A more unconventional approach was required for his line of work.

A quiver of twelve black stemmed arrows with a red pointed tip and red feathers were slung across his back and over his sleeveless black shirt. The three targets were to simulate common street thugs on Nar Shaddaa he planned to kill. Taking a deep breath, the assault was on. Removing one arrow, he drew it back, took aim, and released. The arrow flew right over what would be the target's right ear. The target in the middle was next. Lining it up, an arrow soared through the sky and connected with its left shoulder. Not a kill but still a shot. He retrieved his third arrow quickly, leapt into a forward roll, and came out of the roll with an unaimed shot. The arrow left the bow at breakneck speed and slice off material off of the dummy's left shoulder.

"Why is it always banking to the left?" He said aloud, frustrated that out of all three targets, he would of only been able to stop one before the other two either closed in on him to make it a hand to hand fight or they shot him. Something like that couldn't happen.

[Pen Archer]

The assassin waited in the shadows as he observed the man whom had briefly met before in Rama's. His skill was lacking. There was no patience to be effective it seemed, and the man was indeed sloppy. Finally someone that showed Pen was not as sloppy as some would suggest. Though Jack and Tess both did that to annoy him, drive him harder. He knew it, but still felt as though he had something to prove.

Emerging from the shadows Archer spoke simply, plainly.

"You have no patience. All your acrobatics will not help you kill a target that is not moving, so what makes you think it will help you kill a moving one?

At least this was an area where Archer was an expert. A lesson could be granted in exchange for something Archer could demand of him later. Though equals in station, Archer would have the upper hand. Boots crunched in the gravel as he rounded to face the man. He then quickly turned and, in quick succession, fired three arrows of his own each finding a resting place in the center of the bullseye.

"You must learn to aim well, and release the string gently. Use the tips of your fingers and caress the string as you would the soft flesh of beautiful woman. Killing is not simply a brutal thing which is done. It is an art to be enjoyed, a masterpiece which is worth the time and effort to create. Each kill is so, and you must learn the kill starts here, now, where you have the time to do it right over and over and over, so you will be flawless when the time comes."

[Hayden Warr]

Hayden lowered the bow as Pen rounded him and instructed what he must do and how it should be carried out. Brown eyes glanced past Pen at the three targets behind him, each with an arrow in the bullseye. All kill shots.

It would of been easy to just joke around but this was something Hayden wanted to master and someone with his expertise in the subject shouldn't be toyed with. "Okay." He said, glaring at Pen now and retrieving another arrow from the quiver. Twirling the arrow around in his fingers, he eyed Pen one more time before sidestepping him and loading the arrow's slit into the drawstring. Pulling it back slowly, the bow creaked quietly with each extension. His fingers softened on the string and he took a deep breath. Holding the arrow there, it felt like an eternity. Then...the release.

Hayden sharpened his eyes and nodded. The arrow slammed into the red paint of the outer ring of the target in the center of the dummy. A kill shot. Not a guarantee like the bullseye but still a killshot. He turned his gaze back to Pen. "I had a trainer like you once. Someone who taught that patience was the key to anything. He always said brute strength can win nearly any fight, but patience wins wars. I believed him. I believed in him." Hayden turned his back to the assassin. He didn't need to know that Hayden was the reason his master died. A change of subject was in order.

"So if you don't mind me asking and I know I should be asking myself the same question, but why do you do what you do? Why become an assassin?"

[Pen Archer]

dumb internet

[Pen Archer]

"Better," Archer said as he examined the placement of the arrow. "You just need to become comfortable with the weapon, which you are not at the moment. You're too stiff."

He was being candid at least, but if the man wanted to be an assassin, that was something Archer was not about to make him. Why teach him how to be what Archer was when that is what separated them at the moment. No doubt if Jack knew the man was interested he would swoop in and pluck up yet another student. One thing Archer did agree with was the Sith Assassins needed to return to the galaxy, and Archer was going to be one of them. He would train hard and be the best, so his master would make him his lieutenent. The thought of controling such a group made Archer lust after the opportunity. This was more than proving he wasn't sloppy. It was about being feared while remaining unknown.

"If you have to ask yourself the question, then do not become one. You want to though, don't you? The thought of orchestrating the end of someone's existence sends a thrill down your spine, doesn't it?"

[Hayden Warr]

"It does." He said with a dark smile. "I was an assassin before I came here, but my world was taken from me. The man I was going to kill...he got the better of me. Him and his soldiers should of killed me that night, but they gave me a second chance at life. A chance to join him or die on my second attempt." He unsheathed his fifth arrow and examined the metallic point. "The night he let me live was his biggest mistake. Killing him will be too much of a mercy. I want him to witness his empire burn...then, and only then, may he die."

Hayden quickly strung the arrow, drew it back, and released. The arrow broke through the air and slammed a half an inch away from the bullseye of the target dummy on the left. His raw anger for revenge drove his aim. "You say I'm too stiff." He walked away from Archer and stood on the other side of the room opposite him. Leaping behind a broken support pillar, Hayden yelled out from behind cover. "The only true way to learn to get comfortable with the bow is to learn to fire it under attack from another who uses it. If I can dodge the arrow, I can become one with the bow and arrow. If I cannot, then so be my death. The Sith believe in passion and emotions driving us. I want you to attempt to kill me, Mr. Archer. I may not be as accurate as yourself with the bow as of right now but I am faster on my feet."

Hayden chuckled evilly. "If we can deplete each other of arrows from our quivers without either of us dying, then I may of just found my new competition. I have eight arrows remaining in my quiver, Archer, and I assure you that one of them will break your skin!" From behind the skinny pillar, Hayden stepped out to the right in a fake and swung his leg in a momentum to the left to expose him on the left side of the pillar. He quickly fired an arrow at Archer before rolling and dashing towards the next pillar.

[Pen Archer]

fail

[Pen Archer]

This man was just as crazy as Jack. One did not learn to become one with the bow by getting attacked. If you did not invest the time to learn properly before being attacked the pressure would only hurt you, make you more eratic. The adrenaline in your system may tell you to fight, but the skill to execute would be lacking. Regardless, Xander had the force. The man may be faster on his feet, but Xander was faster with the force. This exercise would prove only one thing, that the man was being foolish.

The arrow came at him with high spped, but Archer sent it after the man who shot it with just a flick of the wrist. Metal coliding with stone rang through the training ground as the head of the arrow burried itself into the stone pillar the man had hidden behind. The approxamate location of where the man's head belonged was where the arrow rested, and Archer chuckled.

"This is a pointless exercise. You will only tire yourself, and as long as you send arrows my way, you increase my supply. If you wish to learn how to use the bow then get your act together. This idea of yours will only get you killed, something I have no problem doing."

Archer looked at his quiver and counted.

"However if you want to know, I have thirteen arrows at my disposal."

[Hayden Warr]

Hayden laughed from behind cover. "So smug. You say you have no problem killing me, yet you still refuse to try. Interesting technique using my arrow against me, by the way. I never heard you fire a shot, so I presume my own arrow was thrown back at me."

He removed himself from behind cover and exposed himself with arms out, bow in one hand and arrow in the other. "Alright, oh wise one. I'll tell you what. You help me become a better archer and I do something for you in return." Hayden put one hand up to stop him before he spoke. "Or are you just gonna shoot that idea down too. Seems you have a knack for that." His tone changed from joking to stern and serious as Hayden stood within arms distance from Archer. "Because if this is gonna be a problem, I'm just gonna walk out that door right now and I'll know where we stand from here on out. I'm just laying the playing field. You want an enemy, well then you'll get one, and not even your little bow or your parlor tricks will save you from me. On paper, we may fight on the same side but you make enemies with me..." A pause of silence filled the training grounds.

Hayden couldn't help changing his face from serious to a fake smile. "Seems we got off on the wrong foot...again. I have my methods of learning and you have yours, but in this instance, we can go with yours." Deep down he knew the two of them could never be allies though Archer would of been a strong asset. He'd sooner betray the bow and gut Archer with a blade or lightsaber first before letting him get close enough to earn his trust.

[Pen Archer]

ugh

[Pen Archer]

"Did I refuse? That was your arrow I used against you. I'm not looking to kill a new recruit, but rather I have other hopes, especially if you enjoy killing. My master he has a dream to see assassins take their place among the Sith once more. Stand in front of the pillar."

Archer wanted to see if this one could actually trust him. There would be a lesson in patience if he complied. There was a reason Pen was able to remain still while perched for so long. Scars near his shoulders would show where he failed his trainer's command to reamain still at a young age.

"I had a teacher once tell me that the best way to learn patience was to have very good incentive too. I like your game, but let's see if you can play mine."

Pen notched an arrow in the bow and waited to see if Hayden was ready.

"I'll give you a glimpse into where I come from, perhaps it will help you to understand."

[Hayden Warr]

He walked over in front of the pillar and looked back at Archer. Crossing his arms, Hayden waited for what was about to come. His trust was wavering with Archer but if he wanted to kill him, he would of done it by now and the guy was a pretty good shot after all. Whatever he had planned, it was dealing with being shot at...which was never good.

His mind raced with "mistakes can happen" thoughts and a deep feeling in Hayden's stomach made him think this was all a bad idea.

[Pen Archer]

"When my trainer had me do this, he intentionally shot me in the shoulder. I have the scar to prove it," Archer said as he notched an arrow.

The string was pulled back as the bow was leveled. Inhale, exhale, release. The arrow flew and the metal head burried itself in the rock just above the man's shoulder, no skin was broken.

"Though that was because I flinched."

Pen drew another arrow and this time aimed just above the man's head. Inhale, enhale, release. The arrow flew again with a similar result.

"If you want to kill from a distance, you have to be still, perfectly still. The shadows are your friend, but even in the shadow if you move at the wrong moment it can mean failure, and failure typically is rewarded with deat."

Archer motioned for the man to adjust his feet. It was time to see how much faith the man had in Archer's bow.

"Spread your legs."

[Hayden Warr]

Every time an arrow was pulled back, Hayden could see his life flashing before his eyes. The first arrow slamming above his shoulder was bad enough and now one above his head...less than an inch above his head.

Sweat beads built up on his forehead but he tried his best not to show his nervousness. When Pen motioned with a jerking motion both left and right with his bow, he knew what he meant before he could say it. "Alright, alright." He said twisting and shuffling his feet and inching the gap open in between his legs. In all honesty, he needed that more than he needed his own head. Hayden was still a playboy at heart and the last thing he needed was to give all faith to a guy he just met in a place where they are trained to kill you anyway. Any woman nowadays would probably hurl if they saw a dismembered...member courtesy of an arrow.

Hayden inhaled and exhaled deeply. "You've done well this far and I'm not gonna move. I'm putting all my faith in you." It pained him so much to say this last part but he meant it. "I trust you."