Unfortunately Ryker's debt with the Hunters would not be settled that day as it turned out. Thalia and the other hunters left several hours after the meeting in Reyna's office without a word to anyone. When Ryker was told he was livid. "Why that little…" He thought for a long moment about going after them but he knew that their head start would be insurmountable in this unfamiliar territory.

"You really don't like her, do you?" Nico asked curiously from where he stood leaning against the foundation of a wall. The Romans had been busily building the defenses for the game of capture the flag while Ryker wandered around the camp. Silver had gone with Annabeth to do what they referred to as 'girl things'. Ryker had followed them out of simple curiosity and had been rebuffed with an enthusiasm that bordered on violent.

"She's the reason I was dragged into this mess." Ryker growled. He was sat on the ground a few feet away from Nico. He had spent the better part of the last hour surveying the defenses and debating on whether he would like to be on the offensive side of the game or the defensive. Both had their appeal. "She and the other Hunters along with Artemis came and dragged me out of my forest. Literally."

"I know the feeling." Nico told him sympathetically. Ryker sensed that the pale little demigod had more to say on the matter, but he remained silent. "So what's your plan for catching whatever this thing is?"

"Bait." Ryker shrugged. Nico sent him a blank look and Ryker elaborated, "If what they said is true and the only thing that makes this thing interested are campers and legionnaires who distinguish themselves then the only thing for it is to figure out who the next target would be."

"So that's why you are in the game." Nico nodded. "You want to see who would fit the description."

Ryker nearly smiled. "Exactly," He nodded, impressed. "Whenever you hunt something knowing what it eats is half the battle."

"What's the other half then?" Frank asked interestedly, striding up to them. He had a spear in one hand and a shield in the other.

"The kill." Ryker's mouth curled up in an expression that was equal parts joyful and savage. "You can lay a perfect trap and have your quarry fall right into it, but you will almost always have to make the kill yourself."

"Why not just make the trap kill it?" Frank inquired. "It would save a lot of trouble."

"Because that takes all the fun out of it." Ryker laughed softly. "Every creature deserves the chance to fight for its life."

"What about whatever it is that's taking the campers?" Nico's words were neutral but his eyes had narrowed. "Are you going to let it fight for its life?"

"That's a special case." Ryker allowed. "I doubt that it would fall into a trap. A normal one at any rate. It's too smart."

A horn blew in the distance and a black Pegasus flew into the air with a rider on its back. "Gather for the games!" Reyna shouted from where she sat on the horse. The Pegasus whinnied its agreement.

Nico melted into shadow and Frank began to walk back to where two large groups of people were forming up. Another two legions were making their way behind the walls, manning the contraptions that were interspersed along the stone. Ryker looked back and forth between the groups one last time before quickly climbing up the wall. He somersaulted over the stone and turned to regard his opponents. They had formed into two rough rectangles with their shields arranged in front of them to provide optimum defense. A large elephant stood between the ranks garbed in what appeared to be heavy black leather armor. Ryker raised an eyebrow at the beast but he said nothing. One of the legionnaires on the wall seemed to be in charge of the others and Ryker sauntered over to her. She spied Ryker and frowned. "Who are you?" She challenged, leveling her sword at him.

Ryker held up his arm to show his SPQR tattoo and the mark of the hunter that went along with it. "I'm your new best fighter." He told her. "And you are?"

"Margaret." She said after a moment. She looked him up and down and her eyes narrowed. Ryker took the moment to examine her as well. She was in excellent physical condition and ten stripes accompanied her SPQR tattoo, along with the symbol of a bow. "So you're the one Mars met, eh?"

Ryker didn't bother answering, already regretting his decision to introduce himself. Margaret seemed equally as uninterested in the conversation. "From what I heard you caused quite a bit of trouble for those three guys on guard duty." She told him as she turned to walk away. "You haven't been trained in the legion. You would just get in our way. Just cause them as much trouble as you can, got it?"

She walked away and began to berate a young looking kid who had somehow managed to snap the head off of his spear and simultaneously knock the person next to him unconscious. Ryker pulled on the clawed gloves and flexed his fingers. His stomach curled with anticipation as the ranks on the ground began to move towards the stone walls. The contraptions immediately began to fire high pressure blasts of water, stones, and even something that exploded into fiery balls of fire at the oncoming Romans. To their credit the oncoming ranks barely wavered under the assault although several did fall out and run scurrying back where they had come. The elephant trumpeted and charged forward suddenly, aiming directly for the wooden gate. Ryker didn't bother to try to stop the pachyderm from its assault. He stood there calmly with his arms crossed as the elephant hit the door with several thousand pounds of force. Ryker raised an eyebrow as the wood groaned but did not break. The elephant began to back up for what Ryker guessed was another attack on the gate when the water cannons on either side of the gate fired their payload directly at the beast. The elephant roared in pain and retreated back with angry red welt across its gray flesh. The attackers had used the elephant's attack as a diversion and had closed the distance to the walls. One particularly brave Roman vaulted up the wall directly in front of Ryker. He stabbed his sword at Ryker with a positively fierce snarl. Ryker waited until the tip of the sword was nearly touching him before sidestepping. The attacker, who had been expecting to encounter resistance, staggered forward in shock. He was airborne before he realized what was happening. He flew off the wall just as fast as he had appeared. Ryker didn't bother to see where he landed or even if he was hurt. Other attackers were now on the wall and several had made directly for the banners that were rippling in the breeze. Ryker immediately leapt off the wall and began to pursue the Romans who had gone after the flag.

The other defenders succeeded in holding off the attackers just long enough for Ryker to catch up to them. He didn't help them fight however. Ryker ran past them and leapt onto the raised platform where the banners stood. Once the attackers managed to overwhelm the defenders they looked up with some sort of relief until they saw Ryker standing above them with a grin that bordered on manic painted on his face. "This is my banner." He declared.

The attackers wavered slightly but they seemed to steel their resolve. That is, until Ryker jumped off the platform and descended on them with all the precision of a hawk snatching up a mouse. The Romans had not had time to form up before Ryker attacked. They fought as best they could against the Greek, but the battle was over as soon as it had begun. The Romans were sprawled out over the ground with various wounds marring their bodies. They each spotted several bruises and more than half of them had a broken bone. One girl's shoulder had been shredded by Ryker's claw and blood pulsed onto the ground with every beat of her heart. The invisible Roman medics pulled them off the battlefield before Ryker could even return to his place on the platform. The few Roman attackers who had seen Ryker's dismantlement of their comrades seemed unnerved by the eerie calmness that the Greek exhibited. "I wondered where I would find you." Frank shouted to him as he marched forward with a two ranks of six soldiers following behind him. "Figured it would be where the fighting would be the thickest."

"Come to play?" Ryker asked eagerly, stepping off the platform and landing gracefully on his feet. He fell forward into a crouch with his claws held at the ready. He could smell the unease and fear that seemed to roll off the soldiers that followed Frank, but the Praetor himself was just as calm as Ryker was.

"Came to get the banner, actually." Frank corrected.

Ryker frowned at the words but he caught the slight flicker of Frank's eyes as he looked at something behind Ryker. Just as Frank's eyes shifted targets Ryker felt something shift in the earth below him. He whirled around just in time to see Hazel emerge from a tunnel in the earth. She jumped out of the hole and sprinted for the banner. A feral snarl ripped itself from Ryker's throat and he fell forward until he was parallel to the earth. When it looked like he was about to fall on his face Ryker's leg moved forward and he shot off after Hazel, determined to stop her from taking the banner. Frank shouted something behind Ryker but he barely noticed, intent as he was on his prey. Hazel had just managed to step onto the platform when Ryker caught up to her. She was reaching for the banner when Ryker's clawed hand closed around her forearm. With another roar he flipped her off the stage and onto the oncoming Roman ranks. Hazel narrowly avoided being impaled by several of the spears, but she did manage to take down one full rank. They fell backward in a tangle of armored legs, spears, and shields. Ryker had no time to revel in his victory as just then a massive bear seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He narrowly managed to duck a massive paw aimed at his head and danced back a few steps as he beheld his new opponent. The rank that was still functional seemed to be hanging back, waiting for the bear to attack. Ryker's eyes narrowed as he studied the bear. It didn't smell like any bear he had known. In fact, it didn't smell like a bear at all. It smelled like….

"Well, well, well, that's a nice trick you have there Frank." Ryker laughed again, a mirthless cold sound. "I'm going to borrow you, if you don't mind."

Ryker's eyes glowed a bright yellow, much like a cat's in the dark, and the bear that was Frank stumbled back. My mother is the goddess of wild animals. Ryker told Frank in the same way that he spoke to Silver. I can control them. And right now you fit the bill. Like I said, I'm borrowing you.

The surprise on the Romans' faces when their Praetor turned on them and began to toss them aside with paws the size of frying pans was almost enough to make Ryker pity them. Almost. He directed Frank to dispatch first the rank that had been left standing and then the rank that had been the cushion that Hazel landed on. The daughter of Pluto watched in growing confusion as her boyfriend seemingly betrayed his comrades. She was even more confused when Ryker directed the bear to get rid of her as well. Frank advanced on her and raised a paw to do just that when his form shivered and the body of the bear melted away. He fell onto his knees right in front of Hazel with sweat dripping down his face. "Hm." Ryker mused, "I guess you can revert back whenever you want. Interesting."

Reyna's whistle sounded overhead and she called, "Time! Assemble for honors!"

Ryker grabbed the banner and draped it over his shoulders as he sauntered past Hazel and Frank. The Praetor looked at Ryker with something akin to fear as he passed while Hazel looked at him with pure confusion. "What did… How…?" She couldn't seem to find the words to express her thoughts.

"You have your powers, I have mine." Ryker laughed with genuine delight. "This was actually kind of fun. I wouldn't mind playing again sometime."

Hello, hello my readers. Hallowed here. I just wanted to thank all of you for taking the time to read this story. It means the world to me, truly it does. You guys and girls are the best, truly. Cheers, Hallowed