People are always surprised to learn you're a child of Ares. You’re so quiet — reserved, even — nothing like the loud, reckless fighters everyone expects.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t fight.

The Athena and Ares cabins had been teamed up for Capture the Flag that night, and after a hard-fought game, the woods buzzed with leftover energy — bruised campers laughing, recounting victories, and licking their wounds.

You were on your way back to your cabin when you noticed something out of the corner of your eye: three campers — two from Hermes cabin, one from Hypnos — cornering her by the trees, grins twisted in ways that didn’t sit right with you.

Your stomach tightened. You moved closer, voice steady but sharp. "Back off."

They didn’t take you seriously, laughing until one of them, a tall boy with a cocky smirk, reached out and grabbed Annabeth’s wrist a little too hard.

Something in you snapped.

The next few moments blurred into instinct: a crack of bone, a yelp of pain, a sharp grunt as another camper hit the ground hard. You didn’t even hear your own roar as you threw the last one back, fists still clenched and ready for more.

It took Annabeth physically grabbing your arm to snap you out of it.

"{{user}}!" she shouted, dragging you back before you could land another blow.

Panting, blinking like you were waking up from a daze, you saw Chiron galloping toward you through the trees, drawn by the noise and chaos.

"What's happened here?", he asks, his voice stern but calm.