A/N: Don't worry guys, just four more chapters then we're off to Tartarus! (I wish Percy and Annabeth were this excited). Anyway, enjoy Jason's POV.
VIII
Jason
Jason wasn't feeling like a great leader. Sure it was only natural for him to lead, in Annabeth and Percy's absence and all. He was after all the son of Jupiter, meaning he outranked them all in their little group. He just wished someone besides him would lead, because he felt lousy enough as it is.
It's not like he thought we wasn't a good leader. He knew he was a good leader. He had led the Fifth Cohort since he was twelve. He had been Praetor for more than a year. He had led Romans on quests since almost the time he came to camp. He had even led Piper and Leo, Greek demigods, on a quest or two. But since Annabeth and Percy's fall into Tartarus, he had led his friends from one disaster to another.
First it was leaving the ship. Maybe he should have listened to Leo. Maybe they should have waited while Leo fixed the ship. He could have installed Archimedes' sphere and upgraded the ship. Maybe by now it would be ready and they could be in Athens right now, robbing a dead guy's grave. Instead they were on the ground, on Gaea's territory, looking for a way to save Hazel from crazy mortal warriors.
Under his leadership, they had been attacked by winged demons and crazy pegasi, all in one day. Jason wished he knew what to do next.
He had talked with Nico the night before. He had needed the son of Hades to clarify what he was getting them into with the whole gravedigger of Athens issue. Nico had assured him that this was the only way to close the Doors without someone staying behind in Tartarus. Jason had then asked him about his stay in Tartarus.
"How was it," he had asked. "How great is Gaea's army."
Nico had looked at him with eyes that looked broken, like something inside him had died.
"It's greater than we can handle," he had said. "Maybe with both camps we could. Maybe with the Last Centurion…" Before Jason could ask what he meant, Nico had continued. "It's going to get quite nasty, Jason. Imagine every monster that has ever walked or that ever will walk this earth, all on Gaea's side, fighting us at the base of Mount Olympus, a single drop of blood from us resulting in her awakening."
"We have to get to those Doors," Jason had said. "Maybe we can drive the monsters back to Tartarus then close the Doors."
Jason had never really considered the hordes of monsters awaiting them. For him, killing monsters was easy. It had been easy since he was fourteen. He had always been focused on the giants. The monsters are just obstacles in his way. Kinda like a videogame, he had thought. There were always the little guys you have to kill before you get to the big boss. But he doubted whether he would be able to take on that many monsters.
Nico had assured him that they would, and a silence had settled over them. Nico had broken the silence by telling him how he met Percy and arrived at Camp Half-Blood. As he told the story, Jason had sensed that there were details Nico was leaving out. Important details. Nico had been halfway through explaining how Percy got his Achilles' curse when they had heard Hazel's scream.
When they had gotten to the scene they had found the snarling dogs in front of Leo's wall of fire, and Frank aiming a bow at two Greek warriors. Before Jason could have registered what was happening, an arrow from somewhere in the dark forest had whizzed past him and had embedded itself in Nico's shoulder. The next couple of minutes had been a blur as more warriors had emerged and battled him, Frank and Leo while the first two warriors had carried Nico and Hazel away into the night. By the time they defeated them, it was already too late. The children of the Underworld were gone.
Now Jason was wading stealthily through the multiple tents, looking for any clue that would lead him to Hazel. Frank circled overhead in the form of a bald eagle. Jason and Frank had left their other friends back at their little camp in the woods, along with Nico who had returned a few minutes earlier and told them where to find Hazel before falling into a deep sleep. Leo and Piper had wanted to come as well, but Jason had tasked them with guarding Nico since he clearly looked like he had escaped (and by the looks of things, barely) and those crazy Greek guys could come back and kidnap him again. Jason figured Frank should come with him since Hazel is his girlfriend and all.
Above him, Frank screeched something in bird language which Jason understood as, "The big tent is up ahead." Jason was glad he could talk to birds. It made finding Hazel much easier.
He ducked behind a horse and two warrior dudes walked past him. He was watching them take a left into a tent, when something bumped into him suddenly. He was about to draw his gladius when he spotted the curly hair and the amber eyes.
It was Hazel.
"Jason!" she exclaimed quietly. "So good to see you! Where are the others?"
"Hazel, you're alive. Well, Frank's right abov-" he didn't finish the sentence as he looked up and didn't see Frank, or any bird for that matter.
"Frank!" Hazel exclaimed.
Jason's gaze fell back to the ground where Frank now stood crushing Hazel in an embrace. Frank's face was plastered with a silly smile while Hazel looked like she was about to cry. Her hair was dishevelled and Jason saw a large bruise on her right forearm.
"Hazel, you're hurt," Frank said with a worried expression.
"It's fine, I'm Ok," she said weakly, but her wincing indicated she wasn't.
Frank pulled out a square of Ambrosia wrapped in tin foil and practically forced it into her mouth. After swallowing the god-food, Hazel looked much better.
"Come on, guys" Jason told them. "Let's get out of here."
They managed to get away from the war camp and into the forest. As soon as they were far enough not to be spotted, Frank turned into a giant eagle and carried Hazel on his back. Jason flew besides them and within minutes they were back in the small clearing where their little camp was situated. Leo and Piper were sitting around the campfire which was now a pile of smoking cinders. Nico had his head propped against a log, his eyes closed and his hands on his chest so it looked like he was dead. His John Travolta hairstyle made look just about ready for the coffin. As soon as they landed, Hazel collapsed next to Piper. She looked exhausted, like she swam across the Atlantic. Her eyes were glazed and bloodshot. She also appeared to be wearing a dress, something Jason had never seen her wear.
"What happened to you guys?" Leo asked her.
Frank looked at him somberly. "We should let them rest," he said in a low voice.
"It's Ok, Frank," Hazel managed, looking at Frank with assurance and what Jason thought looked suspiciously like guilt. She told them about her encounter with Alexander and how she tricked his generals into stalling their attack on Rome.
Leo whistled appreciatively. "So you guys actually killed Alexander the Great."
Piper elbowed him in the ribs.
"We didn't kill him," Hazel said defiantly. "We just sent him to the Underworld."
"Last time I checked, sending someone to the place people go when they die is killing them."
Jason sat down next to Piper. He took her hand in his and smiled at her before turning to Hazel.
"Look, it doesn't matter," he said to Hazel who was scowling at Leo. "The important thing is that you guys managed to stop Alexander from destroying Rome. Maybe once the Greeks and Romans have stopped fighting, the gods will pull their act together and destroy his army. Maybe once we close the Doors…" Jason stopped talking. With everything that had been going on, he had almost forgotten about their main mission, closing the Doors of Death, making the playing field even.
"Yeah, you guys did well," Piper told Hazel. "How did Nico pull off an entire battle in his state?"
"They must have fed him Ambrosia," Hazel replied thoughtfully. "Alexander must have seen that he was weak so he patched him up so he could use his powers to bring back his family." She glanced at Nico. "It looks like he wasn't back to his full health."
Jason nodded. Nico looked better than he did when he first came out of the jar, but now he was so still that he might have been dead.
Leo rubbed his hands together. "Well, no that that's settled, let get out of here. We've been on the earth for way too long. I'm surprised she hasn't sent out some nasties after us."
Piper stood up, taking Jason's hand with her. "Leo's right. We have to-"
She was cut off by the creepy rustling of leaves as if some evil little ghost was headed in their direction. Jason didn't even have to tell them to move. They all ran towards their respective pegasi, Hazel and Frank dragging a sleeping Nico, as a faint yet shrill whisper echoed in Jason's head, like Gaea was clearing her throat first before taunting him. He mounted his orange steed which galloped into the sky, his friends now far behind. Jason looked down and swore he could see the leaves forming a face…
Last night, after many failed attempts at finding and breaching Alexander's camp, they had briefly discussed where to go from there. Jason wasn't much good at geography, but he knew the map of Italy and her neighbours pretty well. All Romans had to, in case they needed to go on a highly illegal very dangerous quest to the homeland. It's a good thing Romans are well disciplined and never break rules, he had thought. Greece was on the south-eastern side of Italy, across a narrow stretch of the Mare Nostrum. Travelling south-east would take them to the northern region of Greece, where Epirus was. But they still needed to go through Athens which is in the south, so they had decided to travel south down the length of Italy. "Great! More time in the homeland!" he had said sarcastically.
Now they were flying south (at least that's what Jason thought) in a clumsy V formation at Leo's behest with Jason leading. Hazel had managed to drape Nico across her pegasus' back. He was still asleep, and this worried Jason greatly. With his pale face and limp form, he really looked like he was dead. Hazel looked worried as well, but tried not to show it.
The pegasi were really fast. They were definitely faster than those from Camp Half-Blood, even the few ones at Camp Jupiter. They were the winged horse version of sports cars, and his pegasus' orange hue made Jason feel like he was on a Lamborghini. With our luck, we just might meet Mr Lamborghini, he thought grimly.
He casually glanced to his right where Piper sat on her silver steed. Wind whipped her hair braid around, making the white feather in it almost look like it was part of a live bird. Her pretty face was lost in thought. Jason sighed to the rushing wind. She was seriously beautiful. It was amazing how she managed to look after herself even in the state they were in. She had to be the greatest girl he had ever dated, even if she had roasted him yesterday. Jason didn't mind about that. In fact, he was pleased. No girl had ever treated him that way, except maybe Reyna. Most girls were overly friendly when they talked to him. They were usually all giggly and agreed with everything he said. He appreciated that Piper treated him like a normal guy, not like the son of Jupiter. He would have to apologise though, when he got some time alone with her.
Jason took some time to look at all his friends. They all looked tired and miserable. Even Leo who was more ADHD than all of them was slumped against his flame red Pegasus, his fingers twitching slightly. Jason remembered back when they were still at Camp Half-Blood and they were planning ahead about what to do when they finally reached the Ancient Lands. Back then it had seemed easy. Now that they were here, he had to admit that this was the hardest quest he had ever been on. It was way harder than when he and Reyna had ventured into the sea of monsters and defeated the Trojan sea monster that had stolen Imperial Gold weapons from the Legion for centuries. This quest was even harder that when he had led the Legion to the summit of Mount Tam and toppled Saturn's black throne and defeated the Titan Krios with his bare hands. It seemed almost unfair to Jason that all this responsibility, the safety of the entire Western world rested on their shoulders.
If it wasn't them, who else could it be?
They were supposed to be the greatest demigods of the age. If they couldn't do it, then the world was doomed. And Jason could never let that happen. As long as his heart beat he would never allow Gaea to win. He shuddered slightly as he remembered the line in the Prophecy of Seven; an oath to keep with a final breath. He hoped it wouldn't come down to that. He hoped none of his friends would die on this quest.
Jason shifted slightly on the back of his pegasus. He guessed they had been flying for almost two hours. His back was aching from sitting straight for so long and his neck creaked as he slowly twisted it about. Up ahead he could see high rise buildings that glittered in the afternoon sun. They were nearing a city. It was not as large or as full of culture as Rome, but it was pretty big and cultured. From this distance, he could see a river that flowed through the city and the mountains around it. Although it was summer, Jason felt that it was becoming colder as they approached the city. Somewhere towards the heart of the town was an old-fashioned castle and another medieval building. As they drew nearer, he could see a Romanesque building that looked like a church. Other Romanesque buildings lay scattered throughout the city, most of which now had other elements of architecture that Annabeth could gladly explain.
By the time Leo shouted, "Look, a city!" Jason could already make out the throngs of people that were going about their daily routines. Jason knew it was because he had sharper eyesight due to his father being lord of the skies. They landed in an abandoned construction site, away from the unpredictable eyes of mortals, and dismounted their steeds. Jason's friends looked glad to be off their slightly uncomfortable rides, and they stretched their limbs about to show it.
Frank was first to raise their immediate problem. "Is it alright to be on land right now, after that close encounter with Gaea back in the forest?"
Jason bit his bottom lip. Frank was right. They have been spending too much time on the ground. They were an easy target for the earth goddess' minions. But they did need to rest and gather supplies. Sure, Piper's cornucopia would supply them with enough food and water, but they needed other things as well; showers, maybe a change of clothes. They also needed to hold a meeting, maybe look into Piper's knife again.
"Frank's right," he said out loud. "But we have to find a place to stay, maybe for the night."
"How about a hotel," Leo suggested. "A high rise hotel. We can chill in the top floor. That way we won't technically be on the ground."
The idea sounded ridiculous, like most of Leo's plan, but right now it was the best they had.
"I can't believe I'm actually saying this," Piper began reluctantly, "but I think Leo has a plan. I suggest we split up. One group can find the hotel, and another can go shopping for supplies."
Jason was glad Piper hadn't used any charmspeak on her words because he had to voice his worries.
"Is it a good idea to split up?" he asked her. "Won't it just be easier for Gaea to pick us off when we're separated?"
His mind went to the when he and Percy, with Bacchus' help, had battled the twin giants. They had decided to fight each giant together instead of separately, and they had won. That was when he realised that in order to stand a chance against Gaea, they had to work together. That was, after all, Hera's plan. A plan that got her kicked out of Olympus, he thought drily.
"I suppose," Piper said, "but it would be easier this way."
"She's right," a cracking voice said from atop Hazel's pegasus. It was Nico, and he was stretching and yawning vigorously like a cat after taking a nap. His hair was messed up again, like he had just woken up. Like usual. "The sooner we find accommodation off the ground, the better."
Hazel nodded. "This way we could also be on the lookout for any monsters."
Jason slowly nodded. They were right, of course.
"Great then," Piper said. "I'll go look for supplies. Jason, you'll come with me."
"I'm going as well," Hazel remarked. "I need to change this dress." She said the word dress like monster dust was in her mouth.
"Ok then," Jason said. "That leaves-"
"Me," Leo quipped, "the dying Death Lord's son… and Frank. He said the word Frank like he was nervous. Or guilty.
Jason wondered what had happened between Leo, Frank and Hazel. He had been vaguely aware of the strange love triangle between the three of them, but now he had the feeling that he was missing something. Something important.
Piper drew something from her pack which hung from her steed. It was a gold card. She gave it to Frank. "Here, guys. Use this to book a hotel." She pulled out another one and slipped it into her jeans pocket. "I brought these along in case we got stranded in the mortal world. Who knew they would be useful?"
Jason gave her a slight smile. With everything that has been going on, he sometimes forgot that she had a life in the mortal world. A life and a famous movie actor dad. He could relate, somehow. His mother was a famous actress and his father is Jupiter.
"Thanks Pipes," Leo said. "We don't have a limit on it, right?"
"Goodbye, Leo," she said jokingly.
Leo, Frank and Nico walked away in the direction opposite to the one Jason and the girls were going to take, with Leo asking Nico how he could sleep on a flying horse about two miles up in the sky and Nico saying something along the lines of, "With great power, comes the great need to take a nap."
Jason almost chuckled. He knew the feeling exactly. He had felt the need to sleep after summoning that storm at Fort Sumter and after battling Ephialtes and Otis.
He turned to the girls and offered to carry them both as he flew. Last winter he wasn't able to carry more than one person with him when he flew, but he had gotten stronger since then.
"No thanks, Jason," Hazel said. "Let's just walk instead."
He wasn't sure whether she had refused because she didn't like flying (a child of Pluto must hate flying), whether she thought it would be awkward to be stuck with him and Piper, or both, but he didn't argue with her. As they set off into the heart of the city, little did Jason know what terrible endeavours awaited them, more especially him.
