Why... just why,... am I stupid?!

The Clash of Titans

I stood there, every muscle in my body coiled like a spring, waiting for the inevitable. I knew it was coming. There was no way this would end without a fight. And sure enough, Luke disappeared and  reappeared, this time with no smirk, no casual swagger—just cold, hard determination.

Luke: You know this has to happen, Percy. There's no other way.

Me: Oh, I know. But that doesn't mean I'm going down without a fight.

We circled each other, sizing up the distance between us, waiting for the first move. The arena, silent as a tomb, became our battleground. No weapons, no tricks—just us, our bare hands, and the raw instinct to survive.

Luke struck first, lunging at me with the speed of a viper. I barely dodged, twisting to the side as his fist grazed my shoulder. He was fast, faster than I remembered, but I had something he didn't—years of fighting against the odds, against monsters ten times stronger than me. This wasn't just about strength; it was about survival.

Stay calm, don't let him bait you.

He came at me again, this time with a flurry of punches aimed at my head. I blocked one, two, but the third connected with my ribs, knocking the wind out of me. I stumbled back, gasping, but I didn't go down. I couldn't afford to. I pushed the pain aside, letting the adrenaline take over.

Luke: Getting slow, Jackson. I thought you were supposed to be the best. One of the big threes kids!

Me:  Just warming up. Wouldn't want to embarrass you too quickly.

I feinted to the left, then shot to the right, driving my shoulder into his chest. Luke grunted as we collided, and for a moment, we were locked together, struggling for dominance. His hands grappled for my throat, but I twisted away, bringing my knee up into his stomach. He doubled over, and I took the chance to shove him away.

Luke stumbled but didn't fall. He was back on his feet in an instant, eyes blazing with a mix of anger and something else—something darker. This wasn't just a fight for him; it was personal.

 I have to end this, now.

I moved in again, quicker this time, landing a solid punch to his jaw. His head snapped back, but he retaliated almost instantly, slamming his fist into my side. Pain exploded in my ribs, but I ignored it, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back. He let out a pained grunt, but instead of trying to break free, he shifted his weight, using our momentum to throw me off balance.

I hit the ground hard, the impact jarring my bones, but I rolled away before Luke could capitalize. He was on me in a heartbeat, pinning me down with his weight, his hands closing around my throat.

Luke: You should've stayed down, Percy.

Me: Sorry... not... my style...

My vision started to blur as his grip tightened, but I forced myself to focus, to think. I couldn't match his strength, not like this. I had to use my wits, my agility.

With the last bit of air in my lungs, I brought my legs up, locking them around his torso. Using every ounce of strength I had left, I twisted my body, pulling him off me and slamming him into the ground. He let out a gasp as the air was knocked out of him, and I scrambled to my feet, my hand instinctively going to my throat.

Luke was slower to rise this time, but he wasn't done yet. Not by a long shot.

Luke: You're tougher than I thought, Jackson. But you can't win this.

Me: Watch me.

We clashed again, fists flying, bodies colliding in a brutal dance. Every punch, every kick was delivered with precision, but also with desperation. This wasn't just a fight; it was a struggle for survival, for control, for the last word. Luke's strength was formidable, but I had something he didn't—a reason to keep fighting.

He threw a wild punch at my head, but I ducked, slipping behind him and landing a swift kick to his knee. He buckled, dropping to the ground with a growl of pain, but before I could capitalize, he lashed out, catching me off guard with a kick to my chest. I staggered back, but I didn't fall.

Luke was on his feet again, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, eyes blazing with fury. We were both battered, bruised, and bleeding, but neither of us was willing to give in.

Luke: Why keep fighting, Percy? You know how this ends.

Me: Yeah, with you losing.

He came at me with everything he had, but I was ready. I dodged his attack, moving with the speed of a storm, and delivered a crushing blow to his gut. He doubled over, gasping, and I followed it up with an uppercut to his chin. His head snapped back, and for a moment, I thought it was over. But then he surged forward, tackling me to the ground.

We rolled across the dirt, each of us trying to gain the upper hand. His hands found my throat again, squeezing with the last of his strength, but I managed to wedge my arm between us, breaking his grip. With a final burst of energy, I flipped him onto his back, pinning him down with all my weight.

Luke struggled beneath me, but he was spent, his strength drained. I raised my fist, ready to deliver the final blow, but I hesitated. The thought of ending it, of finally putting an end to this twisted game—it felt wrong. But I couldn't let him win. I couldn't let him walk away from this....No I wasn't ready to die and that was the truth! I couldn't stand the thought of dying here. So I was ready to fight and to kill for that.

Me: You chose this, Luke. You brought this on yourself!!! We could have for sure found another solution!

Luke: HAH! Do it, then. Finish it! 

For a heartbeat, everything stopped. The world narrowed down to just the two of us, locked in a battle that had been brewing for years. And then, with a final, anguished cry, I brought my fist down.

The impact echoed through the arena, and Luke went still. For a moment, I just sat there, breathing heavily, the reality of what I'd done sinking in. But there was no time for regret, no time for second thoughts. This was the price of survival.

Slowly, I got to my feet, my entire body aching from the fight. I looked down at Luke, at the stillness of his form, and felt a hollow emptiness settle in my chest.

Me: I'm sorry.

But there was no one left to hear it.

The arena was silent once more.