Time to leave

A/N: If you reach 200 powerstones in 24 hours I'll upload another chapter. Also, if you want to support me and read up to 10 chapters in advance and secondary novels go to my patreon.

Patreon.com/Joanjudo Stories

https://discord.gg/uHeQfS2NBf

— — — — — — — —

{Camp Half-Blood, 11th of June 2006}

Thalia POV

I ran through the forest, spear in hand, wearing my armor. What was I doing? I was playing capture the flag, and at this moment, I felt great. I was only thinking about one thing and one thing only: Winning the game.

The cool summer air whipped past me as I darted between trees, my feet barely touching the ground. The familiar weight of Aegis, my shield, was comforting on my arm. Its polished surface gleamed in the moonlight, the terrifying face of Medusa etched into its front. I grinned, knowing the effect it had on most opponents.

As I leaped over a fallen log, my instincts suddenly flared. I skidded to a halt, my combat-honed senses on high alert. The forest around me was too quiet. I raised my spear, electricity crackling along its length in response to my agitation.

"Come on out," I called, my voice echoing through the trees. "I know you're there."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a series of battle cries that would have made Ares proud, four demigods burst from the undergrowth. I recognized them immediately: Connor Stoll from the Hermes cabin, Charles Beckendorf from Hephaestus, Lee Fletcher son of Apollo, and... Percy Jackson.

I couldn't help but smile. This was going to be fun.

"Hey, guys," I said, twirling my spear casually. "Fancy meeting you here. Out for a summer stroll?"

Connor grinned mischievously. "Just thought we'd drop by and say hi, Thalia. Oh, and maybe win this game while we're at it."

I laughed, the sound sharp and challenging. "Well you're confident, Stoll."

Without warning, I charged. The air around me crackled with energy as I called upon my father's domain. Lightning arced from my spear, striking the ground at Connor's feet. He yelped and stumbled backward, giving me the opening I needed.

I ducked under Beckendorf's swing, his celestial bronze hammer whistling past my ear. A quick jab with my spear sent him stumbling back, buying me precious seconds. Lee had an arrow nocked, but before he could loose it, I raised Aegis. The sight of Medusa's face made him falter, just for a second, but it was enough. A blast of electricity from my spear sent him sprawling.

That left Percy. Our eyes met, and I saw the determination in his sea-green gaze. He uncapped Riptide, his celestial bronze sword springing to full length.

"Well I'm in trouble," he said, a nervous smile on his face.

I grinned back. "You know it."

We clashed in a fury of bronze and sparks. Percy was good, I had to give him that. His sword was a blur of motion, parrying my strikes and launching his own. 

Leaping back, I raised my hand to the sky. The air grew heavy with the scent of ozone, and Percy's eyes widened as he realized what was coming.

"Oh, dam-" he started, but it was too late.

A bolt of lightning, not enough to seriously harm but more than enough to stun, struck Percy square in the chest. The force of it sent him flying backward, right into the creek that ran through the forest.

I turned to face the others, who had regrouped and were eyeing me warily. "Anyone else want to try their luck?"

They exchanged glances, then charged as one. I met them head-on, my spear a whirlwind of motion. Connor went down first, tripped by a low sweep of my weapon. Beckendorf lasted longer, his hammer clashing against my spear in a shower of sparks. But a quick feint followed by a shield bash sent him stumbling back, dazed.

Lee had recovered his bow and was firing arrows in rapid succession. I deflected most with Aegis, the celestial bronze points bouncing harmlessly off the enchanted surface. One got through, grazing my arm, but the adrenaline pumping through my veins made the pain barely noticeable.

A blast of lightning sent Lee diving for cover, and just like that, it was over. Or so I thought.

As I turned to continue my run towards the enemy flag, my battle instincts screamed at me again. I whirled around just in time to see a massive stream of water rising from the creek, with Percy at its center.

I couldn't help but smile. Now this was a challenge.

"Not bad, Jackson," I called out. "But you'll have to do better than that."

The wave crashed towards me with the force of a freight train. I planted my feet and raised Aegis, gritting my teeth as the water slammed against the shield. The impact drove me back several feet, my boots digging furrows in the soft forest floor.

But I wasn't about to go down that easily. With a yell, I pushed back, electricity coursing through my body and into the water. Percy cried out in pain but maintained his control over the liquid.

We were at a stalemate, neither willing to give an inch. The air crackled with ozone and the scent of the sea, our powers clashing in a spectacular display.

"Give it up, Thalia!" Percy shouted over the roar of the water. "You can't win this!"

I laughed, the sound almost maniacal. "Watch me, kiddo!"

With a surge of effort, I pushed more power into my defense. Lightning arced from my spear, from my eyes, from every part of me. The water around us began to steam and evaporate, Percy's control wavering under the onslaught.

I saw my opening and took it. In one fluid motion, I dropped my spear, gripped Aegis with both hands, and charged. Percy, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tactics, couldn't react in time.

The face of Medusa, terrifying even to those who knew it was just an image, filled Percy's vision. He flinched, his concentration breaking, and the wave collapsed around us in a torrential downpour.

Before he could recover, I slammed Aegis into his face. There was a dull 'thunk', and Percy crumpled to the ground, out cold.

I stood there for a moment, panting heavily, water dripping from my hair and armor. Then I grinned, retrieving my spear.

"Sorry, cousin," I said to Percy's unconscious form. "But I've got a game to win."

Without further delay, I took off running again. The clash with Percy and the others had cost me time, but as long as the others held up I could win this. 

As I crested a hill, I saw it: a red banner fluttering in the night breeze, guarded by three demigods. One of them was Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena and one of my closest friends.

I charged down the hill, my war cry echoing through the forest. Annabeth's head snapped up, her grey eyes widening as she saw me approaching.

"Incoming!" she yelled to her teammates, drawing her knife.

The other two guards, who I recognized as Katie Gardner from Demeter and Malcolm Pace from Athena, moved to flank Annabeth. Katie's hands were already moving, vines sprouting from the ground at her command. Malcolm hefted a celestial bronze sword, his eyes narrowed in concentration.

I didn't slow down. As I neared them, I leaped. I sailed over Katie's grasping vines, landing behind their defensive line.

Malcolm swung his sword, but I was ready. I ducked under the blow and swept his legs out from under him with my spear shaft. As he fell, I spun to face Katie, who was trying to entangle me with more vines.

A quick slash of my spear severed the plants, and a follow-up jab to her solar plexus left her gasping for air. Two down, one to go.

Annabeth and I faced each other, friends turned temporary rivals by the game. Her stormy grey eyes analyzed my every move, that big brain of hers no doubt running through a dozen strategies a second.

"You're still as good as ever," she said, her knife held at the ready. "But I've grown stronger too."

I smirked. "You ain't seen nothing yet, wise girl."

We clashed in a flurry of bronze. Annabeth was quick and clever, her knife darting in and out like a viper. But I had reach and power on my side. Our weapons rang out in the night air, neither of us willing to give ground.

Annabeth feinted left, then ducked right, trying to get inside my guard. But I'd fought alongside her enough to anticipate the move. I brought Aegis up, catching her knife arm and pushing her back.

A quick sweep of my spear sent her tumbling to the ground, her knife skittering away.

I stood over her, spear pointed at her chest. "Yield?" I asked, breathing heavily.

Annabeth looked up at me, a mixture of frustration and pride in her eyes. "I yield," she said with a sigh. "Go on, take it."

With a triumphant grin, I grabbed the flag. But I knew the game wasn't over yet. I had to get this to the boundary line.

"Sorry, wise girl," I said, already turning to run. "Gotta run!"

I took off down the hill, the red flag clutched tightly in my hand. My heart pounded in my ears as I sprinted through the forest, leaping over fallen logs and dodging low-hanging branches.

The trees began to thin, and I could hear the rushing of water.

I burst out of the treeline, the sunlit waters of the river glimmering before me. Just a few more yards...

Suddenly, a wall of water rose up from the river, and I skidded to a halt. Standing in the middle of the river, controlling the water, was Percy. His eyes were wide with surprise, and above his head floated a glowing green trident - the symbol of Poseidon.

For a moment, we both froze, staring at each other in shock. Then I grinned. "Nice try!" I shouted, and charged forward.

Percy's concentration wavered for a split second - probably due to the shock of his claiming - and that was all I needed. I leaped, and sailed over the wall of water. As I passed over Percy, our eyes met, and I couldn't help but laugh at his dumbfounded expression.

I landed on the other side of the river with a splash, the flag still clutched tightly in my hand. As soon as my feet touched the water, a horn sounded throughout the forest. The game was over. We had won.

Cheers erupted from our team as they emerged from the forest. I raised the flag high, letting out a victorious whoop that echoed across the water. The flag shimmered and changed, the red replaced by a electric blue with a lightning bolt emblazoned across it.

As the adrenaline of the fight began to fade, I felt the familiar ache of exertion settling into my muscles. But it was a good ache, the kind that came from pushing yourself to the limit and coming out on top.

Percy waded through the water towards me, a rueful grin on his face. "Nice move, Pinecone Face," he said, reaching out to clasp my shoulder. 

I laughed, "All's fair in capture the flag, cous." Then I nodded towards the fading symbol above his head. "Still looks like you finally got claimed"

Percy rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish. "Yeah, looks that way."

By now, the rest of the campers had gathered around us. Annabeth pushed her way through the crowd, her eyes fixed on the fading trident above Percy's head.

"Well, looks like we truly know who your godly parent is now."

Chiron trotted up, a small grin on his face. "Indeed," he said, his voice carrying over the excited chatter of the campers. "Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of Poseidon, Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses."

As the campers knelt, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of... something. Jealousy? I mean I also got this when I got claimed by my dad, but it still looked weird to me.

I shook my head, drifting my gaze from the campers to the sky. I was ready, in complete control of my body and powers. It was time to leave.