7 VI) The Arrow Games

Gareth woke up early, the excitement coursing through him almost palpable. Today was the day of the archery competition, and he had been looking forward to it for weeks. He got dressed quickly, making sure to pack all of his necessary equipment, and then made his way to the village square.

As he walked, he could see that many others were already gathering there. The buzz of conversation was mixed with the sounds of bowstrings being tightened and arrows being knocked. Gareth felt a surge of adrenaline as he joined the crowd, his eyes scanning the crowd for his friends Bjorn and Leif.

Gareth found Bjorn and Leif practicing archery by the village green. He joined in, feeling confident in his skills, but also aware of his limitations. He knew he could win his age bracket, but the older competitors would be much more experienced.

As they practiced, Gareth noticed more and more people arriving in the village. He realized that the annual archery competition was about to begin. The thought of competing with some of the best archers on the island excited and intimidated him at the same time.

He turned to Bjorn and Leif. "Are you guys going to compete in the archery competition?" he asked.

Bjorn nodded. "Yeah, we're going to give it a shot. What about you, Gareth?"

Gareth hesitated for a moment before answering. "I think I might as well. I know I can win my age bracket, but I'm not so sure about the older competitors."

Leif laughed. "Come on, Gareth. Don't sell yourself short. You're a great archer. I'm sure you can hold your own against anyone."

Gareth smiled, grateful for his friends' encouragement. He felt more determined than ever to do his best in the competition.

Gareth felt his heart racing as he stood among the crowd of archers. He had never been in a competition before, and the thought of potentially winning made him nervous. He took a deep breath and reminded himself of all the training he had done leading up to this moment. He had practiced tirelessly with his father, and his friends Bjorn and Leif had been great sparring partners. He felt confident in his abilities, but he knew there were likely many skilled archers in the competition. He couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by the older and more experienced competitors around him. Nevertheless, he stood tall and waited for the competition to begin.

A man with a strong frame gathers everyone's attention, likely to announce to everyone about the categories for archery.

The man clears his throat and speaks in a deep, commanding voice. "Welcome, everyone, to our annual archery competition. We have two categories today: one for ages 12-15, and another for ages 16 and up."

Gareth listens intently as the man continues, "Each contestant will have three arrows to shoot. The targets will be set up at various distances. The closer the target, the fewer points you can earn. The farther away, the more points you can earn. The person with the most points in each category will be declared the winner."

Gareth feels his palms starting to sweat as he realizes the competition is tougher than he thought. But he's determined to give it his all and show everyone what he's made of. He turns to Bjorn and Leif and says, "This is going to be tough, but I know we can do it. Let's give it our best shot!"

As the competitors were preparing for the archery competition, the same man with a loud and commanding voice stood up and addressed the group. "Alright, everyone. Listen up! The competition is about to begin. But first, let me go over some rules. When your name is called, you will step up to the line and wait for the signal to start shooting. Once the signal is given, you will have 30 seconds to shoot your arrow. If you hit the target, you will get a point. If you miss, you get nothing. The highest score wins. Now, let's get started!"

Gareth nodded, listening carefully to the man's instructions. "Okay, I understand," he said to Bjorn and Leif. "Let's make sure we're ready when it's our turn."

Bjorn and Leif nodded in agreement, and the three boys made their way to the back of the line. They watched as the other competitors stepped up to the line and took their shots, one by one. Gareth felt a sense of anticipation building inside him as he waited for his turn. He knew that this competition was his chance to prove himself as a skilled archer.

Gareth confidently stepped up to the shooting line when his name was called, bow in hand, and took aim at the first target. He steadied his breathing, drew the bowstring back, and released. The arrow flew through the air and hit the bullseye dead center. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause as Gareth moved on to the next target.

He continued to shoot with precision, hitting every target at the furthest distance with ease. Bjorn and Leif watched in awe as Gareth dominated his age bracket, and even managed to place third in the older age group.

After the competition, the man with the strong frame approached Gareth with a smile. "You have quite the talent for archery," he said. "I hope to see you again at future competitions."

Gareth beamed with pride, feeling grateful for the opportunity to showcase his skills. He couldn't wait to continue practicing and improving, with the support of his friends and family by his side.

The man approached Gareth, clapping him on the back. "Impressive shooting, young man. Have you ever considered competing in Berk?"

Gareth's eyes widened. "Berk? I've heard it's a place full of skilled Vikings."

The man nodded. "Yes, it is. The competition there is fierce, mostly because there's just so many of them, but skilled nonetheless, you should definitely give it a try."

Gareth felt a surge of excitement at the prospect. "I'll definitely consider it. Thank you for the suggestion."

The man smiled. "Of course. And if you do decide to go, be sure to let me know. I'd be interested in seeing how you fare against the best of the best." With that, he walked off to talk to some of the other contestants.

Gareth couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of competing in Berk. He knew it would be a challenge, but he was determined to prove himself and make his village proud.

Excitement bubbled up inside Gareth as he approached Leif and Bjorn. "You won't believe what just happened," he exclaimed.

"What is it?" asked Bjorn, his curiosity piqued.

Gareth recounted the man's proposal for a competition on Berk, and his friends' eyes widened in awe.

"Imagine competing with the best of the best," Leif mused.

"I know, right?" Gareth said. "I'm seriously considering it."

Bjorn nodded in agreement. "You should definitely go for it, Gareth. You're an incredible archer."

Gareth smiled, feeling grateful for his friends' unwavering support. "Thanks, guys. I think I just might."

The three boys excitedly ran home to tell their parents about the archery competition and the possibility of going to Berk. Gareth's mother listened intently as he shared the news.

"Berk?" she repeated, her eyes widening. "I haven't been back there since... Well, since my parents passed away. But it's a wonderful place, full of many different Vikings."

Gareth's father nodded in agreement. "It's a bit of a journey to get there, but if it means more opportunities for Gareth to improve his archery skills, then we should consider it."

Gareth's mother sighed. "I've been away from there for so long... I'm not sure I'm ready to go back."

Gareth squeezed his mother's hand reassuringly. "We can take it slow, Mother. You don't have to do anything you're not ready for."

His mother smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you, Gareth. I'm proud of you for being so thoughtful."

Gareth's mother chimed in, "That's right, the annual archery tournament in Berk should be happening next month. It's quite a sight to see, with the best archers from all around the archipelago competing for the grand prize."

Gareth nodded as he listened to his mother. "I see. So the competition is next month, but it takes a day to get to Berk from here. We should plan ahead and leave a few days earlier to give us some time to settle in and practice before the competition."

Bjorn and Leif both nodded in agreement, excited about the prospect of traveling to a new place and testing their archery skills against some of the best in the region.

Gareth's mother smiled at the boys' enthusiasm. "I'll start making arrangements for the trip. We'll need to pack enough supplies for the journey, and I'll have to speak to your fathers about this so we can prepare."

The boys thanked her, already starting to imagine what adventures lay ahead on the journey to Berk and at the archery competition itself. They couldn't wait to see what challenges awaited them and how they would grow as archers and friends.