0Chapter 3
"That's all right, Leo. I'll get by." She picked up the one they had just tried. It was a bit too long, but it would work. A horn blew in the distance. Capture-the-Flag had begun.
When the day was over, Cindy would try to remember exactly what had happened. But all she would remember would be bits and pieces, things that didn't add up. Only after had the Camp gotten over the shock of what had happened would she be able to think.
When the horn blew, all the demigods rushed out and stood in the middle of camp. Chiron stood in front of them. "Demigods!" he said. "As you all know, our weekly game of Capture-the-Flag is about to begin. Please, no maiming or killing anyone. If you do there will be severe consequences. You are allowed to do whatever it takes to get the flag to your side. Athena, Poseidon, Hephaestus, Zeus, and Artemis, your flag will be held by Zeus's fist. Ares, Hermes, Apollo, Aphrodite, and Demeter, your flag will be held over by the lake. Go!"
All of the campers went to their said spots. Once Cindy's team had reached the place called Zeus's fist, which to Cindy looked like a big pile of dung, Annabeth took charge. "OK, here's what we're going to do. Hephaestus will rig up a trap over at the border. Jason," she said, turning to a blond haired eighteen year old, "You will be paired with Percy. You two have to go over and get the flag. Athena, you guys have to be ready when Percy and Jason get the flag. Cindy, you and five of Athena will guard our flag. But if Percy and Jason fail, you sneak over to the other side. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Then let's go!" Hephaestus immediately went over to the border, where Leo started cackling like a maniac. Cindy and five Athena stood guard over their flag. It was a very plain flag: orange with the symbol of Camp Half-Blood on it. But if it crossed over the border, it would change with the symbol of whomever was carrying the flag's godly parent.
The whistle blew. Instantly, Percy and Jason went over the border, while the Athena scattered around, looking for kids from the enemy side. Cindy was in the front of the flag, keeping a close eye out for intruders. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw an Ares kid sneaking behind one of the Athenians. Before she could warn him, the Ares kid slammed the flat of his sword on the Athenian's head. The Athena kid slumped to the ground, unconscious. Before anyone could react, the Ares kid grabbed the flag and took off.
"I'll go get him!" yelled Cindy. "You guys stay here!" She took off, running in the direction the kid had gone. As soon as she was close, she hurled herself at the demigod. They both hit the ground with a thud. Cindy grabbed the flag and started to get up. She started to run, but then stopped. Suddenly, demigods formed a circle around her. Cindy had walked right into a trap.
"Well, well, well," said the girl Cindy remember as Clarisse. "Looks like the newbie isn't as smart as we hoped. Cindy thought carefully. If she could just get into the moonlight… She would have the advantage. She picked up her sword and swung it, making it appear as if she had no control over it. It worked out just as she planned. The Ares kids laughed, letting down their guard. Taking her chance, Cindy plowed her way through them, sending several of them to the ground. "Hey!" they yelled. She ignored them and stopped running when she came to a clearing where the moonlight was in abundance. She concentrated. The moonlight started bending and changing shape. She heard someone coming, so she quickly put her hands in her pockets.
Clarisse burst through the bushes and examined Cindy. "Kid, you are in for it," she snarled. "You humiliated my cabin. And to make things worse, Valdez caught it all on camera!"
"Good," said Cindy. "Now will you please leave me alone? I got a game of Capture-the-Flag to win."
"Not so fast," said Clarisse, grabbing Cindy's arm as she tried to slip past.
"Clarisse," said Cindy, her voice growing cold. "Let. Me. Go."
"No," said Clarisse. "You've caused too much humiliation for my cabin for it to go unpunished. You are in for it." She pulled out her spear, a wicked-looking thing that gleamed in the moonlight. She pointed it at Cindy and said, "Aren't you going to defend yourself?"
"Yes," said Cindy. "But you won't like it." Cindy pulled her hands out of her pockets and showed the moonlight. Clarisse's eyes went wide.
"How… How… How did you do that?" stuttered Clarisse. Cindy smirked and then made the light longer until it felt right in her hands. Then she twisted it until it was quite clearly a sword, its blade glowing with moonlight. Clarisse stared at it in astonishment. Cindy grinned, and then flicked her sword. Clarisse's spear flew out of her hands. In a flash, Cindy had her new sword by Clarisse's throat. Clarisse gulped.
"Now who's the-" But before Cindy could finish her sentence, the ground rumbled, sending both Clarisse and Cindy to the ground. The ground opened up and started to slant downwards. In the distance, waves that were twelve feet high were crashing against the shore. The sky rumbled with thunder and rain started to pour down. Clarisse started to slide down the ground. She screamed.
"Clarisse!" shouted Cindy. "Grab my hand!" The daughter of Ares scrambled frantically to grab the one thing that would save her from certain death. Cindy found the moonlight and frantically twisted it to form a sort or rope. She wrapped it around a tree, tied it around her waist, and slid down after Clarisse. She grabbed the girl's wrist. Cindy heard footsteps and knew that the other demigods were around them. And from the gasps that she heard, she guessed that they'd seen the moon ropes.
Cindy reached for Clarisse and grabbed her hand. "Clarisse!" she yelled over the din. "You have to trust me. I'm going to pull you up. Doesn't matter how, you're going to get out of here alive!" Clarisse nodded, her face white with fear. The daughter of Artemis slowly started dragging her and Clarisse out of the pit. Suddenly the ground jolted even more. Cindy and Clarisse were lowered further into the pit. Cindy heard someone yelling, but she couldn't make out the words. Slowly, an idea formed in Cindy's mine. "Percy!" she yelled. "I'm going to pull Clarisse up. I need you to grab her!"
"Got it!" Cindy strengthened her grip on Clarisse's hand and pulled with all of her might. Clarisse was soon over Cindy's head and safe above ground. Cindy grinned and started to climb up. The ground shifted again. She heard a creak and her heart stopped. The tree that the moon rope was tied to was falling. Cindy's eyes grew wide and then she screamed as the tree started plummeting down. She quickly wiggled out of the loop around her waist and clutched at the dirt. She started to slip. "Someone help me!" she yelled. Suddenly a strong hand grabbed her thin wrists. She looked up and saw Leo. His eyes were full of determination and courage. He started to pull her up. The rocks dug into Cindy's skin and dust filled her eyes, but she tried to help as much as she could. The earth gave a final shudder, and with one powerful tug, Leo pulled Cindy to safety. Cindy heard a crack and then her world exploded in pain. She didn't fight the darkness.
Percy charged over the border and weaved his way expertly through the demigods. Jason was at his side, and together they prevented demigods from blocking them. They were doing pretty well until the weather started to change. The sky rolled with thunder, the ground started shaking, and Percy could sense that the sea was angry. Chiron galloped into the middle of the game, where all demigods had stopped fighting and were looking around in confusion. "Campers," he said, his voice grave. "I'm afraid there has been a theft." Percy's face paled. The last time there had been a theft Percy had been blamed and sent on his first quest.
"Zeus's Master Bolt, Poseidon's Trident, Hades' Helm of Darkness, Hera's Lotus Staff, Demeter's Imperial Gold Sword, Hermes's Caduceus, Apollo's Golden Lyre, Artemis's Silver Bow and Arrows, Ares's Spear, Aphrodite's Golden Corset, Athena's Shield Aegis, Hephaestus's Flaming Hammer, and Dionysus's Thyrsus have all been stolen." There was a collective gasp.
"But- but- but-" stuttered Will Solace, a son of Apollo. "But that means that all of the gods' symbols and weapons have been stolen." Chiron nodded gravely.
"Along with all the other minor gods and goddesses symbols and weapons," he said. "This has never been done before. I fear that we may have another war in our hands. Now, we must all stay in our cabins. For the next few days, it will be much too risky to leave. Capture-the-Flag is-" Suddenly, everyone heard a faint scream. Chiron turned towards the noise and grimaced. "That's Clarisse. Everyone, follow me!" Chiron started galloping towards the noise. Percy was hot at his heels. When they reached the source of the scream, all the demigods stopped and gasped. Bands of white that looked like moonlight stretched into a swell in the ground. Percy heard yelling coming from the hole. He sprang into action and ran forward, his friends right behind him. He looked down and saw Cindy trying to grab Clarisse's hand. The thin ropes of moonlight were around her waist. Percy saw Cindy look up and her gaze settled on him. "Percy!" she yelled. "I'm going to pull Clarisse up. I need you to grab her!"
"Got it!" he yelled back. He saw Cindy tighten her grip and braced himself. Cindy gave a final powerful tug and Clarisse came within reach. He grabbed the daughter of Ares and hauled her up. Cindy moved around until she was able to start the climb up. Percy heard a crack and looked up in horror to see the tree that Cindy's lifeline was tied to start to fall. Cindy screamed and frantically tried to untie the ropes from around her waist. With seconds to spare, she squirmed out of the ropes and clung to the earth just as the tree plummeted down. Percy saw her start to slide down the hole. Before he could react, Leo threw himself forward and grabbed Cindy's wrists.
Leo slowly started to pull her up, his body lit in flames in an attempt to brighten the dim light. Percy saw a tree come rolling down towards her, but before he could warn her, the tree slammed into Cindy. Cindy screamed and then her body went limp. Leo struggled to pull her up. Jason and Will Solace helped haul her body out just before the hole completely collapsed. Percy led Clarisse to her siblings and then ran over to Cindy. The daughter of Artemis's face was deathly white. Her face was covered in several cuts, several of which were bleeding sluggishly. One of her legs was bent in a way that didn't look natural and her right foot was twisted horribly.
Chiron trotted over. He took one look at the unconscious girl and said, "Get her to the infirmary quickly." Leo and Jason nodded and gently picked her up. Cindy's eyes flickered open. She moaned. Annabeth quickly walked over. Cindy squinted, as if trying to see her clearly. "Annabeth?" she whispered.
"Yeah, Cindy. It's me. We're going to get you to the infirmary, OK?"
"Whatever." Then she lapsed back into unconsciousness. Slowly, Leo and Jason made their way over the shaking ground. When they reached the infirmary, they quickly went in and set Cindy down upon a bed. Immediately, sons of Apollo set to work: dribbling nectar into her mouth, checking her pulse, and splinting her legs.
"Will she be alright?" asked Leo. Percy was surprised. Leo wasn't the type of person that was worried or concerned for others. Well, he still was sympathetic and sometimes concerned for his closest friends and his siblings, but he never inquired after someone he had met less than two hours ago.
"She'll be fine," said Will. "She has a minor concession, her left leg is broken in the shin and her right foot is badly sprained. She'll probably have to stay here for a few days or at least until the nectar and ambrosia kicks in. See, look, the cuts on her face are already healing over." Sure enough, the wounds on Cindy's face slowly started closing up, leaving nothing more than a red line. Percy gazed at her and noted at how peaceful she looked when she slept. When awake, there were usually tight worry lines on her forehead from who knows what, and her eyes always seemed tired. Little did they know that despite Cindy's peaceful expression, she was caught in the throes of a horrible nightmare.
Pure misery. Sorrow. Pain. Guilt. That's how Cindy felt when her sister was killed. "How could you?" the voice of her father roared in her ears. "How could you let her go out into the street?"
"I didn't, Papa!" she yelled back. "I was reading under the tree when I heard the tires screech!"
"Enough!" he shouted. "The death of your sister rests in your hands, Cynthia. You killed her!"
"No! Papa, I-" SMACK! Her father's hand came down and hit her on the cheek.
"You sorry excuse for a girl!" he yelled. "Never show your face here again, Cynthia Silvermoon. You are not my daughter!" Not my daughter. Not my daughter. Not my daughter. Not my daughter. Not my daughter…
"-indy! Cindy!" Cindy's eyes flew open. She was visibly sweating and her eyes were wide with fear. She saw Leo Valdez's concerned face hovering above hers. "Cindy, are you alright?" Cindy nodded, trying to even out her breathing. "How do you feel?" he asked.
"Fine," she croaked. "Just fine."
