Planet Suibom BOOK 1

Luqaax Pechaurt

Cairry and Luqaax stood in the indoor garden on the 11th floor of the castle. Roses of various colors dotted the grass. The walls were painted orange-ish pink, like a sunset. There was a stone path going through the hall, flowers and other plants flanked the path. Cairry wondered how flowers and grass could grow without the sun, then Luqaax explained how one of the Elemental Holders would come and care for the garden a few times a week, also, it was a magic garden, so it could go without sunlight for months. But they cared for it a few times a week just so it could be extra healthy and magical. "Who tends to the garden?" Cairry asked Luqaax.

"I'm afraid that information is classified. Anyway, on with the lesson!" Luqaax said cheerfully, dropping the bag on his back. From what Cairry learned so far, Luqaax was a happy kind of person. Not overly happy, but he was an optimistic kind of person.

Luqaax took his bow from the bag. The bow was made of wood, with carvings of roses and other gifts of life. He gave the string a pull, checking it. After making sure the bow was in working condition, he handed the weapon to the young butterfly. "Why are you giving me this?" Cairry asked, weighing the object with her hands.

"Today, you are going to learn to use this bow!" He said, walking away from his pupil.

Cairry gave the bow a long stare. "With what?"

"Hmm?"

"With what?" She repeated. "You didn't tell me what to shoot. You didn't give me an arrow to shoot with. You didn't even teach me the basics of archery!" She held the bow in front of her, staring at the carvings, unsure of what to do.

"Oh, if you wanted some help, you could have just asked!" Luqaax said, glad that she had asked for help. His last student had thought they could have done it on their own, without his help. They didn't last too long in battle. "I believe a student who asks questions, is a good student." He said, standing beside Cairry.

"Does that make me a good student?" Cairry asked as Luqaax looked through his bag again.

"What do you think?" He asked, pulling out a sheath of arrows. He handed it to Cairry and showed her how to strap it on her back. "Now, you need to hit," He gave the straps a final tug. "that!" He pointed to a brick with a red rose bud tied to it.

"The...the brick...right?" Cairry asked, suddenly feeling confused.

"Nope! You are going to shoot that rose!" Luqaax said, handing her an arrow. When Cairry took a hold of it, realizing it wasn't an arrow at all. It was a stick with a heart-shaped leaf as the pointed end and the head of a pink tulip where the tail was supposed to be.

"What sort of joke is this?" Cairry asked, twirling the 'arrow' around in her hand. Luqaax just laughed.

"What joke? You shoot with this!" He said, tapping the arrow with his wing curled into a fist.

Cairry gave the 'arrow' a long and hard stare. "Are you being serious?"

"Yup!" He said cheerfully.

"Um...okay?" She said like it was a question, but she wasn't expecting an answer. Before she would shoot the target, Luqaax taught her the basics. Stuff like: It was much harder to use then how you thought. He was right about that one, Cairry had thought this would be easy, but she could hardly pull the string back. What made it even more difficult was the silly arrow she was using. "Do I have to use this 'arrow'? Can I have a real one?" She asked, hoping she didn't spoiled or ungrateful because she wasn't, she just wanted a real arrow.

"This is a real arrow, silly!" The excited Phoenix said, pointing at the arrow.

"No, this isn't, Master. I can't shoot with this, or even fit it into the nocking point!" Cairry said, giving him a demonstration of her failure. She attempted putting the tulip into the nocking point and failed.