Chapter 24: Battle Royal
~Flashback after Percy IMed Artemis. Day of attacks.~
ARTEMIS POV
Percy slashed his hand through the IM and I immediately flashed to the Big House to find the daughter of Athena. As soon as I found her, she looked up. "Today," I said and nodded my head when she went wide-eyed in reply.
"When?" she asked and I shook my head. "I don't know. Percy IMed me earlier and he woke up with the feeling that it was today. It would be best not to doubt him," I said and she frowned. "What ? What's the matter?" I asked.
"You called him 'Percy' instead of 'Perseus'," she said. 'Hades, is this really happening right now?' I thought before answering. "Yes, well… we're friends and that is his name," I said and she let out a dry chuckle. "I've seen the way you two look at each other Lady Artemis… He used to look at me that way," she added the second part softly.
Internally, my heart leapt for joy. 'Oh my Gods! Does that mean he loves me? Well, I can't assume, but if she's saying it. Maybe she's just getting my hopes up,' I thought. "I-I don't know what you mean," I said, trying and failing to keep my composure. She just rolled her eyes and grabbed me by the shoulders, looking directly into my eyes.
"Just… take care of him for me," she said softly and I could only numbly nod. She slapped her cheeks a couple times to jolt her back to the task at hand. "Okay. Our defenses and traps are set and our patrols are in full operation. The Seven are back up if they breach the camp's borders as this is part of our domain and we can fight then."
She kept rambling and gestured to key points on the map to lay out the battle strategy that her and her mother had gone over with Percy a bunch of times. "If and when the Giants show, the Gods are to join the fray and face their own Banes. Poseidon will remain on Olympus with Hestia and Ares to defend it in case Tartarus attacks there while his forces and children are here. A few minor gods are to assist them as well," I added to the discussion and got nods around the table.
"Notify the patrols and everyone else that we are on standby until the force shows itself. Run meals to patrols regularly so they aren't malnourished for the fight and ensure that the young ones are ready to help with first aid and arrows and such," Annabeth finished and with that the tension quickly rose and people headed out to perform the tasks.
"Have you any other word from Percy through your link?" she asked me before I left and I focused on the mental link that we shared to see him fighting Tartarus's forces and Atlas at the Amazons' HQ. I snapped back to reality and opened my eyes. "He's engaged with Atlas and Tartartus' forces at the Amazons' HQ currently. They seem to be holding, but that means the attack here is likely to start within the hour," I told her and she left to prepare everyone for battle.
'Be careful, Percy. And hurry back,' I sent the mental message, but got no confirmation if he even received it.
3RD PERSON POV
The camp was prepared for the battle and both Romans and Greeks had strapped their armor on accordingly. Their force stood strong, both in training and in numbers with about 700 demigods total. They had aid from satyrs and nature spirits as well adding another 100 people to their forces.
Annabeth observed a real time map from the War room with the other Seven and Lupa. Chiron was stationed with some of the other archers who were littered high in their vantage points, both camper and hunter alike. Traps, baliste, and cannons were set up and armored courtesy of the joint effort of Hephaestus and Vulcan campers and manned by them as well.
Ares and Mars campers made up the vanguard of the force and were itching for the fighting to begin, but held their composure and their ranks. The younger campers were on standby with first aid kits strapped to their persons and knives at their hip for cutting bandages and self defense. Annabeth and Artemis saw fit to task Percy's little ones with protecting and guarding them. That way they would all stay relatively out of the fight while still helping all they could.
Thalia was raring and ready to go, her fingers cracking with electricity in anticipation. She walked to the front of the forces and turned around to speak. "Campers and Hunters. I'm not one for leading like the Kelp-Head is, but I will say this. We have prepared, and we WILL protect our home!" she roared and the campers roared in response. "FOR OLYMPUS!" she bellowed and the call was echoed.
Then the ground started shaking with the force of thousands of people marching. They looked across the field and the forces of Tartarus started to trickle into view. All 3,500 or more of them. The camps were outnumbered 4:1 easily just by the monsters alone. Then the Giants and Titans came sauntering into view. Porphyrion, Enceladus, Alcyoneus, Periboia, Hippolytus, and Mimas for the Giants. Oceanus, Koios, Pallas, and Prometheus for the Titans.
Ideally, this left the Olympians to their Banes, along with the demigod campers and hunters, and the Titans to the stronger demigods and or spare Olympians. Either way, the odds did not look all too promising; especially without Percy on the battlefield to start.
On an unspoken cue, the forces of Tartarus charged. The camper's vanguard met them with a charge of their own and the screams of monsters slain met with the clang of metal as the battle had begun.
CHRIS POV
I was fighting my way through the forces, taking out any and all monsters as I went. I was doing fairly well, using my superior speed to slice and dodge through several hellhounds, cyclops, and telekines. Unfortunately, my luck would run out.
"Ah. Come to die little demigod?" a booming voice asked and I nearly shit myself. I whirled around to see the Giant Alcyoneus staring me down with his rust-colored legs and intimidating Stygian Iron armor and sword. "No. He came here to help me kill you," another voice sprung from the shadows and out stepped Lord Hades.
"Lord Hades, not to be rude, but after the meeting in your palace a year ago with Percy, I was hoping to not see you again for some time," I said in a bow and shuffled my feet after standing up. "Yes, well. Let's get this over with then," he said as his Helm of Darkness and Sword of Hades appeared on his head and in his hand. Then he charged.
Watching the two of them go toe-to-toe was awe inspiring. 'I can't believe Percy and the Seven saw this years ago,' I mused as I danced around their duel and found any openings in the Giants defense to exploit. I mostly left cuts on his ankles and legs, and occasionally his arms.
Lord Hades looked exhausted from fighting for so long, but his technique was just as fine tuned as he was in his prime. 'I'll have to ask him to train me later,' I thought with a smile just as he was kicked hard in the ribs. Before Alcyoneus rushed him to finish it, I jumped in and began doing all I could to buy Lord Hades time.
I just barely managed to dodge and parry the blows, but they were so heavy that they nearly knocked me off of my feet. I feel for a feint and Alcyoneus was going to bring his sword down to end me, but it never hit. Lord Hades blocked it at the last moment and forced it to the ground beside me and I acted fast. I scurried up the Giants arm and slid under his other hand as he tried to swat me.
I leapt from his bicep and plunged my sword into his heart causing him to roar with rage as oil gushed out of the wound. Before he could back away, Lord Hades ran his sword through the Giants gut, making him cough up even more oil.
The Giant looked at the two of us wide-eyed before dissolving into oil and being sent back to Tartarus. I took a shaky breath and looked at Lord Hades. "Thank you for your help, demigod. Yes, I will consider training for you, but for now I must return to the Underworld. The Ancient Laws only allowed for me to be here to end my Bane," he said and I nodded before re-entering the fray.
STOLLS POV [AN: The POV is confusing but imagine them switching each sentence or talking at the same time.]
We take great pride in annoying our enemies and Hippolytus was absolutely no different. We scurried around the Giant, leaving cuts all over his legs to serve as a distraction until our dad could show up and we could really have some fun.
"Oi! Come on you Hungry Hungry Hippo!" Travis yelled and I just laughed at the insult. "Not your best, Brother dear," Connor called back to me as we danced around another sloppy strike from the Giant and left twin cuts on his ankles; sloppy because the annoyance that was us was finally starting to shake him.
"Boys! I see you started without me," Dad called and we had huge grins. "Took you long enough, Old Man," we said simultaneously before charging back into the fray with our third member. Dad led the charge and took his Bane head on, exchanging blows and getting a few cuts of his own. If there were any close calls, we would be there to distract the Giant long enough for Dad to counter or dodge.
The moment finally came when Hippolytus tried to pin Connor under his fist, but Connor stabbed his hand, making him roar with rage. Travis then took that opportunity I created and ran up the arm of the Giant as Dad struck to make him block. Connor then followed my lead and sprinted up his other arm while Dad kept him busy.
We looked at each other and grinned before grabbing a strand of his hair each and using it to swing and stab him in both of his eyes. The ear splitting scream made both of us drop to the ground and cover our ears in pain from the yell and the fall. Luckily, the scream was cut off when Dad stabbed his caduceus through his throat.
"Good job, boys," Dad called and we grinned and fist bumped. "Well, back to deliveries," he said and we both said, "Later, Pops!" before rejoining in the fight for our home.
CLARISSE POV
I was thoroughly enjoying myself during the fight. It had been too long since I had gotten to cut loose like I was doing in the fight and I'm sure the shit-eating grin on my face was unnerving enemies all around me. All except one.
"Of course a Child of War would be grinning like an idiot in this," the voice boomed and into the clearing of monsters I had created, stepped Enceladus, Bane of Athena. "Yeah, well. I like to fight," I said with a shrug. "And you're the best thing that could have come up to me today," I finished and got into my stance.
"I pity you for your stupidity, demigod. You need a god to defeat me," he said and a flash appeared next to me. "It is your stupidity for thinking I wouldn't arrive to defeat you that should be pitied, Enceladus," Athena said and the Giant growled. "Athena," he spat.
The three of us circled one another, all of us spear wielders though Athena and I were the only ones with shields as well. He charged first straight toward me, but Athena intercepted him and his spear met Aegis with a shockwave and a clang. I used that opportunity to rush in and stab the Giant in the ankle, making him howl in pain.
He swung the butt of his spear toward me and I leapt back in a hurry to avoid being hit. Even with my shield, I would not have walked away undamaged. Athena then rushed him after his spear passed and attempted to stab his thigh, but he batted her spear away with his and followed it with a swat of the hand toward her.
She raised Aegis to block, but the force of the blow still sent her skidding back a few meters. I circled the Giant in an effort to outflank him, but he spun quick as lightning and brought the butt of his spear down again. This time I couldn't dodge, but I raised my shield. The force sent me sprawling and likely dislocated my shoulder.
I hissed in pain and dropped the shield altogether. 'Definitely dislocated my shoulder,' I thought. Athena was keeping Enceladus at bay as I charged again, this time Athena distracted him long enough for me to stab the back of his knee and send electricity with my spear through his body, making him drop. 'Thanks, Dad,' I mused.
Athena capitalized immediately and swatted his strike away with Aegis as she stabbed through his lung with her spear. He let out a bellow of pain, but I followed her lead and thrust my own spear through his back and out his stomach. After he dissolved into dust I looked at Athena and she nodded.
"Do me a favor and hit my shoulder to pop it back in, would ya?" I asked her and she blinked twice at the way I had addressed her, but a small smile crept onto her face. With an audible pop and a loud groan from me, the shoulder was back in and back to the fray I went.
"Thank you, Lady Athena."
ARTEMIS POV
The battlefield was hell and I was dancing like a devil throughout it. I opted to avoid using my bow and stepped right into the fray with my hunting knives. I decimated any monsters I came across and left the other Olympians Banes for themselves as I made my way to one of the other threats: Pallas.
I found him fresh after he had pierced an unfortunate demigod and rushed him. His spear met my hunting knives with a shockwave of immortal energy. "Ah. The Huntress. I imagined you'd come for me. Too bad your little Guardian isn't here," he mocked to me and I growled in anger before breaking the stalemate and rushing him again.
I was vastly faster than Pallas and that was my only advantage to press, and so I did. Ironically, training Percy with hunting knives polished my own skills far more than they ever had been and it was evident as I charged Pallas relentlessly. He seemed frustrated that he couldn't keep up with me, but none of my strikes were remotely effective.
I was only able to land nicks and cuts on his arms and legs and occasionally his torso before his defense forced me back outside his guard. But I pressed on as I thought of ways to defeat him. 'I need to get rid of his spear. What would Percy do?' I thought and it brought a brief smile to my face. The smile was enough to make Pallas lash out in rage, giving me my opening.
He thrust toward me and I spun out of the way to my right and threw one of my knives into the tendons in his wrist. He screamed and dropped his spear as a result and I rushed forward, sliding past to slash his knees and force him to the ground with my other knife as I grabbed the one lodged in his wrist.
He roared in pain, but it was abruptly cut off as I took the knife from his wrist in an ice pick grip, flipped it to a saber grip as I spun, and thrust it upwards through the underside of his chin. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at me before crumbling to dust.
I had no time to revel in my victory as I quickly went back to destroying anything and everything I could. I was so wrapped up in the fighting, I didn't notice the arrival of my Guardian.
~Flashback End~
PERCY POV
I arrived in a column of fire on top of the Big House and scared the shit out of the archers that were posted there. They gave me a swift nod and got back to firing arrows as the young campers reloaded them. I turned my attention to the carnage and took a deep breath.
Some of the Giants were present, but not fighting just yet and I didn't know where the others were. Some of the Titans were also present and I noticed Prometheus' aura and growled. Then I noticed the blur of silver dancing her way through the battlefield and I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips.
I broke out of my reverie and fire traveled to Annabeth's aura. "Percy!" she screeched and hugged me quickly. I gave her one brief. "I saw the carnage. How are we looking? The Amazons held with some losses," I said and her gray eyes revealed that her mind was working a mile a minute.
"We're managing, but not well, Hades, Hermes, and Athena have finished their Banes with help from the campers, but the rest have yet to move hence why the Olympians aren't here. Artemis took Pallas out moments ago, but the other Titans are still out there. Oceanus is here," she said as she handed me a square of ambrosia and dumped water on my head and I worked it out in my mind.
"Okay. Any word from Olympus?" I asked and she shook her head. "They're probably hoping to draw more of them to the battlefield first. I left Camp Jupiter alone as no forces were there last I checked and I told Terminus to notify me immediately so we could minimize the damage," I said and turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" she asked and I looked over my shoulder, warrior persona in full effect. "To kill a few immortals," I said emotionlessly and she shivered.
I fire traveled to the roof again and looked out to find the densest area of enemy forces. 'Well, it worked at Camp Jupiter. If it ain't broke, don't fix it,' I thought as I fire traveled above said point with Diagrapsei drawn and plummeted to the earth. The resulting shockwave of Greek Fire, ice, and the earthquake itself, decimating any monster in a 15 meter radius. I put the ax back on my back, drew my dual swords, and walked out of the crater.
3RD PERSON POV
The shockwave sent throughout the battlefield stopped forces on both sides. Most expected the arrival of an Olympian with the force of the shock itself, along with the waves of extreme cold and extreme heat that followed.
Artemis and Thalia both smirked. 'He's here,' they both thought as they battled harder.
The Bane of All had entered the fray.
AN: Chapter 24! Trying to do such a large scale battle is a little hard so any feedback on it is appreciated! Until next time! Please let me know what you think of the story idea I left in the author's note after Chapter 23!