𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐢━━Nico di Angelo

52

Two nights after they had been marooned near the palace of the lord of the south wind, Ajax noticed Piper had started to train her sword fighting skills with Hazel. She would borrow Jason's weapon, so Ajax crafted her a sword of her own.

"Don't mention it" He told her. It was getting late, the sun was setting. The bay glittered against a crescent of red sand beach. They were somewhere on the northern coast of Africa. That's as much as the wind spirits would tell Jason.

Piper thanked him, lifting the sword in her hand. It was temporary, and it would fade the more Ajax walked away, but it would do for that training session.

"Block attacks that come towards you from this direction" Hazel told her. She took out her own imperial gold weapon, demonstrating the attack in slow motion.

"I always try this countermove Luke taught me" Ajax was mostly talking to himself.

He snapped his fingers, his own sword shimmered into existence in his hand.

Jason was off for his daily audience with the lord of the south wind. Hedge and Frank were watching television and Nico was.. Well, Ajax didn't know.

He only knew that Nico vanished a couple hours ago. He tried not to show his frustration and anxiety. The more they stayed in that godsforsaken place, the more they were slowly losing themselves.

Piper was more serious, more driven. Hazel would train seriously as well as helping the others with repairing the ship. Jason was the least changed, according to Ajax, but even he didn't hide the fear and helplessness he was feeling.

Ajax swung his sword, a little dramatically. He faced Hazel. "I want to try something. Do the same attack, do it at normal speed"

Hazel nodded.

She barely gave him a second before she curved her sword through the air like Ajax had seen her do with Piper. Except it was faster and more ruthless.

Ajax intercepted it with the flat part of his sword. Hazel's golden weapon slid off Ajax's magic sword and made her lose her balance. Now that was a trick he should use more.

She stumbled slightly and Ajax wasn't in the mood for serious training so he gave her a second to recover before he brought his sword down on her.

His sword wasn't metal, which is why Hazel couldn't control it. He saw a sliver of panic in her eyes before she deflected the attack.

"You were going to use your powers" Ajax stated. "Sorry, I still can't get over your powers, they're just so fucking cool"

"Hey! This is my training session" Piper called from behind them, "Train me"

"So needy" Ajax rolled his eyes.

"Aw loverboy, if you want me, just say so"

"I want you," Ajax grinned.

They both had started looking at each other as a copy of Leo. A temporary replacement. It was probably not fair to anyone, not even Leo. But when did they ever care about healthy relationships?

Piper gave him even less of a warning than Hazel had.

She was brutal with a sword in the way Ajax had never seen a child of Aphrodite be. Piper wanted to make it hurt, she was letting all her frustration and anger out.

Ajax's grin widened.

Having a woman look absolutely unhinged as she drove her sword towards you was maddeningly attractive.

He side stepped easily. But Piper expected it, she slashed her sword through the air. He grabbed her sword arm, pulling her back.

"Good" He told her, "But try not to focus so much only on your sword. You have powers for a reason. Don't depend entirely on the weapon, your left arm is free as well."