Ch14
Percy gripped Riptide tightly, his arms shaking as he parried Triton's strikes. Damn it he isn't letting up. Despite being in the water he was still barely able to block Triton's trident, each of his brother's attacks hit like a truck.
"Keep your form up," Triton barked as he thrusted his trident at him.
He barely managed to block the attack and was pushed back into the water. He countered with a few sword strikes but Triton easily blocked them with an amused expression on his face.
"Come on Percy Jackson is that the best you got?" Triton asked as he blocked his attacks.
He furrowed his brow gripping Riptide tighter he willed the water around him to hit Triton before slashing him. However, Triton easily blocked the attack and was unphased by the water.
"When facing stronger opponents who out skill you instead of getting frustrated focus on what you know," Triton said as he thrusted his trident at him.
Raising his sword he reacted too late barely blocking the attack as he was thrusted into the water. Luckily for him the water made him less tired but still Triton's blows hurt a lot. He stood up and rubbed where Triton struck him, his heart pounding in his chest as he caught his breath.
"Good job Percy!" Chris called out from the sides. His other brother was sitting on a rock and watching Triton beat the hell out of him.
"Not bad you are getting slightly more competent," Triton said gipping his trident in his hand. "Perhaps in a few more years you can beat a sea sponge."
"Gee thanks," he said as Chris came over and gave him some nectar to heal his wounds.
"Don't worry Percy you're doing fine," Chris said patting his pack. "Just keep practicing then you'll get better."
He nodded and gripped Riptide, his arm was still throbbing but he felt more alive than ever. I'll train harder to be a stronger demigod. I'll make Poseidon proud of me and defend those close to me. His life wouldn't easy but he didn't want to worry his mother and didn't want her to be used as a pawn against him again.
Taking a deep breath he looked at Triton, "I'm ready lets continue."
Triton shrugged his shoulders and assumed a fighting stance with his trident. "Lets go."
"Good luck Percy," Chris said as he sat back down on his rock.
He charged at Triton with Riptide in hand. Triton blocked his attacks effortlessly, despite all the slashes and jabs he did Triton blocked him at every turn.
He is a god, I can't compete with him but still my skills are nothing compared to his. Triton's face was calm as parried his sword with his trident. I just have to do my best and get stronger.
His brother then went on the offensive. Using his trident Triton did a series of jabs at him, his form was like a predator pouncing on prey. He knew his brother was going easy on him but was barely making out his movements. Using Riptide he blocked one of Triton's attacks and managed to avoid the other by stepping to the side.
Triton then twirled his trident before thrusting it at him again. His legs moved quickly in the water as he dodged and parried the attacks. His brother did not relent in his strikes. Doing his best to parry the attacks all he could focus on was not getting stabbed.
Eventually he managed to block one of Triton's strikes, he barely did it but his body acted on reflex as he parried the attack. "Good job," Triton said as his trident disappeared from his hand. He continued to barely keep up with the maneuvers Triton taught him, but he wasn't going to quit even if he was tired.
"Alright now lets focus on controlling water," Triton said clapping his hands.
He nodded and put Riptide in his pocket before cleaning the sweat off of his face with water. "What do you want me to do?"
"I'm going to make targets out of water. You are to use the sea to destroy them understand?" Triton asked.
He nodded, "Sounds good."
Triton snapped his fingers and in the distance, the water rose to form a large circular target in the distance. Alright I got this. Taking a deep breath he willed the water around him, feeling its comforting presence. He could feel the current and the various animals swimming beneath the surface.
Focus on the image and make the shape. It was something that his siblings told him, the water will obey all he had to do was focus on the image he wanted to create. Looking at the target he willed the water in front of it to form a fist. The watery fist emerged from the water and broke through Triton's target.
"Not bad," Triton said as he snapped his finger and another two targets appeared one on the left and the other to the right about twenty feet away from it. "Trying to hit both at the same time now."
He nodded and focused on the water around the targets. Taking a deep breath he willed the water around the targets. The water in front of the targets became agitated as the two lances made of water shot from the surface and pierced the center of each target.
Triton snapped his fingers and four targets appeared in the distance. Alright Triton lets do this. Taking a deep breath he looked at the four targets and focused on the water around them. Four fists came out of the water and crashed into the targets.
"Alright good job," Triton said as he summoned his trident in his hand. "Now practice defending yourself with the water."
"Alright," he said as he stretched his arms.
Triton thrusted his trident at him so quickly he barely had enough time to summon a wall of water to block it. His brother smirked at him as he repeatedly assaulted his wall of water. Sweat formed on his brow, his body shaking as he did his best to reinforce the wall.
Tritton continued his assault on his defenses, he did his best to keep it up but his brother was not really making things easy. The trident was starting to break through the wall he made and despite continuously reinforcing it his brother was breaking through.
However, eventually with one powerful strike Triton broke through his wall causing him to nearly fall into the water to avoid the strike. "You need to focus more," Triton said resting on his trident.
"I will," he sighed cleaning the sweat from his brow.
"Rest for a few minutes before training with Chrysaor," Triton said as he headed to the beach.
"Right," he said as he stagged to the shore. As soon as he made it to the beach he nearly fell down.
"Come just rest for a bit," Chris said as he helped him up.
"Thanks," he said as his brother led him to a beach chair to rest in.
His brother gave him a bottle of water from the ice chest and sat down next to him. "You weren't bad," Chris said.
"He was kicking my ass the entire time," he said as he drank his water. His body ached from the bruises Triton gave him. It took all of his will power to not collapse.
"Well if you compare yourself to a god of course you'll be weaker," Chris said as they watched the waves hit the beach. "Just focus on honing your skills. When the time comes you'll know your strength."
He nodded and sipped his water. "Thanks." Hopefully I don't pass out from exhaustion. He rubbed his sore arms and took a few deep breaths to relax his body.
"That's the spirit," Chris said. "Anyway rest quickly then we will begin practicing hand to hand combat."
"Sounds good," he said as he let his aching body rest.
Thankfully, Chris let him in the chair for a bit before they began to practice martial arts. "Alright today lets practice disarming people," Chris said. "Draw your sword."
He uncapped Riptide and assumed a fighting stance, Triton watched them from the distance and looked bored. "Alright come at me," Chris said assuming a fighting stance with no weapon in his hands.
Swinging Riptide Chris quickly avoided the blade and moved up close to him. In one movement he grabbed his arm, lifted him, up and flipped him to the ground. He let out a yelp as he landed on the ground.
"Nice swing," Chris said with a smile. "But your stance was a bit too wide, come on I'll teach you how to disarm and flip people today."
Chris extended a hand and helped him up. "Sounds good," he said as he dusted the sand off of him.
He put Riptide away as Chris showed him the basics. "Alright hold your stance firmly," Chris said as he took out a dagger. "Try to disarm me." His brother played with the knife in his had a wide grin on his face.
Chris thrusted his dagger at him. Unlike Triton he could make his movements out better, he quickly dodged the attack and grabbed his brother's arm. Using all of his strength he swept his brother off of his feet and flipped him over his shoulder.
Chris fell to the ground and dropped his knife. "Not bad, try making it more fluid though."
"Got it," he sighed as he stretched his hands.
With that the two continued to practice hand to hand combat. Chris was calm and despite being physically stronger was a bit more patient in teaching him. The two practiced disarming and flipping the other over and over while Triton watched with a bemused expression in the distance.
After he and Chris practiced for about an hour Triton came up to them. "Alright see you both again tomorrow same time," Triton said.
He nodded, "Thank you."
Triton looked at him and nodded before heading into the water and disappearing. "I still don't know what to think about him," he said with a frown.
"Don't take it personally. I'm sure you'll grow on him in one way or another," Chris said. "Just remember to be respectful he still is a god."
"Yeah true," he sighed as he rubbed his aching body. "I appreciate the effort though, you both have been working me so hard. It's tiring but I'm glad for the help." I'll get stronger dad, I'll learn to be a good son of Poseidon to defend all those I love.
"You're welcome," Chris said as he looked out into the water. "I have a lot of things I could teach you, trust me being a son of Poseidon isn't always see. The seas can be very destructive if we will it to be."
"What's the most destructive thing you have done with water?" He asked curiously.
Chris frowned and rubbed his chin. "Well outside of causing the occasional storm, I was pretty good at water torture"
"Torture?" He asked incredulously.
"Yeah just force seawater down someone's throat and control it from there," Chris said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Haven't done it in a while though, last time was on some Libyan pirates."
"Uh huh," he said staring at his brother incredulously. I sometimes forget he kind of was a bad guy.
"But water can also be used to help people," Chris said as he picked up some sand and let it fall to the ground. "Water is everywhere sometimes calling it up the ground can help ourselves and others. It can be used for both giving life and taking it away."
Chris looked up at him despite wearing sunglasses he could feel the intensity of his gaze. "As sons of Poseidon we possess immense power but we must never forget that the seas are powerful and must be respected."
"Good to know," he said as he watched the tide ebb and flow on the shore. "I really hope to get stronger in the future. I know I have a lot to learn about being a son of Poseidon but I'll do my best to learn."
Chris folded his arms. "Just do what you can for now. When the time comes these skills will come in handy."
He sighed, "I know. I just hope to be prepared for whatever the enemy throughs at me." Next time I see Annabeth or Luke I won't go easy on them.
"You are already a decent demigod you'll do fine," Chris said as he turned to face him. "Either way I'll help you prepare for your future, I can't make your decisions for you but I'll make sure you are prepared for anything and everything."
"Thanks," he said smiling at his brother.
"Great. Now how about we get some pizza tonight?" Chris suggested.
"Sounds good," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.
Triton was resting in his room when his father knocked and entered. "Lord father what do you need?" He said with a bow.
"How was your training with Percy?" Poseidon asked.
"He is decent," he said. "I mean for mortal demigod that is."
His father nodded, "Good. I occasionally watch you while you train him. Don't push him to hard."
"I understand father," he said as he clenched his fists. Percy is just a child. I'm still your firstborn though, I won't ever disappoint you. Looking up he saw his father frown at him.
His father folded his arms and looked at him crossly. "Triton are you harboring ill will towards your siblings again?"
"N-No of course not," he said defensively
His father stared at him with a knowing gaze and sighed. "Triton you are my eldest son, you've done many things to make me proud to name you as my heir."
He avoided his father's knowing gaze. "Th-Thank you father."
"As my eldest child you need to act like it," his father said. "You need to be the example for not only my realm but for your siblings. Part of your duty as my heir from now on is to look after your siblings."
"I understand," he muttered avoiding his father's gaze.
"Good. If challenges come to my domain I'll need all of my children to help defend it," Poseidon said. "Continue to train Percy, he will have many tough challenges ahead of him."
"Yes father," he said with a bow. He sighed once his father left his room. Well if you wish it father I suppose I could play nicely with Percy.
His father turned around but stopped before leaving the room. "If you go too far from with him or any of your other siblings you'll be punished."
Resting on his bed he sighed. You do like Percy a lot don't you? A part of him was resentful that such a young boy received his father's praise. Percy was alright but still the way his father praised him annoyed a part of him.
Another knock at his door caught his attention. Turning around he saw his mother Amphitrite enter the room. "Triton dear how is the assignment your father gave you?"
"Alright I guess," He said as he sat up on his bed. "The boy has potential. Father has high expectations for him."
His mother looked at him and folded her arms. "Triton please don't get jealous of this boy."
"I'm not," he protested.
His mother gave him a quizzical look. "Just like you didn't with Horatio Nelson, Admiral Nimitz, or Commodore Perry?"
"No," he muttered rolling his eyes.
"Triton dear your father won't replace you," his mother said as she came up to his bed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Triton dear do you know why I tolerate your father's affairs?"
"I also figured because it made you look more tolerant than other immortal spouses," he said.
His mother laughed. "That's part of the reason. I guess you could say that despite the many affairs we gods have we take marriage seriously. Unlike Eastern deities, my position won't ever be under threat from a favored concubine." His mother sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "I am still prone to jealousy but I learned to not let it bother me most of the time."
"I see," he said folding his arms.
"What I'm saying dear is that you shouldn't get jealous of your demigod siblings," his mother said giving him a knowing look. "Instead you should be a leader among them. Let them get stronger so they can support us and make our family look better."
"I guess I can give it a try," he sighed. Percy does seem like a good kid.
His mother smiled at him. "Good. Now do well watching over your younger brother. It will look good on all of us if he is well prepared for the future." She then turned around and left his room.
I suppose I can give it a shot. He got up and stretched. Fine father. If you want me to make sure he is prepared I'll do just that.
For the next few days, he continued to train his younger brother. To his credit, Percy never missed a training session or complained when he made a snide remark about his abilities which weren't bad for a demigod teen.
"Alright I suppose I could teach something different," he said one day while they were on the beach. "Make a layer of water over your skin."
"Uh ok," Percy said as he entered the water. He watched as a thin layer of water appeared over his brother's skin. "Like this?"
He nodded. "It can help dilute your demigod scent though it won't last forever." Raising his hand he extended it over the water willing it to wrap around his arm. "It could also be used as a weapon as a last resort."
With a flick of his wrist, he willed the water around his arm into a whip and slapped the ground with it. "The water will always protect you remember that."
Percy nodded and held out his hand. His younger brother willed the water around his body and created a whip before using it to hit a rock. "Like that?"
"Exactly. Continue to hold the water around your body while we practice," he said as he summoned his trident.
"Alright I'll do my best," Percy said as he gripped his sword.
He smiled at his brother, deep down he had to admit that Percy's desire to get stronger for those close to him was admirable. I'll see that you are prepared for your destiny.
