gnossienne
n. the realisation that you didn't actually know someone as well as you thought you did
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'Look, I never wanted to be a half-blood.
Let's start from the top, shall we?
My name is Cassandra Jackson, but everyone usually calls me Ca...
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The fight was just getting good when the cops showed up. They took one look at us and called for backup. I had a cut on the arm from Ares' blade and Percy had been thrown through the air.
Ares was stalking towards Percy, sword ready. I focused on the water and jerked my head to Ares. Two strands of water shot like eels through the air. They wrapped around Ares ankles and with another pull of my head, yanked his ankles. He stumbled to the ground, but quickly got back up.
It was enough time for Percy to scramble up and grab his sword. He launched a swipe at Ares' face, but Ares deflected it easily.
Percy stepped back into the surf by my side, both of our swords raised.
"Admit it, kids," Ares said. "You got no hope. I'm just toying with you."
My senses were working overtime. I now understood what Annabeth had said about ADHD keeping you alive in battle. I noticed every little detail. I could see where Ares was tensing, which was he would strike. At the same time, I was aware of Annabeth and Grover, ten metres to my left. I saw a second cop car pulling up, siren wailing. Spectators, people who had been wandering the streets because of the earthquake, were starting to gather. Among the crowd, I thought I saw a few walking with the strange, trotting gait of disguised satyrs. There were shimmering forms of spirits too, as if the dead had risen from Hades to watch the battle. Maybe Hades was watching too. I heard the flapping of leathery wings above.
More sirens.
We stepped further into the water, but Ares was fast. He lunged his blade forward to Percy, but I deflected it with my blade. Using all my force, I pushed him back.
A police voice on a megaphone said, "Drop the guns! Now!"
Guns?
I looked at Ares' weapon, and it seemed to be flickering; sometimes it looked like a shotgun, then back to a two-handed sword. I didn't know what the mortals were seeing in my hands, but knowing the mist, it wasn't anything that would good.
Ares turned to glare at the crowd, which gave us a moment to catch our breaths. There were five police cars now, and a line of officers crouching behind them, pistols trained on us.
I swear if we've survived this long only to get shot by some mortals, I am going to scream.
"This is a private matter!" Ares bellowed. "Be gone!"
He swept his hand, and a wall of red flame rolled across the patrol cars. The police barely had enough time to dive and cover before their vehicles exploded. The crowd behind them scattered, screaming.
Ares roared with laughter.
"Now, little heroes. Let's add you to the barbecue."
He slashed at me. I dodged. He rushed Percy. Percy deflected his blade. He got close enough to strike back, try to fake him with a feint, but the blow was knocked aside. The waves were hitting us in the back now. Ares was up to his thighs, wading in after me.
