All members of Zeusia fist year gathered in family room after dinner. They grouped, conversed to wait for their family leader who still didn’t come. Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda grouped with some people there. “My brother has ever said about ten days of natural survival at one time he came back from Hippocoon.” said a boy to others. He quickly was noticed by others who hurriedly made their way to him. Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda stopped speaking and paid attention on him in order to hear what he said.
“What did he say?” squealed a girl excitedly.
“He told me it was the most memorable activity of every first year. It’s the chance for all of them to devote to their families. The activities are taken place outdoors in the forest behind our castle inside the area which was enchanted to protect us from of dangers coming from forest.” said the boy, raised and lowered his voice mysteriously. All people focused on listening to him. “Ten days is the time for us to live there and join some games, camping, archery… and the last, we have to fight against other families. In reality, it's not a real battle but you have to make your ways to other families’ camps and steal or by someway to get their flags.”
“For what?” squeaked a boy.
“It’s rule of the game if you can get flags from other families, you can bring many points to your family.” he replied, “The most score, you can get from each other family is two hundreds and ten points after you get all of their flags.”
“It’s great number of points Heracles. If we can get them, we can make up for all the mistakes we have done in this term.” said Gwen, turned to Heracles.
“You’re right.” said Heracles grinning.
“I think it’s not easy as you thought.” said Amelinda, turned to Heracles and Gwen.
“We didn’t think it easy but we see our chance there.” said Heracles.
“Zeusia first year.” the voice of their leader, Professor Oswald. He appeared at the door of the family room, still wearing in fur-collar cloak and stroked backwards hair style. Accompanying him was their family president Leonard, “Very nice to meet you again.” added Professor Oswald, “You guy please give me your chair.” He hinted at a boy nearest to him, received the chair and then managed to sit at the middle of the room. People made their way to approach and sit around him after that
“As you know,” he said, “the ten days of natural survival is coming. It will start next weekend. That means you only have ten day to prepare for it. It is our school tradition which on purpose to connect family members and find out each one’s strength and weakness. The ten days of natural survival was held, behind our castle in forest. You all are expected to camp and live there, participate in some activities and get points from them. Some professors are also there staying in a camp at middle of the area. They are your referees who keep watching all of you in those days. Professor Finn also will be here watching over for everything but just to stay there, not your referee. The first days, you will have some activities with other families to get acquainted with the area. Hunting and gathering are held in daytime while camp-fire is held in nighttime. After that, you will separate turning to family camps and start the game of flag robbing.”
“It is the most anticipated game.” he added, “I expect all you can protect our family flags and find the way to get more other flags form other family. That is the way for you to bring points to our family.”
“There has any rule in the game?” squealed Amelinda.
“Good question girl.” said Professor Oswald, “There had some --.”
Professor Oswald and Leonard kept staying there telling them all about things relating to the ten days of natural survival. He only left the family room after midnight. “I will meet you all tomorrow afternoon.” he said before leaving. Heracles and others hurriedly left the family room, turning back their rooms and quickly fell in sleep.
The next day, Heracles, Gwen made their way to the meadow behind the castle after lunch. Some first year Zeusias had been there, standing in groups. They all wore in their outdoor uniforms their family leader had told them to wear at the last night. Heracles and Gwen hurriedly walked to Amelinda and joined with some people there. They conversed in minutes waited for their leader. Professor Oswald appeared after that. Following him was their family president Leonard who brought amount of bow and arrows with him. They quickly got to place Heracles and others were standing. Leonard put the stuffs down on ground then hurriedly made his way to stand by Professor Oswald.
“First year Zeusias, attention” said Professor Oswald loudly. People stopped chatting, made their ways to front of Professor Oswald. “In the first days, you all will be participate in a hunting game that you have to chase after animals try to catch or defeat them. The animals are very fast and I don’t expect you can catch them by hands. Therefore, I decided to teach you archery on purpose to help you have more chances to catch them and get few points from the animals you catch. Of course, you also wonder why I only need you to get few points from this game because it is the condition to join in the flag robbing game. Athenenas and Aresians are great at archery while members of Herathyias are great at observing and trapping. We seem to fall into a disadvantage this game but we have to try it.”
“If you don’t have any point from the hunting game, we will stop the game sooner than others.” he said shortly, looking to them, young faces, “All of you have to try your best.”
“Leonard,” he said loudly, “help me give them bows.”
Leonard picked the bows up made the way to other giving each them a bow and few arrows. “Heracles yours.” said Leonard. Heracles received the stuffs from Leonard, said thank to him. Leonard kept going, giving Gwen then Amelinda and the others their bows and arrows. Till all people there had their bows and arrows, Leonard turned back his place besides Professor Oswald and kept standing there.
“Thank you Leonard.” said Professor Leonard, grabbed one of remaining bows and arrows there, “Everyone did have your bows and arrows?” he said loudly, “If you did, stand in rows. Our archery lesson will start from now.”
People quickly got in rows facing to the forest’s edge. Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda find the way to stand in the first row next to each other. Professor walked along the rows looking over them a little the stopped, standing at front of their face.
“Do you see the targets?” she said, pointing at straw effigies far away from them standing front of the forest’s edge. “You all are expected to shoot at them. “Look at me!” he added, took one arrow, attach to the string, pulled them back his face then relaxed his fingers. The arrow was shot out, flying toward one of straw effigies and went through it. “Almost of Athenenas and Aresians can do it but it doesn’t mean they are also great in hunting game. Therefore, what I need you to do are to try effort and believe in your abilities. Sometimes we can do things over our abilities just because we believe we can do it.
!!! The above post is a draft of my first book on Heracles, Heracles and the Nemean lion in Hippocoon land. Its content can be omitted, modified or replaced. If you want to read the full version, click here buy a ebook: Heracles and the Nemean lion or click here to a paper book: Heracles and the Nemean lion by Hung Nguyen !!!
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