It all started with each person introducing themselves as they attacked. The four guys parried each other's blows as if it were practice, so Thane eased up a little.
"The name's Leo Valdez," the curly haired kid said. He was rummaging through his tool belt. Thane pointed the staff at him first. Leo pulled out a complicated looking remote. It was black with silver buttons and colorful lights. "Being Death's kid, does that mean you're, like, already dead?"
Thane didn't react to the comment. Leo shrugged, pressing a button on the controller. The top half of the sphere raised an inch in the air, and began spinning. metal whips began spewing out and lashing in Thane's direction. He dodged gracefully as the whips cut the air above his face. He swiped the staff with lightning speed, knocking back every next lashing with ease.
The sphere snuck in a low sweep. Thane stabbed his rod into the white marble floor, protecting his knees, and sighing in relief. Another whip spun around the staff, and around him, tying the demigod tightly against his own weapon. Thane tried to break free, but to no avail. The more he struggled, the tighter his bindings got. This felt like more than a practice match.
"Is that it?" Leo laughed. "Looks like Death isn't as scary as we thought." The crowd of demigods around them also laughed.
Thane snapped with anger and twisted his staff in the middle. With blinding speed, he sliced through the whips with the weapon, baffling Leo so bad, he didn't notice Thane's billiard strike, sending the ball his way, corner pocket. The ball crushed Leo, making the demigod squeal.
"Next," Thane didn't give him a second look.
Two daggers flew his way. He twirled the staff clockwise and back, bashing the daggers away. The daggers were snatched back and caught by the long haired boy.
"Nice to meet you," the boy bowed. His long blonde hair fell over his broad shoulders. "I am Zachery Draiken Cruise, a son of Aphrodite." In an instant, Zachery underhanded one of the blades, aiming at Thane's jugular.
Thane popped the dagger, spinning the staff again, awaiting the next toss. Another, like clockwork, flew towards him, and was as easily knocked back. Both daggers hit the ground.
"Aw," Zachery looked helpless. The women in the crowd gave him a sympathetic cheer.
"Hmph!" Stacie rolled her eyes. "Thane! Kick his butt!"
He smirked, kicking up dust as he sprinted towards Thane. He jumped into the air gliding his way with his fist out. Thane side stepped, but didn't get a chance to attack as Zachery Street Fighter Chun Li kicked at him. Thane barely blocked that, stepping back quickly, and blocking a series of rapid punches.
Zachery smirked, snatching his hands back. Thane noticed a shiny thin twine snapping the air. The string was pulled tight, and the daggers suddenly spun around him. Zachery knew they would wrap him up and cut him deeply.
So, he decided to cut it short. He wound his staff from side to side, three times on each side, knotting up the daggers' string, and with a heavy heave, flung the daggers at Zachery. He turned, stamping his staff on the ground. He reared back, predicting a final assault from the blonde boy. He rushed forward, ramming his head into the predictable son of Aphrodite's skull.
Zachery crumbled to the ground. His forehead oozed with blood, staining his blonde hair and blurring his vision. He could barely move.
"One...more...trick..." Zachery twitched his fingers. The tangled twine began to recoil, and the daggers spun upward. He rolled over, snatching his arm, and the daggers with it, attempting to impale Thane's back in one final strike.
Thane's tattoo surged into a living wing again, shattering the daggers with its tough, diamond frame. Zachery laughed, "Well...gave it my all..." and closed his eyes, beaten.
Thane flexed his shoulder blades, giving his mighty black diamond wing a heavy beat. His eyes panned over to Percy and the other blonde haired boy.
"Hot stuff, man!" Stacie clapped and yelled over the crowd. "My money is on those pectorals!"
Thane looked at his chest and blushed.
Percy smiled bright. "That is pretty awesome, right, Jason?" Percy chucked his blade at the blonde kid, and charged at Thane. The boy deflected it, knocking the weapon out of sight behind the crowd, and dashed for Percy.
Thane didn't understand. Were they fighting him, or each other? Rivalry radiated between the two. He didn't have much time to think on it. Percy dug into the pocket of his blue jeans. He pulled out an IPhone, then shook his head, replacing it. He pulled out an ink pen, lunging at him.
"An ink pen?" Thane smirked, raising his staff.
Percy clicked his pen, and the celestial bronze blade which he had thrown earlier reappeared. Without Thane realizing, the wing instictively flapped, blowing Percy off course of his primary target spot. Thane stepped out of the way, bewildered, and Percy grazed his left forearm.
"Woooo! Get'em Seaweed Brain!" The blonde girl with the stormy gray eyes shouted.
Stacie rolled her eyes, shouting, "Good dodge, Thane! That's my man!"
The two women glared at each other, sparks flying between them.
As if incentive, Percy doubled in a speedy recovery, lunging again. This time, Thane jumped up with double the height. Percy cursed, missing him again, but advanced at the oncoming blonde kid, Jason. The two combatants clashed blades furiously. The swords seemed to disappear in a blur of bronze and gold.
Thane landed a good distance away from them. His wing lay back down. He had reached his limit with the jump. It needed time to recover. He watched the epic fight throw down. The two fought with everything they had, spinning and flipping, evening out move for move. There had definitely been something between them, a past. Thane started to remember someone he had met some time ago. A rival of his own.
Thane sprinted forward into battle. He vaulted over with his staff, and stuck his foot into Percy's side, kicking him out of the way. Percy hit the ground, doubling over in pain, and Thane proceeded to fight Jason.
Jason swung in an "X" formation, hacking away at Thane. He blocked the blows left and right. Thane back stepped and thrust his staff at Jason's chest. Jason stopped it short with the flat of his gladius, pushing it back, but Thane's strength was overwhelming. Thane pushed him back several feet, then Jason grabbed the end of the staff. He smirked as several jolts of electricity emitting from his hair surged downward through his body and out of his arm, reaching his hand. The staff conducted the jolt, shocking Thane back the several feet he had advanced.
Thane stumbled to one knee, his hands were locked around the staff with the remaining electricity it conducted. He winced, snatching a hand free, and blocked as Percy returned to the fray. He came down with a vertical slice of his sword. The blow knocked Thane on his back.
Percy twisted and flipped the sword around, catching Jason in the chest with the hilt.
Jason stumbled back, then cocked his blade back in a readied stance. A series of small dark clouds formed over his head. Lightning flashed from his eyes and a hard breeze lifted him from the floor. "It Just got real..." He said as he flew over to his father's throne and hovered. "Have to show you guys who's house this is!"
"Whatever! My dad stays here, too, bro!" Percy started bouncing again. He held his hand out. Suddenly, a stream of water from a nearby source outside of the throne room trailed into his hand. The water formed into a six foot tall trident. More water surrounded his feet, lifting him up with the tide.
"Hey..." Thane rolled backwards, landing on his feet. He hated being the center of attention, but he felt that he must tell everyone. "I didn't ask to be included in this fight...I'm not from here...But since you have been such gracious hosts...allow me to thank you..." He twisted his staff hard. It separated into two rods, of which he spun around. He swiped them through the air hard, and out protruded a deadly sickle on either rod. He twirled the mini scythes with ease, then crouched as the tattoo came back to life, and flap him into the air. Through the hair in his face, Stacie could see the gold irises of his eyes melt over into the white.
"Wow," the stormy eyed girl gasped.
"I think I'm in love," Stacie commented, ignoring the retorts of her siblings.
"You can do it Jason!" cried a girl from behind stormy eyes. Something in her voice made everyone consider Jason being the victor.
Thane shook the thought, and with a fierce roar, met up with his opponents in the air.