The Legend of Elodie Grant (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter Eight

"Here, you need to wear this."

Arsen held out a huge helmet with a flamboyant red plume on the top. I stared at it, distastefully, not bothering to take it from him. He sighed and walked closer. He reached up and plopped the helmet on top of my head, smiling as the rim sunk over my eyes. I glowered up at him as he readjusted it.

"I don't want to wear this." I announced as he stepped back.

He chuckled and shook his head. He opened his mouth to respond to me, but was cut off as one of his cabin members came up from behind him.

"Remind me again why we have the hippies on our team?" The girl grumbled, glaring at my cabin mates. I glanced over at them to see them lounging in the grass, making flower crowns with flowers they grew themselves.

I frowned at the girl, feeling strangely protective over my new family. I stepped forward and opened my mouth to retort, but Arsen stepped in front of me, cutting me off.

"We have all seen what she can do, Hannah." He said, raising an eyebrow.

Hannah's eyes flickered over to meet mine, her gaze cold and scrutinizing. She crossed her arms across her chest, and if her goal was to look intimidating, she aced it. I refused to show my fear, instead meeting her gaze with a glare of my own.

"She is one person." Hannah finally said, looking back at him. "The others are useless."

"Alright, how about you--"

Arsen cut me off by clapping loudly, gathering everyone's attention. Joining Demeter and Ares was Hephaestus, Aphrodite, and Dionysus. I could tell many of Ares believed they had been stuck with the butt-end of the deal, but I was sure that many of the cabins had their own hidden talents.

"Huddle up!" Arsen shouted, his voice ringing loudly. He sounded like a true leader and I couldn't help the shivers that rose up my spine.

Everyone immediately responded, crowding around the two of us. I was pressed up against Arsen's chest in the movement. I blushed wildly, but Arsen only smirks.

"Okay, here's the plan." Arsen said, "Ares, Dionysus, and Aphrodite are on offense. Everyone else is on defense. We are placing the flag at the top of Zeus' fist, as per usual, but this time Elodie here will erect a wall of thorns around the structure. The flag will stay visible, so it won't break any rules."

He bent down and picked up a stick, writing in the dirt to help illustrate his strategies.

"Dionysus, Aphrodite, you need to come in at the flag from the left and the right. Athena will no doubt be on offense, but you'll have to be careful of Apollo. They will hang in the trees and snipe you out with their arrows before you get anywhere close to the flag."

He looked up, meeting everyone's gaze in the circle. He made sure to keep eye contact, only ensuring his dominance over the group. When he looked over at me, I gave him a challenging look. I thought he smiled, but it was gone before I blinked.

"Elodie is with me." He announced finally.

The crowd murmured, unsure of this new announcement. Even I couldn't help but frown. What reasoning could there possibly be behind this development?

"No!"

Everyone was surprised at the small girl who spoke up. There was nothing but anger in her voice. I frowned down at her. I bent down to her level.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" I asked.

She gave me such a scathing glare that I stood back up again, my lips pursed. She obviously wasn't my biggest fan, but I couldn't see what I had done in order to gain this loathing. Arsen bent down next to her and she visibly relaxed.

"What's your issue, Clarise?" He asked, his voice rough. I frowned at the way he treated the kid, but she didn't seem to mind in the slightest.

"She shouldn't get to go with you." Clarise said, "She's new and inexperienced. She will drag you down and lose the game for us."

I didn't know how to react. Arsen stood up, clearing his throat.

"Elodie is powerful. She stays with me."

Clarise opened her mouth to protest some more, but a single look from Arsen cut her off. It was obvious that she idolized him, and perhaps was even crushing on him.

"That's the plan, everyone line up." Arsen announced, clapping his hands again.

Everyone dispersed, but I was shoved roughly to the side by an Ares cabin member. I whirled around, my eyes showing my rage.

"Just because your father is Ares doesn't mean you all get to act like entitled assholes." I snapped before Arsen could stop me.

There was a sudden silence in the clearing and thunder could be heard rolling in the distance. I glared around at everyone, a clear challenge on my face. I was practically daring them to say anything in response.

Finally someone spoke up, "I think I might learn to like the Flower Girl after all."

I wasn't pleased with the name, but I would take it if it meant the demigods would respect me. I was powerful, I knew that much, and I hadn't been raised to be docile like the other Demeter children. I wasn't something they had never come across before.

Arsen came over and it almost looked as if he were proud of me. I shrugged it off and let him lead me to the treeline where everyone else was forming lines, waiting for the conch horn that would signal the start of the game.

"Why do you want me at your side?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

Arsen didn't look at me, keeping his eyes on the trees. He said, "No one has ever seen a child of Demeter on the offense. They are usually docile people. You're one of a kind."

I listened to him, refusing to look at him. I clenched my fists at my sides and kicked off my shoes, making sure my feet were in direct contact with the earth. I had found that I was more powerful that way.

"You're our secret weapon, Elodie."

I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could say anything, the conch horn blew loudly, echoing through the woods.

The game has started.