Do-over (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

17. A Military Extraction

I rolled under the spear point thrust at my head, somersaulting into a crouch facing my opponent. Riptide was in my hand as I narrowed my eyes at the crouched figure in front of me. 

Rushing forward, my opponent lined up the point of the razor-sharp spear with my face. I sidestepped the strike and parried away the spear with the flat of my blade, causing my attacker to stumble past me.

'Is that the best you got?' I taunted with a smirk. Growling in anger, my opponent surged forwards. A shield materialised out from nowhere and I had to look away for a brief moment to avoid being petrified out of fear. 

I jumped backwards to avoid yet another thrust aimed at my stomach as I slapped my own wrist, hitting the button on the watch Tyson had made me. In less than a second, the sound of spiralling metal echoed across the arena and the intricate shield formed just in time to block a wide spear swing.

I rushed forward, my shield held tightly in front of me. As I expected, my charge was met by another shield and I pushed sideways. Grabbing onto the edge of my opponent's shield, I spun around using the momentum to rip the shield off their arm. With a pained yelp, my opponent reacted surprisingly quickly and swiped my feet from under me before I could react.

I tried to roll back to gain some distance but I could only manage to get so far. Ending up in a kneel, a found a spearpoint under my chin. 

'Do you yie-' my opponent tried to speak but I swatted the spear away from my vulnerable neck and stood up. 

I ducked under a swing and rushed forward, pinning the edge of my sword on my opponent's throat. Before I could speak, I felt the cold metal point poking my skin from under my shirt. I looked down and saw the point of the spear poised right below my sternum.

I looked back up and smiled, removing Riptide away from my opponent's throat and raised my hands in surrender, 'Draw?'

The spearpoint removed itself from under my shirt. I looked into the mirth-filled electric blue eyes of Thalia Grace.

'Draw,' she nodded. 'But you totally cheated.'

'I did not,' I said nonchalantly as I stepped back to give both of us some much-needed space. 

'You totally did,' Thalia laughed as she picked up her silver bracelet from the ground. 'I had you pinned. I was about to ask you to yield but you cut me off.'

'It's called tactics, Thalia,' I said smirking as we started walking out of the arena. 'And you did not have me pinned down. It was a draw.'

'I did have you pinned down,' Thalia complained. 'My spear was right under your chin!'

'No, it wasn't,' I denied.

'Yes, it was.' 

'No, it was-'

'Yes, it was!'

'I still think it was a draw,' I said as I looked over my shoulder, my smirk never leaving my face.

'Fine! Suit yourself,' Thalia relented. 'But we both know I'm better than you.'

'No, you're not.' I chuckled.

'Oh, I definitely am,' Thalia huffed, visibly annoyed as she fell into step with me. 

'Whatever helps you sleep at night,' I replied and started walking to my cabin. Soon enough, Thalia's protests faded away into the background. 

I spent the journey back to Cabin Three with a smile on my face. The past few months had been great. Just being at camp made me happy. Being around the people of Camp Half-Blood. My people.