War Games.

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO

3rd POV

Percy looked at the frozen form of Hazel and placed a hand on her shoulder to remove her from her momentary daze of fear. Hazel blinked a few times to gather her lost bearings. "Sorry, lightening scares me." She said causing Percy to look at her funny, but eventually said nothing of it. Hazel looked around having forgotten where they were and what they were doing there in the in first place until it all came back to her. "Right, lets get to the temple of Jupiter before there is another lightening storm."

The duo began walking along the road to the temple of Jupiter. As they were walking Percy looked at Hazel quizzically." Why is Neptune so unpopular around here?" Percy asked eager to learn why they would show a great god such blatant disrespect.

Hazel looked at Percy sadly as they continued walking. "I'm sorry Percy," Hazel said. "It's just…Romans were always scared of the sea. They only used ships if they had to. Even in modern times, having a child of Neptune around has always been a bad omen. The last one joined the legion…well, it was 1906, when Camp Jupiter was located across the bay of San Francisco. There was a huge earthquake—"

"Seriously? That's it?" Percy asked cutting off Hazel. "So your idea of appeasing a god whose domain you fear is by building a small garden shed in his honour, a god just as powerful as Jupiter himself that's what you Romans think was a good idea?"

"Don't look at me Percy, I am inclined to agree with you, but what I agree with means very little around here." Hazel looked a bit scornful.

Above them thunder rumbled. Red lightening lit the hill which made Hazel mightily uncomfortable.

"Octavian's almost done," Hazel said. "Lets go."

Compared to Neptune's garden shed, Jupiter's temple was definitely optimus and maximus. The marble floor was etched with fancy mosaics and Latin inscriptions. Sixty feet above, the domed ceiling sparkled gold. The whole temple was open to the wind. In the centre stood a marble altar, where a kid in a toga was doing some sort of ritual in front of a massive golden statue of the big dude himself: Jupiter the sky god, dressed in a silk XXXL purple toga holding a lightening bolt.

Percy looked at the statue and frowned. "It doesn't look like that," he muttered softly to Hazel.

Hazel looked at him. "What?" she asked confused.

"The master bolt," Percy said.

"What are you talking about?" Hazel asked.

Percy pointed at the lightening bolt. "It doesn't look like that." He concluded.

"How do you know" Hazel asked.

"I—" Percy frowned. For a second he thought he was beginning to remember something. Now it was gone. "I don't know, but I guess its nothing."

The kid at the alter raised his hands. More red lightening flashed across the sky, shaking the temple. Then he put his hands down, and the rumbling stopped. The clouds turned from grey to white and broke apart. A pretty impressive trick, considering the kid didn't look like much. He was tall and skinny, with straw coloured hair, oversized jeans, a baggy T-shirt, and a drooping toga. He looked like scarecrow wearing a bed sheet.

"What's he doing?" Percy inquired.

The guy in the toga turned. He had crooked smile and a slightly psychopathic look in his eyes that gave Hazel the creeps. In one hand he held a knife. In the other hand was something like a dead animal. That didn't make him look any less like a psychopath.

"Percy," Hazel said, "This is Octavian."

"The Graecus!" Octavian announced. "How interesting."

Percy examined Octavian with emotionlessly. "Hi," Percy said tonelessly. "Are you killing animals?"

Octavian looked at the fuzzy thing in his hand and laughed. "No, no. Once upon a time, yes. We used to read the will of the gods by examining animal guts—chickens, goats, that sort of thing. Nowadays, we use these." He tossed the fuzzy thing to Percy. It was a disembowelled teddy bear. Then Percy noticed that there was a whole pile of mutilated stuffed animals at the foot of Jupiter's statue.

"Seriously?" Percy asked.

Octavian stepped off the dais and looked Percy with harsh curiosity. He narrowed his eyes at Percy. "You seem nervous." He said.

"You remind me of someone," Percy said. "I can't remember who."

"Possibly my namesake, Octavian—Augustus Caesar. Everyone says I bear a remarkable resemblance."

Percy didn't think that was it at all, but he couldn't pin down the memory. Percy suddenly looked at Octavian with curiosity. "Why did you call me Greek?"

"I saw it in the auguries." Octavian waved his knife at the pile of stuffing on the alter. "The message said: The Greek has arrived. Or Possibly the goose has cried. I'm thinking the first interpretation was correct. You seek to join the legion?"

Hazel spoke for him and told Octavian everything that had happened. When she mentioned Juno Octavian was surprised.

"Juno," he mused. "We call her Juno Monet. Juno the Warner. She appears in times of crisis, to counsel Rome about great threats."

He glanced at Percy as if to say: like the Mysterious Greek for instance.

"I hear the feast of Fortuna is this week," Percy said. "The gorgons warned there'd be an invasion on that day. Did you see anything in your stuffing?"

"Sadly, no." Octavian sighed. "The will of the gods is hard to discern. And these days my vision are even darker."

"Don't you have an oracle?" Percy asked

"An Oracle!" Octavian smiled. "What a cute idea. No, I'm afraid we're fresh out of Oracles. Now, if we'd gone questing for the Sibylline books, like I recommended—"

"The Siba-what?" Percy asked.

"Books of prophecy," Hazel said, "Octavian is obsessed with. Romans used to consult them when disasters happened. Most people believe they burned up when Rome fell."

"Some people believe that," Octavian corrected. "Unfortunately our present leadership won't authorise a quest for them—"

"Because Reyna isn't stupid," Hazel said.

"—so we have only a few remaining scraps from the books." Octavian continued. "A few mysterious predictions, like these,"

He nodded to the inscriptions on the marble floor. Percy stared at the lines of the words, not really expecting to understand them. He almost choked and his eyes flared bright green in recognition. "That one." He pointed, translating as he read aloud: "Seven half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire the world must fall—"

"Yes, yes." Octavian finished without looking: "An oath to keep with a final breath, and foes bare arms to door of death."

"I know that one." Percy's eyes turned grey like storm clouds as his body began to tremble. "That's an important one."

Octavian rolled his eyes at Percy. "I would think so. We call it Prophecy of the seven. Its thousands of years old, perhaps even older than Rome herself. Every time people try to interpret it…well, Hazel will tell you. Bad things happen."

Hazel glared at him. "Just read the auguries for Percy and let us leave."

Octavian looked at Percy's bag and saw a panda pillow pet. "That's a beautiful specimen. May I?' Octavian didn't wait for Percy to respond and just took the panda. Octavian turned towards the alter and placed the Panda on top and raised his knife.

"Hey!" Percy protected.

Octavian slashed the panda's belly and poured it stuffing on the alter. He tossed the panda carcass aside, and muttered a few words over the fluff, and turned with a smile on his face. "Good news!" he said. "Percy may join the legion. We'll assign him to a cohort at evening muster. Tell Reyna that I approve."

Hazel's shoulders relaxed. "Uh…great. Come on Percy."

Percy's mind zoned out as Hazel and Octavian shared a few words with each other that seemed rather sour, by looking at Hazel's face as it contorted into a scornful face. Hazel grabbed Percy's arm and led him out of the temple, away from Octavian which he was grateful for.

As Hazel marched down the hill, she cursed in Latin. Percy found it amusing to hear such nice girl like her having such a colourful vocabulary. "I hate that guy." She said in English. "If I had my way—"

"He wont really get elected Praetor, will he?" Percy asked having caught pieces of their earlier word jousting.

"I wish I could be curtain. Octavian has a lot of friends, most of them bought. The rest of the campers are afraid of him."

"I could see why." Percy said. "Being next to him made my skin crawl."

"Reyna is not doing badly by herself, but if Octavian shares her power…" Hazel shuddered. "Lets go see my brother."

Percy didn't argue. He wanted to meet this mysterious brother, maybe learn something about Hazel's background—who her dad was, what secrets she was hiding. Percy couldn't believe she had done anything to be guilty about. She was too nice. But Octavian had acted like he had some dirt over her.

Hazel led Percy to a black crypt built into the side of the hill. Standing in front was a teenage boy in black jeans and an aviator jacket.

"Hey," Hazel called. "I've brought a friend."

The boy turned. Percy had a sudden flash of memories. He could see the boy using skeletons while fighting alongside Percy. Percy blinked a few times as the spell Juno had used to take his memories was forcefully broken. The kid to Percy was almost as pale as Octavian, with dark eyes and messy black hair. He didn't look anything like Hazel. He wore a silver ring, a chain for a belt, and a black T-shirt with skull designs. On his side hung a pure black sword.

For a microsecond when he saw Percy, the boy seemed shocked—panicked even, like he'd been caught in a searchlight.

"This is Percy Jackson," Hazel introduced them. "He's a good guy, Percy, this is my brother, the son of Pluto."

The boy regained his composure and held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you," he said. "I'm Nico di Angelo."

Hazel felt like she had just introduced two nuclear bombs. Now she was waiting to see which one would explode first.

Until that morning, her brother Nico had been the most powerful demigod she knew. The others at Camp Jupiter saw him as a travelling oddball, about as harmless as the fauns. Hazel knew better. She hadn't grown up with Nico, hadn't even known him for very long. But she knew Nico was more dangerous than Reyna, or Octavian, or maybe even Jason. Then she'd met Percy.

At first, when she saw him stumbling up the highway with the old lady in his arms, Hazel had thought he might be a god in disguise. Even though he was beat up and dirty, and stooped with exhaustion, he'd had an aura of power. He had the a face that was inhumanly beautiful, with the deepest sea-green eyes that swirled with so much power and wind blown Raven black hair and a deep olive skin tone.

She'd ordered Frank not to fire at him. She thought the gods might be testing them. She'd heard myths like that: a kid with a old lady begs for shelter, when the rude mortals refuse—boom, they get turned into banana slugs.

Then Percy had controlled the river to kill the gorgons and rescue Frank with such easy, like the water was a part of him, was just amazing to her. Next he'd turned a pen into a bronze sword that radiated more power than Juno had. But could Percy really take her curse? It seemed too much to hope for.

Percy and Nico shook hands. They studied each other warily, and Hazel fought the urge to run. If those these two busted out their magic swords, things could turn ugly.

Nico didn't appear scary. He was skinny and sloppy in his rumpled black clothes. His hair, as always, looked like he'd just rolled out of bed. Hazel remembered the first time she'd met him. The first time she'd seen him draw his sword, she'd almost laughed. The way he'd called it. "Stygian iron." All serious like… he looked ridiculous. This scrawny white boy was no fighter. She certainly didn't believe they were related. She had changed her mind about that quickly enough.

Percy scowled and from his eyes an iridescent hue radiated outwards with his power. "I—I know you." He said.

Nico raised his eyebrows. "Do you?" He looked at Hazel for explanation.

Hazel hesitated. Something her brother's reaction wasn't right. He was trying hard to act casual, but when he'd first seen Percy, Hazel had noticed his momentary look of panic. Nico already knew Percy. She was sure of it. Why was he pretending otherwise?

Hazel forced herself to speak. "Um…Percy's lost his memory." She told her brother everything that had happened.

"So Nico…" she continued carefully, "I thought…you know, you travel all over. Maybe you've met demigods like Percy before, or…"

Nico expression turned as dark as Tartarus. Hazel didn't understand why, but she got the message: Drop it.

"This story about Gaea's army," Nico said. "You warned Reyna?"

Percy nodded. "So Gaea is rising huh?"

Hazel's mouth felt dry. Just hearing that name…it was all she could do to keep her knees from buckling. She remembered a woman's soft sleepy voice, a glowing cave, and feeling her lungs fill with black oil.

Percy turned to Hazel with his entire memories returned to him and smiled sadly. "She came to you in a dream long ago, didn't she Hazel Levesque?" he asked.

Hazel's eyes widened in complete and utter shock at what he has asked her. She found herself answering his question with a shaken nod. "How—How did you know?" she asked him.

Percy smiled a brilliant white smile that made her blush. "Thanks to Nico over there I have regained my memories. All of them." He said with his smile turning serious. "From me Hazel, I would like to apologise for my sister's actions against you. I knew it isn't much, but its all I can offer."

Nico froze and Hazel stepped back. "Sister?" she asked taken aback. "Gaea is your sister?"

Percy sighed. "Yes," he answered. "Gaea is my sister. How that is possible is a story for another time. In some ways I am sixteen, but as a whole I am as old as the Earth." Percy looked at Nico. "Snap out of it King of Ghosts."

Nico snapped out of his shock. "Is that why…?" he trailed off and Percy gave him a nod.

"Please tell no one for now. Gaea is too much of an enemy for me being her brother to be heard."

Nico gave him a nod and so did Hazel. "You have our word not say anything until it is required of us" said Hazel.

Percy gave them grateful look. "Thank you," he said. "But there are other matters that weigh heavily in the fate of Olympus."

"Yes I know. From what I've heard is that death isn't—"

Hazel was cut of before she could finish, a shout came from down the hill. Frank jogged towards them, wearing jeans, a purple camp shirt and black jacket. His hands were covered in grease from cleaning weapons.

Percy watched in amusement as he felt Hazel's emotions change and a subtle blush invaded her skin. He saw Frank reach the shrine. "Hey, Nico…"

"Frank." Nico smiled like Frank amused him.

"Reyna sent me to get Percy," Frank said. "Did Octavian accept you?"

"Yeah," Percy said. "He slaughtered my Panda."

"He…oh. The augury? Yeah, teddy bears must have nightmares about that guy. But you're in! We need to get you cleaned up before evening muster." Said Frank noticing Percy change in attitude. Now he looked comfortable.

Hazel realised that the sun was beginning to get low over the hill. How had the day gone so fast? "You're right," she said. "We'd better—"

"Frank," Nico interrupted, "why don't you take Percy down? Hazel and I will be along soon."

Percy looked at Frank. "Lets go Frank." He said.

Percy and Frank waved goodbye to the brother/sister duo and headed to the bath house to get cleaned up before going to see Reyna.

After the meeting with Reyna was done, she told him to follow Frank and do as he does. Percy did as Reyna instructed. He was impressed at how organised everything was. He watched Hazel running past Reyna drawing a scowl from the Praetor. He watched as Nico joined him with the guards at his side. Percy was later introduced to the hundreds of kids that have gathered.

Octavian shouted, "Colours!"

The standard bearers stepped forward. They wore lion-skin capes and poles decorated with each cohort's emblem. The last to present his standard was Jacob, the legion's eagle bearer. He held a long pole with absolutely nothing on top.

Reyna brought her Pegasus to a halt. "Romans!" she announced. "You've probably heard about the incursion today. Two gorgons were swept into the river by this newcomer, Percy Jackson. Juno herself guided him here, and proclaimed him a son of Neptune. He is also called The king of Water, Storms and Bringer of Tides."

The kids in the back row craned their necks to see Percy. He raised his hand and said. "Hi."

"He seeks to join the legion," Reyna continued. "What did the auguries say?"

"I have read the entrails!" Octavian announced, as if he had killed a lion with his bare hands rather than ripping up a stuffed up panda pillow. "The auguries were favourable. He is qualified to serve!"

The campers gave a shout: "Ave!" Frank was a little late with his "ave," so it came out as a high-pitched echo. The other legionnaires snickered

Reyna motioned the senior officers forward—one from each cohort. Octavian, as the most senior centurion, turned to Percy.

"Recruit," he asked, "do you have credentials? Letters of reference?"

Percy smiled shocking Octavian and the entire Legion. "Of course, I am a king after all." He said. "Or would you accuse the Queen of the gods as being a liar?"

"Very well, which Cohort is willing to receive him?" Reyna asked.

Two centurions walked forward with pained looks: like here we go again. "My cohort has spoken," the male centurion said. "We shall receive his recruitment."

Reyna looked at Percy with pity. "Congratulations, Percy Jackson. You stand on probatio. You will be given a tablet with your name and cohort. In one year's time, or as soon as you complete an act of valour, you'll become a full member of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata. Serve Rome, obey the rules of the legion, and defend the camp with honour. Senatus Populusque Romanus!"

The rest of the legion echoed in cheer

Reyna wheeled her Pegasus away from Percy, like she was glad to be done with him. "Centurions," Reyna said. "you and your troops have one hour for dinner. Then we will meet on the field of Mars. The first and second cohort will defend. The third, fourth and fifth cohorts will attack. Good fortune!"

Dinner for Percy was uneventful, but he got to know those in his cohort a little bit more. He noticed that Dakota was a drunkard wannabe. After dinner Percy remembered when he and Frank talked before dinner. After dinner they continued their earlier talk as he walked with Frank talking about his family and how his mother died in Afghanistan to save the lives of her fellow soldiers.

Percy came to respect Frank a bit more after he heard his story.

Once they got out of camp, the Fifth Cohort formed two lines behind their centurions, Dakota and Gwen. They marched north, skirt to the edge of the city and headed to the fields of Mars. It was the largest, and flattest part of the valley. The grass was cropped short with all the acorns, bulls and homeless fauns that grazed here. The earth was pitted with explosion craters and scarred trenches from past games

Frank and Hazel filled Percy on what war games were and what they were meant for. They marched to the centre of the field of Mars and formed ranks. The Third and Fourth Cohorts assembled as far as possible from the Fifth. The centurions for the attacking side gathered for a conference. In the sky above them was Reyna circling on her Pegasus, Scipio, ready to play referee. A dozen giant eagles flew in formation behind her—prepared for ambulance airlift duty if necessary. The only person not participating was Nico di Angelo, "Pluto's ambassador," who had climbed an observation tower about a hundred yards from the fort and would be watching with binoculars.

Franks propped his pilum against his shield and checked Percy's armour. Every strap was correct. Every piece of armour was properly adjusted. He looked like a god going to battle.

The Horn blew as they were talking. Dakota and Gwen walked back from the officers' conference, looking grim. "Alright, here's the plan!" Dakota took a quick swig of Kool-aid from his flask. "They're throwing us at the walls first to soften up the defences."

The whole Cohort groaned.

Percy tuned out most of their instructions until Frank suggested a plan whereby Percy used his powers to manipulate the aqueducts where the cannons drew their water from. They also decided to use Hazel's ability of navigating the underground to infiltrate the fort.

The trio had managed to get inside the fort and in front of them was the east wall. They could see the Fifth Cohort advancing in the turtle formation, shields forming a shell over their heads and sides. They were trying to reach the main gates, but the defenders above pelted them with rocks and shot flaming bolts from scorpions, blasting a crater around their feet. A water cannon discharged with a jaw rattling thrum, jet of water carved a trench in the dirt right in front of the cohort.

Percy saw that the Third Cohort wasn't doing anything to help their allies in fact they were laughing at the Fifth Cohort. Percy disliked a show of such dishonour towards comrades.

A defender appeared as Percy and Frank were talking. "Hey!" he shouted to his buddies. "Check it out! More victims!"

"Percy," Franks said. "now would be good."

More kids came across the battlements to laugh at them. A few ran to the nearest water cannon and swung the barrel at Frank. Percy raised his hand lazily and flicked his wrist.

Up on the wall, somebody yelled, "Open wide losers!"

KA-BOOM!

All the water cannons that were on the field exploded. Defenders screamed as they were pushed and held against the walls by the water. Some defenders were forced to the ground by the shockwave. Some of the water was used to douse the fires. The defenders scattered in confusion or tossed through the air giving the rescue eagles a workout. At the main gates, the Fifth Cohort forgot about their formation. Mystified, they lowered their shields and stared at the chaos.

Percy told Frank to climb up and he would follow. Frank hesitated at first, but eventually gave in and began to climb with Percy not far behind.

Frank glanced back at the fifth Cohort's main group. They were staring at him dumbfounded. "Well?" Frank screamed. "Attack!"

The centurion Gwen smiled and ordered a course of attack. Frank clambered at the top of the wall, where three defenders were trying to hack down his rope ladder. One good thing about being big and clumsy, and clad in metal: Frank was like a heavily armoured bowling ball. He launched himself at the defenders and they toppled like pins. Frank go to his feet. He took control of the battlement.

Percy saw this and leaped into action. With Hazel the trio carved the defenders until finally the Third and Fourth Cohort decided to join the fray.

"A little late," Hazel grumbled.

"We can't let them get the banners," said Frank.

"No," Percy agreed. "Those are ours."

The three of them laid waste to the defenders in the interior walls and into the enemy base. Percy created five vortexes that would prevent the Third and Fourth Cohort from reaching the banners, while also isolating the remaining defenders from the outside.

Frank, Hazel and Percy waded through the enemy, ploughing down anyone who stood in their way. The First and Second Cohort—pride of camp Jupiter, a well oiled machine—fell apart under the assault and the sheer novelty of being on the losing side. The biggest problem was Percy. He fought with such speed, grace and raw ferocity that they couldn't reply. He weaved through their ranks like they were nothing and the calm almost bored look on his face unnerved them even more. His fighting style was a mixture of Krav Maga, pankration and Spartan swordsmanship techniques.

Octavian screamed in a shrill voice ordering the two Cohorts to attack, but before they knew it they were face first on the floor knocked out by Percy and his Cohort mates.

The trio found themselves in the inner keep and found the First and Second Cohort standard bearers playing Mythomagic with cards and dolls around a table. Percy and Frank grabbed the banners without even alerting the bearers know and left them to their game. Hazel who had gotten to Hannibal's back led them out.

The Fifth Cohort formed ranks around them. Together they paraded out of the fort, past the stunned enemies and lines of equally mystified allies. Reyna circled low overhead on her Pegasus. "The game is won." She sounded as if she was trying not laugh. "Assemble for honours!"

Slowly the campers regrouped on the field of Mars. There were many campers with minor injuries, ranging from broken bones to black eyes, but nothing that couldn't be fixed.

Frank had a big smile that was until he saw Gwen.

"Help!" somebody yelled. A couple of campers rushed out of the fortress, the girl on a stretcher. They set her down, and other kids started running over. Even from a distance, Frank could tell it was Gwen. She was in a bad shape. She lay on her side on the stretcher with a pilum sticking out of her armour.

Percy watched in the back ground as he saw Gwen die and then come back to life and how she described her encounter with Charon. Nico during all of this decided to come to see what was going on. Gwen looked mortified that she had died and then came back to life.

A thunderous voice rolled across the field: Death loses it's hold. This is only the beginning.

Campers drew their weapons. Hannibal trumpeted nervously. Scipio reared, almost throwing Reyna off.

"Well, well the circus is here." Percy said. In the midst of the legion A column of fire erupted heating the air around the field. Percy rolled his eyes at the theatrics. Campers all took steps back in fear. A huge soldier stepped out of the fire. He was easily ten feet tall, dressed in Canadian Forces desert camouflage gear. He radiated confidence and power. His face was angular and brutal, marked with old knife scars. His eyes were covered with infrared goggles that glowed inside. He wore a utility belt with sidearm, knife holster, and several grenades. In his hand was an oversized M-16 rife.

Frank was the first one to fall on one knee and soon after the other campers followed his example. Even Reyna dismounted.

"That's good," the soldier said. "kneeling is good. It's been a long time since I've visited Camp Jupiter."

Frank noticed that one person wasn't kneeling. Percy Jackson stood there glaring at the soldier with severe distaste.

"Ares," Percy said. "What do you want?"

A collective gasp went up from two hundred campers and elephant. Frank wanted to say something to Percy, but he was frozen. He was afraid that the war god would blast Percy.

Instead, the god bared his brilliant white teeth. "You've got spunk, demigod," he said. "Ares is my Greek form. But to these followers, to the children of Rome I am Mars—Patron of the empire, divine father of Romulus and Remus."

The ground under Percy cracked as he felt his distaste swell at being called a mere demigod, but he held his anger at bay well enough. "We've met," Percy said. "We…we had a fight, you lost and ran away."

The god stretched a chin as if trying to recall. "I fight a lot of people. But I assure you—you've never fought me as Mars. If you had, you'd be dead. Now kneel, as befits a child of Rome, before you try my patience."

The barrier holding Percy's anger came crumbling down from that one order. "How dare you!" Percy scowled causing ground to crack even more. "How dare you order me to kneel before you, you lowl—."

"Percy," Frank interrupted, "please."

Percy took a deep breath and shook his head. "I won't kneel before you Mars. I wont kneel to those beneath me or those I have no respect for." He said. "So far, I will admit you have a better temperament than Ares, but you still bath in the hubris of your power. Befitting of an Olympian."

Mars looked unsure at how to retort, but decided to accepted what Percy had said and his eyes scanned the crowd. "Romans, lend me your ears!" he laughed. "I've always wanted to say that. I come from Olympus with a message. Jupiter doesn't like us communicating directly with mortals, especially nowadays, but he has allowed his exception, as you Romans have always been my special people. I'm only permitted to speak for a few minutes, so listen tightly."

He pointed at Gwen. "This one should be dead, yet she's not. The monsters you fight no longer return to Tartarus as they should when they are slain. Some mortals who died long ago are now walking the earth again."

The god glared at Nico di Angelo. "Thanatos has been chained," Mars announced. "The doors of Death have been forced open, and no one is policing them—at least, not impartially. Gaea allows our enemies to pour forth into the world of mortals. Her sons the giants are mustering armies against you—armies that you will not be able to kill. Unless Death is unleashed to return to his duties, you will be overrun. You must find Thanatos and free him from the giants. Only he can reverse the tide."

Mars looked around, and noticed that everyone was still silently kneeling. "Oh, you can get up now. Any questions?"

Reyna rose uneasily. She approached the god, followed by Octavian, who was bowing and scraping like a champion groveler.

"Lord Mars," Reyna said, "We are honoured."

"Beyond honoured," Octavian said. "So far beyond honoured—"

"Well?" Mars snapped.

"Well" Reyna said, "Thanatos is the god of death, the lieutenant of Pluto?"

"Right," the god said.

"And you're saying that he's been captured by giants."

"Right."

"And therefore people will stop dying?"

"Not all at once," Mars said. "But the barrier between life and death will continue to weaken. Those who know how to take advantage of this will exploit it. Monsters are already harder to dispatch. Soon they will be completely impossible to kill. Some demigods will also be able to find their way back from the underworld—like you friend Centurion Shish kebob."

Gwen winced. "Centurion Shish kebob?"

"If left unchecked," Mars continued, "even mortals will eventually find it impossible to die. Can you imagine a world in which no one dies—ever?"

Octavian raised his hand. "But, ah mighty all-powerful Lord Mars, we cant die, isn't it a good thing? If we can stay alive indefinitely—"

"Don't be foolish boy!" Mars bellowed. "Endless slaughter with no conclusion? Carnage without any point? Enemies that rise again and again and can never be killed? Is that what you want?"

Percy shook his head in disappointment. "You Olympian are so narrow minded." he spoke up. "you think Gaea would let that happen? Let mortals and demigods be unable to die? Are you this stupid? Gaea wants to lay mortals to waste for the state they have left the planet. She will merely keep the doors open long enough to see demigods dead and then she will close the doors again. The giants would be free to fight the gods unopposed as there would be no way for a god to kill them without the aid of a demigod. Once the gods are in Tartarus she will purge the earth of humanity and her own giant children and rebuild anew. A primal earth of lush grasslands, forests and simple wonderments. That is what she wants."

Mars looked at Percy. "How do you know this?" he asked.

"Juno's spell broke. It required too much power, more than she had to keep my memories from me. I am technically a god, an Olympian level god. When I was away from those I didn't know it was easier to maintain the spell, but when I saw Nico…her hold on my memories fell away. I'm sure she felt the spell break." Percy said.

The Legion stared Percy with awe and confusion. Mars gave him a nod. "Makes sense. But be that as it may. I am here to issue a quest" the god announced. "You will go north and find Thanatos in the land beyond the gods. You will free him and thwart the plans of the Giants. Beware Gaea! Beware her son, the eldest giant!"

Percy looked at Mars, "Well, aren't you going to claim your child?" he asked the god.

Mars turned to look at Frank. "C'mere, kid." Mars grinned. "Nice job taking the wall, kid. Who's the ref for the game?"

Reyna raised her hand.

"You see that play, ref?" Mars demanded. "That was my kid first over that wall, he won the game for his team. Unless you're blind, that was an MVP play. You're not blind are you?"

Reyna looked like she was trying to swallow a mouse. "No, Lord Mars."

"Make sure he gets the Mural Crown," Mars demanded. "My kid, here!"

"Emily Zhang's son," Mars continued. "She was good soldier. Good woman. This kid Frank proved his stuff tonight. Happy birthday, kid. Time you stepped up to a real man's weapon."

He tossed Frank his M16. For a split second Frank thought he'd be crushed under the weight of the massive assault rifle, but the gun changed midair, becoming smaller and thinner. When Frank caught it, the weapon was a spear. It had a shaft of Imperial gold and a strange point like white bone, flickering with a ghostly light.

"The tip is a dragon's tooth," Mars said. "You haven't learned to used your mom's talents yet, have you? Well—that spear will give you breathing room until you do. You get three charges out of it, use it wisely."

Frank didn't understand, but Mars acted like the matter was closed.

"Now, my kid Frank Zhang is gonna lead the quest to free Thanatos, unless there are any objections?"

An echoing wholesome laugh descended upon the field of Mars. "This is who you align yourself with instead of me, my dear brother?" a sleepy female voice said ever so softly along the fields of Mars, "Parents who idly sit on their thrones, feasting on nectar and ambrosia, hiding behind non-existent laws, while their children suffer? Help me brother. Join me. Join your kin. We are the first born of Chaos and Order. Brother, you and I awoke from Chaos and our mother together, we came from the same womb and born together. Help me cleanse the filth of humanity. Help me start over, by purging humanity and its corrosive influence from the earth. Join, Tartarus, Erebos, Nyx and I. And surely Chronos and Ananke will follow. Like the times of old."

Percy sighed deeply at his sisters words. "Gaea was it not we the first born of Chaos and Order who moulded Humanity together? Was it not you who breathed lift into them? Was it not you and I that nurtured their growth? Was it not we, the first born that fed them knowledge of the world? Are they not our creations sister? Are they not our children Gaea? Our mother Order exists today in the mould of a Human Avatar 'Sally Jackson'. She sees good in them sister. Can you not see that they are still young, Gaea?. I know that in time, they will rise above the stars and fulfil their potential and spread their wonders throughout the cosmos. Even our father, Chaos has chosen a mortal Avatar, Paul Blofis. He too wished to see the wonders of mortals as one of them."

Gaea laughed once more. "You were always an idealist Hydros, always loyal to those you love. But brother, will you truly fight me? Would you fight me, your own flesh and blood sister, me who was born from the same womb as you?" she asked daring Percy to fight her. "Brother nature dies in their hands. They have forgotten the old ways, they have become proud. The stench of their hubris pulsates air just like the Olympians who further degradation brother ."

Percy closed his eyes. "She, who is my beloved. She, who my heart loves wholly. Her father is but a mortal man. Problems and pain he may have caused her, but he is ultimately a good man who was confused and scared. The woman who wed her father has caused my beloved much pain, yet she too is a good person, just scared and confused. My beloved's family is mortal and of half-blood nature. Many mortals like beloved's family are good, honourable people, they deserve to live and prosper. I wont my raise blade against you, but I cannot idly sit and watch my beloved wither in pain at the loss of her family. So Gaea, my dear sister," Percy got on one knee to plead for her to listen, "I beg you stop this war, this poisonous dream you have under your wretched marriage to our wayward brother Tartarus. Come back to the light. We can teach humans to respect the Earth as they once did before the rule of your son Kronos. We can guide them to be better. They are just children without guidance, our guidance. Help me stop those corrosive giants children you bore out of spite. Help me make them fade painlessly. All the giants outside of Damasen will corrode this world even further. Please sister, say yes, answer my plea."

Mars stood there along with the campers in stark silence until he too dropped to one knee, something he would never do as Ares. Mars' eyes were alight with opportunity to stop meaningless bloodshed to children, who should only be concerning themselves with school and homework and not be at the forefront of wars. "Milady Gaea, I too ask you to accept his plea. I wish not to see children die in wars not their own." He said stunning the campers, who quickly joined them on their knees.

A billowing yawn echoed across the field and the occupants stared at each other nervously as they awaited her answer. "Alright, I agree to your terms brother," she finally answered, "But what has happened cannot be undone, you know this. I am sorry. I see now, that I was wrong in my methods. Be warned brother, some of the lesser beings of our kind will not take this lightly. The Ourea, Nesoi, Physis and Akhlys will not be pleased that I have changed stance in this war, but ultimately not act or at least I hope not. Tartarus will now more than ever seek to level the gods of Olympus. You know Pontus and Thalassa will be pleased that you are awake. They draw much power from your domain, with you awake you makes them even stronger. The quest you have ordered young Mars will continued as planned and I will aid it as best as I can manage. Brother, you know you are not fully awakened yet. You must guide the quest, see to it that they don't fail. To Hazel, I must offer my deepest apology. I have caused you much pained before, I see now. I am sorry, for my actions, I have shamed myself as a mother. But I now feel that my consciousness is slipping into sleep once more. Good luck brother. May Mother and Father show you the way."

Percy got up and looked around and saw the campers and Mars still on one waiting for him with eyes drained with awe. Percy sighed before gesturing for them to get up. He closed his eyes. "I am sorry," he announced and they all looked in confusion, "what was said should not have been heard by any of you."

Percy flicked his wrists and a wave of power flowed from him, reaching even Olympus, where the Olympians had watched the meeting. Their eyes glazed over for a second before they regained their normal colour leaving the campers and gods none the wiser.

Mars looked around before his gaze stopped at Frank. "You may take two companions," he said. "Those are the rules kid. One of them needs to be Percy Jackson."

The god's image flickered. Lightening crackled across the sky. "That's my cue," Mars said, "Until next time, Romans. Do not disappoint me."

The god erupted in flames, and then he was gone.

Reyna turned towards Frank. Her expression was part amazement, part nausea, like she had finally managed to swallow that mouse. She raised her arm a Roman salute. "Ave, Frank Zhang, son of Mars."

The whole legion followed her lead. Percy looked at Nico and Hazel and smiled sadly at them.

Percy may have been one of the first born, but he was still waking up like Gaea. He was still in some ways a half blood. His mother was right to mould a piece of his essence into that of a half-blood, he would never have met Annabeth if she hadn't. O how he misses her dimpled smile and the scent of her blonde hair. How he missed staring into her intense passionate eyes.

Percy did not realise that his little stunt of wiping memories had taxed him of much of his energy. He only realised this when he was sucked into a demigod dream. He saw a curly haired faun in ragged clothes running to catch up with him.

"Grover," Percy said.

"Percy, thank the gods." He said. "Stay put! We're on our way to find you. Tyson is close—at least we think he's closest. We're trying to lock on your location."

Before Percy could respond, Grover's image was gone. Then Annabeth was running along besides him, reaching out her hand.

"Thank the gods!" she called with a tear gently falling down her face. "For months and months we couldn't see you! I couldn't see you, are you alright?"

Percy smiled and reached for her hand, he used a portion of his power to make himself tangible enough to hold her hand even if it was for a second. A further tear cascaded down her cheek. He dried her tear and embraced her into him. "Stay put! It'll be easier for Tyson to find you! Stay where you are!" she cried into his chest before she disappeared.

Percy was now standing in theatre-sized version of camp's headquarters—principia with wall of ice and freezing mist hanging in the air. The floor was littered with skeletons in Roman armour and Imperial gold weapons encrusted with frost. In the back of the room sat an enormous shadowy figure. His skin glittered of gold and silver, as if he were an automaton like Reyna's dogs. Behind him a collection of ruined emblems, banners, and a large eagle on a staff of iron.

The giant's voice boomed in the vast chamber. "This will be fun, son of Neptune. It's been eons since I broke a demigod of your calibre. I await you atop the ice."

Percy's face creased in disgust. "You have been a naughty child," Percy said with scowl, "Naughty children must be punished. I will be there to administer the punishment you so rightfully deserve, little boy."

The image changed again and this time he stood ant the edge of a vast chasm of darkness that radiated Malevolence and power. A screeching laugh filled lands with it's evil. "Hydros, how nice of you to join us," the voice spat with derision, "I had almost forgotten how much of insufferable fool you were. I had hoped that you would sleep eternally, but as usual, you disrupt my dreams. Know this brother, even with that whore Gaea on your side, I will see you tremble before me."

Percy rolled his eyes. "I didn't miss you too you prune. I too had dreams that you would forget how to bare a physical form, but dreams are just that aren't they little brother?" he said as he spat the word brother like it was hot flame.

A grumble was heard from the chasm. "Prepare for war," the voice said. "All that you hold near and dear to you will burn before me. I will see to that personally. Beware of my rise! Beware the might of Tartarus!"

Percy woke up with a few beads of sweat streaming down his forehead.

Chapter 4 done: It heralds the coming of war. Before I go, Poseidon, Paul are piece of Chaos' essence just like Sally is piece of Order's essence. Sally and Paul are mortal but in death they will return to Chaos and Order. Percy is a similar process of fully waking up at this point he is half awake.

I hope you thought it was mildly pleasant at least. Review after reading and thank you for sacrificing your time to read this.

Addio!