Hard Work Pays Off

Lucien ran home to tell his mother the news.

“Mother! Mr. Fuller gave me ten coppers!” Lucien exclaimed.

“That’s amazing sweetheart!” his mother congratulated. “Did you wash more dishes than usual?”

“Yeah. He paid me extra for it!”

“Oh, tell me how you did.”

“The tests? I felt like I did alright. Results will be posted at the school in a week.”

“That’s good.”

“I’m going to back outside ok, Mother!” Lucien rushed back outside, picked up his wooden sword, and headed towards the bag full of dirt hanging in the tree.

The bag in the tree was about as tall as Lucien and about two feet wide in diameter.

Lucien began to slash at it, first with two hands, then he switched to one hand. He slashed, spun and stabbed with great form and control. Lucien had worked very hard on his sword skills and he finally felt as if he had achieved some level of mastery. Now it was just the problem of quickening his movements and increasing the power of his strikes. However, this proved very difficult as he lacked the nutrition needed to grow and strengthen his muscles. He didn’t let that stop him though.

His father returned him and watched as his son slashed the bag.

“You’re pretty good at that. How about you and me spar?” his father suggested.

“You mean I fight you?” questioned Lucien.

“That’s right. I have another wooden sword I made for myself. If you surprise me, I may just give it to you and then you can practice duel welding.”

“Dual welding!” Lucien’s interest was peaked at this. “Deal!”

His father went into the cabin and returned with his own wooden sword.

“Ready?” asked his father.

“As ready as can be.”

His father stood ready with one hand clasping his sword. Lucien stood ready as well, but with two hands on his sword.

His father made the first move and slashed down from the right. Lucien moved his sword to parry then made a counter strike for his father’s right side, but his father blocked it with the flat of his blade. His father then slid the sword down Lucien’s and hit the hilt.

Their swords were locked together as each pushed against the other, but his father was obviously stronger and pushed Lucien back just with the strength of his one arm.

Lucien switched to one hand and slashed his sword to the left. His father parried, but Lucien used the momentum from the parry to spin and slash his sword in the opposite direction as he put both hands back on his sword.

This threw his father off guard, but he managed to block the slash in time. His father began to swing and swing, forcing Lucien into the defensive. It took all his focus to block and parry.

‘Look for an opening.’

Lucien observed as he parried and waited for an opportunity.

His father came down with his sword hard.

‘Now!’

Lucien moved the left as his father’s sword came crashing down and used the sharpened part of his blade to slash at his father’s arms.

Thunk!

He made contact, but didn’t stop there, he spun clockwise and then struck his father’s side.

“Ouch! Ok, ok. You win.” His father admitted. “I’m going to have bruises now! That was incredible son!”

‘If that had been a real sword, he would have inflicted a serious cut to my arms and side! His instincts are sharp and he’s very talented.’ His father stared at his son in awe.

Lucien was breathing very hard as he tried to catch his breath.

His father held out the sword he was holding towards Lucien.

“As promised, this is now yours.” his father stated.

Lucien smiled and took hold of the sword. Now he had two swords and couldn’t wait to try out dual welding.

“Boys, dinner’s ready!” Lucien’s mother called.

“Let’s go son.”

“Ok.”

They both went inside and ate. When Lucien finished, he went right back outside and began to fool around with the two swords.

“Looks like I need to pick up a bow and arrow for him.”

“Did he pass your test?” his mother laughed.

“He sure did. Look at these bruises.” His father showed her his arms and side where it was now blue and purple.

“Wow! He did that?”

“Sure did. That boy is a natural and we are originally a mage family. If he keeps this up, he could study under any class he wants, except the mage class of course.”

Throughout the week, Lucien continued to focus on his dual swordsmanship while he waited for one week to go by.

He and Kalin would meet up and fooled around together throughout town. Both of their mothers forbid them from going anywhere near the woods due to the possibility of them running into a monster or crazy animal.

Before Lucien knew it, it was Friday the next week. After, he ate his small breakfast, he rushed outside and into town to meet Kalin.

“You nervous?” Kalin asked.

“Not at all, I’m excited!” Lucien declared confidently.

“Ok smarty pants. Last one to the school has to kiss Cletus’s boots!” Kalin shouted as he took off. Lucien followed in a dead sprint, but Kalin’s long legs gave him a huge advantage. Not only that, but Kalin ate more properly than Lucien did.

Kalin made it to the school first and looked behind him as he gathered his breath.

Lucien came up a little way behind him and put his hands on his knees, trying to gather all the air he could back into his lungs.

“You… win.” Lucien breathed heavily.

“That’s ok. I wouldn’t make you kiss his boots. That scumbag doesn’t deserve something like that.”

“I don’t deserve what?”

Both Lucien and Kalin were surprised by the sound of Cletus’s voice.

“We were just saying that you don’t deserve to beat us up today or really ever,” Kalin lied.

“Oh yeah!” Cletus sneered as he raised his fist. A bunch of students nearby overheard this and closed in to see the fight that may break out.

“Wait! I have a proposal,” Kalin interrupted.

“A proposal?” Cletus paused.

“If Lucien here scored higher than you in all the subjects, you can’t beat us up for a week.”

Cletus thought about it. He rather liked bets. He would make them with his friends all the time.

“If Lucien scored in the top three, I won’t pick on you two for the entire summer until school starts up again. However, if he didn’t you two have to do whatever I say for the rest of the summer.”

Both Lucien and Kalin looked at each other.

Kalin hesitated, but then he answered, “Deal. The students here will act as witnesses so don’t go back on your word.”

Cletus smiled, “Fine, now let’s go make you one of my followers.”

Cletus, Lucien, and Kalin all walked into the school towards the group of students crowding the board.

“Everyone, get out of my way!” Cletus yelled. Everyone turned and saw it was Cletus, then moved aside to let him through. Lucien and Kalin followed behind Cletus to look for themselves.

Cletus scanned for the paper that listed the rankings. When he found it his mouth dropped open in awe. Kalin noticed this reaction and read the ranking.

“Lucien, look at this!” Kalin pointed at the ranking list.

Lucien looked to where his finger pointed.

The paper read: First place, Bryson Witt. Second Place, Lucien Verglas

Lucien couldn’t believe it.

“HA! From this point on you can’t touch us until school starts!” Kalin shouted triumphantly.

Cletus scowled and walked away frustrated.

“I don’t care what I get now. That just made my whole summer!”

“You should still check.” Lucien suggested.

Kalin looked for his name.

“Not the best grades, but I passed!” Kalin jumped happily. “This day couldn’t get any better!”

Lucien laughed with Kalin as they walked back out of the school.

‘My hard work paid off. Time to go home and tell mother!’

Lucien separated from Kalin as they both wanted to go home and tell their families they had passed.

“Mother I passed! I even ranked second in the class!”

“That’s wonderful sweetheart!” his mother congratulated him. “Why don’t you treat yourself to an apple!”

Lucien’s eyes widened, “Really. Is it alright?”

“Of course. It’s important to reward yourself after a job well done. Take a couple of coppers from the jar.”

“Thanks, Mother!” Lucien grabbed six coppers and rushed back outside of the house.

He sprinted until a found a vendor that sold apples.

“Sir, I’d like to have an apple please.” Lucien stated politely. The vendor recognized him as a Verglas with the white hair. He had also seen Lucien run all over town.

“That’ll be six coppers.”

Lucien looked down at the sign, then looked back up at the vendor confused.

“But sir, the sign here says four coppers an apple.”

“Does it? Well that’s incorrect, I meant to change that today,” the vendor sneered.

Lucien handed all six over to the vendor.

“Good, now pick one,” the vendor ordered.

Lucien looked at all the choices he had before him. There were red, dark red, green, and yellow apples. Lucien’s mouth began to water. He wanted to taste all of them. The only one he had had before was the red one.

“Come on kid, I don’t have all day,” the vendor said impatiently.

“I’ll take a green one.”

The vendor threw him a green apple and Lucien walked away.

He bit into it and the juices filled his mouth immediately. The apple tasted sweet but a bit sour as well. Lucien enjoyed each and every bite until all that was left was the core of the apple.

After he had finished the apple, he decided to head back home and practice some more with his two swords.

Lucien had a blast with Kalin all summer. They played in the creek that ran outside of time and led into the forest. They stayed up late while tending to a fire and looked up at the stars as they fell asleep. Both of them were as carefree as could be not having to worry about Cletus.

Every now and then they would run into Cletus. They would smile and wave as they walked by. Cletus would return a scowl and continue on his way.

Lucien continued to go to The Tavern and wash dishes. Some days he would receive next to nothing for his work, other days he got his fair share. His father was also able to stay home more often since the summer months meant less ice. The only way to excavate ice in the summer was to climb the Wasanola Ice Tops, which was extremely risky.

Before Lucien knew it his birthday had arrived and school started back up the day after next. He met up with Kalin, like he always did, in the morning at the town entrance.

“Happy Birthday buddy!” Kalin smiled as he handed a small box to Lucien.

“Thanks!” Lucien took the box and opened it. Inside was a small leather bracelet with Verglas written on it.

“Never be ashamed of your family name. I hope you remember that as you look at the bracelet.”

“I love it, but how…?”

Kalin held up his hand to stop Lucien.

“That’s not important,” Kalin interrupted.

Lucien hugged Kalin. Kalin was surprised by this action, then hugged Lucien back.

“Thanks for all you’ve down for me, Kalin.” Lucien sniffled. “You’re the first friend I’ve ever had.”

“Oh, come on now. Let’s go celebrate!”

They both went into town and fooled around playing all sorts of games with one another.

It was the weekend, so Lucien didn’t have to go to the Tavern. He had a lot more time to hang out with Kalin before leaving for home.

Lucien arrived home to see his father leaning against the house as he waited for his son to return home.

“Happy Birthday son! I have something for you!” his father called.

Lucien sprinted into his father’s arms and his father lifted him up and spun before setting him back down. A package was leaned against the house.

“Open it. It’s for you,” his father stated. Lucien’s mother stepped out from the house as well to watch her son open the gift.

Lucien pulled apart the paper wrapping and inside was a bow with two arrows.

“Oh wow!” Lucien exclaimed in excitement.

“There, my promise is fulfilled.”

Lucien lifted the bow and notched the arrow onto the string.

“It looks like you already now the basics, huh.” His father walked closer to him and straightened the bow out and then began to explain the intricacies of it.

“When you pull it back use two to three fingers. I would prefer that you use three,” his father suggested. “Now when you aim, look straight down the arrow towards your target. Depending on how far away the target is you’ll have to adjust for the drop. You should also take into account the wind.”

Lucien understood everything his father said and immediately tried pulling the string with the arrow back. Lucien’s arms began to tremble violently because of the tension created. His father noticed he struggled with this due to his lack of strength.

“You don’t have to pull it all the way back. Just as far as you can for now.”

Lucien relaxed and let the bow’s string return to it’s resting place, and then tried pulling back again before aiming at the dirt bag hanging in the tree. The tree was about thirty feet away.

Lucien went over everything his father said in his head.

‘Look straight down the arrow.’

The bag was in sight, right in front of his arrow.

‘Adjust for the distance.’

Lucien lifted the bow up a little, so the arrow was now pointed towards the leaves above the bag.

‘Feel the wind.’

Lucien didn’t really feel the wind, just a slight breeze every now and then.

‘Relax and slowly release!’

Whoosh!

Lucien let the arrow fly and it sunk right into the bag of dirt

“Yes!” Lucien jumped in celebration of his achievement.

“Well done!” his father admired.

“You see that mother!”

“I sure did. That was wonderful!” his mother commented.

Lucien retrieved the arrow from the bag and ran back.

His father had a tear in his eye.

‘My boy is so talented!’

“Come in boys. It’s time for dinner,” Lucien’s mother ordered.