Training

Fiction Fragment Friday

This week’s story was inspired by a dream where people were walking around in a building as D&D characters and had to use actual weapon skills. Like most of my dreams it didn’t really make much sense, but it did inspire me to write.

                The string on my bow snapped as I took my shot.  I’m not actually sure if it snapped or just came loose since I don’t actually know how to string or shoot a bow.  I let out a loud growl of frustration before I remembered that I should be quiet if I didn’t’ want all the creatures in the catacombs to come running.  Things like that are what happens when you are sent into a dangerous situation without any kind of training.  The captain of the guard believed in on the job training and sorting through recruits by seeing which ones survived.  I did not care for his training methodology. 

                I pulled out my sword and swung it down at the furry creature below me.  The sword hit the ground with a loud clang that echoed through the stone walls.  The creature, whatever it was, moved far too fast for me to have stood any chance of hitting it with a swing like that.  I found myself wishing I was fighting bigger, more scary creatures so I might actually stand a chance of hitting something.   As it is I’m not even sure if this is the type of sword I should be trying to cut or stab with.  I’m pretty sure flailing around wildly hitting nothing isn’t the right way to use it though.

                The captain didn’t even give my arrows for the bow.  I had to find arrows in the catacombs to use them.  I figured that would be the safest way to fight though since I could do it from a distance.  I’m pretty sure it would have worked if I could have hit anything I aimed at.  The slightest bit of instruction could have made the difference, but nope he said learning as you go builds character.  Well, I would have liked to have made an effective character of myself.

                I turned the corner in my mad dash to get away from the snarling little furball monster to find a whole group of fellow recruits.  They were working together instead of being sent in alone like I was.  To make things worse, as I watched them it was obvious, they knew what they were doing.  “Uhm hey guys, decided to team up?”

                Frank, the third son of the town blacksmith turned toward me.  “Didn’t exactly decide.  We were sent in as a group.  Where’s your team?”  

                “Captain Henderson said that I needed to learn to fight on my own before I learned to fight with others.”

                “That’s weird he started us off training together from day one.  Right after teaching us to string our bows and how to properly swing our swords.”

                I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped hearing that.  “You were taught how to string your bows?  And how to swing your swords?  You were taught anything at all?”

                “Of course.  You don’t think he would just send us in here with no training at all do you?  Wait, is that what he did to you?  What did you do to piss him off?”  One of his companions leaned over and whispered in his ear.  “Oh.  Your name isn’t by chance William Parks, is it?”

                “Yeah.  Why?”

                “Do you remember hitting on a blond at the town festival a few weeks ago?”

                “Yeah, she seemed to really like me.  We had a great time.  What does that have to do with anything.”

                The whole group started laughing at me.  When Frank finally composed himself, he answered my question.  “That was Captain Henderson’s youngest daughter.  He is extremely protective of her.” 

                That was when I decided that perhaps the town guard wasn’t the right career path for me.  Maybe I should try to become a bard instead.