"Anyone got the number of the old spirits that keep stopping me from sinking that blasted ship?" Kymopoleia grumbles.
"Oceanus. And some old water spirit that decided to side with the Titans." Triton replied while nursing a headache.
Diplomatic approach to water-based deities, especially the more powerful ones like Thetis, was a delicate affair and he cannot rely on their goodwill towards his parents alone if he want them to side with the Olympus or at least agree to retreat far away from the battlefield and not picking sides.
At least his teachers agree to support them. That's one worry down.
Rhode poked his side. "Gramps isn't going with them, right?"
"Thanks the Creator, no, he isn't," Triton answered. "He said and I quote 'probably being asked endless questions at swordpoint' so he'll chilling away. And we can be assured that Ceto and Phorcys are still locked in Atlanta. So long the Titan Army did not march there, they won't get another ally."
"Another thing we don't have to worry about." Benthesikyme sighed in relief. "The ones Oceanus start to send against us are bad enough. I do not want their monstrous children as an additional enemy to worry about."
"Preach." Her siblings agreed with a shudder.
Skolopendra alone is a beast. Thank goodness it stuck to the Mediterranean Sea.
"Should we be worried about they probably try to recruit Roman?" The Nymph asked. "Mount Tamalpais is uncomfortably close to Camp Jupiter."
"Nah. The demigods who deserted to Titan's side have no Roman mix, or if they do they don't know it. Plus, the Romans are too loyal to the gods to entertain the thought." Triton paused, then add with a small voice. "I hope."
Maybe Mother should change into her Roman side and do a check up on the place. Much subtler than having Father's Roman side do the duty.
Rhode clapped her hands. "On the bright side, our baby brother is proved to be natural at leadership!" She pointed at how Percy is instructing their cousins on what to do and to NOT do, while adjusting Nico's armor.
He was grumbling about too short a time-table and how participation is a mandatory activity.
Their mother is going to add this to the reason Why She Wants to Strangle Chiron and Dionysus. Sending kids who just arrived yesterday to join a faux death match despite not knowing how to use weapons or weapon safety for that matter.
(It's a blessing Tyson manage to whip up blunt swords in a short time frame, because the camp clearly doesn't have blunt weapon unless the weapon is meant to inflict blunt force trauma, and small armor because somehow, the camp doesn't have one that fit Nico's size)
This is the reason why their brother accepts the order to be on defensive by Zeus' brat, despite him having a lithe build and being suitable for the offensive role.
"Hey. Quick question:" Kymopoleia piped up. "Who come up with Zeus' Fist?"
"Isn't the answer obvious?"
"I prefer Poop Pile. Or Dung Pile."
"Anyone is worried about No Intentional Maiming part? Because the last time it wasn't there."
"Huntress of Artemis. I heard enough gossip from the naiads."
"Joy."
They watched as their recently resurrected Cousin give orders. Starting with declaring who is the decoy, and what to do. Then she would lead the assault team to get the flag. It sounds good for a plan, but…
"It's going to go bad." Rhode mused. "Hunters has many many experiences on top of Artemis' blessing. Topped that with their expertise in hunting. They will tie their flag in complicated knot with trap added to it."
"Percy. got anything to add?"
"I'll take the creek and limited as many hunters who can cross the boundary." Percy mused. "But I can only cover so much so, hey, Beckendorf, Stolls. How fast can you three trapped the area around our flag? Nico, Bianca. Guard the designated jail area and make sure the defeated hunters stay in the jail. Apollo Cabin. Got interesting arrow?"
"I have a sonic arrow!" Another of Apollo's kid piped up.
"Mind be my guard then? You can fire the arrow and disorient the hunters. Feel free to pick any vantage point you declare best, I'll move accordingly."
"Can't you just wash over the Hunters yourself?" one of Aphrodite's kid commented, rather snidely.
"I am only one person. It's never bad to have additional backup in case things goes wrong—and things can always go wrong."
Everyone nodded in understanding.
And that… is concerning.
Just what kind of life these demigods has, to understand the saying and its application all too well?
"Alright team! Let's beat the hunters."
"Good luck on that." The four siblings chorused. Watching in partly amusement partly interest at how the game night unfold.
Predictably, it goes into chaos within five minutes after the game start.
Hunters quickly reached the border and attack—
"Holy shit!"
"Did our brother just slash the arrow midair?!"
"That's my brother, yeah!"
The Apollo's kid nocked his arrow and fired it above the hunters. It cause a loud noise, like someone struck guitar chord while it attracted to jumbo speakers with the volume turned up to MAX.
The hunters were shrieking in pain, and they are not the only ones.
"Gods. Should've brought cotton." Grumbled Percy, swaying and disoriented. He crossed the creek and quickly knocked the hunters—all three of them—out cold with the hilt of his blade while they are still disoriented and nursing their ears. He finished with fishing out ropes and tied them and—
"Okay. Quick question: who gonna defend the creek while we bring them to jail?" Percy asks. "There are three of them and only two of us."
"He talks like you," Benthesikyme ribbed Kymopoleia. Amused at the similarity.
The Goddess of Storm and Violent Sea stuck her tongue out.
"And they're probably heavy." The Apollo's kid climbed down the three. "Gee. Why Clarisse had to go on secret mission? We could use her muscles."
With great difficulty, they dragged the hunters to the jail's designated area, where their Underworld cousins confiscate the weapon. The older one patted the girls and take the hidden weapon.
Smart girl.
Percy and his comrade went back to their duty—but before they can move too far
An arrow shot and explode near their feet and release a yellowish gas with putrid stench. Followed by another. And another one for good measure.
"Gods. What the hell?" Percy wrinkled his nose. "Smells like my room after Smelly Gabe is done with it."
"Fart – arrow." Gagged Apollo's kid. "Bitches. Should've – use – Plague instead Sonic!"
A silver blur raced past them.
"Oh for my father's sake!" Percy quickly get on his feet and raced after the blur. Slammed against it—her, it was the Lieutenant—and trying to pin her down. Her response is to, somehow, throw him off her back and spun arrow to smash his face with the sole of her boot hard enough to broke his nose and send him sprawl on the ground. Her expression was torn between horrified and pure wrath.
"Percy!"
Rhode, ever kind heart among her siblings, was utterly horrified when the Hunter raised her hidden dagger and about to stab Percy—she had seen where she aim. It was aim to hurt, to maim, to kill. Her eyes glazed—
Oh hell.
PTSD.
It was only by grace of Hades' young son who swung his blunt sword with a ridiculous battle cry that she snapped from whatever flashback she was in. Scowling, she backhanded him and went after the flag. Easily disable the trap, and throw one of Hermes' identical imps to one of their own trap before grabbing the flag and run with it.
She run past the creek despite Hephaestus' son and Apollo's son best attempt to stop her.
The horn is sound.
"Game over! The winner is Hunters of Artemis!" Chiron announced with distaste. "For the fifty sixth times in row."
"Show of hands, who think they only win because the camp is handicapped?" Triton raised his hand. "Because if the Camp is at full capacity, there's no way the hunters could even breach the border."
Percy was treated by Chiron, while a younger Apollo's kid helped their underworld cousin with the bruise on his cheek. Their brother raised an eyebrow at the lieutenant and glared back when she gives him a death stare.
"Do that again and I'll gut thy." She hissed in ancient dialect.
"Someone is waking up at wrong side of the bed, I see." Percy sassed back.
"Enough." Chiron declared before the two could devolve into bitch fest—or worse, actual fight to death.
Especially with the hunters and the campers are glaring at each other with tension palpable.
A sound could be heard from the wood and as once, everyone turned to look at the source—
"This is impossible," Chiron said. Nervous. "It… she has never left the attic. Never."
And yet the withered mummy that held the Oracle shuffled forward until she stood in the center of the group. Mist curled around our feet, turning the snow a sickly shade of green.
A whisper snaked through everyone's ears.
I am the spirit of Delphi, the voice said. Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python.
The undersea siblings froze when for a briefest of moments, the mummy glanced at them. Not to Percy who is in front of them, or the kids that might be behind them, but straight at them.
Then she turned unmistakably towards the Lieutenant. Approach, Seeker, and Ask.
The Lieutenant swallowed. "What must I do to help my goddess?"
The Oracle's mouth opened, and green mist poured out. There's the vague image of a mountain, and a girl standing at the barren peak. Artemis. Artemis wrapped in chains, fettered to the rocks. She was kneeling, her hands raised as if to fend off an attacker, and it looked like she was in pain. The Oracle spoke:
Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,
Preserve faith against the awaiting pain
The bane of Olympus shows the trail,
Opposing Forces combined prevail,
The Titan's curse must one withstand,
And one shall perish by a parent's hand.
Then, the Mist swirled and retreated like a great green serpent into the mummy's mouth. The Oracle sat down on a rock and became still.
Percy summarized everyone's thoughts, "…what the Fuck."
"Between this and Melinoe during that Halloween Party, I pick Mel." Whispered Benthesikyme. "What does it say when the Goddess of Ghost and Nightmares is less scary than this?!"
"Nothing good?" Squeaked Rhode. "Who curse the Oracle? This is cruel!"
