Authors Note: I don't own any characters you may recognize from the PJO or HoO series.
Ella's POV
Sunset came all too soon. Of course, we spent all day trying things that we didn't think would work but we tried anyways. Frank turned into an elephant, but the bars wouldn't budge. Leo's fire extinguished, Jason couldn't summon lighting, Hazel and Casper working together couldn't form a tunnel out, and even Piper's charmspeak didn't work on the guards.
Two guards came and opened the door to Cas's cell. She didn't try to fight them. She walked with them down the hallway. As she passed me, she gave me a weak smile, which turned out as more of a grimace.
Percy tried to say something as she passed him, but she cut him off. "It'll be fine." She turned down the corner, so I could just hear her call. "See you guys soon."
She had been gone a few minutes, when another guard came down our hall, carrying a boxy television. "Aliah thought you would want to watch." He grunted, pressed a button on the top, and set it down in front of the middle cell, the one I shared with Annabeth. He left quickly. On the smudged screen, an image flickered to life. It showed the dueling arena, but now the stands were full of cheering, booing, and shouting kids-some college age some as young as ten. Standing on the stage facing each other was a ripped college age guy and - Cas. At the corner of the screen was the words Caspian (Deserter) vs. Tom North (level 3) round#: 1. In a large box in the stands (draped with gold and emerald velvet) was Aliah, looking smug.
On the stage, things weren't going well for Cas.
Casper's POV~
Tom swung his sword. I dodged in the nick of time, cursing myself for dropping my sword. I scrambled over to it, and picked it up. It was heavy and bronze, and hard to fight with.
He came at me again, this time aiming for my neck. I raised my sword in time, deflecting the strike. I twisted up, so that his sword went spinning into the water. Of course, with my luck, my sword went with it.
The kids in the stands booed, but I ignored them. I kicked him in the stomach as hard as I could, but he caught my foot and slammed me into the side wall. I hit my head pretty hard and skinned an elbow, but otherwise I was okay.
Tom leered and leaned over, fist raised. I rolled out of the way so that his fist slammed into the stone.
"Ah!" He yelled in pain. He was doubled over next to the wall. I ran and shoved him over as hard as I could. He yelled again and landed in the water with a huge splash. The crowd screamed their approval. Aliah scowled. She motioned to a guard by the open doorway. She pressed a button and a sliding shelf of stone slid out and connected to the side of the platform.
Aliah picked up a microphone. "Winner- Caspian!" She didn't sound happy about it. "Round two- Caspian vs. Marie Brown, level six!"
I should probably explain- in Sanctuary, people's dueling level is measured from one to ten, with one being the least experienced, and ten being the most advanced. A level six would be hard, even though they weren't at the top.
Ella's POV
"Yes!" I cheered and did a little dance as Cas's opponent tumbled into the water. "That was awesome!" Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Cas one, Aliah ZERO!"
"Calm down." Annabeth said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Their sending out her next opponent." We pressed our faces against the bars to see. The words at the top of the screen changed: Caspian (deserter) vs. Marie Brown (level 6) round#: 2.
It took about fifteen minutes for Cas to defeat her second opponent. This time even Annabeth cheered. But a glance back at the screen made me wince. Cas was drenched in sweat and dirt. She had a deep cut on one arm, skinned knees and elbows, and a large bruise forming over her left eyebrow.
She was in no shape to fight a third opponent.
Casper's POV~
I leaned heavily against the side wall, clutching my slashed arm. I couldn't fight like this. "Break!" I called to Aliah. She shook her head and picked up her microphone.
"Final round. This time, Caspian's opponent shall be…. Me!" Whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire. It wasn't often that Aliah stepped into a fight. I grimaced. The first time I had fought Aliah, I had barely escaped with my life. Now, already injured, I had almost no- no. Don't think like that. You have to win this, and you can. If you don't, your friends will have to fight her too. Win.
I crouched and tore off the sleeve of my shirt, tying it around my arm. I tore off the other sleeve and used it to tie up my hair out of my eyes.
Aliah drew her sword. "Don't I get a sword?" I asked nervously.
"No." The bell rang, and she lunged with one goal: kill me. Crap, I was doomed.
I ducked, ran, dodged, rolled, and jumped to avoid the sword but she was fast and she was pushing me back. I have to get the sword away from her, I thought. The next time she stabbed at me, and turned sideways and grabbed the hilt of the sword. We struggled for a minute, until she wrenched it sideways. I stumbled back, looking down at the tear and line of blood on my stomach in shock. I couldn't feel it, but I could tell it was bad.
Aliah advanced. I backed away, clutching my stomach, which I could definitely feel now. I had only one line of defense: Aliah's pride.
"If you're so strong then why do you hide behind your sword?" I jeered, trying not to throw up from the pain in my arm and stomach. "Put it down and really fight me, coward." Aliah growled, but she couldn't look weak in front of her army. She set down the sword.
She punched me in the face so fast I didn't have time to flinch. I felt my nose break.
"Too easy." She laughed. "I wanted a challenge, deserter."
I doubled over as she punched again. I kicked her in the shins, but to no effect. She shoved me and I fell on my side, scrambling to get away. She brought a foot down on my neck and I choked. The crowd roared its approval.
I had to try. I reached behind me and grabbed her foot, yanking down. She stumbled, but didn't fall, but gave me time to stand.
"You'll regret that." She snarled, and ran at me, shoving me backwards over the wall.
Ella's POV~
"No!" Percy and I yelled at the same time. "Cas!" I clutched the bars with trembling hands. "No…." Tears leaked out of my eyes. "No…."
Annabeth put a hand on my shoulder. "It'll be-" Her voice cracked. "Okay. I promise." I listened to the announcer on the screen.
"And its a stunning victory from Aliah there, really brought it at the end there…"
I gritted my teeth. Anger replaced my sadness. "How can they-"
"I know." Annabeth said. I squeezed my eyes shut. "Ella! Look!" Annabeth sounded ecstatic.
"What?" I asked, looking at the screen, and then I saw. She was still up. Somehow, someway, she had grabbed the wall as she fell. She slung one foot over, then the other, and stood.
Casper's POV~
I stood. I had to win. There was so much adrenaline in my system that I felt like I must be floating. I couldn't feel my injuries. I couldn't hear the booing crowd, and I couldn't see them either. All I could see was Aliah.
My reflexes took over. I snatched up her sword and advanced.
"I hate you." I screamed. "You beat me, you tortured me, and then you expected me to help you!" I couldn't stop talking. "You thought you broke me, but you just made me stronger. And now its time to pay for that Aliah. Because the last thing you want to do before you piss someone off is make them STRONGER!" I raised both hands. The entire dueling arena was trembling. "I HATE YOU!" And I stabbed with the sword. Aliah fell to the ground, dead.
