Zane: The Atlantean Prince

CHAPTER 17: PRESENT TIME

Zane was standing on a shooting range, aiming his bow at the target. It was a fifty-meter range distance. He sighed and calmly pulled the string. His focus was on the centre of the target.

"Zane Cole is on his last shot to win the championship," the male announcer said. He is currently in the finals of the District Tournament, and he just needed to get a nine or ten to win the championship or eight to tie up with the former champion and have a tie-break-up match. He wasn't aiming for nine, he was aiming for a score of ten. His perfect eye vision can see even the smallest target at this distance. He started learning archery after the k********g incident eight years ago. His father enrolled him in the archery club.

His opponent smirked and even made a laughing noise to destroy him, but he ignored him. He relaxed his shoulders and his fingers.

He released the string. The arrow went straight to the centre, giving him a score of ten.

"The new Archery Champion of Third District, Zane Cole!" the announcer clapped. "I am a fan!"

Everyone in the stadium gave him a standing ovation for having a perfect score during the final round.

"Look at him! He is so handsome and awesome!" one of the girls in the audience shouted.

"He is my ideal man!" the other girl beside her said.

"He just shot my heart!" the girl behind them screamed.

"My Robinhood!" The girl near them was holding a camera, recording the whole game and Zane.

"His girlfriend is the most lucky girl in the world!"

"He already has a girlfriend? Now I'm broken-hearted!" another teenage girl said.

"We are not sure. It is impossible for a handsome young man like him not to have a girlfriend at this point." Her friend crossed her arms.

"I hope he is still available. My arms are wide open for him!" another girl screamed.

Zane hardly noticed them. His focus was on the last shot he did. "Glad I hit it right. I need the winning prize for Anne," he said to himself.

The Archery Aces Club's manager went to him and congratulated him. "You are the ace of our club. You made us all proud."

"Thank you, Manager Hanks." He gave a shy smile to the manager, then he waved his hand to acknowledge the audience cheering for him.

He is now seventeen, turning eighteen in a couple of months. His graduation will be this weekend and yet he has not decided which university he should go to. Aside from being unsure of what course to take, he also needs to consider the school expenses. Anne is still in a wheelchair, and her two surgeries in the past did not go well. She already lost the spirit to go through another surgery, and she is in the home study program.

The money he won today is for Anne. He will try to take the examination in a public school downtown.

"Let's all go to the restaurant and celebrate!" Manager Hanks said. "It's on me."

Their club members shouted. Everyone enrolled in their club watched the finals to support him.

"Zane, you are one hell of a kick-ass, man!" Denvy proudly said. He is the closest to him in the club.

"I just learned a lot from all of you. Let's go." He is proud of his achievement, but he is grateful to the people around him for helping him and supporting him. However, he is more grateful to Eurus, who taught him archery every time the west wind god was free from his duties.

"What are we going to eat?" Denver asked the manager.

"Steak and we will have some beer!" Manager Hanks shouted.

Everyone cheered loudly. His father waited at the exit of the stadium.

"Dad!" He ran to him and hugged him. "I won!"

"I saw it, kid. Good job!" He pats him on the back. "I arrived at the right time." His father went straight to the stadium from work. He can still see sweat on his father's forehead.

"Thank you for rushing here, Dad. It means a lot to me. Let's go. Manager Hanks will treat us to winning the tournament."

They all proceeded to the nearby restaurant and occupied the second floor of the entire archery club. Steak, salad and chicken wings are served along with beer and champagne.

"Manager Hanks, is it okay to treat us all today? It will cost you a lot," Zane asked.

"It's fine, kiddo. Your winning today just gave more free promotions for our club. Imagine, your banners all over our district will be up there, and the name of Archery Aces Club is right below your name." He cleared his throat. "You are our lucky charm." He opened his jacket and took out a white envelope. "Before I forget, this is your prize."

He took it and opened it. It is in the form of a check with five thousand dollars written on it. He smiled widely. He put back the check inside and handed it to his father.

"You keep it, Dad."

"Why me? It's your money, kiddo." His Dad pushed the envelope back to him.

"I don't need that huge money, Dad, and I don't know how to spend money wisely yet. Use it for Anne's medical needs."

"You have a good kid, Bren. Accept it," Manager Hanks said.

Bren took the envelope. His heart felt warm and grateful for having a son like Zane. "Thank you, son."

Graduation Day

"Our valedictorian, Zane Cole," Principal Alice Pascual called his name. "Zane's parents, please, come here on stage."

Zane stood up and walked towards the stage. His parents and siblings are clapping for him. They also stood up and went to the stage to put the medal on him.

The Principal, teachers and school board members shook his hand and his parents. She handed the medal to Bren.

"I am so proud of you, son," he said.

"I am blessed to have you as my father, Dad, and Mom as my mother." He looked at Anne and Wane. "Of course my siblings."

"I will be like you, brother," Wane said. He is now thirteen years old.

His mother hugged him. "I am proud of you, my eldest."

He stepped forward to give his valedictorian speech. He scanned all the graduates and parents in the auditorium.

"I would like to congratulate all the graduates and their parents. It is surely a great accomplishment and something in which we can take pride. This is not the end, but just the beginning of our new journey and exploring a wider world out there." He paused for a bit and took a deep breath. "I had ups and downs; I was bullied, I was ridiculed, but it did not stop me from pursuing and studying harder."

Everyone made a noise when they heard the word bully.

Bren looked at him and gave him a puzzled look. He did not know that his son was bullied in school.

"I do not hate them. I am what I am today because of my past experiences. It made me stronger. I am not saying this now to get sympathy or ridicule those bullies. I am saying this now to tell everyone that the world out there is more cruel than you think. It is not always happiness and joy. There are obstacles and pain along the way, but you have to be strong, and use those experiences, whether good or bad, to be a better person."

Everyone clapped at his speech. He waited for them to finish before continuing his speech.

Cullen's and Alfred's eyes averted. They felt guilty about what they did to Zane in the past.

"I would like to thank my parents for raising me well. I am so blessed I was born in my family. I have two great siblings, too." He looked back to his family, who were still on the stage.

Anne smiled at him. Wane raised his hand and shouted.

"That's my brother!" Everyone laughed at him.

"I also want to thank a very good friend. He is not here today, but he has been around, teaching me to become stronger. To all our teachers, our principal, and staff, thank you for your patience in teaching us to be educated. I wish everyone many congratulations once again and good luck for a bright future." He bowed and walked down the stage together with his family.

The graduation ceremony went well, and his family decided to celebrate his graduation at home. He preferred that instead of eating in a fancy restaurant.

They were about to enter the house when a golden envelope dropped in front of Zane. It landed near his feet. He took it and opened it.

"What is it?" his father asked.

"It's an invitation to be a college scholar in a prestigious school in the city." He could not believe what he was reading. The invitation is written in gold parchment paper, with the name of the school at the top of it. It says the Royal Park Institute. His name is written on it. He looked up and saw Eurus, waving at him.

He gave him a wide smile and mouthed "thank you" to him. He is sure his friend saw it. He waved his hand again to say goodbye and flew away.

"Where do you think that invitation came from?" his mother asked.

"Probably from a friend." He glanced at the invitation again. "Yes!"