"You okay?" Annabeth whispered to Percy as they ate lunch.
Percy pushed his food around. "I'm alright."
"Seaweed brain."
Percy sighed and put his fork down. "Just dreaming about the place made me feel like we were back there. I saw what was in the book, but it changed."
Annabeth held his hand comfortingly. "We're not there right now."
"I know. But we have to go back." Percy says. "That might almost be worse than reliving anything. Knowing I'm safe now but I'll be sent back."
"I know."
On the other side of the room.
"Will they be okay?" Katie asks, watching her two friends.
"Eventually." Clarisse says. "We may be here, but they have to go back still. They can start healing after the war is over."
"We just have to support them through these books." Will adds. "It's not going to be easy, especially for Percy."
The two nod.
Everyone looks up as Ares saunters over to Percy.
"You ready punk?" he sneers.
Percy smirks and stands up. "Lead the way."
"Oh this will be interesting." Aphrodite says following the war god.
"He's going to get himself killed." Poseidon mutters following his son.
"They all underestimate him." Jason smirks. "My bets on Percy."
"I'm betting on Ares." Hades says. "No way he can defeat him."
The room quickly passed around best. Annabeth, Jason, Clarisse, Grover, Travis, Connor, Katie, Nico, Will, Thalia, Apollo, and Hermes placed bets on Percy. Leo, Piper, Hazel, Frank, Zeus, Hades, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Athena, Hera, Artemis, and Demeter bet on Ares.
"They are so losing." Annabeth laughs as the large group goes out to the arena.
Ares was on one side and Percy on the other. Percy was warming up with Riptide. Ares was too confident that he'd win that he just watched with a smirk.
"Everyone to your seats!" Zeus yells.
Everyone sat down and watched as the two in the arena circled each other.
"We go until one draws blood or taps out." Apollo says, standing in the arena in case he was needed.
The two nod in understanding.
"Go!"
In a second the two launched at the other, swords clanging loudly. Ares swung but Percy ducked and rolled between his legs. He went for Ares' back, but the god turned and jumped back.
"You have to do better than that." Ares sneers.
The god lunched only for Percy to roll out of the way again.
They kept running and trying to attack but neither were landing any blows.
"He's actually holding up." Poseidon says awed.
Annabeth was smiling. "Of course, he is."
Clarisse leaned over. "This isn't the first time he's done this."
Poseidon's eyes widen. "What!?"
The demigods who knew the story just smirked and turned back to the fight.
Percy had started summoning the water from the air and was slowly creating a small hurricane around himself. Ares was growing more and more angry as the fight went on and he wasn't landing any hits.
With a yell Ares sent a blast towards Percy who used it to gain air. The water pushed him over Ares' head, and he landed behind the god.
"Stay still punk!"
Percy smirked. "I think not."
Percy used the water around him to push Ares back and keep him away. The more the god got frustrated the more mistakes he made, the clumsier he got.
Ares started swinging wildly hoping to land a hit.
"We're going to lose." Hades says in amazement. "The boy is going to win."
Percy waited for an opening as Ares tried to hit him with his sword. Finally, the god's stance widened just enough for Percy to dive roll between his legs and get behind him.
Percy stabbed his sword down into the god's heel, just as he had when he was twelve.
Ares roared, sending Percy back a few feet into the dirt on his back.
Percy gasped as his chest flared and his breath knocked out of him.
Ares, ever the sore loser turned around and started walking his way. Percy tried to get up but he was still trying to take in a breath. Apollo was rushing over
"Ares!" came Zeus' voice. "Enough."
Ares stopped but continued to glower.
Apollo helped Percy sit up. "Deep breaths." He instructed. As Percy sucked in a breath Apollo ran a hand down his ribs to see if there was any damage.
Percy coughed as his body didn't want to cooperate just yet. He winced as his ribs protested the movement.
"Two cracked ribs." Apollo frowns. He pulled out a piece of ambrosia. "Eat this."
Percy managed to take a full breath and nodded, taking the food. He ate the piece and immediately took a deep breath.
"Thanks."
"That was pretty awesome cuz." Apollo smiled, helping him up.
There was cheering from where everyone had been watching. Ares was glowering against the side of the arena, Aphrodite trying to comfort him.
"Hand over the money." Clarisse smirks.
The two sides traded money.
"I knew I picked the right side." Apollo smirked as he took some drachmas from his sister.
"Dude!" Leo yells. "That was amazing!"
Percy laughed. "Glad to be of entertainment. Maybe after dinner we can have that big three fight."
"You're on!" Thalia yelled from her money collection deal a few feet away.
"I'm going to win!" Nico yells.
"Whatever helps you sleep!" Jason calls back.
The big three children taunted each other for a few more minutes before Athena ushered them back inside.
"Come on let's get back to the book. As entertaining as that was we need to finish at some point."
As they walk back inside Percy lags back and pulls Apollo and Will with him.
"Percy?" Will asks.
"This next chapter is…" Percy starts. "Bad. It's bad. I never told anyone what really happened."
"How bad is it?" Apollo asks seriously.
Percy was quiet for a moment. "I almost died."
"You need to tell me what happened so we can be prepared." Apollo says, stopping them for a moment.
Artemis notices them stopping and turns to look. Apollo waved her off, eyes never leaving Percy. Artemis looks between the three before walking into the throne room to make some excuse for why they'll be a minute or so.
"Chimera poison." Percy says. "Then jumping off the gateway arch."
"Percy, gods." Will says. "That.. that had to have hurt. A lot."
Percy nodded. "Yeah it did. But that's about to happen again. Annabeth and Grover don't know. And I'll be dying all over again."
Apollo put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey. We're here. You're going to be fine."
"Yeah we got you." Will says smiling at his friend.
Percy nods. "Thanks. We should probably head in before they get annoyed."
Apollo laughed and pushed the two inside.