Chapter 21: Wake me up inside

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Marcey's p.o.v.

I glared as Reyna looked at me with an amused expression.

Currently I was bent over trying to catch my breath. Reyna was making me drill in the way that she made her troops drill.

So that meant military standard marching, running and practicing. I grabbed my side and walked towards a wall "I regret every Netflix binge."

Reyna chuckled "I can tell." She looked at my face and sighed "Look, you're not that bad. You need to work on your marching and you need to practice your fighting skills but other than that for now your good."

I nodded "Okay." I looked around and noticed we were near the training coliseum. I looked Reyna in the eye "Please don't."

She already had that glint in her eyes. She had an idea and there was no changing her mind now. "Marcey you have your sword correct?"

I groaned "Yes"

She smiled slightly "I heard Frank was practicing today. I think it's time we see what you can really do."

And with that I followed my lunatic Roman trainer into the coliseum.

~le time skip~

As soon as we walked in Frank spotted us. He walked over with a look of concern on his face.

"Is something wrong?"

Reyna shook her head as I nodded.

Frank made a confused face "Okay?"

Reyna held her hand out to me.

I sighed and twisted the ring and it turned into my sword. I haven't named it yet but I'm thinking I probably should. When a blade has a name that's connected to the wielder the blade becomes stronger.

I was still trying to figure out if I should cross religions on this one but than again I could just name it after my father. But no, that's too easy.

Frank looked at me and than at Reyna and laughed "You want me to duel her?"

I quietly whispered "did you just assume my gender"

And at that point Nico had decided to appear right next to me and laugh rather loudly.

"Wow I came here looking for Hazel but now I'm interested in what going on here."

I sighed loudly "Can we get this over with? I want to be able to do my runs around the coliseum when I lose. And I want to be able to do them before dark."

Frank frowned "You should have more faith in yourself Marcey. You could win. Its always a possibility."

I scoffed "I know I'm not going to win because your more skilled than I am. I can admit when I'm going to lose. And normally I wouldn't fight you but this isn't life or death so I'm fine with it. You can't always pick and choose your fights but when you know your gonna get your ass kicked, lose with pride."

They all stared at me.

I shrugged "What?"

Frank smiled "That's not a very Ares way of thinking. You sounded like an Athena kid for a minute there."

I looked at Nico and he just shook his head and laughed.

"Am I gonna get disowned?"

Frank shrugged.

I dropped my head head and groaned "Thanks so much for the help!"

Reyna looked at me and than at Frank "Alright than chop chop! Let's get this over with!"

I twisted my sword in my hand and followed Frank onto the field.

Memories of the stories I had read about Rome and the coliseum came flooding back to me. I shivered, it was as if I could feel the spirits of those who were forced to fight in the arenas.

Frank stopped and I did as well. I took a few steps back to put some distance between us. I don't want to get hit in the face with whatever he is fighting with.

And at that moment I remembered he used a bow and arrow. I cursed as he took his bow off his back and grabbed and arrow.

Why Reyna was making me duel(?) someone who used a bow and arrow was confusing enough as it is. But why she made me fight Frank. It might be because she wants to see if I can handle fighting other Demi-gods.

I felt the weight of my sword in my hand and suddenly placed both hands on my sword. Losing my sword that early on in the fight would mean I would have to resort to a dagger. And I'm not that good at close range.

Frank loaded the bow but right before he did Reyna grabbed it and pointed towards the sword on his side. Frank sighed and grabbed the sword.

I looked at Reyna she nodded and I took the first swing.

It wasn't a swing meant to hit, it was meant to distract. As he blocked the swing I dropped to the floor and swept his feet out from under him. I quickly stood and jumped over his legs as he tried to knock me off my feet.

I jumped back and got into a defensive position. I had put more room between us. Hoping it would trigger his archer instincts instead of his swordsman instincts. Thankfully it worked. He grabbed for an arrow. His subconscious taking control.

I ran forward and ducked his swing. I rammed my shoulder into his throwing off his balance. I swept the flat side of my blade under his arm and raised it quickly disarming him.

I caught the sword and pointed both at him.

I froze when I heard applause. I turned to see Hazel standing next to Reyna. I flushed pink and gave Frank his sword back. Reyna had a slight smile on her face. It may have been a proud one.

Nico rolled his eyes at me "Well I know one thing for sure."

I glared at him "oh what?"

He smirked "You fight like a Greek."

To be perfectly honest I almost punched Nico but I thought of another way to get at him "Yeah I may fight like a Greek but at least I know to tell my family when I'm dating someone."

Nico froze and Hazel screeched and hugged him! "Who is it Nico!!"

I smirked as Nico glared at me. Reyna put a hand on my shoulder "Good job Marcey"

"I'm sensing a but there."

She grinned "But since you didn't believe in yourself-"

My sword turned back into a ring and I slipped it on. "I'll be running the area of the coliseum if anyone needs me."

And with that I trudged to my prize for winning.

I watched everything blur past me while I ran, it's rather hard to run and keep your glasses on at the same time. It was a wonder I hadn't run into anyone.

The running gave me time to ponder everything, which isn't exactly good for an existential crisis prone teenager.

I thought about the quest, the prophecy. And than about my friends. And what it would mean to them.

I obviously wasn't meant to do the quest alone. But I wasn't quite willing to let my friends get hurt either. And then there's the whole Apollo thing which I am not going to even try to understand.

I kinda miss the whiney god. But if you tell him I'll deny it for forever and all of eternity. But he had become a part of my daily routine. And now I missed that routine.

But with the upcoming war maybe it's better that I am trained in every way I can be. When it comes down to it I might have to fight a freaking Titan.

I quickly finished my laps not wanting to think about the future or what it had in store for me. All I could think about was sleep.

But sometimes sleep can be a demi-gods worst enemy.

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