Eventually (percico)

Chapter Seven

"Everyone, helmets on. Make sure your armor is on properly!" Chiron trotted around the crowd of campers, shouting out instructions.

Nico tried to drown out drabbles of excited chatter around him. He spotted Percy scattered on the outskirts of the crowd, perched upon a rock. He looked strong sitting there, a bit lonely, but surely strong. Annabeth also stared at Percy, her arms folded across her chest. Nico met her eyes for a split second before he quickly looked away.

Artemis and her Hunters stood on the other side of the creek, staring down the other campers. Nico could feel cold radiating from himself, a little patch of frost following his every step. He kept his step even, and his expression neutral, even if inside his blood boiled.

Chiron paced uneasily, which was out of character of him. Something seemed wrong in the air. It was heavy with tension and cold, but Nico couldn't quite place what was missing from the atmosphere. Nico shivered as he remembered that winter was not yet over.

"Places!" Chiron yelled out, heading away from the crowd to take his normal place at the corner of the forest.

Percy ushered the group into a huddle.

"I'll hold them off at the front lines with Piper, Leo and Jason." He nodded doubtfully, and then added "And Annabeth will as well." He gave her a sort of strangely pleading look, as if asking for a favor. Annabeth didn't even look up.

"And Connor, Travis, guard the flag. And hide it, you know where." He nodded with determination. Percy's eyebrows creased, and he smiled weakly. The Stolls grinned widely.

"Chris and Clarisse lead their defenses away from our offense."

Clarisse smirked, radiating confidence. She smacked Chris on the back of his head, still grinning wildly. He gave her a dirty look.

Percy looked to Nico last, and he knew who he'd be with. "Nico and Soledad. You know what to do. Capture the flag." Percy's eyes glinted with a sort of challenging mischief, but his lips remained in that set frown.

"Everyone got it?"

All the campers nodded in unison, and the crowd dispersed. Nico took his place next to Soledad, sighing audibly. She scoffed, and glared up in his direction.

"Brat." She muttered under her breath.

Nico ignored her comment, trying to focus on the people who blocked his way to victory. "Five," Chiron bellowed out. Five seconds. Nico thought quickly. He could try and directly fight through their lines, taking out as many as possible. "Four," No, they would disarm him easily that way. He could go around their lines, but there would be a chance that they would suspect Clarisse and Chris as the decoys. "Three," No that wouldn't work, couldn't work. He needed to fool them at first, then he could have his chance. "Two," Yes, that would work. He could play it off as defense, and then progress through their lines without fowl. That would fool them. He then remembered that absolutely all magical abilities and items were permitted. Nico allowed the tiniest of smiles to creep onto his lips.

"Follow my lead." He whispered to Soledad.

"Whatever you say," She replied, sarcasm thick in her voice.

"One,"

Nico readied himself, and unsheathed his sword, gripping the handle so hard, his knuckles turned white.

"Now!" A final yell signaled the start of chaos. Arrows flew every which way, and every single camper charged forward. Nico followed, keeping a little back from the main crowd. The deafening noise of clashing swords completely filling Nico's ears. A young Hunter charged at him, and he sidestepped at the last possible second, quickly spinning around on his heel, knocking her blade out of her hand with the sheer force of his own sword. He shoved her into a nearby tree out of his way, and watched as she stumbled to the ground.

Nico turned to see Soledad tripping a Hunter. Grabbing her silver blade mid-air, she threw it impossibly far down the stream. He had to admit that she had a good arm.

"Cover me." Nico ordered.

He didn't wait for a response before dropping to his knees, a look of intensity coming over his face as he set his hands on the ground, feeling it tremor just at his slight touch. Nico then rose to his feet like the sun from the horizon. Each painful second grew longer as the ground rumbled louder and each crack grew larger beneath his feet until at last, a dozen skeletons burst through the surface in a cloud of dust. Shocked screams echoed from tree to tree on both sides of the creek. Soledad stared at him in a mix of awe and horror, her eyes wide.

The skeletons marched in chaotic unison towards the large crowd of Hunters, raising their axes and swords. He silently ordered the skeletons to restrain from killing with a snap of his fingers. The ground sealed itself up with a wave of Nico's hand, leaving no trace of disturbance in the Earth.

He looked back to Percy on the other side of the creek, caught in the middle of a fight. He easily knocked the Hunter to the ground, disarming her in the process. He looked up to Nico and nodded. It was time.

"Come on!" He yelled to Soledad, and then barreled down the hill deeper into the forest, leaving the fight far behind.