Cassandra's Curse

{11} Life Practice 101

Hey again, just acknowledging NurfiqahZid for doing, then re-doing my cover. I owe her.

READ ON!!!

*****

Three hours later I was standing in the centre of a target range with my pistols in hand.

I had been instructed not to shoot people in any way, shape or form. And I was slightly disappointed when Annabeth agreed with Chiron about not shooting Ares in the toe if he appeared again. Percy agreed with me though, he stage-whispered to me about stabbing Ares in the foot in his first year.

I had a new-found respect for Percy.

Percy, Annabeth and Chiron were standing behind me with some kind of shield in front of them.

“Okay Cassie, go for it!” Percy yelled.

Some wooden targets appeared in the shooting range. Some were moving and others were really far away.

I aimed my guns at the ones that were far away. They weren’t moving, so I figured that they would be easier to shoot.

I was right.

I fired seven times at the seven all the way over at the other end of the range, (I wasn’t planning on wasting any of my celestial bronze bullets so I was using some normal ones) and almost instantly the bullets passed clean through the wood.

I heard a cheer and a surprised shout behind me as I quickly aimed at the moving targets and fired.

Again the wood splintered and cracked under the pressure.

I holstered my guns and turned to Chiron, Percy and Annabeth.

Chiron and Annabeth both had shocked expressions on their faces. Percy was grinning and shouting, “Yeah! You got this!” I walked over to them and stretched.

“Sorry about the targets Chiron. I’ll help make some new ones.” I smiled sheepishly at all three of them.

Percy clapped me on the shoulder. “No worries. That’s what they were made for.” He said, shrugging.

I pulled the elaborate armband off my left arm. As soon as I gripped it firmly in my hand it turned back into the sword I got from the shed.

As soon as the sword was back in my left hand the glove Ares gave me spiralled into a small round shield. My eyebrows creased as I looked at the carvings on its surface.

They were beautiful.

The elaborate swirls and jewel encrusted surface depicted a very scenic cliff face. The water swirled and the picture was so detailed and elaborate that it was hypnotic.

I forced my eyes away from it.

Chiron was forcing his eyes shut as he looked away from it. But Percy and Annabeth were still hypnotised by the shield. 

I turned it away from their transfixed gaze.

They shook their heads to clear them of the magic.

Annabeth assumed a guarded stance, and Percy just looked confused.

“What was that?!” Annabeth snapped,

I put my hands up in an ‘I surrender!’ gesture. Surprisingly the shield was not as heavy as I expected it to be. It was lighter than the sword and even the sword wasn’t that heavy either.

Chiron put his hand on her shoulder. “Annabeth, the shield must have some form of magic on it, to hypnotise enemies, so that the user can destroy them without them fighting back. It is a very clever tactic.”