Perseus came back into the camp, fish in hand. As he began to slice up his meal, Draco came up to him.
"You," he said, "Bring your weapon".
Perseus sighed and left his dinner to follow the captain, sword in hand.
As Perseus and the captain went to the perimeter of camp to train, Eusebios, the youngest and most eager to prove himself of the group, went up to the hunter's cloaked companion.
"Who do you think you are, running around covered up like that. I'd like to see what you are hiding underneath that hood….." as he reached up to tug the hood off, the cloaked man drew out a wickedly curved blade about as long as the soldiers forearm. The hilt was decorated with a figurehead of Ares, the god of war.
The soldier gasped, "How dare you pull a knife on me." the young man was outraged and pulled out his sword, ready to start a fight.
"Peace, soldier." one of the hunters stood in his companions defense, "he meant no harm. He only wishes to keep himself hidden from your eyes. I thought we had gone over this with your captain-"
"You have." Eusebios cut the hunter off, "but I would like to see who I am fighting along side with for myself. And why do you speak for him? Does he not speak?" the soldier gabbed the cloaked man in the chest. "I say we make a deal. Fight me, and if I draw your blood, you remove your cloak, if you wound me, I will give you my rations tonight."
Both of the hunter brothers stepped up. "Please, you don't have to fight, we can come up with some other arrangement-" the hooded man cut them off by making a gesture with his blade. He stalked past the soldier and walked towards the perimeter where Perseus and Draco were training. Once there, he took out a second curved blade, identical to the first, and rotated the two weapons expertly in his hands, presenting a challenge to the young solider.
"So, you do have some fight in you." Eusebios said laughing, looking the man up and down. Even though he was hidden under a cloak, the solider noted that his adversary was very small, in both height and width. This gave the solider the advantage of strength to overpower him. Eusebios smiled confidently, and struck. The cloaked man bent slightly keeping his head down as Eusebios charged at him. With blinding speed, the cloaked man dodged a sweeping attack and nicked Eusebios's leg with his blade. A thin line of blood appeared. The hooded man stood triumphant with his head still bowed. Many of the soldiers had come to watch, and were disappointed to see how soon the stranger had won. Perseus and Draco had also witnessed this mini clash. Draco stepped forward.
"You are a skilled fighter, so skilled that I wonder if you would care to take on all of my soldiers? Take down your hood and let us see your face, else I will be forced to go back on my word to the hunters and take it off myself." the cloaked man bent back down in a defensive position, keeping his head bowed. Draco sighed.
"As you wish. Your secrecy will be your undoing." the captain inclined his head towards his soldiers, "The same rules apply, if you draw their blood, they must fall back, but if your blood is spilt, we will finally see what you are hiding."
The hooded man's companions were standing off a ways watching with anticipation. They had seen his fighting skills, and there was no doubt that he was good. But was his ability enough to take on the Praetorian Guard's soldiers?
Standing on the balls of his feet, the hooded man feinted the first blow dealt. As the solider tried to bring his sword back, he suffered a shallow cut under his forearm. The second soldier came from behind. He received a small wound on his foot. And so this continued, until all of Draco's soldiers were bleeding somewhere on their bodies. The cloaked man was fast, and his small size worked to his advantage. When his blades were twirling with blinding speed, it seemed as if there were twenty instead of two. The soldiers were no match. After the last one was defeated, Draco walked calmly towards the man. Draco drew his sword to take his own challenge. The cloaked man waited, head down, for Draco to make his move. The captain lunged gracefully, but where the man had been not a moment ago was empty air. Draco looked to his right in just enough time to block a strike coming towards his knee. The captain laughed, as he swung and dodged, trying to keep up with the hooded mans speed. As the double blades twirled, he felt a sting on his forehead, and wasn't surprised to find himself blinking away blood.
"Curse those spinning blades. You have defeated my soldiers, and myself. You are truly gifted, but I have one last challenge. I would like to see you duel Perseus." the captain said wiping away the blood from his wound. At this the cloaked mans companions stepped forward yet again.
"He has already proven himself, why must he go against the demigod?" asked one
"If you don't stop this fighting, we will leave." said the other. The hooded man gestured impatiently at them with his sword. Perseus was filled with a boiling anger at being called a demigod.
"I will fight you, and I will win, but not because I am the bastard son of some god as you all think." Perseus stated angrily, grabbing his sword and circling the cloaked man. The face in the hood looked steadily at the ground as Perseus approached. With spinning blades the hooded man stealthily swung towards Perseus's calf muscles. Perseus blocked easily and feinted towards the mans shoulder. As the man dodged, Perseus caught him with the hilt of his sword in the gut. The cloaked man rolled to the ground moving out of the way until he could get centered, but Perseus was upon him before he could stand. Perseus tried to bring a blow down across the cloaked mans shoulder blade, but was blocked by the curved swords. The weapons locked and the cloaked man kicked Perseus away. As Perseus staggered he had to dodge a swift strike towards his left arm. The blow caught his sword and sent it flying away. Weaponless, Perseus, ducked, rolled, spun and dodged away from the rapidly spinning blades. As the cloaked man lunged, Perseus used his arm braces to catch one of the blades. As the sword struck, Perseus ripped it out of the mans grasp and tackled him. The two fell to the ground, kicking up leaves and dust, Perseus pinning the cloaked man beneath him. Perseus sent the second blade spinning away and struck under the hood, slicing the mans smooth check. As a ribbon of blood appeared, Perseus pulled the hood away to find …...…...
a woman staring back at him, breathless.