Deep as the Sea
Getting Your Feet Wet
The simple truth of battle was that no opponent was unbeatable. At best, there were certain opponents that you could not normally beat, but there were always ways around that. Certain weaknesses that could be exploded, circumstances that you could use to your advantage, or even the simple method of greater numbers; both Chiron and hard-won experience had taught him that no opponent was truly unbeatable.
As such, Percy wasnÆt arrogant enough to think that he was some special exception or that he could not be beat. He still had his Achilles Heel to remind him of that, didnÆt he? And it did remind him, with a shock of near pain, every time something brushed against it. It was there as permanent proof that he was not quite beyond deathÆs reach.
Howeveràhere, in the water, his body shielded both by his curse and his only weak point further shielded by armor of Celestial Bronze, he could almost forget that. And while the river wasnÆt as good as salt water, but he could feel it nonethelessùthe power that was his birthright as the son of Poseidon, flowing into him.
The only way he could be stronger was if he were in the sea itself.
It may have been unfair, but that was kind of the idea; this battle was on his terms and his alone, with all the odds stacked in his favor. He had only one weak point, which heÆd defended as best he could, and it was in a place most wouldnÆt think to aim in the first place. The field of battle aided him and hindered his opponents and the extent and nature of his powers was completely unknown to his enemies.
So when he attacked Foster, it was without hesitation or fear. He had only two opponents and he could feel both of their positions in the water. Alston used a spear that was tipped with something like glowing ice and was about six feet long. Foster held a sword with a blade of four feet, which was strangely glowing as if it had been heated in a forge. As long as he paid attention to them while they were within range, he should be able to deal with them both, even at the same time.
Even so, there was a reason heÆd attacked Foster first.
With extraordinary skill that even surprised Percy for moment, Foster recovered from the sudden flood, regained his balance, brought his blade to bear, and caught Riptide neatly upon it. But as someone whoÆd never met him before, he obviously hadnÆt expected Percy to have as much strength as he did and he quickly forced the blade down into the water.
The results were immediate. The moment the water met the heated blade it began to evaporate and expand to take up as much room as possible. Foster hissed as the steam touched him, but to Percy it was just another form of waterùit wouldnÆt have caused him any harm, even without his curse.
Foster shifted, gritting his teeth. His shoulder slammed into PercyÆs as he grasped his blade with both hands. Percy turned his face slightly to meet his opponentÆs eyes, baring his teeth in challenge. As he expected, instead of taking one of the many easier ways to remove his blade, he tried to force it out of the water, insulted by PercyÆs apparent lack of effort in countering his strength. Percy just willed the water around FosterÆs blade to push it down harder in response, pushing more water towards it as it evaporated.
And as a result, the same steam that hurt Foster quickly spread the clearing. PercyÆs will defined its limits and kept it from thinning too much and soon the fog was so thick that it was impossible to see through.
ùOf course, in an area that was effectively full of water, Percy hardly needed his eyes. As Alston dove through the mist, Percy could feel the water touching the surface of his skin and his spear as an æabsenceÆ of water. He could feel the water condense on the tip of his icy spear, feel as it was drawn back, and feel as it was thrust forward, aimed for his head.
He raised his shield with time to spare, not even bothering to look away from Foster.
The tip of AlstonÆs spear broke against his shield, spilling some type of fluid over it. In an instant, water began to condense at a tremendous rate, drawn towards the liquid; it covered the entire surface of the shield in a sheet of ice in the blink of an eye, taking Percy by surprise.
He immediately decided Alston was the more important target. Removing Riptide and willing the water to release FosterÆs blade, the sudden lack of resistance caused him to stumble back a few steps.
But Percy was already in mid-turn, twisting with such force that his shield broke from AlstonÆs spear, which immediately began to grow a new point. The motion also forced his weapon aside, however, and before he could recover, Percy brought down his blade in a bronze arc. Alston had to quickly slide back, but his movements were hindered by the water and he didnÆt manage to dodge completely.
Riptide drew a neat line from shoulder to hip. It wasnÆt deep, but heÆd broken the flesh and blood that was such a light blue as to almost be clear immediately welled to the surface. Alston drew in a sudden breath and retreated several more steps.
Percy continued his turn, slamming the elbow of his shielded arm into FosterÆs nose, breaking it under the force of the blow. To FosterÆs credit, he merely grunted and took a step back; it wasnÆt even enough to keep him from lashing out with his blade.
Turning a bit more, Percy caught it on his shieldùor rather, on the ice that covered it. It melted through the ice like butter and reduced the resulting water to steam, removing it from a most of his shield. As Percy continued his rotation, he lifted the blade up and to the side, before thrusting under both shield and blade, catching Foster in the side, piercing armor.
Coming full circle, he slid AlstonÆs spear to the side with his shield, careful to avoid touching the tip. As Foster drew in for another attack, he caught the still-burning blade on Riptide and held off both attacks for a trembling moment.
ôStop,ö He suddenly said, surprising both warriors. He glanced once at each of them and smiled. ôHammer time.ö
Two high-pressure torrents of water suddenly rose from beneath them, catching both Fae in the chest with enough force to make their armor groan before throwing them away in opposite directions.
Cracking his neck, Percy smirked.
ôYou canÆt touch this.ö
Getting Your Feet Wet
The simple truth of battle was that no opponent was unbeatable. At best, there were certain opponents that you could not normally beat, but there were always ways around that. Certain weaknesses that could be exploded, circumstances that you could use to your advantage, or even the simple method of greater numbers; both Chiron and hard-won experience had taught him that no opponent was truly unbeatable.
As such, Percy wasnÆt arrogant enough to think that he was some special exception or that he could not be beat. He still had his Achilles Heel to remind him of that, didnÆt he? And it did remind him, with a shock of near pain, every time something brushed against it. It was there as permanent proof that he was not quite beyond deathÆs reach.
Howeveràhere, in the water, his body shielded both by his curse and his only weak point further shielded by armor of Celestial Bronze, he could almost forget that. And while the river wasnÆt as good as salt water, but he could feel it nonethelessùthe power that was his birthright as the son of Poseidon, flowing into him.
The only way he could be stronger was if he were in the sea itself.
It may have been unfair, but that was kind of the idea; this battle was on his terms and his alone, with all the odds stacked in his favor. He had only one weak point, which heÆd defended as best he could, and it was in a place most wouldnÆt think to aim in the first place. The field of battle aided him and hindered his opponents and the extent and nature of his powers was completely unknown to his enemies.
So when he attacked Foster, it was without hesitation or fear. He had only two opponents and he could feel both of their positions in the water. Alston used a spear that was tipped with something like glowing ice and was about six feet long. Foster held a sword with a blade of four feet, which was strangely glowing as if it had been heated in a forge. As long as he paid attention to them while they were within range, he should be able to deal with them both, even at the same time.
Even so, there was a reason heÆd attacked Foster first.
With extraordinary skill that even surprised Percy for moment, Foster recovered from the sudden flood, regained his balance, brought his blade to bear, and caught Riptide neatly upon it. But as someone whoÆd never met him before, he obviously hadnÆt expected Percy to have as much strength as he did and he quickly forced the blade down into the water.
The results were immediate. The moment the water met the heated blade it began to evaporate and expand to take up as much room as possible. Foster hissed as the steam touched him, but to Percy it was just another form of waterùit wouldnÆt have caused him any harm, even without his curse.
Foster shifted, gritting his teeth. His shoulder slammed into PercyÆs as he grasped his blade with both hands. Percy turned his face slightly to meet his opponentÆs eyes, baring his teeth in challenge. As he expected, instead of taking one of the many easier ways to remove his blade, he tried to force it out of the water, insulted by PercyÆs apparent lack of effort in countering his strength. Percy just willed the water around FosterÆs blade to push it down harder in response, pushing more water towards it as it evaporated.
And as a result, the same steam that hurt Foster quickly spread the clearing. PercyÆs will defined its limits and kept it from thinning too much and soon the fog was so thick that it was impossible to see through.
ùOf course, in an area that was effectively full of water, Percy hardly needed his eyes. As Alston dove through the mist, Percy could feel the water touching the surface of his skin and his spear as an æabsenceÆ of water. He could feel the water condense on the tip of his icy spear, feel as it was drawn back, and feel as it was thrust forward, aimed for his head.
He raised his shield with time to spare, not even bothering to look away from Foster.
The tip of AlstonÆs spear broke against his shield, spilling some type of fluid over it. In an instant, water began to condense at a tremendous rate, drawn towards the liquid; it covered the entire surface of the shield in a sheet of ice in the blink of an eye, taking Percy by surprise.
He immediately decided Alston was the more important target. Removing Riptide and willing the water to release FosterÆs blade, the sudden lack of resistance caused him to stumble back a few steps.
But Percy was already in mid-turn, twisting with such force that his shield broke from AlstonÆs spear, which immediately began to grow a new point. The motion also forced his weapon aside, however, and before he could recover, Percy brought down his blade in a bronze arc. Alston had to quickly slide back, but his movements were hindered by the water and he didnÆt manage to dodge completely.
Riptide drew a neat line from shoulder to hip. It wasnÆt deep, but heÆd broken the flesh and blood that was such a light blue as to almost be clear immediately welled to the surface. Alston drew in a sudden breath and retreated several more steps.
Percy continued his turn, slamming the elbow of his shielded arm into FosterÆs nose, breaking it under the force of the blow. To FosterÆs credit, he merely grunted and took a step back; it wasnÆt even enough to keep him from lashing out with his blade.
Turning a bit more, Percy caught it on his shieldùor rather, on the ice that covered it. It melted through the ice like butter and reduced the resulting water to steam, removing it from a most of his shield. As Percy continued his rotation, he lifted the blade up and to the side, before thrusting under both shield and blade, catching Foster in the side, piercing armor.
Coming full circle, he slid AlstonÆs spear to the side with his shield, careful to avoid touching the tip. As Foster drew in for another attack, he caught the still-burning blade on Riptide and held off both attacks for a trembling moment.
ôStop,ö He suddenly said, surprising both warriors. He glanced once at each of them and smiled. ôHammer time.ö
Two high-pressure torrents of water suddenly rose from beneath them, catching both Fae in the chest with enough force to make their armor groan before throwing them away in opposite directions.
Cracking his neck, Percy smirked.
ôYou canÆt touch this.ö