Not a Hero

chapter seven

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐀 𝐁𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐒 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍.

None of them missed, not even once, and had impeccable aim. Hale saw one of them make a half-court shot like it was nothing. For a moment, Hale considered joining them - she wanted to see if she could beat them but then she remembered that Connor was taking her to see the other Hermes kids. 

"Apollo's cabin," said Connor, when he noticed Hale looking at them. "They're all just a bunch of airheads - it takes only a few firecrackers to keep them occupied." 

Then Connor led her down a narrow, winding path. As they walked, they passed a pair of boys. They were sparring, Hale noticed, very badly at that. Neither of them seemed to know how to wield a sword and kept swinging it wildly without any proper technique. Both also had sloppy footwork and a terrible defense too. 

Normally, Hale wouldn't intervene in other people's business but it was bothering her a lot. How could they both be so terrible? It was a wonder that none of them had cut off their own heads accidentally. Especially since neither of them were wearing armor. 

"Hey," interrupted Hale, unable to help herself, "stop swinging it like that. It's not a mace. It's a sword." Hale walked over to them. "Your stance is also horrific - you'll fall like that." 

They both frowned at Hale. Neither of them seemed to appreciate Hale's criticism. "You're one of the new campers, aren't you?" asked the taller of the boys. 

"Yeah," said Hale. She looked at him, tilting her head slightly to the side. "What about it?" 

"It means you don't know how things run," said the boy. He brandished his sword in what Hale felt was an overly dramatized manner. "Here, we fight." He looked at Hale. "Do you even know  how to hold a sword?" 

"Hmm, then how about we spar?" suggested Hale. "If you win, then I'll apologize."

He just scoffed at Hale. "Of course I'll win." He looked at his friend. "Aaron, you back away. She's mine." 

Hale smiled. He was so arrogant - she couldn't wait to put him in his place. "Don't be too cocky," Hale warned. "I might just end up being better than you." 

The boy rolled his eyes. "You don't even have a sword. How will you fight me without any weapons? You'll die." 

"I'm not unarmed," said Hale. She pulled up her shirt so she could see his belt. "I'll use this." 

He scoffed again. "Sure, it's your loss." He stepped back. "Aaron, you count us in. We'll start at three." 

His friend, Aaron, counted them in and just as he reached three - the boy charged at Hale. Hale was much faster than him and easily avoided him. 

Hale laughed as he raised his sword. "Do you really think you can take me down with that?" She unbuckled her belt and lashed it into the air. With just a simple flick of her wrist, the belt transformed. 

"What the fuck is that?" 

It was a whipsword. One of her most lethal weapons which looked like a whip but was as sharp as a sword. She liked to call it Whiplash. 

Hale grinned. "Why don't you see for yourself? Or are you too scared?" She clearly hit a nerve as he came charging at her again, swinging his sword wildly. Still, he hadn't corrected his grip. She could've disarmed him if she wanted, it would just take a second, but she was just starting to have fun. It was too soon to end the fight.