A Forest Clearing

[The Chronicler]

[Lilythe Rayne Rare]

RPC 6) Get yourself injured.

Lilythe wasn't sure it was fair for her to participate in the game. So she was strolling the forest and planned to act as a moderator unless directly asked to participate. She had a lot on her mind. Azrael and Shadow returning within a week of one another was really rather intense. Lilythe wished that she knew what her heart really wanted. Things had never really felt completely done with Shadow when they parted. Or at least she hadn't wanted it to end like that. She wasn't sure that she really had wanted it to end at all, but she didn't see another solution for his intense jealousy.

Meanwhile if she was being honest with herself, Lilythe had always had feelings for Azrael too. And now that he was here, and wanted to be with her, she wanted to give it a fair shot. She wanted to test the waters and see what could be happening. Lilythe wasn't sure if it would lead to a happily ever after, but she couldn't' know if she never tried right? But I don't want to hurt Shadow.

She was lost in her train of thought when she stepped in what appeared to be a gopher hole and tripped. "Gods damn it!" Lilythe shouted as she landed. Her ankle was killing her. She was fairly certain she was going to need a child of Apollo to heal it. Well that's me out of the game.

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

"Gods damn it!"

The cry was carried through the forest air, reaching the ears of one very confused Child of Iris. She'd been scrambling from area to area, trying her best to take it in. This was by far the most intense game she had ever played in. She hadn't played much capture-the-flag growing up. Little Ember had been more the type to hide away the whole game and look for a comfy place to sit and draw. But even if she had been an avid capture-the-flag player, the girl doubted it would have prepared her for this tournament. This one was full of monsters, actual weapons, and if the sound she just heard was any indication - damsels in distress. Chin up, Em. The thought entered her brain as she steeled her resolve. You've got helping to do.

When she managed to trace the source of the sound, she was surprised to find a pretty young woman collapsed next to a gopher hole. Even more surprising, it was a woman she recognized. "M-Miss Rayne?" She exclaimed, running over to aid her former leader. Ember hadn't stayed in the Hermes cabin long, as it hadn't taken much time for her to be claimed. Yet even in that short time, she'd made some fond memories of the Cabin Leader. The lady was caring and kind - definitely not the type who deserves to be monster food. The girl knelt down beside the injured woman, scanning her leg to see how likely it was that she'd be able to walk. "You tripped?" She inquired, guessing based on the scene before her and the exclamation that brought her here. "What were you spacing out over?" She joked. She didn't have any healing powers, so she had to settle for the pain-numbing power of laughter. "Boy problems?"

[Elijah Quinn Rare]

Elijah was scurrying through the woods with a bow and arrow in hand, ready to be drawn at any given moment. The arrows on his quiver aren't lethal but same of the same wooden shaft you'd find in the shed near the archery field. Instead, a foam tip is there so it would not pierce through the skin whenever he shoots. However, the shaft could punch through the tip and hit the target with blunt force but it is better than drawing blood. When he heard a scream nearby, the voice was familiar. Lilythe. He recalled her mentioning that she would be the games' moderator but the noise could be that a camper could mistaken her for an enemy. He had to act fast. The boy sprinted through the trees and saw the Hermes cabin leader sitting down along with a teenage, rainbowed haired girl? Was she the Iris girl everyone's talking about? Arriving to the laughter, he began with a little introduction. "Sorry if you guys were just starting your girl talk. Elijah, son of Apollo. You're Emberlynn, right? Temporary truce. Just going to heal her ankle and we're enemies again."

After inquiring where's the hurt, he knelt down before it and prepared himself to sing the usual hymn to his father. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he began the song with a tenor and light began to shroud her ankle.

Edited September 27, 2022 by Elijah Quinn

[Lilythe Rayne Rare]

Lilythe was rather embarrassed to have been found by not just one, but two younger campers. Even more embarrassing was the fact that Emberlynn seemed to somehow know exactly what was going on in her head. It's not like you guys have been subtle. Everyone at camp is probably talking about it now. Now that Elijah was walking aver to heal her, the total embarrassment was complete. Her cheeks were a brilliant shade of scarlet as she looked up at the pair. "I'll be okay, really." But it was too late, he was already singing. "Thanks, Elijah." It wasn't sarcastic, she really meant it. Embarrassed or not, it would have been an absolute pain to walk all the way back to The Big House on a sprained ankle.

[Elijah Quinn Rare]

As a brilliant light shone on her ankle, the swelling began to disappear every passing moment he sang to his father. Once he was done, the light began to fade and her ankle was revealed to be healed completely. "It's my pleasure, Lilythe. Would have been better if I had my guitar with me but it's not a good idea to bring my girl to battle." He spoke, referring to his musical instrument. "You might be in the blue team since the Hermes Cabin is, but we are still campers. It's no fun to not help anyone who needs it, right?" The boy stood up and a hand reached out to her for her to take so she could stand up as well. "Anyways, it's good seeing you well. You too, Emberlynn. In about five seconds, we're enemies again. One... two..."

The boy took off.

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

"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.

[Lilythe Rayne Rare]

Lilythe waved appreciatively at Elijah. And started to get herself off the ground. She would have started leaving the clearing but Emberlynn continued speaking. Lilythe froze. Her eyes widened. Everyone. Literally everyone at camp knows. She had always realized this was likely. Especially since Larissa had basically told her that everyone except her knew about Azrael's feelings for her. But it was a completely different revelation to realize that even the kids who had only recently arrived seemed to know now. She had always thought it was just those who had been around since before Azrael left.

"Yeah, I know him." Lilythe's cheeks remained a brilliant shade of red. She wasn't sure where this girl was going with her comments, but she wasn't sure what else she could do but be dragged along for the ride. "Azzy and I have been friends since we were about your age, maybe even younger." That was safe to say, wasn't it? Lilythe was still sorting out her emotions with Azrael and Shadow. She didn't know exactly what her heart wanted anymore. She loved them both. Had history with them both, both good and bad. "But he went away for a really long time."

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

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.

[Lilythe Rayne Rare]

Lilythe felt a little bad for her reaction "No, you're fine Emberlynn. Really. Things are just complicated with Azrael and I now." Lilythe offered her a soft smile and started to stand back up. Beginning to dust herself off, she patted the younger camper's shoulder. "Him and Shadow." Lilythe confirmed for the young girl.

"Azzy went off to college. But... he never said goodbye, and chose not to keep in touch." She recounted the facts plainly. She was no longer angry with him for it. They had long since worked that out. But getting intimate so soon had probably confused her feelings more than she would have liked. Especially with Shadow returning. "We are talking again now though." Lilythe said with a reassuring smile. "But, yes, it is boy trouble. If you haven't heard the story yet, I might as well be the one to tell you..." She gave a soft sigh of resignation, but the story was all over camp. Emberlynn would hear it eventually. "Azrael and I were friends for a very long time. He left because I dated someone he didn't get along with, and he had feelings for me. He never told me until he came back just this summer. But my ex is also back. So... things are just... it's a lot of emotions to process." She finished. Lilythe didn't talk to the younger campers like they couldn't understand things. The girl was a teenager after all, and Lilythe remembered being a teen and hating when people assumed they wouldn't understand.

[Emberlynn Knight Rare]

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.