aces: leo valdez¹

009

in which; She gives undead
mortals a chemistry lesson.

LIT CHARGED AND HE ALMOST IMPALED HANA in one go. He was fast, of course she was faster but she hadn't been expecting how difficult it would be to move in the room. It was like wading through knee deep water, even though she was moving at the same speed as a normal human, it just felt so slow to her. She stumbled her way around and dodged as Lit slashed and sliced, Hana could barely avoid the strikes.

She ducked under one of his swings and turned, panting, to face him, her sword raised. "Impressive girl- but you will not survive this fight. I am the reaper of men!"

He shouted it like a battle cry, fire in his eyes. Hana didn't like that. "Can't reap me- not a man, dickhead."

A switch flicked in her mind as Lit charged, her brain reverting to battle mode. Fighting like this, with no gimmicks or demigod powers to knock her flat in her arse- this was Hana's element. She blocked, raising her blade. Her focus flicked between analysing patterns, learning Lit's style, and dodging his attacks. Lit was all offence, no defence.

It still felt like she was walking through honey, the room dampening her speed- but she was a skilled sword fighter too, Hana would just have to make do.

She countered, sidestepped, and blocked. Lit let out a surprised grunt, clearly confused to find she still had all her limbs.

"Who was your trainer girl?" Lit growled. "You move to fast for a mortal"

"Camp halfblood- five years," Hana spat as she ducked his left arm and slashed the back of his calf, "Daughter of hermes- God of speed."

"Hermes?" Lit struck again, and Hana deflected his blade. "He does not bear mortal daughters."

"I'm well aware." Hana said, grunting as she parried his attack, slicing her blade loosely through the air- leaving a thin cut along Lit's left cheek. "Too many boys in my life already. No time for undead princes like you!"

"Where is your respect," Lit said. "There is always time for princes."

Hana spun on one heel, smacked Lit in the chest with the butt of her blade, and sent him toppling into Midas's throne.

"Oh, dear," Midas said and stepped to his son's side. "Lit?"

"I'm fine," Lit growled.

"Your prince seems to be having a hard time," Hana said, ramming her shoulder into Midas's back. He was more weighted than expected but he toppled forwards nonetheless. "Why don't you give him a hand?"

Lit cried, "Dad, no!"

Too late. Midas landed his hand on his son's shoulder in his panic to catch himself, and suddenly a very angry-looking gold statue was sitting on Midas's throne.

"Curses!" Midas wailed. "That was a naughty move, demigod. I'll get you for that."

He patted Lit's golden shoulder. "Don't worry, son. I'll get you down to the river right after I collect this prize."

Midas raced forward. Hana dodged, but the old man was fast and she was currently much slower than she was used to.

Hana kicked the coffee table into the old man's legs and knocked him over, but Midas wouldn't stay down for long.

She looked wildly, eyes bouncing from clouded windows to the golden status of her friends. Piper, frozen mid speech, Jason- his coin in hand, and Leo, hands extended trying to summon fire.

Running water, The river. That's what Midas had said to Lit, Hana just needed to get them down to the nearby river to un-gold them.

She was a trained demigod, a child of the god of messages and thieves. Fastest demigod alive. She would not fail her friends. So Hana whispers a prayer as the man struggles to push himself up from the floor. 'Dad, please, I could use some help. Anything, a boost- advice even. Just something.'