i. thirteen - camp half blood goes full lord of the flies

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(long long chapter again folks, buckle in...)

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"so what is capture the flag?"

alliah kept up with annabeth as she sped down the hill, a determined expression on her face.

she'd been in a state since morning - super focused and concentrated on the plan in her mind. she had been so into whatever was on her mind, alliah barely traded any words with her during breakfast - her only responses were nods and half-hearted 'mhm's.

"mhm..." annabeth stated blankly, obviously not having heard her - or just cared enough to try to hear her - properly.

alliah crossed her arms, annoyed, before turning to luke who was by her side.

"how long is she gonna act like she's plotting a murder?" she pouted. "can i be properly briefed on whatever i'm about to participate in? cuz everyone's acting like someone's gonna get killed in this game and the only image i have of 'capture the flag' don't really involve children killing children."

luke nodded understandably.

"don't mind annabeth, she's just a little stressed." he shrugged as he explained. "she's in charge of our team's gameplay and capture-the-flag gets her in a state. price to pay for brilliance, i guess - all of athena's kids are like that when they have to plan for stuff like this. and it's her second year, cut her a break."

alliah rose an eyebrow but let him continue.

"the game's the same here as it is in the mortal world, it's just, people are...well, we take it a little more seriously than they do out there..."

alliah was about to ask a follow-up about what he meant by that, when her gaze caught something in the distance - about ten kids walking out of the weapons' shed with swords and shields, donning shiny metal armour that covered them neck-to-toe, leaving only their faces visible. in the crowd, she spotted clarisse, her face frozen in a scowl.

"if they're so serious about the game, how come they're choosing to train instead of play?" she eyes the weapons in their hands as one boy began to hone his on a sharpening stone.

"they are playing in the game."

"then what's all that for?"

she gestured to the swords and armour. luke smirked and alliah put two and two together.

"you're kidding?" she gasped. "do you guys actually kill each other over a flag?"

she'd never heard of generic camp games being played with actual weapons.

"no, but we play with the mind to." annabeth suddenly spoke - a whole eight words more than she did the entire day.

she turned to luke.

"everyone from your cabin ready to go?"

"yes, but they're not too happy with the way you were barking orders at them all morning." he nodded.

annabeth smirked. "good, that means they're going in with a hostile attitude."

she then turned to alliah, who was grateful to finally have somewhat information about what was yet to come.

"you asked me a few days ago about how you can get that glory you can use to prove yourself to your godly parent, right?"

alliah nodded eagerly.

princess // percy jacksonWhere stories live. Discover now