Revolt of the Archers

A Maple Story Fanfic by Kal Ancalas

Author's Note: I haven't written a multi-chapter in quite a long while, but boredom got the better of me one day. So…yeah. 'Nuff said.

The sources from which I draw inspiration to write this (and on occasion blatantly borrow) are mostly the Eragon series, Tales of Symphonia, and Tales of the Abyss. (Two characters that appear later on are based on characters from TotA.)

Enough ranting. Let's get on with this story.

-Kal Ancalas/ZerPheonix74

-----

"Are you sure you want to take the path of the bowman?" Athena Pierce eyed the young, dark-haired boy standing in front of her, eagerly.

"Yeah." He nodded fervently, literally bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"It's not going to be easy, you know." Her knowing eyes rested on him for a moment. "The skills of a bowman are much more difficult to master than those of the other classes. You'll have to work extremely hard if you want to reach your ultimate goal."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." he spluttered impatiently.

She raised an eyebrow. He'll go to pieces, this one. But at least he's got determination. "Very well." she sighed. "Please give me your hand."

He quickly held out his sweaty palm. She curled her fingers around his and murmured a few lines of ancient text, as she'd done so many times before. There was a brilliant but small flash of golden light, and the mark of the archer was then imprinted on the young boy's palm.

"Use your gift wisely." she admonished him.

He ran out without another word, no doubt to get his hands on his first bow and some arrows. Her knowing eyes followed him balefully. Somehow, something didn't rest easily with her.

Whenever something didn't rest easily with the founder of Henesys, something was really wrong.

-----

An eleven-year old Gault Isentryx ran out onto the beautiful fields of Henesys, his shoes gliding swiftly across the ground as he fervently clutched his beautiful blue War Bow in hand. A quiver of arrows was attached to his back.

Gault was a short, dark-haired youth, his hair hanging slightly past his shoulders. His pupils were a gentle shade of garnet, but could- and often did- turn dark crimson with emotion. After receiving the blessing from Athena Pierce herself, he'd felt totally on top of the world. Only Level 10, but a legend in the making.

"I'll be the best archer in the world someday." he smiled to himself, taking out an arrow and nocking it to his bowstring.

Fanciful words, those. Every single prospective archer had eagerly said those very same words, right after receiving their blessing from the bowmaster that ruled over Henesys, clutching a blue bow and a handful of arrows.

But none had actually ever reached that goal. No matter how hard and how tirelessly you strived, there was always someone far more skilled than you. That was the unspoken law of the world. Most people realized this in their midlives, put away their weapons, and settled down into a quiet, secluded life, raising crops or making tools for a living and raising families. Something like that.

Gault was not one of them. His raven-black hair and dark eyes glittered eagerly, amost maniacally, in the sunlight. He was determined, at all costs, to make a name for himself in the beautiful world of Bera.

He pulled the string back and released the arrow. It flew through the air with a satisfying whirr and planted itself in the back of a Stump. The creature turned around to see who had fired the arrow, but too late. With lightning speed, Gault had whipped out another arrow, and with a quick flick of his wrist, struck it dead. He collected its branch and marched off, quite pleased with himself.

"Let's try out this trick." he murmured, flipping through a small book that Athena had given him, titled The Skills of an Archer. He glanced through the numerous techniques, riffling impatiently through the pages with his childish fingers, until he found exactly what he wanted.

He brought another arrow up to his bow and closed his eyes, the words from his text fresh in his mind. Let your mind do the seeing. As an archer, your dexterity enhances all your senses. Hearing, smell, touch, and taste…There is nothing that escapes you. Look within yourself, and find the power. Let it suffuse you.

Still smiling, his eyes closed, he released the arrow with satisfaction. A small flash of blue light erupted from the symbol on his palm and melded with his arrow. The blade of blue whizzed through the air for a moment before striking a Slime. With a bang and a squeal, there was a shower of blue sparks as it fell dead with a last squish.

"Yes!" He pumped his fist. "Arrow Blow rules!" He dashed off, killing more monsters in a similar manner. He was totally addicted to the feeling, the power coursing through his veins, the thrill of the ability to deal death with a flick of his wrist. There was nothing that could stop him.

Nothing.

"Thunderbolt!"

His arrow whizzed through thin air and fell uselessly in the grass, as a brilliant flash of blue-white lightning, brighter than his own technique, struck down the stray snail he'd been eyeing. Furiously, he whipped around to see a magician, a warrior and an assassin standing before him. Probably in their level 30's. All of them wore cruel smiles.

"What was that for?" Gault spat, annoyed.

"Aww, ish the wittle baby scared?" the warrior mocked.

Gault felt his face and eyes turn a hot red. "I'm eleven!" he retorted.

"And we're fourteen. Nice knowing you." the warrior shot back. "Slash Blast!" He swung his sword in a wide arc, slicing through the monsters around him before Gault could even draw an arrow from his quiver.

"Stop that!" he commanded with all the authority that an eleven-year old could muster, pointing a finger at them.

"Stop that!" the wizard mocked. "That's cute. What are you gonna do?" He flicked his wrist. "Thunderbolt!"

"Slash Blast!"

"Thunderbolt!"

"Lucky Seven!"

"Slash Blast!"

"Thunderbolt!"

"Lucky Seven!"

Finally, out of fury, Gault swiftly whipped an arrow out and shot at a nearby snail. It struck true, the snail dying with a loud squeal, and he cheered in triumph at his small victory.

"Aw, the wittle baby got a hit." The warrior laughed cruelly. "Well, here's a hit for you!"

He struck out cruelly with his sword, the steel crushing through the soft wood of the bow, breaking it into splinters. The tip of the blade nicked Gault on the elbow and he fell to the ground, bleeding and stuck with splinters. Hot, hateful tears of fury came to his eyes and ran down his cheeks.

"Heh, does wittle baby want a tissue?" the trio laughed, cruelly, before leaving.

Gault panted fiercely as he lay on the ground, his blood slowly oozing onto the soft grass. But it wasn't his wounds that truly hurt him. It was their cruel laughs and taunts that pierced his heart like arrows.

I will get my revenge on you all. Someday.

His pupils glowed a fierce crimson as he lay in the grass.

-----

Three Years Later

My name is Zeraion Phoenix.

I was born eleven years ago in Henesys; today's my eleventh birthday.

Today, I'm going to be an archer.

It's not the kind of thing that runs in the family. I have two brothers, one older, one younger. My older brother's name is Ark Wolfen. My little brother's name is Ascion Blade. We all have two first names, for some reason. I have a last name, but I can't tell you what it is. My parents never told me what mine was, since everyone has to protect their last name. I never really knew why, but Mom and Dad used to tell me it was really important. "Beware of the necromancers." they used to say. "If they find out your name, you're in trouble."

Some people make up last names, but most people just use their first names in conversation. It's not a big deal. Both of my parents are now gone. Mom died after giving birth to Ascion, but we've never held it over him. I know it's not his fault. Dad left a few years ago to do an errand, and he never came back. I don't know what happened to him, and I don't want to know, but I hope he's still alive out there. I really miss him. He'd be proud.

Ark is a fighter. He went off to Perion some time ago to train, and came back with a huge axe over his shoulder. Dad made a big deal out of it when he came back, but Ark was too modest. He's like that. He probably could be a Crusader by now, but ever since Dad left, he hasn't trained much. Instead, he's been like a role model to Ascion and me, taking care of the house, making meals, stuff like that. Ascion doesn't have a job yet, he's still a little kid, but we're hoping he grows up to be someone. He's been talking about being a cleric.

Me, I wanna be an archer. At first, when Ark came home with that big axe, I wanted to be a warrior, but when I heard about the training he went through, I kinda put it off. I don't want to be a magician and bury my head in books all the time either, and I don't want to be a thief, having to live off garbage and steal pocket change for a living. So, I made up my mind to be an archer. They look so cool, with their bows and arrows, and with all that running they do, they don't look too shabby either. Granted, I know it'll be a lot of work, but everything's a lot of work. That's one of the things Dad taught me.

I want to be the best archer in the world, but like Dad said, it'll be a lot of work. But I don't care. I want to be someone respected, who can deliver death with a flick of my wrist. Maybe, like my big bro, I could even take the second job advancement, but I don't worry about the third job advancement. I've heard stories about the Rangers. They're legends. "Their power pierces the skies and rains destruction on all evil." Or something like that. But I'll never be like that. I know I don't have the mindset for something like that. Heck, even Ark's the highest-leveled guy I know, and he's only halfway there.

Well, I should be off. Time's a-wasting.

I picked up my handy shortsword, slightly tarnished from weeks of killing snails, and inserted it into the sheath at my belt. Ark glanced up from a book he was reading. "Leaving, Zer?"

"Yeah, Ark." I nodded. "I'm gonna be an archer!"

Ark laughed. "Don't strain yourself, Zer." He sighed. "Go get 'em, bro."

Heh, I love my big brother. Even if he is a warrior, he's still really nice. I walked past the townspeople, all of them greeting me. I noticed a few archers and hunters skittering about. God, they look so cool. No rangers at the moment, though, but from what I heard, most of the Rangers are up in Ossyria training. I'm scared of Ossyria, even though I won't admit it. I heard there are Yetis and Zombies that could tear people to shreds in seconds, and I'm not going to go there anytime soon.

I dashed past the gates of Mushroom Park, the fresh scent of flowers in the air. Quickly I ran and ran, towards the big tree where the founder of our town, Athena Pierce, lives.

Athena Pierce is really something. Not only is she a bowmaster, one of the legendary few who have mastered the fourth job (it boggles my head just thinking about it) but she also founded this town from wasteland and monsters almost single-handedly. She's the master and teacher of all the archers in the world. Anyone who wants to be an archer talks to her. I heard she's an elf and that she once killed a dozen Crimson Balrogs with one arrow, but she tends to take nice walks and instruct kids more than going out and being a hero.

As I walked through the door, the warm scent of fresh flowers hit me, even more so than in the park. Athena's house was beautiful, built into the tree, flowers growing right off the wall. I wish I could've lived in a tree. I admired the house for a bit before going up to Athena's desk.

She finished writing something on a piece of paper and then looked at me. "Well met. Who are you?"

"I-" I nearly choked with amazement as I eyed the woman who had reportedly slain twelve of the most powerful monsters in Victoria Island with one blow. I don't know how I managed it, but finally I stuttered, "I'm Z-Zeraion Phoenix. I-I want t-to be an archer."

"I see." She got up from her desk. "Come over here for a bit."

I walked over, nearly tripping over my feet. She took my hands in hers and stroked my palm with her fingers, murmuring things like "Ah" and "I see" the whole while. Finally, she eyed me directly.

"You really want to be an archer?" she asked.

"Y-Yeah."

"It's not an easy path. You will have to train hard and long if you wish to attain your goal."

"I-I know." I stammered. I found a little courage and then said, "But I want to be one of the best bowmen in Bera. I might even be a ranger someday, if I work hard. Please, Athena, I really want your blessing."

A smile barely graced her lips. "Very well, Zeraion." she said. "At least you have the mindset. Please show me your palm."

I held out my hand, and she took it in hers. She spoke a few words of a language I couldn't understand, and then she gripped my hand hard. There was a flash of bright golden light, and I couldn't see for a bit, but I finally blinked and saw Athena looking approvingly at me. There was a strange, ornate glowing mark on my palm.

"Congratulations, Phoenix." She took a small book from a shelf behind her and handed it to me. "You have now chosen the path of the archer. Train hard, and you shall be rewarded with the fastest of speed, the sharpest of senses, and the greatest of powers."

I left the tree quickly, murmuring a hurried "thank you" as I ran out. I distinctly heard her say, "He'll be a great one someday." as I left.

-----

I immediately ran off to the Henesys weapon and armor store, and using some of the money Ark gave me, bought a War Bow, some green archer clothes, and a quiver full of arrows. I put it on and stared at myself in the mirror for a bit, and I had to admit, I definitely seemed a lot more dashing than I did a long time ago.

As I paid for my items, the man behind the counter said, "You just become an archer?"

I nodded in assent. He said, "Well congrats. But you know, it's gonna be tough."

"I know." I said, hitching the quiver of arrows over my shoulder. "I'll train hard, though."

"Good luck, kid." he murmured, cracking his knuckles on his desk before turning away. I sped out of the store, ready to rain justice on a bunch of monsters.

First, I picked up an arrow and set it to my bowstring. How does this work? You hold the arrow, pull the string back, and release…

My first arrow flopped lazily out of the bow and landed a foot away from me on the ground. Angrily, I muttered something and picked it up, and then tried again. And again. And again.

Finally, I was spared further embarrassment by a black-haired hunter nearby, who told me, "Easy, kid. You're holding the bow backwards. You need the string towards you."

"Oh, er thanks." I muttered, red-faced.

"Hey, it's no problem." he said. "I had a lot of problems with my first bow, too. Here, try this." He untied the string from my bow and restrung it, then plucked the string with his finger. "That should hold." he smiled, tapping the wood with his knuckles. "Now try it."

I took the bow and another arrow and set the arrow to the guide notches in the bow, then pulled hard, the arrow taut against the string. Finally, I released.

It was an exhilarating sensation that I'll never forget. My arrow flew through the air with a whizz as it left my hand and planted itself about twenty feet away from me. It was a poor shot, but better than my first few. I smiled and turned towards the hunter.

"Thanks for your help." I said. He smiled in return. "No problem, kid." He left, no doubt to train on something that I probably couldn't even hit.

-----

One Year Later

I drew two arrows from the pouch on my back and twirled them in my hand for a split second before raising them to my bow and firing. "Double Shot!" I roared.

The arrows struck the ribbon pig between the eyes as it charged at me. It let out a squeal as it slumped to the ground. Smiling, I untied the ribbon from around its neck and slipped it into the pack on my back. Those ribbons were prized by the women of Henesys and could sell for a decent price.

I was twelve years old now, a year older from when I'd first become an archer. Slowly, but surely, I'd gone from holding my War Bow backwards to being able to fire arrows swiftly without the string snapping in my face, at least not too often.

I hopped on a rope nearby and clung to it while I whizzed down a red potion, then jumped down again. Closing my eyes as the pigs ran around me, I selected my target. I felt the magic suffuse me as I brought the arrow to my newly bought orange Hunter's Bow.

"Arrow Blow!"

The arrow burst through the air and landed with a bang, knocking out a pig nearby. I smiled with satisfaction. I never tired of using that move. Unsheathing the handy sword that I always kept at my belt, I sliced off the skin. I could dry it for leather later.

Oh yes. Life was good. I never had any cares except to train my skills with the bow on those porcine targets.

That is, until, I was interrupted by the sound of…

"Thunderbolt!"

Blue-white bolts of lightning shot from the sky and struck down the pigs faster than I could draw an arrow. Furiously, I spun around to see a wizard, smirking at me.

"Too slow, kid." he snickered before blasting away at another group of pigs. I ignored him and drew another couple of arrows, but before I could strike the wizard beat me to the punch, yelling "Thunderbolt!" again and blasting down all the pigs at once.

"Oh, damn." I muttered. If I stayed here, I knew I would not get much training out of it. I could only either leave or pray that a magic-resistant Iron Hog would appear and charge down the magic-user.

Out of fury I fired a few more arrows, but they all struck thin air as Thunderbolt hit its mark over and over again.

"Hey, you!" I heard a voice above me, and both I and the wizard twisted our heads to look.

It was a hunter. Level 50, I would have to guess, from the plush cap on his head, his blue-lined gown, and his blue Olympus bow. I'd heard stories about that bow, but never seen it in person. Then I realized who it was, from the raven hair and sharp, dark eyes. It was the hunter that had first showed me how to use a bow.

"Stop harassing the kid," he snapped, pointing his bow at the wizard, "or you'll seriously regret it."

"Make me." the wizard snapped, blasting a few more pigs.

I could see a vein in the hunter's forehead bulge. "You asked for it, you little shitbag."

He then drew an arrow out of his quiver and set it to his Olympus. Then, he closed his eyes.

In disbelief, I stared at this hunter as the wizard continued to blast the pigs. What on earth was he thinking if he thought that taking a nap in the middle of the place would help-

"Arrow Bomb."

It was a cool, calm, collected voice, and I will never forget it. It is the voice of someone who knows he is going to win before he even makes a move. The arrow, brighter than I could see, flashed flame-orange in the sunlight before it exploded with a large bang, taking out a large group of pigs while the wizard's lightning struck the ground.

The wizard spun around, aiming for another group of pigs, but before he could even wave his staff I heard "Arrow Bomb" again, from the hunter, eyes still closed. This time, there was a touch of cruelty in the voice, as though the hunter was deliberately mocking the helpless magician. Again, and again, the wizard struck, to no avail. The hunter was simply too fast.

He opened his eyes and pointed his bow again at the wizard. "Now," he said, venom dripping from his voice. "What did I say?"

The wizard needed no urging and fled, as I stared with amazement at this stranger who had come to my rescue.

"Holy…" I drew a deep breath. "That was amazing!"

"No need to thank me." He waved a hand aside. "Just doing my job."

"Yeh." I murmured. "What level are you?"

"Fifty-six."

"That's high." I drew a deep breath, yet again.

"Yeah." He seemed to stare into the distance. "It's my dream to become the best archer in the world." He ground a fist into his palm. "And I won't let any stupid magicians stop me." There was a kind of fire in his eyes as he said that, and I stepped back from him a little.

"W-what's your name?" I asked, slightly trembling.

"Gault Isentryx. I'm sixteen." His raven-black hair fluttered slightly in the wind. "You're?"

"Zeraion Phoenix." I stammered.

"Nice to meet you." He stared off into the distance a bit more before turning his attention back to me. "What level are you?"

"T-Twenty-four."

"Ah." He nodded. "Well, good luck training."

"Yeah."

"Listen." He seized ahold my wrists and gripped them really hard. It hurt a little. "There's an imbalance of power in the world right now. The warriors, magicians, and thieves get all the strength, and they lord it over us. I won't accept that. I've had to endure it for years. I still endure it today."

His eyes were burning fiercely and I wanted to turn away from him, but at the same time, I couldn't. There was a clear, vicious passion inside of him. "I'm going to gather up all the bowmen in Bera, someday. And when we're all assembled, we'll show them all that we won't take it anymore. There'll be a revolt. A revolt of the archers." His eyes blazed again, and I almost could feel the heat from them against my skin. Finally, he let go of my wrists, leaving deep red marks where his callused hands had been.

"When you reach level fifty..." He said in a low, dark voice. "Find me. Find your destiny, Zeraion Phoenix."

Naturally, it is impossible to put into words what I was feeling at the time. I turned to ask him some question, but he was gone, scattered to the wind. The only fragments of his prescence were the burnt shafts of his arrows nearby, stuck into the ground.

I stared at them. His power…his passion…his words, they all resonated inside me.

When you reach level 50, find me. Find your destiny, Zeraion Phoenix.

-----

I did not return to the town of Henesys until I was level 30. I lived near Lith Harbor for a while, training on the pigs, then I moved to the beautiful town of Ellinia and rented a small hut in a tree, on Ark's advice, who had told me to go there and train on the green and horned mushrooms that populated the tree dungeons. I'd always wanted to live in a tree ever since I'd seen Athena's house, but my rented home smelled musty and of fungus, not clean and flowery. Still, I was determined to make ends meet, so to speak.

Finally, two years after I'd set off on my journey to become an archer, I was a hunter, at last. The fabled second class. In more than one way, I'd become of age. Firstly, I was now thirteen years old, but more importantly, I'd reached my thirtieth level, which meant I was old enough to become a hunter. From what Ark had said, the fighter's job test was, as he bluntly put it, "an ass." Hopefully, my test would be easier, but I doubted so.

When I'd hit level 30 after killing my last mushroom, I'd ecstatically sent a letter to Ark. In response, he sent a reply. He was glad that all was well; he congratulated me on my thirteenth birthday, and he told me that Ascion was well and grown, and was indeed training and studying hard to become a cleric. He also added that he'd sent me a birthday present that would hopefully arrive soon.

Indeed, as soon as I set down the letter, I was greeted by a voice calling my name. I went to the door of my small room and opened it. A fairy was waiting for me.

"Zeraion Phoenix?" she asked, holding a long package.

"Yes, that's me." I nodded. "What can I help you with?"

"This package came for you, from your brother. He says happy birthday." The fairy giggled and left, leaving the package at my feet. I picked it up and weighed it. It felt slightly weighty, but not much heavier than my Battle Bow. I shook it and was almost certain of what it was, my heart thumping, but I was too afraid to open it, my hopes too high. Finally, I ripped open the paper and beheld my gift in all its glory.

It was a Ryden. Gold-plated, with emeralds set in the guide notches, its handle finely covered with leather. I felt its sturdy metal frame and compared it to my Battle Bow. Certainly, it was superior. There was even a case accompanying it, and I opened it to find several bow-strings, made out of something I couldn't place. I strung the bow and twanged it. The resonating note rung through the room and I felt my heart skip a beat. It was top-quality, probably scrolled. But where could Ark find the money to-

The note attached to the package had drifted to the floor and I slit it open. It was a small note from my brother.

Hey, Zer.

I found this one day while taking a stroll through Henesys. A wandering thief had it, and I made an offer. It wasn't a pleasant process, the haggling, but I did eventually trade off my Sabretooth for it. Don't worry, I can make do with my Blue Counter. It's been scrolled with the best of scrolls, and it's got a ton of attack points to its name. There's even a few drake-gut bowstrings to go with it. Don't worry about the price. Ascion says hi.

From your big brother,

Ark

I felt my heart twinge lightly as I wondered just how much could this have cost. I didn't even want to know, but I felt slow tears of gratitude come to my eyes. I would have to repay him someday.

I slid the shining Ryden into my quiver and pawned my old bow off at the shop, buying a few potions with the proceeds, as I would probably need them. Then, I went off to the taxi station and paid some money for a ride to Henesys, post-haste.

When we arrived, I bid the driver good-bye and dashed through Mushroom Park, barely stopping to smell the flowers like before, until I reached Athena Pierce's familiar tree-house. Athena herself was once again sitting at the desk, writing out something on a piece of paper, no doubt a commendation for some ranger or sniper in Ossyria. I coughed and she looked up.

"Well met, Zeraion." she murmured. "What wind blows you here today?"

"I just passed my thirtieth level, Athena," I murmured, bowing low. "I seek further guidance in the path of the bowman."

Athena laughed, her voice tinkling in my ears. "Since when have you showed me this much respect, student? Last time I remember, you were too timid to even say my name."

I felt my cheeks glow red. "Well, er, there's a first time for everything."

"You're not the quivering boy I saw two years ere." she murmured, making me blush a bit more. "I take it you've acquainted yourself with the bow and wish to become a hunter?"

"Of course." I responded. "I find bending a bowstring more satisfying than pulling a hair-trigger on a crossbow."

"So be it." She nodded, then took up a quill and scratched something on a piece of paper. "I have a friend who would be more than happy to guide you through the next part of your journey. She is located on the Henesys route to the dungeon. It won't be an easy test, but…" She paused. "I have faith in you."

"You're just saying that." I murmured, scraping the ground with my foot. Athena eyed me amusedly.

"No, Phoenix, I'm not just saying that." she said gently, laying her hand on my arm. "You show more talent and determination than almost anyone I've ever met. And I really mean that." Her lips curled up in that same faint smile I'd seen two years ago. "You will be a great ranger someday."

"Ranger…" I murmured, curling my tongue around the sacred word. I didn't know what to say to Athena anymore, but she merely saved me the trouble and waved me out, note in hand.

-----

I ran out of Henesys faster than a bullet, as I went up the dungeon path. I'd always supposed that path to be full of Crimson Balrogs when I was a child, but it seemed no more than a simple, grassy path with nothing too challenging, except for Iron Hogs that I decided to save for another time. In fact, the most challenging obstacle I faced were not the monsters, but the foliage. I got my arms so scratched by the thistles and thorns that I almost thought that fighting through all this was half the test.

After some rope-climbing through a briar bush, I cursed and plucked a thorn out of my sore, throbbing hand before laying eyes on a short, pink-haired woman wearing glasses and holding a blue, ornate bow. I supposed her to be Athena's friend who would supervise me through the rest of this test.

"Ah, Zeraion." She nodded at me. "Athena sent word of your arrival. I take it you are ready for the examination? If not, I'll wait here until you are."

"No, I'm fine." I said. She raised her eyebrows at my scratched arms and legs, but said nothing. Finally, she gestured. "The test area is near here," she murmured, pushing aside a bush. I could see something like a rabbit hole behind it.

"It looks dangerous." I shuddered. In response, the instructor tossed her head angrily at me. "You expect to be a hunter, and you're afraid of a little hole?" She slid down into the earth, and I had no choice but to follow.

She led me through the caverns, until we reached a small, isolated cave. Evil Eyes and Zombie Mushrooms skittered through the stone halls. I shuddered again. It smelled really musky and damp down here, and it was also dark. She stood on the edge of a platform, away from me.

"See those monsters?" She pointed. I cast a stare at them. They were certainly ferocious-looking and a far cry from the mushrooms I'd trained on in Ellinia, but something told me, inside, that I could handle them. I clutched Ark's Ryden and reassured myself.

"Those monsters have been controlled by an evil that resides at the center of Victoria Island. Their hearts have melted away and replaced with shards of darkness, called Dark Marbles. You are to collect thirty of them, and then Athena will recognize you as a hunter. I'll be waiting up here when you have them all."

I tried to snipe safely from my current platform, but to no avail; my arrows disappeared into darkness and I couldn't tell if I had hit anything. I realized I would have to go deeper into the darkness.

I felt something crunch under my feet as I walked. It was a bone. Slightly sickened, I rushed forward, eager to get myself out of this place as soon as humanly possible. I drew two arrows from my quiver and closed my eyes. The dark didn't matter to me anymore; I saw with my hands and my ears, exactly where my targets were. I drew back the new bowstring and felt the bow bend slightly in my hands. I released.

"Double Shot!"

The power of my attack was so strong that the arrows flew out with amazing force and struck down a Zombie Mushroom instantly. Surprised, I didn't know how I could have done something like that. Leave it to Ark and his 57 attack Ryden. My courage hardened, I quickly finished off an Evil Eye in quick succession and drew the sword from my belt. Quickly, I slashed it open (I tried to ignore its insides, even though I'd gutted monsters before) and drew the dark crystal from its inside. Feeling slightly sick by the smell, I threw the thing into my pack and continued onwards.

I eventually lost count of how many marbles I'd collected, but judging from the weight on my back it had to be a lot. I staggered back to the pink-haired instructor, clutching the rope with difficulty (as the marbles weighed me down.) Finally, with a heave, I pulled myself up. I almost wanted to throw up, from skinning all the monsters, but I managed to keep my composure and threw the pack at her feet.

"Done?" she asked.

"I think so."

She began to sort through the pack with amazing speed, drawing out the marbles and counting them faster than I could see. Finally, she drew out the last one and murmured, "Fifty-four, exactly." She nodded. "Very well, Phoenix. You've done well." She led me to the exit of the cave, and I took a deep breath of relief as I inhaled the fresh Henesys air.

-----

I wanted to run to Athena's house, but I didn't dare. The contents of my stomach were already unsettled enough and losing my early meal over the floor of the leader of the bowmen's house was not going to help the case of my promotion, so I walked very slowly, gingerly clutching onto anything I could for support.

I wobbled over and presented my medal from the instructor to Athena. She glanced at it, then slid it into a drawer in her desk. "Congratulations, Phoenix. This signifies your advancement to a Hunter." She took another book from the shelf behind her. "I think I should go over the skills with you, since they may be a bit difficult to understand on your own."

"O-okay." I stammered, more out of my nauseousness than my nervousness.

"Let's see." She flipped through the pages with her long fingers until she found the one she was looking for. "Ah. Well, first, there's Bow Mastery. It's a series of little techniques that you can use to help in battle. It's more really about looking sharper and pulling harder, but it helps." She stared intently at me.

"Yeah."

"Then, we have Bow Booster. It allows you to focus the mana inside your body and redirect it to your hands and arms. I could go into all the technical details, but it basically means you'll be able to shoot faster. You know how Thieves get Haste? Well, this is almost the same thing, except it's for your arms."

"After that, we have Soul Arrow, which is definitely something you need. It allows you to focus mana and create projectiles out of the energy around you. It takes a little getting used to, but all you need to do is pull back on the bowstring, focus yourself, and release. It's very helpful in tight situations, so you won't have to carry a quiver of arrows everywhere you go."

"Um, yeah."

"And there's also a technique we call Power Knock-Back. It allows you to temporarily amplify your strength and thus allows you to use your bow more effectively as a melee weapon. However, I wouldn't count on it as a killing tool, as it saps your strength really fast, since you're not a warrior."

She paused to eye me, as I think I was kind of green at the time, and then continued. "And lastly, we have my personal favorite, Arrow Bomb. I think you'll like this skill."

No doubt, as I vividly remember a certain raven-haired hunter using it a year ago.

"You focus the mana around you into your arrow, and then you fire it. If done correctly, the arrow will explode, and you'll be able to take out a large group of enemies at a time. Strongly recommended when you're being mobbed by a crowd."

I nodded. "Thanks." Then I realized something, her arm deliberately covering up some of the page. "What's that?"

"Oh, this?" she muttered. "It's nothing."

"No, really." I said, a bit louder, even though I felt sick to my stomach. "Show me. I want to know what that is."

She gazed at me, a penetrating and questioning stare, before turning her attention back to the book. Slowly, she moved her arm off the book.

"Final Attack." I read the words on the page, slowly.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Isn't that for warriors?"

"Yes, it was." Her eyes stared sadly at me. "We discovered that whenever mana was used in an attack, a curious effect took place. People felt a rush from performing an attack that used mana. At first, it was dismissed as a side effect, but the leader of the warriors did some research on it. He discovered that the effect, known as "mana burn," was the result of leftover mana gathered from the initial attack. It quickly dissipated, but it left a curious sensation."

She continued. "The warriors were interested by this, and experimented all they could with mana burn. It was a perilous process and several died…" She took a deep breath. "But in the end, the warriors discovered that this mana burn could be controlled, and harnessed after using the mana. In fact, the energy from this effect could be up to ten times more the energy of the previous attack."

"Ah." I nodded, partly understanding. She continued.

"I hope you see my point, Zeraion. You see, if too much mana burn is accumulated, it can destroy the body. The warriors knew this, but at the same time they were determined to control it. And finally, they did. They perfected the technique and published it in all the warrior manuals. It was introduced to the world as Final Attack. Suddenly, warriors dominated the world of Bera. None of our attacks could fare against them; they had the secret of mana burn. And they would keep it from us at any cost."

"That is, until I performed my own research." She stared sadly at me. "I knew that we bowmen, even with our powers, could not hope to match that of the warriors. I knew that the secret to our power would be mana burn. So I…I experimented with the effect. And I couldn't risk using others, like the warriors did. So I performed the experiments myself."

She drew back her sleeves, and I gasped, almost losing it right then and there. Her arms, which should have been beautiful and strong, were horribly disfigured, crisscrossed with scars and burns.

A tear dripped from her eye and she shook her sleeves over her arms again. "The price I paid was horrible. I nearly lost the use of my arms. And to a bowman, that would have been torture. But I managed to perfect the technique, like the warriors, and it was published in the bowmen's texts as well."

"I understand." I said quietly. "But if it was mastered, then why doesn't anyone use it?"

"Because," Athena said, her voice still in that quiet, terrible whisper, "I could master the technique myself, but I couldn't teach it to everyone who wanted to. We bowmen didn't have the strength or stamina to withstand the pressures of the mana burn. As I had feared…many lost their lives perfecting the technique. I couldn't allow this slaughter to destroy us, so I removed all mention of the technique from our books. This copy that I have is the only mention of it. I eventually developed new techniques to replace the power of Final Attack, powers that the rangers and snipers now wield." She sat back in her chair. "So, now you know my story."

"But…" I stammered. "Surely at least some must have able to been withstand the mana burn and master Final Attack, wouldn't they?"

"Yes." She nodded. "Those precious few, they survived and they mastered the technique. They became dominated by it, and they ignored the rules of our limits. They went above and beyond, creating attacks way beyond the grasp of even rangers and snipers. Dragon Pulse is one. Hurricane is another. However, Final Attack corrupted their minds, and those that remain have mostly sealed themselves away from the world, knowing their power and the destruction they could wreak with it."

She shed another tear, and she drew back her sleeve a little bit, revealing part of her scarred, disfigured arm.

"They are the bowmasters and crossbowmasters, Phoenix."

"N-no way." I shuddered. "So Final Attack is the key to the legendary fourth job?"

"Yes, Zeraion." She used my first name out of kindness and pity. "Without the secret of mana burn, you cannot hope to achieve the powers of the bowmasters. I did, but I paid the price. I don't want you to go through that kind of torture. Please, listen to me."

I did listen to her. Her words have always stayed in my heart since, but I also couldn't help remembering what else she'd said.

Without the secret of mana burn, you cannot hope to achieve the powers of the bowmasters.

I made up my mind, right then and there. No matter the price, I would master mana burn. I would master Final Attack, and become a bowmaster. I had made a promise to myself that I would become the best bowman in the world.

"Athena." I said, forgetting my manners and calling her by her first name. "I have listened to you. Every one of your words is in my heart. But I have made up my mind. I can't live with myself if I let Final Attack and the secret of mana burn pass me by, and I don't want to look back at the years I could have worked. I'm not afraid of the possible consequences. Please, give me the book, and I promise you I will work harder than any other student you've ever had. I won't let myself be weak and succumb like everyone else."

I held her still hand. "I promise I will master Final Attack."

She looked up at me, and I could see she'd been crying. "Zeraion, I am not trying to overstate the gravity of this. I know you are a brilliant, studious and determined archer and I always predicted you would be a great ranger someday, but I don't want to lose you just because of a silly technique."

"I know." I squeezed her hand lightly. "I understand, Master. That is why I am asking you for the secret. I trust myself and I trust your judgment."

She stared up at me again. "You don't act like a thirteen-year old." she murmured. "All the hunters I've seen ask me for Arrow Bomb, trying to create the biggest and best explosions, but no one has ever noticed, let alone pressed me for the secret of Final Attack." She managed her first smile in quite a while. "You definitely have determination. Like…him."

"Like who?"

She caught herself. "It's not important," she muttered. For a while, she appeared in a state of deep thought. Finally, she made up her mind and handed me the book.

"Please, Phoenix, be careful." she admonished, running her scarred fingers along my flawless arms, as if she knew they would be wounded soon enough. For that moment, I was grateful for her friendship, her trust, and her affection for me. I have always been grateful for it since.

I took the book. "Thank you, Master."

She merely nodded. "Yes, Phoenix." She turned away from me, and I didn't want to intrude upon her any longer.

I knew I had to do two things. I had to master Final Attack, no matter what the cost, and I knew I had to find Gault Isentryx someday.

-----

With all this pressing upon me, I felt as though I had a very heavy burden upon my back. I did nothing except train relentlessly with mana burn, save for one point in Arrow Bomb. However, I knew that Arrow Bomb could do nothing for me when I became a bowmaster.

Indeed, as I went off to a secluded spot in Ellinia forest, I knew the responsibility that lay before me. True enough, I had accepted the challenge, but I hadn't underestimated Athena's words either. I had seen her tears and I had seen her scars. I knew that this was not something to be taken lightly.

First, I practiced Arrow Blow. I knew it to be a reasonably powerful skill, yet not very taxing. I closed my eyes, let my magic suffuse me, and released the arrow, the blade of blue flashing through the air and killing a wandering Stump. However, the monster was not my target. Rather, I was searching for that feeling of the aftermath of my magic.

I felt it. It was like a small gust of wind, as gone as quickly as it had came. I became very excited, for I knew what it was. Now, how could I harness it into an attack?

I performed Arrow Blow again, with the same result, but I couldn't seem to grip the mana burn. It kept slipping away from me, just when I needed it most. I began to grow very tired, having to replenish myself with bitter-tasting bottles of blue fluid from the Henesys potion store.

On my sixteenth try, something happened. I performed Arrow Blow again, and this time, I concentrated fiercely.

I need this power. Please, grant it to me!

There was a flash of light and I released the bowstring, but at the same time, I felt a line of pain shoot through my arm, and I screamed, dropping my Ryden. But even as I fell, my eyes saw the shining arrow that I had fired. It shone with a beautiful golden light and flew through the air, faster and stronger than any arrow I had fired before, and it struck a snail head-on.

The snail gave a cry of pain as the ground around it exploded forcefully, its slimy body suddenly everywhere. I felt sick, but at the same time I felt a kind of grim triumph. So this was Final Attack. It was the equivalent of throwing a grenade, and I had only begun to use it. Who knew what it could have been like when it was mastered?

Suddenly, it clicked into place. What they said about Athena slaying a dozen Balrogs with one arrow had been true.

She had been using Final Attack, mastered by years of pain and torture.

I turned my attention to my arm. There was something like a scorch mark that ran up the length of my wrist, but the scarred flesh was a ghostly white, not pink like a regular burn. I felt even more sick, but I knew this was the price that Athena had paid, and it was the price I would have to pay for my pursuit of power.

I stood up, brushed the dirt off of my armor, and walked into the setting sun towards my home.