Percy Jackson: A Redo (abandoned)

Chapter 17

I started my speech, "While I'll agree that the gods are awful beings the titans are far worse. They used mortals for their entertainment and ate them whole. Many of you will have mortal friends or family. Death will come to them if we let Kronos win. Let that sink in. If you are a spy then think this over. If we win you'll probably be killed by the pathetic Olympians. However, if Kronos wins, then you'll still be killed for being a child of the gods. If you are spying because he is threatening your family or loved ones, tell us so we can protect them. If you are spying because the gods are shunning you and your parents or not claiming you, just remember that you will not be claimed and you will be responsible for your parent's death. Kronos intends to wipe out the human race. Or at the very least most of the human race. Without all of the prayers, the minor gods will fade and your parents will no longer exist. The Olympians can at least change. The Titans have no chance. They will never change in their ways. Just think these words over before you decide to join Kronos. Be warned, if you join I will see you as an enemy and you will promptly be killed. And you gods. Your laws are stupid. They don't stop Kronos and the rest of the Titans for the most part. If they don't follow them, then why should you? If you abandon us and close off Olympus you'll just prove Kronos right. If you don't help us you'll prove Kronos right. Then you'll have to deal with your kids being on the opposing side. Their deaths will be on your hands. Be very careful on how you make your moves." Everyone was staring at me. Zeus cleared his throat. "Thank you, demigods. We must be on our way," he stated. In a flash, they all disappeared. Chiron stepped forward and declared, "Councillor meeting in twenty minutes!"

Twenty minutes later, the Athena cabin had elected Malcolm Pace in Annabeth's stead and the Hermes cabin had elected the Stoll brothers. All of us we seated around the ping pong table. I and Nico were leaning against the wall. Nico was leaning on me, observing the room. The entire room was looking at the two of us. Chiron spoke up first, "Could you please recap what happened on the quest?" After telling the story and the prophecy, with a little bit of alteration to my chat with Nico and Bianca, Chiron asked, "Why did you not tell us the whole prophecy?" I hesitated. "Something just told me not to tell you. I don't know why." Then a hunting horn could be heard echoing around camp. I sighed. I wondered if they would be mad at me. We all strolled out of the Big House and saw the hunters entering the camp. Suddenly, an arrow was whizzing my way. I grabbed it mid-air. The silver tip was glinting in the sunlight. I dropped the arrow and looked at Zoe who had her bow up and another arrow ready to fire. "May I ask why you shot an arrow at me, Zoe?" I asked. My use of her name startled her. Phoebe snarled, "You dishonoured our mistress boy!" I rolled my eyes. I turned around and walked back to my cabin. Nico fell into step next to me. An arrow hurtled towards me. I sensed it without even turning around. I made a wall of rock appear and block the arrow. I lowered the wall and continued on my way to cabin three. I entered the cabin and prayed to Poseidon not to strike Nico down. A soft sea breeze made its way around the cabin. I took this as a sign of approval and gestured Nico to come in. After the exhausting day, we both collapsed to the bed.

The next day we both exited the cabin and made our way to the Poseidon table in the dining pavilion. We ate our breakfast. Chiron clopped his way over to us. "Part of our new regime is better sword fighting classes. Could you teach them please?" I nodded and returned to my blue pancakes. Chiron sighed in relief and cantered away. After breakfast had finished, Chiron stood up and announced, "Sword fighting classes will begin now. Please make your way to the arena if you wish to improve your skills. And yes that includes you hunters. We have the best instructor available for this. Archery classes will be taken with me if you wish." The was a lot of grumbling from the hunters but they all made their way to the arena. The other group made their way to the archery range. Nico and I stood up and walked into the arena. The other campers and hunters were gathered in a large circle, the hunters standing off to one side to avoid the males. There were only a few hunters here. One of them was Zoe. They were waiting for their instructor. I strolled in front of them and clapped my hands. Nico stood to the side. Everyone looked at me. One of the hunters scoffed, "We are being taught by a male? What a waste of time." I kept my cool and looked at her. "By all means. Please leave. If you wish to improve your fighting then stay. I will, however, not tolerate any disrespect towards me or any other campers. They have done nothing wrong and you are punishing them based on the actions of a minority," I stated. The lady who had scoffed at me walked off but the rest stayed here. "This applies to you too campers. No disrespect to anyone." 

I clapped my hands and said, "Right. If you think you are a master with a blade or something like that, please move to the right side of the room. If you have little or no experience with a blade please move to the left-hand side of the room. If you are in-between the two then stay in the middle. Off you go!" After a bit of walking around, we had three distinct groups. There were only a few in the master category. Most people were in the centre group. "Now, pair up within your group. I and Nico will be walking around examining your fighting and offering suggestions on how to improve. Walk up to the wall and grab a wooden version of the weapon you usually fight with. Get to it!" I shouted. There was a bit of scuffling but eventually, the arena was filled with the sound of wood beating against wood. There was an odd number in the master category. Zoe was left on her own. I walked up to her and asked, "Could you please walk around and offer suggestions?" Zoe narrowed her eyes at me but nodded. Nico and I walked around, usually in the lower to groups and offered pointers. After half an hour of fighting, I ordered a break. Many people in the lower groups dropped down in exhaustion. The people in the master group stayed standing, most only breathing heavily if that. 

Zoe was showing a hunter how to improve the strength of her strikes when I walked up to her and asked, "Can we have a friendly spar? No powers and real weapons. Nico can be the referee and make sure we don't go overboard and kill each other." Zoe's eyes filled with hate and she nodded. Everyone gathered around the centre of the arena. Nico used his powers to create a circle in the ground. "Ready, set, attack!" Nico shouted. I dodged the first arrow and continued to do so for the rest. I pulled Riptide out of my pocket and uncapped it. Zoe's firing halted. She then continued to fire but at an even faster rate. I used Riptide to either bat away the arrows or cut them in half. I slowly started closing the distance between us. Zoe saw this and swapped her bow for her hunting knives. She came at me, knives flashing in the sun. Silver whistled past my face as I dodged the knife. I used my sword to block the next knife that was coming straight for my stomach. I leapt back out of her range. and took a moment to study her. This time I made the first move I charged at her, swinging my sword down in an overhead strike. She crossed her knives in an x formation and blocked my sword. I used this opportunity and kicked her in the stomach. She was sent flying back. Zoe came at me and slashed with her knives. I was lucky enough to disarm her of the first knife. In doing so I opened my side and Zoe slashed at me. I moved to the side but still got a cut. I took a few steps away from her and towards her knife. I kicked it out of the circle. In a flash, Zoe was moving again. She eliminated Riptide from my hand. I landed with a clatter on the ground behind her. I grabbed her wrist and brought my elbow down on her arm. This forced her to let go of her knife and slip free of my hold. I tossed the knife behind me and Zoe kicked Riptide behind her. 

I ducked under her first punch and elbowed her in the stomach. She bent over gasping for air. I used this opportunity to grab her head. I rose my knee and brought her head down onto my knee. Zoe stumbled back, tears filling her eyes. I moved again, taking advantage of her now slowed reaction time. I kicked her knees from behind. Zoe collapsed to the floor kneeling. I got behind her and grabbed her in a chokehold. "Percy wins!" Nico announced. I let go of Zoe walked over and grabbed Riptide. I capped it and stuffed it back in my pocket. "Alright, kids! Time to get back to training," I said. There was a lot of groaning but we got started again.