Thieves Of Olympus

48

ALISTAIR

"Are you riding the damn horse or not?!" Brianna is already annoyed at Cyrus.

Sumama ang tingin niya sa kausap, "After mo akong pagudin at hiluhin kahapon gusto mo na akong mabalian ngayon?"

Humarap siya sa kanya nang nakasakay sa kulay brown na kabayo, "Anong mas gusto mo? Itatali kita sa kabayo o kusa kang sasakay ka sa kabayo?"

"Wala kong choice! Pareho ko lang sasakyan ang kabayo sa dalawa." sagot niya. He does not want to ride the black horse.

He ended up riding the horse noong makita ang lubid sa kamay ko. She signals me to tie him up when needed. Umirap ito sa likod ni Brianna.

When Brianna heard about the competition yesterday. She immediately registered through the pub's owner. The prize is worth joining for. Dalawahan lang ang pwedeng sumali kaya naiwan ako sa audience area.

The prize is Apollo's golden bow that's why she took the risk of joining the competition. If Aphrodite's daughter is with us they don't have to join this competition. Otherwise this serves as his training, too. He is good at archery but not with balance.

Sa Gorkhi Terelj National Park gaganapin ang laban. It is a beautiful landscape in the mountains. May mga tribe members na kasali. Ang iba ay nasa edad thirteen to fifteen years old pa. Some tourists joined including them. There are also monks watching the competition.

Brianna and Cyrus gallop around for a bit bago pumana. Cyrus missed but she hits the bullseye. They warmed up for a bit.

"Relax your butt! Move your body when the horse gallops! Center your balance Cyrus..." sita niya kay Cyrus. Daig pa niya ang professional na equestrian. Ang kaibahan lang ay nakasuot sila ng traditional na damit.

The mechanics of the competion are:

Competitions for traditional archery on horseback are conducted on a special track 120 meters long and 10 meters wide. On the track installed 3 targets measuring 45 x 100 cm. The distance between targets is 30 meters, they are located 7 meters to the left or to the right from the track.

1. The shooter must shoot at three targets, without stopping the gallop of the horse;

2. The first target is set face to the arrow so that the shooter shoots the target forward, which located from the start at a distance of approximately 20 meters; the second target shoots from the side; on the third target, the shooter must shoot, turning back;

3. The rider-shooter must reach the arrow from the quiver, it is not allowed to take arrows in the teeth or hands;

4. If the shooter misses one target, 1 point is deducted from him;

5. In competitions, the time of the breakthrough is noted, which is also taken into account when calculating points.

They will do it in relay. Pagkatapos ni Brianna ay si Cyrus naman. They both have 18 arrows in total. Nine for each of them.

The participants line up at the first whistle. The second is a signal for them to let the horses gallop and shoot the arrows.

Brianna takes the lead in the first five targets. But she missed an arrow when she turns back for the seventh shot. Now the tribesmen has a lead of one point. She missed another kaya minus two agad ang points nila.

We were clapping and cheering for everyone. Nakikisali ako tuwing tumatama sa bullseye ang mga palasong pinapakawalan niya. She shot her ninth arrow in the center of the target board. Splitting the first arrow in the center.

She gallops her horse towards him and smoothly goes down from ito. "Sorry about the score deductions," dinig kong sabi niya kay Cyrus. I can hear regret and disappointment in her voice.

Lumapit ako sa pwesto nila habang nagbibilang pa ng score at tinatanggal ang mga palaso sa target board. "You did well. You tried your best," alo ko tulad ng ginagawa ni Lilith. I tried sounding sincere but it came out forced.

"O-oo nga..." mukhang constipated na sabi ni Cyrus. Hindi niya maipinta ang itsura habang nakasakay sa kabayo. He keeps doing a sign of the cross over and over again.

"I should suggest this sport to Sir. Atheo," she grins at him.

"Fart you Anna! Fart you!" he said. He substitutes "fart" instead of "fuck" dahil may nakakaiintindi.

"You want to fart?" she chuckles at him.

"Para kay Apollo... Para kay Apollo..." paulit-ulit niyang mantra sa sarili. "Kapag nashoot... ko... lahat ng arrow... sa target board..." he shakily said.

"Anong gagawin namin?" tanong ko.

"Hindi mo ito babangitin kay Sir. Atheo. Even you Alistair!" turo niya sa akin gamit ang bow.

"Lahat, ha! He will see that every arrow goes into that board," she jerks her thumb at me.

"Sagot agad!" he demands.

"Deal!" we agreed to his words. He uses himself as a bait to his own trap.

She smirks at him, "If you don't... Negotiate for that bow and we'll do this with a hippogriff."

"Alright! Alright!" he frowns. He puts his game face on and waits for the signal to form and shoot.

His plan backfires at him. Mas lumala dahil gusto na ni Brianna sa ere gawin ang archery.

Tatlo na lang silang natira. An old veteran tribesman, a fifteen year old female from a different group and him. Natanggal na ang ibang turista because they only did it for experience. While the three of them wants to bring home the bacon.

They form the lines once the whistle is blown. The second they hear another sound is the time they made the horses gallop.

The fifteen year old misses the target beside her and the one behind her. All the while she's in full control of balancing herself on the saddle.

The old man shoots quick and accurate. Hindi pa tumatama ang palaso sa target ay mayroon na agad itong ititira na bago. He hits the red dots in the center without a doubt.

Cyrus slowly pulls the bowstring as he gallops around the area. He turns around and almost falls off the horse. Sumakto naman sa gitna ang palasong pinakawalan niya.

He now fights against the veteran for the prize along with his self doubt and uncertainty.