Chapter 11

That night at Camp Half-Blood, there was an unusual level of excitement in the air. It was Friday and that meant only one thing. Capture the Flag.

After dinner, the conch horn sounded, and we all gathered in the pavilion. Campers cheered as Annabeth and two of her siblings entered, carrying Athena's banner. It was an impressive sight, a ten-foot-long gray banner adorned with a painting of a barn owl perched above an olive tree.

On the opposite side of the pavilion, Clarisse and her companions arrived with an equally sized but far less subtle banner. Theirs was a gaudy red, featuring a bloody spear and a boar's head, proudly representing Ares's cabin.

Luke gave me a sly look, as if he knew something I didn't. The scar on his face caught the torchlight, making him look almost sinister. "We've made a temporary alliance with Athena. Tonight, we get the flag from Ares. And you are going to help."

The teams were announced, and it became evident that Athena had formed alliances with Apollo and Hermes, the two most prominent cabins. Privileges had been traded, including shower times, chore schedules, and prime activity slots, to secure their support.

On the other side, Ares had gathered allies from all the remaining cabins: Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus. Each cabin had its own strengths, but they had united under the banner of Ares.

Chiron, our beloved centaur trainer, hammered his hoof on the marble floor for attention. "Heroes!" he called out. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line, and the entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, with no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed but not bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!"

With a wave of his hand, the tables were suddenly covered in equipment: helmets, bronze swords, spears, and oxhide shields coated in metal.

I worked on getting strapped up with equipment I needed as Luke gave me a rundown of the game. "You will be at the border patrol."

"You want me at Border patrol?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, "Why exactly?" Luke ignored me and went to help out the rest of the Hermes cabin, I sighed and looked over my stuff.

My shield resembled a spartan shield, with Hermes emblem in the center. It felt quite balanced. My helmet, like those of Athena's side, had a blue horsehair plume on top, while Ares and their allies sported red plumes. I my Adamantine Sword, that I learned was named, Gram, was strapped to my side. Riptide in my pocket.

Annabeth yelled, "Blue team, forward!"

Our cheers resonated through the camp as we shook our weapons and followed Annabeth down the path leading to the south woods. The red team, our opponents, jeered and taunted us as they headed off toward the north.

I managed to catch up with Annabeth after a while. "Hey."

She kept marching, her determination unwavering.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked.

Her hand drifted toward her pocket, momentarily wary, but then relaxed. "Just watch Clarisse's spear," she said. "You don't want that thing touching you. Otherwise, don't worry. We'll take the banner from Ares. Has Luke given you your job?"

"Border patrol, sadly."

"Look, just stand by the creek, keep the reds away. Leave the rest to me. Athena always has a plan."

With that, she pushed ahead, leaving me in the dust.

"Great, what a lovely talk." I mumbled to myself

The night was warm and sticky, the dark woods illuminated by the occasional firefly. Annabeth stationed me next to a babbling creek, the sound of running water providing some comfort. She and the rest of the team scattered into the trees, leaving me alone.

I couldn't help but wonder if anyone would actually attack me.

In the distance, the conch horn blew, and the woods came alive with whoops, yells, clashing metal, and the sounds of kids engaged in combat. An ally from Apollo, with a blue plume adorning his helmet, raced past me like a deer, leaped over the creek, and vanished into enemy territory.

"Great," I muttered to myself, "I'll miss all the fun."

As I stood my ground by the creek, clutching Gram with unwavering determination, the tension in the air grew palpable. The sounds of the forest seemed to hold their breath in anticipation.

Then, a low, menacing growl reverberated from the shadows, causing my heart to race. I raised my shield, readying myself for whatever danger might emerge.

The growling suddenly ceased, and the lurking presence retreated into the darkness. But I remained vigilant, scanning the moonlit woods for any hint of an impending threat. I flicked my wrist as a piece of my shadow zoomed off into the woods.

Suddenly, chaos erupted on the opposite bank of the creek. Five fierce Ares warriors charged toward me, their battle cries piercing the night. Clarisse, the leader of the pack, took the forefront, her gaze locked onto me with an unrelenting intensity. In her hands, she wielded a formidable five-foot-long spear, its gleaming blade reflecting the moon's soft light. Her fellow siblings followed suit, brandishing their standard-issue bronze swords, a force to be reckoned with.

Though outnumbered, there was no way I would back down now. I squared my shoulders, ready to face this challenge head-on.

With a dancer's grace, I sidestepped the initial strike from the first warrior, catching him off guard. These Ares children were seasoned fighters, and they closed in around me swiftly. Clarisse lunged with her electrified spear, aiming for my heart. My shield intercepted her strike, but the spear nicked my arm slicing it as a powerful jolt of electricity coursed through me, I stood my ground as the electricity impowered my body, as I reached to my back drawing Riptide from the sheathe I made it.

I parried a blow from another Ares fighter, the sound of clashing steel filling the air. With a swift and precise motion, I countered, delivering a powerful strike that knocked his helmet clean off. He stumbled backward into the water, his eyes spinning in disorientation.

Ugly Number Two and Ugly Number Three came at me next, but I was ready. With calculated movements, I deflected one attack with my shield and used Riptide to disarm the other, sending his sword clattering to the ground. They retreated, momentarily stunned by their failed assault.

Ugly Number Four hesitated, glancing at his defeated comrades sprawled in the creek, while Clarisse pressed on, her spear crackling with electric energy. She thrust at me, but I expertly caught the shaft between the edge of my shield and Riptide, snapping it like a twig.

Clarisse's scream filled the air, her fury uncontained. "Ah!" she shrieked. "You idiot! You corpse-breathed worm!"

I didn't have time to react to her insults. With a quick, precise strike, I smacked her between the eyes with the hilt of Gram, sending her stumbling backward out of the creek.

As the commotion continued around me, I heard the exhilarated shouts of victory growing nearer. My attention snapped toward the source, and there, racing toward the boundary line, was Luke, triumphantly carrying the red team's banner high above his head. A few Hermes campers and some from Apollo's cabin guarded his escape, fending off the Hephaestus kids. The Ares campers got back on their feet, dazed from the shock of their sudden defeat. Clarisse muttered curses under her breath.

"It was a trick!" she bellowed, realization dawning too late. "It was a trick!"

The Ares campers tried to chase after Luke, but their efforts were in vain. Campers from both sides converged at the creek as Luke crossed into our territory. The red banner transformed, shimmering to silver, with the boar and spear replaced by a massive caduceus—the emblem of cabin eleven.

Cheers erupted from our side, and the celebration began. Everyone hoisted Luke onto their shoulders, carrying him triumphantly. Chiron emerged from the woods, cantering out to announce the game's end with a blast of the conch horn. We had won.

I was about to join in the jubilation when Annabeth's voice, right beside me in the creek, remarked, "Not bad, hero."

Startled, I looked around, but I couldn't see her anywhere.

"Where the heck did you learn to fight like that?" her voice continued, almost teasing. The air shimmered, and she appeared, holding a Yankees baseball cap as if she had just taken it off her head.

"Invisibility hat? That's pretty cool, did you know the Ares cabin was coming after me?"

Annabeth shrugged nonchalantly. "I told you. Athena always, always has a plan."

"A plan to get me pulverized."

"Hey, I came as fast as I could. I was about to jump in, but..." She shrugged. "You didn't need help."

Then her gaze settled on my injured arm. "How did you do that?"

"Spear cut," I replied, annoyed. "Clarisse had nicked me."

"No," she insisted. "It was a spear cut. Look at it."

I examined my arm, confused. The blood was gone, replaced by a long white scar, which was rapidly fading. Even the scratch soon vanished, leaving behind no trace.

"Oh it must have healed during the fight." I responded shrugging.

Annabeth frowned, deep in thought. She looked down at my feet and then at Clarisse's broken spear. I heard that ominous canine growl once more, but this time, it was much closer. A deafening howl pierced through the fores.

The cheering campers fell silent instantly, and Chiron shouted something in Ancient Greek, which, to my surprise, I understood perfectly: "Stand ready! My bow!"

Annabeth drew her sword, her gaze fixed on the rocks just above us. There, a black hound the size of a rhinoceros stood, its lava-red eyes locked onto me, its razor-sharp fangs gleaming menacingly. The creature was looking straight at me.

I called out a single name, and a bone-chilling bellow echoed through the surroundings, sending shivers down everyone's spine, even freezing the hellhound in its tracks. This bellow was followed by a the trees being bent away as the Minotaur, Asterion made an apperance. Shadows danced around its body like flames as he moved towords the Hellhound.

The Hellhound tensed, ready to attack, but I had one more card to play. With a deep breath, I grit my teeth and let my aura leak out, the shadows danced around me angrily, as electricity crackled between my fingers and it started to rain. Asterion snarled at the Hellhound, still, it didn't back down. With a fierce snarl, it lunged at Asterion, jaws snapping. Moving , Asterion blocked its attack, moving with force and grabbed the Hellhounds jaw ripping it from his body. He grabbed the dogs neck and flipped it onto its back, causing it to whimper in pain.

I didn't hesitate. I raised my hand and the shadow moved as it inpailed the Hellhound right through its body as it burst into dust. Asterion moved towards me and everyone seemed to be on guard as it knelt infront of me bowing it's head, I petted his fur between his horn. "Thanks a lot Asterion."

Asterion gave a loud bellow before melting into my shadows vanishing. Suddenly the shadows moved around me as a shadowy hand rose cluthching the hilt of a longsword. I slowly grabbed the sword, the hand melting back into the shaodw. On the blade, Αυγερινός what engraved on the side.

"Morningstar." I mutter. So my father, Hades has given me a giftSuddenly everyone gasps looking above my head where the symbol of hades had flared. It looked alot like the Ankh of Egypt but the top was open forming a crescent with a small circle in the middle. Everyone bowed as Chiron started to announce.

"Hail, Perseus Kira Jackson, Son of Hades the King of the Underworld, God of the Dead and Riches, the Silent One. Hail-" Chiron stopped, having looked up at me and staring in shock at the floating symbol of a trident next to the symbol of Hades. So two of my fathers decided to claim me, let's see how long before Zeus admits I am his son. Chiron cleared his throat.

"Hail, Perseus Kira Jackson Son of Poseidon the Earthshaker, Storm bringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Poseidon and Hades!" Lightning flashed and thunder shook the sky as the rain began pouring harder.

This is the start of my Legend, and I will make sure that I will go down in history as the greatest demigod to ever exit... who knows maybe one day I could even become a god.