First, I'd like to say thank you very much for all the support, this book is only three chapters long and it's already got over 100 reads, 18 votes and 19 comments! My orignial book Shattered Glass came out a while ago, and it only recently got over 100 reads! This is really impressive, I love you guys so much!
So, I don't have a dedication, really......... let's just get right to it!
Caterpillars!
[P.S JUST CUZ I'm EVIL LIKE THAT, YOU WON'T FIND OUT WHO WON THE ENTIRE THING TILL LIKE ANOTHER TWO CHAPTERS SO...MAYBE EVEN MORE]
Hazel Levesque IV
Hazel tried not to trip as she walked on the thick layer of ice that seemed to stretch out for miles and miles. It reminded her of Alaska, her old home.
Hazel didn't even know how to feel about this whole 'game'. She didn't want to battle her friends, which would most probably destroy the friendship they had been building. The seven demigods had been through so much together, and now one simple hour of fighting could cause the rest of the trip to be in jeopardy because the team couldn't work together.
Hazel pushed these thoughts aside as her mind wandered to her opponent. The terrain was very uneven, with sudden drops of the ground and sudden rises. It made it nearly impossible to walk on, plus the fact that it was incredibly slippery. Hazel had fallen four times already and hurt her knees. She hoped there wouldn't be a fifth time.
The cold wind suddenly turned into a hot gust as violent flames melted the ice in front of her, heading her way. Hazel thanked her reflexes for jumping out of the way in time. Her pants were black with soot, completely scorched, but she was pretty much unharmed.
As Hazel struggled to her feet, a figure came into view, emerging from the smoke.
"Leo." Hazel called without doubt. "Nice entrance."
"You think?" Leo asked back, the biggest fake grin plastered on his face. Hazel laughed, casually drawing her sword. It would be hard to fight Leo, not only was he a great strategist with many tricks up his sleeve, he was one of her good friends, and Hazel didn't know how she would fight him.
Regardless, Hazel kept her confident look on, her guard high.
Leo looked at Hazel, his expression easy and light, but his eyes showing how troubled and tensed he was. He clearly hated this 'game' as much as Hazel did, but he was trying hard not to show it.
Hazel raised her sword as a sign that she was going to attack, and charged. Leo looked panicked for a second, trying to figure out what to do, but in the next second, he was out of the way to her right.
"Sorry, Hazel." Leo whispered. A burrning sensation flew through her right arm and stomach as she saw the red and burnt skin.
Hazel got up, using snow to stop the burning sensation. The area around Leo had more or less melted into water or slush, and his body was radiating heat.
Hazel held her sword up, realizing that Leo wasn't going to hold back. He wanted to win and prove that he was strong, but at the same time didn't want to hurt her. Of course, whether she won or lost she would be healed, but causing your friends pain or being hurt by your friends broke your heart.
Hazel charged towards Leo, this time more cautious. Her steps were light and she could change direction easily. As she approached Leo, she swung at his legs but he jumped back and fire spread towards her. Hazel sliced her sword through it, the force of the blow putting out some of the fire. Hazel stepped out of the way to avoid the rest, but the cold wind and snow put out the fire by itself.
By now, Hazel knew that using the mist would be the only way to win. She tried to imagine what Leo saw.
Hazel was a good friend, and Leo didn't want to hurt her. However, he wanted to win more than ever because in his past, Hazel had heard he had felt helpless and unable to do anything. He was accused of things he didn't do, and he was angry for that. Leo wanted to beat Hazel and prove that he was useful and not the seventh wheel like he felt. He wanted to become part of the 'family'.
And defeating Hazel, a girl with a sword and some pathetic magic tricks, would be easy, right?
As Leo summoned the next wave of fire, Hazel imagined it surrouding her, making her trapped. Leo would win against Hazel and prove that he wasn't the odd one out or the weak one, and could fight just as well as anyone.
Yes, yes Leo was beating Hazel, and he could prove that he wasn't the odd one out. When Hazel felt her Mist was strong enough, she charged towards Leo, slashing at his legs so that he wouldn't be able to get up again. The Mist vision broke, and the flames dissapeared, and Leo was lying on the cold ground, his legs bloody. A cut ran across his knees, and his was defenitely in no position to get up.
"Sorry, Leo." Hazel murmured, her hand clamped through her mouth as she dropped to her knees beside Leo. "I'm so sorry."
Tears welled up as she saw the blood continue to flow out of the deep cuts. "I won now, so heal him!" Hazel shrieked at the sky.
Don't be fiesty, dear. I'll heal him. The ghostly voice whispered to her. A faint white light appeared, Leo's cuts closing and the blood disappearing. Leo cried out in pain, and Hazel gripped his hand as he tried not to flinch at the pain.
"Are you okay?" Hazel asked, helping him sit up.
"I'm fine, Hazel. Y-you were great. Good luck." Leo said, grinning at her.
Hazel nodded, and felt light errupt from within her. Her vision blurred for a few horrible moments, and then cleared as she arrived at a marsh.
The earth was soft and Hazel's feet sunk slightly as she stood in place, blinking to clear her vision. Her energy and burns were gone, as if they were never there in the first place.
The marsh was surrounded by what seemed like an endless forest. Her gaze travalled across the place, and landed on a figure, sitting on a rock at the edge of the marsh.
When Hazel walked closer and saw her oponent, she lost hope of winning.
Percy Jackson leaned against the rock, his long messy hair covering his eyes. When he heard Hazel approach he looked up, and Hazel saw a strange sadness buried into his sea-green eyes.
"Percy?" Hazel asked softly.
"Let's just get this over with." Percy grumbled, uncapping his sword, Riptide. Hazel yelped and drew her own sword.
"What's wrong, Percy?" Hazel asked, meeting his wild eyes calmly.
"Nothing." Percy replied, finally meeting her gaze. It softned, and he calmed down a bit, "Nothing, Hazel. Now let's fight, shall we?"
Hazel raised an eyebrow but didn't get a chance to ask a question as Percy charged at her. She delfected his first few blows, but one got a cut on her left arm, and Hazel was forced to retreat a few steps.
Percy's expression was pained as he looked at the blood on his sword. "I'm sorry, Hazel." Percy finally said, dropping to his knees.
"Percy!" Hazel exclaimed, dropping her sword as she ran over to him.
"I don't want to fight you. I can't fight you. Just defeat me and move on, okay? I don't want to fight anyone else." Percy said.
"Percy, I don't either." Hazel said softly. "But let's fight to get out of here. Let's fight each other to get to Athens and get this quest over with, so that you can go home to Camp Half-Blood. Fight so that we can all go home." Hazel's voice dropped at the end, as she realized she couldn't go home. She was a spirit that escaped, and she was going to have to go back to the Underworld. Hazel almost broke when it dawned on her, but kept it together for Percy.
Percy didn't look up at her, and Hazel crouched beside him. "Fight for me, Percy. Fight for Annabeth. Fight for everyone Percy. We believe in you."
Percy sighed as he picked up his fallen sword and Hazel retrieved hers. "Here I come!" He yelled, his eyes lit up with a new hope.
Before Hazel knew it, she was on the floor, and unable to get up. She didn't feel bad that she let Percy win though, she was actually glad.
"Thank you, Hazel." Percy said, before flashing with white light and disappearing. Hazel winced as she felt an invisible force heal her wounds.
Hazel knew Percy could do it. She knew he could win, even if he battled Jason. Hazel trusted Percy more than she trusted Jason, but that wasn't the only reason. She'd seen Percy fight, and he was amazing.
Hazel believed in him, and she knew he would win.
Or would he?
DUN DUN DUN!
Lol sorry.
So don't forget to vote, comment and all that stuff, eh?
~Infinite_Warrior