Jay Evermist and the Olympians

Book One: The Battle Begins

Chapter 3: Capture the Flag

(This one's really crappy, sorry! I figured I would put out two for Christmas so Merry Christmas!)

I gripped my sword as the first wave came towards us. I saw a boy about my age running at us with some kids who looked 14. He had a deep tan and curly brown hair. I saw he was heading towards Miki's side and turned to see her. She had frozen in place staring at the boy in front of her. It wasn't until he was within reach that she raised her sword, but by that point it was too late. I managed to hold some of the kids off but that boy was already running towards the flag. I sure hoped Percy gave him a fist full of sword.

After that I thought it couldn't get worse. It was silent for a couple minutes which made it eerie. But then, a group of voices rang out as if they were howling. There was a thundering noise as a huge mob of people came at us. We held out our weapons and fought our way to survive. Most people ignored us with the occasional small fight or clash of swords.

Over all I thought I did pretty good. I looked to see how they were doing and was impressed by Jacob. He was using a stygian iron sword in one hand and a circular shield in the other. No one was getting past him. Even Miki was doing well. Usually she isn't the best fighter but there was a fire in her eyes as she used an oddly shaped sword that looked as if it was made of gold. I looked down at my sword and sighed. It probably wasn't even supposed to be called a sword. It was only a foot and a half and looked like I had picked it up off the floor, all dirty and rusty.

"Jay!" I heard someone calling my name and saw Jacob running towards me.

"Jay! They all came over here! Do you know what this means? There's no one on their side. We could go and have a good chance." He seemed pretty excited and pretty. I mean, just excited.

I saw Miki behind me and nodded. "Okay we don't split up while we're over there. It's a quick in and out. If we see the enemy we will not go further okay?"

They both agreed and lined up on the edge to the forest. "One more thing before we go." I added. "Don't wait up!" I took off like a speeding bullet. If there were one thing people told me too often it was how fast I was. I smiled though as I heard the screams and protests of them behind. I had smiled for the first time in a couple months.

I stopped behind a tree trunk as I saw the flag. I heard breathing behind me and reached for my sword as I turned around. Just my luck, it was the Stoll brothers.

"Shouldn't you be on offense, scaring us off with your tricks?" I asked as I studied both of them carefully.

"Funny, see, we don't organize our strategies like that. Our only rule is to never give up." Travis said with a smirk that made me want to punch him.

"You forgot that we have to crush their spirits when we win." Connor added with a twinkle in his eye.

"You guys better be going, I have back up." I said with fake confidence.

"Sure you do, rainbow, just like I have a girlfriend!" Travis highfived Connor on his funny joke.

Just as they said that I saw Miki running towards me with Jacob at her heels. She was holding his shield and snuck up behind the brothers.

"Yeah, and if you don't leave soon they just might get you." I continued on, trying to buy Miki some time for whatever plan she had.

She pulled her hands up over her head and dropped the shield down on Travis' head with a loud bang. Connor had a look of fear and ran off in the opposite direction.

"Boo-yah!" Miki cried as she flicked her wrists at a crumpled body on the ground.

"I hope you didn't hurt him." Jacob sounded worried.

"Oh come on," I started. "She hit him with a shield, he gonna be hurting." I regretted saying that after I saw him blush slightly and back away while picking up his shield.

"Okay well the flag's over there, I think you just took out the main defense." I said at Miki.

"Well, what are we waiting for, let's get it."

I pulled Miki back by her ponytail as Jacob stopped her. "We can't just barge in, it's too easy. Too predictable."

We waited a couple of seconds and soon enough, a boy a little older then us looking, stepped out of the shadows and snuck up to the flag. Jacob stood up.

"Jacob what are you doing?" I asked as I pulled on his pant leg.

"He's one of ours." He was right he was wearing a helmet with a red stripe down the middle. "It's Nico." He said as he ran up.

"Come on Miki let's go." We followed him through the path to get to the flag where Nico was there admiring it.

"Come on dude grab it." Miki said. She put a hand out but it got swatted away by Nico.

"Hermes is the cabin of thieves and tricksters; they would never make it this easy." Nico said while circling it.

"Right you are." We all turned to see a boy younger than us laughing to him. "We wouldn't make it easy, so go, try to grab it and watch what happens."

"Um, okay." Miki responded as she grabbed for it a second time. Jacob and I both grabbed her arm to stop her from grabbing it again.

"Looks like you just can't win. Now if you excuse me I have to go assist my team in winning." He ran like the wind towards our side and was gone in a flash.

"Dang Hermes kids, they go so fast." Nico cursed under his breath.

Jacob attempted to cheer him up. "You can't blame them; Hermes himself has shoes that have wings."

"Well, I have to help Percy with defending the flag; hopefully we haven't lost too many people so far." He stepped back into the shadows and just vanished.

"He has got to teach me that." Miki exclaimed as she bounced up and down.

"So what do we do know." I was getting inpatient and didn't want to wait around.

"We grab the flag obviously." Jacob said as if it were clear as day.

"But he said not to." I protested.

"He also told our cabin that Hades keeps his kids prisoners so not everything he says should be believed." He huffed and grabbed the pole.

There was a flashing and a bright light uncoated us. One second we were in camp, the next we weren't. Miki just had to make it even worse by saying the one line everyone was thinking.

"Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore!"