Blood and Arrows

Ezra nervously stood, his arms trembling as he gripped the bow. His heart raced, and he wasn't even sure if his stance was correct. He tried to steady his hands, but the weight of the bow felt foreign to him. His focus shifted to the target ahead—just a simple dummy, but the pressure of the moment made it feel like much more.

He took a deep breath and drew the string back, aiming carefully at the target above Asli's head.

The silence in the air was deafening, every student watching his every move. His fingers were stiff, and his hands were slick with sweat. He could feel the bow's tension as he held it, the spring ready to snap.

Finally, with a steadying exhale, he released the string. The arrow shot through the air with a satisfying whoosh, but Ezra's stomach dropped as he watched it miss by a wide margin, the arrow embedding itself in the dirt far off the target.

A collective gasp echoed through the crowd as Ezra's second arrow flew. His heart raced, and his vision blurred, but the moment felt like slow motion. The bowstring snapped back, and the arrow flew through the air.

Ezra winced as the arrow veered off course and lodged itself into Asli's shoulder, the soft thud of impact ringing in the air. For a split second, everything seemed to freeze.

Asli's expression flickered between pain and surprise, and he instinctively reached up to grasp the shaft of the arrow lodged in his shoulder. A low groan escaped his lips as he looked down at the wound.

The teacher's face twisted into something between shock and barely-contained laughter, though his eyes gleamed with something darker.

"Oh my and he bleeds You've got one more chance, kid. If you don't hit the target this time, well…" His voice trailed off, as he let the consequences linger in the air.

Ezra's mind was racing, but his body felt frozen in place. His fingers were slick with sweat, trembling as he gripped the bow, unable to focus. He kept darting his gaze between the target, now practically out of his line of sight, and Asli, whose shirt was slowly soaking through with blood from the wound in his shoulder.

Each second that passed felt like an eternity. The sound of his own heartbeat seemed deafening, buzzing in his ears as his breathing grew shallow. 

"Focus," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the chaos in his head. His hands shook harder, but he forced himself to aim again, trying to steady his breath.

Asli, though standing still, appeared pale, his usual composure faltering as the blood from the wound continued to drip, staining the fabric of his shirt more with each passing second. Ezra's stomach twisted in knots.

"Just hit the target," he thought, his fingers unwilling to cooperate, but he knew—he had only one chance left.

Ezra released the bow, the arrow flying through the air with what felt like an eternity of suspense. His heart raced as he watched the projectile soar, praying that it would land true. Time seemed to slow as it whizzed toward the target, the sound of the air rushing past his ears almost deafening.

Then, with a sharp, resounding thud, the arrow struck.

Ezra's breath caught as he saw the arrow embed itself into the target with a satisfying thump. But it wasn't a clean shot—the arrow was just to the side, missing the bullseye by inches. It was enough to pierce the target, but not enough to be perfect.

For a moment, the world seemed to freeze.

The students were silent, their eyes trained on the scene. Asli's wound still bled, his face pale. He'd held steady for the entire ordeal, but Ezra could see that it had taken its toll.

The teacher's voice broke through the silence, low and almost amused. "Well, well. Not bad, considering the circumstances.anyway class dismissed "

Ezra rushed forward, panic rising in his chest. Asli had collapsed to his knees, the arrow still lodged in his shoulder. With a groan of pain, he yanked it out, the sharp metal scraping against his flesh. Chunks of flesh clung to the arrowhead, and Ezra felt his stomach churn at the sight. Blood seeped from the wound, staining Asli's shirt even further, but his face remained eerily calm despite the evident pain.

"I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean it. I swear, I can heal you " Ezra stammered, guilt weighing heavily on him ready to conjure up his flames.

Asli's face, pale , gave a slight, tired smile as he steadied himself. "It's fine… it won't kill me," he muttered, his voice strained but controlled.

Ezra stood there, unsure of what to do next, his heart still pounding. The intensity of the moment slowly began to settle into an uncomfortable quiet. Asli didn't seem angry or frustrated, just… tired. The blood continued to drip slowly, but he was already moving, getting to his feet with a groan of effort.

"You did well, considering the circumstances," Asli added softly, his voice softer now. "Just… next time, aim for the target, not the person."