Chapter 8: Coming Age

                                    

                                          


                          
One Year Later, Mount Othyrs, Percy POV
                          
A flurry of strikes was brought down on the now fourteen-year-old boy. One after another, each growing in their potential fatality. Like David fighting Goliath, all he could do was rely on the asset that was his agility.
                          
The man he fought wore bronze plate armor. His pauldrons were large, made to look like the rams of a goat. He wore no helmet, showcasing his cinnamon skin and long platinum hair. The weapon he was wielding was a long spear that looked to be an antique from a past millennium. But still as deadly as the day it was forged
                          
Percy wore armor somewhat similar, except it was black and rather plain looking in comparison. He wore a light breastplate made of a darkened bronze over his long black jacket. 
                          
On his head was adorned a black corinthian helmet, it was embezzled with a symbol of Kronos. A scythe connected to a cross.
                          
His sword which was currently fending off strikes from his opponent's spear was a long Greek xiphos blade. It was dark red, made of Adamantine, a metal used by titans that required divine energy to wield. 
                          
And with the blessing of Hecate, Percy had exactly that. 
                          
Yet such an exquisite blade did little to help him in his current fight. Being thrust into a corner he finally resolved to attempt a counter-attack. By now he had all but memorized his opponent's quirks.
                          
Dodging under a wide stab he brought his blade up in a diagonal strike, catching the titan he was fighting with off guard.
                          
But thousands of years of fighting experience saved him, dodging the blade at the very last second. 
                          
"You have made a drastic change," Said the titan with a hint of pride, "When I first started to train you, you resembled more a feral animal than a human. Wild, destructive, fighting and surviving off pure instinct alone. Now you fight with at least a semblance of strategy."
                          
Percy replied with a heavy breath, "I fight for the sake of vengeance, Pallas. Until my goal is achieved I cannot lose, ever."
                          
The titan identified as Pallas, Titan of Battle and Warcraft let out a small chuckle. "Vengeance, that is exactly where your killer instinct is rooted. Man is a fearsome animal, he is the only one in the kingdom of nature with the intellectual ability to have dominion over carnal instinct. When combined with a God the outcome can truly be devastating."
                          
"Devastating? Is that why most demigods die before reaching twenty?" Percy asked.
                          
Pallas rose his brow, "Have you ever thought why there are so many beasts around the world only able to be seen by demigods eyes? Or why it is the Olympians have never thought to combat them or control them as we have? It is because they serve a convenient roll in controlling the demigod population." 
                          
Such a revelation surprised Percy, he had never thought of it like that before. Monsters were indeed a good way to confine the demigod population and make sure they never thought to turn against Olympus.
                          
"One must simply think about things beyond face value to see that there is a much bigger picture to everything in existence. That is the way a true warrior should think," Pallas declared, rising his spear toward Percy, signaling that he was ready to continue their duel.
                          
As Percy was about to move in a voice suddenly interrupted him. 
                          
"Stop your sparring, Lord Kronos has a message for Percy!"
                          
Percy looked to the far end of the training room he and Pallas were in. He was surprised to see Hyperion, a face he had not seen for months.
                          
"Please tell me Kronos finally intends for me to stop training the boy. Truthfully I ran out of things to teach him months ago," Pallas said, half pleading.