The Spartan streets were crowded with carts, venders, lanistas and playing children. Women and men walked the cobblestones, talking about the daily gossip from the town baths, and shouts of merchandise could be heard. Citizens who strut pass me coward in my presence, fully aware of the rumors, the legends, the stories. I payed them no heed as I scanned the road for the local bar and pool. My spartan guide stopped his horse next to mine.
"General. The bar is two blocks ahead. Do you wish to proceed?" The man asked. I looked at him and studied his armor. Standard issue wanster knot, keeping his red cloak on his skimpy shoulders. Celestial bronze breast plate, but in the very corner, near his armpit was a flash of silver. Silver from the persian nation. I narrowed my eyes and gestered for him to come closer. The traitorus spy gulped and pulled on his reins to move his horse.
"What is your name?" I asked.
"Humrei Yuther." The man replied, gaining his confidence back.
" Do you know who I am, Humrei?"
"General Chase, Daughter of Lady Athena."
"Yes. I am." I reached over to him. Humrei flinched as I unsheathed his sword. Just as I expected. Persian West Silver, grade A, wealthy, rank 304. I slid off my Cladstale, dragging Humrei down with me. He collasped to the floor, and i picked him back up.
Spartan citizens were now watching. I stared into the crowed, analyzing each and everyone of them. Their profiles came clean.
"Do any of you know this man?" I bellowed. Murmurs arose and whispers rode the wind. A women of early twenties stepped forward. She trembled seeing Humrei, and could not meet my gaze. She was about to speak when she closed her mouth and held back tears.
"Anyone afraid of this man shall not no more, for he is to be killed for his crimes. He is a Persian spy." Cries and shouts and angry insults erupted from all around. My grip on Humrei's shirt tightened when he struggled to get free.
"Anyone who knows of his crimes, speak now, and add to his hell he shall get from our glorious gods. But do not lie, for I can tell, and it is against the law to feed false information to a General." My voice carried over the people. The young girl stepped forward again, along with ten others her age. A few adults did too, and guessing from their clothing, the were shop owners.
"What did he do to you, glikoula?" I said as gently as I could. The girl shifted nervously.
"I-in the a-alleyway, behind Gendalia's Sweets, h-he...he…" She burst into tears again. it was all I needed. I took out my dagger and stabbed Humrei in the thigh. He screamed in pain and arched his back.
"Has anyone else been raped by this Persian?" I say. The ten other girls raise their hands. I pull my dagger from his thigh and stab him on his other. His cry of agony could be heard all the way to Persia.
"And you?" I ask the adults.
"Theft." They say at once.
"And why have you not mentioned this to the Gaurdians?"
"They never listened. They committed similar crimes themselves." Another young girl, maybe fifteen hoarsely calls out. Rahe burns through my veins. I throw Humrei onto the ground. Soldiers tie his wrists and attach him to the horse, so that he will have to walk with his wounds or be dragged.
"This man will be executed for his crimes tomorrow at noon. You, girl, tell my comrade any name you can of the Gaurdians who have failed me and anyone else who has seen them do so, speak. You shall have new Gaurdians by the brink of twilight." Delight go through the crowd. I hop back onto my horse.
"Also, I am looking for new squad members. Anyone who thinks they are spartan at heart will meet me in two days time. Spread the word." I tug on my horses reins and head to the colosseum.
PERCY
"Today, you will compete in the games." Our Lantis said. "You will fight to the death, and the winner will go into the next rounds. Understood?"
"Sir yes Sir!" I shout along with the other gladiators. The roar of the crowd could be heard from inside the colosseum, the roars of bloodthirst. The lantis glares at us before he heads out. The citizens of Sparta get even louder.
"Are you ready for the criminals of Greece to fight to the death?" The lantis yells. The crowd goes nuts.
"Alright then! City of Sparta, hold your tunics." The rock door in front of me slowly raises, and beautiful light burst through. I use my shield to protect my eyes, and walk forward. The sand of the arena scuffs into my sandals, and i stopped in the middle. Facing the King and Queen in the royal stands, the gladiators and I bowed.
"Long live Greece!" We said, and took our places in the corners of the battlefield.
"Lets the games begin!" The Lantis bellowed.
Yes. Let the games begin.
I charged the nearest fool. He went down like a sack of flour. I turned to the next when-
"Wait!" A voice boomed. We all stopped and lowered our swords. There, standing in front of me, was the legendary General Chase. Oh, i've heard of her. The first Female General, and the first gladiator to be dismissed from the games. She killed a whole village by herself, claiming that her mother had sent her a message that the village was entirely of Persians. She was right, after Lady Athena had to poof out of no where in the castle and demand that the king be resigned because of how lousy he was. Everyone hated that king. General Chase did murder people before that, but it was sponged, and she was trained and now is the best fighter in the world. She was a walking Legend. No one would be able to live up to her name. Even the gods feared her.
Everyone in the stadium sank to their knees. The ultimate sign or gesture of respect. Yeah, we have a King, and we bow,but bowing is almost nothing, and when you put the king next to General Chase, she makes him look like a peasant.
"Rise." She says. Her her blood red dipped in gold and blue snaps in the wind. Her golden armor shines like the sun, and her medals on her breast plate remind us of all the things she has done for Greece.
"You have no right to interrupt a game." The king is red in the face and stands dangerously close to the General. She looks at him coolly.
"You may be a king, but I do not take orders from you. You are not a worthy king." Gasps from the crowd.
"Arrest her for treason!" The king shrieks. None of the soldiers make a move.
"You are a fool, Richard. You are not the rightful king of Greece." General Chase growls. The king attempts to slap her. She simply side steps.
"Its been a long time since I have been here in Sparta. A new king has come, and no one likes it. Girls are losing their innocence left and right from our own Gaurdians, thefts become daily, and war threatens us from cities in our own nation. I have spoken to Zeus, king of the gods, and the only way to save this city, this country, is for you to step down, and let the rightful ruler, a son of poseidon, take your place. Hand over the medallion, Richard, or taste your own flesh." General Chase holds out her hand, and the King just stands there. He's trembling with rage, so mad that a vein in his neck is about to burst. I could hear the rush of blood, mixed with water that was deliberately put there. To kill him.
The next thing I did could have gotten me speared.
"Wait! The King is poisoned!" I hollered. General Chase snapped her neck to look at me.
"What do you mean?" She asked. I shook my head and thrust out my hands.
"Water." I said. Cold liquid ran from my fingertips and onto the sand. Cries of disbelief. "The King has a dangerous amount of water in his veins. The water is closing in fast to his lungs, where it will separate from the blood and drown him from the inside." General hops down from the royal stands, something a mortal should not be able to do without killing themselves. She walked towards me while analyzing.
"Did you poison him? Since he is a now a demeritis, will you now live up to your crimes?" General Chase was close enough to where is could see the stormy rain clouds in her eyes.
"No. I would never do that. Yes, i've considered it, but then again, everyone has thought of killing the king." I retort. The General smirks, a sign of approval.
"This is inconcivable! You traitors! You...You Persians! I will have you all beheaded!" The king screamed. It hurt my ears. General made a hand gesture behind her.
"Silence him." She says. A soldier goes to the king and wraps a gag around his mouth and head.
"And the Queen."
"Who are you?" She asks softly.
"Perseus Jackson. Sailor of the Seven seas, captain of DeathStroke. Son of Poseidon."I stare into her eyes, pleading with her to believe me.
"And why are you here?"
"I was falsely accused of the murder of King Archer." General Chase raises an eyebrow.
"Everyone knows he died from alcohol, so why would they…?" Her eyes widened, then she unsheathed her sword and held the handle to me.
"Perseus Jackson, how would you like to be in my squad?"