I

PERCY

Almost every nerve tingled in Percy's body. He felt as if a mixture of Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold had struck him. His hands shook from disbelief and happiness, his eyesight was blurry. Yet he moved along with the crowd of Romans towards the Grand ship. Celestial Bronze gleamed on the hull of the huge ship, so much that it blinded Percy. Cannons jutted out from either side of the ship, but Percy doubted whether it was armed. He strode towards it, his arms swinging wearily beside him, anxiously looking for whom he loved the most.

Annabeth, his girlfriend, was one thing he held as close to his heart as he did with his mother.

"Graecus, kill them before they kill us!" yelled Octavian, his arms waving madly as he recited those cheery words.

"Shut up," Percy groaned. He was tired with the infinite bickering of this skinny mule.

"HELLO EVERYONE, MEET THE STARS OF THE BEAUTY CONTEST-"

"Shut up Leo, do you want to get yourself killed?"

"Probably, I mean no, but-"

"Shhh…"

Silence fell, as a young blonde boy, a little younger than Percy stepped of the boarding ramp of the ship. He wore an orange T-shirt that read: CAMP HALF-BLOOD. Suddenly the Romans screamed in joy and Percy realised who this person really was. He was the old praetor of Camp Jupiter, Jason.

Next Annabeth stepped out, and Percy's heart fluttered with joy at reunion with his girlfriend. Her blonde hair swivelling as the wind caught it.

Behind her a funny person stepped out, whom Percy thought was an elf. Then with the nervous squeaks of Hazel beside him, he realised it was that Leo/Sammy, whatever his name was.

Finally, a beautiful, ever charming, kaleidoscopic eyed girl stepped out. She had silky brown hair, which was a mess, but she was still beautiful.

Percy liked their strategy its planning was well. They probably thought making Jason step out was not going to get them blown sky high. Nice thinking, he thought. That was exactly what he would have done in their place.

"They have brainwashed Jason, kill them!" Octavian screeched.

The Romans hesitated, but when Percy ordered them to lover their weapons, they obeyed rather reluctantly. This worried Percy for he thought they had fallen under Octavian's sway.

Frank touched his shoulder and spoke some few comforting words but Percy did not bother to respond.

Suddenly Percy felt a hand yank him around by sheer force. He spun around and as he dug his heels into the sand to stop himself from falling, he came face to face with the same old woman he had encountered on the way to Camp Jupiter.

"Juno!" Percy exclaimed in disbelief, "How are you hiding among the crowds?"

"Oh," she waved her hands dismissively, "do not insult my talents. Nobody can see me except you, be careful so that when you're talking to me, people do not think you've gone mad."

"So, what are you roaming here for? Are you jobless?" Percy whispered angrily.

"One day," Juno said calmly, "you'll realise the importance of having me around. Anyway, I've got news from Juice, I mean Zeus."

"What?" Percy asked.

"He says that you demigods do not have the right to interfere with the giants, but he thanks you for intervening. Personally, I think he is the biggest dork!" she snorted in disbelief

"Me too," Percy said. Thunder boomed menacingly in the distant skies, but Percy ignored it.

"DEMIGODS, WE MUST FIGHT THIS SNOW WHITE GAIA AND KILL HER SO CALLED GIANTS!"

"Shut up Leo," a voice whispered. The voice of the beautiful girl on the boarding ramp. Annabeth herself was nowhere to be seen. Percy thought she might have gone to talk to Reyna.

He wound his way past the crowds and reached Jason, around whom throngs of Romans were standing.

"…accepted me as one of their family." He was saying, and Percy felt pride swelling in his chest.

Leo the Sammy, was talking with Hazel, who gave a string of babble Percy couldn't listen to. He suspected her of asking Leo whether he was Sammy, so he joined in.

"Sammy Valdez? He was my grandfather!" The excited boy spoke, and Percy couldn't help but be sorry for her.

"TIME HAS COME FOR THE FINAL WAR,

AND THE GIANTS STAND AS THE BAR

PEACE SHALL PREVAIL

IF TO THE DOORS OF DEATH THE HEROES SAIL,

WISDOM'S DAUGHTER WALKS ALONE,

THE MARK OF ATHENA BURNS THROUGH ROME."

Leo said. "Have you guys heard of this prophecy before?"

Percy ran.