A/N (I recommend reading this): I'm going to MAKE THIS CLEAR. Just like I mention on my bio page about every other fanfiction I done: I DON'T OWN THE PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIAN SERIES OR IT'S CHARACTERS as the rights goes to Rick Rioran. Also I suggest you guys start paying attention to the Author notes and my warnings that I left on EVERY chapter of EVERY story.
Keep in mind it would be hard to be original with Hazel's and Frank's Flashbacks in this story. Sorry if this chapter is too much like the book.
Warning: Certain ancient Greeknames matches words use of foul language but no foul language was intentionally used. Also if you haven't read them yet read 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Early Adventures' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Olympians: The Titan's Curse' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Olympians: The Magical Labyrinth' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Stolen Chariot' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Sword of Hades', 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Bronze Dragon' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Olympians: The Last Olympian' 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon & the Staff of Hermes' 'The Tales of the Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero' and 'The Tales of the Heroes of Olympus: The Quest for Buford' before reading this story as stuff that happened in them will be mentioned. Lastly, any one who wants to do a Demigods and Olympian reads story using 'The Tales of the Son of Poseidon' is allowed as long as you inform me about it.
Percy's POV Part XVII
Four hours.
That's how long it took the fastest horse on the planet to get from Alaska to San Francisco Bay, heading straight over the water down the Northwest coast.
Along the way, I prayed to my dad that Tyson, Mrs. O'Leary, and Ella were at a safe distance from the battle.
I also face another realization. If Camp Jupiter is facing a great invasion, what's happening at Camp Half-Blood. Is Annabeth okay? What about the rest of my friends at Camp Half-Blood. I wondered if the Hunters of Artemis came to their help.
It has occurred to me if that was the case and Jason was at Camp Half-Blood then that would mean Thalia finally had her reunion with her lost brother.
Something I had hope to be there to see and meet Jason personally, but because of Hera and Juno, I wasn't able too, and lost eight months of my life.
There was something else too—something even worse than the two camps being invaded. According to Alcyoneus, the real war would happen far away, in the homeland of the gods. The giants intended to attack the original Mount Olympus and destroy the gods forever.
I knew better than anyone that the gods couldn't die unless demigods and gods ought them together. I remember reading it in the book Hal gave me years ago. Annabeth also mention it too, back in August, when she speculated that the giants might be part of the new Prophecy of Seven.
I understand Juno's plan: Unite the Roman and Greek demigods to create an elite team of heroes—the greatest heroes of our generation, possibly of all time—meantime Hera or Juno would try to convince the gods to fight alongside us. But first, we had to save Camp Jupiter.
The coast line began to look familiar. We raced past the Mendocino Lighthouse. Shortly afterward, Mount Tam and the Marin headlands loomed out of the fog. Arion shot straight under the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco Bay.
We tore through Berkeley and into the Oakland Hills. When we reached the hilltop above the Caldecott Tunnel, Arion shuddered like a broken a car and came to a stop, his chest heaving.
Hazel patted his sides lovingly. "You did great, Arion."
The horse was too tired even to cuss: Of course I did great. What did you expect?
Frank and I jumped off the chariot. I wished there'd been comfortable seats or an in-flight meal. My legs were wobbly. My joints were so stiff I could barely walk. If I went into battle like this, the enemy would call me Old Man Jackson.
Frank didn't look much better. He hobbled to the top of the hill and peered down at the camp. "Guys… you need to see this."
When Hazel and I joined him, my heart sank. The battle had begun, and it wasn't going well. The Twelfth Legion was arrayed on the Field of Mars, trying to protect the city. Scorpions fired into the ranks of the Earthborn. Hannibal the elephant plowed down the monsters right and left, but the defenders were badly outnumbered.
On her pegasus Scipio, Reyna flew around the giant Polybotes, trying to keep him occupied while trying to lead him to Terminus (as we discussed the last time I talked to her in person) without him noticing but Polybotes was making it difficult for her. The Lares had formed shimmering purple lines against a mob of black, vaporous shades in ancient armor. Veteran demigods rom the city had joined the battle, and were pushing their shield wall against an onslaught of wild centaurs. Giant eagles circled the battlefield, doing aerial combat with the gorgon sisters—Stheno and Euryale.
The legion itself was taking the brunt of the attack, but their formation was breaking. Each cohort was an island in a sea of enemies. The Cyclopes had a siege tower that shot glowing green cannonballs into the city, blasting craters in the forums, reducing houses to ruins. As I watched, a cannonball hit the Senate House and the dome partially collapsed.
"We're too late," Hazel said.
"No," I said, "They're still fighting. We can do this."
"Where's Lupa?" Frank asked, desperation creeping into his voice. "She and the wolves… they should be here."
I thought about my time with the wolf goddess. I'd come to respect her teachings, but I also learned that wolves had limits. They weren't front-line fighters. They only attack when they had vastly superior numbers, and usually under the cover of darkness. Besides, Lupa's first rule was self-sufficiency. She would help her children as much as she could, train them to fight—but in the end, they were either predator or prey. Romans had to fight for themselves. They had to prove their worth or die. That was Lupa's way.
"She did what she could," I said. "She slowed down the army on its way south. Now it's up to us. We've got to get the gold eat and these weapons along with the weapons Tyson has to the legion."
I took out my dog whistle and Hazel and Frank nodded.
I took a deep breath and blew into the dog whistle as hard as I could
Shadows rippled in the trees and Mrs. O'Leary melted out of it carrying the weapons we stocked at the Zhang Mansion with Tyson and Ella on her back.
"Brothers!" Tyson climbed off and ran toward me and Frank. I braced myself, but it was no good. Tyson slammed into both of us and manage to give both of us a smothering hug. For a few seconds, I could only see black spots and a lot of Flannel, and I doubt Frank was doing much better. Then Tyson let go of both of us and laughed with delight.
"You're not dead?" He asked.
"Not one bit," I said.
"And the giant at Alaska?"
"Dead!" Hazel said.
Tyson clapped with joy.
Ella fluttered to the ground and began preening her feathers. "Large dog and Tyson protected Ella, kept Ella hidden when the enemy attacked."
Was it me, or is Ella blushing? Not only that, but Tyson was blushing too.
Before I could decide, Mrs. O'Leary pounced on me, knocking me to the ground and barking so loudly that even Arion backed up. She gave me her usual welcome lick which seemed to have a lot more slobber than before. I guess that's what I get for not stepping out of the garage at the Zhang mansion so that Mrs. O'Leary could greet me properly.
"Hey, Mrs. O'Leary," I said. "Yeah, I love you too, girl. Good dog."
"Uh guys, there's a battle going on," Frank said.
"Right," I agreed. "Tyson, where's Annabeth? Is any other help coming?"
Tyson pouted. His big brown eye got misty. "The big ship is not ready. Leo says tomorrow, maybe two days. Then they will come. But Annabeth did send someone to help us."
"Who?" I asked.
Who else, boss? I heard a familiar voice said.
I turned and looked up in the sky and saw a black silhouette descending in the sky. At first sight, you would think it was a bird, but as it got closer it revealed itself to be a black winged horse—a pegasus, and a good friend of mine.
"Blackjack!" I yelled as he cantered into the ground.
Hey boss, do you have any donuts? Blackjack asked.
"Sorry, Blackjack, but if we survive this battle, I'll make sure you get a dozen donuts," I said.
"Percy, you have a Pegasus?" Hazel asked.
"It's a long complicated story," I responded. "Okay, guys. Listen up. I have an idea how we're going to fight.
I pointed out the good guys in the battle field as fast as I could to Tyson. Tyson was alarmed to learn that rogue Cyclopes and Rogue centaurs were in the giant's army.
"Bad like Polyphemus and the Cyclopes in Brooklyn?" Tyson asked.
"Exactly, Bad like Polyphemus and the Cyclopes in Brooklyn," I said. "If you can scare the Centaurs out of camp that would be just as good.
Tyson seemed glad to hear that.
"We'll go to the closest group first and assist them attack plan Macedonia," I said. "Since it's a Greek fighting style, the enemy won't expect it, which could run in our favor. Then once we gain the help of that Cohort, we go to the next one and the next one, assisting each one until we regain the whole Roman ranks. Hazel you can take Arion. Frank and I will cover the air assault. Tyson you can take Mrs. O'Leary along with the chariot. Ella, you can go with Tyson if you want to or hide."
"Friend's attack plan good. Ella go with Tyson," Ella said.
"Percy, it's a great plan and all," Frank said. "But if the legion mistakes Tyson for an enemy—"
"I've got it!" Hazel ran to the chariot and dug out the biggest Roman helmet she could find, plus an old Roman banner. Embroidered with SPQR.
She handed them to Tyson. "Put those on, big guy. Then our friends will know you're on our team."
"Yay!" Tyson said. "I'm on your team.
The helmet was ridiculously small, and he put on the cape backward, like a SPQR baby bib.
"It'll do," I said. "Okay, let's prepare for the biggest battle in our life."
