AN: Thank you all for your amaZhang reviews xD! We wrote this chapter a bit faster this time. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: we only own the plot.
Chapter XI: Knowledge is power
Percy's P.O.V.
'Well, dam it,' I thought as the careers showed up. The remaining four, Lissa Grills from one, the boy, Glammor Tipps, from district two and Poriona and Tyrone Locke from three. 'Great'
'Just amazing,' Finnick replied. The four mares noticed too. 'Hey, Xanthos,' the brown one (Podgus?), said.
'Yeah, I see them Podargos.'
'Why don't the two of us take care of them while the Terrible and the Shining kill these three.'
They're splitting up! I fought hard to hide a smile. Even I am not stupid enough to make a plan like this. They stood no chance at all as they were outnumbered. Maybe the careers can do something good for once and kill the horses for us.
Two of them went over to the Careers, who cried out in alarm before taking out their weapons.
The white and black ones remained, but with three against two it was an easy fight to win.
Finnick and I, oh, and Tracey too, fought side by side to defeat the mares, who, for the record, couldn't breathe fire. Thank the gods for that. Wait, no I take that one back. Most likely they are the reason those mares exist in the first place…
But, since my father is the one who made horses... Yeah, I'm not really one to talk. I like horses, as long as they don't try to eat me or kill me in some other way.
Lampon and Deinos were dead within a minute. And so were Podargos and Xanthos.
However, this left us with yet another problem.
"Hello," I said with an awkward smile. "It seems like you can see me, dunno how, but…"
I also realized that not only were the Careers seeing me, but they also saw the monsters, although I must admit that they looked like normal horses.
"Who are you?" Glammor demanded, his sword held out in front of him in a threatening kind of way.
"Look, I know you don't know who I am, but I know you…" I winced, this wasn't making any sense and I knew it. "You know?"
"No, we don't," Glammor admitted. "But it doesn't matter because we'll kill you anyway."
As one they leaped forward, but I raised a hand to halt them. "You really don't want to do that, Glammor," I blurted out.
'Hey Percy, what the fuck are you doing?' Finnick questioned.
"Oh? And why is that?" Lissa sneered mockingly.
'Honestly, I don't know. But they've stopped their attack, so I guess it's working.'
"You really want to know?" I asked to give me some more time to think of something. "I am… not a tribute. See? There you have it! I am not a tribute, so you're not allowed to kill me."
For a moment I thought I had them all fooled, but then Tyrone's face brightened. "But, if you're not a tribute, you're not allowed to be here. You are breaking the rules, so it would only be fair If we kill you. Who knows, maybe we'll even get awarded for it."
I cringed, but nodded in acceptance. "Okay, in that case…" I pulled out my normal sword and ran at them with a battle cry that even rivaled Tyson's.
"Finnick, I've got an extra dagger for you." I heard Tracey say before the sound of the battle made it impossible to hear anything else but the clashing of blades and curses.
The careers were great fighters. They might have even been better than the average demigod at camp. And their fighting style was different than the one I am used to, but fortunately I'm quick to adapt. Unfortunately, Finnick and Tracey weren't as good as the careers. Of course Finnick is still learning, and I bet Tracey, coming from district 12, is too.
So it came as a surprise when Finnick managed to disarm the girl from district three. "Poriona!" her brother, Tyrone, cried out in fear. Then rage. I saw it all play out in my head. He was going to throw his trident at Finnick, who was still standing over Poriona's dead body in shock of what he'd done. It would be a perfect hit. Finnick would be dead on impact, a son of Triton killed by a trident.
I couldn't let that happen. So I jumped. The trident hit me. I felt my flesh being penetrated at two spots in my side, the third had barely scraped my skin, but sure made it difficult to get the trident out. I screamed in pain. That seemed to wake Finnick up.
"Percy," he cried out. Finnick grabbed my arm, unbothered by the remaining three careers. Luckily they had stopped fighting already to check Poriona for any signs of life.
"Finnick," I gasped. "Quick, get out of here."
He shook his head. "Not without you." He moved to get the trident out of my body, but I stopped him. "Not now, or I'll bleed to death." As soon as I said it I realized it was true. I was very close to dying. But, I reminded myself, Thanatos isn't hear yet so I've got some time left. I have to get Finnick, and maybe Tracey, to safety first. And then I can die.
"Okay, then we'll take the trident with us too," Finnick said, looking deadly serious. "Can you walk?"
"Kinda."
"Here, I'll help," Tracey said. "Finnick, can you cut a way through the forest so the trident doesn't get stuck?"
I saw Finnick shoot her a look, probably a warning. Then he nodded. "Alright, but we have to go, now."
I looked back at the careers. Honestly, it came as a surprise they hadn't acted yet. But hey, I'm not one to look a gifted horse in the mouth.
Finnick quickly ran forward and started ruthlessly hacking away at bushes and branches. Still, Tracey and I had to go a bit sideways. Had the situation been different I would've made a joke about us walking like crabs, but I figured now was not the time.
"Hey guys, where are the cheaters?" I heard someone shout just as we were out of sight. "They've slipped away!"
Not so much slipping away as calmly walking out on you, I thought.
"Well, don't just stand there, go after them!"
'Finnick, hurry up! We're a bit easy to trail after. Go left, I can sense water!'
Finnick complied, going at an even faster pace. The water turned out to be a small, and dirty, pond. Nonetheless, I dove in straight away. "Climb the tree," I heard Finnick tell Tracey, before he joined me underwater.
'Hey Finnick, can you help me get this damned thing out of my body?' I asked with a grimace.
'Sure thing.' He grabbed the handle. 'A bit ironic that the son of Poseidon almost got killed by a trident.'
I snorted. 'Funny, I was thinking the same thing but it was you, the son of Triton inste-AARG!' I cried out in pain as Finnick pulled.
The trident left my body, but the wound stopped bleeding soon after. 'Sorry, I had to do it while you were distracted.'
I heard the careers shout at each other. 'They're still here, I just know it!'
'No they're not, look! I can see someone running!'
'She's right, there's movement over there!'
Footsteps.
Then they were gone.
'You think it's safe yet?' Finnick asked me a few minutes later.
I nodded and we both resurfaced. Tracey was already waiting for us.
I grimaced again, I seemed to be doing that a lot today. "Hi," I said as we stopped in front of her. "Cleary, I am not dead. And I suppose you want an explanation."
She gave me a once-over and shrugged. "Nah, I'm fine not knowing. Glad you're alive."
"Percy!" Finnick suddenly exclaimed. "How is it that all the careers could see you? I thought there was something to keep you hidden?"
I nodded grimly, having also realized what's going on. "It's called the Mist. And it's gone."
An: sorry for the weird names… we literally have no idea how you say "poriona," we got almost all the names from the back of a package nerds. Sounds weird, we know. At first it was portiona if that makes you feel any better about the name. And Glammor used to be Glitter xD.
