Opposites Attract

Chapter 8

I run into the middle of the battle, deflecting blades and pushing people backwards. The entire Aphrodite and Apollo cabins are surrounding our boulder.

"Damon! Aaron! Go around the front! This is a diversion!" I shout when I see people sneaking through the woods. Damon slashes an arrow out of midair and runs away. Aaron disarms his opponent, picks up his sword, throws it like a spear, and runs around front.

I deflect an arrow and it heads back towards the shooter, exploding at her feet in a burst of yellow dust. She scrunches up her face and runs off, deeper into the woods. I smile as I see the attackers' numbers falling, people leaving a little at a time.

The flat of a sword hits me in the back. I stumble forward and turn to face my attacker. Relief floods my stomach. "I'd hug you, but we're supposed to fight." I laugh.

"I know." Jake smiles and raises his sword.

"How's Aphrodite treating ya?" I block his sword and jab at him.

"Drew hates me, thanks to you." He jumps out of the way and slashes.

"You're welcome. I made nice with one of your cabinmates. She doesn't seem so bad." I block his swing, then feint to his face, jabbing at his stomach at the last second. My dagger clangs against his armor.

"Who?"

"MIchelle."

"Yeah, she's pretty chill."

"Yep. Buh-bye now. Catch ya later." I turn away from him and find a new opponent. I slash and stab my way through opponents, careful to only hit their armor. Suddenly, three opposing team members jump me and push me back. It's all I have to not let them hit me.

As I step back, my foot sinks. I look down briefly and see that I'm right at the bed of the creek. I grin.

"Why are you smiling? We've got you surrounded!" One of the warriors says.

"Did you forget who my father is?" I ask and back up, so that the water is around my ankles. I feel reenergized.

"Hermes, right?" One says.

"Guess again." I laugh. "I'll give ya a hint." I focus on the water and raise my arms above my head. I don't take all of the water, just enough to surround me in a whirlwind. An Apollo kid shoots an arrow at me but it gets lost in the wind. The three warriors back up quickly.

"Let's get out of here!"

"Right behind ya!"

"C'mon! The fun is just starting!" I say and shoot three streams of water at them, sending them flying backwards.

I run onto the battlefield and the attackers retreat into the woods. Even my teammates shrink back against the boulder. When everyone from the other team is gone, I will the water to stop and return to the creek. Black spots dance in front of my eyes.

I lean against the boulder, exhausted. "That was amazing!" Isaac yells, coming up to me.

I manage a weak smile. "Thanks."

"They're coming!" Damon yells.

I curse under my breath. "I don't have enough energy to fight."

Isaac laughs. "Not the other team. Annabeth."

I walk around the boulder and see Annabeth sprinting towards us, the flag in her hands. She is surrounded by people from our team, protecting her from arrows and attackers. As she crosses the line, the other team backs off and Chiron blows his horn. Our team picks up Annabeth and I watch in awe as the flag changes to gray and an owl and olive branch appear. I stumble forward, mumble, "Good job Annabeth," and fall to my knees, the black spots growing bigger until I cannot see.

Sorry that this chapter is so short. It was part of the previous one but that was getting too long and I had to cut it off somewhere, making this one shorter. I hope you enjoyed! ~yo_its_t