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Sloane watched quietly. Everyone had been trying to push her to learn to fight and defend herself, so she tried her best to observe and learn. But the sparring didn't seem like the safest in the world. Twice she saw Andy fall into a fissure in the ground and each time she thought the girl may never come back up. The son of Poseidon said it was safe. After all, he emerged without wounds after taking injuries from daggers and whatever else. This could be good for her maybe, but her stomach still twisted in knots. She could only hope she wasn't put against either Ares child.
At least one of her prayers was answered⊠But, of course, it didnât come without its own troubles. Liam was up, but Sloane was left in a stunned silence at the male who waited for him in the arena. Lochlan. What the hell was Lochlan doing there!? She was half tempted to jump to her feet and shout just that. But rather she sat there in a stunned silence, staring as if sheâd seen a ghost. She didnât hear her name over the crowd, but she saw his lips move in all too familiar of a formation. Not a moment later Liamâs fist was in his jaw and then his body was limp on the ground. Finished before the fight began.
Sloane barely had the chance to sit on the edge of her seat, but still had the time for her knuckles to go white from her tight grip on the seat. She didnât know what she expected, but Liam taking up a seat beside her wasnât it. Last she recalled he seemed less than thrilled with her. But she also knew how protective and territorial he was. Perhaps it was to send a message to Lochlan. There were several times she thought about saying something, but it all came up short and she remained quiet.
Duke kept himself silent and reserved, glued to watching fellow demi-beings fight it out for victory. Some offered some interesting techniques only emphasizing what a threat they could be to each other. Plenty and enough duos passed and Duke knew his time would come and he could either wait for his matching purple token to step forward when they were ready or initiate it himself. He flicked the tiny coin-like object and took himself into the middle of the show, down the steps and into the gladiatorial arena holding up his purple token high. Whoever his opponent, they took to testing his patience or their eyesight was crap. "Does anybody have the other purple?" Which was the nicest way he could announce to whoever had it, to hurry up.
She had nearly missed Duke approach the arena and hold up a purple token. Purple... purple. Her eyes went wide as she dug in her pocket to find an identical match. "Here," Sloane said as she held up her own purple trinket. She slowly stood up and made her way down to the arena. After tossing the coin back into the bag, she walked over to Duke and held out her petite right hand. "I don't think we've properly met. I'm Sloane." She knew who he was. Duke was one of the people who stood up in defense for Alex at her trial, but she didn't remember seeing him at her own. So, to the best of her knowledge, this could be the first time the son of Hephaestus ever laid eyes on her.
Duke scrutinized the girl as she headed down to meet him. She was small, not that that was a hard margin next to Duke, pale, petite in every portion and kept a relatively low profile. He was suddenly glad he hadn't been brasher when waiting for her because she didn't seem to deserve it. By the time she stood before him, a neutral expression waited on his face. Duke nodded his head to her with her greeting and clamped her hand in his. "Good to meet you properly. Duke. Sorry about the circumstances." He flashed her a kind brief smile. Truly it wasn't ideal to meet someone officially then have to engage in combat.
Sloane returned the smile before turning and heading toward her side of the arena. She found an assortment of weapons laying out across several tables for her to choose from. Her brows furrowed as she slowly stepped forward. What kind of weapon would suit her? She hadn't a clue. She was not strong, so it'd have to be something small like... a dagger? She reached out to take the small blade, but stopped when her gaze drifted over to one of the few shields that laid out on a table. Each of them looked fairly similar, but one caught her attention. It looked no different than the others, but this one had a chimera on the front. It took a moment, but she slowly remembered that the chimera was a beast that could breathe fire...
She stared at the shield for a moment or two longer, before taking it up and strapping it to her left arm. Sloane had never seen Duke fight, so she had no idea how or if he could control fire. There was no textbook on what powers each demigod would get or how they'd use them. But something in her gut said to grab the shield, just in case. Hell, she didn't even know if the shield was flame repellent. It could just be a symbol and nothing more, but on the off chance it meant something more, she had to take it.
They had turned their backs to each other to prepare for the environmental shift and pluck their weapon of choice, Duke's being a double-edged ax. He half expected to turn back and his opponent be ready and slash at him with all her might. Yet when he turned she was still in debate about what item to choose. He pursed his lips as her error was large. He was temporarily torn between making a point by attacking her from behind to end the duel nice and quick or to let her be. She was only lucky he was honorable he supposed.
Sloane didn't say anything. She just took up the best stance she could manage and gave Duke a nod. To everyone else outside the arena she might have looked like a deer in headlights. Honestly, she kind of was. The shield, while average in size, made her look a child because of her stature. Duke was bigger and stronger than her in every way. If she could manage to get a single hit on him, she'd consider that a victory.
With her nod of approval, Duke readjusted his grip on the ax. Proportionally, this felt cruel but he'd be sure to never underestimate a demigod. He only hoped she knew how to handle a shield at least. Duke stepped forward and swung for her being met with a clang of metal on shield. The clash of the weapons reverberated through Sloane as she held up the sheet of metal with all her might. He swung again and again, four times consecutively, putting his weight behind it, each time meeting the face of the shield.
After each attack Sloane took a defensive step back, trying not to let Duke too close. When she saw the attack coming she was able to side step, letting the large blades slice the air beside her. She was trying her best to tire him, but it seemed to be wearing on her faster. With another crash on the shield she was forced to one knee. One more strike and that would be the end of it. Sloane, quick on her feet, took the opportunity while he raised his weapon to fall to the ground and slide between his legs. His ax slammed into the ground and with his back still turned she raised her foot and kicked the back of his knee with all her might. While she wasnât strong, the blow had enough force to knock him off balance and send his weapon from his grasp.
Duke watched his ax slide away from him, dumbfounded, before looking back at the girl. But there was more artillery stocked. Dukeâs hands began to glow red before being consumed in fire. Sloane was just barely able to grab her shield and hold it up before he sent fire shooting out from his palms. She was small, which worked in her favor. Her petite form was able to duck behind the entirety of the shield, avoiding intensity of the fire. But that didnât stop the heat from being almost unbearable or the stray spark from lighting a few of her hairs.
He focused all his might and power into the flames, pushing the intense heat into the shield, hoping to melt it. At least that's typically what Dukeâs abilities could do, but the chimera shield served a magical barrier, impervious to his flames. He ceased recognizing it took no effect even briefly admiring the properties of the defensive tool. Quick to gather his wits, he waved his arms across each other setting the ground alight all around Sloane in a perfect circle that's flames would either scorch her or smoke would choke her.
Before Sloane had a chance to move or react, Duke placed her in a fiery prison. Any and every mode she made was found with a singe, burning holes in her clothing and blistering her skin. After a few breaths the smoke had found its way into her lungs. Gods it was hot and she could barely breathe. She imagined thatâs what hell felt like. Unbearable heat that felt like a thousand pounds, sucking the air out of your lungs before it entered. She was dying⊠She felt it. Sloane had to do something and quick.
Watching the brunette encapsulated by his flames was not a nice sight. While he felt no such effects with fire, he knew how destructive it could be to others. How the extreme heat overruled. How the smoke crept in to invade the senses. But he always kept his eyes on the target so he could tame or enhance his fire accordingly. "Just surrender," he muttered to himself.
There was no way Sloane was getting out of there without getting burnt more than she already had. So before she could second guess her decision, she threw her right arm through the flames, reach her hand out toward Duke. She knew it was going to hurt but no amount of preparation could have made her ready for the searing pain she felt. She couldnât stop herself from screaming out. Her eyes shut tight as she tried her best to focus. Out of shock, Duke recoiled and began to step back out of reach. Sloane was unable to wrap her fingers around his ankle in time, only the tips of her fingers seemed to brush him.
While it wasnât strong enough of a touch to control Duke indefinitely, they still connected, even if it were brief. With that little touch a small nugget of a thought wormed its way into his mind. Freeze. Sloane knew the persuasion wouldnât last long. So once he froze where he stood and flames got weaker, she moved. She threw down the shield over the far edge of the flame circle and jumped through the small opening she made. Flames nipped at her feet and burned away loose hair but she paid it no mind.
With the overwhelming command to suddenly freeze, Duke was stunned to find himself doing just that. And without his control, the flames started to dither leaving Sloane an opportunity for escape. It was odd trying to rip his feet from the earth because he knew what he wanted to do and it wasn't standing still watching her gain substantial ground. Duke grimaced then finally his legs and mind obeyed him in full again and he broke into a sprint after her, scooping up his ax as he pursued.
Sloane didnât have the time to waste to retrieve her shield. Her sights were set on one thing and one thing only, the weapons table. She started sprinting as fast as she could in the opposite direction of Duke. He might have been bigger, stronger, maybe even more powerful⊠But she was small and quick. She didnât have to look back over her shoulder to know he was chasing after her. His foot falls were loud and terrifying as he thundered after her.
Though his strides outmatched hers, as he chased, Duke's hand-illuminated red again before throwing balls of fire at her. She glanced back over her shoulder just in time to see a large fireball hurling towards her. Sloane side-stepped just before it slammed into the ground beside her. She was nearly there as fire rained down around her. Sloane tried her best to dart back and forth unpredictably. But it was only a matter of time before she dodged right into line of one of the balls. It slammed into her side and sent her stumbling forward. She cried out as she held her side. She couldnât stop, not now. She had to prove it to everyone else, but more importantly to herself, that she wasnât weak. That she could do this.
Sloane limped forward as fast as she could, but Duke was gaining on her and quick. She reached the table, slamming into the side of it just as he caught up with her. Not accounting for her wounded clumsiness Duke followed crashing into her, taking them both down. There was a brief scramble but Duke pushed Sloane onto her back, braced a hand on her shoulder and raised the ax high. And just before he went to swing down, he felt the point of a dagger pressed against his chest. "Checkmate," she muttered between pants. He looked down at the blade, where his chest raised and fell heavily, then at her, like he had to see it to believe it.
She remained frozen there, unyielding, until the arena began to reset. The weapons in their hands vanished along with the various burns that plagued her body, only leaving behind the soot and her tattered clothing. Luckily, enough remained so that her modesty was still intact, but just barely. One leg of her pants was riddled with holes and tears, while the other was completely gone. Her shirt ceased to exist beyond the hem at her waist and the various pieces of fabric that dangled from it. Thankfully her sports bra still held on strong, aside from one of the straps being snapped and hanging freely.
Duke climbed to his feet then gave Sloane a hand up as well. If there was ever a time he liked to be proved wrong it was in situations like this. He gave her a nod of respect and once over. Lots of people weren't willing to sacrifice their clothes or flesh for a burn but she committed and showed serious stones.
"Letâs never do this again," Sloane commented with a point toward Duke. She no longer had the wounds, but that didnât stop her from being overly exhausted and winded. "Gods I hate fire," she grumbled to herself as she exited the arena and made her way back to her seat beside Liam. If it were a different day and the pair were talking, she might have been excited she won⊠Gloated even. But no. It was still silent as she sighed, looking forward.
Duke smiled at her overheard comments and returned to the seats to become a spectator once more.
Sloane watched quietly. Everyone had been trying to push her to learn to fight and defend herself, so she tried her best to observe and learn. But the sparring didn't seem like the safest in the world. Twice she saw Andy fall into a fissure in the ground and each time she thought the girl may never come back up. The son of Poseidon said it was safe. After all, he emerged without wounds after taking injuries from daggers and whatever else. This could be good for her maybe, but her stomach still twisted in knots. She could only hope she wasn't put against either Ares child.
At least one of her prayers was answered⊠But, of course, it didnât come without its own troubles. Liam was up, but Sloane was left in a stunned silence at the male who waited for him in the arena. Lochlan. What the hell was Lochlan doing there!? She was half tempted to jump to her feet and shout just that. But rather she sat there in a stunned silence, staring as if sheâd seen a ghost. She didnât hear her name over the crowd, but she saw his lips move in all too familiar of a formation. Not a moment later Liamâs fist was in his jaw and then his body was limp on the ground. Finished before the fight began.
Sloane barely had the chance to sit on the edge of her seat, but still had the time for her knuckles to go white from her tight grip on the seat. She didnât know what she expected, but Liam taking up a seat beside her wasnât it. Last she recalled he seemed less than thrilled with her. But she also knew how protective and territorial he was. Perhaps it was to send a message to Lochlan. There were several times she thought about saying something, but it all came up short and she remained quiet.
Duke kept himself silent and reserved, glued to watching fellow demi-beings fight it out for victory. Some offered some interesting techniques only emphasizing what a threat they could be to each other. Plenty and enough duos passed and Duke knew his time would come and he could either wait for his matching purple token to step forward when they were ready or initiate it himself. He flicked the tiny coin-like object and took himself into the middle of the show, down the steps and into the gladiatorial arena holding up his purple token high. Whoever his opponent, they took to testing his patience or their eyesight was crap. "Does anybody have the other purple?" Which was the nicest way he could announce to whoever had it, to hurry up.
She had nearly missed Duke approach the arena and hold up a purple token. Purple... purple. Her eyes went wide as she dug in her pocket to find an identical match. "Here," Sloane said as she held up her own purple trinket. She slowly stood up and made her way down to the arena. After tossing the coin back into the bag, she walked over to Duke and held out her petite right hand. "I don't think we've properly met. I'm Sloane." She knew who he was. Duke was one of the people who stood up in defense for Alex at her trial, but she didn't remember seeing him at her own. So, to the best of her knowledge, this could be the first time the son of Hephaestus ever laid eyes on her.
Duke scrutinized the girl as she headed down to meet him. She was small, not that that was a hard margin next to Duke, pale, petite in every portion and kept a relatively low profile. He was suddenly glad he hadn't been brasher when waiting for her because she didn't seem to deserve it. By the time she stood before him, a neutral expression waited on his face. Duke nodded his head to her with her greeting and clamped her hand in his. "Good to meet you properly. Duke. Sorry about the circumstances." He flashed her a kind brief smile. Truly it wasn't ideal to meet someone officially then have to engage in combat.
Sloane returned the smile before turning and heading toward her side of the arena. She found an assortment of weapons laying out across several tables for her to choose from. Her brows furrowed as she slowly stepped forward. What kind of weapon would suit her? She hadn't a clue. She was not strong, so it'd have to be something small like... a dagger? She reached out to take the small blade, but stopped when her gaze drifted over to one of the few shields that laid out on a table. Each of them looked fairly similar, but one caught her attention. It looked no different than the others, but this one had a chimera on the front. It took a moment, but she slowly remembered that the chimera was a beast that could breathe fire...
She stared at the shield for a moment or two longer, before taking it up and strapping it to her left arm. Sloane had never seen Duke fight, so she had no idea how or if he could control fire. There was no textbook on what powers each demigod would get or how they'd use them. But something in her gut said to grab the shield, just in case. Hell, she didn't even know if the shield was flame repellent. It could just be a symbol and nothing more, but on the off chance it meant something more, she had to take it.
They had turned their backs to each other to prepare for the environmental shift and pluck their weapon of choice, Duke's being a double-edged ax. He half expected to turn back and his opponent be ready and slash at him with all her might. Yet when he turned she was still in debate about what item to choose. He pursed his lips as her error was large. He was temporarily torn between making a point by attacking her from behind to end the duel nice and quick or to let her be. She was only lucky he was honorable he supposed.
Sloane didn't say anything. She just took up the best stance she could manage and gave Duke a nod. To everyone else outside the arena she might have looked like a deer in headlights. Honestly, she kind of was. The shield, while average in size, made her look a child because of her stature. Duke was bigger and stronger than her in every way. If she could manage to get a single hit on him, she'd consider that a victory.
With her nod of approval, Duke readjusted his grip on the ax. Proportionally, this felt cruel but he'd be sure to never underestimate a demigod. He only hoped she knew how to handle a shield at least. Duke stepped forward and swung for her being met with a clang of metal on shield. The clash of the weapons reverberated through Sloane as she held up the sheet of metal with all her might. He swung again and again, four times consecutively, putting his weight behind it, each time meeting the face of the shield.
After each attack Sloane took a defensive step back, trying not to let Duke too close. When she saw the attack coming she was able to side step, letting the large blades slice the air beside her. She was trying her best to tire him, but it seemed to be wearing on her faster. With another crash on the shield she was forced to one knee. One more strike and that would be the end of it. Sloane, quick on her feet, took the opportunity while he raised his weapon to fall to the ground and slide between his legs. His ax slammed into the ground and with his back still turned she raised her foot and kicked the back of his knee with all her might. While she wasnât strong, the blow had enough force to knock him off balance and send his weapon from his grasp.
Duke watched his ax slide away from him, dumbfounded, before looking back at the girl. But there was more artillery stocked. Dukeâs hands began to glow red before being consumed in fire. Sloane was just barely able to grab her shield and hold it up before he sent fire shooting out from his palms. She was small, which worked in her favor. Her petite form was able to duck behind the entirety of the shield, avoiding intensity of the fire. But that didnât stop the heat from being almost unbearable or the stray spark from lighting a few of her hairs.
He focused all his might and power into the flames, pushing the intense heat into the shield, hoping to melt it. At least that's typically what Dukeâs abilities could do, but the chimera shield served a magical barrier, impervious to his flames. He ceased recognizing it took no effect even briefly admiring the properties of the defensive tool. Quick to gather his wits, he waved his arms across each other setting the ground alight all around Sloane in a perfect circle that's flames would either scorch her or smoke would choke her.
Before Sloane had a chance to move or react, Duke placed her in a fiery prison. Any and every mode she made was found with a singe, burning holes in her clothing and blistering her skin. After a few breaths the smoke had found its way into her lungs. Gods it was hot and she could barely breathe. She imagined thatâs what hell felt like. Unbearable heat that felt like a thousand pounds, sucking the air out of your lungs before it entered. She was dying⊠She felt it. Sloane had to do something and quick.
Watching the brunette encapsulated by his flames was not a nice sight. While he felt no such effects with fire, he knew how destructive it could be to others. How the extreme heat overruled. How the smoke crept in to invade the senses. But he always kept his eyes on the target so he could tame or enhance his fire accordingly. "Just surrender," he muttered to himself.
There was no way Sloane was getting out of there without getting burnt more than she already had. So before she could second guess her decision, she threw her right arm through the flames, reach her hand out toward Duke. She knew it was going to hurt but no amount of preparation could have made her ready for the searing pain she felt. She couldnât stop herself from screaming out. Her eyes shut tight as she tried her best to focus. Out of shock, Duke recoiled and began to step back out of reach. Sloane was unable to wrap her fingers around his ankle in time, only the tips of her fingers seemed to brush him.
While it wasnât strong enough of a touch to control Duke indefinitely, they still connected, even if it were brief. With that little touch a small nugget of a thought wormed its way into his mind. Freeze. Sloane knew the persuasion wouldnât last long. So once he froze where he stood and flames got weaker, she moved. She threw down the shield over the far edge of the flame circle and jumped through the small opening she made. Flames nipped at her feet and burned away loose hair but she paid it no mind.
With the overwhelming command to suddenly freeze, Duke was stunned to find himself doing just that. And without his control, the flames started to dither leaving Sloane an opportunity for escape. It was odd trying to rip his feet from the earth because he knew what he wanted to do and it wasn't standing still watching her gain substantial ground. Duke grimaced then finally his legs and mind obeyed him in full again and he broke into a sprint after her, scooping up his ax as he pursued.
Sloane didnât have the time to waste to retrieve her shield. Her sights were set on one thing and one thing only, the weapons table. She started sprinting as fast as she could in the opposite direction of Duke. He might have been bigger, stronger, maybe even more powerful⊠But she was small and quick. She didnât have to look back over her shoulder to know he was chasing after her. His foot falls were loud and terrifying as he thundered after her.
Though his strides outmatched hers, as he chased, Duke's hand-illuminated red again before throwing balls of fire at her. She glanced back over her shoulder just in time to see a large fireball hurling towards her. Sloane side-stepped just before it slammed into the ground beside her. She was nearly there as fire rained down around her. Sloane tried her best to dart back and forth unpredictably. But it was only a matter of time before she dodged right into line of one of the balls. It slammed into her side and sent her stumbling forward. She cried out as she held her side. She couldnât stop, not now. She had to prove it to everyone else, but more importantly to herself, that she wasnât weak. That she could do this.
Sloane limped forward as fast as she could, but Duke was gaining on her and quick. She reached the table, slamming into the side of it just as he caught up with her. Not accounting for her wounded clumsiness Duke followed crashing into her, taking them both down. There was a brief scramble but Duke pushed Sloane onto her back, braced a hand on her shoulder and raised the ax high. And just before he went to swing down, he felt the point of a dagger pressed against his chest. "Checkmate," she muttered between pants. He looked down at the blade, where his chest raised and fell heavily, then at her, like he had to see it to believe it.
She remained frozen there, unyielding, until the arena began to reset. The weapons in their hands vanished along with the various burns that plagued her body, only leaving behind the soot and her tattered clothing. Luckily, enough remained so that her modesty was still intact, but just barely. One leg of her pants was riddled with holes and tears, while the other was completely gone. Her shirt ceased to exist beyond the hem at her waist and the various pieces of fabric that dangled from it. Thankfully her sports bra still held on strong, aside from one of the straps being snapped and hanging freely.
Duke climbed to his feet then gave Sloane a hand up as well. If there was ever a time he liked to be proved wrong it was in situations like this. He gave her a nod of respect and once over. Lots of people weren't willing to sacrifice their clothes or flesh for a burn but she committed and showed serious stones.
"Letâs never do this again," Sloane commented with a point toward Duke. She no longer had the wounds, but that didnât stop her from being overly exhausted and winded. "Gods I hate fire," she grumbled to herself as she exited the arena and made her way back to her seat beside Liam. If it were a different day and the pair were talking, she might have been excited she won⊠Gloated even. But no. It was still silent as she sighed, looking forward.
Duke smiled at her overheard comments and returned to the seats to become a spectator once more.