The Gift of Time

10|| Capture the Flag

Percy's POV
Today's the day. The hunters will be here soon, and the capture the flag game is in sight. To say I'm nervous would be an understatement. I'm not even nervous for the game, because I know we're gonna lose, I'm nervous that Artemis will figure me out. That would be a painful death. I could just stop time before she kills me though. Perks of the domains.

I walk into the pavilion for lunch and sit down. An excited buzz zips through the air as everyone gets ready for the hunters to arrive. They'll probably get here any minute.

It's as if I saw the future because right as I said that, the horn sounds signaling the hunters arrival. Many of the Athena kids went to the boarder to greet them and I let out a deep breath. This really is the stupidest thing I think I've ever done, but really I had no choice. It's all going to be okay.

"Percy it is important now more than ever that you stay calm and remain in control of your domains. We cannot afford any slip ups today. One mistake may very well cost you your life, and we can't have that." Kronos says

"Got it. No mistakes. Easy." I think

I go back to my food acting normal when I hear a voice call out my name.

"Perseus!" It says

"Hey Thals." I say

"How's my favorite cousin doing?" She says

"Just splendid. Preparing myself for the social interaction that are going to take place tomorrow." I say

"You're the savior of Olympus and you don't like people. That's a problem." She says

"Hey! I didn't ask to be the savior of Olympus." I retort

She shakes her head and goes off the Artemis table and let out a breath. Everything is going according to plan. Chiron gets up and tells us that capture the flag will take place after this and there was a lot of cheering. I smile and go back to my food before the games.

~~

Lunch ended as sooner than I would have liked, but I digress. Everyone goes to the armory and gets armor while I just get out riptide. Using backbiter is not an option. There is no doubt that Artemis will notice the sword that is wielded by the titan lord. She notices things like that. Not to mention the whole soul reaping thing.

Anyway, Chiron says the rules and the game starts. Me and Jason run off into the woods to go defend the flag, which isn't what I normally do but it's the safest option right now. He's pacing around while I just stand with my back against a tree.

Usually, the hunters try to get the flag in groups of 5 so I'm prepared to defend against 5 people. Easy. Jason is on the other side of the side of the flag while in the front. Before I know it, I see movement in the bushes a few feet from me and I get into position. A few seconds later, an arrow comes flying at me in which I dodge it.

Out of the bushes walks Artemis, Thalia, and 3 other hunters. Great. Jason turns around at the commotion and sees the hunters. He defends against the 3 while I defend against Thalia and Artemis. Eventually, Thalia manages to disarm me with the help of Artemis, so I am forced to go defense. I'm bucking out of the way of her bow and Artemis steps back to shoot arrows at me.

Meanwhile, Jason is fighting these other hunters. It's 3 against 1 but he still manages to even out the fight. I can tell he's holding back being careful not to hurt the hunters as that would end up in his death. Which doesn't make sense because if Artemis were to kill him zeus would be livid and punish her, but okay.

At one point, I turn around to see that the flag is gone. I then realize that ambushing us was a distraction while someone else grabs the flag. This didn't stop them from attacking us though. Jason manages to disarm the 3 and throw their bows in the air only for him to keep them up there. Leaving me to deal with Artemis and Thalia.

Jason's POV
I watch as Percy fights Thalia and Artemis and all things considered it's a pretty even fight. I know he's holding back because if he wasn't he would've won already, but I guess he doesn't want to hurt them. Thalia gets up close to go hand and hand with him while Artemis steps back to try to shoot him.

Arrows are flying at him all throughout the fight, but he manages to either dodge or deflect them. Why doesn't he just use his time powers to stop them, that's a good question. Probably because he's hiding it and if he were to reveal it she would kill him. Maybe that's why he's hiding it in the first place. Revealing something like that would probably end up in death.

Anyway, Thalia manages to disarm him again, and she makes sure he doesn't have enough time to reach for riptide. All of a sudden, she steps back and Artemis shoots an arrow aiming right for his chest. Time seems to move in slow motion as the arrow flies towards him, but right before it's about to hit it just stops. We all stand there looking confused when he hear the horn signaling the hunters win.

Percy plucks the arrow out of the air and hands it to Artemis before casually walking off. Leaving the 6 of us standing there confused as ever.

Percy's POV
Dam it. Dam it. Dam it. Dam it.

The one time I can't mess up I mess up. What's new. How in the mother fuck did I allow an arrow to stop midair right in front of me. I guess it's good because I know I can subconsciously manipulate time enough to stop things trying to kill me, but still! Gods how am I going to lie my way out of this one.

We all walk back into the dining pavilion for dinner while my mind scrambles about the lie I'm going to tell to get out of that. I already know Artemis won't let that slide considering I don't have powers over air. Except maybe I do.

I could say the water molecules in the air allow me to move things through the air. I mean I don't have powers over organs but I extracted water from Jason's lungs. I don't have powers over poison but I controlled poison. All these things that I don't have control over have water in them, so I can control them. Since they don't have powers over water they don't know how it works so they can't tell me I'm wrong. Best plan I've ever came up with right there.

I casually walk into the pavilion and sit at my table before starting to eat my food. Just as I thought, Artemis came up to me and immediately started questioning me.

"What was that, Jackson?" She asks

"What was what?" I ask

"How did my arrow just stop in mid air? Last I checked you can't control air." She says and everyone quiets

"The water molecules in the air make me able to move things through it. It's kinda like telekinesis." I answer

"Mhm. Prove it." She says

Dam it. I know I can do it, but it's kinda difficult if it's not a life threatening situation. Every time I actually do it it's out of despair, and I'm in no way desperate right now.

Either way, I take a deep breath and look at a chalice on the Athena table across the room. A feel a tug in my gut and before I know it the cup comes shooting over here. It flies into my hand and I look up at Artemis before handing it to her. She snatches it from my hand and leaves while giving me a suspicious look.

"Congratulations Artemis is on your ass now too." Kronos says

"What did you want me to do? Get impaled?" I ask

He grumbles and I go back to my food ignoring the lingering eyes that are glued to me. Tomorrow is going to be so fun.