Gwen knocked on the bathroom stall, as I struggled to adjust the straps of the battle armor. The armor was simply too big for me.

I took it as a sign that I shouldn't join Capture The Flag. The dreaded day finally came. The past two weeks, Capture the Flag was cancelled because of some reasons, and mostly because we lacked campers but because the summer was nearing, more campers started coming back. Hence, the dreaded day. Friday. Capture the Flag day.

I shamefully got out of the stall, looking down. "My armor won't fit- I think it's best to sit capture the flag out. Plus, my tummy's acting up-"

"No excuses," Gwen sternly said before snapping her fingers. Instantly the armor was a perfect fit on me. Like the battle armor was specifically made for me.

"We're with the children of Ares, Ella will pulverize you if you even try to escape," Gwen warned. It immediately sent shivers down my spine thinking about Ella murdering me some day.

Ella Hernandez was a daughter of Ares, and is my sword fighting teacher who was only a few years older than me, and she was not a good teacher.

"But why would Ella pulverize me?" I wailed, "I'm not good in battle!"

Gwen laughed humorlessly, "But you're great at magic,"

"W-well, not so much," I downed myself. I admit magic really was my turf but I had yet to train more. I've been at camp for nearly three weeks now but I can't hold a candle to Lou's magic. Not yet at least.

And supposedly, I was supposed to be stronger than all of them combined. Supposedly.

I told them not to get their hopes up of course, because I was still adjusting to everything. My stamina, the stamina that always brought trophies from soccer matches seemed to disintegrated when I came to Camp Half Blood. It made it seem like all my efforts training was for nothing.

I almost got on my knees and cried when the counselor of the Ares cabin, Clarisse, announced that I would be guarding the flag. Alone.

That makes zero sense! What made them think that I could handle anything?

"Don't worry Treya, I'll be near you. Signal me when you need help" Lou comforted me. But I didn't want to be comforted. I at least wanted the easiest position in Capture the Flag and I thought they would have given me the chance because I was still considered a new demigod.

But no, they gave me the hardest job of all. If you look at it, we were against the Athena cabin and- well, does it look like I stand a chance against brainiacs?

"Aight, I'm so gonna die," I whispered to myself.

Keith and Harley laughed behind me, "Don't worry Treya, look at the bright side. There's an actual rule that no maiming or killing is allowed. You're not gonna die,"

"If I end up unscathed, you guys owe me fifteen drachmas" I joked

They laughed before nodding, "Sure. If you are scathed, we get your dessert for two weeks,"

My jaw slacked but before I could say anything else, our team was already cheering.

-

For the most part, it was quiet while I guarded the flag for the first ten minutes. It was only me, silence and the darkness. I mean, the sun was already setting and we were in the forest so, it was getting dark.

As the sun slowly set, I feel my body surge with power. But I still wasn't used to the darkness. It was pretty ironic to think that in my powerful setting, I still manage to be weak because I'm afraid of the dark.

Then the screaming was now audible. I could hear the campers screaming, their swords clashing. I was still alone but they were definitely closing on me. The flag, I mean.

I was yards away from the flag and was alone, but Lou and my other siblings set up a makeshift barrier with a spell that would instantly notify me when someone has entered my field of space.

"Hello," A voice called out behind me.

As if on instinct, I unsheathed my sword, spun around with my other hand on air, ready to cast the mist or an illusion over me.

"H-how-" I stammered as I saw him just a few meters away from me. He was the boy who was always near Hazel, and sometimes hanged around the popular kids like Leo and Hazel's other friends.

He was the boy I was also desperate to meet because of how cool he was, but snubbed me before I even got the chance to say hello.

Nico di Angelo, the son of Hades.

"But I didn't sense you on my radar!" I raised my voice

"I shadow traveled," He answered, unsheathing is obsidian blade. It was none like the rest of the swords here at Camp.

I panicked and immediately surged an energy blast up to the sky to signal Lou and the rest that I was in big trouble.

"Hecate's daughter," He muttered under his breath before smirking, "Still no match for me,"

He then chanted something in Ancient Greek that I was still able to understand. Before I knew it, I was mimicking him, chanting as well but not the same chants as his. I wasn't stupid enough to know that casting spells that were not of my domain would not work.

Suddenly, the ground split open and I screamed my heart out, unable to finish my spell.

"Are you trying to kill me?" I yelled, running away from the splitting ground.

"Hm, I'm not sure" His stupid smirk was still plastered on his face, he then slowly started coming after me, with his blade on stance.

I did the one thing I'm good at. Running.

"Oh for fuck's sake, just take the flag!" I shout as he chased me in the dark.

"Where's the fun in that?"

Then I body slammed myself on someone I clearly did not see, doubling over the small hill down below.

"Ow!"

"I should be saying that!" His voice rang out again, and I blinked. Nico was the person I body slammed down the hill.

I quickly managed to compose myself and got off of him. I offered a hand up to him, but as his cold hand clasped mine, he pulled me down and pinned me to the ground. He then got his sword that was luckily just near him and pointed it towards me.

"No killing!" I reminded him

"I'm not a fan of desserts,"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh you talk too much,"

"I surrender!" I try to pry myself off of him but he was strong. Clearly. Obviously. I knew I'd lose the moment I saw who my opponent was.

He tilted his head, "No?"

I've had it. With all my remaining strength, I pushed him off and grabbed my sword.

"You think you can win against me?" He scoffed

"No, but I can trick you" I tell him before I casted an illusion on Nico that there were thousands of me.

I hear him curse before swinging his blade around, and it was my signal to start chanting the spell again. I honestly forgot what this spell would do to the son of Hades but I honestly didn't care anymore.

But before I could finish my spell, I was interrupted when Nico suddenly one third of a meter in front of me. It frightened me, making me cut my spell off.

"Found you," He chuckled

Ugh! I only had one more stanza and I would have been able to complete it!

But I casted the spell anyway, hoping that it would work even with missing words. I would only later find out that I was wrong and I should train my magic more.

With a 'poof!' Nico was still the same, head to toe. He also immediately checked himself, but found no flaw.

He smiled but when he took a step closer, the moonlight shone on him and that's when I noticed it.

He was covered in glitter.

Nico seemed to notice my eyes grow wider because he checked himself again, and this time he noticed.

His eyes glowered over me, and the ground underneath me started to shake.

"What have you done?!"