The Path Of Glory (Annabeth Chase x Male Reader)

39. The Party Ponies Invade

"One on one," Y/N challenged Luke. "What are you afraid of?"

Luke curled his lips. The soldiers who were about to kill them all hesitated, waiting for his order.

Before he could say anything, Agrius, the bear-man, burst onto the deck leading a flying horse. It was a pure-black pegasus, with wings like giant raven. The pegasus bucked and whinnied. You could almost hear that it was calling Agrius and Luke some names so bad Chiron would've washed its muzzle out with saddle soap.

"Sir!" Agrius called, dodging a pegasus hoof. "Your steed is ready!"

Luke kept his eyes on Y/N.

"You can't bait me into a fight, Y/N," he said.

"Scared your warriors will see you get whipped?" Y/N said.

Luke glanced at his men, and he saw Y/N had trapped him. If he backed down now, he would look weak. If he fought Y/N, he would lose valuable time chasing after Clarisse. For Y/N's part, the best he could hope for was to distract him, giving his friends a chance to do something, escape, whatever. If anybody could think of a plan to get them all out of there, Annabeth could. On the downside, Luke was more than remarkable at sword-fighting. And this time, he wouldn't get caught by surprise.

"I'll kill you quickly," Luke decided, and raised his weapon. "Anyway, I don't think any god but your pathetic mom will be sad about your death; you're a thorn in their feet."

She won't like that, Y/N thought.

Backbiter was eight inches longer than his curved sword. Its blade glinted with an evil gray-and-gold light where the human steel had been melded with celestial bronze. You could almost feel the blade fighting against itself, like two opposing magnets bound together. He didn't know how the blade had been made, but he sensed a tragedy. Someone had died in the process.

Luke whistled to one of his men, who threw him a round leather-and-bronze shield.

He grinned at Y/N wickedly.

"Luke," Annabeth said, "at least give him a shield."

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

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. Y/N thought back to Chiron, who had told him to stay at camp no matter what, and learn to fight. Now he was going to pay for not listening to him.

Luke lunged. His sword went under Y/N's arm, slashing through his T-shirt and grazing his ribs.

He jumped back, then counterattacked with his curved sword, but Luke slammed his blade away with his shield. Luke slashed down and his blade brushed Y/N's leg.

"My, Y/N," Luke chided. "You're out of practice."

He came at Y/N again with a swipe to the head. Y/N parried, returned with a thrust. Luke sidestepped easily.

Y/N's heart was racing. When Luke lunged again, he jumped to the ground to dodge. He narrowingly managed to avoid decapitation, swinging his sword blindly and stopping Backbiter at the last moment.

Y/N leaped up, and hit Luke's shield with his sword's guard. Luke lost his balance for a second; he staggered when Y/N flung his hand, the wind pushing him.

Y/N lunged and thrust his sword in Luke's boot, getting a roar out of him.

Luke swung his blade to Y/N's face; Y/N jumped back, Backbiter's point flying only an inch away from his eyes.