Chapter 20 - The Fight

3rd Person's PoV

Perseus was tired.

Seriously, who would get tired of hearing, watching and, basically, witnessing how much someone can complain about workout and organization and, well... basically about everything!

"I can't stand him anymore..." Perseus whispered to Annabeth, when they were having dinner that night. They were seated on a special table, watching the other campers enjoy more and more their stay inside Camp Half-Blood. Even their relationship with Chiron was getting better. But, like in all happy tales, there's always someone that is messing with the happy ending of the important characters.

That someone, in this tale, was Han Ter, son of Zeus.

"Yes, you can Seaweed Brain..." Annabeth answered, in the same tone voice to him. "I remember that you did it with Clarisse all the time..." He glanced over his shoulder and saw Han sneering and glaring at the rest of the campers, who were slightly afraid of passing by.

"That's it. I can't take it anymore." Perseus got up, not before Annabeth stopped him. Right in that moment, Han chose to to stand up and walked to him. "This is going to be good..."

"I challenge you!" Han screamed, so that everyone could hear him. "I challenged you! There can't be a fake god in here and there can't be two of us!"

"Han, I wouldn't-" Chiron started, but Perseus stopped him, smirking at the old trainer.

"It's ok, Chiron..." Perseus laid down on his chair, looking at Han. "How long did it take you to come up with this? If you ever came up with this and someone had to whispered in your ear..." Han's face turned red with the embarrassing comment. Mostly, because the rest of the campers were chuckling, or trying to avoid it.

"Enough!" Han shouted, making everyone effectively shut up. "I haven't heard a 'no'..." Annabeth raised an eyebrow and Perseus knew she was planning something.

"Every cabin will choose someone to judge the event. We'll have a representative from every cabin. That way, no one will be ever questioned of favoritism." Annabeth logically explained, shrugging. Perseus nodded, also shrugging at the option.

"Sounds good with me-"

"Fine!" Han interrupted him, raising his arms in the air. "Tomorrow, at dawn." He stated, before leaving and walking into his still standing and not upgraded or even torn down cabin. Perseus shared a look with Annabeth, before smirking.

"You heard the man, kids! Off to bed! No bonfire tonight, as I want you all up at dawn!" He ordered to the campers, some who complained, but were shut by their siblings and the promise of seeing Han beat in the morning. Perseus turned to Annabeth and pulled her closer to him. "Wanna have a series marathon?" Annabeth looked at him, like if he was insane. "What? I heard that old show, Game of Thrones, had eight amazing seasons-"

"Seaweed Brain..." Annabeth chuckled, but she looked at him, serious. "You need to rest and- hey!" Annabeth complained when Perseus picked her up, bridal style and walked to their temporary home.

"Annabeth, even if that guy could be considered a worthy opponent, do you think that I'd tired for it?" Perseus reasoned, with his unique logic that Annabeth couldn't refute. "Besides, you know I'll beat him easily..."

"Oh, alright! Just because there's so many documentaries I wanna catch up..." It was Perseus turn to gape at her, shocked. "I really need to figure out how the mortals were stupid enough to make animal races extinct." Perseus noticed some kind of anger and smirked.

"Whatever you say, Wise Girl..." He decided, walking inside their place.

~oOo~

As predicted, Perseus didn't rest that night.

Instead, he heard Annabeth ramble and complain how mortals were stupid enough to cause war and destruction around themselves. Of course, he didn't argue with her, as he shared some of her point, but he sadly had to stop her at dawn, so he could get ready for the fight.

He seriously didn't want to do it, but that guy had been getting on his nerves since the day he arrived and no one had managed to do that. No one. He walked with Annabeth to the arena, more relaxed than anything. He saw how the campers were waking up, getting dressed or placing bathrobes on top of their pajamas. Seemed like no one wanted to miss the fight. He had to remember to tell the harpies to feed the early rising campers...

He arrived to the arena, to find Han panting and already suit up. It was easy to determined that he had been up all night, thanks to the bags under his eyes and the sweat on his forehead. Only a few members of the Ares Cabin were still standing with him, strapping his armor and sweating like him. It's obvious that they were helping him, or tried to help during the night.

"Alright, let's get this over with." Perseus stated, placing on his armor. Annabeth helped him, smirking when he smiled back at him.

"Your eagerness will be your doom." Han fired at him. It was obvious he was trying some kind of psychological trick on him.

"Just like your lack of sleep would be your... Look, we don't have to do this..." Perseus tried one last time. But that seemed to insult Han.

"Those words only are spoken by cowards!" He shouted, drawing out his sword. Perseus rolled his eyes, but took his sword out as well, and walked to meet him in the center of the arena. Every single camper held their breath, watching as how they were circling each other in silence.

Like Perseus deciphered, Han was tired and the only moment he had to do was to raise his sword to block him. With every blow Han threw at Perseus, Perseus blocked him, almost not moving from his place. The anger and the frustration on Han's face was evident and with every blow, he became more aggressive and slow. But more unpredictable.

But, he wasn't that unpredictable.

Perseus watched his movements with precision and carefulness, not missing a detail. He wouldn't raise his sword until the last minute, maybe even avoid the blow swiftly. The campers would look at him and be amazed, specially the younger ones, as he was the closest thing they had to a real hero.

"Han, stop this madness." Perseus suggested, when Han took a second break to gather his breath. Han had used the tip of his sword as cane and was bending over it, panting. "I would hate to injure you severely because of some stupid thing..."

"I... Won't... Give... Up!" Han panted, swinging his sword erratically. Perseus simply stood out of the way of the sword, watching in surprise how Han's body was losing its energy. Suddenly, and because the rush of adrenaline was gone and combined with his tiredness and frustration, Han collapsed on the floor, passing out. Perseus watched him, before placing his sword on its hilt and gesturing to a boy in the Apollo Cabin to come closer.

"Get ready a bed for him in the Infirmary..." He told him, before he rushed away. Then, he turned to the campers. "When he wakes up, tell him he almost makes me kill him... That should keep him under control for a while..." He ordered, before leaving the arena, where he didn't break a sweat.

He needed a nap. And soon!

~oOo~

Perseus took his time to going back to Olympus.

But, he knew that he couldn't postpone it. Annabeth came along with him, knowing that he'd not need him, but that he wanted her there. It was as he wouldn't go anywhere without her anymore and he didn't want to. When they arrived to Olympus, Hades and Hestia were in the middle of the throne room, but with the rest of the Olympians. It was obvious that they had woken up sometime in the middle of the week and, just had an argument.

"Lord Hades, Lady Hestia..." Perseus greeted them, ignoring the other twelve. Hades and Hestia bowed their heads respectfully at him and Annabeth. "I trust that you had arrived into a decision of my proposition..."

"We did." Hades nodded, while Hestia stayed silent. "We accept your proposition."