2nd Generation

Chapter 5: I Get the Flag and a Quest

The next few days were the same until Friday. You could feel the air buzzing with excitement. Everyone had been waiting for tonight, and it was finally here. This game was only for the twelve original cabins, us, and Hades. After dinner the teams gathered and got ready.
​The Athena cabin told us their strategy. Since Poseidon only had two campers, they would guard the flag. Hades, Aphrodite, Apollo, and Athena would all charge together in the middle. My cabin would sneak in on the right side and the second generation boys would take the left. Since I had my Yankees cap, I would be leading my team. This made Rebecca so mad, that I could imagine smoke coming out of her ears.
​After both teams were ready, Chiron stamped his hoof to get our attention.
​"For those who don't know the rules, I will explain them for you. No killing or maiming. "You must place your flag in plain sight. You can only have two guards. One magical item per person. Whoever gets the opposing team's flag over the boundary line first, wins. You will have five minutes to set up your flag. Those are the rules. Make sure to follow them." He looked directly at the Hermes cabin when he said that last part. ". When you hear my horn, you know you can start. Now go set up."
​Everyone ran off to their spots. I was so excited. I knew I could win. Rebecca and the opposing team would have to stay out of my way. Or get crushed. I was good either way. I had Riptide, which didn't count as a magical item, because it was my sword, and my Yankees cap. I was so ready.
​We put the flag on top of Zeus' fist, a huge outcropping of rocks in the woods. The Poseidon cabin, which was made up of two girls, was guarding it. One of the girls was my age and the other was fifteen. The fifteen year old was nice enough, considering she was technically my aunt, but the one my age seemed kind of jealous. Her name was Tasha. With a name like that, no wonder she was jealous.
​Anyways, I had to get that flag for my cabin. Whichever cabin crossed the boundary line first with the opposing team's flag got the flag for their cabin. I had my mom's competiveness. I could win this.
​We had just gotten in position when Chiron blew his horn. I put on my cap and ran off. Once I had determined it was clear, I ran back and got my team. We ran quickly, but quietly through the trees. I stopped at secluded spot and told my team to wait while I scouted ahead.
I put my cap back on and ran off. Good news, after I had gone about a hundred feet, I saw the other team's flag. Bad news, the Hephatitus cabin had rigged traps all around it. There were two scouts, one from the Ares cabin and the other from Zeus. They were both older than me and a lot stronger. They both had spears and swords. I had Riptide, my knife, and my Yankees cap. I would have to use all the advantages I had. I was younger which meant I was smaller and lighter. I was also smarter and invisible.
I had a plan. The layout of the traps was easy to figure out, so I would go up behind the Zeus camper first, who was standing in the middle of the traps, and knock him out. Then, while the Ares camper was confused, I would knock him out and take the flag.
I was about to go when I heard a twig snap behind me. The Guards must have heard it too, because they turned and looked in my direction. Forgetting I was invisible, I jumped behind a tree and looked back at what had made the noise. I should have guessed. Rebecca had followed me. She had been silent up to point when she snapped the twig.
"She's here for the flag! Get her!" the Ares camper yelled.
They ran towards her, and, instead of running off like she should have, she ran to meet them with her sword raised. If she had ran off, then I would have easily been able to get the flag and stop the game. Now, I could probably still get the flag and get out, but the Rebecca would surely be captured and embarrassed.
I couldn't just leave her. Why do I have to be so nice? Instead of getting the flag and running, I ran helped Rebecca. She was engaged in fighting the Ares camper who had been closer when she revealed herself. The Zeus camper was closing in, but before he could there, I intercepted him, and we started fighting.
"Hey! Back off, Melody! This is my fight!" Rebecca shouted at me.
"Yeah, well. You can't fight two older campers at once! You need help! Just admit it!" I yelled back at her while I bashed the Zeus camper in the head and knocked him out.
Rebecca was having some trouble with the Ares fight. He was huge, and she couldn't seem to remember she had the advantage of being smaller. She kept going in to knock him out, but he kept blocking her. She was messing up and was about to get beaten. I had to help, even though she wouldn't like it. Plus, we were running out of time. We needed to get the flag.
I had an idea where I could help, and no one would know. With my Yankees cap on, I watched them fight for a few seconds. Rebecca kept trying to do the same move, which was getting her nowhere. I tapped the Ares camper on the back which confused him, and Rebecca finally knocked him out.
I reappeared next to the flag and yelled, "Let's go!" to Rebecca.
Right at that moment the second generation boys appeared.
"Not so fast! That flag is ours." Their captain said.
"Yeah, well. Ya snooze, ya lose. Rebecca let's go!" I yelled.
We took off running with the boys right behind us. The flag was heavy, but I was strong and fast. I knew we could make it.
"Just give us the flag, and you won't get hurt!" their captain yelled at me.
I laughed and said, "Just give up, and you won't get hurt!"
We were at the clearing where my team was hidden. I had an idea where we could use them.
"Second generation girls! Get out here with your swords!"
They would cause a distraction, while Rebecca and I got the flag over the boundary line.
"Cause a distraction! We need to get to the boundary line! Rebecca cover me!" I yelled and kept running.
We could see the fighting around the boundary line up ahead. That meant that no one had gotten the other flag yet. We could win this. I put on an extra burst of speed and raced over the boundary line. The flag sparkled and changed to our cabins symbol. We had won. Just as Chiron blew his horn to signal the game was over, the second generation boys ran into the clearing. Behind them came the second generation girls laughing and high fiving each other.
"What did you do?" I asked smiling.
"Well, you did say to cause a distraction." Whitney said, still laughing.
"We'll tell you two about it later." Elizabeth said.
Then Chiron walked up to us and said, "It looks like the second generation girls have won. You will be the lead cabin next game for the blue team." He told us. Then, looking right at me, he said, "Nicely done."
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That night, we had a feast to celebrate our cabins first victory and extra s'mores at the campfire. It was so much fun. After a while, Chiron stamped his hoof to get our attention.
"It has been a fun night. But it must come to an end. Everyone back to our cabins!"
Everyone left and did what we were told. It had been fun, but I was exhausted. I fell asleep as soon as I laid done, but of course, I had another dream.
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I was back at Mount Olympus, but this time, it wasn't when I was born. It was all happening currently. None of the gods were on their thrones. I wandered around a bit until I found the gods apartments. Yes, they had apartments on Mount Olympus. Why not mansions, I didn't know. But these apartments were about the size of mansions with no ceilings, so I guess that made up for it.
All the gods except Poseidon and Hades, who had their own palaces, were in their apartments, even Mr. D, doing nothing. Literally, doing nothing except laying on their beds. They looked sick. But they were gods. They couldn't get sick. They were being served by Nymphs and Dryads, who looked worried. I went into Athena's room and saw her laying their too.
"Melody, you must save us. A very powerful force is trying to drain us of our powers. Tell Chiron that you need a quest. Tell him that only the Essence Potion will work. He will know what I'm talking about. Now go! You only have till July 11."
And with that my dream ended.
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I woke up in a cold sweat. I was breathing heavily and almost passed out again. I looked around. It was too early for anyone but Chiron to be awake. I quietly got off my bunk and changed. I left my cabin quietly to find Chiron and tell him about my dreams.
I ran to the Big House and found him on the porch watching the ocean.
"Chiron! I have to talk to you." I said and told him all of my dreams, except for the ones with my parents in them. Chiron listened intently and waited until I was done to talk.
"It sounds like Athena gave you a quest. But the Essence Potion? I only have a few of the many ingredients for it. It could work, but you would need to gather the other ingredients. You must talk to the oracle, my dear." He told me in a grave voice, like this quest would be my funeral.
I nodded and said, "Ok. Where is she?"
"I will take you there." He said. He picked me up and plopped me on his back. Then he took off towards Half-Blood Hill.
When we got there, he lowered me off his back and said, "Racheal, the oracle, is in that cave. She will give you a quest. Good luck."
I walked in the cave and saw Racheal. I already knew her, because we were close family friends. She's like that awesome single aunt that's always traveling, but you still see her all the time. She even has me call her Aunt Racheal.
"Wow. This place is awesome." I said in awe. The outside made it look mysterious, but the inside was decked out with electronics and almost anything else you can imagine. Sleeping on a bed shoved in the corner of the room, was a redheaded women. It was Aunt Racheal.
I walked over and lightly shook her. She didn't even stir. I shook her harder, but she just mumbled, "I don't want to." And went back to sleep.
"Aunt Racheal wake up!" I said. She moved but didn't get up.
I leaned down and yelled right in her ear, "WAKE UP!"
She finally yawned and sat up.
"Wh-what's going oooonnnn?" she said with another yawn, "Melody is that you?" she asked and hugged me.
"Hey Aunt Racheal. Sorry to bother you, but Chiron sent me here to get a prophecy."
Her eyebrows narrowed, and she said, "Already? How long have you been here?"
"About three days."
"Only three? Ok, but I have to warn you, I can't just give you a prophecy. The Spirit of Delphi sometimes speaks through me, but I can't control-."
Suddenly she doubled over and green smoke started surrounding her. She sat up and in a weird, snake like voice said, "Different second generations of special powers, Many lands they shall scour. Five objects they must find, But trapped in a race against time. Followed by one good and betrayed by one bad, To save the gods, something special they will have to add."
The green spoke receded, and Aunt Racheal started coughing.
"Sorry about that. Now what was I saying? Oh yeah, I can't control the spirit. Wait, why are you looking at me like that?" She must have noticed my pale face, "I just gave you a prophecy, didn't I?"
I nodded. I had been given a prophecy. I had to save gods. And I was going to be betrayed.