'•' The Sea of Monsters '•'

10 :: Paintball, TO THE DEATH

Published: October 26, 2021
Edited: August 8, 2022
'•'

"

Two on one," I challenged Luke, trying to stall. 

"What are you afraid of ?" Percy chimed in. "You're supposed to be the best swordsman at camp."

Luke curled his lip. The soldiers who were about to kill us hesitated, waiting for his order. Before he could saying anything, Agrius, the bear-man, burst onto the deck leading a flying horse.

It was the first pure-black pegasus I'd ever seen, with wings like a giant raven. The pegasus bucked and whinnied.

I could understand his thoughts. He was calling Agrius and Luke some names so bad Chiron would've washed his muzzle out with saddle soap. 

"Sir!" Agrius called, dodging a pegasus hoof. "Your steed is ready!" Luke kept his eyes on me ad my brother. 

"I told you last summer, Percy," he smirked. "You can't bait me into a fight." 

"And you keep avoiding one," I noticed. "Scared your warriors will see you get whipped?" 

Luke glanced at his men, and he saw I'd trapped him. If he backed down now, he would look weak. If he fought me, he'd lose valuable time chasing after Clarisse.

For my part, the best I could hope for was to distract him, giving my friends a chance to escape. If anybody could think of a plan to get them out of there, Annabeth could. On the downside, I knew how good Luke was at sword-fighting. 

"I'll kill you quickly," he decided, and raised his weapon. 

Backbiter was a foot longer than my own sword. Its blade glinted with an evil gray-and-gold light where the human steel had been melded with celestial bronze. I could almost feel the blade fighting against itself, like two opposing magnets bound together. I didn't know how the blade had been made, but I sensed atragedy. Someone had died in the process, which didn't surprise me.

Luke whistled to one of his men, who threw him around leather-and-bronze shield. He grinned at me wickedly. 

"Luke," Annabeth pleaded, "at least give them a shield." 

"Sorry, Annabeth," he smirked. "You bring your own equipment to this party." 

"Well and to think I ever called you brother." I quipped, pulling out Whirlpool. Luke's face darkened, and I knew that I had managed to get under his skin. I had landed a blow, not matter how small.

The shield was a problem. Fighting two-handed with just a sword gives you more power, but fighting one-handed with a shield gives you better defense and versatility. There are more moves, more options, more ways to kill.

Except...

Before I could put my plan into action, Luke lunged and almost killed Percy on the first try. His sword went under his arm, slashing through Percy's shirt and grazing his ribs.

Percy jumped back, then counterattacked with Riptide, but Luke slammed the blade away with his shield. 

"My, Percy," Luke chided. "You're out of practice." He came at Percy again with a swipe to the head. 

I parried, returned with a thrust. He side-stepped easily. My heart was racing.

When Luke lunged again, I jumped backward into the swimming pool and felt a surge of strength. I spun underwater, creating a funnel cloud, and blasted out of the deep end, straight at Luke's face. The force of the water knocked him down, spluttering and blinded. But before I could strike, he rolled aside and was on his feet again.