A Pawn: The Final Hope

Chp. 16- Why Fight?

Chp. 16- Why Fight?
Steve Rogers POV

I smash my shield into the side a fire haired girl's head. She shrieks before exploding into dust. I try not to gag and fail as some settles in my mouth.

I once again pick up the young woman and begin to run. Many people flee with us. I shout above the roar for them to get into basements of buildings, the subway anywhere but here.

"Captain!" A voice shouts. I turn to see a kid calling me. At first I'm confused until I see the armor and the bow loaded at his side. I hurry over.

"Apollo kids are set up a mortal hospital down the street in the basement. A few blocks down on the corner of g-"

The kid is cut off as an arrow hits him in the leg. He curses in what I assume to be Greek or Latin. He holds his own bow up before releasing quickly. I don't know where it went but I hear a shriek. He knocks another arrow.

"Go you idiot!" He shouts firing another. It goes against everything I believe in to leave the kid but I have no choice. I take off running down the street.

"H-He's gonna die," Murmurs the girl in my arms. I say nothing trying to ignore the multiple teenage bodies in the street with weapons at their sides.

"Why are kids fighting?" The girl asks softly. "Why fight? They're dying..."

I asked myself the same question a while ago. I know the answer but, I say nothing and keep running but my mind flashes back to the time when Black Widow and the others were captured. It started when I was walking with the son of Jupiter, Jason...

"They'll be okay," I say unsure of what else to do in order to calm the teen.

He looks me dead in the eye. "When your a demigod nothing is okay.
Your a target from the day you are born," He snaps. I blink surprised and he shakes his head before turning to walk away. A hand grabs his wrist.

"Let go," Jason growls.

"No," Says the owner of the hand. I turn slightly to see a in boy dressed in all black his skin almost sickly pale.

"Let go Nico," Jason says. "Your hands are cold."

The other boy- Nico gives a shadow of a smile. "Death normally is. They'll make it out alive. They have Perce. As stupid as his plans are they normally work."

Jason says nothing and Nico releases him and he walks off. I let my eyes scan of over the boy next to me. Besides being clad in black the shadows themselves seem to cling to him. A pool of inky black surrounds his feet.

"Nico di Angelo. Son of Hades," He introduces.

"Steve Rogers," I state. He nods his eyes run over me.

"Nice to meet someone else from my time."

I give him a confused look. "What do mean?"

"I assumed Percy had told you... I was born in the 30s... in Italy."

"How?"

"Long story..."

I decide not to press and we stand in some silence before speaks again.

"Don't worry about Jason..."

I nod and finally ask a question I have been meaning to ask. "Where all the adults? Why is it all just, kids?"

"Why do you think there are more kids than adults at camp?" He counters bitterly. He takes a breath before continuing." It's amazing I've made this far as a kid of the Big Three... If it wasn't for that stupid hotel I'd be dead by now..."

I blink surprised before thinking back to the first meeting with Percy. He did mention he wasn't expected to live...

"What Jason said is true," he continues. "We are born with a target on our backs. Monsters track us. That's why we come to camp. It's a safe haven."

"So your just born to be soldiers?" I ask almost shouting.

"We're born because gods can't keep it in their pants. We fight monsters to live. We fight wars beacuse no one else will... No one else can..."

3rd Person POV

Piper is a demon with a knife. Many monsters learn that the hard way. She slashes and stabs. Muttering swears in a mixture of languages.

All in all fear her. They say beware a mother protecting her child and be careful crossing her.

Correction: never cross a pregnant and armed demigoddess. It won't end well.

"Attack each other not us! Attack the ugly one next to you!" A voice shots. Piper glances to see Drew Tanaka with a knife behind their Roman brother, Michael Kahale. Piper mentally gives the girl a good job for leaving the cabin before turning back to her own fight.

"The speaker!" A monster cries. Piper is confused but pays no attention until the telekhine she was fighting turns toward Micheal Kahale and Drew. Drew gives a shriek and runs back as a few arrows rain down. Micheal grabs his Greek sister trying to pull her to safety before a well placed slice hits his neck.

Piper screams running forward charging toward the monsters other demigods at her aid.

There are just too many.

Drew Tanaka is cornered. She sends a silent prayer to her mother before and arrow lodges itself in her throat.

Piper screams again. Guilt in her mind. The Speaker... Charmspeaker.

Drew isn't- wasnt a fighter. Piper is. It was supposed to be her.

The Beauty is dead.

---

Hey sorry for the lack updates!

I had essay due last week. I have a huge history paper due Tuesday, I need another 700 words and have no idea what else to write... 😩. And my annoying teacher won't give us extra time in class but the other class (with the good teacher) does! WTF!

Then I have a lab report for Friday...

And I have two basketball practices and games next week.

Someone help me.

-Jaz