Night time was not as usual.
A sound came from the bushes.
I sat up straight at once, my bow and arrow at the ready and my feet ready to jump from the tree I had been sitting on.
Clip, clop, clip, clop.
I let go of the arrow.
"Duck!" a familiar voice came.
The arrow missed it's mark by a centimeter, snipping away a small part of Grover's hair. I could hear him complaining.
I got down from the tree, squinting to see through the darkness.
"Arms out," Tess ordered.
I could hear them unsheathing their swords and getting ready.
I walked closer to them, arrow nocked into the bow.
Tess twirled his sword at once, attacking me. I caught his wrist, ducking down, and held him tight.
"Ari-?" Tess whispered at once.
"Shh," I whispered angrily. "Followed."
"What happened?" Grover asked. Apparently he hadn't yet realized that I was there.
"No," I whispered softly to Tess.
"N-Nothing," Tess said at once to the others. "Wrong call."
"We're close to the camp?" a voice came. It was rough, a boy's voice.
"Yeah, reckon so," Tess replied. "We need to keep moving."
"Follow me," I said to Tess.
He nodded sharply, and we set off.
Once in a while, I'd hear the unmistakable sound of a few heavy pairs of feet crunching against the ground behind us.
"Thalia," Tess said. "I want you to stay close to Grover."
"Okay," Thalia replied. It sounded like she was younger than me, but still her voice was hard as steel.
"Luke, keep an eye on Annabeth."
"Right," it was the same rough voice of the boy.
"What about me?" another voice came. I stopped in my tracks.
"I want you to take care of the.... weapons, Annabeth," Tess replied.
"Is that a kid?" I whispered, turning to Tess.
"No time, I'll explain later," Tess whispered back urgently.
I nodded. We set off again, clearing our way through the long grass on Half Blood Hill. There was no moon to light up the sky, and the stars were gone under the dark clouds.
The arch was just a few hundred yards away. I couldn't help but smile. Somehow, we'd end this quest without a war.
At that very moment, a roar sounded.
I really shouldn't have turned around, because behind us was a huge.. and by huge, I mean Polyphemus huge, Cyclopes. He wore nothing but a loincloth and lots of grease. With him were two of his best mates, also Cyclopes. Each of their eyes were glowing in the darkness.
"Food!" the one in the middle said, or rather, should I say, roared.
"On second thoughts," I said, "enough sneak walk. Run!"
"Run!" Tess ordered at once, and the others didn't hesitate to obey.
The two of us were left, standing at the doorways to Camp Half Blood.
"Castor! Pollux!" I shouted.
The two boys erupted out of the darkness, and with utmost concentration, raised their hands. Vines as thick and strong as titanium rods grew from the ground, entangling the Cyclopes around their feet and stomachs.
"What have you done?" Tess asked.
"Athena always has a plan," I said, as the Ares kids as they charged at the Cyclopes on the sides, distracting them until we learned to kill at least one.
Tess grinned. "Awesome."
I tried to aim my arrow at the Cyclopes. Too bad, the nighttime didn't really work well with my vision. I let go of the arrow.
"Ow, pinprick on chest!" the Cyclopes yelped.
I rolled my eyes. Pinprick. Huh.
I lowered my bow. "Apollo and Hephaestus, time for some takeout!"
"Aye Aye, captain!" came Lee's voice, filled with glee.
THWANG!
An arrow, so big that it was glowing pure golden, replacing the moon in the darkness, the length of a whole cabin and a point so sharp that I could cut myself jut looking at it, soared through the sky, and went right through the heart of the Cyclopes.
"Aha!" I shouted. "Take that, pinprick!"
The Cabins cheered together in victory.
"How-" Tess began.
"I've had that on my to make list for three years," I said. "Unfortunately, it's gonna take us fifteen minutes to load another one. Keep up the good work and get to the fight. CHARGE!"
We charged into battle, screaming. I unsheathed my Celestial Bronze sword (my bow could turn into one), a weapon I rarely used in actual battle, and started poking the Cyclopes on the right in vain alongside the Ares Cabin members.
The vines were getting weaker. Their roots were coming out, and the Cyclopes were getting back to their feet, at full strength and greater need to kill us.
My mind began racing, searching for options. I took a step back, analyzing the situation. Maybe the eye- Odysseus was able to do it.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of thunder, a blast of lightning, and the high possibility that my shirt was smoldering.
I looked around. A girl, around twelve years old, was standing in front of me, breathing heavily. The Cyclopes was unharmed, but weak. The daughter of Zeus, I realized.
An idea rang through my head. I looked around. A spear lay on the ground, it's owner missing.
I ran to the girl, pulled her by the wrist. "Come with me."
I turned around. "Forces! Charge the stronger monster!"
The campers immediately ran to the other Cyclopes, which seemed to be getting stronger by the minute.
"How well of a shot are you?" I asked, taking cover behind a tree on the hill with the girl.
"What?" she asked.
"You heard what I said," I replied, nocking an arrow into my bow. "Think you can throw a spear through it's eye?"
"Wh- no- it's too far up," the girl said.
"Just as I'd thought," I muttered, turning to her. "Wait here."
"What for?"
"Your window of opportunity," I said, turning around.
I let go arrow after arrow continuously, aiming at the Cyclopes' chest, still standing a few yards away from the girl.
"Ow, pinprick! Pinprick!" the Cyclopes cried.
"Hey, Pin Head!" I shouted at the Cyclopes.
He looked down.
"Yeah, it's me shooting all of that at you," I said, letting go of an arrow. "Come and get me."
"AHHHH! FOOD!" the Cyclopes shouted.
I did not expect that reaction.
The Cyclopes bent down, so that his eye was so close, perfect to aim.
"Zeus kid!" I called. "Make it count!"
The kid turned around, and I averted my eyes. I heard the deafening sound of thunder.
BOOM.
I opened my eyes. The Cyclopes had fallen to the ground, a spear poking right out of its eye.
I took a deep breath in. "Good one."
But the kid had already moved on, raising her hands, lightning crackling around her. Her nose was bleeding.
"Hey, wait," I said. "Don't."
But she didn't listen. She'd just channelized all her energy into her power. Her form glowed blue. And before I knew it, I was thrown off the ground, into the sky, at least ten meters high, and I fell back, hitting my head hard, seeing the darkness.
"Ari, wake up! Wake up!"
"Tess?" I said, rubbing my eyes.
"Come on!" Tess shouted, pulling my wrist.
"What happened?"
"I'll explain later-"
"What's that- is that a shadow-" my eyes widened.
The shadow of a large, greasy hand came over my figure.
"Tess-"
But it was too late.
The large hand of the last falling Cyclopes, hit by the crossbow's arrow fell over my brother as he pushed me out of harm's way.
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