Chapter 3
I pulled on Nico DiAngelo's extra set of Hell Armor or "Black Armor as Percy Jackson had so elequentoley named it. I admired my bracelets for a moment, they were cold as ice,black as midnight and had diamonds dotted across the metal to look like the stars in the night sky. I touched my finger to my right bracelet and it formed into a Sai,I repeated the process on my left and stuck them into my holster. Just then Percy walked into the Hades Cabin,the blonde with stormy eyes..Annabeth?,walked beside him both dressed in gold greek armor. "It's time to for Capture the Flag,"he announced. "We can stop and get your a sword before we head out though." I opened my mouth to say it wasn't nessecary,when Annabeth,yes I was sure that was her name now,interceded. "Percy, he seems to have that part covered." Percy looked down to my holster and saw the black sais the diamonds faintly glowing against my Hell Armor. "Oh, well come on follow us." He turned on his heel,Annabeth close behind.
We exited the Hades' cabin and headed off towards the forest. I was finally starting to relax as the sun began to fade in the evening sky and my training began to kick in. I began working through battle scenarios and contingency plans,taking deep breaths. As the three of us got to a fairly wide clearing I heard Nico's voice, he sounded angry. "And what the HELL is that supposed to mean Clarrisse? yes,I knew him before camp, no,he doesn't know the whole story yet."I saw you being all friendly chatting him up you aren't friendly Nico,your angry sullen and sarcastic! What are you up to? Is this just a favor for Daddy?" She hissed back at him. Nico slapped Clarisse hard across the face. "He's my friend and despite what you think I do have a heart." He said defeated no emotion let alone fight left to his voice. He ran off farther in the forest. "Clarisse?" I yelled outraged. "I thought we were over this? And now I hear you talking about me behind my back no less,can you get any lower?" I spat out. "Get the hell out of my face!" I snapped as she tried to say something. Her face brimming with what looked like fear and rage. "Now!" I screamed as my mind lashed out without my permisson shoving her backwords with my Telekenisis. She stumbled back and ran off into the forest. I breathed in deeply trying to reign in my anger. It had been a long time since My powers were beyond my control. I needed to keep my emotions in check!
Behind me Percy cleared his throat awkwardly. He looked confused and a bit amused if truth be told. "We should get going,It's just up ahead." he grinned at me goofily. "Percy,Nick I'll see you after we kick your buts I have to go to my team." she flashed a smile at Percy and left. I continued walking with Percy and he waved to a group of demigods protecting a blue flag near a strange rock formation. "Travis! Conner!" he called to the closest two demigods that looked almost identical but one was slighlty taller or shorter depending how you look at it. They nodded his way before bring the assembled demigods to attention. "Okay, Apollo cabin you guys split in half run offense and defesnse spread yourselves out on our side of the forest." they nodded and began running off in all directions. "Travis,Conner you guys take the Hermes cabin and run defense, I want a defensive perimeter around this flag keep your distnace and when your cabin is in place,I'd like you to to return to guard the flag." Travis looked dissapointed and he said "Do we-" "Have to? Yes, now go!" Percy said quickly as the Hermes cabin too disperesed. "Okay now..."Percy said taking a deep breath,"Leo,take the Hephaestus Cabin and run offense I''ll be coming with you I want to set up near the river I'll take point and you take the rear." Leo nodded "You got it boss" he said grinning from ear to ear like a little latino elf that got high on too many sugar cookies. I realized I was the only one not to recieve orders yet as Percy turned towards me. "As for you Nick,I have no clue what you are and aren't capable of but I know you are a powerful demigod, so here's the deal: Guard the flag with Travis and Conner,If they manage to get this far you could be the only thing that wins us this game." I nodded swalling down my dissapointment, I understood his logic and judgement but I was not a defensive player,I could be I just didnt LIKE to be. "Thanks,"he said before running off to join the offense. I slowly walked to the flag dejectedly.
"Hey,pretty boy!" the shorter of the two brothers called to me as he walked up to the flag "Conner?" i asked uncertainly. He grinned wildly "How'd you know?" "I didnt" I say grinning back "I just like the name Conner better." I replied honestly. I began to take in his features the blonde hair, blue eyes, tattered camp clothes, as if he cared less about capture the flag, and a mischieveous smile that said "if you even blink your wallet is mine". His bad boy attitude added to his appeal and i felt myself get hard as I admire his appeareance. My face got hot and i knew i must be a tell tale red color. "So you like what you see?" he said smugly moving in closer to me his body inches from mine his blue eyes locked with my black. I bit my lip not knowing how to answer. He leaned forward and began sucking and biting my neck. My head fell back and a moan escaped my lips,I stumbled back breathing hard and embarresed,my back bumping into a tree. Conner chuckled and said in a sexy raspy voice "We both want this dont fight it." he whispered in my ear before he nibelled that too. My hips bucked against Conner and he pulled me close grinding against my hard member and suddenly I heard swords clinging and shouts not to far off. It was enough to snap me back to reality. I pushed hard with my mind sending Conner backwards on his ass. I heard running footseps approach. "get up!" i hissed at Conner pulling out my Sais as Annabeth came to halt five feet away. Conner groaned and stood up "that was a little unnessecary,"he said confusion spreading across his face. He scrambled for his dagger and met Annabeth head on their daggers striking each others sending sparks flying in the ever fading twilight. In one quick thrust Annabeth disarmed Conner and brought his face crashing into her knee. I heard a sickening crunch and he slumped to the ground unmoving,most likely unconcious.
Annabeth whistled and spun on me as Clarisse began charging in a flanking maneveur. I traded blows with Annabeth easily she was good but too confident too bold too calculated, I realized. I was thrown violently from my thoughts as Clarisse entered the melle a sword in hand. Vaguely I realized in a corner of mind she had already lost her electric spear or she wouldn't be using a sword. I block their thrusts but knew i could keep them both occupied long. I reached out with my mind whipped Clarrisse in the face with everything I had she cried out stumbling back shock and pain plastered to her face,Annabeth stopped in her tracks momentarily shocked, Too calculated I thought once again. As I threw Clarisse backwards into the tree with my Telekenesis. She hit her back and slumped into a pile her sword nowhere in sight. Annabeth rounded on me this time with a guared expression and I could practically see her mind trying to come up with a viable theory. I chuckled when she charged me straight on and before i could lift my Sai to block her thrust her dagger cut my cheek as she jumped back. I felt blood drip from my cut and I saw Annabeth charge me again. Growling I brought both Sais up,crossed over one another. He dagger stopped as we both fought to disarm our target. She leaned in and my Sai flew threw the air as I stepped backed shocked at her skill. I still had one Sai left and that was more than enough to bring this girl down. I ran forward at full speed and slipped into the shadows right before I would have tackled her, I came out of the darkness shivering in a weird pleasure associted with shadow travel and spun a roundhouse kick in the square of her back. She flipped over onto her trying franticly to stand up. I pivoted and shoved the Sai so it was resting against her throat."Drop it," I say in a tone cold as the deep recesses of space. She slumps back to the ground dropping her dagger as i kicked it away into the night. I glared at her as a Conch Horn sounded in the distance. "You won,Nick would you mind putting that blade away?" Annabeth said in a clipped tone. I take it she doesnt lose often. Oh well miss Prissy Greek Blonde thats life.
I stepped back completely amused by her sudden change of attitude. I let my Sai form into a bracelet and waited as the second bracelet rematierialized on my thoughts drifted back to Conner and our little moment in the forest. The only person I wanted to do that to me was Nico but where was he? Percy said he would join the game but he hadnt been there. I started getting a sinking feeling in my gut. "I'll see you later Annabeth,I have to find Nico." I said suddenly before I ran into the shadows slipping away from the forest.
Please be okay Nico wherever you are. I knew I was probably over reacting but the life of a demigod was never safe or easy especially for demigods of the Big Three. Nico had also told me countless stories about how troubled seemed to be around every corner in his life. I bit back my fear urging the shadows to move faster. I had to check the Hades cabin. I had to find Nico.
