Fourteen days later, Perseus walked out of the Flavian Amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum, for the third time in a row. After his first win, he had been quickly shepherded back to his Lord's manor. He was attended to by a servant girl he had never met before, who seemed almost jealous of him as she drew his bath.
That night, for the first time in his life that he could remember, he slept on a bed and pillow, both filled with genuine feathers plucked from fine hens. The reminder of the division of Rome's money hadn't been enough to keep him from relaxing on the soft fabric as his mind wandered into bliss. For the first time in the night, he dreamt.
Seven days later, the next Thursday, he had his second bout in the Colosseum. Once again, one hundred monsters had faced him and nineteen other gladiators, the same odds as the original fight. This time, however, he was with a group of lesser-trained warriors. His jaw tightened, he saw it for what it was - a test. The nation of Rome was testing him - and he would prove successful.
Now having to deal with too many other fighters trying to stick to his side, Perseus was hard-pressed to sneak attack the greater monster on the field - an ouroboros. Unlike it's many depicted forms, this snake was not preoccupied with its own tail. Rather, it had plentiful spirals along its body that Perseus had the unfortunate task of learning firsthand were extremely difficult to pierce. Whenever it was attacked, the ouroboros would spin, the combination of the spirals and rotating force blocking any sword attack that came its way.
However, after cutting open the monster's cheek from the inside, he dragged his sword along the side of the serpent's body, the magic of the spirals failing as the creature was rendered unable to twirl around effectively. He was once again a champion, although this battle had seemed more like a test than the first one. Almost as if someone was trying to figure out his limits.
Once again, he was given a bath by the same slave, who now openly eyed him with disdain, although made no comment out of fear of retribution. That night, sleep was difficult. His gut told him to be careful, but after a few hours, his eyes finally closed.
Finally, today. This battle was even easier. While there had been only half as many gladiators, there was no greater monster. And yet, the crowds had cheered just as loudly as before. After, his Lord had pulled him aside and given him shocking news.
"I don't know why, but Imperator Caesar Augustus has taken an interest in you, boy. You've done... adequately thusfar, no doubt thanks to my training as well as that blade." The compliment seemed to come out rather awkwardly, but his Lord used it has a chance to boost his own ego. "Do not dishonor me, or I will bring you back to life just to kill you again." The threat seemed... rather bleak. Perseus didn't know if his Lord could do that, but wasn't willing to take the chance anyway.
The slave girl, who he had finally realized was quite beautiful underneath the grime that surrounded her, once again drew his bath. Meeting her gaze, Perseus realized that while her eyes held ire, it was not towards him. Going back to sleep on the bed, his eyes closed quickly. Moments after Hypnos, or rather, Somnus had claimed him, his eyes opened once again in a world seemingly separate from his own.
Instinctively, his hand drew to his hair, where Anaklusmos had taken to resting in the form of a hairpin. After the first bout, he had felt a sort of attachment to the blade that he hadn't felt to anything before - a sort of... comfort. He had deposited it with a guard after the battle, as per the rules of all gladiators, but had only walked for a few moments before he felt a weight settle in his hair, proving to be Riptide.
Now, however, it wasn't there. That left two possibilities - one bad, one good. The bad possibility was that he was in a place where a being's power was greater than that of whomever had created Anaklusmos, thus not allowing it to transport to his hair. The good possibility was that he had been summoned by some sort of god or goddess, and was in no such danger. Without further evidence, though, he looked around wildly for an object to use as a weapon.
As he examined the room he was in, he realized that unless his summoner was an idiot, it was unlikely he was in great danger. Around the room, there were varying items, plenty of which could be used as weapons. And, as he looked around the room further, it seemed quite... comforting. While in the style of a gallery, with vibrant oil sketches, and busts of various figures, there was a calm fire in the corner, giving off a soothing feeling as he looked at it.
All of the sudden, tinkling laughter pulled him from his thoughts. Whirling around, a candlestick at the ready, he found himself staring down a corridor, a short, lone figure walking down it. Eyes widening, Perseus realized his company, as well as his current position of aggression. Quick as a viper, he knelt down on one knee, face staring towards the ground, the candlestick's flame hissing as he pressed it out against the marble floor. "Lady Vesta, it is a great honor to make your acquaintance."
The goddess laughed in response, the only one of the gods and goddesses willing to be seen in a childlike form, intimidation being no part of her mindset. "Rise, young hero. You are Greek, call me Hestia." She smiled warmly at him, although his head was still ducked as he rose from his knee. Lady Ves- Hestia was a great deal of the reason he was alive. His birth had been difficult, and if it hadn't been for Ladies Hestia, Hera, and Artemis, the goddesses of childbirth in various forms, he would've been born still.
"Lady Hestia," He acknowledged. "May I ask why you have summoned me?"
The girl nodded, and Perseus realized with a small amount of amusement that he, a muscled warrior, bowing to this small girl, appearing to be less than half his age, would have been utterly ridiculous in any other setting.
"The gods and goddesses of Olympus have taken notice of your skill. Have no doubt, one of them is your father."
Perseus' eyes widened at how casually the divine being dropped that bombshell. He nearly blurted out, wanting to ask if she knew which, but held his tongue. She was a goddess, after all! Instead, he nodded for her to continue.
"You are in danger if you keep fighting, and are one of the last chances for Greek to survive in the future. I implore you to think of your life when you wake." Perseus thought about this for a second, but something in his mind clicked, and he nodded in acceptance. "One last thing, Perseus..." She starting speaking as she walked back down the corridor. "Zoë is a friend."
That cryptic message remained in his head as Perseus bolted upright in bed, his hand quickly finding the hair clip that was the other form of Anaklusmos in his hair. Sunlight streamed into the room, signifying that it was morning. Shaking his first encounter with a deity out of his mind, keeping the message tucked safely away, he fell back onto the bed, enjoying the softness of the material for a few more minutes, a feeling his gut told him he would soon find hard-pressed to keep.
Chapter three is up! Rather early tonight, usually I write around 10 or 11, but I started around 8 this time. This chapter had a little bit less action, and a little more plot involved. A little more foreshadowing, too. Something big will happen! Oh, and if you didn't see it, Zoë exists. Magic. Most likely won't be a ship though.
Enjoy!
- PJO Fan Power
Finished 9:15 PM, 2/8/2020
