Author's Note: Hi, thanks for reading, just wanted to say that is the sequel to The Fall of Time so that story really should be read first, but you can probably guess and still understand this one. Thanks, Riptide2

Chapter 1: Frenemies

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I stood there shocked with Nico, Annabeth, and Thalia beside me as Hades pulled his sword.

"No!" Nico screamed, but I held him back. This wasn't his fault, it was mine. I was leading the quest. I should have seen this coming. I should have known what Hades was planning. I should have realized that this was all part of a bigger plan. I should have guessed that we were all just pawns. I should have put the pieces together and figured out what the prophecy really meant.

But I didn't and now it was too late.

"I've put up with a lot from you and the others, but this... this is the final insult!" Hades yelled.

Zeus looked murderous, the air smelled of ozone, and outside a huge storm was brewing.

Thunder shook the Olympians palace as Zeus declared in a deathly calm voice the end of our age.

"Then let this be the declaration of war."

** Six Days Earlier **

Back in my cabin, I strapped my armor on, grabbed Riptide, and headed for the amphitheater.

"We are so going to cream you, Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth yelled before putting her Yankees cap on and vanishing.

"You wish."

"Athena always has a plan." Her voice came from somewhere in front of me now.

The other campers were already waiting, so I ran to the side entrance and grabbed my banner. It was blue with a gold trident in the center, below golden waves and a horse in the top corner.

A conch horn sounded and I ran in as Annabeth came from the other direction with the Athena banner, a gray silk with an owl over an olive tree.

The other campers cheered and rushed forward to grab weapons and armor.

"Blue Team forward," I yelled, jogging for the forest.

We split off as Annabeth led the red team. My team was Zeus, Hades, Hermes, Demeter, Nemesis, Hephaestus, and a few other minor cabins, while the reds were Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, and the rest of the major cabins and the minors.

Yes, I know it's kind of shocking that I wasn't on the same team as Annabeth but you can thank the Hermes cabin for that, yeah I guess they should have been at least a little serious with Connor missing and presumed dead but I guess they decided we needed some cheering up, so they got Annabeth and me on different teams and took bets on who won.

How they got us on different teams is a story all by itself.

I was just coming back from a ride with Blackjack when Aaron, a Hermes kid, came up and started talking about the upcoming Capture-the-flag on Friday.

I was going to meet with Annabeth to come up with a plan for creaming Ares, but the Hermes guy pulled me aside before I could leave.

"You know what would be a good show?" He asked, but the glint in his eyes had me nervous.

"No. What?" It's probably not a good idea to get on their bad side unless you want to find your sleeping bag full of shaving cream, or worse.

"A Capture-the-flag with you against Athena," And speaking of a certain daughter of Athena if I stayed here any longer I'd be late.

"Yeah, I guess, but listen I have to go."

"Ok, see you."

I nodded and headed for the beach to meet Annabeth but I couldn't help thinking that that would be a pretty interesting game.

When I came over the dunes, Annabeth was walking in the surf, her hair was in a ponytail and she was wearing a white tee-shirt with yellow shorts, but I couldn't help thinking she looked gorgeous.

I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, "Hey Wise Girl." I whispered against her hair.

"Long time no see, Seaweed Brain." She turned around smiling and we kissed quickly.

"So, are you ready to cream Ares?" She asked smirking.

"I've been thinking..."

"Well that's new." She cut in with a grin.

I gave her a look and she wrapped her arms around me resting a finger over my Achilles Spot. My head snapped back like she'd slapped me, as a thousand volts arched through my body.

"No fair!" I complained, spinning away and willing a wave to splash her.

She ducked but it still soaked her shirt, "All's fair in love and war."

I grimaced, "Do we have to talk about war right now?"

"Sorry."

"So anyway, I was thinking about what would make a good Capture-the-flag game."

"Yeah what's that?" She asked smiling as we sat on the sand.

"What if it was you against me?"

"Oh so really don't like our chances?" She yelled, jumping up.

"No! Wait, that's not what I meant." Okay I know what you're thinking, definite Seaweed Brain moment there, but honestly I did not see that one coming.

I found her later beating the life out of some giant scorpion that was stupid enough to cross her path. She was a force to be reckoned with when she was angry.

I walked into the clearing just as it turned to dust and with as death glare at the poor monster's remains, she turned to me.

Why did I have to catch up with her when she had a knife in hand?

Anyway she calmed down enough to talk without wanting to kill me, and I guess the same kid from Hermes had been talking with her too and said something about me not liking our chances against Ares.

After we realized this was probably another prank from Jokesters Inc. and after agreeing to plot revenge later, we decided to go along with it.

We made a big show of not talking to each other and I'd form an air bubble on the bottom of the canoe lake so we could plot in secret. Too bad I didn't know why we'd have to put our revenge on hold.

I snapped back to the present as a camper from Phobios came up to me, I think her name was Anastasia or something like that. She was the only one in her cabin and had sided with me because Clarisse had it out for her.

"So, what's the plan?" She asked. She didn't really have that many friends at Camp because she had a pretty imposing air, but I didn't really mind her. I kind of felt sorry for her, I knew what I was like to be singled out.

"You can take border patrol. Just stand by the creek and keep the reds away. I'll send you some back up once we set up the flag and guards."

She nodded, "Ok, any tips boss?"

"Yeah watch out for Annabeth, she always has a plan, and I don't think I have to tell you to stay away from Clarisse's spear, and don't call me 'boss'."

"Sorry."

"It's fine. Just be careful, Ares might come after you."

"'K got it."

She dropped back as we marched through the edge of the forest, we had the front half and Annabeth was leading the reds to the other side of the creek.

We stopped at Zeus' Fist to give out assignments, "Here's the plan Hephaestus and Nemesis cabins are in charge of defense." There weren't many Hephaestus campers but they were experienced and the Nemesis cabin was huge, almost the size of Hermes, "Travis, you take Hermes and the rest of the major cabins directly at their flag. Thalia, Nico, and I will go in behind. Anastasia, you take the minor cabins and set up a front along the creek. You're going to have to keep out their first wave. Okay?"

They raised their weapons and gave a battle cry. I set the flag on top of Zeus' fist, while the guards formed a phalanx around it. Travis and his group headed out as Anastasia went to set up defense.

I ran over to Thalia and Nico, Nico in his all black with a hood over his head and Thalia in her usual ripped jeans, black leather jacket, and death-to-Barbie tee. (Yesterday it had been death-to-Beiber, so I guess it was an improvement.)

"Are we done, yet?" She asked impatiently.

"One minute," I stabbed Riptide into the ground and an earthquake ripped through it forming a chasm around Zeus' Fist with a mud wall up ten feet on the inside.

"There, that should keep them out." I pulled out Riptide and with a grin we disappeared into the underbrush, surrounded by the sound of fighting.