He could have held them in the air but it would have taken more energy, and caused a more painful headache. The rocks kept flying and Jonas continued to hold up the energy barrier.
Jonas smiled inwardly, thinking back at the rocks that had broken through his barriers in the past, and came up with an idea. He concentrated harder as more rocks flew at him. He held a handful in the air until Kiln and Lambeck exhausted their collection. It was a strange sight to see ten rocks floating in the air as if they were stuck in something. Jonas smiled outwardly sending a burst of energy into the rocks. They bolted back towards Lambeck and Kiln like they were flung from a sling. He could have directed the rocks anywhere he wanted, but he didn’t want to cause them too much pain.
The look on their surprised faces was payback enough when the rocks flew back towards them. They both turned covering their heads as the rocks landed around them. One hit Lambeck in the leg and a second smacked hard into Kiln’s back. Jonas laughed out loud at the two men who were cowering like children.
“They sting, don’t they?” laughed Jonas as both the men stood up glaring at him. Soon his laughter was contagious and both men were fighting back smiles trying unsuccessfully to look mad. Jonas’s head ached from the exertion but it didn’t stop him from losing himself in laughter. It had been a long time since he laughed like this and it felt good. It wasn’t long before everyone was laughing, the sound bringing warmth to the chilly mountain air.
Jonas continued to work on his skills as a cognivant, and his training with Kiln and Lambeck progressed daily. He continued to grow in strength and confidence. His body was lean and hard; any residual fat long ago burned from his muscled frame. He could now fight for a long while before Kiln was able to score a hit with either of his blades.
Jonas had thought himself good with a bow, but after training with Lambeck he realized that he was just a novice. Lambeck continued to teach him how to track and survive in the wilderness and how to shoot with speed and accuracy. He had set up a training course for Jonas to help sharpen his skills. There was a trail through a thick neck of woods near their home and it was here that the archer set up a shooting course. He made human targets out of old clothes and straw and positioned them in various concealed locations. He was able to rig a couple to spring up on bent sticks that he would trigger by releasing various ropes. They were crude set ups but they were adequate enough for the element of surprise.
But for other simulations he had Ballic, Anders, Wil, and Cormac help by positioning themselves behind various large trees, randomly holding out training dummies as Jonas moved through the course. They complained bitterly about the job, not thinking it wise to be holding targets for Jonas’s arrows.
“What if he misses?” asked Ballic as he reluctantly took position behind a nearby tree. He held a crude bust of a man on the end of a long thick stick.
Lambeck laughed handing Cormac his dummy. “Keep your arm behind the tree and it won’t matter.”
“Easy for you to say since you’ll be safely out of the way,” muttered Ballic.
“Don’t worry, the arrows don’t have barbs so we can withdraw them easily enough,” Lambeck said, continuing to goad the young men.
Lambeck got everyone positioned behind various trees and bushes and ran back to where Jonas was waiting at the head of the trail. “Okay, Jonas, nock an arrow and proceed when I yell it’s okay. I’m going to get in position now.”
“Very well,” Jonas said, adjusting the quiver on his back.
“Remember, quick shots. Do not wait to aim. Practice on visualizing the target and releasing the shaft in easy fluid movements.”
“Okay, I’m ready.”
With that Lambeck ran back down the trail taking up position behind some bushes. He had three different lengths of ropes on pulleys that all converged on his position. He could release any rope at any time and a dummy would spring up along the trail near Jonas.
Jonas lightly moved down the trail, an arrow nocked and angled to the side, eyes searching the area for targets. It was only a sloppy training course, but nonetheless Jonas’s pulse began to race and