Let the rain be blood! ( War Game )

Resting in the Eye of the Storm

Ah, the sweet sound of absolute chaos. 

Music to my ears.

I leaned back against the thick trunk of the tree, letting my eyes close for a moment. It wasn't exactly peaceful up here, not with all the screaming, shouting, and general carnage happening down below, but it was the safest I'd felt in hours. I'd managed to take out some Hermes campers, set my traps, and even swipe a meal without getting caught. Not a bad day's work, all things considered.

But now? Now, I needed to rest.

Let them scream. 

Let them tear each other apart down there. 

I'll wait.

The tree branches swayed gently above me as I settled in, wedging myself into the crook of the trunk for some semblance of comfort. The wind carried the sound of distant fights, maybe a little closer than I would've liked, but no one had stumbled into my traps yet. So far, so good.

I was just starting to relax when I heard something new. Voices. Close enough that I could hear what they were saying, but far enough that I couldn't spot them through the thick canopy of leaves.

"What about Percy Jackson? Has anyone seen him?"

That snapped me wide awake.

Oh, great. Now I'm famous.

"Where the hell is that bastard? We need to kill him!"

Aww, you shouldn't have! 

I didn't know I was so popular.

I kept perfectly still, listening as they moved around below. From the sound of it, there were at least two, maybe three of them, all prowling around like a pack of wolves hunting their next meal.

Spoiler alert: I was the meal.

I couldn't see them through the thick cover of leaves and branches, but that didn't matter. I could hear them, and that was enough. They were close—too close for comfort—but they didn't know where I was yet.

Well, isn't this cozy? 

I'm up here, they're down there, and they want to tear me limb from limb. 

No big deal.

Another voice chimed in, louder and angrier. "We find him, we end him. I don't care if he's a son of Poseidon. He's not invincible."

Ouch. 

Somebody's feelings are hurt.

I couldn't help but smirk, despite the very real threat hanging below me. I'd made some enemies, clearly. And from the sound of it, Ares' cabin wasn't the only one gunning for me.

They're pissed. 

And honestly? 

That's fine. 

Let them be angry.

They didn't know where I was. As long as I stayed quiet, kept my breathing steady, and didn't make any sudden moves, I was safe. And if they happened to stumble into one of my traps, well, that'd be a nice little bonus.

Besides, it wasn't like I was in any rush to confront them. I'd been going non-stop since this whole war game thing began, and I needed to recharge. If I charged down there now, sleep-deprived and exhausted, I'd be as good as dead.

I've got time. 

Let them kill each other for a while. 

I'll make my move when I'm good and ready.

I stretched my legs out a bit, careful not to make too much noise as I shifted in the branches. My muscles ached, my mind was buzzing, and I could feel the exhaustion setting in. But up here? Up here, I could breathe. Up here, I could wait.

And judging by the distant screams that echoed through the camp, something big was going down anyway. There were other hunters in the game, no doubt. It wasn't just me playing the predator. Ares' kids were probably mowing down anyone they could find, and Athena's cabin was surely plotting something smart and underhanded.

Good. 

Let them fight it out. 

I'll join the fun when I'm ready.

The voices below were starting to fade, moving farther away as the group continued their search. I heard one of them mutter something about "Percy Jackson" and "coward" before they disappeared completely, leaving me in blissful silence once more.

Coward? 

Really? 

That's the best they've got?

I couldn't help but laugh quietly to myself. Yeah, I was up in a tree, hiding like a kid playing hide-and-seek, but this was strategy. Rest was a weapon too. And if I was going to survive this mess, I needed to be at the top of my game.

Plus, they're making so much noise down there, it's like they want to get themselves killed. 

Amateurs.

I shifted slightly, rolling my shoulder to get rid of the ache that had settled in from all the bow-shooting earlier. I'd done enough damage for now. Took out Hermes, swiped food, set traps. I had no reason to go charging into the fray just because someone down there was yelling my name like they were summoning a demon.

I'll go when I'm good and ready. 

But not before.

The sun was starting to dip lower, casting long shadows across the camp. It wouldn't be long before nightfall, and that's when things would really get interesting. Darkness had a way of leveling the playing field, hiding some of the less-than-obvious traps and making it harder to see who was coming.

Perfect time for a good ol' fashioned ambush.

But first, I'd rest.

My eyelids grew heavier as the minutes ticked by. The shouts and screams from the distant battles became background noise, blending into the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves. Ares was on the hunt, sure. Athena's kids were probably laying down some insane plan. And somewhere out there, someone had decided that I was priority number one on their "to-kill" list.

Let them come. 

I'll be ready. 

But first... just a quick nap.

I closed my eyes, letting the cool evening air wash over me. I'd lasted this long, against all odds. I'd outsmarted, outplayed, and outlasted some of the best campers in this stupid game.

And I'm not done yet. 

But when I come down from this tree? 

Oh, they better be ready.