Palace Halls, Themyscira, 10:45 AM.
July 20th, 2010.
Perseus is currently exploring the palace halls for all it's worth, moving from room to room at fast pace. And soon he found himself at the doors of the final room he hadn't explored yet, the armory.
"Hello?" He says as he peaks his head through the door, once he saw that no one was in the room he entered with a small smile.
The first thing he saw was a pair of silver bracers on the side. Out of every golden and shiny thing in the room his eyes landed on the dust-covered silver bracers. Slowly he began to walk toward it until he it stopped by someone grabbing his arm from behind.
He turns around to see Donna grinning at him.
"So," She started, "What are you doing?"
"What am I doing? Uhh—exploring."
Donna nods and leans close to his ear, "You're not supposed to be in here yet so leave before someone else catches you."
Perseus nods before making his way out of the armory.
"Oh!" Donna eyes lit up as if suddenly remembering something, "Mother asked for you. It's time for your second trial."
He stops in his tracks and turns to Donna wearing a confused face, "Isn't it too early?"
Donna shakes her head, "There's no such thing as too early for us." She then shoos him away, "Go on, don't be late." Once Perseus left Donna's eyes landed on the bracers.
Sparring Field, 11:00 AM.
Everyone was still in the same place they were yesterday as Perseus walked onto the field again. As he stood face to face with Hippolyta he smiled and placed his hands on his hips.
"So, what am I doing this time?"
Hippolyta gestured to the wooden weapons rack off to the side, "This will be a trial to test your skill. Grab a weapon of your choice and choose whoever you wish to combat."
Perseus walks over to the rack and picks up the spear before looking around the field. Eventually his eyes lands on Donna and he points his spear at her, "I choose Aunt Donna."
Hippolyta nods and the crowd begin chanting as Donna walks to the weapons rack with a smile picking up the wooden sword. Soon both Perseus and Donna got in their positions on opposite sides of the field waiting on Hippolyta to start the battle.
"I'm glad you picked me Perse!" Donna shouts, "I won't take it easy on you just because you're family!"
"I'd be insulted if you did." Perseus said, casually doing spin tricks with his spear.
Hippolyta coughs to get their attention, "You may begin whenever you're ready."
"Oh!" Perseus nods and turns to Donna only to see her already in his face swinging her sword down. He leans to side to dodge before kicking her in the stomach to gain some distance. "Woah! That was close… aren't you being a tad bit impatient?"
"Never take your eyes off your opponent Perse!" Donna lectures dashing at him with another attack ready.
Perseus blocks it and uses the spear to guide her sword to the ground, "Well I know that now." He flips the spear over to its pommel and slams it against Donna's face but as quickly as she fell, he found himself facing the sun and his back to the ground. "Huh?"
Donna stood over him holding the sword to his face, "Yield."
Perseus sighs and asks, "Are there any specific rules to the trial?"
Donna looked confused before narrowing her eyes at him, "Nothing but no maiming and killing… YEILD." This time she says it harsher.
Perseus eyes began to glow as he smirks at Donna, "No maiming and killing? Got it." As he uttered those words a burst of fire explodes from his body wrapping around him like a blanket and sending Donna hurdling across the field. "Round two?"
Donna laughs dropping her sword and holding up her fists, "Of course! No weapons?"
"Deal." Perseus burns the spear into nothing but ash, "I'm better with my hands anyway."
Donna's smile grew downright feral as she charges at Perseus with renewed vigor. As she got close Perseus dissipates the fire, clasps his hands together and covers it in ice before slamming them down on Donna as a devastating sledgehammer. He looks down to see her holding onto his leg tightly before he finds himself in the air.
He turns around to see her not even in the field anymore, "Where did she?"
"Behind ya." She whispers in his ear before landing a drop kick on his spine, sending him spiraling down.
On the ground Perseus places his hand on his back groaning whilst in a coughing fit, "Owwww." He looks up to see that she disappeared again, groaning he generates a tempest in the palm of his hand and throws it on the ground covering the entire field with dust.
"Okay I can't see her, but she can't see me." Perseus thinks to himself as he silently treads through the dust covered field. "I need a way to find her before she finds me like some sort of… danger sensing magic? Let's try that." Soon his eyes began to glow once more and suddenly he was hit was migraine to end all migraines.
He grips his head tightly as blood begins to run down his nose and no matter how much he gritted his teeth he couldn't hold back cry of pain bubbling up from his mouth.
"Are you okay?!" He hears Donna yell from behind him. Once she showed herself the pain lessened but not by a lot. It was as if he, no, everyone was in danger!
"Perseus stop whatever it is you're doing! This trial was not meant to be won but to test your current skill!" He could hear his mom shout, he ignored her, he had to pinpoint where the danger was coming from. He must, "Donna!!" He heard his mom shout once more before his vision went black.
Palace Infirmary, 12:15 PM.
Hippolyta walks into the infirmary with Donna at her side. Perseus was lying on the bed still unconscious, and Diana was at his side watching over him. Silence stretched out for a minute before Donna spoke.
"I'm sor—"
"It's not your fault." Diana quickly said, "This has something to do with his magic not you."
Hippolyta coughs, "Is he alright?"
Diana nods, "Yes, all we are waiting for is for him to wake up." She sighs, "Could you postpone his final trial to a later date? If he pushes himself this far with a simple skill test then who knows—" Suddenly Perseus hand latches onto Diana's shocking everyone in the room and slowly he begins to lift himself up from the bed.
"Don't." He turns to Hippolyta, "How fast can the final trial be set up?"
"Right now."
Perseus nods, "Okay, I'll try to finish it as quickly as possible."
"Wait hold up," Donna says, "You just got up you need to rest more and you have to explain what happened back there."
"I sensed something that endangers everyone on the island." Perseus said simply, "And I want to at least finish my trial before we handle it. Besides," He flexes his left hand, "85 percent should be enough."
"85?! You need top be at 100 for you next trial!" Donna exclaims.
"Wait." Diana says, "You said something that's endangering the island do you know what?"
Perseus shakes his head, "No, I tried but it just intensified the pain. I would've held through if someone didn't knock me out."
Diana sighs as Donna looks away, she then placed a hand on Perse's shoulder and spoke to him gently, "Perse there should be no reason for you to be intentionally causing harm to yourself. No matter how noble."
Perseus looked confused, "But… isn't that what being a hero about? Doing the right thing even at the cost of yourself."
Diana pursed her lips then opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She wants to tell him how his view was wrong, and he shouldn't have to risk himself but that would be hypocritical so the most she could do is… nod and say, "Just… think and expend all your options before you do something rash… please."
Perseus nods, "Will do."
Themyscira's Colosseum, 12:30 PM.
Perseus stood right in the middle of the arena, a small smile spread across his face as the roaring crowd cheers for him. He looked to the higher elevated part of the colosseum to see his mother sitting with his grandmother and aunt. He hated the worried look on their faces but was grateful that they understood.
Hippolyta stood and the arena went silent, "As you third and final trial Perseus you will face your greatest adversary!" Her words echoed throughout the area.
The crowed cheered but Perseus was slightly confused, "The only guy I fought was Mr. Twister… can't be too hard and I get to try this out in actual combat." He thought then suddenly a bright purple glow shined on the opposite side of the arena. Perseus' hands glow in silver and gold light; waiting for the exact moment to trigger.
The purple light explodes outward engulfing the arena and blinding Perseus, once the light died down what stood there was not the metallic man he fought before, the crowd gasps and Perseus gapes wide-eyed at the adversary he never once considered more than a hologram, the Minotaur.
"Ok…" Perseus thought, "Didn't expect that but worst-case scenario he's as strong as his true self and," He gives a smile of false bravado, "I get to test myself against the true monster if so." His hands glow once more and summoned a copy of his mother's sword and shield entered his grasp.
The Minotaur roars loudly shaking the arena and summons a giant slab of rock and iron in the shape of a sword and charges at Perseus with unimaginable speeds. Perseus could barely raise his shield to block before he's sent flying across the arena. Donna stands up to intervene but is stopped with one look from Hippolyta.
Perseus looks up to the Minotaur right above him once again preparing to attack. His eyes glow in a bright blue as he swings his sword upward in a combined and chaotic arc of fire and electricity. The Minotaur shrieks in anger and pain, in its fury it began slamming its weapon into Perseus repeatedly with no sign of stopping.
The only thing Perseus could do is enhance his body just enough to survive the blows but nothing else.
From the sidelines Diana bit her lip and spoke up, "Mother—"
"I know. This battle is over." As Hippolyta stood up to stop the fight the Minotaur did something nobody expected.
It grabbed Perseus by his leg, slammed him into the ground a couple of times then leaped into the city still holding Perseus by the leg.
"Sisters!! Stop that monster!!" Diana shouts before flying after them at full speed.
Above the city the Minotaur threw Perseus to the ground.
Perseus coughs violently, "Okay… could be worse." He looks up to see the Minotaur coming down like a rocket hooves first. "…" Perseus' eyes glow once more, and he creates a glacier of ice to engulf the monster.
Perseus didn't relax, the monster should be trapped, better yet dead, but Perseus didn't relax, he knew.
THOOM
He knew it wouldn't hold.
THOOM
He just needs to stall it. He drops the shield and places both hands on the sword.
THOOM
He gathers up every bit of magic he has left to single concise point. The edge of the blade.
THOOM
The ice explodes everywhere and as a couple of shards grazes Perseus' cheek he didn't stop pouring and pouring energy into the blade even as it began to crack. He looks forward to seeing that the Minotaur hasn't moved an inch but instead it raises its blade mimicking Perseus.
Perseus laughs, "The feeling's mutual you old bull!" Then he hears someone land behind him.
Diana draws her sword and stands in front of Perseus, "Stand down Perse. I'll take it from here."
"No."
Diana's eyes widen, "Excuse me?"
"I said no mom." His voice carrying great strain, "This is my fight, my trial, and you're not allowed to interrupt."
Diana looked at Perseus with shock in her eyes. In their small time of being a family he has never defied her so, she looked in his eyes glowing bright like a star full of determination she smiles and floats off to the side.
Perseus breathes slowly and glares at the Minotaur who's waiting for the second they start. Perseus grits his teeth, the Minotaur's eyes glow red, and they charged. Once the blades clashed a myriad of colors filled the area. Perseus sees his sword cracking and breaking then the light blinds him. Once the light dies down Perseus is met with… nothing? Confused, he looked down to see the lower half of Minotaur standing there, then it dawned on him, he destroyed its upper half.
With a smile he lifts up the broken replica of his mother's sword as high as he can as it dissipates into motes of light in his hands. His arm was definitely broken but he couldn't care less; Perseus had won.
A/N: Honestly this was my most favorite chapter to write so far. And honestly college is such a drag.