The Wheel Of Time

I walked into the Arena to find about half the camp there. I had heard about the rumor and even asked Percy about it; he had said that he wasn't planning on doing anything. But Chiron had other ideas.

He had managed to get the idea out that this free time could be a sort of one on one training session, with the older and younger campers. I thought it was a great Idea considering how much the camp had grown since I... left. It would help me get to know people as well.I walked over to the Stolls and heard them whispering. They kept going on about some prank they had been trying to pull on the Athena cabin. I sat ad watched people trickle in. Once Chiron showed up, everyone quieted down. He walked to the middle of the Arena and then started to speak."I'm sure many of you heard the rumors flying around about a duel between several of our senior campers. this will indeed be happening." He stopped as people cheered, but they quickly quieted down.

"I will need two volunteers." He said and looked around. No one moved. All was silent. I decide to put my hand up. Chiron nodded to me and continued to look around, until he nodded to someone behind me a ways. Whispers started as soon as the second volunteer was chosen.The crowd parted to reveal the dark haired girl, Liz, walking toward the marked off circle. Percy and Annabeth followed, along with a tall blonde man. I walked forward, and shook hands with her, then we walked away from each other. People started talking, and I swear I heard bets flying around. I decided I wanted to know how much people thought of me. I started to listen. Unfortunately the people closest to me were Liz, Percy, and Annabeth.

"I bet you ten that you lose." The blonde guy was saying. Liz smiled and shook his hand.

"You're on, David. Percy you want to bet?" She said.

"Twenty on a tie." He smiled at her and Liz frowned back.

"So if we Tie, I pay you twenty?" Percy nodded.

"And If I win, you pay me?" Percy smiled.

"If either of the two of you wins, you get paid. Promise." Percy smiled at her.

"I'll take that bet, too," Annabeth said, "another twenty on the tie."

Alright then. So, If I win, I am coming into at least fifty drachmas. Very nice. let's get this show on the road!" Liz said and stepped into the circle. I followed her.

Chiron stepped forward. "One last thing: You are not allowed to use weapons. No blades, bows, spears, ecetera. You may only use what you have on your person and your hand-to-hand skills. Please disarm." He stood back and we each walked out of the circle again.

I watched her give her sword and a knife to Percy. Annabeth came over, and I handed her the only long knife the armory had. I hadn't had time to make my sword yet. I was glad, we were fighting without weapons. I was out of practice and didn't want to to hurt her either way.

We stepped into the circle again. we shook hands and stood back. I almost started circling when she started to pull something out of the belt-loops of her jeans. It was a belt, or specifically, a silver cord, that she untied and wrapped around her hands. It was long enough that even though it was wrapped around both of her hands twice, it still had enough to hand down about two feet.

I knew from the look on er face that she wouldn't make the first move. I Swiped at her shoulder, to try to take her off balance. I watched and as if in slow motion she stepped out of the way, and wrapped the middle of the cord twice around my outstretched wrist. She then pulled forward and sideways, using my own momentum to pull me to the ground.

I fell to my knees catching myself before I face planted, and found my own arm wrapped around my neck. It didn't hurt, but it forced me to turn around. I stood and faced her. I grabbed the cord with one hand and went to hook her arm with the other. She pulled the rope forward, and I stumbled; she then stepped out of the way, and kicked the back of my knee forcing me to the ground again.

I knew that I couldn't get up and face her so I swept my leg around to bring her down. She jumped over my leg, and simultaneously unwrapped the cord from my wrist. It hung to the ground in front of her. I had to get it away from her.

I figured she wouldn't expect an obvious move from me; I simply lunged at her, trying to grab the cord. She wrapped it around my wrist again, and in one fluid movement, twisted my arm behind my back and kicked the back of my knee, bringing me into a kneeling position, again.

She held my arm with one hand and unwrapped my wrist with the other.

"Please give up." She whispered in my ear. She let go of my arm and I brought it back in front of me. I made the tiniest move to get up, and the cord appeared again, this time at my throat.

"Please." She said again. I made a move to put my hands up in surrender, then I started to stand to take her off guard. The cord tightened at my throat, and it pulled me backward and down, hard.

I landed flat on my back. It knocked the wind out of me. I lay there gasping for air for who knows how long, when the light from the sun is blotted out with a long curtain of dark hair. I saw her face when she covered the light. Her eyes sparkled, but with both pleasure and pity. She smiled a little, and whispered, "Please?"

I realized then that she wasn't asking me that so she would win, she was asking that so she wouldn't hurt me. As I thought about it, I was sure that she was the one I had needed with the werewolf-- not Percy or Annabeth-- She was the one who could take me down with only her belt.

I noticed then that I could breath again. I began to sit up and in a flash she was three feet away from me again. I might have imagined the whole thing. I nodded and she turned around to walk away. I knew this was my only chance I ran towards her, and whistled at her-- I wasn't going to fight her with her back to me.

She wheeled around so fast I couldn't even see her leg when it collided with my shoulder. That stopped me. Then her foot connected with my chest, Pushing me so Hard I landed on m back again. I groaned as the wind was knocked out of me again.

She walked over and just looked at me. I nodded again, and she held out her hand tilting her head to one side. I took it and pulled her down over my head. She landed next to me. I started laughing and then she was laughing with me.

"I guess we're even." she said. We stood up and shook hands. When we let go and started to walk past her when she grabbed my shoulder. She wheeled me around and looked at me. She then promptly broke my nose.

"I win." I thankfully heard her walk away.

Notes