CHAPTER 2: TRAINING WITH THE GREEN DEVIL

I pant, and I pant as I run in the forest trying to avoid the arrows Artemis is shooting at me, After 5 minutes of dodging I got stuck on a mudhole "AHH dammit!" I shout out of frustration "…found you" Artemis said while she aimed then fired at me hitting my right temple, knocking me out. When I woke up, Artemis was poking me with a stick "Oh, you're awake now, I see… Well time for more" she said getting her bow ready, "wait wait wait, time out! What was the point of this exercise" I said while getting ready to run "hmm… well I was testing you, I got to say you suck at dodging, be warier of your surroundings, and whatever happens. Keep. Calm. You got that?" I nod, "In a real-life setting, you would have been dead." I look up to see Artemis' disappointed face looking at him dead in the eye, "I-… I understand." I replied, though sad at what she said, I know she was right… I would have been dead. So I stood up and went up to her then bowed, "Please teach me how to become a better archer and a better fighter!" I said to her "Lift your head kid" I did as told then looked her in the eyes then put her hand on my shoulder "At least now I know you're serious kid. Now let's get started with the basics" with those words, I regained my motivation.

It's been a few hours since Artemis started her lessons and as of now, she taught me how to better my form, increase my accuracy for fast-moving targets, and of course how to run away from a pursuer. "Let me…catch my…breath," I said while catching my breath "well we did make some progress, but before you go…" she said then smirk "Stand in the middle and wait" I waited for a while then suddenly, a training arrow hits me in the knee. "What the heck?!?!" I shout "the last exercise for the day kid! Running is not allowed, only dodge, now dodge my arrows like your life depends on it!" then a barrage of arrows came towards me, I manage to dodge almost all of it until an arrow hits me in the back of the neck causing me to panic and get hit by more and more arrows, this went on for 1 hour until 5 pm. "Great job for the most part kid," she said then gave me a thumbs up, "now go home and rest, meet me here again tomorrow. Thanks again for cleaning the forest, kid." She winked, then disappeared into the forest.

As I make my way home I drop by the convenience store to get something to drink then went home "I'm home" I said as I took off my shoes "welcome home sweetie, looks like your training went well" she said chuckling at me because I was covered in dirt "Yeah. I'll go take a bath then eat afterward," I said, then went to the bathroom to take a bath. I ponder a bit about what I can do to keep calm in stressful situations, maybe it'll help me focus if I have a goal in mind. "I GOT IT!" I said as I jump from excitement. "Yagi go to sleep!" my mom shouts from the other room, "sorry mom!" I replied while going back to bed, excited to train tomorrow.

"So kid ready for training," Artemis said while getting her bow ready to fire "Ready as I'll ever be" I replied smiling back at her "okay then the first exercise…run" she smirks then she starts firing at me… I can do this, all I need is to run away, avoid her arrows, then survive. I start dodging all of Artemis' arrows and ran to the forest, doing my best to avoid her. After 10 minutes of dodging and running, "I think I lost her." I thought to myself while I lurk around the forest, then I saw her in a tree, "she hasn't noticed me yet, maybe I can sneak behind her." I thought while silently climbing the tree until I'm right behind her, then suddenly she said, "Thought I didn't notice you, huh?" I kept quiet, maybe she's bluffing, and I hide behind the trunk of the tree and waited for her to go down when I peeked at her, she wasn't there anymore, but instead she was right in front of my face "Gotcha" she said then fired her bow. Causing me to fall off the tree.

"Well I gotta say you outdid yourself kid, I'm impressed." She said as she comes down the tree, "how did you know I was there?" I questioned. "I didn't. I was bluffing" She gives me a smug look that said "gotcha kid" Had I just taken the shot I would have won. "In war, you have to be sure of what you're doing, that hesitation gave me enough time to confirm my suspicion and caught you. There's no room for hesitation whenever a life is at stake, but you've made a big improvement in such a small amount of time. Nice job kid." She gave me a smile and a wink. I nod then stood up proud, "I'm ready for more training!" I said, more motivated than ever, she made an evil smirk then said "Then be ready for hell kid!" "May the Gods and Goddesses have mercy on my mortal soul." I prayed in my mind.

For the last 6 months, Artemis has been drilling my head with archery, survival, and warfare lessons and arrows saying that It was hell would be an understatement I went through different kinds of hell training under Artemis, but I also learned a lot from her, without the hell I've been through I doubt I'm going to have the same results as what I have now. "Thank you, Artemis, for teaching me," I said while bowing down "Don't mention it, kid, I'm just returning the favor for cleaning up the forest and because of an old friend." She said, but has a melancholic expression on her face. "Artemis. Let's fight." I said while looking at her in the eyes, she looks back then smiles "You're on kid."

Artemis stands up and said, "follow me, I have a place where we can fight." She leads me to a clear field near a waterfall in the forest, then she took a battle stance with her bow, "I won't hold back, kid." She said, I smile then said "I wouldn't have it any other way" I get into a battle stance then summoned my armor and bow, we stood there waiting for each other out until a sudden loud croak signaling us to start fighting, Artemis fired first with a barrage of arrows, I dodge and deflects some of her arrows then rushed her to close the distance between us kicked her in the chest then shot an arrow directly at her, she loaded an arrow then fired through my arrow causing mine to split and come towards me, I managed to dodge and just get scratch on my cheek. I smirk then loaded a training arrow, aimed, then say "Fire Piercing Shot" then a sudden burst of flames emerges in my bow and arrow then fired she dodges it then said "air cannon" which was a condensed arrow filled with air causing it to be much faster and gives it a much more powerful impact than a normal arrow which hits me in the shoulder "dammit…" I said then fired a barrage of arrows at her then rushed her causing me to tackle her into the ground and pointing my bow with a loaded arrow "Surrender." I said "I would but-"suddenly elbowed my bow causing it to be off-target, giving her enough time to punch me and flip me over, with her bow pointing at me. Furthermore, she puts me in a lock, "It's my win, kid." She said with a smirk, I had nowhere to go, "Fine. I lost" I had no choice, I have to surrender, i unsummoned my bow and armor. Artemis then slept on my chest, "huh, I guess you get tired too, hehe…" We both passed out from being too tired from fighting, then I woke up at 6 pm, "dammit! It's already late" I took my thing to get ready to go home. "How was your sleep, sleeping beauty?" Artemis said while laughing "Hey Artemis I was just about to go home" I quickly replied "yeah, yeah I know. Before you go for your exams tomorrow, make sure to drop by here." She said "okay but why?" I replied, that's kinda out of character for her. "Just do it. Now go" She said, I nodded then ran to my home.

As soon as I stepped inside the house, I was instantly scolded by mom, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? YOU HAVE AN EXAM TOMORROW! HAVE YOU STUDIED FOR THE WRITTEN EXAM?..." this went on for about an hour. I got laid off after the scolding, so I ate then took a shower before going to bed "You have done well child now it's your chance to prove yourself. I believe in you." I woke up then rushing to eat breakfast and changed before going to the forest before the exam. "There you are, kid, you kept me waiting." Artemis said then appeared in front of me, "I already rushed" I replied, "yeah yeah, hey close your eyes." I did as told then she puts her hand on my head then said "Έχετε κερδίσει την ευλογία μου, χρησιμοποιήστε τις δυνάμεις καλά" A light emits from her hand then dissipates. "Now go. You have an exam to go to. Make an impact kid." She smiled then winked at me, I blushed then nodded "I'll tell you the details after the exam" then I ran off to the school until I arrived at the front gate. Finally. Time to make an impact!