Emberlynn Knight

In... out... in...

"Hey, it's you!" 

The sound startled Emberlynn, causing her to jump back with fright. For a moment the light she'd been conjuring flashed brighter than before. Perhaps there really was something to that scorpion idea... She had no time to dwell on that though, as her brain began to process the situation. The voice was no threat at all, unless she considered a boy about her age to be particularly threatening. It came from a ginger kid whom she hadn't noticed approach due to her concentration. He spoke rather bluntly, but she sensed no malice in his voice or demeanor. Lucky she was good at reading people though - many wouldn't take too kindly to being called "That chick with the weird hair and the loud mouth".

"If anything, you've a louder mouth than I!" She cracked a smile, taking a moment to examine the boy. He was athletically built, with bright red hair and a freckled complexion. Being so young, he reminded her a bit of a buff leprechaun - the thought of which made her stifle a laugh. "Loud enough to give me quite a fright at any rate - though I must thank you for the breakthrough. As for where we are - this is Camp Halfblood. Haven't you been to the orientation yet?"

Ember tried to place this guy in her mind. She could've sworn she'd seen him around before, but he must be new if he didn't know where it was they were. Though it had taken quite some time for her to properly transition to life here as well. Perhaps the poor boy was simply confused. No, wait... he had said he recognized her, even if he'd done it a bit rudely. He must've meant something else entirely. Quickly pushing past her blunder, she moved to a new line of inquiry. "And who might you be? You appear to know me, but unfortunately I have no such advantage."

Emberlynn Knight sat cross-legged on the grass, her eyes shut tight in concentration. Her shoulders rose and fell with each heavy breath. In...out...in...out... focus on the rhythm... She found herself repeating an old mantra she'd developed during her school days. It had always helped calm her nerves and steady her mind. The chant had come in useful before exams or backstage before opening night performances. And now, she hoped, it would prove useful for her current task. Focus... focus..... NOW! Her eyelids shot open, revealing a set of unnaturally purple eyes. They glinted like amethysts as the sunlight struck them, matching the flash of determination beneath. The girl leapt to her feet, extending a single arm before her. A soft purple glow emanated from her palm. It flowed outward a bit, covering her fingertips. Ember's eyes locked on the light, and she flexed her hand.

The light dissipated.

"Oh... gods damn it!" She let out a long sigh. Her prior determination faded, and she slumped back to the ground in defeat. "Why must it be so difficult?"

The first time Emerlynn had discovered her powers, there had been an unmistakable intensity to the situation. The heat she'd felt throughout her whole body, like an electric surge was rushing through her veins - she'd felt something otherworldly that day. Something primal and powerful, something she now knew she had access to.  In that moment, a blinding light had crashed down from the sky, brighter than anything the girl had ever seen. But now? Now, no matter how hard she tried to bring back that feeling, it wouldn't return. The electric charge was little more than static, and the most she could manage was turning her palm into a dull flashlight.

Maybe I ought to find another Scorpion.

At least that small light was getting easier and easier to conjure. She sat a little straighter, reigniting the glow to form a small ball of energy in her hands. "What do I do with this, Mom?" she wondered aloud. Did the goddess hear her? And if she happened to be listening, did she even care? Certainly she must care a little, having bestowed the girl in the first place. Unless of course it was some big cosmic joke. From what Ember could recall of Greek mythology, pranks weren't exactly uncommon among the Olympians.

Well, joke or not, she did have this power. It'd be waste if she didn't use it. So she'd just have to figure it out... somehow...

Alias: AdelynnWilde

Characters you are Keeping: Emberlynn Knight, Axel Gauthier, Vienna Pimm
Characters you are Making Inactive: N/A
Characters you are Retiring: N/A 

Alias: AdelynnWilde

Characters you are Keeping: Axel Gauthier, Emberlynn Knight, Vienna Pimm
Characters you are Making Inactive: None
Characters you are Retiring: None

"My... power...?" Emberlynn spoke slowly, looking down at her hands. Could that really be true? Life had been a whirlwind of new information since arriving to this place. First she'd learned that she was the child of a god and that monsters would be hunting her for potentially her entire life. Then she'd been claimed by Iris and went to live alone in a cabin, only to be immediately thrust into a combat-heavy game of Capture the Flag. And yet this must have been the most exciting development yet. The beautiful, powerful light... it came from Emberlynn? As difficult as it was to process, she also felt it had to be the truth. That warmth that had overtaken her was undeniable. In that moment of terror and emotion, something had shifted in her. She'd felt it. This must be the result. "That was... me..."

She still sounded dazed as she looked back up at her fighting partner. The warrior was only a few years older than the Iris camper, yet carried herself with so much more confidence and experience. How many of these things had she fought? She talked of winning battles so causally. Ember was in awe. The warrior princess image of herself she'd had in training was becoming more and more real, and she realized there must be many other people here who were worthy of the title. But this thing, ability, whatever it was? This was all hers. The girl looked up to the sky, wondering if Iris was smiling down on her. Probably not. But one could never really know.

"I suppose I've got a long way to go," she admitted. "It's not going to get any easier from here, is it? At least the camp serves as a safe haven for now. Speaking of which we'd best get back. Thank you again. I'm forever in your debt." She turned back toward the camp, her mind flooded with another world of new possibilities.

Ember was concentrating on her newfound power when TJ suddenly got up and scrambled to the edge of a branch. Target spotted, apparently. The girl couldn't help but giggle a bit. He was certainly a determined boy, excitable and easily distracted. He reminded her a bit of her best friend back home. Atlas had always struck her as a bit of an airhead, though a kindhearted one. Though since coming to camp she had begun to doubt a lot of the things she knew about him. She cheered aloud as she watched her new friend leap through the trees, the older boy hot on his heels. Wow... he really is fast. And he thought my little nightlight was cool.

The end of that confrontation, however, left her horrified. It all happened so quickly. The shrinking clothes, the odd confession... Ember wasn't exactly shocked at TJ's answer to the questions. "Girls have cooties" was pretty on-brand for him. She briefly wondered if he thought that she too -as a girl - was so disgusting. She'd thought they were getting along quite well... No. This wasn't about her. To make him say things like that in front of the other campers- who the hell did this guy think he was!? Emberlynn sprung from the tree with a clumsy thud and ran to his side.

"TJ! Are you alright?" She spun to glare at the older camper, who it seemed had taken to threatening some other boy around their age. Ember didn't know either of them, but her usual inclination to diffuse tense situations has dissolved when he'd done such an awful thing to her friend. "You there! Do you actually think that is an appropriate response? That water didn't cause you any harm. And yet you assault and humiliate someone in such a manner?" Her tone was incredulous. Perhaps she had nothing to do with the situation, but she went on with her tangent. She swept her arms toward the general crowd. "You know what? I take it back. I hope it did harm you. I hope that water revealed to all of these people what a vile and spiteful person you must be on the inside. Especially those young women."

Of course, Emberlynn had no idea what the guy was really like on the inside, but what she had just witness did not make her inclined to give the benefit of the doubt. Having gotten her jabs in, she turned on her heel and chased after TJ. "Are you hurt? Is there anything I might do to help?"

"Excellent! I'll let you know when it's ready." Ember's mind was already spinning with plans. Honestly, she felt this would be kind of fun! Like when they were working together in capture-the-flag. Well, that had been fun until the zombies showed up. She pictured the two of them decked out in spy gear one might see in her cartoons. It was an amusing image, but one that she couldn't help but draw excitement from. Now she had to procure some candy... Aunt Amelia could help with that, surely. The bakery was only a short drive from camp, so it shouldn't be a problem to request some extra candy bars in the next care package. Ember pictured her Aunt's pantry, always full of sweets and goodies. She missed that place.

"The Iris Cabin? Well its..." The word she was looking for was lonely, but to be so open with her emotions might dampen the mood. "A bit on the boring side to be completely honest. I'm the only camper, so there isn't much entertainment around the place." Apparently it was far from unheard of for a cabin to only have one member at a given time. Unfortunately Emberlynn was not a fan of solitude. She very much hoped that a brother or sister would turn up for her one of these days. "Oh! There is one cool thing about Iris though. Watch this!"

She held out her palm and concentrated. If she'd had laser vision, it would've quickly bored a hole in the center of her hand from how hard she was staring. At first, nothing happened. Dammit Em, we practiced this... After a moment a warmth began to well up within her. She stared even harder, forcing the warm feeling down into the center of her hand. As she did, a small orb of purple light took shape. It wasn't super bright yet, not was it super useful. But it was a start. She looked over at TJ, grinning from ear to ear. It was the first time she'd shown someone her new ability, at least on purpose. "It's not much, but it's real magic. I never would've thought... well, being a demigod can be very cool, wouldn't you say?"

"Lady Lilythe! Oh, that's perfect!" How lucky, the birthday person had turned out to be someone she knew a little bit about. Her mind swam with ideas. The perfect gift... well, Ms. Rayne had certainly seemed quite troubled the last time they'd met. She'd have loved to lock Shadow and Azrael in a room and force them to settle their differences, but she was intelligent enough to know that would not end well. Nor was she capable of doing it. But that did paint a hilarious picture... Paint! Yes, she'd need paint. And glitter of course, and - well, her brain was running off again. Still, the cogs kept turning as she looked to the sky, occasionally wondering when the show would start.

"Say, TJ..." she inquired, struck by a sudden idea. "You're in Lady Lilythe's cabin. Do you think you could sneak something into her bunk for me? Not a prank, I swear to you." The girl realized he might think she was planning something nefarious. "A birthday present. Gifts are always best when they're unexpected, wouldn't you say? Oh, and you'll be well-compensated of course. How does five - no, ten candy bars sound?"

Gotcha. Emberlynn nodded toward her fellow combatant. The girl was right - there was no time for hesitation here. The monster was screeching now, swinging about blindly in a vain attempt at revenge. There was no telling how long their advantage would last. She ducked under a claw, circling the monster so that she was flanking it with the other girl. Her blade was unwieldy and she was untrained, but even little Ember knew to stick it with the pointy end. With another nod to the older camper, she charged forward. She hoped the other girl might do the same and pin the horrid thing between two sharp blades. She did not see what move the other chose to make though. The second her (or possibly both of their?) swords connected with its belly, the thing burst into a shower of yellow dust. The air filled with the smell of sulfur, and Ember dropped her weapon to rub the awful substance from her eyes.

"Arh," she coughed and spluttered. "Why must they smell so awful?!" During combat training she'd heard about dusting monsters, but nothing had prepared her for the sulfuric yellow shower. It took her a moment to gain her bearings, but once she did she looked up to see the other girl was still there. Ember spoke with a small voice, still very shaken from the encounter. "T-thank you... thank you so much!" She clung to the girl in a sudden and fearsome hug. "You saved my life!"

Realizing she'd just tackle-hugged a stranger without asking, the little camper released her grip. "That thing... I... I really thought I was going to die. That we were..." She recalled the strange flash that had given the two of them their opportunity. What had she called it? An ability? But where had it come from? The gods, perhaps, or maybe from the other girl. Yes, that had to be it since she knew what it was. Still, Ember couldn't shake that warm feeling still stirring inside of herself. "That's amazing that you can blind monsters like that!"

"Ooooh a birthday? Who's birthday is it?" Emberlynn loved birthdays. Well, more accurately she loved any occasion that gave her a chance to practice her best and favorite skill: gift-giving. There was nothing better than watching a person's face light up when they received the perfect present. Of course, if this one was the end of the month it'd be a challenge. She'd have to get to know the person well enough to pick out something amazing. She giggled to herself. It sounded almost like a spy mission. Perhaps she could bribe TJ to be her informant. He did seem to love those candy bars...

Realizing she was getting carried away with her gifting fantasies, Ember returned to the matter at hand. It seemed so long since she'd had the opportunity though. Back in her normal life she'd spent so many hours searching for or creating things to make her friends happy. But here she didn't have any friends yet. Except perhaps for the boy she was currently sharing a tree with. She couldn't help but smile at his compliment - though the "for a girl" part seemed a bit backhanded. "Well, you're pretty cool yourself for a boy." She joked back. In reality, she'd always been friendly with boys as much as she was with girls. But she was the kind of person who matched the humor of those around her. It tended to endear her to them.

"Asshats... I see. I'll keep an eye out." She scanned the area, looking for any deserving targets. Maybe that Shadow guy that was so awful to Sir Azrael would show up. There was also a group below that seemed to be getting slightly heated. If things got out of hand, perhaps a little water would be perfectly suited for cooling them off.

"Oh, that's right! You were claimed quite recently, weren't you?" Accepting the offered hand, Ember settled into a crooked branch. It was gnarled and twisted just so, forming a perfect little resting spot. Having been claimed herself right after the arrival, she hadn't gotten to spend much time with the Hermes kids. She wondered briefly if TJ might give her a lead on the Lady Lilythe situation, but he didn't seem the type to be concerned with gossip. It was nice to talk with someone her own age for a bit though. "You're rather lucky, I'd say. Hermes has a great cabin leader and plenty of members." Not only were the children of Hermes occupying that cabin, but also the unclaimed demigods as well. Emberlynn was a bit envious. She'd never been one for solitude.

"Iris doesn't even have a leader. I suppose they haven't come back yet... though I do have to wonder where it is the adults keep "coming back" from." Off on some grand adventure, she imagined. She wondered if perhaps she'd get her own quest one day. There were rumors among the campers that such things really happened here - just like in a fantasy book! Pity though. Wherever they were, they were missing the fireworks.

"Oh! Speaking of adults..." Ember said suddenly, a memory striking her. "I am ever so grateful for that headgear you lent me. It was an absolute lifesaver!" She proceeded to narrate her first encounter with Sir Azreal, where TJ's helmet had born the brunt of a pommel to her head. With a bit  of hyperbole and a lot of hand gestures, she told him about her flag-capturing exploits. "I truly hope we're on the same team again next year. I think we made excellent partners!"

Catching his mischievous grin, she looked at his "survival pack". "Water balloons, eh?" she giggled. "I assume you've got a plan for those. I needn't be worried, right?"

Fireworks... how exciting! Another entertaining event for the residents of Camp Half-Blood. Emberlynn had to hand it to the place, it was truly full of adventures. She was still high from the excitement of the Capture-the-Flag game that had only ended pretty recently. The little girl had been far more successful than she - or anyone for that matter - could have expected. In her perception at least, she'd gone toe-to-toe with full fledged adults. And won. Like, a bunch of times! Speaking of... as she approached the event, she scanned the crowd for Sir Azreal and Miss Lilythe. No, Lady Lilythe. The theatrics were already forming in her head. The thirteen-year-old had quite the imagination, particularly when it came to romantic notions. And their story was so full of drama she could hardly resist trying to learn more. That conversation she had overheard in the bushes had left her teen "shipping brain" yearning for the next chapter.

Ember didn't spot either of them though. She did, however, spot another person she recognized. @ TJ Gardner ! That's right! She thought. I still haven't thanked him! A sly smile breaking across her face, she took the long way around. Creeping up behind the tree, she saw him happily chewing on some fruit. Here to watch the fireworks too no doubt. The girl sprung from behind the trunk, hoping to surprise her friend. (Well, she thought of him that way. He probably saw her as an annoying girl.) "How's the view from up there!?!" She called out suddenly. The girl reached up, clambering a bit clumsily onto a nearby branch. "Ready for the show?" 

RP Challenge Number: 6

Participating Characters: Lilythe Rayne (4 Posts), Emberlynn Knight (4 posts)

Link to RP: Here

Emberlynn scrambled once more up to Zeus' Fist. The light was waning now, and she was certain that soon the final call would be made. The game would come to an end, and all the excitement of their forest warfare would come to a close. But there was still a little time. A little time, when the enemy team might be relaxing, sure of their victory. Honestly, Ember was pretty sure of their victory herself. Their side was full of big, strong warrior types and hers appeared full of... well, people like her. Young, inexperienced, and physically rather small. The little rainbow girl paled in comparison to the sons and daughters of Ares, Nike, and the like. She was sure there were people of their caliber on her own team as well - she probably just hadn't met up with any of them. But she couldn't fathom anyone being able to measure up to Sir Azrael and his gang.

What she failed to realize was that, in a sense, she had already done so. Despite her size and inexperience, her tenacity had carried her further in this game than anyone could have expected. And now here it was. One last chance. The final hours, and one last flag to reach for...

Well then, I guess the play's definitely out. While it was a relief that at some point she'd be allowed to go back to her fine arts school and see her friends again, the fact that she was brought here in the middle of the fall semester spoke volumes. There obviously need to be some level of training before they just sent her back out into the world. Still, this could prove to be an exciting new adventure. James - it seemed she could call him James now - appeared to be a very kind man.  "I see. Well, this is exciting, isn't it! I guess it won't be so bad, and learning to defend myself is a definite positive. What do you think, Atlas? Are we ready for our next escapade?"

"Oh... Emberlynn..." Atlas gave her a sheepish look, made all the more distinctively sheepish by his now-visible hooves. Oh dear... Ember knew that face. Mythical creature or not, this was still Atlas sitting beside her, and she'd always had an uncanny ability to read him like a book. Actually, Emberlynn had that ability with everyone. A "gift" from her godly parents, perhaps. Or maybe just an innate talent. Regardless, the face was all too clear to her. Bad news incoming.

"The thing is... I'm not staying. I can't. I'd love to be here with you, I really would. You're my best friend, and I hope you know that all of this-" He gestured about to the big house as well as the camp itself outside the windows "doesn't change that one bit. But, as a satyr who works for Camp Half-Blood, it's my job to find demigods and bring them here. There are other kids in danger, Em. Just like you were. And New York's had a whole wave of 'em recently so it's all hands on deck out there. I gotta leave you here with James and the gang and get back to work. You understand, don't ya?" He looked at her wide-eyed, almost pleading. Saying anything but an agreement would be cruel.

Ember's heart sank. She'd taken it for granted that the both off them would be embarking on this journey together. To start on her own - without her best friend - was not nearly so exciting. "Oh..." visibly defeated, the cheer had drained from her voice. Today had been a mess of emotions. First fear, then confusion, then excitement... and now an overwhelming sense of loneliness. "I... I understand." The girl nodded, but her eyes were welling with tears. It had been a long day, and her mask of confidence was basically in tatters at this point.

"I'll be back, Em. Promise!"

"You'd better be!" She cracked the fakest of fake smiles. Hurt as she was, she wasn't about to send her friend off with ill feelings. "I'll hold you to that."

She turned back to the leader, trying very hard not to show her inner turmoil. It likely wasn't working, but she had to retain some sense of dignity. "Mr. Sel - ah - James? Could you possibly show me to my cabin? I think I have a better idea of what's going on here, and it's been a hell of an evening."

Emberlynn nodded, giving a sympathetic expression as the camp leader told her tale. She appreciated not being talked down to... she was unused to that kind of respect from adults. Though come to think of it, most of the older campers here didn't treat her with the same sneering indifference she was used to from her family. Perhaps it was because the were all demigods, and to an extent were all going through similar issues? Or maybe Camp Half-Blood just had an abnormal population of genuinely kind adults. Still, despite the equal treatment, she was unsure if romance advice from a thirteen-year-old would be wanted in the situation. Still, it meant a lot to her that Lilythe was willing to share, and she wanted to help however she could.

"Well, if you ask me..." Emberlynn responded, acting oblivious to the fact that Lilythe had not, in fact, asked her. "I'm not privy to what happened in your relationship, but I know exes tend to be exes for a reason. Nobody wants to hurt someone they care about, but one shouldn't put their life on hold because of that either." It was blunt advice, and more level-headed than the teen would likely have been able to act out herself. Were she put in such a predicament, she likely would have clammed up to avoid causing any pain. But this wasn't about her, so it was easier to take a more objective viewpoint. "Sir Azrael seems like a kind and honorable soul, and so do you. If you like him, then go for it! If your ex really cares about you as a person, he'll want you to be happy, right? I mean, that's why things are complicated - because you care and want him to be happy too, yes? So if he's a good person like you and Sir Azrael, it'll all be okay!"

It was a simplistic view - a child's view of how love should be. But it was the view she had, and the best she had to offer.

The beast stumbled to an awkward halt between the two girls, it's multitude of eyes darting from one camper to the next. Emberlynn didn't speak scorpion, but she was fairly certain she could discern it's intentions well enough. Those eyes were hungry. Her blade shook in her hands, but she looked up to meet the thing's gaze. The trembling, colorful morsel, or the well-armed girl with a bit more meat on her bones... which to go for... In an instant, the monster made it's decision. The large stinger swung wide, knocking Emberlynn prone as the creature turned to lung at the larger (albeit more dangerous dinner. The thing reared it's head and lunged at the girl with two massive pincers.

This shouldn't be happening. The world seemed to slow in that moment. From her helpless position, Ember felt the shambling of the large body, the sharpness of the claws that - had the other camper not arrived - would likely be digging into her flesh. In her panic, she had called out for help. But now... now the brave camper who came to her aid was about to get hurt. Possibly killed. And there was nothing she could do. The teen was nowhere near prepared to watch someone die. It felt cowardly to avert her gaze, but what else could she do? The force of the monster's turn had sent her sprawling, and she neither had time to intervene in the strike, nor to scamble away like the weak little coward she was. Not like this. Not because of me...

"BACK OFF!!!" The cry that went out from the child reverberated through the forest, shocking even it's sender with it's ferocity. All of her fear, her desperation, her frustration with herself and with the world - all was released in two words. As if in answer, a blinding flash of light streaked down from the sky. The scorpion let out a screech, halting it's attack and stumbling backward in a blind daze. Lightning? And answer from the gods? Well, perhaps it was the latter. If it was lightning, however, it had left none of the telltale signs. There was no scorched earth, no fallen trees. The creature had been blinded, but by no means electrocuted.

There wasn't much time to think about such things though. Running on pure adrenaline now, the young teen scrambled to her feet. She once again brandished her weapon. Ember made eye contact with the other girl and nodded toward the monster. This was it - their chance to slay the blasted thing. Yet even as she strategized, she couldn't help but express her bewilderment. "What the hell was that!?!"

RP Challenge Number - 2: Spy on the Enemy Team

Participating Characters: Emberlynn Knight (3 Posts), Shadow Moore (3 Posts), Azrael Blackburn (4 Posts)

Link to First Post: Here

Interesting... very interesting. Everything happened in a flash. First, another red camper joined the fray, cutting well into the tension of the situation. Then another person, blue this time, swept in and snatched the flag away. Perfect! Emberlynn cheered aloud as the short-haired boy disappeared into the bushes with their prize. She didn't recognize him. Must be from one of the other cabins. Honestly, this whole game had made her more excited than ever to meet the other demigods. Sure, this place was different from home. It was a little scary, and so far a little lonely... but in time she felt she could make connections here. In time this could be fun.

Before taking off, she made a quick glance toward Azrael and his adversary. Her cheering had in all likelihood made them aware of her presence. A pang of guilt struck her for a moment. This was a game - a war game at that - and there was nothing wrong with doing a little recon. But she also got the feeling that what she had seen and heard between the adults was more personal than that. Something she wasn't meant to be exposed to. Ah well... all's fair in love and war, right? 

Emberlynn was torn. On one hand, the brilliant shade of crimson in Lilythe's expression told her she had hit on something. The child had always had great intuition when it came to people. Mentioning Azreal, however, had been a throwaway comment. Due to her recent interactions with him, he'd be the first one to come to mind when thinking of "buff dudes with swords." If Lilythe's face was to be believed though, it had struck the woman as more than a random example. Ember was a bit proud of her people-reading skills. She was also exceedingly curious. Yet on the other hand, it seemed her attempt to lighten the mood had backfired. If anything Miss Rayne looked more embarrassed than she had before. So it was an odd mixture of pride and guilt that colored her next comments.

"My apologies Miss Rayne, I hadn't meant to touch a nerve." She decided it was safer to let Lilythe take the lead. It wasn't like she expected the cabin leader to confide in a child, but perhaps she would let enough slip to satiate the girl's curiosity. Besides, she would love to know more about the man who was quickly becoming her main rival in this game. But curiosity shifted to sympathy as she listened to the woman's words. "I'm sorry... I know it's tough when a friend goes away." Her usual speaking pattern faltered as her own emotions rose. "My best friend had to leave, too. I know he has a job to do, but it still feels really lonely without him around." Trying to put thoughts of Atlas out of her mind, she changed the subject. "Where did Sir Azreal go, if it's alright to ask? Did he receive a quest?"

Right. That kind of thing happens here. Perhaps one of these days she'd be sent out on her own adventure.

Ember's eyes widened as she watched the two circle each other. Terrible hider though she was, she highly doubted they'd notice her now. The men were so engrossed in this vicious conversation, she might have strode right up to them without being spotted. The way they spoke to one another, each word dripping with venom, was a display she didn't see often from the adults. As a teen it was easy to forget that the grown-ups had drama of their own. And Emberlynn in particular was as drama-hungry as a middle schooler could be. Just as the two fighters seemed to forget the game, so did she in observing them.

Who was it they were talking about? A mutual crush? And wait - Azreal pushed someone off a cliff!?! Emberlynn recalled her encounter with the older camper on Zeus's Fist. There he'd been extra careful about the slippery rocks, warning her even as they fought. She'd even played on that concern to even the odds of the battle. Could that same man really have done something like that. Still, he wasn't denying it...

Perhaps she had been wrong about him. Had she mistaken concern for a child for general concern for human beings? Maybe he was only kind to her because she was so young. That didn't seem right though. He'd accused the other man of something too - doing some kind of hex. So he'd done it to protect someone. That must be it! That aligned much better with the knightly image of him that Em had built up in her head. She listened intently for more information, thoroughly absorbed in her eavesdropping. 

RPC - Spy on the enemy team

Emberlynn crept behind the bushes in the East Woods. The helmet that TJ had been doing it's job - stopping the enemy combatants from spotting her a mile away. Still, she was not the most stealthy of children. Her strategy so far has been to rush to the enemy camp as quickly as possible and make a play for the flag before too many people gathered to defend it. And so far it had been working. The little girl beamed with pride as she realized she had nabbed three of the red flags so far. Not too shabby for a total rookie. The only one she knew of to match that score so far was... Speak of the devil.

No sooner had she spotted her prize than she saw the telltale glint of a now-familiar sword. Well, if it was Azreal on his own, at least she had a chance. It would be difficult as ever, but her odds against him seemed to go up with each meeting. But before she could break through the foliage and get off a clever quip, another voice came from the clearing. Another enemy? No... This one appeared to be on her side. Normally that would've emboldened her to charge forward, but something was off. The voice Azreal responded with was cold and suspicious... Nothing like her interactions with him. Curious, she remained hidden and peeked through the bushes to observe.

Unlike her previous encounters, it looked like the Red team had plenty of defenders this time. While she engaged with Azreal, Katie had made her move. Damn. Almost worked too. She was thrilled to have some backup for this fight. Unfortunately, a majority of the backup seemed to belong to the other side. And with all the chaotic goings-on raging about, it was all she could do to keep the one person distracted. This... this is the real power of demigods?  Emberlynn wondered, hoped even, that she would develop some cool abilities of her own. She had talents, sure, but nothing along the lines of what was being displayed here.

It was then that she noticed that she was not the only one staring. Azreal, too, had been caught up in the chaos. He seemed to be rooting for his teammates - particularly the young girl. Ember was struck by a small pang of jealousy - like when her favorite teachers back in school would show preference to another student. Still, it did provide an excellent opportunity. She grabbed at the flag, her fingers nearly curled all the way around it. But though it might risk losing her the strike, she couldn't help but get in one last jab. "Best keep your eyes over here, Sir Azreal. What did I just say about underestimating me?"

"Th-thank you!" Emberlynn managed to stutter after the boy as he darted back into the forest. As all-consuming as it had been until now, she had not actually been thinking of the game at the moment. Opponent or not, she had been thrilled at his arrival. Em had wanted to help of course, but a child with healing powers was far more suitable for the job. Seemed the red team had all sorts of characters. Good. She thought. Between the three red team camp leaders she'd encountered thus far, she'd been beginning to think her opponents were all grown warriors. And zombies - there were also the zombies.

She looked back at Lilythe, who was looking distinctly red for someone who was supposed to be on her team. Was she still hurt!? No - Em knew that look. Having been privy to the cruel world of middle-school pranks before her arrival here, she could tell it was embarrassment. Was she too prideful to want help from children. That would be understandable, but Ms. Rayne didn't seem like that kind. Perhaps she'd hit on something with her "boy problems" comment. The girl giggled to herself as she tried to help the camp leader to her feet.

"You know, if it is about boys, you can hardly be blamed. A whole camp full of toned guys with swords... enough to make any girl swoon, right?" She winked at Ms. Rayne. This could definitely backfire on her, but she was hoping the light conversation might ease any tension or anxiety leftover from the event. She wasn't great at healing, but in general she as good with people. "That Sir Azreal, for example. You know the one, right?" She pictured her knightly new acquaintance beside the lady she admired. Not a bad picture actually. Perhaps it was teen shipping brain kicking in, but the two would look cute together.

Emberlynn watched as Azreal darted off, followed closely by her blue teammates. She was just about to follow when a small movement caught her eye. Spinning around, she saw another girl with her hand only inches from the flag. She looked after the others for a moment, hoping they wouldn't get too far ahead of her, before leaping forward to push the girls hand away. "Watch out!" she called to the defensive side. "There's more of them!" 

For a moment she was torn. She wanted to go after the others and get back on the offensive side, but she couldn't very well just let this camper take their flag from them either. This would have to be dealt with quickly. There's still time, she thought. If I hurry, I can be part of both. I can help our team win.