The Warrior | Heroes of Olympus

4

"Stop!" I commanded. For a moment Percy froze due to the effects of my command. One of the perks of being a Mar's kid that I had come to find useful. I swung my spear at Percy and we began to fight. But he fought like a demon, he wasn't just fighting me he was taking the entire cohort. Whirling through the defenders' ranks in a completely unorthodox style, rolling under their feet, slashing with his sword instead of stabbing like a Roman would, whacking campers with the flat of his blade, and generally causing mass panic.

I swung at him and he dodged and jabbed his sword at me. Confused and not used to this fighting style I stumbled back and he swept my feet out from under me. I landed flat up my back with a thud.

Octavian screamed in a shrill voice—maybe ordering the First Cohort to stand their ground, maybe trying to sing soprano—but Percy put a stop to it. He somer saulted over a line of shields and slammed the butt of his sword into Octavian's helmet.

The centurion collapsed like a sock puppet. If we weren't falling apart and losing I would've laughed.

Frank shot arrows until his quiver was empty, using blunt-tipped missiles that wouldn't kill but left some nasty bruises. He broke his pilum over a defender's head, then reluctantly drew his gladius. Meanwhile, Hazel climbed onto Hannibal's back. She charged toward the center of the fort, grinning down at her friends. "Let's go, slowpokes!"

I stumbled on my feet. I couldn't figure this Percy out. He was a monster on the battlefield. There was no way this was his first fight. And who had taught him to fight? I knew every fighting style, I was the best at camp! But yet I'd never seen anything like this before. So chaotic and yet it worked.

They ran to the center of the base. I followed. On my way I took out as many enemies as I could. Switching from my spear to a sword easily in between different attackers.

The inner keep was virtually unguarded. Obviously us defenders never dreamed an assault would get this far. Hannibal busted down the huge doors. Inside, the First and Second Cohort standard-bearers were sitting around a table playing Mythomagic with cards and figurines. The cohort's emblems were propped carelessly against one wall.

I burst through the door behind Percy. I was soaked in water and my face was red with anger and embarrassment from being out shown. "Get up off your lazy asses!" I shouted at them. I would like to say that I defeated them. But that was quite the opposite.

Hazel and Hannibal rode straight into the room, and right over me. I was quite literally run over by an elephant. At that point I swallowed my pride and didn't get up from the ground. The standard bearers fell backward out of their chairs. Hannibal stepped on the table,and game pieces scattered.

By the time the rest of the cohort caught up with them, Percy and Frank had disarmed the enemies, grabbed the banners, and climbed onto Hannibal's back with Hazel. They marched out of the keep triumphantly with the enemy colors.

Mike came and helped me up. In an angry outburst I kicked a chair that someone had been sitting in playing cards. We had lost! Somehow Octavian would blame me. I thought bitterly.

The Fifth Cohort formed ranks around Percy and his group. Together they paraded out of the fort, past stunned enemies and lines of equally mystified allies.Reyna circled low overhead on her pegasus. "The game is won!" She sounded as if she were trying not to laugh. "Assemble for honors!"

Slowly the campers regrouped on the Field of Mars. I saw plenty of minor injuries—some burns, broken bones, black eyes, cuts and gashes, plus a lot of very interesting hairdos from fires and exploding water cannons—but nothing that couldn't be fixed.

This had to be the worst night of my life. And that was saying something because I had had plenty of bad nights. With an unhappy look I stood beside Octavian who had awoken from his slumber.