Mars was furious. Furious was the wrong word, Mars was livid. Here he was staring at some pissy little former demigod. The former demigod who had humiliated him in California. The former demigod who mouthed off to him in front of his legion. The one who dared to curse him and his family as he plummeted to Tartarus. Percy Jackson. Percy Jackson. Percy Jackson. It was always Percy Jackson. Mars didn't care what this ant did or what power he displayed or the feats he accomplished. Mars Ultor did not feel fear. War did not feel fear. Conquest did not feel fear. Rage shook the body of the god to the core. Power coursed through the body of Mars as his vision tunneled, focusing upon the source of his ire. With every step he took, the very ground shattered. The pressure that the god was emitting flattened rocks as he passed them, the grass was crushed by his aura. The armor that the god was wearing seemed to burn away. Mars stopped roughly 100 feet in front of Percy. The sky began to darken as Mars exploded in a plume of red and black energy. The demigods quickly turned away trying to avoid being vaporized but as the first decided to look, they discovered they could look upon the god through the barrier Percy had erected. Percy's eyes widened as out of the smoke a being stood still. Mars emerged from the smoke in all his glory. Blood red armor adorned every inch of the god. From helmet to toe, spikes and scenes of carnage decorated the armor. Spears being broken, swords clashing, guns being fired, army's advancing and soldiers dying. These scenes seemed to be moving in real time across the armor of the god. Mars began to approach. Stopping just 3 feet in front of his adversary, Mars looked upon Percy.
"Perseus Jackson." The voice of the god sounded like armies clashing. "In the old days before any war we would boast before we fought." Percy nodded at the god.
"I am Mars Ultor. I am the violence of war incarnate. You know of Athena. She is the goddess of martial skill. She is the best laid plan being the key to victory. She is wisdom applied and training realized. But you know better than that. You, who fought through 2 wars, know better. War is glorious. Terrifying. Chaotic and Unpredictable." With every word the gods armor shone brighter. "War is overwhelming and maddening. Formations break, plans go awry and armies are rarely even. War arrives and strategy means nothing. That is who I am. I am the firstborn of Zeus, King of the gods. I am the one who directed the armies of Greece and Rome and created empires that are worshipped to this day. I am the foremost god of Rome. I am the god of peoples whose religion is conquest. The invocation of my name sways battles. I struck first against the Giants when they invaded. I gave man the sword, the spear, the shield and the bow. All weapons are mine. I am Mars Ultor. I am war." When he finished, Mars shone with the light of a god before his worshipers. Percy marveled at the site before him. The true form of a higher god wasn't something that was seen everyday but it didn't matter, nothing that Mars said mattered, he would die here today.
"I am Perseus Jackson. I recovered the bolt of your father. I found and retrieved the Golden Fleece. I lifted the weight of the sky and survived the Labyrinth. I slayed your grandfather and defended Olympus. I recovered the legion's eagle, I defeated Polybotes and was chosen to be Praetor. I sailed to the ancient lands and defeated twin giants. I walked the broken landscape of Tartarus and survived. I trudged through the house of Nyx and survived. I saw Tartarus kill two titans and survived." With every sentence, Percy grew as black flame began to encase his body, falling away to reveal armor in a style similar to the Jaegers. Scenes of all that Percy had mentioned began to etch themselves into the armor. "I walked out of Tartarus and faced the Giants and killed them again. I faced 1000 years of torture and came out stronger. I went through grueling training and survived. I put down evil empires on countless planets. I ended thousands of wars in thousands of solar systems. I am the Son of Chaos herself." A galaxy appeared over the head of the warrior as he spoke. " I am the Prince of the Universe. I am heir to all my mother has wrought. That is who I am." Percy said as he grew to meet the gods height of 10 feet. Mars nodded as he stepped back 20 paces and put both arms behind his back. Percy drew his sword Entropy and ignited it in black flame. The warriors charged and the force of their collision sent shockwaves around the world.
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On Olympus
Zeus was shaking with rage. Not too long ago he had felt it. The story the wind told. The darkening of the moon. His daughter, Artemis, had faded. Sending a blast of lightning into the sky the Olympian council quickly flashed in.
"Artemis has faded." Zeus said with a dejected look in his eye.
"How in Tartarus." Dionysus said.
"She perished in Alaska, I can't even tell who did it. Athena, what chance do we really have if they can kill her?"
"Artemis benefitted from having her own group of mortals worship her. When she lost that, her power diminished greatly. Honestly, in terms of power she no longer followed you and your brothers. Ares and I are tied and then it would be her. I have a plan to bolster our forces but it might rub you the wrong way."
"You might have to-." Before the goddess could finish, the roof of the throne room imploded as a shining figure crashed through the roof. Thinking it was an enemy, the gods readied their weapons.
"Please help me." Apollo said as he rose. As he said those words all the Olympians felt it. Hera rose immediately, her form flickering into that of juno.
"Mars."
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Clarisse saw what looked like bleachers and was instantly suspicious. She and Luke sprinted forward just in time to see the two titans clash.
"What the hell is going on," Luke asked the demigods.
"Percy is fighting an Olympian in their true form." Wale answered. Luke looked at Clarisse and grabbed the Nectar out of Wale's hand and turned back time to when it was full.
"Lets watch then." Luke said as he took a seat. Clarisse shrugged and took her seat to watch her boyfriend fight.
Spears and swords came hurtling towards Percy at the speed of sound, every blade that approached him was sliced in half as Percy flew through the air. Using both hands, Mars opened more and more portals, firing more and more weapons at his enemy. Percy dodged and sliced, his movements becoming more and more fluid. Mars was becoming more and more frustrated as Percy destroyed every weapon that was sent his way. Yelling in defiance, Mars put both his hands together and a sphere of portals opened around Percy trapping him. Percy lifted an eyebrow at the god, as weapons fired from 360 degrees. An explosion rang out signaling that the attack had met its mark. Chuckling to himself Mars felt victorious.
"What's so funny war god." Percy asked as he remained aloft in the same position he was in. Smirking, Percy began to walk on air as if it was a staircase. Slowly descending towards the god, Percy swung the still flaming Entropy.
" Come on Mars, let's skip the theatrics. You and I both know you want to slug it sword on sword. Come on bring it out, I've heard all about your symbol of power."
Mars eyes seethed with rage.
"Fine, since you are in such a rush to die let's end this." A red portal opened in front of the god. A red hilt rose slowly out of it. When Mars made contact with the hilt, power exploded with enough force to make Percy blink. If this was the power Mars held, then how the hell did he beat him all the centuries ago? This didn't make any sense. Mars was much stronger than he had previously assumed. Pulling the sword out of the portal, Percy got a good look at it. A 4 foot long xiphos that was pure black.
"Finally. This is my full power Perseus. Let us begin." Mars rushed forward in a burst of frightening speed. Sword met sword in a clash that shook the earth.
"You don't get it Perseus. I always have to hold back. Jupiter always makes me pull my punches. Always be careful not to break something, not to break someone. I rejoice that I finally have an opponent I can go all out against." Mars slashed at Percy with enough force to send his arm up. The earth cracked as their blades swung. Nodding, Percy slashed at Mars who blocked the blade with little trouble. The warriors crossed blades once again and this time they stalemated, Mars leaned in.
"Do you see Perseus, the force of my swings changed the earth and I don't need to light it on fire to do so." The warriors clashed bladed once more. Swiping, slashing, parrying. The spectators could hardly follow the speed of the exchange.
"You know what I think Perseus? I think you lied a bit when you boasted. I think I can break that pretty little katana of yours if I swing hard enough." Mars said "Let's test it out shall we?" Mars swung with all his might in a downward slash. Dread filled Mars as he felt his blade stop, but not against a sword. Mars shook as the thing holding the blade was Percy's index finger. Mars could only blink as the thoughts began to fill his immortal mind.
"His finger. I would have understood if he dodged or even blocked but what kind of lunatic bets on a finger."
"Mars. You are powerful. Much more so than you are given credit for but there are 2 things you should know." Percy said as he pushed Mars' blade aside. Percy began walking forward as Mars took steps back.
"It wasn't your blade that shattered the earth." Percy said as he approached the shaking god, raising his blade. "It was mine." Percy shot past the god with speed that was impossible to fathom. Mars had no idea what had occurred until half his blade clattered to the ground. The fire in Mars' eye died revealing dilated blood red pupils.
"Impossible." the god whispered.
"The second thing is; I know all too well what it means to have to hold back. Come Mars, let's finish this." Mars felt an emotion he had never felt before. Not when he fought his father over his interference in Troy and not when he fought the giants in the first giant war. This wasn't fear. It was pure terror. Mars could not let this creature live. Mars grabbed the half piece of his sword from the ground and flew into the air, pouring his energy into it. Cracks appeared in both halves of the blade until it exploded between the hands of the god. Red energy began building in the hands of Mars.
"Fine Perseus I agree. LET US END THIS." Putting both hands forward, a huge blast of red energy was released blasting at his opponent. Percy raised his sword, the black fire focused on the point until a black blast of energy was released from his blade. Red met black in a clash of power that cracked the barrier. Jutting his arm forward, Percy's blast quickly overtook that of Mars, engulfing the god and blasting a hole through the barrier. Mars fell from the sky in a heap. Snapping, Percy took the barrier down and sheathed Entropy. Wale, Sarah and Abi were about to rush towards him until Luke held them back. Putting a finger to his mouth, Luke motioned for them to be quiet as Clarisse approached her boyfriend.
"Ah, Clarisse, I see you found yourself a young man worthy of you."
"Yeah."
"Are you happy?"
"Yes. Yes I am."
" Good, good."
"Perseus, may I speak with you alone please."
"Sure thing, Mars." Percy looked up at Clarisse as she walked away.
"Tell me why." Having been met with silence, Mars coughed.
"Come on now we both know I'm not going to make it. I hated you with every fiber of my being, but I never took you for the traitorous type."
"Mars, I never asked to be a demigod. I especially never asked to be a child of the big 3. But when your dad lost his bolt, I retrieved it. The golden fleece, I found it. I went on quest after quest. I killed monster after monster. I won two wars for you and your family. Not because I love you. Not because it was for family. It was my duty. It was the right thing to do and if I didn't, well, who would. That's why I'm here. That is why I'm waging war on your family now. Yes, you betrayed me, yes you threw me away because of something I might do and that was unforgivable. But after the first 200 years with Chaos, I lost all desire for revenge. I served someone who loved me and I did anything for her because she would do anything for me. I'm here because she asked me to clean away the plague of your family from her world. A task I've done a thousand times on a thousand different worlds. So as much as you may think it's personal, it isn't for the most part. Except Poseidon. I'm killing him myself."
"Duty…I see. Well, I can't argue with that. Come let me tell you something." Percy's eyes went wide as Mars whispered in his ear.
"I see…..Thank you Mars." Mars nodded as the steam continued to come off his body.
"Please….Take care of Clarisse. I know I have no right but please."
"I will." The body of Mars crumbled and faded away, signifying the death of the god. Percy sighed and turned around as he was tackled by his kids.
"PEEEEEERRRRRCY." The Jaegers yelled as 30 demigods piled onto him.
"You did so good!"
"Omg you're such a badass."
" You killed an Olympian and didn't even break a sweat."
"The way you blasted energy from your sword?"
"Please teach me."
The swarm of comments made Percy smile, soon Percy was pulled from the pile as Clarisse kissed him. Just like the first time, Percy's legs turned legs turned to jelly. Luke hugged Percy as the trio walked back towards base, 30 demigods running around them ready to celebrate.
Hello readers, So this is the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I didn't shout anyone else out this time because fanfic says I have 31 reviews but everytime I check I only see 27. If anyone knows what is going on please let me know. For now send your reviews as private messages and I will definitely shout you out. The next chapter will be the last of what I'm calling the Ophiotaurus race arc. Next will be the _ Arc I'll let y'all decide based on what happens next chapter. As always Read and Review. Later,
Peacoat.