"Alright, you've got the general motion down, you need to fine tune it." Maes smiled reassuringly. "It took me a while to get it down, too." he handed the knife back to Alfons once more.

"Don't put so much force behind it this time. You want your arm to move naturally, you don't want to strain it or force the muscles. Here, I'll show you." He took up the other knife and demonstrated, having to remind himself to throw simply. He lifted his arm up, bent at the elbow, and threw the knife in a gentle arc that landed with the blade buried in the pillow.

"See how I did it? Nice and smooth, and I didn't snap my arm to a stop after I let the knife go. That'll kill your joints, let your arm stop naturally. Now you try again."