Chapter 3 A friendly dual

Being the son of Thor, James was good at metalworking and the collective power of the Kandilan warriors made him excellent at archery and sword-fighting. He could even give Chiron and Percy a ran for their money.

James had learned much about his gifts from his brethren. The staff could split apart with the bladed end change it into a sword four feet in length, perfectly balanced, and dark blue blade that gives off arcs of lightning. The club turns into a dark gray teardrop shield. James had been practicing his sword-fighting with his sword-staff, which he called Eisschlagen, in the arena all morning. He also learn how he can change the bladed end of his staff into two different weapons, the sword and an axe, both dark blue blades with lightning arcs and the club into any type of shield.

He had stopped practicing when Percy and some other campers came into the arena floor. He gave them a quick glance. Then he sent a lightning bolt to arena wall, thunder shook the arena as sparks danced in air causing them stop dead in their tracks. James turned to the campers," Sorry I'm still trying to get the hang of it"

Percy steps forward and says, "Let's see how well you do against an opponent that can hit back, how about a friendly duel?"

"Are you sure, Percy?"

"Yeah, It has been awhile sense I had a challenge, So let's have at it" Percy smiled

"Very well Percy I accept your challenge, pick you weapons, I chose my sword-staff" James said as he picked his staff spinning it around in his hands

"Alright I pick my sword" Percy said as he uncapped sword. The campers form a large circle around them, giving them plenty of room, some others ran off to tell the other campers.

Percy and James walk the arena floor, sizing each other up for their first strike. The air becomes tense, waiting for is about to happen. Both seem calm and collected, but their minds are racing as well as their hearts. Percy's ADHD got to him and he made the first. He charges with his sword. James quickly sidesteps him and kicks him off his feet. Percy falls to the ground, but rolls away and gets to his feet. They start to circle again.

By now a much larger group have arrive, James look at the faces that surrounds him and Percy. They went at again, attacking with such power that it knocked people off their feet. It seem like it could go on for hours when Annabeth got to the arena after hearing about the dual. The two equally match attacks were fallowed by counters which were easily block, miss after miss. Percy caught Annabeth's eyes, he paused for second it was his mistake, James kicks him square in his chest sending him falling back to the ground. James approaches, but Percy kicks him back and off his feet. James lands on his back. Percy gets to his feet, but before he can get to him, James backflips into the air and lands on his feet.

This time James makes the first move. He jumps high into the light of the sun. Percy looks up, but looses him in the sun. James comes down with swift kick to Percy's chin and another to his chest. He kicks Percy's sword away and holds his sword-staff to Percy's neck. Both breathing hard and covered in sweat. Then both smiling start laughing. James lifts his staff away offers his hand to Percy to help him up.

Percy takes his arm saying, "Well this is a surprise, it's been awhile since someone has bested me"

They shake hands. The campers finally overcome their shock start to clap and cheer. Chiron comes over and says "That was an excellent show of both swordsmanship and sportsmanship, good game to the both of you"

Annabeth comes running with Tyson and Another girl who has clop black hair and electric blue eyes. Annabeth tackles Percy sending them to the ground "Percy are you trying to give get me an panic attack" she says as she hits him on the chest

"Oww! That is not necessary"

"Yeah it makes me feel better and if it gets you to think before you do something like this again. Then that makes it all the better"

"hey I'm okay" he said as grabbed her hand and entwined his fingers with hers to get her stop hitting him and pulls her close to kiss her. They stop when James clears his throat

"Now please warn me if you're going tackle me like that again so I can brace myself. James and I just had a friendly dual, no big deal Wise Girl"

"agh you're such a seaweed brain, will you ever learn" She said then she realized she hadn't did the intros "oh how rude of me. James this is Thalia daughter of Zeus, Thalia this is James Wolfsbane son of Thor."

"Really"

"Yeah."

James and Thalia shook hands, jolts of electricity shoots between them. Thalia's mind goes wild with pleasure and is about to pass out when James lets go, "Wow, I've never met anyone who could take that much electricity, let alone dish it back to me", Thalia trying to catch a breath.

James just laughs seeming to be unaffected by her. He creates a ball lightning in his hands and as it tosses around in his hands, it gets brighter and brighter until he let it fly as fast as bullet to the wall of the arena, and explodes on impact.

"dammit" James cursed "Still rusty."

"What do you mean rusty?" Thalia says confused

"Well I've been out of it for a thousand years"

Thalia's confusion grew to shocked, James just smiled like nothing was wrong with that. Then he looked to the top of the arena and said, "there are to guys coming" but before they could say anything, Grover and Nico came into the arena door.

"how did you know-" thalia asked

"Nightwatch told me" James said as he held out his hand just as a giant raven landed on his shoulder. "My grandpa sent him to watch over me"

"Your grandpa?"

"Yeah Odin."

Percy looked over to the side of the arena floor and saw the rest of James's stuff and asked "What do they do?" pointing to the other gifts he got from the medallion.

"oh...that's a surprise reserved for capture the flag tomorrow afternoon" James answered

"Oh, James this is Grover and Nico" Percy said

"Hi" James greeted

"What's up?" Nico replied as James looks up like he was looking for something. The others started to laugh.

"What is so funny? He asked what is up?" James asked confused.

"It's a greeting we have it means like how are you?" Annabeth explained through giggles

James realizing what had happen began to laugh with them and thought to himself how pure, honest, and good-hearted the people here were. It was enough to make him laugh even more so.

"Come on guys, lets get out of here" Percy said trying to stop laughing. James ran over to get his stuff. As they left Percy said, "Hey James, that was one heck of a good dual"

"Yeah it sure was, Thor does loves a good contest of strength." Just then the lunch conch shell sounded signaling time for lunch "He was also a big eater" James added as they left the arena and headed toward the outdoor pavilion.