𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐄

𝐗𝐈

The next morning after breakfast, Percy and Selene told Grover about their dream. They sat in the meadow watching the satyrs chase the wood nymphs through the snow. The nymphs had promised to kiss the satyrs if they got caught, but they hardly ever did. Usually the nymph would let the satyr get up a full head of steam, then she'd turn into a snow-covered tree and the poor satyr would slam into it headfirst and get a pile of snow dumped on him.

Selene didn't think much of how she had to sneak out of Percy's cabin before anyone else woke—and the Apollo kids were, um, early birds. She also finally took a shower from the bathrooms right outside the Cabin's circle, and stole a 'CAMP HALF-BLOOD' shirt from Percy that was too oversized on her.

When they told Grover about their exact same nightmare, he started twirling his finger in his shaggy leg fur.

"A cave ceiling collapsed on her?" he asked.

"Yeah. What the heck does that mean?"

Grover shook his head. "I don't know. But after what Zoe dreamed—"

Selene narrowed her eyes, "Zoe also had this dream?"

"I... I don't know, exactly. About three in the morning she came to the Big House and demanded to talk to Chiron. She looked really panicked."

"Wait, how do you know this?" Percy asked.

Grover blushed. "I was sort of camped outside the Artemis cabin."

"What for?" Selene raised one of her eyebrows.

"Just to be, you know, near them."

"Cool," Selene whispered. "You're a stalker with hooves."

Percy added with a smirk, "Did you also serenade them with your flute?"

Grover's blush deepened. "Well, uh, maybe once or twice... Anyway, I followed her to the Big House and hid in a bush and watched the whole thing. She got real upset when Argus wouldn't let her in. It was kind of a dangerous scene."

Selene tried to imagine that. Argus was the head of security for camp—a big blond dude with eyes all over his body. She hadn't seen him yet, only heard some of Annabeth and Percy's stories about him. Zoe—well, the girl is a beast. She wouldn't want to place bets on a fight between him and Zoe Nightshade.

"What did she say?" Percy asked.

Grover grimaced. "Well, she starts talking really old-fashioned when she gets upset, so it was kind of hard to understand. But something about Artemis being in trouble and needing the Hunters. And then she called Argus a boil-brained lout... I think that's a bad thing. And then he called her—"

"Oh no..." Selene muttered. "Artemis told me about perhaps needing me to answer when she calls. Maybe she was foreshadowing something..."

"Whoa, wait, guys. How could Artemis be in trouble?"

"I... well, finally Chiron came out in his pajamas and his horse tail in curlers and—"

Selene shook her head. "He wears curlers in his tail?"

Grover covered his mouth.

"Sorry," she said. "Go on."

"Well, Zoe said she needed permission to leave camp immediately. Chiron refused. He reminded Zoe that the Hunters were supposed to stay here until they received orders from Artemis. And she said..." Grover gulped. "She said 'How are we to get orders from Artemis if Artemis is lost?'"

"What do you mean lost? Like she needs directions?" Percy inquired.

"No. I think she meant gone. Taken. Kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" Selene tried to get her mind around that idea. "How would you kidnap an immortal goddess? Is that even possible? Wait—does this mean I can also get kidnapped? 'Cause like, if Apollo wants to—"

"Well, yeah. I mean, it happened to Persephone."

"But she was like, the goddess of flowers," Percy replied.

Grover looked offended. "Springtime."

"Whatever. Artemis is a lot more powerful than that. Who could kidnap her? And why?"

Grover shook his head miserably. "I don't know, Percy. Kronos?"

"Wait, what? Percy Jackson, you told me the guy was sliced to bits and had his remains scattered on Tartarus."

"I also told you how last summer, on board Luke's demon cruise ship, we'd seen a golden coffin, where Luke claimed he was summoning him out of the abyss. Bit by bit, every time someone new joined their cause. I just... don't see how he could physically overcome Artemis if he is still like a pile of evil bark mulch."

"I don't know," Grover said. "I think somebody would know if Kronos had re-formed. The gods would be more nervous. But still, it's weird, that you having a nightmare the same night as Zoe. It's almost like—"

"They're connected," Selene said. They both looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "I mean, as far as I know, any shit can happen with you guys. This would be like, the top one thousand weirder things. Not even top five hundred."

Over in the frozen meadow, a satyr skidded on his hooves as he chased after a redheaded tree nymph. She giggled and held out her arms as he ran toward her. Pop! She turned into a Scotch pine and he kissed the trunk at top speed,

"Ah, love," Grover said dreamily. "Selene, do you have a boyfr—"

"I've got to talk to Zoe," Percy interjected.

"Um, before you do..." Grover took something out of his coat pocket. It was a threefold display like a travel brochure. "You remember what you said—about how it was weird how the Hunters happened to be too close to Thalia during that night? I think they might've been scouting us."

"Scouting us? What do you mean?"

He gave Percy the brochure, but Selene could read it clearly. It was about the Hunters of Artemis. The front read, A WISE CHOICE FOR YOUR FUTURE! Inside were pictures of young maidens doing hunter stuff, chasing monsters, shooting bows. There were captions like: HEALTH BENEFITS: IMMORTALITY AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU! and A BOY-FREE TOMORROW!

"Not a fan of boy-free tomorrow. What about Apollo?!"

"I found that in Annabeth's backpack," Grover said.

Percy stared at him. "I don't understand."

"Well, it seems to me... maybe Annabeth was thinking about joining."

Selene struggled to hide her anger as Percy bolted away upon hearing about the possibility of Annabeth becoming a Hunter. He looked like he wanted to strangle the Hunters of Artemis one eternal maiden at a time.

Turning to Grover, she asked, "What's up with him? Is he always this emotional around you guys?"

Grover scratched his head, "I don't know. Annabeth has her ways with him."

Selene averted her gaze, looking away and not focusing on anything in particular. "Oh. Ok."

Just like yesterday, a piece of paper came flying in her direction. She caught it just in time, and unwrapped it.

Training in the Arena.
Right now.

— Almighty Mr. D.

"Grover, where can I find the Arena?"

He quickly stood up. "I can take you there!"

There was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. Selene glanced at a satyr near them chasing another poor nymph. "No need. You can just give me directions."

"Near the edge of the forest, between the archery range and the pegasus stables. If you need me, I can take y..."

"No need. But thanks, cutie."

Blood was humming in Selene's ears as she ran through the Forest, passing by Chiron conducting target practice down at the archery fields. She thought of saying 'hi', especially seeing how many pretty Apollo boys were in there—but Dionysus' orders were clear. Now. And, of course, she didn't want to face him even more irritated than he usually is.

When she got there, Selene walked into the amphitheater and her heart almost stopped. Dionysus wasn't there. Instead, she saw a copper-colored skin girl with a silver circlet braided into the top of her long, dark hair. Zoe Nightshade. She was wearing full Greek battle gear, and stood with her back turned at Selene, though she could already feel the girl's regal expression at her.

"Hi... Um... Zoe, right?"

She turned back, acknowledging Selene's presence. "My Lady," she kneeled kneeled down for a few seconds.

"I'm waiting for Dionysus."

Zoe rose gracefully and approached the edge of the Amphitheater, where she collected a stack of clothing in a dark hue. "I apprehend that Mr. D. will not accompany thee today. I have personally requested a morning with thee."

"Oh." Selene tilted her head sideways. "Cool."

Zoe approached Selene, carrying the stack of clothing with both hands. "These belong to thee," she conveyed, offering them to her.

Selene caught it. Upon close inspection, she noticed it was a black-colored tunic with wide sleeves and arm guards. Its fabric was a lightweight silk, and also had decorative silver embroidery of the moon and stars on its back.

"Mine?"

"Yes, m'Lady. This is what thee did wear afore turning to a useless girl."

"Ouch. Thank you."

Zoe helped Selene slip into the tunic, adjusting the fabric onto her body and tightening the black complementary belt. As the garment settled on her, Selene couldn't shake an uneasy feeling cradling within her. The clothing, while undoubtedly beautiful, made her look and feel different—like she was playing a role rather than being herself, wearing someone else's mask.

It didn't fit her body properly— it looked like it was thought and made for someone way taller, with many more muscles than her. Zoe finished it by doing a loose single braid on her hair, and placing a silver circlet on the top of her hair.

"Zoe, there's something I need to speak to you. About your dr—"

She interrupted her. "Mr. D. may find value in teaching, but my approach to training is different." She removed the silver circlet from her hair, letting her braided locks fall freely, brown curls cascading around her face.

Once she removed the circlet, it transformed instantly into a quiver of silvery arrows and a bow.

"Mist... I understand. While it may alter thee mental understanding of yourself, it won't change the memory stored in your body," she leaned in closer to Selene, pointing at her chest. "Your necklace."

"What? This is just some crap jewelry I got for Christmas when I was a kid."

"Take it off."

Selene's necklace had been a constant companion since, well, since she could recall. It was a silver necklace with a crescent moon pendant.

"Does it transform into a bow and arrows too? 'Cause, you know, I'm really terrible at archery. Once in eighth grade, I went on this field tr—"

"Take. It. Off."

Selene realized she had never taken the necklace off before. Once she removed it, the necklace transformed, unfolding into two ornate metal war fans in the color of silver alloyed with rhodium. The weapons were packed in an iron frame that held them open, with a headdress made out of the same material resting in between them.

She blew a long strand of black hair out of her face. It didn't go very far, the end of it sticking to her mouth. "Very nice. My almighty weapon is a fan," she sighed. "What do I do with it? Wipe away the enemy?"

The headdress and fans were much sturdier than they appeared—they looked meant to be worn and wielded in combat.

"There is a reason why the Sun goes West, and the Moon East," Zoe continued. "War fans—tessen, as thou call them, are creations from thy people."

"My people? You mean asians? Well, it's quite obvious I'm an Asian descent—you just have to look at me."

"Selene, thou dost not descend from Asians. Thou created Asia."

She tilted her head, "Ohhh. Right. Of course! Cause things weren't insane enough."

"Haven't thou asked thyself why thou were so keen on learning Ballet? Thy fighting style is based mainly on rhythmic balance, defensive movements, and equilibrium."

"Did I also invent Ballet?"

"Yes. Thou did."

She silently screamed. "I'm so fucking dope!"

Zoe ignored her. "Thou are aware of my dream. My Lady Artemis needs us—thou, especially. I don't believe in teaching, m'Lady—thy muscle memory is far more sufficient than what thou thinkest. Once thou learnest, thou never forget. We will fight, Seléne."

Zoe walked a few steps back and drew her bow at her. Selene snapped the war fan closed, trying to look slightly as terrifying as Zoe did. Instead her arms fell out of alignment and the leaf folded the wrong way, ruining the effect. Selene pulled her lips over her teeth in frustration. Well, the muscle memory wasn't muscling memoring.

The first arrow was unleashed her way. Selene didn't do much besides dodging it by running to the other side of the Amphitheater.

"Use thou fans!" Zoe screamed at her.

But she yelled back, running through the Arena, "How the fuck do I use those things?"

Zoe unleashed a rapid flurry of arrows, the movements so quick and precise that it seemed almost surreal. She effortlessly shot each arrow within a mere five-second interval.

"Thy arst a Titaness! Quit running around like a stupid mortal!"

"Maybe I am a stupid Titaness!" Selene hollered as she continued running around the amphitheater.

Selene stumbled backward, her feet colliding with a row of straw dummies. In a moment that felt like slow motion, she turned her head to glance back at Zoe, only to witness an arrow hurtling directly toward her.

If you ask her what happened, she won't know how to answer. But things went down like this:

Selene snapped her fans open. She tossed it into the air and it went straight in the arrow's direction, dodging it a few inches away from cutting her face open. The fan spun perfectly around her, the leaf tracing circles as it flew. She twirled herself around a dummy and caught the fan behind her back.

She stared at her hand. It was bleeding—not real bleeding, just the golden liquid. She was probably holding the fan wrongly, as it was cutting her entire hand.

"That's not how thy open the fan!" Zoe roared indignantly. "Thy could have damaged the leaf!"

"Cause I am so worried about those leaves," she murmured.

Zoe put one hand on her waist, "Thy fans are older than the Nation of China. Present from Zeus himself to thee. Damaging it would be extremely offensive."

"Nice. Now I have to polish my ex-boyfriend's weapon or sum."

"No!" Zoe's voice echoed through the amphitheater. "The fan is not a weapon! It's an extension of thou arm! Back to training!"

Zoe retrieved the bow she'd placed on the ground, directing it toward Selene once again.

"Stop fighting against your nature!" She screamed.

"I'm fighting against the crazy girl trying to kill me!"

Zoe resumed launching arrows at Selene, each shot executed with insane accuracy.

Selene raised the fan at Zoe. She was ready to scream, 'please, that's enough!', but what happened made her eyes widen so much it looked like it'd fall out of her head.

An inexplicable force made Zoe yelp and get thrown to the floor.

"I'm sorry!" She cried out, her hand instinctively rising to cover her mouth in a gesture of shock.

Zoe got up with a scowl on her face. But then, her glower turned into a grin so smug it could've blinded Selene.

"Exactly what I was expecting" she said, patting the dirt off her shield. "We shall resume our training."

The weapons weighed down on her hands, yet the grip was becoming slightly familiar to her. She had the thought that maybe if she flapped hard enough, she could take to the air like a bird.

The Hunter drew a knife from her belt before Selene could react. "Part two, m'Lady. Close combat."

Zoe lunged at her.

The amphitheater echoed with the clashing of metal as Selene tried to defend herself. However, Zoe's movements were like a well-choreographed dance, a masterful display of combat skill that left Selene struggling to keep up.

"Thou art too literal, Sélene. Thou art a Titaness. I should not stand a chance against thy power," Zoe gritted her teeth. "Find thy power. They are there."

Selene steadied her trembling fingers against the handles of her fans.

You're weak because you're thinking too literally about everything. You still haven't accepted who you are or what you're capable of—and that limits you.

Dionysus' words echoed in her mind.

She spread her weapons once again and licked a drop of sweat off her lip. She scuffed a little more weight into her front foot. Selene summoned all the energy she could find—though it wasn't too strong as it was still too early in the morning—starting with her connection to the sky and extending it through her weapons.

As Zoe closed in again with her knife, Selene ducked beneath Zoe's strike with a plié, the fans whirling around her in a protective arc. The Hunter tried to lunge at her again, but she was too slow.

Selene thrust her arms forward, one fang extended from each hand and struck Zoe's knife with what seemed like a bolt of lightning.

It wasn't exactly a bolt of lightning—it was more of a strike of moonlight.

Selene's heart raced, and adrenaline surged through her veins as she witnessed Zoe's sudden collapse. Without a second thought, she propelled herself forward, running with urgency. The distant echoes of Zoe's impact on the platform reverberated in Selene's ears, fueling her desperation to reach the girl.

"Zoe, I'm so sorry!" she yelled.

Her movements were a blur, feet pounding against the ground as she closed the distance. As she neared Zoe's fallen form, Selene's hands extended, ready to offer support. Zoe's headdress went tumbling as her jaw impacted against the platform.

"You alright?"

Zoe exhibited visible signs of pain, though she acknowledged Selene's assistance with a nod. "Satisfactory... Not flawless," her voice resonated with strain. "Sufficient to aid us rescue Lady Artemis."

Selene spent the entire afternoon at the Infirmary with Zoe. The place had cots on both sides with little tables next to them and wooden trunks at the foot of the cot, a cart shelves stocked with medical supplies and herbs.

Zoe lay on the soft bed whilst a brown-haired girl, who Selene learned was named Alex Beauregard, spoon-fed her with a yellow liquid. Zoe's hands were riddled with burns from where the moonlight lightning had struck her knife. At first, Zoe had tried to refuse the medication (something called Ambrosia) thrust upon her, but then her hands betrayed her by sending waves of blanketing, the pain seeming too unbearable even for her.

Selene stood by the door when Zoe opened her eyes, and gave her a flicker of smile.

"Thee are feeling guilty, I can see on thou face."

"Well, I kinda melted your hands..."

Zoe chuckled, but she sounded like her tongue was fuzzy in her mouth. "These heal fast, m'Lady." Then, she turned to the girl feeding her, "Could thy give us a minute, please? Also, take a brochure with thee."

Selene observed Zoe gesturing toward a stack of brochures tucked in her bag. Alex flashed a smile and grabbed one.

She turned to Selene, "I like your tunic. Very fitting."

"Not at all. My armpits are sweating, and this kind of feels too loose on my boobs."

As she headed for the door, Alex winked at Selene. "Take it to Cabin Ten whenever. I can see what I can do for you, Selene." She saluted her before exiting.

When she looked back, Selene noticed Zoe struggling to sit on the bed. She ran to Zoe's direction, putting a hand on her back.

"Here, let me help you."

She managed to croak, "Thank you, m'Lady," Zoe said. "There is something I must ask thee."

"Yes, anything." Anything? Well, of course she felt in debt with Zoe, but... Anything?

Zoe leaned in and looked both ways before whispering in her direction. "Lead the Hunters in today's capture the flag."

Selene stared at her. Then, she started laughing. "My God, Zoe, I thought it was something serious."

"It is serious, Selene. We've won fifty-times in a row already. I need thee to replace me whilst I rest and find a way of saving Artemis."

Selene looked confused at her. "Listen, Zoe, I can't fight. I know nothing about strategy or battle. I don't even know how to hold the weapon I, myself, created."

"Thou mind doesn't know. Thou body remembers."

"Either way, gods aren't allowed to join Capture the flag. It would be against the rules."

"Thee arst worried about rules?" Zoe smiled. "M'Lady, thee owe me." She pointed at her hands covered in bandages.

Selene felt so guilty for hurting Zoe, she couldn't possibly deny her request. However, she was lowkey terrified—leading the entire fleet of Hunters against Percy and Thalia? She couldn't even lead herself. She barely even knew how that stupid game worked.

"I will lead the Hunters, Zoe. I'm not promising a win, maybe a participation prize...?"

Zoe nodded. She eyed her bag, that was on the edge of her bed. "There is also one more thing that belongs to thee, m'Lady. Please, grab that."

Selene walked over there and rummaged through Zoe's bag, finding what she referred to. She grabbed it and raised her head, tilting her head to the left.

"Is that it?"

She wanted to laugh, but it didn't seem appropriate. Zoe was dead serious when she nodded.

"Now, your battle gear is completed, m'Lady."

On her hands, Selene held a solid mask shaped like a white fox. It featured details in silver, red, and black, appearing as if it covered her entire face, leaving only her lips exposed.

"Why is it a fox?"

"Sacred creature."

"That's so cool," Selene exclaimed, putting on the mask. "Do I look scary? Am I intimidating you?"

"Thee look... Funny."

"Great start."

That night, Selene skipped dinner. She sat with Zoe, and learned all she could to lead the Hunters on capture the flag. Once the conch-shell blew for the second time, she finished braiding her hair and walked outside the Big House with Bianca di Angelo, who stood on guard waiting for Zoe. Fans closed hanging by her belt, she put her mask on.

Selene probably didn't realize how it was the first time she looked more like a Goddess than a teenage girl. Of course, she was still a teenage girl, yet she didn't look like it. And maybe Zoe had lied to her as well, because once the mask was on, she was terrifying.

Selene entered the dinner pavilion, and a wave of hushed conversations and exchanged glances followed her. Bianca Di Angelo trailed behind her. The Hunters seemed to be aware of Zoe's dream involving Artemis, their subdued whispers and tear-streaked faces telling much about their shared concerns.

As Selene came into view, the Hunters, initially wrapped in their own conversations, straightened their postures. To an outsider, she was unrecognizable in her goddess battle form. Only those familiar with her divine battle gear would know.

Amidst the dwindling presence of campers who had departed to prepare, the Hunters remained, adjusting their armory. A representative of the group stepped forward, kneeling respectfully before Selene. The girl was built like a wrestler, and had ginger hair shaved on the sides. She'd just put on the Hunter's standard silvery camouflage.

"Lady Selene, are you joining us?"

Selene sighed and took off her mask. She still needed to get used to people randomly keeling by her. "By Zoe's request, yes. I'm leading you." But I know shit about what I'm doing, she mentally completed.

Bianca leaned closer to them. "Phoebe, Zoe is... Working. On a plan. Yes." She avoided looking at Selene. "To help us aid Artemis."

Phoebe nodded.

"What is our information so far?"

"Thalia is leading offense, whilst Percy is on defense. What is your plan, m'Lady?"

It was a small game. Including Selene, there were about thirteen of them. On the adversary team, there were probably about the same. She thought about the idea of being against Percy—had given the chance to choose, she undoubtedly would've chosen to play alongside him. But she couldn't. The only reason she joined them was because of Zoe, and all Selene could pray for was that she could go in and out game without being noticed.

"We'll trap them."

The girls had circled around Selene. One of them, a dark-brown-skinned girl with uncountable braids on her head, tilted her head. She looked puzzled. "Wait, what do you mean?"

"We shall divide into groups. Anticipating their strategy, a group of five will feign following their bait, presenting a united front to appear more formidable. They will likely attempt to divide you, thinking your strength lies in unity. They'll believe we chose an aggressive approach, leaving our flag seemingly defenseless, with only Bianca to guard it. The rest of you will conceal yourselves among the trees. When they make a move against Bianca, you will reveal yourselves and encircle them."

Phoebe raised her hand. "What about their flag—who shall secure it? It was supposed to be Zoe."

"I shall assume Zoe's role. The responsibility for the flag rests solely with me."

Bianca leaned closer to her, "You know what you're doing, right?" She whispered.

Selene didn't take her eyes off of the Hunters whilst murmuring back, "I have no fucking clue."

Zoe's directions were clear to her. "Conceal among the forest," she said. "Be invisible. Understand their formation and use it against them to secure the flag without being noticed."

This wasn't her plan. Selene would never come up with a strategy like this and be a hundred percent confident on it—she was the worst WAR player ever. The most strategic plan she ever needed to come up with involved camping at Burger King at 5 am to secure the Stanley Cup gift they were offering to the first one-hundredth customers of the day. But on Zoe she trusted, and this was Zoe's plan. If she played her cards decently, game would soon be over.

"Naomi, you're leading the first group to catch their hook. Phoebe, you'll lead the group hidden amongst trees. Good luck, y'all."

Chiron's hoof thundered on the pavilion floor, right across from where they were.

"Heroes!" he called. "You know the rules! The creek is the boundary line. Blue team— Camp Half-Blood—shall take the west woods. Hunters of Artemis—red team—shall take the east woods. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. No intentional maiming, please! All magic items are allowed. To your positions!"

Phoebe raised her arm, "For Artemis!" she exclaimed. Then, she also raised her head—it was a full moon that day. "For Seléne!"

"For Artemis!" The other Hunters yelled back. "For Seléne!"

Selene faced them one final time before putting back her mask. "Position our flag over the Creek. Secure the edges."

She didn't linger to hear their responses. As the Hunters moved towards the eastern woods, Selene turned away, her tunic billowing with each step.

Zoe had a map of Camp Half-Blood on her lap, while Selene perched on the edge of her bed. Zoe pointed to a specific location in the west woods.

"Zeus' fist."

It looked like a cluster of boulders in the middle of the west woods that looked like a huge fist sticking out of the ground. The top boulder was twenty feet tall.

"For someone like thou, who lacks proficiency in tree-climbing, Zeus' fist would be the optimal spot in Camp. Ascend there, and thou shalt swiftly locate the opposing team within seconds."

"But you said Chiron chooses whether we go West or East when we're about to start. What if we get assigned East?"

Zoe inclined her head, displaying a hint of annoyance at Selene's dumbness. "Then thou shalt conceal thyself among the adversaries. Even simpler."

Selene bided her time until all the campers and hunters dispersed to their respective sides of the woods. With no one in sight, she started her journey toward Zeus' Fist. Opting for a different route than the campers, who could easily expose her position, she chose the heart of the woods. The horn sounded, and the game began.

By the corner of her eyes, Selene caught a glimpse of three scouts from Camp. They ran through a clearing, followed by five of the Hunters, leading them deep into the woods. The plan seemed to be working. Then, she spotted another clump of Hunters heading to the right, bows ready. They must've spotted someone.

She started running. Selene could already see the formations of boulders from Zeus' fist, and more surprisingly, the blue team's flag being guarded by Percy Jackson. When she was close enough, Selene stopped running and tried her best to silently walk amongst the trees.

She'd gotten there close enough to watch Percy climb down the boulders and scream some incomprehensible orders to four boys who stood guarding the flag from beneath. He then raced toward the boundary line, quickly disappearing from her sight.

Whilst hiding behind a tree, Selene recognizes the first guy as Nico di Angelo. His blue-feathered bronze helmet was falling in his eyes, and his breastplate was about six sizes too big. This one would be easy to get through. The worst part was the other guy. The same African-American boy she'd seen on the Forges when she first got on camp, he was built like a wardrobe. While he didn't exude the expertise of a two-thousand-year-old battle veteran like Zoe, he still seemed as dangerous as she did.

The other two looked like twins. They were both tall and skinny with a mop of curly brown hair. First of all—their armory was upside down, and they were playing rock, paper, scissors. They actually looked strangely too similar to Selene herself. She liked them. For a second, she even pondered joining them, as it looked far more funny than hiding to grab a stupid flag.

"Should we follow him, Beckendorf?" She overheard Nico asking.

The African-American boy shook his head. "We'll stay here, guarding the flag."

She looked around. The boys were only guarding the front of the fist, in the direction of the border. They probably didn't care about the back—it was her opportunity.

As silent as she could get, Selene started climbing Zeus' fist. She wasn't as skilled as Percy, but she had the advantage of being ridiculously strong due to her Ballet background. It wasn't as difficult as she thought it would be.

She heard fighting to her left and right, somewhere in the woods, but it didn't faze her. Once she got to the top, Selene proudly grinned as she took the flag out. All she needed to do was run a few more yards to the creek and she had the game.

"Hey! What are you doing?" One of the boys asked. He and his twin-looking companion had abruptly stopped playing, and drew their swords at her.

Beckendorf and Nico did the same, though Nico looked like he couldn't even hold the weight of his own weapon.

Selene stood on top of Zeus' fist, the cold wind blowing on her single braid. Cloaked in her tunic and concealed by the mask, her identity remained hidden from them—and perhaps for the better, because behind the mask, she was completely terrified.

Before they could react, Selene drew one of her fans open and snapped it open.

It didn't make sense to her, but as soon as she pointed the fan in the direction of the twin-looking boys, a strike of moonlight charged it, following the path of the fan and hitting them. It flinged them with bone-jarring force. One of them swung through the air, his body slamming into a nearby tree with a crunch. The other one was launched skyward before being thrown against the trees, his body battered upon impact.

She wanted to help them, but she didn't have enough time. Beckendorf had his sword in her direction, ready to fight her.

Selene closed her eyes and gripped the handle of both her fans—she didn't know how to control the powers, so all she did was think please, not the lightning. Just do something lighter, less deadly.

Beckendorf glanced at her fan and then her, his eyes wide. "Who are you?" He screamed. There was a palpable fear in his voice.

The tips of her fans wavered through the amount of force that came from her. It surged like a tornado, creating a powerful wave that swept Nico and Beckendorf away. Each demigod was propelled to opposite sides, their backs slamming against the trees.

Selene took the opportunity and closed one fan, grabbing the flag with her. She climbed down the Fist as Beckendorf and the others were still trying to recover and get up, loud sounds of groaning coming from them.

She started running as if her life depended on it. Selene remembered someone saying gods were able to travel through shadows, and she'd one day learn how to travel through the moonlight, but only in a distant future. Now, all she could do was force her body to run as fast as it could.

Selene looked back, seeing an arrow exploding and a cloud of yellow smoke billowing around the trees. It was coming from where the Hunters' flag was. The plan succeeded. She could smell the gas from across the woods—the horrible smell of sulfur.

"No fair!" She heard Thalia's voice coming from afar. "Fart arrows are unsportsmanlike!"

She heard yelling from behind her, arrows whizzing past her ears as campers started running to catch her. Selene looked back, seeing that Beckendorf and Nico were chasing after her. A few yards in front of her, Percy was running in her direction.

She raced toward him like a fox, dodging campers with no trouble. And she had their flag in her hands. The wide berth given by campers, a mix of fear and awe, attested to the intimidating aura she exuded in the masked guise. They looked like they were hesitating whether they'd try to attack her or not.

"No!" Percy yelled, and poured on the speed.

Percy was two feet from the water when Selene bolted across to her own side, slamming into him for good measure. The Hunters cheered as both sides converged on the creek.

Chiron appeared out of the woods, looking grim. He had the twin-looking boys on his back, and it looked as if both of them had taken some nasty whacks to the head. On his side, Zoe Nightshade appeared, her hands still in bandages.

"The Hunters win!" Chiron announced without pleasure. Then he muttered, "For the fifty-sixth time in a row."

"You!" Percy screamed, storming toward her. He sounded so mad that blue sparks flickered on his sword. Everybody cringed and backed up. It took all her willpower not to cower. "Who the fuck you think you are?"

Selene straightened her body and freed her hand from their flag. She removed the mask from her face, revealing her identity.

A collective gasp swept through the campers as they recognized her, their astonishment evident in the widening of their eyes and the hushed whispers that followed.

Thalia took a step further, "This ain't fair! Gods aren't allowed!" She bellowed.

Chiron lowered his head. Zoe Nightshade responded instead, "Selene has no control, nor acknowledgment over her powers. She is as skilled as any one of thee. She doesn't apply to the no-god rule."

Chiron nodded. "Correct. The Hunters' victory will be maintained."

"You betrayed me!" Anger roared in Percy's ears as he screamed at Selene. "You are my friend, but you joined them!"

A wave erupted from the creek, blasting into Selene's face and dousing her from head to toe.

"Sorry!" Percy said, turning pale. "I didn't mean to—"

If this was a normal situation, she'd probably laugh at him and say 'come on, Perce, it isn't that serious'. But she was pissed at him for attacking her out of nowhere. She deserved that win. She outplayed him.

Selene was breathing heavily.

With her free hand she opened a fan and aimed the leaf around Percy's throat. The moonlight reflected on her eyes as she watched a tiny wriggle of water snake out of the vessel and wrap itself around his neck. With a turn on her fang, the water started pressing on Percy's neck, choking him.

Selene lowered her fan, and the water broke down back to the lake. "Yeah," she growled at him as he gasped for air, hands pressed on his neck. "I didn't mean to, either."

"Enough!" Chiron ordered.

But Selene held out her fan in his direction. "You want more, Lord of the Bathroom?"

"Bring it on, Fox Face!"

Percy raised his sword, Riptide, but before he could even defend himself, a blast of moonlight came down from the sky, hitting her fans with lightning rod, and slammed into his chest.

Percy sat down hard. There was a very strong burning smell coming from his clothes.

"Selene!" Chiron exclaimed. Though his voice was loud, he was still hesitating with her. It wasn't like he could scold her like he'd scold a normal camper. "That is enough!"

Percy got to his feet and willed half of the entire creek to rise. It swirled up, hundreds of gallons of water in a massive icy funnel cloud.

Selene stood up and, focusing on the full moon above their heads, she lifted the water on her side of the creek. The liquid surged, forming a similar vortex, ready to meet Percy's swirling mass on the other side. The two water columns awaited the imminent clash.

The amount of anger in each eyes made it look like it was more than two friends fighting because of 'capture-the-flag'. Percy, at that moment, seemed more like god in disguise than demigod, while under the full moon, Selene finally looked like how people would describe her before the memory loss—a bloodcurdling Titaness, hasty-tempered and overwhelmingly strong.

There wasn't a single person around who wasn't fearing them—except for, maybe, Thalia.

"Percy!" Chiron pleaded. "Selene!"

Selene was about to hurl it at him when she noticed Percy looking at something behind her, coming from inside the woods. He looked like he lost his anger and his concentration all at once, as the water he was controlling splashed back into the creekbed. Selene was so surprised she turned to see what he was looking at, her part of the creek also splashing back.

Someone... something was approaching. It was shrouded in a murky green mist, but as it got closer, the campers and Hunters gasped.

"This is impossible," Chiron said. I'd never heard him sound so nervous. "It... the Oracle has never left the attic. Never."

And yet, the withered mummy that Chiron called 'Oracle' shuffled forward until she stood in the center of the group. Mist curled around their feet, turning the snow a sickly shade of green.

None of them dared move. Then her voice hissed inside Selene's head. Apparently, everyone could hear it, because several clutched their hands over the ears.

I am the sprit of Delphi, the voice said. Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python.

The Oracle regarded Selene with its cold, dead eyes. Then she turned unmistakably toward Zoe Nightshade. Approach, Seeker, and ask.

Zoe swallowed. "What must I do to help my goddess?"

The Oracle's mouth opened, and green mist poured out. Selene saw the vague image of a mountain, and a girl standing at the barren peak. It was Artemis, but she was wrapped in chains, fettered to the rocks. She was kneeling, her hands raised as if to fend off an attacker, and it looked like she was in pain. The Oracle spoke:

Six shall go west to the goddess in chains,

One shall be lost in the land without rain,

The bane of Olympus shows the trail,

Campers, Hunters, and Gods combined prevail,

The Titan's curse must one withstand,

And one shall perish by a parent's hand.

Then, as they were watching, the mist swirled and retreated like a great green serpent into the mummy's mouth. The Oracle sat down on a rock and became as still as if she might sit by this creek for a hundred years.