The Half-Blood Magician, ch. 10: We Capture a Flag

"Alright, Campers-blue team- gets the west woods, and Hunters-red team-gets the east woods. The creek is the boundary line . I will serve as referee and battle field medic. No intentional maiming. All magic items are allowed. To your positions!" The centaur added. I followed Zoe and the others into the woods.

We set our flag in a high tree near the center of our half of the woods. "Anna, Gabrielle,  guard the flag. Phoebe, Diana, Alice, guard the northern flank, Kate, May, Tanya,  take south. Jane, Carmen..." Zoe continued listing off the positions of the various Hunters."...and I am going for the flag. Stella,  guard me, make sure that no one gets in my way. Are we all clear?"

The Hunters nodded.

A horn sounded in the distance. Zoe smiled. "Let the games begin."

Zoe stayed where she was for a few seconds and watched the others get into position. Phoebe's group met and immediatly devastated the Hermes cabin. Aphrodite cabin were making an arc around the south, but they all fell unconsious with in seconds. Demeter and Dionysus were easy take-outs to, leaving Ares, Athena, Apollo, and Hephaestus.

That's when Zoe started moving. I flashed around knocking anyone within a 5-yard radius of her unconsious with the hilt of my dagger. We were almost to the flag, it was only guarded by a couple of Apollo kids. Or at least I thought so. Because just then someone slammed into me from behind and I fell to the ground.

I looked up and saw it was the girl from my vision, Annabeth.

"Nice one, Wise Girl, but it doesn't really make a difference."

I pointed toward the creek and Annabeth's eyes widened. Zoe had taken out the guards from Apollo no problem and, as we watched, leaped over the creek with the flag. The Hunters ran over to her and cheered. I flashed over and did the same.

"That's 55!" Anna yelled. We high-fived, and the rest of the Hunters all cheered.

The centaur appeared out of the woods. "The Hunters win." He annouced grimly.

The centaur cantered toward us. "And who is this? " he asked. I held out my hand. "Stella, The Half-Blood Magician." The centaur got a panicked look on his face. "You must not speak of this here." He turned to Zoe. "I would like to speak with you and Miss..." he looked at me.

"I don't use a last name." The centaur looked mildly irratated, but he repeated,"you and Stella at the big house."

Zoe looked confused, but nodded. We followed the centaur to the  blue farm house. The parlor was empty except for a pudgy man in a leapard print shirt and khaki shorts. I blinked a thousand images out of my head- I knew who he was. I knew who he truly was, but I'm not going to write that down.

"Dionysus." I said.

He looked up from his wine magazine. He wrinkled his nose. "Another one, Aye? Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, then, but don't expect me to be happy about it."

I raised my eyebrows. "Surprised you don't recognize me, ____________" again, not writing it down, but I'm telling you, the look on his face was worth a million drach. "What..."

I grinned.

"Stella, Half-Blood Magician, Master of the True Names of the Olympians."

He looked at the centaur. "What is she doing here?"

"I wanted to see the camp." I answered for him.

"Come with me, girls, we've much to discuss." The centaur dragged us down a hall before we could say anything else to the wine god.

*with apologies to Rick Riordan for the chapter name*

The Half-Blood Magician, ch.11: I Talk with a Horse