Falling for You

Percy: XXVII

Percy: XXVII

Percy kept his hands on the door for a few minutes after the window was cut off, feeling his eyes kick into gear.

The silvery type of outline he had seen before appeared around the door, and Percy, keeping an eye on the floor to make sure there weren't any sudden drops, swivelled around where he stood.

He took in the dim frame of the walls and ceilings, the room much bigger than he had thought. In the pitch black darkness, he could just make out a few arches in the ceiling, stone pillars keeping it up, and the grey whisper of chains sunk into the wall of the cavernous type cell.

Metal clinked from somewhere in the darkness, and Percy's head shot in that direction.

The cell continued to curl around a wall, and out of sight for Percy; the noise must have come from round there. Percy frowned, hands trailing towards his sides. The tension in his chest decreased almost instantly as his hand found Riptide. It had come back to him. He'd never let himself be unarmed again.

He uncapped Riptide, still a little difficult with his chains, and the steady glow of his sword stretched into sight.

There was a deep and dark chuckle, just out of sight.

"What did you do, then?" The Voice asked, out of the darkness.

Percy gripped his sword tightly, and began to sidestep cautiously towards the wall.

"How do you mean?" Percy replied levelly to the unknown threat.

"You have to do something to get put in here, kid."

It had a voice like gravel.

Percy angled his sword sideways to his body, prepared for a counter strike, and continued to take slow and careful steps, not taking his eyes of the wall.

"Is that why you're here? You broke the rules?" Percy kept his footsteps as silent as he could.

The Voice laughed.

"I don't even know." It said. "I've been here so long I can barely remember what I did."

"Barely?" Percy caught.

"I think I ran away." The Voice mused. "A fight to the death is always so dramatic. You?"

"I left the Arena by accident." Percy said, still on guard. "I won the battle but I stood on the wall, and apparently that's not allowed."

"Of course it isn't, you foolish boy. Did no one read you the rules?"

"I was kinda unconscious? I didn't get the chance." Percy replied sarcastically.

"You sound young." The Voice said suddenly.

Percy didn't say anything, but he slowed his steps, keeping the wall behind him pressed to his back to avoid being surrounded. It seemed like there was only the Voice in here, but Percy couldn't be too careful.

A loud drawn out sniff filled the silence of the room.

Percy's eyes were darting in every direction, constantly checking for movement. He hated the dark.