@Aspen, sorry to see you go!

Solange~

The first capture the flag of the summer, and Hali was back. Contrary to what people think, I actually don't hate her in the slightest. Sometimes hate is easier then confrontation. I felt bad, really bad actually, that I had hurt her last summer. Now she was on our team, so I wouldn't have to worry about that again. I looked out my window and saw an argument brewing. I decided to see what was going on.

I saw Braelynn walking out of her cabin. "Hey, what's going on with Athena and Ares?" she had an annoyed expression on her face, like I was blocking her way. I looked over my shoulder and saw Max. 

"Do you like him?"

"What? No. Um, the Ares kids wanted to make an alliance with Athena, that's all." 

Wow. I guess the Ares kids were smart enough to realize that an alliance with Athena would make them unstoppable.

"Well you said no, right?"

Braelynn sighed. "Honestly Solange, is winning the only thing you care about?" she walked off in the direction Max had.

I guess with everything that went down with Hali last year, that would be a reasonable assumption to make. I saw an Ares kid talking to someone from Hephaestus. Hold up. Were they trying to get Hephaestus now? How many cabins were they asking?

I peeked into our cabin. "Hey Silas, have any Ares kids tried to allie with us?"

"Um, no. I did see them talk to Alana earlier."

Huh. I was slightly offended. Did they not see Apollo as a threat? Regardless, our team was on a winning streak, and we couldn't loose now, especially since it was the first game of the summer.

This might totally suck bc of pesky writer's block, but here we go.

_________

Colin- 

Ugh. I hate camp. Well, I suppose that that's not entirely true. The others leave me alone for the most part, but still. Why can't I just stay with my father? 

I sighed and leaned back against a tree. hitting my head with my gloved hand.

"Wishful thinking isn't going to get us anywhere," I said to myself. Leaning my head back against the tree, I thought back to the confrontation with the Athena kids. I was very surprised when some Poseidon girl and a daughter of Hermes stopped them. 

"Hali," I whispered. So far, she's the closest I have to a friend. Meaning, she stood up for me even though we're not even friends. Wow, pretty pitiful that that's the closest I've come to a friend. I don't need friends. She shouldn't have stepped in anyway. I can handle myself. 

"Yeah, some say of handling it, Colin." I sighed and pushed myself away from the tree, heading back to my cabin. At least I'll have some peace and quiet there.

__________ 

Yeah that was trash. Welp, here yah go.  

Hey guys, I’m sorry to say that I will have to drop out too. One, same reason as Aspen (if her reason is what I think it is). Two, this time of the year is VERY BUSY for me and all other 8th graders at my school. Much apologies!

J’lesky 

~Silas Geltz

Here we are again. I took in the scent of the strawberries from the fields. My cousin Hali Brook on the other hand, looked at if in relief that the camp was still there.

"Are you just gonna stand there?" I scoff.

"Shut up!" Hali said under her breath, then slowly walking up the hill.

Although Hali is Big Three material, she still can be a bit... introverted.

I dash towards the Apollo cabin, our mothers of course insisting that we bring an extra bag for things.

I found that almost nobody was there in the cabin except for Solange and a few others, who also seemed to have just arrived. 

I couldn't understand why everyone else prefers the higher bunks, while the bottom bunk is a perfect little man-cave. I quickly took out the leather quiver full of arrows and a blackwood bow I named Ochiá, which meant viper. To add to the point, I had carved a crude snake head on the tips.

Hali of course came by into the cabin due to the emptiness of her cabin. She shot Solange a look that I have seen many times.

"Yeesh, what's up between you and her? Has she still not gotten over last year?" I whispered.

"I'm not sure." she responded.

"Right,"

"Well, catch you later. I'm going to see Alana and Aubri."

"Alright, see you at dinner."

I then checked to make sure that I had my daggers. Chiron decided that I should focus a bit on some basic close-combat skills just in case I don't have enough arrows during a fight. Though, I think it's just an excuse to make the Apollo kids do something besides acing archery over and over again. Yet the good thing with daggers is that you can throw them.

I looked around and saw some Ares kids trying to convince the other cabins to join them. I knew that Hali always joined whatever team my cabin is in. I knew the Ares kids were simply really want to win, especially with Athena almost an impossible ally.

"Hey Silas, have any Ares kids tried to ally with us?" Solange asked.

"Um, no. I did see them talk to Alana earlier." I replied simply.

I decided that since Apollo had a winning streak, someone would have to ask us to join their team sooner or later. Being good archers meant we have to be able to spot small and fast targets. We could pick off enemy members and spot them in a flash.

I went to the old record player someone found on a mission many many years ago, and placed one of the discs there. Ah. Some nice John Williams track from Star Wars.

~~~~~~~~~~

Some questions I just realised: who should be the cabin leaders(obviously the cabins with only one member already have one, but what about the others?) and what are the main Capture the flag teams? Usually it's a rivalry between Athena and Ares in the books.  

Hali~

The first few days have gone by awfully fast. But now it’s Friday. Capture the Flag Day. 

Everyone’s anxious, especially the first timers, but for different reasons. First timers are afraid. The rest of us can’t stay still. 

“On Blue team, we have the following cabins,” Chiron announces. “Apollo-“

The cabin cheers, and Silas nudges me. “You’re coming with us.”

“Poseidon-“

I smile, and others from Apollo cheer for me. Silas smiles. “Called it.”

“Artemis-“ 

All of us let out a cheer, including those in the honorary cabin. 

“Nike-“

The cheers grow louder. We have way more Nike kids this year. 

“And Hermes.”

Finally, the Blue team lets out one large cheer before Chiron moves on. 

“Settle,” he laughs. “Now for Red team: Ares-“

They let out howls and cheers, and I can’t help but roll my eyes. 

“Athena-“

At this, we all kind of glance at each other. Putting them together wasn’t a good idea. Hardly a fair game. But Apollo has had a winning streak. 

“Hades-“

There’s a cheer from the Red team, and I look towards Colin. Our eyes meet before we quickly look away. 

“Zeus-“

At this, outraged cries come from the Blue team. 

“That’s ridiculous,” Silas snaps, turning to me. “We only have you from the Big Three!”

I raise an eyebrow and scoff in mock hurt. “Only me?”

He groans. “That’s not what I meant.”

“There would have been two on one team either way,” I respond. 

He shrugs. “Not unless one of them didn’t play.”

“Aphrodite-“

There are mostly cheers, but a few from Red groan. 

“And Hephaestus.”

Red team lets out a few more cheers, before we all get suited up and start walking into the forest. 

~~~

Soon, the clashing of the swords and whizzes of arrows are distinctly heard among the shouts of battle. 

“Let’s head for the flag,” I whisper to Silas, as we sneak around a hedge and trees that conceal us. 

“Not so fast,” I hear a voice say from behind me. I whip around. 

Colin. 

I let an arrow fly loose, and he deflects it with his shield. 

“Go!” Silas shouts, with a smirk on his face. “I’ll deal with this.”

I give him a questioning glance before he gives me a reassuring nod. I proceed to run quickly through the woods and to the edge of the brook where the Red flag is located. The sight looks clear, but if I know Athena’s battle strategy, I know that there’s at least 5 pairs of eagle eyes watching every move. 

I let out a distinct bird call, and within moments, there’s thumps and shouts in the hedges above the brook. Athena ambushers are getting ambushed themselves. 

I sprint for the clearing, knowing that there’s going to be someone else. 

Right as I think I’m going to make it, I feel the sharp pain of steel slash at my arm. I hiss and stager back before strapping the bow onto my back, taking off my shield, and arming myself with a sword. 

Braelynn. 

“Where do you think you’re going, Brook?” she scoffs, taking another swing at me. I block it with my shield. 

I advance slowly, step by step towards the flag. 

“Just taking a stroll, mate.”

She laughs and I take this as an opportunity.

“NOW!”

Silas, Alana, and Solange ambush Brae and her teammates as I dash for the flag. Stepping off a small mount, I can almost feel myself flying through the air. 

My finger tips brush the fabric, and then I’m knocked to the ground by Lorelai. 

I groan as my hand goes to my head. But something is inside my other fist. 

I stagger up, and all is silent. 

I slowly let my fist relax, and the flag crumples out. 

Cheers erupt from the Blue team, and Chiron’s laughter can be heard everywhere. 

I smile weakly. I don’t feel good for some reason. 

I look towards the stream, and shove past the Blue team, hand the flag off to Silas as I walk to the water. 

I touch it, and it immediately rushes to my fingertips. 

Hali, there is no time. 

What? I ask. It’s a voice in my head. 

It’s me Hali. Dad. 

My mind goes blank for a split second, and I black out. 

~~~~

“Dad?” I ask to the figure standing near me. “What is it?”

The figure turns to reveal my dad, with his short brown hair and short, neatly trimmed full brown beard. He’s in his Greek clothing. 

“Hali,” he replies. “Oceanus. The Titan. He’s set on destroying Olympus, but from the inside.”

“I don’t understand,” I interject. 

“Listen, because I don’t have much time. Will you listen for me, my seashell?”

I nod and smile slightly at the childhood name. 

“Oceanus wants to destroy Olympus by destroying us. He’ll do so first by killing our children at camp. That’ll cause conflict among us, and he’ll have us at our weak point. The the final blow will be easy. You and your friends are special, Hali. You can help us.”

“Dad-“

“Please Hali, I know it’s dangerous, but-“

I interrupt him by giving him a hug. He’s shocked for a moment, but his face grows sad as he hugs me back. 

“You guys are the only ones that can stop this from happening. You understand this, right?”

I nod, and he fades away as I feel myself waking up.

~~~~

My eyes open, and I sit up slightly only to groan. 

“My head feels like a bloody iron hot hammer smashed it ten times,” I say, my words slightly slurring. 

“Lay back down,” Alana laughs. “You’re acting like you’ve had a bit too much.”

I groan again. “Recap please.”

“You passed out at the brook,” Aubri’s voice rings out. “You okay?”

“Dandy,” I reply, rubbing my head, attempting to sit up again, but slower this time. 

“Do you remember who won at least?” Silas’ voice asks. 

“Us,” I say with a nod. “Right?”

“Yep!” Alana replies. “You should have seen the looks on the faces of those in Ares and Athena. They won’t like you, me, Silas, or Solange for a day or two.”

“I still like you,” Aubri interjects. 

“She said Ares and Athena, Steel Magnolias,” I reply to Aubri. 

Aubri lets out a giggle, but I sense silence coming from Silas. 

I open my eyes fully, only to meet his concerned gaze. 

“Something happen, Hali?”

“No.”

I shoot him the I’ll tell you later look, before I hear the shuffling of feet near the corner. 

I turn my head and both of my eyebrows raise.  

“Colin?”

“Don’t look so surprised,” he scoffs. “Just came to make sure it wasn’t my team’s fault.”

“That’s fair,” I shrug, and I move to sit on the edge of my cot. 

“You should be good to go,” the nurse says, walking into the infirmary. “Have a great day guys. Be careful with your head Hali. That Zeus girl almost gave you a concussion.”

“Nah, Hali’s too much of a hardhead to get a concussion,” Silas replies. 

“I’ll give you a concussion if you don’t shut your mouth, Geltz,” I reply snarkily. 

We all head out, only to meet the glaring sun, the glaring Athena/Ares kids, and the glaring realisation of more than half the day still left to go. 

Storm windwhisperer asked about who the cabin leaders are, and if none of them have gone on a quest the oldest should be the cabin leader.

(I refuse to let this RP die)

I sighed. Our cabin had been banged up pretty badly during Capture the flag. Hermes Campers may not be good fighters, but their sure are a lot of them. Jacob and a few others were in the infirmary. I almost suffered a spear butt to the head during the fight. I had just clubbed one over the head with the handle of my dagger when it happened.

"Hey, come on! It wasn't so bad, right?" A voice from my shoulder said. I looked at the minatur elf animatronic I had made last year. He has gotten me out of many situations, including one with some cyclopes.

"I mean, you could be in the infirmary right now." Rex said. I waved him off and continued walking. The one thing that no one admired about Camp Half Blood was the scenery. The giant pine trees looming overhead, the shimmering lake, and the first few shining stars coming out. The only thing bad about it was the sound. Campers swearing and arguing could be heard around the entire camp. 

Suddenly a wave of worry washes over me. I smell smoke, and see a fire coming from the forges. I get up and take off running. As i skidded to a stop where the smoke was, I saw the flames have been put out. Will sees me and comes running over.

"Dylan! Someone planted a jar of greek fire under one of the anvils! It's all put out now, but all the weapons are destroyed!" He breathed. He sank to the ground, exhausted. I nodded at him and headed in to see what was left.

WOOHOOO!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH ASPEN!!!! also, I hope your okay, I don't know what happened, but I wish the best of wishes, but thank you again

ALSO!!!-----MASON my charrie who was a son of ARES is now a son of ZUES with his original charrie traits that were on my original charrie sheet that has my two others, my parts is soon to come! 

Kathlynn----

"hey," a voice spoke, and jumped in my seat, my book falling, losing my page. 

"Max!" I shouted at him, watching as he drew a hand through his hair, "how many times to I need to tell you to stop doing that!" I scolded, picking up my book  looking it over to make sure I didn't hurt the paperback pages. it was an old german book, that I had picked up from the library before I came to Camp, sure camp had plenty of books but most of them in english, not that I don't love the laungauge, but sometimes it more fun to read in something no one else can, that way they can't read over you shoulder. 

"sorry, sorry," he laughed, shaking his head, no doubt judging my making sure my book didn't die. oh well, wouldn't be the first time won't be the last. "have you talked to Mason today? I heard one of the other Aphrodite girls talking about him, you might have some compitition," he teased, his finger poking my shoulder. 

"oh shut it," I said, making a face. 

"you know you're going to have to talk to him at some point if you ever want him to fall in love with you," he said. his eyes trailing, over to a girl in another chair, by the name of Brae I think. he looked back to me a small smile on his face. "you know what?" he said, suddenly, locking eye contact with me. "come with me,"

"what are you doing?" I sighed, getting up as he took my wrist leading me away.

"being the greatest person ever," he replied. I gave up fighting him, and let him drag me into whatever crazy idea he had come up with this time. 

oh how I wished I didn't. 

"so, you're going to hate me after this, but it's something I'm willing to live with," Max said solemly. a seriouse look on his face and joking on in his eyes, this wouldn't end well. 

we walked a bit more, into the large half circle of cabins, intel we got to cabin one. "oh no, don't you dare," I said finally realizing what Max was planning. my voice quiet, since the door was slightly ajar. Max, as always didn't listen, pushed me through the door, and ran off. 

I stumbled,  falling to my knees making a loud thump sound. Mason jumped around lighting bolt in hand, thankfully, he looked down before attacking.  he un-summoned his weapon, and came over to help me up. 

"what in Hades name are you doing?" he laughed, at my confused look, I didn't know how to react, if I should joke, blame Max, of go run after max and attack him for this embarrasing moment. whiel I would have liked to do the last thing, it would have only added to the trauma of what was going down. 

Mason had a warm smile, and soft eyes, I felt like I was melting. and I'm not the type to be sappy and romantic. he wore the same camp shirt as I, and had four beads on his necklace, one less than me.

"Kath?" he asked, I shook my head, bringing my attention towered him. "did you hit your head of something?" he asked, I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I didn't understand why this was so hard, one year ago, Me, him and Max were great friends and would hang out all the time, but of course once I got a stupid crush on him, everything decideds that life would be better if I'm super awkward around him. 24/7. "uh, it was, well, it was strange of you to drop by, but uh, to celebrate coming back to camp why don't you and max come over at sit at the Zuess table for dinner, like old times?" he said, smiling,

"Sure, er, I'll check with Max, but I'll be there," I said, my voice higher than usual, my level of awkwardness off the charts. 

okay, I feel like that was pretty bad.....but anyway, I will write more later, I have horrible writers block sooooo.... Ill try to think of more later 

again, thank you so much aspen, and I hope everythings all good 

Hali~

I let out a squeak as I feel a hand go over my mouth, and I’m pulled into a cabin.

My captor lets go, and I stand up.

“What in the name of all good things- Colin?”

”Sorry,” he says, with a slight smirk. “We needed to call a meeting without the counsellors finding out.”

“Right, so kidnapping me and taking me to the...” I look around. “Zeus cabin doesn’t look suspicious at all.”

“I barely kidnapped you,” he retorts. “You were right outside the door anyway.”

I shrug. “Fine. What am I doing here.”

“Big Three meeting,” a voice comes from a bunk, as he swings down. 

Mason. The reason I almost had a concussion. 

“Since when were Big Three meetings a thing?” I scoff. “You barely talked to me last year. Colin did, but he was being his antisocial self. No offence.”

“None taken,” Colin remarks. 

“Anyway, why am I here?”

“You passed out by the brook, correct?” Mason asks. 

“Uh, yeah, why?”

“Same thing happened here,” Colin replies. “I was reading, and I passed out.”

“I was practicing my spear,” Mason pitches in. 

“Well, maybe this is happening to other kids too,” I suggest. 

Colin shakes his head. “Nope. Just the big three’s ONLY kids. And it came to you first. Something’s wrong. Did anything happened right before you passed out?”

I hesitate but shake my head, with even more hesitation. That was even less convincing.

Colin raises an eyebrow. “C’mon Hali. Tell us.”

I let out a quick breath. “Fine. It was my dad. He told me something.”

“What?” Mason asks. 

I take another breath. “He told me that there is no time. Then when I passed out, he told me something in my dream.”

“Gosh,” Colin sighs, hanging his head as Mason’s arm thumps back to his side. “So it was my dad.”

“What?” I ask. “I don’t understand. What are you saying?”

“Basically an exact copy of what happened with you, the whole, ‘Mason there is no time,’ or ‘Colin there is no time,’” Mason replies. “Then the dream, saying that my friends and I are the only ones that can save amount Olympus from your dad’s arch enemy, Oceanus.”

“He has a lot of arch enemies,” I mutter. 

“Whelp, I don’t have friends so there’s nothing to worry about here,” Colin says. I can almost hear the melodramatic violin in the background, and I roll my eyes. 

“You have us,” I retort. I look back towards Mason. “So if the Big Three came to us, why not to the others?”

“I have a feeling this is only a plan the Big Three are devising,” Mason replies. “I doubt Athena, Ares, Apollo, Aphrodite, and all them are agreeing to put their kids’ lives in danger. We have to convince the others ourselves to join us. But this is going strictly behind the camp’s back. That’s the main thing we have to deal with for now.”

“Sorry, I lost you at all the A names,” Colin says, waving his hand. 

“Try to focus,” I hiss. “And I will. I’ll tell those I trust. You need to do that too, Mason. You too, Colin.”

“But you already know. Er, that’s not what I meant. I mean, friends are trust, and you’re the closest thing I have to a friend...well, I-I mean, Mason too, and he already knows so, I guess...I mean, I guess what I’m saying is that all my ‘friends,’ already know, a-and-“

“Stop talking,” I laugh. “Now let’s go behind the Camp’s back.”

I'm gonna make some DRAMA!

~Silas Geltz

I along with everyone else on the blue team cheered as the red flag changed color into a blue flag with a python curled around a golden lyre - Apollo's symbol. Athena and Ares seemed to have gotten soft. Everyone slowly calmed down, getting healed, gathering left-over weaponry in the forest. Hali seemed to have blacked out near the end of the game, which was unfortunate. She missed the moment of victory. Everyone settled into their cabins preparing for dinner. Every dinner, the Apollo cabin gets to sing some songs at the bonfire. Boy, I was ready to sing some victory songs to stick it into Athena and Ares's face. Quickly, some Ares were already having a fit. Some shouts of fire in the forge was quickly put out. For some reason, Hali hasn't visited our cabin like she normally does before dinner. I shrug as I watch the sundial slowly move the shadow. Eight Fifty-five, five minutes until dinner. I hear an Aphrodite scream. Everyone seemed to flood out of their cabins to see the commotion. "It's the ORACLE!" the Arphrodite screamed, pointing a finger at a cloaked figure coming out of the Big House. Green smoke hovered over the ground like a dry ice fog machine, except for the fact it's mint green. What in the name of Helios is an old husk of a hag that is the oracle doing out here? We would have to carefully carry it back to the Big House dang it.

The bony jaw of the oracle began to move with smokey words it began to speak:

"The Big Three has come to thee

now three things you must agree

twelve heroes will head out into the ocean

toward a sea in the east, where there is commotion

but beware eachother, monsters, and otters

for one of you will turn on another

in grief they shall loose their structure

one will be sacrificed for the good of others

once they defeat the titan's soul and heart

only till then shall they depart."

The oracle mist began to recede, and someone had quickly gotten a chair from the mess hall and placed it under the oracle before it could collapse onto the ground. There were "whews!" and "what was that for"s. "Did you hear that!" I exclaimed to the closest person to me. "Some of us will be going on an adventure!"

"What are you talking about? The Oracle just floated out, clacking it's teeth, and Thaeron(an NPC) there just happened to get a chair in time before it collapsed." the person replied. 

~~~~~~~~~~

I hope I didn't control too much! I wanted to move the story along! There can be adjustments to the oracle's message of course.