A/N: This is the former chapters 5 through 7, but edited. If you were reading this story before, this is completely knew and somewhat important.

Oh, and at present, I'm assuming the President's a Democrat. So, if you read this after 2016, or from a different country, allow me to explain it: In America, two factions generally control the Legislative functions of the government, and contest for control of the Executive functions. The head, or "Chief" Executive is the President, and is elected every four years.

Thoughts are italic, and emphasized words are as well. If a word is a thought and emphasized, it's normal text

Chapter 2- Zoe Nightshade

Percy's POV

Quickly and quietly, I opened the door.

"Wha's wit' all dat "ye Ol' English"?" A voice slurred out, "Wha's wron' wit' her?"

"Who knows, who cares?" It was a third person, also drunk by the sound of it, "Been like tha' since she were b'rn."

So, she still sounds someone out of the Dark Ages.

I slowly crept around the corner to find three generally grubby guys playing seven card stud on a table, with beer cans and cigarettes littering the floor. Zoe Nightshade still had black hair, coppery skin, and amber eyes. Her clothes were dirty and torn, her eyes fearful of the men playing poker. So, how can I get her to join me in the Underworld? Be a knight in shining armor? Why not?

I pounded on the wall, making one of them call, out, telling whoever's there to go away. The second time I pounded, the same one got up and turned around to see me, "Who're you?"

"One who is concerned with the girl you are the guardian of." I said, keeping my words vague and confusing. As I was hoping, the man tried to hide his confusion with belligerence.

"So?" He demanded. So you're Ugly One, and your two friends are Ugly Two and Three.

"So I will take her from your custody." I replied calmly and coolly.

The man laughed, "She's mine. Got pape'-wor' an' everythin'."

"I'm sure you do. I have papers of my own, signed by the President himself, that I am to take custody of the girl for security reasons." I said, snapping my fingers to summon the Mist. Maybe they're too drunk for that to work. Then I'll have some fun with them.

"Tha' hac'? He ain't makin' me do anythin'!" Ugly One yelled and turned to his friends, "Ya' gonna take any guff fr'm tha' radical?"

Great. Republicans, and I just mentioned the President. Just fantastic. Why would there be Republicans in this shit-hole?

Uglies Two and Three got up from the table, and Ugly One threw a wild hook at me. I caught his fist in my palm, then twisted it until he was on the ground, crying as I twisted his arm too close to it's breaking point. Moving quickly, I broke it and yanked him upwards as Uglies Two and Three clumsily came at me. I shoved Ugly One forward, and he hit Ugly Two, leaving Ugly Three alone. Ugly Three tried a weak cross with his left hand, which bounced off my chest as I grabbed his head and jerked it to the side. His neck broken, Ugly Three fell to the ground, leaving Ugly Two. Ugly One got to his feet, then turned and ran.

"Do you really want to keep fighting?" I asked. Ugly Two's lip quivered, then he started crying. Zoe Nightshade was curled up in a corner, no doubt waiting for me to hurt her in some way. Now that I could look her over properly, I could see bruises and cuts all over her body, along with signs of malnourishment. She also looked to be about twelve or thirteen. How? The last Titan War was only a couple of years ago. The Fates, maybe? But what part of Zoe looks like dark blonde hair?

"I'm not going to hurt you, Zoe." I said soothingly, but when I got close, she kicked out at me. I backed off like I had all the time in the world. Which I did, until the next problem came up. Walking over to the kitchenette, I rifled through the cupboards, looking for some food. Bisquick turned up pretty quickly, so along with some eggs and oil, I made waffles. Carefully, I laid them as close to Zoe as possible without kicking.

"You're safe, Zoe. I'm not going to take your food away. It's yours." I spoke in the same calm, soothing voice, but got no response, "Fine. I'll be by the door if you need me."

I grabbed Ugly Two, who was still alive, and dragged them to the door with me. One there, I threw them out, "If you value your life, run away."

He did exactly that, stumbling and falling occasionally as the drink took its toll. Then, I grabbed Ugly Three's body and stuffed it in the closet. Once all that was done, I sat cross-legged in the threshold, keeping an eye and Zoe and the waffles by way of mirror on the walls. Now that I had a while to look at her, I could see bruises and cuts all over her body. Slowly, Zoe uncurled from her fetal position, went over to the waffles, then began tearing into them like she hadn't eaten for a week.

After she finished, she looked around uncertainly, and said, "Thou art watching me."

"I am, Zoe Nightshade." I replied. "You do not need to fear me. I can get you a home much better then this cesspit. It won't be without work, though, but I believe you will enjoy it."

"Thy associate spoke of the same before I was put here. Why should I trust thee?" Zoe asked, seeing the mirror, and me through it.

"Because if I was not here, you would still be a prisoner of those three." I said calmly, dropping the soothing part, "And I knew your parents.

Wow, that struck a nerve. I can use that. "What dost thou know of my parents?"

"I wouldn't be here if not for them, especially your father." I answered, keeping somewhat vague.

"Tell me!" Zoe demanded.

"Your mother was kind and gentle, your father powerful." I started. Don't talk about Atlas. You can't lie about his personality this early. "Sadly, they are both gone now."

Zoe nodded. What? She doesn't look grieving. More like. . . longing . . . . . for what?

Oh, stupid. A home. After being moved from orphanage to foster home back to orphanage, she never fit in anywhere. No one's cared about her or for her. This could be good.

"I'm not lying about my promise of a home" I said reassuringly. "I think you'll be happy there. You'll fit in."

Zoe still looked at me with distrust, but she didn't look like she'd kick out anymore.

"You're hurt, Zoe. Will you let me help?" I asked. Zoe thought for a while, then nodded. Slowly, I walked around the corner, my fingers taking out a small bottle of nectar I always kept inside my coat, "Drink this. It will help."

Zoe took a cautious sip, then downed the whole thing. Her cuts and bruises disappeared, and she looked down, amazed, "What filled thine bottle?"

"Nectar. This'll take a while to explain, so make yourself comfortable." I started, then Zoe sat down and nodded at me, "Have you heard of the Greek gods?"

Zoe nodded again, "Yes."

"They're real, tied to what they call "Western Civilization", an abstract concept you really don't need to know about, despite somehow being central to the god's survival." Hmph, she's confused. I really shouldn't get into the "Western Civilization" stuff. "That doesn't matter much. Mainly, the gods exist, and monsters do to."

"What monsters dost thou speak of?"

"Cyclops, giant cannibals, massive dogs, humans with two snakes for legs." I replied. Zoe looked disbelieving, so I continued, "What I gave you was called nectar. It's the drink of the gods, and that's how all your cuts and bruises disappeared. There's no mortal drug that can do that."

"So who are you?"

"I am what you'd call a demigod. A half-god, as one of my parents was mortal and the other immortal." I answered, "Each of us has powers relating to the domains of our parents. Mine is water. I can control and manipulate it, even summon it out of the air."

At this, Zoe raised an eyebrow, "I do not believe thee."

I shrugged, then summoned about a liter of it right in front of me, forming a ball, "Seeing is believing, right?"

"So why did thou come for me?" Zoe asked.

How can I answer that? I need to build trust, not have her see herself as an objective of some kind. "I came because, once I knew where you were, there was no other option. I knew your parents, after all, and I couldn't leave you in this place."

"Where is thy. . . . . home thou spoke of?" Zoe now looked like she trusted me. Good. I need her to.

"The Underworld. It's actually quite nice once you get used to the fact that it's always a little dimmer then the surface. I've made some good friends there, and I'm sure they'll like you."

Now Zoe looked incredulous, "The Underworld? How do thee enter the world of the dead without dying thyself?"

"It's easy. I'll show you if you agree." I grinned, "Honestly, it's not that bad."

Zoe finally nodded, "I shall join thee."

My smile grew wider, "Do you have anything you want to take with you?"

Zoe snorted, "I do not wish to remember this. . . . . . atrocity of filth and degradation."

I laughed, "Just take my hand, and we'll be on our way."

Tentatively, she grabbed my hand, then I shadow-traveled to the Underworld. Or, at least, tried to. Instead, I dropped us in the middle of a gang of Laestrygonians. Can't I just go home? Seriously, Minos?

"Get back!" I yelled at Zoe, then summoned my axe and a two foot-long sword, both made of Stygian Iron. The Laestrygonians were as surprised as I was, which let me kill one before the others even got up. The next roared and swung a club, but I rolled under it and stabbed the monster in the stomach. Two down, three to go.

Two of them went after Zoe, the last one kicking at me. My sword flashed, chopping off one arm, then the other, and finally it's head. Zoe was backing up uncertainly from the Laestrygonians, but I was too far away. Snarling, I took my axe in both hands and threw it with all my strength. As luck would have it, the axe found one's shoulder, making it fall back. Now what can I do?

Zoe was still backing up as the Laestrygonian made a clumsy grab for her. Riptide. Of course. I took the pen and threw it to Zoe, it's cap already off. Zoe, somehow, caught it by the hilt and slashed wildly.

The Laestrygonian with my axe in hir shoulder growled and got up, but I ran forward and drove my sword through his chest. Zoe was still fending off the last monster. The Laestygonian's fist swung through the air, but Riptide came up, cutting it. They were about fifty meters away from me when Zoe ducked it's fist again, then with a sudden display of strength, chopped off it's head. Atlas. The Titan of strength.

"Are you alright?" I asked, finally getting over to her.

"I am fine." Zoe was breathing heavily, but gestured to one of the piles of dust, "What were they?"

"Monsters." I replied, "Laestrygonians. They're the giant cannibals."

"And thou fights them with a sword?" Zoe asked, looking at Riptide.

"Yeah. They crumble to dust after you kill them, and we use swords because the bigger a physical injury you deal to them, the longer it takes them to re-form." Catching Zoe's look of confusion, I continued, "They can re-create themselves, but it takes years, decades, and sometimes centuries for the really rare ones. Now maybe I can get us to the Underworld."

Zoe took my hand again, and to my relief, this time we appeared in my room.

"Thy room is very. . . . . dark." Zoe commented.

I face-palmed, "Yeah, it's in "night mode" right now, so I can sleep."

I put my hand near a panel on the wall, then slid it upward, raising the level of ambient light, "There we go."

"Why are all thou weapons black?" Zoe asked, inspecting the racks of various pointy things that lined my room.

"Most metals can't hurt or kill a monster, so we have godly metals. My weapons are made of Stygian Iron, a metal found around the River Styx. Very dangerous to mine, as you can die if you touch the waters. Your sword is made of Celestial Bronze, mined on Mount Olympus and a few other places. Also, there is Imperial Gold, which is consecrated in the Pantheon to gain it's effects. The last metal that can kill the monstrous is silver." I explained, "Plain old silver, but most of the time people take it through much the same process as Imperial Gold, to make it harder and able to take a keener edge."

"My sword?" Zoe turned to me, still holding Riptide, "I thought it was thine."

"It isn't. I'll tell you more on this later, but the sword is yours. Anaklusmos is it's name."

"Riptide." Zoe translated effortlessly, "The current which takes thee by surprise."

"Are the two of you done talking?" Jeanne was standing in the doorway, "The Judges wish to speak to you, Proctor."

Percy's POV

"You have passed training, Proctor." A Judge announced. I was standing in front of the three of them. The Judging Pavilion was cold and empty save for the four of us. "Thus, you have earned the right to the Sword of Shadow. Turn and take up your weapon."

Sword of Shadow? I turned to see a short marble pillar. On top of it rested a beautiful sword in a sheath of worked leather. The hilt was also leather, soft to the touch with bronze threads weaving down it the to pommel. The pommel itself was Stygian Iron in a diamond shape, with an onyx embedded in either side. I drew the sword to see a Stygian Iron blade a little longer then Riptide's, with inlaid Celestial Bronze curving up and down the blade.

Holding it in my right hand, I felt power rush through me and gasped. The Judges noticed this and spoke again, "Before, you could use the shadows and the darkness, influence and shape it. Now, with the Sword of Shadow, you command it."

Darkness emanated from the blade, and I felt a strange tingling in my right palm. Shifting the sword to my left, I could see what looked like black ink filling a circle in my palm, with little hollow triangles pointing out from it. An eclipse.

"Return to your room. You will be instructed on the use of this blade, as well as it's history." The Judges ordered. I bowed to them and disappeared, reappearing in my own room.

I heard voices come from down the hall, so I headed in that direction until I saw a room marked "Zoe Nightshade, daughter of Atlas and Pleione."

Jeanne and Zoe were talking to each other inside as I knocked the door, "You may enter."

I opened the door, still holding the Sword of Shadow and it's sheath in my right hand. Jeanne looked over and smiled, "Congratulations, Proctor. You have completed my training."

"The Judges told me I could do a lot more with this then just the powers they gave me. You know how?" I asked.

"It is quite easy, in reality. Just think of what you wish the shadows to do, and will them into doing it." Jeanne replied. Frowning, I tried to make a sphere of darkness hover in the air. To my surprise, there was suddenly a black ball hovering in the room. Nico's got nuthin' on this.

"I do not suppose I would be fortunate enough that my sword would have an effect such as thine?" Zoe questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't think so, Zoe. I've carried Anaklusmos for years and couldn't find anything like this in it." I replied, "Still, it's a good sword."

Jeanne, however, looked thoughtful, "Anaklusmos. I have heard that name before. What is it in English?"

"Riptide." Zoe and I answered simultaneously. I guess being a French non-demigod means you don't know Greek.

Jeanne's face cleared, "Riptide. Of course. How do you summon it?"

I took the sword from Zoe and demonstrated, "Touch the cap to the end of the blade to make it shrink, then uncap it to extend the blade again."

Jeanne smiled, "But is there not another place you put the cap of a pen, that you do not lose it when writing?"

"Well, yeah, the back," I started, "but it's a hilt now."

"Give it back to Zoe." Jeanne ordered, and I did so, "Now, take the cap and touch it to the hilt of the sword."

Zoe did as she was told, then the sword shimmered and changed, becoming silver with Imperial Gold inlays in the same pattern as the Celestial Bronze on mine. The hilt was leather, dyed silver, and had a silver, diamond shaped pommel with blue sapphires embedded on either side.

"You are holding the Sword of Water." Jeanne said, "It has always been called Riptide through the centuries, after the Hesperiede Zoe gave it to Hercules. She was not lying when she said the blade was imbued with the power of the sea. That Hesperiede never knew the true power of the blade, else she would never have given it up as in the wrong hands, either of these blades can- and has- wrought great destruction."

Zoe gasped and passed the sword to her left hand. On her palm was what looked like three swirls connected together in the center. A celtic rune, for water I'm guessing. Suddenly, a cold gust of wind that shouldn't be underground swept through the chambers, and a tall man wearing chain mail with a red cloak around his shoulders took form. A spirit. After seeing Nico summon them, I'd know one anywhere. But I didn't summon one. Who did?

"That blade was the quest of all my years of living." The man said, looking at the blade, "Excalibur fell into my hands, but is not a wholesome blade, nor was Drynwyn. Even the legendary Sword of Shadow was attracted to me, when it was broken. I made a dagger of the shattered blade, named it Carnwennan and used it to put an end to Orddu. But Riptide, or Anaklusmos, was the one I sought."

"Who are you?" I demanded.

Jeanne was the one to answer, "King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot. The only man in history to have had possession of more than one of the swords at one time. He had three: Light, Fire, and Shadow, before Sasha retrieved Shadow and Mordred stole Fire."

"Indeed. Now, after death, I have become the watcher of the blades, just as Achilles is the watcher of the Styx." the King looked at us with sorrow, "Those blades brought ruin to my life, and so I must warn to fear and be wary of those who wield Fire and Light. Those Swords are corrupt. Water and Shadow are less so, but you must ensure you are wielding the blade, and that the blade is not wielding you."

Another gust, and King Arthur was gone. I turned to Jeanne, "Sounds like you've met him before."

"All who wielded a Sword have. At one time, King Arthur fought the Proctor. Arthur wielded Light, which he named Excalibur, though it had many names before. The Proctor wielded Shadow, the blade which you know hold." Jeanne paused, then continued, "King Arthur triumphed, killing the Proctor and shattering Shadow. Arthur took the shattered pieces to Camelot and fashioned of them a dagger, which he called Carnwennan. The Sword of Shadow was incomplete, and thus did not gift Arthur with the full power of the shadows. Yet it's limited form was enough for Arthur to become shrouded in shadow to kill the demigoddess Orddu, daughter of Orwen. Soon after, Sasha retrieved the blade, and reforged it back into the original state of the Sword."

"Just how many of these are there?" I asked. "And who is Sasha?

"Four." Jeanne replied, "The Sword of Light, of Shadow, of Fire, and of Water. All, excepting Shadow, had important histories, which I never bothered to pay attention to or remember. As for Sasha, you shall meet her soon."

"Why does thy Sword have no history behind it?" Zoe asked, her brow furrowed.

"It has been wielded by the Proctors for a very, very long time." Jeanne replied, "Thus, the history of the Sword is shrouded in shadow. Zoe Nightshade, you are the daughter of a sea nymph and a Titan. Usually, the fruit of such a relationship would be an immortal, or a Cyclops. You are neither. From your father Atlas, you are strong. From your mother Pleione, you can manipulate water. While holding that Sword, your powers are increased to the point that you must be careful when summoning it. The sea does not like to be restrained, and that is exactly what you will be doing."

"Are thou able to teach me the skills necessary?" Zoe asked Jeanne, "You have taught Proctor."

Taught Proctor? Oh. She thinks my name's Proctor. I laughed, "Zoe, my name's not Proctor. Proctor is a. . . . job description."

"Then what would thine name be?"

I looked a question at Jeanne, who nodded and said, "I will not tell the Judges, but do not make a habit of it. Your identity is kept secret for very good reasons."

I turned back to Zoe, "My name is Perseus Jackson. Call me Percy."

"Your training is finished, Proctor, but you still must master Shadow." Jeanne said, looking at me, "And you, Zoe, must learn to fight as well as use Water. Sleep now, and come to training when you wake."

"The training room's just down the hall." I told Zoe, "It's marked."

With that, I turned away and headed back to my own room, turning it back into night mode and crawling under the covers. My mind was whirling with questions as I vainly tried to sleep. How is Zoe so old? She should only be two or three. How is King Arthur bound to the Swords? Why did the Judges send me, with Riptide, to give it back to Zoe and recruit her? They obviously knew it was the Sword of Water. Jeanne never said anything about any Proctor having a partner, so why did they send me? And who the frak is Sasha?

Over an hour later, and after much tossing and turning, I finally fell asleep.

Percy's POV

I woke up the next morning at around five o' clock, which was about typical for me, then headed down to the training area. So, let's see what this Sword can do. Drawing Shadow, I tried gathering a shadows around the blade, and instantly, there was a black covering around it, like another sheath.

What else can this thing do? Wait a second. If there's a shadow everywhere I want one. . . . I disappeared, shadow-traveling about two feet above my head, where there shouldn't have been a shadow.

"I see you have already learned one trick of that blade." Jeanne commented, having also woken up and walked in. "Now, with Shadow, you can shadow-travel more precisely. For instance, you are able to travel right behind your enemy in a fight. Beware, though, as shadow-traveling that much in a short amount of time is exhausting. Try it."

Jeanne lunged at me with her longsword. I parried, then fell back into a shadow I created behind myself, re-appearing a few meters behind and to the left Jeanne, who turned to face me again, "Good, but you were off-target. Again."

This time, I lunged at her and slammed my sword down, pushing her back a step, then stepped out of the shadows at her back. Jeanne dropped and spun, kicking my legs out from under me as she did. I sank into the ground and lunged at her again from her right. Jeanne smashed Shadow aside with her longsword and I traveled again. Now I was panting from using my powers so much in such a short time, but I wasn't out yet. I charged her yet again, blocking a thrust and disappeared, re-appearing in the exact place I traveled from. Jeanne, already spinning to face me if I had gone behind her, had her back to me.

"Yield?" I asked, pressing Shadow to her back.

Jeanne, though, disappeared, and I felt her blade on the back of my neck, "You would do well to remember I once held Shadow, and still wield the power of a Proctor without it. Now our sparring matches have entered a new level of complexity. Again."

I growled and turned to face her, Shadow up and ready. Then I switched Shadow to my left hand, summoned my axe, and slowly started walking towards her. Jeanne smiled, holding her longsword at the ready. My axe came down, but she wasn't there. I spun, Shadow arcing up at Jeanne, who was behind me. Jeanne blocked it, grabbed the haft of my axe and jerked. Letting go of the weapon so I wouldn't be pulled forward, I punched Jeanne's wrist, where there wasn't armor. Jeanne's hand unclenched from around the hilt of her sword, making it fall.

Jeanne jumped backwards, and I grabbed her sword off the floor before she could summon it back to her hand. How can I use this thing with one hand? Even Jeanne doesn't use it with one hand for more than a few seconds.

Jeanne smiled, and my axe appeared in her hands. I backed up as she stepped forward, running through options in my head. Jeanne's weapon whipped down at me, and I automatically caught the haft on my longsword, then realized what was about to happen. I dropped the longsword just as Jeanne jerked downwards, which would've wrenched it from my hand anyways. Instead, I body-slammed her, which hurt like hell. She is in armor, after all.

My fist met her jaw with a meaty smack, but Jeanne just grinned and grabbed the collar of my leather jacket, flipping us so that she was on top. The last thing I saw was her gauntleted fist flying through the air.

Percy's POV

"Proctor? Proctor!" Jeanne was lightly rapping on my head, waking me up, "Good. I feared I had lost you for a few moments. I believe I also broke your jaw, but that was healed with the end of the sparring match."

I groaned, "Didn't get me up, though."

"True." Jeanne acknowledged, "Ready?"

I got to my feet and unsummoned the axe before bringing Shadow up, "I suppose."

"Can I join?" We both turned to see Zoe in the doorway, wearing a silver shirt and black jeans. In her hands was Riptide, bronze and not in it's Sword-of-Water form.

"Trying teaching her, Proctor." Jeanne said, and stepped back.

"Ok. You have a sword made in the Greek style. Those swords are better for slashing rather than stabbing." I started, "But when you see an opening, stabbing is still an effective strategy."

Without warning, my sword arced down at her in a very light blow. Immediately, Riptide came up and blocked, "Good. What do you think you do next?"

Zoe mimed tilting her blade so that Shadow would slide away from her body, then slashing at me. "Very good. What else can you do?"

Zoe shrugged, "I do not know, but am I correct in assuming thou shall show me?"

"Yep." I replied, "You have one hand on the hilt of your sword, but the other is free. Try hitting me."

Zoe's punch was pretty weak, but I could tell she wasn't putting her weight into the punch. "You know what to do, so let's start doing it."

We kept sparring, both of us holding back strength from the blows. After all, how can you learn if you just get beaten to the ground every time you try?

Occasionally, Jeanne would step in to correct Zoe's posture, and once, mine. Soon though, Zoe was exhausted. Not used to swinging a sword? That'll change pretty quickly.

"Why don't you take a breather, Zoe?" I suggested, knowing the Zoe from her last life wouldn't stop until she couldn't move, "It'll let you watch Jeanne and I spar."

Zoe looked at me for a minute, most likely wondering why I was asking, and shook her head. I sighed, then we began sparring again. By the time we stopped, Zoe could barely bring her sword up.

"Zoe, sit back and rest." I said, gently but firmly, "You won't do any good in sparring matches if you can barely hold Riptide."

Finally, Zoe nodded and turned Riptide back into a pen, then slipped it in her pocket. I turned to Jeanne, who already had her longsword out, "Powers or no?"

"No powers." I decided, "I'm guessing we have a long day ahead of us. Why'd you ask?"

"I would have made the same decision, Proctor, but now you have completed your training. You and I are equals, not mentor and trainee. I was testing you to see if you could both make the right decision, mirror my thoughts." Jeanne smiled, "Are you ready?"

I nodded, then we started circling. Neither of us wanted to attack, so we were pacing until one of us saw an opportunity. Unless I make one. I pretended to stumble, using the movement to cover my leg moving back to brace against the overhead chop I knew she'd try.

Sure enough, her longsword came down, but I was already braced and brought the longsword to a dead halt. Tilted Shadow the the longsword slid away from me, I brought Shadow up, then down heavily on the shoulder of her armor. The pauldron? It dented under the blow, no doubt making a huge bruise underneath.

I pressed the attack, striking again and again. Jeanne's longsword blocked each one after the first with ease. Finally, Shadow slid down to her crossguard as our swords locked. Jeanne shoved me back, and she was on the offensive, pushing me back with a flurry of blows. I managed to get Shadow between the flashing longsword and my body for most of the strikes, but one got through and caught me up on the arm. It wasn't a fight-changing blow, but it would become annoying the longer the match lasted.

I was looking for an opening in Jeanne's endless barrage of blows, but couldn't find one. A couple of nicks and near-misses later, I tossed Shadow at her. The longsword came up and knocked it away, but I was right after it and slammed into her. Ha! Armor's heavy, but once you get it to start falling, nothing can stop it.

I stiffened the fingers of my left hand and stabbed it into Jeanne's right wrist, while slamming her left into the ground. Both hands unclenched, dropping the longsword. A metal-plated fist buried itself in my stomach, but I ignored it, grabbing her left arm and twisted it until it was right on the verge of breaking. Damn. If I break it, Zoe'll think we'd do that to her.

Instead, I used one hand to keep in in a hold that meant any movement brought painful twisting. My left hand moved just in time to deflect Jeanne's right fist with my vambrance. Then, she did practically the first thing she taught me: Her forehead smashed into my nose, giving her the opportunity to wrench her left hand from the hold I had it in and bring both hands around my throat. Which would allow for an easy snap. "Do you yield?"

"I yield." I replied reluctantly. Jeanne's hands released my throat, and I swung off her, rubbing my neck.

"This match is over." Jeanne said, "And now, as a true Proctor, you can end the sparring match as well."

My cuts and bruises disappeared, along with the damage to my clothes, leaving them good-as-new.

"Zoe, are you rested and recovered?" Jeanne asked. Zoe nodded, looking impassive despite the display of swordsmanship she had just seen. "Good. Draw Riptide in the true form of the blade. Proctor, keep Shadow at the ready."

The two of us, Zoe and I, stood next to each other in front of Jeanne. She, after correcting Zoe's hold on Water, started speaking, "I do not have experience with the Sword of Water, as you know. However, I would imagine that the way the Swords of Water and Shadow are used are very similar. Both of you, create a hovering sphere of darkness or water."

After concentrating for a second, the ball appeared at the end of my blade. Zoe managed to summon her own a bit quicker. Makes sense. She was the daughter of a sea nymph to begin with. Even without the Sword, she could probably manipulate water.

"Good. Now move that sphere in a circle." Jeanne ordered. Zoe was, again, faster than me, but not by too much, "Very good. Now, form it into a point."

A point? Nevertheless, I narrowed the ball until it formed into a cone.

"Touch it. What do you notice?" Jeanne asked. I stepped forward and felt it. Surprisingly, the darkness was solid, and the point was sharp. Zoe, on the other hand, just moved the water closer to herself and did the same thing.

"It's actually solid. And sharp." I answered, and Zoe nodded.

"Indeed. You can make any shape out of your respective powers, which gives you a colossal amount of versatility and options." Jeanne said, "However, solid does not mean unbreakable. A strong enough blow can still break what you summon. Generally, the stronger you are at the time you summoned the substance, the more force is needed to break it."

I nodded, "Can you attack me? I want to try something."

Jeanne nodded, then swung around her longsword. The first strike came in at my left, but I formed a rectangle of shadow right in the way of the blade, and it bounced off. Next, Jeanne tried a stab, which I tried to block in the same way. Jeanne's longsword, however, broke through the shadows and made me jump away. "Thanks."

"That is not all you can do, Proctor." Jeanne said, "In darkness, in dim light, you can become very hard to spot. Not invisible, but an uncaring gaze will sweep over you without hesitation.

We spent the rest of the day practicing with our abilities and just regular swordplay. After all, Zoe won't be needing military theory, but she'd better know how to fight if she gets sent on a mission.

Time Skip: One Week

Percy's POV

Now both Zoe and I were standing in front of the Judges, or, at least, one of them. It's hands touched my temples, and as always, I got information on a new target while the old info was sucked away. Then, the Judge disappeared. Let's see . . . . . . Oliver Johnson. . . . . . . . lives in Camp Half-Blood. . . . . . . stealing, distributing drugs at his school. Wait. Lives in Camp? A demigod? First time for everything, I suppose.

I shadow-traveled Zoe and I to Camp Half-Blood, where our target waited. A son of Hermes would probably be . . . . sword-fighting or Pegasus-riding, this time of day.

"What is thy task?" Zoe whispered in my ear. Over the week, she had learned to fight with a sword pretty well under Jeanne's and my tutelage. Not as good as someone who had been working at it for years, but good enough to hold her own.

"I need to kill an Oliver Johnson." I replied.

"Kill? Is there not another, less permanent punishment?" Zoe asked, keeping her voice emotionless.

"Not when it comes to the Judges. He, apparently, has stolen cars, money, and sells drugs at the school he goes to in the winter." I turned and looked at her, "It's a big step to kill someone in cold blood. But that step is so easy to take, it's frightening. I need to know this now: Would you kill if I asked you to?"

Zoe looked troubled, and shook her head, "I do not believe I could."

"You can. It's a simple as thrusting your sword, Riptide, into their body." A while ago, Zoe decided to call Riptide, when in "Sword of Water" form, Water. Just like I called the Sword of Shadow by it's namesake, Shadow. "But you won't. That's not a bad thing, but remember: You can still kill, physically, even if you don't think you can."

I shadow-traveled the two of us into the forest in Camp, then spotted a flight of Pegasi going over our hiding place. On the one just to the right of the lead, was a young man with hair greased back. Oliver.

Together, Zoe and I ghosted out of the woods and behind a cabin, in shadow. A few demigods walked by, but none of them noticed us. You're right, Jeanne, as always. They didn't see us.

The Pegasi were swinging around for another pass, so I summoned a throwing knife, waited, and threw. It missed, off-target by at least a meter. No one noticed though, so I returned it to my hand and cast again. This time, the knife hit Oliver's leg, making him fall off the Pegasus and into the ground with a sickening crunch. My job was done.

Zoe was mainly as an observer, so I took her hand and brought us both down to the Judging Pavilion.

Percy's POV

"How did your mission go?" Jeanne asked Zoe and I.

"He's dead, so it was successful." I answered, "I killed him, not Zoe."

"Ah." Jeanne nodded, and turned to Zoe, "You need not be afraid of death, Zoe. But neither should you become fond of it. It will be necessary for you to take that step, and you must be prepared for it when it happens. Instead of fixating on the lack of life, think of the good that will become of it."

"Well, you say it way better then I do." I told Jeanne, who let out a small laugh.

"Perhaps I do. But Zoe, we are not forcing you to kill, merely telling you that it is not forbidden and sometimes necessary."

A/N: So, the Fates obviously have a hand in Percy's life, as well as the Judges. But what is Percy's destiny, and why did the Fates save him? Hopefully, I can start complicating the plot soon.

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