He was ready to take on a newbie. What? He’d fought many of them before.

Until he entered the arena, he wasn’t nervous about battling the… battling the…. He’d changed his mind. Fighting a daughter of Hades meant she could just flick her hand, and he’d be dead.

Walking to the arena, he knew he’d put himself in an impossible place. If he backed down, he would be kicked from his position.

Glory looked more nervous than he was. She had never been in combat before.

“What does the loser get?” she whispered. She seriously didn’t know? Pathetic.

“The loser loses their position” Alex didn’t mean to, but he sounded excited.

“The winner?”

“Oh. Promotion.”

“Ok.” The arena entrance loomed over everyone.

Alex could imagine Atonement by Taylor Davis playing. He could imagine himself winning. He would win. He just had to.

“Let the trial begin!” Claris’ voice rang out as it resonated throughout the coliseum. The whole camp had been assembled. The son of Mars spotted Ash the daughter of Athena. His skin prickled with embarrassment. Alex had a huge crush on her. It was sad in his perspective.

Glory appeared after putting on her armour. Hers was Stygian iron, and it glistened like it was a diamond. Alex was wearing his normal iron armour. Glory swung her sword around, which was a dark blade of obsidian. He was a little scared. She looked ready, more ready then Alex was.

“Fight!”

Alex struck first. He aimed for the chinks in her armour, but Glory was still agile, even in armour. She deftly sidestepped his attacks, leading him all around the ring. What is she doing? he wondered.

Then he realized Glory was leading him to the hypogeum entrance. Too late, he processed what was happening. Glory was betting that if she timed it right, she could bring down the gate and trap him in. And it worked. As he hit the ground and winced as his armour dug into his skin, he heard the noises outside.

They chanted, “Glo-ry! Glo-ry! Glooooooorrrr-ry!”

Alex sighed. He'd lost his position. He’d lost everything.

Then he heard something very faint. It was Glory.

“I say Alex keeps his position.”