Revenge

Chapter 25

Clarisse was overseeing weapons practice, claiming she needed 'fresh meat' after the quest she had been on (which she refused to talk about).

She'd instantly honed in on Beck when she'd arrived.

"Let's see what you've been doing, Princess." She said.

"Usually I just spar with Aaron." Beck explained. "He's handled a lot of weapons, so I get my fill of training with different approaches."

Clarisse shook her head. "You have to learn certain moves, ways to disarm or hurt your opponent. Otherwise a fight just goes until someone gets lucky."

"Isn't that how all fights work?" Beck asked.

"To some extent, but there's a certain amount of skill that needs to be involved too, Princess." Clarisse rolled her eyes. "So show me what you've got."

"Do you want me to fight you again?" Beck asked her.

"No." Clarisse let out a piercing whistle.

Everyone looked at her.

"You six, get over here. The rest of you, beat it." Clarisse ordered firmly. No one hesitated.

The six she had called over lined up, looking slightly apprehensive.

"Training maneuver 14. You all know what that is?" Clarisse barked, the very image of a drill sergeant. She received several nods of understanding and turned to Beck.

"They're going to come at you, one by one. Your job is to disarm all of them. You can't just play defense on this one, or they'll start hanging up on you. Take initiative, fake them out then take them out."

"You should write motivational speeches." Beck said sarcastically, getting in a ready stance and glancing around her for the first attack.

"Just stay alive." Clarisse snapped at her.

Beck heard movement behind her and whirled to meet her first attacker.

The hardest part of this, Beck quickly found, was finding the tempo of each attacker. She had to switch quickly, paying attention to the others around her so she knew who was moving when.

Two boys stepped forward at the same time and hesitated, glancing at each other as if asking 'Well, do you want to go?' Beck took the opportunity to lunge forward and disarm the one wielding the sword.

"Marcus, you're out." Clarisse barked.

"Thank you Clarisse, I wasn't sure." He retorted. Beck snickered as she ducked the other boy's attack.

One by one, she worked her way through the attackers, engaging them and listening to Clarisse's occasional comments on how to correct her form or get on the offensive.

Each kid she disarmed backed up, leaving their weapons on the ground where they fell. This made it a little harder, as Beck had to watch her footing as well.

"C'mon, Princess, finish it off." Clarisse said as Beck grappled with the last kid, boredom filling her voice.

"I'm working on it." Beck snarled back.

She heard a chuckle to her left, but was a little more preoccupied with the boy trying to impale her.

"Hah!" She shouted, finding a weak spot and knocking the spear from his hands. Spinning, she mimed a jab at his stomach.

"If you're gonna do that," Clarisse said in annoyance, "follow through."

The boy backed up hurriedly, not giving Beck the chance to do so. She laughed a little at him, then turned to Clarisse. "How was that?"

"Interesting, to say the least." The person she had heard laughing before commented.

Beck turned and found a bulky looking Chinese boy with a military haircut that didn't match his baby face.

"Um, hi. I'm Beck." She shifted her staff and held out a hand.

The boy smiled and took her hand. "Frank. Nice form."

His voice definitely matched his haircut. Deep and authoritative, it cut through all noise easily.

"Congratulations Beck, you're shaking hands with the Praetor of New Rome. How flattering, that he should pay you a compliment." Clarisse said nonchalantly.

Frank shot her a look dark enough for that son of Hades Beck had heard about to appear from his line of eyesight. "Knock it off Clarisse."

"Make me, Zhang."

"Gods know I'd love to. Wiping the floor with your face is quite satisfying, but I need to go speak with Chiron so I suppose I'll have to pass." Frank smirked as Clarisse's face turned red.

"Listen here, you-"

"Really, Clarisse, I gotta go talk to Chiron." He interrupted.

Clarisse lunged forward and pulled his head down, rubbing her knuckles into his head. "Alright, you little brat, but I'm gonna kick your butt later, got it?"

"When would I ever pass up a chance to spar my favorite half sister."

"Don't let Sonny hear that." Clarisse warned as the large boy walked off.

"So that was..." Beck trailed off and looked to the daughter of Ares.

"My half brother, one of the leaders of the Roman camp in California. You might go to it some time, but that's not my decision."