The Silver Ring (PJO)

Chapter 30

The figures were all sheathed in black, like Omega, except they had ski-masks covering their faces, sort of like they were going to mug me. It would help them move without worrying about a hood falling off. They all held their various weapons with expertise and ease, as though they knew the limits and strengths of them through experience and practice.

Before I could pull out Riptide, one of the figures charged at me from behind. Their footsteps were silent and before I knew it they were right behind me, their sword swinging for my unprotected neck. 

I turned around just in time, blocking the strike by grabbing their sword hand and providing resistance by pushing. Then, I promptly sucker-punched them in the face in the millisecond their guard was down. They reeled back in surprise and collapsed on the ground in a heap.

The nine people remaining all took a step back in surprise. I presumed they thought it would only take one person to take me out.

I took their surprise as an advantage, and pulled out Riptide. The only way I could take nine exceptional fighters out would be deceit. Ergo, I pretended Riptide was imbalanced, creating fake openings in my guard that experienced fighters would be tempted to take advantage of. My guard was lower than normal, giving them more openings at my upper body, which would be easier to dodge or counterattack.

Exactly how predicted, three of the nine tightened their grip on their weapons and charged at me simultaneously. One had a battle-ax, one a spear, and one had a menacingly sharp dagger in each hand. 

Battle-Axe reached me first. Since they had a hulking frame, it was safe to say they were probably a he. He swung the weapon like it was an . . . axe, going straight for my head. I simply stepped out of the way, but before I could attack him the other two were already on me. 

Dagger and Spear had wildly different strategies that worked surprisingly well together. Dagger came up close and personal, since they had less range but could attack more often than my sword, while Spear kept me a long ways away from getting close to them, making my sword useless. They would switch in and out and constantly pressure me, not allowing me to think. 

The six remaining figures not fighting had made a wide circle around us, and were watching casually, as though it was a kind of sick entertainment for them. Or they were observing how I fought.

I finally got a chance to do something when Battle-Axe came from behind me and tried to kill me by using the same exact move as last time. Apparently, he had the strength, but not the brains. Since I was still busy fighting with the other two, I disengaged by summersaulting in the air backwards, catching Battle-Axe by surprise when I collided into his chest. He let go of his weapon with a grunt, it flying towards the other two.

Dagger and Spear did the smart thing, and ducked underneath the gigantic weapon. This let their guard down. I jabbed my elbow into Battle-Axe's solar plexus, making him bend over like a hinge, trying to get his breath back. I dropped my sword, then put my arm around his neck, which was as thick as an Ancient Greek supporting pillar and squeezed. Since I had already knocked the wind out of him, he couldn't fight back. 

I casually slipped two throwing-axes into my free hand from his belt and threw them at Spear and Dagger, who were lifting their heads at the exact moment. They only had time to widen their eyes in horror and surprise before the hilts of the weapons made contact with their foreheads, hard enough to knock them out cold. Their heads hit each other, adding on to their injuries, then they unscrupulously fell to the ground. 

When Battle-Axe became limp in my arms, I kept the pressure for five more seconds—in case he was pretending in order to get the jump on me—then I also let him drop onto the ground.