Percy Jackson The New God (Old Version,)

Chapter 26

Percy's point of view

I talked to my dad for a while longer and then he left, it was now three weeks since I became a god, I had heard the other day that construction of my palace had begun, I haven't bothered to stop by the site to check the progress partially because I didn't figure that much progress had been made yet and partially because I would rather not run into Annabeth, there is a chance that she will be there and I really didn't want to have to deal with her. Especially if she has heard about me dating another girl.

The next morning I prepared for my fight with Ares before I headed to the arena where I would be facing him. I considered all the powers that I had and tried to come up with a strategy to beat him or make him submit.  I'm not sure why but I decided to walk to the arena, perhaps I was just trying to delay the fight by using the slower way of getting there, as I walked I noticed that all the citizens of Olympus seemed to be heading in the same direction as I was. 

Great, we'll have an audience, I thought. The nymphs, satyrs and minor gods that were walking with me would bow to me, some of the nymphs and minor goddesses would occasionally stare at me a little longer than was necessary and when I noticed they would blush and try to apologize. All the attention made me a little uncomfortable which is one reason why I usually teleport everywhere. The path we were taking took us by the site where my palace was under construction but as we passed there were no builders on the site I suppose that they were allowed to watch the fight too.  

When I reached the arena everyone was getting in their places one after the other the gods appeared in the best seats while the rest of seats were taken by nymphs satyrs, minor gods, and several cyclopses.

I looked up at the other gods, my dad looked a little worried, I was surprised to see Hestia there she also looked a bit worried. As for the other gods, most of them just looked calm. I did a double take but my eyes weren't playing tricks on me my dad had brought my mom and out of everyone, she looked the most worried, but then again to her I was still her little boy even though I am now a god.

Ares teleported in moments after the seats had filled. He looked at me and said, "how would you like to get smashed punk, classic, or modern?"  

I had a flashback to when I fought him on the beach in Santa Monica. Back then I had barely beaten him, this time I would prefer a better outcome.

  I took out Riptide Ares took out the same two-handed sword that he had used the first time I had fought him.   I glanced up at the stands again; it looked like Apollo and Hermes were making bets on which one of us would win. A nervous looking satyr announced the fight and then gave the signal to fight.

Ares came at me with a heavy strike toward my head; I ducked under it and aimed a strike toward the war god's side which he blocked I feinted  toward his leg and then aimed for his side  we exchanged blows for a while both of us failing to hit the other. Between blows, Ares said, "you've gotten better punk."

 I didn't bother to reply I had to concentrate on blocking a blow that was headed for my shoulder.

I aimed another strike at Ares who blocked it  and he aimed another strike for my head but this time I didn't notice it soon enough I didn't have time to bring my sword up to block it so I slowed time around Ares  giving me time to get out of the way. After I returned time to normal speed I doused Ares with water disorienting him further. While he was recovering I swung my sword at his side and landed the first hit of the fight. Ares cried out in pain when my sword pierced his side. Golden ichor started to pour from the wound and Ares glared at me. Being the god of swordsmanship had its perks I was usually able to predict Ares' moves so I could easily block them.

We exchanged a few more blows and Ares managed to cut my leg, it was a little weird at first to see golden ichor come out of the wound and stain my pant leg. The wound made it harder for me to stand but it certainly wasn't as bad as the wound I had given him.

We seemed to be evenly matched neither one of us could get the advantage over the other for long, I decided I had had enough and doused Ares with water again disorienting him once again I cut his arm while he was disoriented. He retaliated with a strike toward my side which I blocked. I watched him more closely predicting what he would do next. He sent a series of heavy blows at me trying to overpower me but I either stepped out of the way ducked or blocked them.

  The cut on his arm made it more difficult for him to swing his sword. Because of this I gained the advantage over him with a series of complicated moves I cut his leg making it more difficult for him to Stand. After this I kept the advantage and the fight ended when I faked a strike, and hit him in the head with my sword butt knocking him out cold. 

After that Apollo teleported down to tend to our wounds, my dad followed with my mom who looked very relieved. My dad was smiling at me I looked at the other gods for their reactions Hermes appeared satisfied with the outcome of the fight, while Dionysus  and Zeus were frowning.

Hestia and Hephaestus seemed happy about the fact that I won, as for the others I couldn't tell what they thought.  Apollo tended to our wounds and then everyone started to head back to whatever they had been doing before the fight.  A few stayed behind to talk to me. 

The first ones to come up to me when Apollo had finished was my mom and dad. My mom gave me a hug that would give Tyson a run for his money; she also said that she was happy that I hadn't been hurt too badly  I think that in her concern for me she was forgetting that I am immortal now but honestly it didn't bother me too much. My dad was the next one to come up to me; pride was clear on his face. I hugged him too. The last person to come up to me was piper; she had a look of amazement on her face.

I think it was mostly because of my display of my powers since she had seen me fight stronger opponents than Ares. I'm sure that Jason would have been there too except he had gone to Camp Jupiter to oversee the building of my temple there.