(I don't own any of Rick's stories or characters, only what I put them through.)
Well, it's definitely been a fat minute. I'll rant more at the end. Enjoy the lengthy chapter.
—
When he woke, all Percy felt was his heart pumping his blood to his head, and he shot up, seeing a very surprised Reyna beside him.
"Are you okay?"
It took a moment for him to calm down, but he nodded, saying, "Yeah, yeah. Just give me a second."
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he recalled his dream, trying to remember each point. It was brief compared to others he had, but there was lots to process. He'd come back to the same woods as before, but deeper, and it was loaded with monster activity. If the amount of tents and campfires were anything to go by, then they were dealing with a formidable force, led by at least two strong leaders. There was the one that looked like he was still in college, and no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't pin a name nor connection. He was just carefree and outgoing, and his presence was almost calming. No wonder he was a leader— a man who was that cool and confident could lead soldiers straight to their deaths, and they wouldn't even hesitate until it's too late.
The other figure was far more troubling, and the fact that he managed to see Percy in his dream only compounded that danger. Not everyone can see through that barrier, and so far, it was only him and a couple empousai that noticed. The way he conducted himself was logical and coherent, and he even managed to make Percy realize that this wouldn't be a repeat of the giants and their attempts to gain power. This was a person that had a goal, and the drive and plans to achieve it. The only other figure that seemed to hold that air of realism was Kronos, but as the man had said, he underestimated the importance of demigods and their strengths. This was someone that wouldn't cut corners or make reckless throws to pad his ego, and that made him more dangerous than most.
"Percy?"
The thoughts in his head slipped, and he apologized, explaining, "Sorry, just some dreams again. Kinda the same as the night before."
"If you want to talk about it on the hike, we can try to make sense of it. It's not like we'll be doing that much during that time."
"I may take you up on that." He rubbed his eyes one last time before unzipping his sleeping bag and sliding out, internally grimacing at the sudden coldness of the morning air. Reyna's advice the night before was a godsend, and after tossing his shoes on and gathering his things, he left the tent. The others still seemed to be sound asleep, and he could even hear someone snoring loudly. Percy already missed his toasty sleeping bag, but he forced himself to focus.
Breakfast was light, assuming that it could even be considered a breakfast— a granola bar and some Gatorade to chase it down. As he was filling his water bottle, his partner walked over to him and asked, "Do you want to lead? I walk fast, and I wouldn't want you to keep playing catch-up with me."
"I'll be fine with whatever pace you want to take. It isn't like we're in a huge group either, so it shouldn't matter that much."
"I'll be sure to hold back a little, though. You wanted to talk, after all."
Capping his bottle, he sighed and looked at the trailhead a few dozen yards away. "Still planning on hitting the Pulpit first?"
"Yeah, we might as well. It's nearby, so coming back for lunch won't be difficult."
"In that case, do you want to start going? I've got all I need."
Nodding, she started to make her way towards the same trailhead that they ascended yesterday, and Percy took a moment to admire the few rays of sunshine that started to poke above the horizon. While he certainly loved the East Coast, the West had better sunrises, and that was something he couldn't deny. After reaching the road and moving up towards the radio tower, Reyna decided to ask, "So, what'd you dream about?
He explained it— the camp, the two men in the tent, their plans, and what they sought to accomplish. For a few long seconds, she was silent, but he could feel the frustration and worry radiating off her. Afterwards, she just muttered, "Of course they're trying to do that now. We can barely defend ourselves from a handful of monsters, and now there's an actual army gunning for us."
He wanted to reassure her that they could hold the line against them, just like during the siege that Polybotes led during the war. That would be a lie, though. The Triumvirate had crippled Camp Jupiter, both in spirit and numbers. If an organized and legitimate army wanted to storm the camp and occupy it, they could. Instead, he just rubbed her shoulder and said, "Well, that's why we're here. We can get some recon done on their forces, wherever they are, and that will give us time to prepare defenses. With the tunnel destroyed, they'll have to go through the hills, and deploying some traps might slow them down. Combine that with some ranged weapons or archers, and you've already got a solid defense."
"It's a start, definitely, but we'd have to pull a lot of forces to defend one area. Is there any way the Greeks can get over here in time?"
He had to think about that one. The last time he'd been at Camp Half Blood was a while ago, and he didn't even know if he still held enough sway to call in for such a favor. They could only get across the country with the help of people who could shadow travel, like Nico. Even then, he had no idea where he was, or if he'd even be in a mood to help. Pegasi were only viable if they had adequate time to rest, and that's assuming that they wouldn't be picked out of the sky by some rogue monsters. Opting to think more about that later, he shrugged. "It'd be tricky, but I could try to call in some favors when we get some free time."
"I'd also offer our eagles, but I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to carry messages quick enough. From the sounds of it, there's only a few days until they begin to move on the camp, and Iris messaging seems a lot better." Reyna's voice was still audibly stressed, but she'd regained some of her trademark composure, at least enough for her to stop twisting her ring. It was a tough position for them to be in, and he recalled something that Hazel had said to him, when he first stumbled his way into Camp Jupiter.
"Hey, a while back, Hazel told me that the camp could be taken down and relocated in a few days. Is that still possible?"
"They really should remove that point from the newcomer orientation. I forget that it's still being echoed around the legion," she sighed, providing enough of an answer already. "We've been in the same place for the last few centuries, and we're not the nomadic legion-city we once were. Sure, we could probably evacuate the people and most important items in that time frame, but it'd just be that— an evacuation. With our diminished numbers, evacuating would probably be cutting it really close to their attack."
"I just want to keep our options open. If we know that a defeat would be likely, we might as well be ready to leave. There's no use in fighting a battle that's already lost."
"Unfortunately, I completely understand. Gods, I can't believe it's coming to this…"
"We can still prevent it. We just need to establish how far they are, and that'll give us a preparation deadline. Then, we'll move from there."
For once, he felt like he knew what he was doing, like all of his thoughts were coherent and aligned, and it was oddly peaceful. He didn't know if it was because he wanted to hear that rationality and reassurance himself, or if it was purely natural, but he appreciated it. Another part was that he just wanted to help Reyna. She was the most level-headed person of the scouting group, and everyone looked to her for guidance, including him. If she became worried or fearful, then the others would reflect it. Above all, he was starting to really see her as a friend. Looking past the awkward swaps between professionalism and being casual, something was definitely starting to form, and he just didn't want to see her in distress.
"Car."
Her warning stirred him from his musings as he stepped off the road to let a car pass. Aside from the ones at the peak of the mountain, he hadn't seen any others. It was odd, considering how the weather seemed perfect to go outside, but he was thankful for the lack of traffic. More cars meant there would be more people, and those were more people that could panic and create a greater issue. They were already dealing with an impending attack, and the last thing they needed was someone calling the police on them. He'd had enough encounters in his life, and the last thing he needed was to call the camp about getting released, and, gods forbid, his mom. After all he'd put her through, he could at least try to stay out of jail.
They'd passed the rest stop near the summit, briefly slowing to glance over the visitors. Other than a few happy athletic couples and the occasional tired father, it was just as empty as the rest of the place, and he got a sneaking suspicion that this emptiness would be a constant throughout this trip. Although, empty wouldn't be the right word to describe the atmosphere. Hollow, uncertain— there were a few he could think of, but in the end, he knew that they couldn't afford to fail. Even if they bought a little time, then the residents of the camp could survive. If not, then they'd be overwhelmed and crushed, or worse.
It was this predicament that felt so alien to him, yet so familiar. In the last of his two largest escapades, he'd fought against the Earth itself, all in order to ensure the survival of humanity. Now, he was defending a population of a few dozen, and going against a single army. It shouldn't have felt as dire as it did, but this felt just as serious as the previous two wars, even if this was just a conflict, and not a war.
That gave him something to think about as he and Reyna reached the summit, heading to the right of the visitor center, where the trailhead began. It looked like they were the only ones taking it, which was convenient. If they were planning on getting back by lunch, and the trail marker said that it was only a quarter of a mile to the Pulpit, then there were two options. Either they would stay in the same place for hours, baking in the early summer sun, or they'd go exploring the surrounding area, and he knew that Reyna wasn't an idle person.
"I assume that we're gonna stay up there for a little bit before going elsewhere?"
She nodded. "There's another spring that's nearby, and I'm hoping that we might get some information if we visit."
"Where is it?"
She pointed to the left of the trail, down in the valley past a large cluster of trees. "Mimulus Spring. If there isn't a trail heading down from here, then we can just make our own."
Mimulus… his latin was beyond rusty, assuming that it had actually existed. "Is that the god of mimes, or something?"
Judging from the unamused look on her face, he guessed wrong. "I'll give you credit for at least getting the root word correct. Mimulus isn't a god, but a genus of flowers. Here's a chance to redeem yourself: If plants exist, then in our mythological world, what else should accompany them?"
"Nymphs?"
"And that's how we get some information. Dryads, nymphs, and other creatures exist, so if they've seen anything, we can ask them. Not the most efficient and reliable means, but it beats looking around aimlessly."
They'd reached the pile of jagged rocks along the ridgeline, and Reyna sat in a recess overlooking the valley.
"In the meantime, we're gonna spend some time here, but just keep an eye out for anything or anyone. I'm going to update some notes, and maybe start outlining a report on our efforts so far."
She had already broken out a notepad and a pen, so he sat beside her, tossing a small rock down the rough mountainside. It was only a couple minutes before he got bored, and he needed something to do. Instead of tossing larger rocks, he decided to ask, "Did you dream of anything last night?"
Her pen stopped, and her hand trembled for only a moment, but she nodded. "A couple things. The first was kind of like yours, but I didn't see those two leaders. I was in a smaller camp, maybe closer to home. It wasn't a raiding party, but they were experienced monsters acting more as a scouting group than anything. They were noting the weaknesses in our defenses and the gaps between our patrols, among other things. Near the end, the biggest one mentioned giving the signal to the others, but I'm not sure if those are more scouting parties, or worse."
A similar pang of concern echoed in his gut. It wasn't a surprise that there were more monsters, but it seemed like there was an organized network of them. That notion only reinforced his thoughts on the monsters' supposed leadership, and he didn't like what that would imply.
"Anything else?"
Even if she'd managed to control that brief sign of nervousness, he saw it resurface on her face. "Just some past memories. Nothing that's new or helpful to either of us, just… personal."
The way she said 'personal' told him all he knew, and he apologized, "I didn't mean to intrude. If you ever need to discuss it, though…"
"One day, maybe, but not now. The last thing we need is a distraction like that, especially with the stakes that we face."
It wasn't a "no", so he was content. Still, they'd have some time to kill. Even as he tried to look for any activity below him, he wondered how Marcus was faring.
••••••••••••••••••••
(Marcus's Group)
"Come on, let's get up."
Quince only grumbled in response, not that he could blame him. Normally, the first night of camping was rough, and he'd sleep for a couple hours at a time, waking up throughout the night. Last night, however, he slept like a rock. The second that his head hit the pile of clothes he used as a pillow, it went black. It was rare that he got sleep like that, so it broke his heart when his six o'clock alarm went off.
Today was his first day leading the actual searches they came to do, and after figuring out how he should plan things, he had his work cut out for him. As tiring as it could be, making his own plans was a pleasant change of pace. He'd have his group split, then each element would explore the smaller areas, like the streams that ran in some of the ravines and ditches. For the larger locations, they'd regroup and spread out in order to cover more ground whilst remaining as a single, functional unit. Ideally, he'd have another five or six people for the sake of coverage, but that was a luxury that couldn't be afforded.
"Hey, Marcus."
He turned, seeing the three other legionnaires standing behind him, already dressed and ready. In the front was Hank, dressed as casually as everyone else. It was still weird seeing him in normal clothes, because he was always in clothing that had cost a couple weeks of pay, or his toga. Senators had a tendency to fall within that dichotomy, or completely encompass it.
"We're planning on heading out. Still going to check along the service road first, so we'll report back once we're done."
"Alright, just be sure to actually explore a bit. If there are monsters here, they won't be sitting on the side of the trail."
"Got it. When are you leaving?"
"Once a certain someone decides to abandon his beauty sleep," he groaned, lightly kicking Quince's sleeping bag.
"I'm coming, I'm coming…" His bag shifted, and he slowly started to feel for the zipper.
"Good luck on your search." Marcus waved Hank off, giving a friendly nod when they all started to make their way back towards the main trail.
It took a little while, but the last man finally left his sleeping bag, looking just as groggy as before. "Damn, can't a guy get some rest?"
As much as he would've liked to have opposed him, he sighed and nodded, agreeing. The only reason that he was awake was due to the can of Red Bull that he had for breakfast— something that wasn't necessarily a part of a legionnaire's balanced meal. Feeling some sympathy, he tossed Quince one of the cans, along with a small baggie of beef jerky.
"One of those days?"
He sighed again. "Yup. We'll be out for a while, and probably get back in the afternoon. Be sure to pack water and whatever else you might need."
"Right."
Once his day bag was packed with what some would see as an excessive amount of supplies, he and Marcus were on their way. Deciding to go opposite of the other three, they'd hike along the Ridge Trail, which would provide a decent view into either side of the wilderness below. It'd save time and energy, and it'd let them survey more ground with less people, which they were already in short supply of.
The sun was already starting to move into the sky, and while it was nice to have everything illuminated and bright, he could already feel the heat baking the side of his face. Then again, he couldn't really complain. While the others at camp were swinging sledge hammers or moving lumber in the heat, he was just walking, even if he was lugging around a gladius and a bag full of supplies.
"So, what are we going to do if we find some monsters?"
Quince broke him out of his musings, catching him off guard. "What?"
"It feels like we're operating under the notion that we won't find anything, and from my experience, it's always best to prepare for the worst. We're just two demigods, but what'll happen if we run into a camp full of them? I'm pretty sure I can take several and keep going, but against a small horde? I'd end up as a grease stain."
For a moment, Marcus put some thought into the question. It wasn't something he'd put much thought into, despite their reason for leaving New Rome in the first place. "We could try recording the location and reporting it to everyone, if it looks like it'd be too much to handle. The purpose of these patrols is reconnaissance, after all. Besides, we aren't even in full armor, so charging into their camp won't be a great option to begin with."
Quince kicked a rock in his path, which clattered and bounced as it rolled down the hill. "I just wish that they gave us a couple more guys. I know that the reconstruction effort is important, but losing a few more people wouldn't really harm the projects. With those people, we could probably be more efficient with all of this."
"Then again, those legionnaires are also guarding the camp, and with the monsters poking at our defenses, I can see why they were lenient with our manpower. We can't defend the camp if there isn't any camp left to defend, so we were really all they could spare."
From their briefing at the start of the trip, he knew that things were going to be rough. Anyone could look at New Rome and see that it was on its last legs, but everyone still wanted it to last. Whether it was pride or logic, people sought to preserve it, himself included. It was proof that a sanctuary for demigods could exist, and that they could carve out a niche in the world that could last. If all they could spare was a few veteran legionnaires, then they would have to suffice.
"I just hope that if things really are going to get bad, we can send a message in time. It was smart to gather information like this, but the camp also kneecapped themselves by sending away some of their most experienced fighters."
Quince nodded, pulling a piece of jerky from his pocket. "And if they didn't send us out, they'd just be sitting ducks for whatever monsters that decide to raid us."
"Damned if we do, damned if we don't," Marcus grumbled. The conversation wasn't good for morale, but it was one that he needed to get off his chest. Then again, it'd hurt to dwell on things. "I just hope that I can hit up the baths before shit goes sideways."
That sentiment seems to stick, and his partner grunted. "I'd even settle for a cold shower right now. I sprayed myself with some bug spray, and now I feel greasier than this jerky."
Minutes seemed to pass as they continued to talk about the smaller things, like camp rumors, training, and the weather. Surprisingly, it was Quince that noticed something first.
"—stupid. I understand why they would do that, but—"
Quince suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged him off the trail, pulling him onto his stomach in the unkempt grass and vegetation on the side of the trail. "Quiet."
He silenced himself, listening to the muted chirping of distant birds. There it was— clear footsteps, thumping from the other side of the trail, maybe a hundred yards away. He watched as a humanoid emerged, lugging a dented and twisted car bumper over its large shoulders. For its size, it was surprisingly quiet, and he would've missed it if Quince hadn't noticed. Stopping at the edge of the trail, it raised its head, scanning the land behind it.
Even from their distance, its words still carried perfectly. "Hurry up, the others are waiting."
It wasn't yelling, nor were the words specific, but it confirmed Marcus's suspicions.
After the cyclops had spoken, he continued crossing the path, and his party followed. There were six of them, each one as big as the leader. Some wore loincloths, others wore armor fashioned from trash can lids and street signs. Most troubling was that all seemed well-fed and organized, and the mention of more monsters had set off red flags. There were organized monsters here, and there were more.
"If we're even five minutes late, our chieftain will be furious," the leader bellowed.
"Shouldn't we be looking carefully for any food? I swear that this dump has started to smell more appetizing since yesterday." It was one of the others that spoke, sounding frustrated.
"Our brothers after us can look for anything we missed. A few hours between us and them is nothing to worry about, and they'll split any findings with us."
The group continued to bicker and complain as they continued across the trail, eventually fading from sight.
"What should we do?" Barely more than a whisper, Quince's voice seemed to meld with the light breeze in the air.
Marcus sighed. If only we had reinforcements.
"We're gonna have to retreat to tell the others. I don't like it, but there's more of them elsewhere, and with just us two, we wouldn't beat them."
He didn't like to run, but what choice did he have? In an attempt to further justify his move, he said, "Note the time and location. I'll discuss it once we're out of here."
Quince scribbled the time and rough location on his palm, and with all of the caution they could muster, the two of them crept back onto the main trail, and once they were out of earshot, they broke into a jog.
"Why take the time?"
"You heard them mention that they were late, right?" Quince nodded, and Marcus continued, "They had others, too. Whatever they're doing here, they've got patrols. If we happen to stake them out and follow them to their camp..."
"…We can plan a way to wipe them all out. Smart."
"It all depends on my assumptions, but I'm hoping that things go our way."
It was needless to say that he agreed. Luck would hopefully be on their side, but it wasn't like this was a prophecy-ordained task. What they did was on their own accord, and their choices would ultimately lead to their respective outcomes. Truthfully, it was almost a bit scary. Prophecies always came true, and it usually fit a specific set of criteria, and one could prepare for it. Without those boundaries, everything had to be accounted for, and there wasn't any metaphysical safety net waiting to catch them. The possible outcomes were endless, and Marcus shuddered at the thought of it. He had to tell everyone, and that was certain.
Jogging had brought them back to their campsite and after taking a moment to collect themselves, Marcus took a golden coin from his pocket— one of the drachmas that Percy had given them. They had filled up a spray bottle that they'd originally brought for cleaning dishes, but they hoped that it'd still work.
He cleared his throat. "What do I have to… Ah, right. O, Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering."
He flicked the coin into the mist, and to their surprise, it vanished. "Show me Percy Jackson, on Mount Diablo."
With that, an image started to form, though it seemed like the connection was poor. Then again, the nearest water fountain was far away, and they didn't want to leave the safety of their campsite. The image that appeared showed Percy sitting on some ledge, stacking small rocks on his knee. Reyna was in the background, looking as alert as ever, though she failed to notice them through her scanning of the valley below.
"Hey, Perce."
His leg jolted, sending the small tower of pebbles down the mountain. "Gods, that scared me. Is everything alright?"
"We've got some news, and it's something we should share with you."
Percy waved Reyna over, and they both sat in anticipation. Quince was the one to speak. "Marcus and I were walking along the Ridge Trail, and we ran into some monsters."
"Really? We haven't seen any, and we've been watching this area for a while now."
"But it's only been an hour…", their praetor muttered, taking a breath. "Anything notable about them?"
"They were armored and in good shape, none of them seemed malnourished or weak. We managed to run into them while crossing a trail, and we hid before they could see us. From what we overheard from them, they were one of multiple patrols. In that group, there were six cyclops, including the ones that were waiting for them."
"Damn, are you sure that this isn't just a rogue cyclops band?" There was the slightest twinge of hope in Percy's voice, but even he seemed unsure of his own assertion.
Marcus could only shake his head. "We're going to regroup and stake out the spot in a few hours, so we can try to track them to their own camp. It's not like they move quietly, so it'd be easy to tail them."
"Just remember that the more of you there are, the more they can smell. I'd recommend only having a couple tail them, and have the rest standby. It minimizes your presence and keeps some support in case things go wrong," Reyna added, crossing her arms. "But it seems like we might really have a problem on our hands."
"For the sake of us all, I hope not, but this isn't looking pretty."
"We'll keep you updated on our findings over here," Percy said, pausing a moment. "Just keep an eye on your drachma count. We still have plenty of them, but if you're going to message us, just remember that you only have one per person."
"We would've just called you, but after seeing what we saw, we'd rather not broadcast our presence. A coin isn't a high price for a secure connection, but we'll also try to keep you updated. Stay safe out there."
"You too, Marcus. Talk to you later."
They said their farewells, and the connection was severed, with Quince shaking his hand after setting the spray bottle down.
"Man, now my fingers are sore."
Normally, he would just say "that's what she said" and grin at Quince's disapproval, but there were more pressing matters. Reyna was spot-on, as usual. They'd have to break their group apart and use a couple people to tail the monsters, with the rest following from afar. It was just another point he'd add to the list of things he didn't like, but had to do. A pair of demigods could be formidable opponents, but against a small hunting party of cyclopses? The odds wouldn't be stacked in their favor.
"We should probably start brainstorming about later. Things are looking like they're gonna get a lot worse before they get better, so I want to make sure that if stuff goes sideways, we can get out of here with everyone intact."
Quince's shoulders slumped back, and he sat down on a small boulder, holding his chin. "How long are the others supposed to be out?"
"For a while. They're supposed to wrap up by lunch, but that could range anywhere from noon to two. I'd go out to look for them, but we'd have to catch up, and I don't want to increase our presence anymore than we already have."
"Guess that we'll have to start without them."
Digging into his bag, Marcus grabbed a pencil and a notepad. "So, let's start with the obvious. How do we decide the group that will tail the monsters?"
"I'd go with those who have some experience with handling larger monsters."
After a moment, Marcus shook his head. "I'd opt to keep them on standby. We're going to follow them, and we're not looking for a fight."
"None of us are exactly stealthy either, so…" Quince trailed off for a moment, before perking up. "Scents."
"Ah, that's good. What are our options?"
"I'm a legacy of Pomona, and the others are some descendents of Mercury, Vulcan, and Virtus. How about you?"
"Son of Honos, so that narrows down our options."
Honos and Virtus were fairly minor deities, but being a legacy was also convenient. That meant three of his team were eligible, while the other two were certain to be put on overwatch. Next, he had to figure out the hard part. "Now, who's willing to actually tail the cyclops back to their camp?"
Quince paled a bit, not that he could blame the man. In single combat, one would already be a challenge, but against half a dozen, it would be messy.
Opting to step up, Marcus decided, "I'm going to volunteer, so it'll be between you and Hank. The other will be on standby."
Marcus wasn't a good friend of Hank, but he had to admit that he was likely the better option. Putting aside his dislike of senators, Hank was a good soldier, and had some solid experience under his belt. That made him a good match for the criteria of the task, and Marcus could use those attributes.
Quince nodded and said, "I'll think about it, but we should wait for him and the others to get back."
"Yeah, at least for that part. We should also throw together a plan for egress, since we'll still have to get away from their camp once we find it. Hopefully, we'll be far enough away to go quietly, but I'd rather have a fallback plan."
Quince sat quietly, eyebrows scrunched for a few seconds. "Could the guys on standby make a distraction? It'd be risky, but if they make enough noise and draw their attention, the others could make a break for it. So long as everyone can break contact, we should be good."
"Not bad," he admitted, "but that should be a last resort. It isn't like the group tailing the cyclops is going to be a couple feet behind them, so they'll have some room to break off and retreat. Let's just keep the distraction as an emergency."
"And yet something tells me that we'll be using that plan anyway," Quince huffed, standing up. "I'm going to take a short nap before everyone gets back."
"I'll keep a lookout for the others."
••••••••••••••••••••
(Percy's Group)
As the residual mist of the Iris Message faded, Percy watched as Reyna pelted a rock over the outcropping, nailing a tree stump a few dozen yards away. Before he could say something, she stood up, nodding to the valley to her left. "Let's go check out the spring. After hearing about their observations, I can't sit here for any longer."
"Alright, I'll follow you."
Part of him wanted to simply slide his way down the rock face, but his partner opted to trace their steps back to more even ground before descending into the valley. A word wasn't uttered between them until she relented, slowing her increased pace.
"So, what do you think?"
"At least they were able to give a report," he sighed. "From the sound of it, they nearly ran into the cyclops, so I'm just glad they got the chance to tell us."
"I guess that's a good way to look at it." She moved to sidestep a fallen log. "Those cyclops were definitely on patrol, and not because they just wanted to do that."
"What makes you say that?"
"I've seen enough rogue cyclops bands to know that they aren't that organized. Firstly, I doubt that they'd camp out in the wilderness like that if they didn't have the resources to do so. Abandoned urban areas tend to be better for them, since it provides decent shelter and a stable food source."
"Couldn't they hunt things out here?" Percy suggested, but Reyna only shrugged.
"They could, and I bet they have been. However, there are more than that party of six, and how often do you think they'd have to hunt? Marcus described them as looking healthy, and even if they hunted frequently, there wouldn't be enough meat to go around. At least not to that degree of nourishment."
"So, we've got monsters capable enough of organizing and conducting patrols."
"With a supply chain, too. That means food, arms, and communication. I'm not liking how this seems to tie into my dream."
"You think that the monsters in your dream are connected to the cyclops camp?"
"Maybe. Their status certainly seemed to match the ones that Marcus encountered, and now that we have evidence of some logistical competence, I'm almost certain that the two are related somehow." Her eyes never left the terrain in front of her, even as she wove through the prickly brush ahead of him.
He couldn't deny her point, unfortunately. More often than not, monsters fought amongst themselves, and if they happened to suddenly be cooperating and plotting, then there was almost certainly something, or someone, they were rallying behind. Given his dream's content, and that of Reyna's, those puzzle pieces were starting to snap into place.
"At this point, all we can do is gather information and use it to create a good defense. As much as I hate to admit it, we can't look to a prophecy for answers. The only info we'll get is what we can learn, and the more we gather, the better we can prepare." He caught up to her, ignoring the new thorns in his pant legs. She seemed to ponder the idea for a moment, before squaring her shoulders.
"You're right." Her determined expression was marred by the uncertainty in her eyes, but it was clear that she needed to think for herself. "It's better to push through than to get cold feet now. Just remind me to continue my report once we get back to our camp."
"I'll be sure to do that, as long as you make sure that I don't lead us into Tartarus or anything." He reached out and pressed his fist to her shoulder, nudging her a little. It was a small gesture, but her lips curled into a slight grin. They suddenly exited onto a worn dirt path, curving in the direction they were heading. "Oh, a trail."
"Probably the one that leads to the spring, if the map is right. Let's see where it takes us."
The trail had them weaving through the valley, walking under the cover of trees looming overhead. From the Pulpit, it was impossible to look into this area, but it was clear that the trail wasn't taken too often. Even if there was a distinct path carved into the ground, it was being overtaken by grass and debris. Still, the ease of access and less-traveled status would make it a decent route for those avoiding contact. Truthfully, it wasn't hard to imagine a small group of monsters trudging along the trail as well.
They emerged from the trees onto a clearing along the ridge of a hill, with a dirt road cutting the ground in front of them. Reyna looked at her map, nodding. "Yup, this should be the place. Better start poking around for some nymphs."
They split up, looking for silhouettes in the treeline or figures hiding in the brush, but nothing caught their eye. Deciding to let things settle, Percy strode over to a stump and sat on it, thrusting a hand into his pocket to fish out his map. The true name of the area was Prospector's Gap, but the specific location was popular for the mimulus flowers that bloomed seasonally, according to the map notes. The area was populated by the flowers, but it seemed like they were dwindling out, given the rising heat.
Just as his mind began to wander, something small and hard thudded against his head, and he whipped his head around, not immediately seeing anything. Looking down, he saw that he'd been hit with an acorn, and he tried to see if it was Reyna that threw the nut, but she was still prodding through the brush across the road. As he looked back toward the treeline closest to him, he saw a sheet of brown cloth, and then the figure wearing it. Even from a distance, he could see the scowl on her face, and she pointed to him, then at the ground. Only then did he notice that a wrapper from a granola bar he'd eaten earlier had slipped from his pocket, and he picked it back up.
Seeing it as an opportunity to talk, he started to walk towards the dryad, getting a better look at the unhappy woman. For a dryad, she certainly stood out. Being nearly as tall as him and with a defined build, she looked stronger and more imposing than most. Still, she fit the general stereotype of a dryad— green-tinted skin and looking like her plant of origin.
"Sorry about the wrapper. I didn't notice it fall from my pocket."
She looked less than amused, yet spoke with an impassive tone. "They never do."
"I'll keep an eye out for any other pieces of trash on our way out," he promised, trying to win some favor. "I was also curious if you happened to see anything around here recently, like monsters."
She scrunched her face in disgust, nodding. "There's been a few I've seen, but they tend to stay further into the valley. Some occasionally come near my tree to kill an animal, but they tend to keep their distance."
She pointed to a large tree deeper into the woods, with thick branches jutting in every direction. An oak— her tree.
"Do you mind if I call my friend over?"
"Don't keep me waiting."
Turning, he whistled and waved Reyna down. Swiftly, she came to him, and he explained what the dryad saw to her. After listening, she nodded, turning to her. "What should I call you?"
"'Oak' is fine. Quercus lobata tends to be too long."
"So, Oak, what monsters did you see? Are they typically alone, or do they travel in groups?" Reyna asked.
"When they come over here, it's small groups of two or three, but I see larger groups occasionally. Those bigger groups are usually dracaenae, though, but I see the occasional cyclops stumbling through the woods."
"And where did you say that you saw those larger groups?" Percy added, feeling the pit in his stomach deepen.
Oak pointed to the northeast, down into the Wild Oat Canyon portion of the mountain area. It was on the other side of the mountain, which was far less traveled by visitors. From his view on the saddle of the mountain, he could make out a winding trail that snaked through foliage and across the mountainside. It disappeared to the west, and it looked like to could be a trail that allowed for travel between both sides of the mountain.
"I occasionally see them on the dirt road, coming off that trail. I've been wondering why they stay over there, but I'm glad that they usually do." Oak crossed her arms, casting a curious glance at the two demigods. "Why are you two poking around here, though?"
"Just trying to get a feel for the monsters in the area," Reyna answered. "It's nice to know what's trying to kill you, and where to find it."
"If you ever decide to bring in the legion and wipe them from the mountain, I'd be happy to feed some more info to you. They've been chopping up trees for their fires, and I'd hate for them to start eyeing mine."
"If we ever do that, I'll be sure to take you up on that offer." Percy saw a hint of frustration light in his partner's eyes as she spoke, obviously reminding herself that they were in no condition to organize any sort of offensive operations.
Before she could brood any longer, he nodded and said, "Well, thanks for talking to us. You really helped us figure some things out."
"Don't mention it." Oak smirked, starting to walk back towards the thick base of her tree. "Just try to keep that trash in your pocket from now on."
A gust of wind blew through the forest and stirred some debris, and Oak vanished in a flurry of dead leaves.
"Well, that was enlightening."
He turned his attention back to Reyna, who was already starting to walk back towards the clearing. "Should we check out that trail?"
"We should get at least one more person for that. If there are reports of monsters patrolling that area, I want another legionnaire to cover us. No use in taking unnecessary risks."
"In the meantime, do you want to drop by our camp and check out that other spring? We might as well get it knocked out, since we've got a solid lead now."
After a moment, Reyna nodded. "Hopefully the others decide to do the same, because it'd be nice to have some time to discuss this issue and update our reports. Plus, we can try getting in contact with Marcus's group, so we can brief him on our findings. As much as I want to ration the drachmas, it'd be better if we could have a conference of sorts."
It was settled, then. The hike back seemed to be longer, now that the sun was up and beating down on them. They had moments of relief in the shade of the trees, but the higher altitude only meant that the sun felt more intense. He and Reyna had already stowed their jackets earlier, relying on their activity to keep their bodies warm in the cool morning air. Additionally, Percy quickly noticed how much it sucked having to match Reyna's pace while hiking up a mountain, and by the time they reached their campsite, his calves were burning.
"You know, the legion's cardio could be a bit tougher," he breathed, taking a moment to sit at the camp's bench. "If you really wanted to test their endurance, you could just make them follow you up the hills surrounding the city."
"You can tell me if I'm going too fast, you know." Despite her chiding, she still cracked a smile, tossing him a bottle of water from a cooler. He was half-tempted to simply douse himself with it, but he decided that his organs could probably use the liquid. Unfortunately, his powers still had to obey biology, and he couldn't absorb his water via osmosis— not for a lack of trying.
"I could, but where's the fun in that?" Taking a drink, he stretched his legs a bit, working out some of the stiffness. After a moment, he stood, nodding to Reyna. "Want to make our way over to that other spring?"
"Let's get going, then. We could probably take less time over there, but let's not cut corners. Even if we have reports of activity, we should check the suspected areas."
The hike wasn't too painful, and the spring was closer than he expected. Given the name's homage to Moses, he expected it to be an outpouring of water onto the land, but was a bit bummed when it was little more than a trickle. Still, Reyna made a show of drinking some of it straight from the source, explaining that it was safe for consumption. The boulder that the water dripped from provided a nice place to sit, and he found himself climbing his way to the top, thanks to his experience with Zeus's Fist back in New York. He even managed to beat Reyna to the top, which seemed to even surprise her.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, there was no activity to be seen. They spent an hour on top of the boulder, looking for anything unnatural. The most alarming thing they saw was a cow stumble out of the trees further down the mountain, but it eventually made its way back into the foliage. Other than the occasional hiker, the area was perfectly undisturbed.
"So…"
"Looks like this spot is barren." Reyna sighed, packing up her notepad. "Want to head back?"
"Probably. Might be worth checking on the others, anyway." It was only the early afternoon, so they'd have plenty of time to plan and talk things over.
"If they're back, that is. They might be gone until the evening, but we can always just get them. Thankfully, their lookout point isn't too far away." She say up, and he followed. "Besides, the sooner we brief Marcus's group, the better. It sounded like they were going to tail those cyclops in a few hours, and they're going to be occupied for a while after. We don't want to blow their cover."
"Fair point, as ever. Let's head back."
With that decided, they returned to their camp, seeing that the other three had returned. They were all huddled around the cold fire pit, only noticing the two once they'd crossed into their field of vision. Hugo was the first to speak.
"Any luck on your end?"
"Yes, actually. What about you guys?" Percy answered.
Lachlan shook his head. "Not a thing. What did you find, though?"
They all took a seat, and Percy took a breath. "We got word from Marcus that they encountered a cyclops patrol, and we'll touch on that in a second. We also heard from a dryad that she's seen some monsters moving around the other side of the mountain, so it might be worthwhile to look into that issue."
Taking a breath, he continued. "Marcus mentioned that while he and his partner, Quince, were walking along their route, they stumbled across a group of cyclops. From what they heard, they concluded that it was part of a larger force, and they're planning on confirming that by finding their base camp. What we want to do is call the others before they go looking for the camp, so everyone can be caught up to speed."
Reyna produced her drachma, handing it to him. "We might as well do it now. The sooner, the better."
I
Trading a nearby spray bottle for the coin, he made sure that everyone was situated before he gave Reyna the signal to start making some mist. Tossing the coin, he spoke, "O Fleecy, do me a solid. Show me Marcus Seitz, in the Las Trampas Wilderness Park."
Despite the confused looks on his team's faces, the image appeared in the mist, which was clearer than expected. Maybe Fleecy's direct line had less traffic? Either way, Marcus and his team were sitting on various logs and boulders, clearly packing and getting ready to leave.
"Hey, Marcus."
He jumped a little and cursed before looking up, setting his gladius aside. "You alright?"
"Kind of. Could your team spare a moment?"
Those visible nodded, and Marcus gave the go-ahead.
"We figured that we could brief you on some recent findings on our end. After talking with a local dryad, she revealed that there were some reported patrols of dracaenae around here. We're planning on checking it out." Percy saw Marcus's brow twitch, and he shook his head.
"On the bright side, at least we know there's something going on. Should I explain our situation to the rest of your team?"
After a nod, he proceeded to do that, describing what his team saw and what they learned from it. Their plan also seemed viable, as it wasn't like they had any better options when it came to gathering intelligence. It was risky and potentially dangerous, but any reconnaissance task like that was.
"We should probably arrange a runner to head back to camp and brief the senate about our findings. A message would be convenient, but this is something that'd be best handled in person," Marcus suggested, gaining Reyna's approval.
"I've been working on our report, and I trust that you've written yours?"
"Ours is up to date. I'd just recommend doing it after we survey our areas, so it can have fresh intelligence. Of course, this is up to you, Perce." Marcus looked back towards him, and Percy agreed.
"I'll see about arranging a runner from our team, and they could grab your report on the way back to camp. I'll send someone your way once we finish with our search."
"Alright, I'll leave you to it, then. Good luck." Marcus started to stand up, his teammates following.
"You too."
Percy's hand cut through the image, and Reyna stopped spraying water into the air. "Well, who are we going to send back to camp?"
He knew that Reyna was invaluable to him and he had to lead the team, so it had to be between the three in front of him. "Any volunteers?"
They looked between each other, and Lachlan spoke up, "Hugo's probably the best driver out of all of us."
He nodded, sighing. "I can make that drive. Just let me take a look at a map before I get behind the wheel, though."
"Here," Reyna said, handing him a paper. "Those are the notes that I have for now, but I'll give you a copy of our findings after we explore the other side of this mountain."
"I won't lose it," he replied, tucking the folded paper into his jacket's pocket.
"Now that we've figured that out, let's move onto the plan for exploring the trail," Percy said, transitioning into the main reason he met up with everyone. He placed his map on the ground in front of them, pointing to the trail snaking around the opposite side of Mount Diablo. "This is the trail that those monsters were seen exiting. If we're correct, then we could try to find a patrol, or any sign that there truly are monsters in the area."
His finger drifted towards the nearest entrance, exiting near their own campsite. "I say we post you three on this end, acting as a barrier of sorts. If monsters do see you, then it's likely they'll head in the other direction, given your numbers."
He then dragged his finger along the trail and at the opposite end, where Oak had pointed out her sightings. "Reyna and I can push from this end, and we can seal off the trailheads. Sure, they can retreat into the forest, but we could track them, or at least have a smaller area to search. If we encounter anything, we'll take note of it and either move on or kill it. If not, then we can put a suspicion to rest. Does that work for you all?"
"I've got no objections," Hugo said, and the others hummed and nodded their heads.
Looking over to Reyna, Percy saw that she didn't seem to have any comments, and he took his map back, stuffing it in his back pocket. "Gather your gear and meet back here. Once everything's in order, we can move out."
Only then did Reyna speak up, motioning to one of the crates they'd brought along, one that was heavier than the others. "I also managed to secure some of the new chest pieces that we received from the Greeks. I figured that none of you would bring your armor, so I requisitioned these."
She opened the crate and tossed a vest at Percy, and he gave it a closer look before donning it. The leather and bronze armor felt familiar, and much less bulky than his segmentata. It was also lighter, and he saw that the others went to put their sets on. Better to be safe than sorry.
Aside from him, everyone else had gone to get their things. With his sword already in his pocket and his backpack slung over his shoulders, he waited for them to return. They resembled the Greeks more than anything— armor thrown over hoodies and hardly any uniformity. Give them some orange shirts and a mix of javelins and bronze swords, and they would be nearly identical.
Once they had gathered, he pointed at the trio. "When you get to the entrance to the trail, move into the bushes and try to conceal yourselves. Still, remain alert, and look for any signs of monster activity. Reyna and I will be moving down the trail towards you, so keep an eye out for anything that might be coming your way. We'll debrief after this."
The two groups split, and he and Reyna took the path that they'd traveled many times, and yet he was feeling his nerves act up. It seemed like their suspicions were hardly ever confirmed, and yet there was something happening beneath all of this. Like a snare hidden beneath leaves, it almost felt like he was just waiting for the trap to be sprung, and for their relative security to come crashing down. Still, there was only one way to see if that trap was there, and they'd have to step into it.
••••••••••••••••••••
Marcus's Group
Unlike the rest of his team, Marcus and Quince had not put on any armor, instead putting on some more natural colors, like green and brown. If they were going to tail half a dozen cyclops, then blending in would be more important than protection. If it came down to that, the other three were on standby, suited in their light armor and carrying pila alongside their swords. They'd designated a fallback point to mount a defense, if it came to it, but that was only after scattering in order to break up the numbers of potential pursuers.
He could just barely make out the outlines of the other three, hidden over a hundred meters away. They would mirror the movements of Marcus and Quince, and generally keep an eye on them. It was reassuring, but the prospects of angering a group of six cyclops didn't seem inviting.
"See anything yet?" Quince whispered, nudging him from behind a bush.
"No, nothing yet."
They'd been crouched there for nearly an hour, and the sun had just started to rest along the top of the hills around the area. The most activity they'd seen was a couple doing an evening hike, and that wasn't too abnormal for the area. Further to the west, there was supposed to be some nudist club of sorts, but they were on the lookout for any seven foot-tall lumbering cyclops, not random streakers deciding to go for a jog.
Marcus checked his watch, despite the fact that it was the third time that minute. In times like this, the wait was often worse than the fighting. While combat was often a couple minutes in these scenarios, the buildup could be hours, and that time was heavy on the mind. While it's good to prepare for a fight, endlessly running the same worries and possibilities through one's head isn't the best of ideas. It'd slow them down, and hurt their reflexes.
"You think they'll show?"
Marcus wondered that himself, and partly wished that they wouldn't. The patrols could just be part of some local cyclops tribe, and they could simply be seeking to carve out a niche in the forest. He and his teammates could write their reports and show that nearby threats weren't serious, and they could return to border patrols and construction labor.
Of course, that was wishful thinking.
"Maybe. We've still got an hour or two for their time frame to match, so keep your eyes peeled. I'd hate to sit out here only to miss what we came to see." Marcus aimed his gaze back towards the trail, where the cyclops had last emerged from. The grass was beaten down, so it was obviously used frequently, but it'd be neglectful to only focus on that one spot.
They scanned the area for several more minutes, checking the areas along the trail for the hundredth time that day. The lack of action was making his eyelids feel heavy, even with the anticipation fuelling him.
Then, he felt a jolt go through his brain as he watched a form emerge from the bushes, and he whispered to Quince, "There. About thirty meters down from the original crossing."
He took a moment, but cursed in reply. They had a visual.
They waited, watching as the lead cyclops was followed by another, and another, until the entire group was moving across the trail. He also noted that the size of the patrol was the same as before. With the confirmation that there were patrols every few hours, that only pushed the idea of the cyclops being part of a more organized group.
It took several more seconds for the monsters to make their way into the brush to the opposite side of the trail. After making sure that they had started to move on, he motioned for Quince to follow him, and they started to creep forward, trying to match the pace of the cyclops. Thankfully, they didn't seem to feel like doing anything stealthy. Their casual walking made a lot of noise, and they remained slow enough to tail at an easy pace. It was just a matter of hoping that they wouldn't turn around and give the landscape a hard look.
They had started to move into a valley, well away from the trails and clusters of houses that dotted the hills. The tree cover thickened, and soon enough, Marcus and Quince were forced to stand together, mostly following the same route as the cyclops patrol. The approaching dusk hadn't made it easy for them, either. While the heavy footsteps and chatter from the cyclops drowned out the less noticeable noises, a twig snapping would alert them. It was also hard to see the others, and he didn't know if they could still see him and Quince.
Marcus felt his foot snag on a root.
As he stumbled to catch himself, he kicked the dead leaves and grass, and he scrambled to take shelter behind a nearby tree. The cyclops patrol paused their conversation, slowing for a moment. In that silence, all that he could hear was the thrumming of his heart, even washing out the sound of birds and insects chirping. Five seconds felt like eons, but a cyclops just grumbled about squirrels, and their rhythmless trodding continued.
"That was too close," Quince whispered, barely heard through his breathy whispering.
All Marcus could do was nod and keep walking. He couldn't afford another slip-up like that. Not when another life depended on him.
Taking care to look harder in the darkness, he made sure that he would avoid exposed roots or rocks, only stepping on soft ground.
They seemed to go deeper and deeper into the trees, and hardly any of the sun's fading light made it through the canopy. Then, he started to make out the glow of a fire. It grew brighter as they approached, and he got ready to leave. They just had to get a visual confirmation of the camp, and they could turn around and go. Walking past a couple of trees, he and Quince stalked closer to the fire, seeing a spit resting over the flames. There were also some crude tables set up, garnished with what looked to be some side dishes and decorations. Something was special that night.
The patrol seemed to partially disperse as they neared the fire, and the presumed leader dropped his club from his shoulder, letting it hang towards the ground.
With a sigh, he bellowed, "It's a fine night for a feast, brothers!"
The subordinates grunted and cheered in agreement, and Marcus nodded to Quince for him to prepare to leave.
"In honor of our great generals, we've prepared an excellent course for the night."
"Is it venison again?" One cyclops asked, and the chief laughed.
"No." A pair of thuds sounded behind Marcus, and his blood chilled. The chief turned around, lips taught in a delighted grin. "We'll be having a pair of demigods that shouldn't be here."
Marcus's body was already in motion, drawing his sword and sidestepping as a steel pipe came down from above, thudding into the ground. In a split second, he witnessed Quince dodging an attack as well, avoiding a sledgehammer to the ribs.
His own sword came up and caught his attacker in the side, just clipping the cyclops's abdomen. It drew a roar from the monster, and Marcus anticipated another strike. Instead of coming from his pipe, however, the cyclops launched itself at him. His gladius caught the monster in the chest, but the force sent him flying into the brush. Something tore open his back, but the cyclops was already crumbling to dust.
"Marcus!"
He saw Quince turn towards him, trying to see if he was okay. From behind him, he saw the other cyclops swing his hammer, and Quince still stood, only turning after he realized his mistake. Marcus could only yell a curse as he watched the large chunk of metal make its impact, and Quince went limp.
A skull shouldn't bend inwards like that.
His mind was foggy. The pain in his back was numbed as he tore through bushes and foliage, dodging any dark figures he saw lurking behind trees.
Run. Go. Find the others.
He had to lose his pursuers. He had to meet the others at the fallback point. They could organize. They could fight. They could survive.
Another shadow jumped at him from the side, and he slashed it, not hesitating for a moment. He could see the tree cover becoming less dense, and he started to look for anything— glints of metal, a trio of figures. He just needed to know where the rest of his team was. Biting his lip, he stopped himself from yelling for them. Even if he did get a response, he'd also get the attention of his pursuers, and that was the last thing he wanted.
For the next few minutes, Marcus didn't slow down. He kept running until he saw a small rock cairn, and he glanced around, trying to find anybody. The cairn served as a marker to show that he was approaching the fallback point, and if the others knew that something was wrong, they'd meet there.
A little but further, and he saw the supplies they'd stashed. Sheathing his sword, he grabbed a pilum and threw on some armor, fastening it as quickly as he could. He knelt behind the low dirt mount that they'd set everything next to, watching the land for any movement. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness by then, and he didn't miss the flurry of movement rushing from the forested area. He waited and kept low, until he saw a pair of smaller figures being chased by a few larger ones, and he readied another spear next to him.
When they were within a few dozen meters, he got up and yelled, "Over here!"
The two Romans sprinted to him as he threw his pilum, planting itself in the chest of the lead cyclops. He quickly grabbed the other, and his two legionnaires joined him, pila in hand.
As the other cyclops recovered from the surprise attack, he ordered, "Pila iacite!"
He and the teammates beside him threw their spears, drawing their swords as another two cyclops fell, leaving a duo. By then, they'd exhausted their reserves of pila, and they needed to move. The last couple of cyclops seemed to be wary, opting to remain out of range from their swords, intent on circling the demigods.
"They're trying to keep us here, so the rest of the bastards can catch up," he hissed to the others, nudging them to look at the path towards their camp. "You two take the one blocking the trail in front of you, and I'll take the other. On my mark."
There were a tense three seconds, and Marcus turned to face the other cyclops, his eye burning with anger.
"Mark."
Rather than letting himself react to a blow, Marcus shot forward, cutting at the monster's legs from the side. Instinctively, it moved to block the attack, and Marcus brought his blade upward, severing the cyclops's arm in a swift motion. Using the monster's bellowing cries as an opportunity, he turned and bolted after his teammates, catching up to them eventually. Upon closer inspection, he saw that they were Hank and one of the other legionnaires, Ryan. Marcus hadn't known him beforehand, but he was more focused on the lack of their third standby.
Hank seemed to anticipate his question. "She got ambushed. Looks like we weren't the only ones, either."
Marcus grimaced. "Quince got killed near the center of their camp. We can try to send eagles to retrieve the remains, but I doubt there will be much left of the two of them."
"What's our plan?" Ryan asked, glancing over his shoulder. "I don't like our odds out here."
"We need to warn the camp," Hank said. "If anything, this just proves that there's some large pockets of monsters just hiding next door."
"You're right. We'll head back and warn them, and I'll just have to message Percy to tell him what happened." Marcus stayed silent for a few moments before growling, "Damn it!"
Now that the initial shock had subsided, he wanted to tear his way through the cyclops that had taken two of his legionnaires. Those were lives under his name, and simply just lives. They had families and friends, and because of some monsters, they were gone. It had been a while since he had those feelings of guilt and anger, but they left his hands trembling.
As they descended the Ridge Trail, they saw their campsite, and Marcus briefly debated gathering his gear. He brushed the thought aside, until he patted his pockets.
Damn it all.
The keys to the van were left back in his tent, and he turned to his entourage. "Let's run to our campsite. I'll grab the keys, so cover me."
"Got it," Hank breathed, and they veered to stop by their camp.
Once there, he nearly tore open the door of his tent, digging through his gear. He tossed extraneous items aside, and he turned and heard Ryan ask, "Did you find the ke—"
A gush of blood erupted from his throat, and he fell to his knees, wheezing and sputtering. Hank jumped to take cover behind a log, and shouted, "Manuballista!"
Surely enough, Marcus peared up the hill and saw a cyclops wielding what appeared to be an oversized crossbow, and was in the process of reloading it. A metallic jingling sounded in one of his tent's pockets, and he grabbed the keys, yelling, "Move!"
It was too late for Ryan, and the last two legionnaires sprinted back towards the parking lot. More bolts flew past them as they ran, and with the narrow trail, it made it hard for them to evade the shots. One bolt had embedded itself in Marcus's back, but the armor had reduced the damage to a small puncture.
With the parking lot in sight, Marcus was beginning to feel relief, and he breathed, "I'll unlock your door, so get strapped in ASAP."
"Don't need to tell me twice."
Once they reached the pavement, they made a break for the van, only to watch as another cyclops left out from behind another car, hammer already swinging towards Hank. He stuck his sword out in time, letting the cyclops impale himself on it, but the head of the hammer impacted him, sending him back a few feet.
"Hank!"
The demigod was gasping for air, his armor dented at his diaphragm. Grabbing him by the shoulder straps, Marcus dragged him to the van and nearly threw him into the passenger seat. Within seconds, he already had the engine revving and was roaring out of the parking lot, all while Hank wheezed and hacked. He'd managed to undo his armor straps, and after a few more seconds, he inhaled sharply, bursting into a fit of coughing.
"Hank, are you alright?"
"Fuck me," he managed, still reeling from the impact. "I think I broke a rib."
"There's a baggie of ambrosia in the glovebox," Marcus said, swerving the van back onto the main road. "We're heading back to camp, but it'll start working on your rib. Does it feel displaced or anything?"
Hank's hand disappeared under his armor, and he bit back a groan. "Yeah, a bit."
"Alright, just try not to move it too much. Once they give you some painkillers, they'll reset it and let the ambrosia do the work."
"Gods above, that's going to leave a bruise," he winced, reclining the seat.
The drive back felt like millennia, and little was said during the drive. Part of that was the realization that three of the last veteran legionnaires had just been cut down, and the other was simply because their fears had been confirmed. There were organized camps of monsters near New Rome, and they were serving generals of sorts. The hole in his back only seemed to ache even more at the realization.
Before he knew it, he'd pulled into the maintenance tunnel that the camp used as a vehicle bay, and the two guards saw Hank stumble out of the van.
"Get this man on a stretcher," Marcus said to the pair. "Where's the Praetor?"
"Out on a mission. She won't—"
"No," he interrupted, "not Reyna. Where's Hazel?"
The legionnaire straightened up, lips pulled into an embarrassed grimace. "She should be at dinner with the rest of the legion."
"Thanks," he said, hanging the car keys onto a rack of other keys. He turned back for a moment, facing his wounded partner. "Make sure he gets to the infirmary."
"Will do."
With that, Marcus sighed and broke into another sprint, cursing his neglect of cardio training. He'd done enough sprinting that day to last him a week, but he didn't stop until he crossed the camp's gates and made his way to the mess hall. After all of the losses and trials of the day, he just wanted to enjoy a warm, fresh meal, but the sooner Hazel knew about the situation, the better. She might've been young for a praetor, but she could call for senate meetings and work out a course of action.
He spotted her lounging on a couch, enjoying a meal next to Frank. The son of Mars was still covered in burns and swaddled in layers of bandages, with an arm and leg bound by casts. His stunt had worked, but it cost him dearly. He managed to stem the invasion, but the tunnel collapsing on him left him debilitated. It was a miracle he survived at all.
Once Marcus approached the two, he snapped to attention, "Praetors."
"Marcus? It thought you were with Percy and Reyna?" Hazel asked, and he nodded.
"I was, but we ran into a problem." He glanced at the others, and then back to her. "It'd be better if we moved somewhere quiet."
Frank began to stand too, much to Hazel's protest.
"Even if I'm stuck like this, I need to know what's happening. I'm still a praetor, after all," he grumbled, grabbing a crutch.
The trio made their way towards the edge of the mess hall, which was uninhabited. Sometimes the losses from the attack were more visible than usual, and this was one of those times.
With a sigh, Marcus produced his notes from his pocket, detailing his findings up until the cyclops ambush. "Percy split us into two groups, and I was assigned to watch over the legionnaires in the Las Trampas Wilderness area. Earlier today, we ran into a patrol of cyclops, and we heard them talking about other patrols. We assumed there was a base camp, and we decided to confirm this."
He felt his hands start to shake again, and he cursed again, quietly. "My partner and I were supposed to shadow the next patrol, and we followed them back to their base camp. It was an ambush. Their chief talked about their service to their generals, and they attacked. Quince, my partner, took a hammer to the skull, and the other three lost a member during our retreat. We took out a few, but in the end, we lost another legionnaire, and Hank's injured."
"You said that the cyclops talked about generals?" Hazel asked.
"Yeah, I heard him clear as day."
Hazel looked to Frank, who looked just as stunned.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this needs to go to the senate as soon as possible. I talked to Percy, and he said that there have been reports of similar patrols on Mount Diablo."
"Is Percy alright?" Frank asked, and Marcus produced his own drachma from his pocket, walking to the nearby fountain. It was dark out, but Hazel produced a flashlight to aim into the mist.
"O, Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering. Show me Percy Jackson, on Mount Diablo."
The mist shimmered for a moment, until it focused on a body, sprawled out across a dirt trail.
—
So, first update in nearly a year. Not proud of that, but hey, life happens. I do apologize about the wait, but I started to work on my own things, and then college happened. Between everything, I couldn't find the time to really sit down and write, but I've worked intermittently on this during that time.
Finally got a bit of action though, which was refreshing. As much as I love plots, they've got to have some spice, and hopefully this was a decent opener to the upcoming events of the story.
While I can't promise any dates, I will say that I plan on trying to continue this story, albeit at a slower pace. Thanks for sticking with me through this mess, and I appreciate y'all's comments. It's nice to know this story has been enjoyed so far, and I hope this chapter also met those expectations. Anyway, I'll catch y'all whenever, and thanks for reading. Cheers.
XIII