Chapter 4

xXxReynaxXx

"Come on, troops! Push around their left flank!" The Fifth Cohort was attacking, the other four Cohorts defending; the First and Third were on the ground, while the Second and Fourth Cohorts were shooting scorpion ballistae and very high pressured air cannons, carving new trenches into the Field of Mars.

The Fifth was fighting to stay on their feet. We needed a miracle, and fast. I heard the cannons roar to life. "Shields!," I shouted in a panic. They followed my order and raised their shields just as the massive air wave struck the shell. Thalia was the only one who didn't stumble, besides the trained veterans. I was surprised that the most recent recruit stood so firmly. Even Travis, the legion's senior veteran, didn't look as confident as she did.

"Regroup!," Percy shouted as our soldiers finally regained their balance. The air cannons seemed to need a few minutes to recharge. We could use that information. "Percy! The cannons have to recharge!"

He looked at the fort and a plan started to form.

Thalia scoffed. "'Course they do. 14,000 PSI takes a while to build up." I almost responded when I was cut off by a shrill "Pila!" and spears being raised to throw at us. "Shields!," I yelled again.

The pilum were released as the last shield locked into place, forming a protective shell that resembled a lopsided tortoise. Our entire back had been wounded when an air cannon and ballistae had been aimed at our rear exterior and gotten lucky.

The shields came down, and I responded with our own pila. "Ready pila!" Forty spears were raised. "Take aim!" Forty spears aimed at the First Cohort, until Percy counter-ordered, "Archers, aim for the Third!" They did as told. Thirty spears aimed at the First, and the ten best archers in the legion aimed at the Third Cohort. Percy and I locked eyes, and he nodded. The order was unanimous.

"Fire!"

The pilum and arrows tore through the air, forty blunt weapons that would leave some nasty bruises. The First and Third Cohorts weren't prepared for a simultanious attack. The First expected an attack, but the Third wasn't ready at all.

The Third hadn't been prepared, and the arrows rained down on them, wounding their best soldiers. I smiled wildly as I realized Percy's plan. "Ready pila!"

More spears.

"Archers, ready!"

More arrows.

This time, we switched targets. The First couldn't take another pilum attack, even though they tried to prepare for it. The Third didn't have the numbers to prepare for a pilum attack.

The pilum sailed through the air and disabled the Third Cohort almost entirely. The remaining soldiers ran to the gates and formed a wall. The First Cohort's Centurions shouted orders and attempted to prepare for pila andarrows, but their soldiers were too disoriented.

Percy called my name. "Reyna, take your half of the Cohort and disable the First!" I nodded in understanding, and ending with Thalia, my side went head-to-head with the First Cohort.

When we were ten feet away, the ranks broke apart and we went to one-on-one sword fighting. The Centurions of the cohort were shouting orders like headless chickens. "Defend!" The senior Centurion locked eyes with me, and the battle died down as the Fifth Cohort made a ring around us.

Both Centurions were there, but only one charged me. I dodged, parried, blocked, sideswiped, jabbed, stabbed, swirled, and everything I knew how to do. My armor was lighter than the other guys, but he was more experienced. When I dodged, he came back more aggressively. He was powerful, with bulging muscles under his bracers and chestplate. He screamed in outrage as I continued to dodge and block his moves.

Finally, when he was tired, I used my agility to get behind him and bash the hilt of my sword into his helmet. He crumpled like a sack of potatoes. The other Centurion screamed in outrage as Percy dodged, then slammed the blunt of his blade into the side of their helmet. The Centurion fell.

The cohort celebrated until Thalia panicked. "The cannons are ready!"

I blinked. "What?"

BOOM.

The air hit the ground at our feet and threw us backwards; us being everybody but Thalia, who hadn't even budged. The second cannon went off.

BOOM.

Thalia now stood in a twelve foot crater, except the ground under her hadn't even been touched. The whole cohort watched in silence. Even the defenders seemed a little shocked. Nevertheless, the third cannon fired off. This time, Thalia screamed so loudly that my eardrums felt like they were busting.

I screamed, but not as loud as her. I covered my ears and fell to my knees.

The cannons exploded, and the nearest campers were thrown back, or off the wall entirely.

Thalia's knees buckled. Coated in sweat and dirt, her eyes rolled back in her head as she passed out and collapsed. An eagle soared down and carried her off to the medics tent.

The whole camp stood in silence. Then, Percy gave the order to break down the fort doors. The cohort cheered and ran for the gates, smashing into them like an aggressive wave. The wood splintered and snapped, buckling under the weight of thirty-eight kids in full Roman combat armor. But I was rooted to my spot.

Thalia was a daughter of Jupiter. That's how she knew the pressure of the air cannons. The fort gates snapped and broke as the cohort busted through. Percy looked back and ran over to me. "Reyna? Reyna, are you okay?"

I shook my head lightly. "She's a daughter of Jupiter, Percy. She's your worst enemy, and we never even knew it…" I cradled myself. I was having a panic attack, and Percy was generally concerned. He waved down a couple of eagles and took his Centurion cape off his shoulders and wrapped it around me.

He made sure I was secured, then kissed my forehead. "Get better Reyna."

As I was lifted away, the Fifth Cohort carried out the Fourth and Second Cohorts' standards. The last thing I saw before I was too far away from the Field of Mars was Percy being hauled onto their shoulders and chant, "Percy! Praetor! Percy! Praetor!"

Knowing Percy, he'd reject it. For now. He'd gladly give it up for anybody else who wanted it. That's why I secretly liked him more than a friend.

Because he was brave, loyal, stupidly funny, and incredibly generous.

Hey guys. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. New style of writing for me. Leave a like and a review. Thanks!

TheSeventhOlympian