I hated the gods. I hated monsters. I hated demigods, and I hated the Legion. The gods, thinking they were better than everyone, monsters never dying, demigods running around Camp Jupiter, and the Legion keeping everyone with strict, stupid procedures. The only thing I liked about this place was New Rome, the small cafes, wonderful gardens and the shimmering lake. But to get to live there, you had to squeeze through 10 years of service for the Legion. I was in my 6th year, which may seem like I'm almost there, but after what I've been through in these 6 years, what is to come; it's not.
I'm a son of Mars, which doesn't mean much here at Camp Jupiter. I arrived when I was 11, bruised and scared but alive. I was placed into the Fifth Cohort, which isn't surprising for someone with a poor letter and no one to represent me. My third year here Mars came, he gave me an imperial gold sword; it had a scale like pattern covering the entire sword; a red ruby in the hilt held by a dragon claw, giving it the title dragon slayer. Many events happened since, but I'll tell the biggest, the Assault on Mount Othrys.
It was dark that day; shadows seemed to grow thicker, clouds boiled over, the sun glinting through the cracks. Camp Jupiter was in frenzy, Romans running around, trying to gather armor and weapons, a group from the first cohort were arming Hannibal the Elephant with loads of armor. I saw Gwendolyn trying to organize her cohort with little help from the drinking Dakota. I scanned the rest of the cloud, looking for our two praetors, Jason and Reyna. Jason was climbing on top of the Barrack building, while Reyna was nowhere to be seen, probably in her tent. I ducked inside the barracks, strapped on my imperial gold chest plate, putting on greaves and bracers then strapped my sword onto by belt
I walked towards Gwen, who seemed to have gotten Dakota up and looking over the fifth cohort.
"Hey Gwen," I gave her a nod.
"Oh, you ready?" her face serious,
"Yeah, you seem to be too. Need any help?" she shook her head; she seemed busy so I left her alone, our cohort leader could handle it.
"Hey you" I turned; Alice was standing behind me, a smile plastered on her face; her lustrous black her lying over one shoulder. She threw her arms around my neck and hugged me tight, her sword hilt digging into my stomach. Her smile was soon in my vision again as she loosened and leaned back, "so this is it huh, the big battle." Her smile faltered,
"Yeah, it is. We'll be okay though, we have Jason and Reyna."
"And I have you" she leaned back in, her lips on mine, it was sudden when she pulled away, "this could be our last kiss," I whispered and put my hand behind her neck, pulling her back in. I could feel in the way she kissed me that she knew it too. We were broken off by Jason who was calling out from the rooftop. As Jason gave of a speech about the oncoming battle, Alice's hand found mine and gripped it tightly; I gave it a squeeze, trying my best to comfort her. Alice and I had started dating a year ago, her coffee eyes had pulled me in, and the way she smiled was enough to make Mars grin. After Jason's speech we were on our way to mount Othrys.
The mountain was steep and a long trek up, especially having to fight of Dracanae. I was shoved into the front lines along the other best fighters, with Jason in the lead. It was amazing fighting alongside Jason, with his sword Ivlivs he cut down many enemies, and shot lightning at others. By the time we reached the titans base, we had lost some demigods. I pulled up next to Jason, you need to slow down!" I shouted over the noise "you're our best hope at beating Krios, you can't be exhausted " I saw disappointment on his face, but he knew it was true and backed down the ranks, calling encouragement to everyone else. I was holding up a 5 foot shield in my right hand, it was getting really heavy now. My sword arm felt like lead after slashing through many Dracanae, but I kept fighting. I was now in the castle along with other demigods. I ran through hallways slashing enemies after enemies. I came to a large courtyard there were already fights going on in here, and we were losing. I dashed forward stabbing a hellhound in its side, spun to block a trident from a Dracanae then gouged at its stomach, it parried and swung a net at me, and it wrapped around my shield and yanked it off. I stabbed up, slashing through its body diagonally. Looking for the next Dracanae, I spun a three sixty, more were coming in through doorways, outnumbering the already small group of demigods. That's when I saw her, Alice; she was on the ground her helmet had rolled of and she wasn't moving. I stumbled over and knelt beside her. There was blood coming out of her nose and dribbling down her neck.
Everything seemed to slow down, colors brightened, I could hear the Dracanae sliding over the floor. Demigods shouting in fear as they all backed together in the middle of the courtyard. I rose up, dragon-slayer in my hands. The first slash went straight through a Dracanae's neck, the body turning to dust before its head hit the floor. I strode over to another slashing through its sword, cutting it in half; it was like a mad dance, golden sword swinging, severing limbs and heads from bodies. There was one left, she threw her trident and caught my sword, pinning it to a black pillar, I turned back and she was on me; I fired three punches into her face, swung around her, grabbing her neck and twisting with all my might, which was more than I assumed as it ripped her head from her body. There was blood covering my arms, not much of it mine.
"Bahaha" a terrible screeching laugh caught my attention; an empousa was sitting on the bodies of a few dead demigods. "That was lovely! Ha what a show!" she kept laughing to herself, flaming hair flowing around her. "You, you did you do that to her!" I roared, pointing to Alice. "Well…"she trailed of, and licked some blood off her lips. New energy burned through me, I felt something in me, something dangerous. I bellowed and ran at her; she backhanded me sending me flying into a pillar. "I'll kill you!" I stood up, but she was so quick and had me held up against the pillar. Her flaming hair was burning my eyes, causing them to tear up. I reached to my sword, still impaled, and it moved. I concentrated harder but I was losing oxygen. One final gasp and the sword was free, it flew to my outstretched hand. I shoved it up into her ribs. An inhuman screech rang from her gaping mouth; her claws digging into my throat as she slid down, splashing into dust on the ground. I dashed back to Alice, Lifting her head into my lap. She looked pale, and a bruise was showing on her neck. "Hey, you" her eyes fluttered open, a sore smile on her face, "thank gods you're alive" I handed her some ambrosia, which she ate, wincing. "Hey!" I called some Apollo kids over "get her out of here, ok. Keep her safe!" they carried her out, hopefully to the safest place on this cursed mountain. Praying to Mars for her safety, I forged further into the castle. I went for the nearest sounds of battle, seeing Jason up ahead, fighting a giant being, a Titan. There were Dracanae closing in on him, I dashed to the right, stabbing one in the back, drawing them away from Jason. Swinging for the last Dracanae turning it into a pile of dust I collapsed to the floor. My muscles were to worn out to keep fighting.