January 1st

The only way I could think of that would make him take each shot seriously was to make him aim at targets outside of the safety of the walls. If he missed then he would have to go even further into dangerous territory to get his arrows back. I pointed at the stop sign just outside of the wall. 

"That's your target," I dropped my arm, "I want you to hit that stop sign with your entire quiver."

"What happens when I miss?" He complained. 

"Then you're walking that much further to get your arrows back," I frowned at him. 

I didn't want to be anywhere near this guy. He made my skin crawl. I wasn't sure why, but the sooner this was over the better. I watched as he failed to hit the target with every single arrow. He had a few bad habits. 

I could see an angry red spot on the inside of his arm, and would have smirked if I wasn't worried about his father. Brats like this that always got what they wanted usually had someone behind them allowing them to act this way. The few I'd met throughout my life were working in their daddy's business. They always acted as if they could get whatever they wanted or as if their shit didn't stink. Sometimes they were a cruel combination of both. 

He only managed to hit the stop sign with one of his last arrows. He stared out at all the arrows that flew well past the stop sign with a complicated look on his face. Before he could start whining about it I jumped over the ledge. Taking his quiver with me as I did. My knees popped painfully as I landed. 

I stood up slowly. Listening to the crack of my knees as I stood. They weren't broken, but they were definitely damaged. I ignored the pain, and walked toward the arrows. Jumping to grab the arrow out of the stop sign before continuing to get they rest. 

I had my bow in one hand, and the quiver for his arrows looped into some of my extra belt. The way it bounced off my leg would be a hassle if I needed to run, but I didn't plan to run even if something came after me. I was testing this instinct I'd seemed to have developed after becoming a tamer. Whatever it was seemed to be getting stronger. The only things I'd changed recently were my stats, and kill count. 

I didn't think it had anything to do with my stats. That left my kill count. Part of me wanted to go out of my way to kill a few more monsters just to test if my theory was right. If it was my kill count then this instinct had something to do with me being a dragon tamer. I felt that familiar chill go up my spine. 

I stopped collecting arrows, and nocked one of my own. Tension ran through me as I turned, and fired at something moving off to my left. My arrow only grazed it because it was faster then I expected. The second arrow was knocked, and launched before I could focus on the creature again. Only this time I knew I would probably miss. 

The arrow exploded into a fire ball as the fire mana I'd pumped into it overloaded. I was glad I'd been experimenting with my fire magic while working out. I could feel the difference in my mana flow as well. Working on my mana veins while teaching this guy had been the right choice. The beast wasn't badly hurt, but it had been severely singed by the flames. 

They were second degree burns at the worst. Nowhere near lethal, but enough to scare off an animal. The beast jumped to the side away from the fireball, and continued it's charge towards me. I dropped my bow, and drew my unicorn horn dagger. It was too close for me to properly aim now. 

I jumped to the side as it rushed the last bit of distance between us. My speed had increased, but I still wasn't as fast as this monster. I stabbed toward the beast as we passed each other. The unicorn horn glanced off of it's hard hide. Gunfire blazed making my ears sting. 

The monster made a sound that reminded me of a velociraptor from movies. I didn't care. I scooped my bow off the ground, and turned to face my attacker. Drawing another arrow, and charging it as my hand came down to nock it. As soon as it met the string it was already burning the tips of my fingers, and about to overload. 

I aimed for what looked like the head, and fired. My aim probably sucked a little since I was in a rush, but I was too close to worry about that as I grabbed the hood of my sweater, and pulled it up over my face. The last thing I wanted was for my hair to catch fire. The fiery explosion threw me off my feet, and I rolled with it. Choosing to lessen the brunt of the blow on a single part of my body. 

Hoping that the damage would be spread, and lighter as a result. It still fucking hurt though. Rolling on hard pavement, and rocks. Flames licking at my back as I did. The sound of an angry clicking roar assaulted my ears as I hit the curb. 

Ending my roll in the process. I sprung to my feet. I'd clamped my arms around my bow mid roll after pulling up my hood. My sweater was on fire, but between the ringing in my ears I hardly noticed. I put up a wall of flames behind me as I staggered to my feet. 

Sensing something behind me, and not being disappointed as a monster cried out. Again the sound was similar to the velociraptors from one of my favorite dinosaur movies. I didn't have time to think on it as I drove my dagger towards the sound through the wall of fire. I'd assumed that this things head was the source of it's voice so I was literally just guessing as I stabbed backward blindly. I could tell as soon as the dagger dug in that I had not stabbed into the flesh of this creatures head.