After most of the fights were over, Chiron went to the center of the arena. The campers from both camps quieted down as he held his hands up for silence.

"Every time we do this, the best is saved for last." He started. The arena erupted in cheers. I chuckled at everyone's excitement.

"The praetors of this camp are known as the most talented and proficient fighters of the entire Roman Legion. Today, we pit them against the most proficient fighters of Camp Halfblood. Praetors Reyna and Frank, are you ready?"

The two Romans walked out of one side of the arena, and drew their weapons. Both were wearing lightweight armor and carrying large spears. Reyna was holding a simple looking shield.

Chiron nodded. "Annabeth and Percy currently hold the title as winners of this fight. A challenge must be issued and accepted for the fight to begin."

That was something I'd noticed which was interesting. The Romans were very invested in traditions and things like that. Annabeth had mentioned that these gatherings at Camp Halfblood were much less formal.

Percy and Annabeth walked out of the other side of the arena. Breastplates and jeans. Pretty standard for Camp Halfblood. Reyna handed Frank her spear, then took the hem of her glove between her teeth. She pulled it off and threw it towards Annabeth and Percy. It landed at their feet and they looked at each other, then Percy stooped and picked it up.

"The challenge has been accepted-"

Chiron was interrupted by two more gloves thudding onto the ground. One landed in front of Percy and Annabeth, the other in front of Reyna and Frank.

"Let's make this a bit more interesting."

I didn't recognize the voice, but I vaguely recognized the person. Nico had gotten a lot bigger since I'd last seen him, I think he'd been ten? Eleven? I don't even know. He might have been younger.

Chiron raised an eyebrow. "Nico?"

"Add another team to the mix." He tucked his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Make it more interesting."

The old centaur nodded slowly and looked up at the crowd. "Shall we add another team?"

Massive cheers erupted, and I actually saw a couple kids who weren't paying attention flinch in surprise.

"Alright... Nico, pick your partner."

"Well... We've got the Romans." He nodded to Reyna and Frank. Reyna was now holding Nico's fingerless glove. "And the Greeks." Annabeth picked up the other glove. "Why not one of each? Hazel?"

I glanced at the young daughter of Pluto who was sitting near me. She looked surprised for a moment, then grinned and jumped to her feet.

Nico's body folded into its own shadow, then he appeared next to Hazel.

"I said no shadow travel!" Someone shouted. Many of the Greeks laughed.

Nico rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at a group of sandy-haired teens that I recognized as children of Apollo, then he and Hazel collapsed into their own shadows and appeared in front of Chiron.

He nodded. "Now, to make this more fair, we're restricting powers as usual. With one exception."

The demigods murmured curiously, and Chiron raised a hand for silence.

"If a competitor has been disarmed, they may try to use their powers to retrieve their weapon and attack again. This requires very fast reflexes and may not work in their favor, so keep that in mind as we begin. Competitors, return your gloves to their owners and move back."

Percy tossed Reyna her glove, and Frank held her weapon while she put it back on. Nico retrieved his gloves and tugged them on, then backed up to where Hazel was now standing.

Chiron trotted to the center of the three groups. "I want a clean fight, no major maiming or injuries please. Three, two, one, begin!" 

He galloped out of the way. Nico and Hazel looked at each other, than ran at Percy and Annabeth. Reyna and Frank charged as well.

It very quickly became clear who they viewed as the biggest threat. Percy and Annabeth were never only fighting one person, they were constantly switching between opponents. They fought back to back. One moment Percy was facing Reyna and Nico, the next Nico and Hazel. At one point he slipped under Annabeth's arm and she pivoted, and they switched opponents. 

It was so technically flawless, I was actually impressed. As the fight went on, I could hear people around me beginning to place bets on who would lose their weapon first.

Cheers and boos echoed around the arena when a gold sword slammed into the dirt a few feet away from the group. I smiled, recognizing the move Percy had used to disarm Hazel. Sometimes the basics were the best.

The young Roman girl threw her hand out towards her sword, and it lifted off the ground. Before it reached her, however, a tendril of water snatched it and yanked it away.

Percy caught the second sword, grinning. He tapped his own sword against her neck lightly and spun to kick Reyna in the stomach, sending the other girl stumbling back a pace.

Hazel backed off, and was soon accompanied by, to my surprise, Annabeth.

Now Percy was under a full onslaught. Spears on either side of him, and a deadly looking black sword.

With each parry, he spun to face a new opponent, ducking and slashing and spinning around. The shouts and cheers of the Greeks built to a crescendo as he knocked both Reyna's and Frank's spears out of the way with the two swords he was carrying, then turned and parried Nico's sword. The son of Hades backed out as Percy tapped the swords on either side of his neck lightly.

The son of Poseidon dove backwards, rolling to avoid the attacks of the Roman praetors.

He hopped to his feet, landing in a familiar stance, and narrowed his eyes at Reyna and Frank. Then, very deliberately, he tossed Hazel's sword aside.

There were shouts of surprise and gasps, but Percy Jackson did not seem in any way fazed. He grinned and ran at Frank.

That was when the real fun began. Percy was constantly putting one of the praetors in front of the other, so they couldn't fight him at the same time. He was moving constantly, circling the other two fighters.

When Frank went out, Percy wasted no time leaping at Reyna. Dust rose around their feet as they dueled. Reyna threw her shield aside, her teeth bared in a snarl.

Percy was grinning maniacally by the time he knocked Reyna's spear aside. The Greeks erupted in cheers.

"Camp Halfblood camper Percy Jackson wins!" Chiron announced to the crowd.

Annabeth ran over to him and kissed him. I looked away.