Disclaimer: I do not own these characters (yet, watch out Rick! :D)
Last time of Betrayed Son of the Sea (v2)
"Annabeth, it's the Romans... they're here"
That snapped Annabeth back into reality, "Here? Why? How? When did they get here?" the questions left her lips in rapid succession, before she realised; Malcolm wouldn't have an answer if he had chosen to tell her. Annabeth's mind was working harder than it ever had before it hit her, Malcolm was looking for guidance; her cabin needed her.
Annabeth picked her drakon-bone sword off her back, resting it upon her shoulder as she called the Athena cabin to duty. As she gathered her brothers and sisters around she decided to take Malcolm and Tracy to talk with the Romans if necessary. She told Alec to stay behind and control the rest of cabin, trusting his tactical judgment. As Annabeth stepped up over the ridge of half-blood hill and into the full light of the fading sun, reality struck harder than a Pegasus hoof.
Chapter 21
Annabeth stared out across the strawberry fields, worry and despair flooding her body as fast as the sunset. Several hundred roman campers had arrived, fully armored and seemingly having abandoned Camp Jupiter. Annabeth swallowed, how could Camp Half-Blood stand against this? Then a familiar figure stepped forward, holding an olive branch as a peace offering. Annabeth told Malcolm to go and get Chiron, and as Malcolm ran towards the Big House, Annabeth rubbed her temples "Why did this need to happen now?"
Eventually Malcolm and Chiron appeared, "Annabeth, what's the issue with the Romans?" Chiron asked. Annabeth looked shiftily around before answering the reprimanding clock of Chiron's hoof, "They know I was responsible for Percy leaving Camp Half-Blood" she told him, "It can't be a coincidence that they have turned up now, in full armor". Chiron nodded several times, "Annabeth, it's been many moons since... the incidence… we can't assume anything until its begun, prepare the Ares cabin in case things get ugly though" he added. "I know" she groaned, "But does it have to be me?".
"Annabeth, you are the most level headed and calmest councilor I have ever taught" Chiron told her, Annabeth was about to make another point when Malcolm cut across her "You were the only Greek willing to talk to their praetor, you brokered peace in the midst of a feud that had been ongoing for centuries. So why can't you do it again," IF that's the case now". Chiron glanced at Malcolm and nodded, turning over his gaze over to the daughter of Athena with tired eyes. She huffed but, reluctantly, accepted the role. As Annabeth walked down the hill, towards the romans, she thought of how Zane had ruined everything and started the end.
It was a slow, long walk to say the least.
Eventually Reyna stood opposite Annabeth at the foot of Half-Blood Hill, "We need to talk" she said, Annabeth nodded, let her troops into the border and lead her up the hill towards the big house as the last rays of light finally disappeared, allowing most of the camp rest… apart from a select few.
The big house had been quiet for many weeks; campers and councilors no longer viewed it as a hub, cans of spray cheese being evidence of this, lying discarded and partially empty on the floor. Annabeth thought sadly of this as she walked in with Reyna close behind, taking a glance at the picture board; most of which held a fragment of Percy in them. Reyna sat down in a couch in the big house, rubbing her eyes and face as Annabeth sat opposite her. "Any reason you're here?" Annabeth asked, raising her eyebrows and tilting her head as Seymour (the leopard) snarled suspiciously. Reyna sat still whilst Annabeth stared at her for some time, wringing her hands and looking around the room wistfully at pictures and photographs. "Camp Jupiter, has fallen" Reyna admitted, closing her eyes with a pained grimace. A steady flow of questions instantly broke through Annabeth's lips; "What happened? How? When? Are we in danger?". Reyna held up her hand, chuckling bitterly at her memories, "We were just finishing war games when several bombs exploded in the healers tents, killing our medics and the new augur, Sebastian. Suddenly New Rome was under attack, from the inside, many of the old legionaries had been turned against the rest of the city…" Reyna sighed "We didn't know what to do, so we captured as many as was safe and took the remainder of Camp Jupiter with us". Annabeth listened to this story, a naggingly familiar story at the back of her mind, she frowned but it was gone before she could remember it. "Strange indeed, but we had no choice" a quiet voice came from the doorway, Reyna and Annabeth both turned to look and saw a small but surprising buff camp Jupiter legionnaire standing there. "I'm sorry, my name is Micah and I was th-"
"the apprentice to Sebastian" Reyna finished, "we know and, we do not need your fantasy stories of the titans. Wait outside until we're finished"
"But Reyna, if she truly is back.. she would have the reason and power to do all thi-" Micah exclaimed, waving his wands
"SHE'S DEAD" Reyna interrupted, "Jupiter finished her aeons ago. Now wait outside"
Micah stormed from the doorway outside, slamming the old door as he exited and gaining himself a loud snarl from Seymour.
"I'm sorry" Reyna apologized, "Micah has been rather… difficult since we accepted him". "That's alright" Annabeth brushed the apology aside, "What can we do against this force you've described?"
"That's the thing" Reyna said weakly, "The gods aren't responding, we're cut off!". Annabeth was thinking of an alternative response when they heard screams coming from outside the big house. The stood up quickly, and moved towards the entrance as the screams got louder.
Outside, they saw the augur apprentice, Micah, fighting with Michael Kahale. Michael's actions were jerky and stiff but Micah was not particularly adept with a sword and only just managed to dive out of the way of a slice from Michael's gladius, Reyna charged into the middle of the fight whilst drawing her sword to try and defuse the situation. Whilst Annabeth tried to follow, another large figure stepped in front of her, "Butch get out the way" Annabeth said irritably, Butch simply stared down and at her and tipped his head, as if listening to some unheard voice. "Butch, seriously move out the way" Annabeth fumed. Butch responded by pulling his shield off his back and holding it in front of his, further blocking Annabeth from the conflict. In the heat, Reyna drew her shield and gladius, pointing one at each camper. Micah immediately dropped his sword, looking fearfully over at Michael whilst bleeding profusely from a head wound, Michael on the other hand simply stared at Reyna and then, at the same time as Butch, spoke in a empty, frosty voice.
"Campers, I admire you" the words were disjointed from the movements of their mouths, "Thinking that you could possibly stand against me, the greatest titan. Kronos trembled before me, your god king couldn't kill me… and now, without either you are doomed". Both of the massively build campers then ran towards Micah, hoisting him above their head and gripping their thick fingers around his shoulders and knees. Micah winced in pain, dripping blood onto the dusty ground two meters below him as the rest of the combined camp stood watching, unsure of how this situation had happened and what they could do. Butch let go of Micah, charging towards Annabeth with outstretched arms, grasping at air as he claimed the distance between them at a rapid pace. Annabeth, frozen in confusion squealed before Butch collapsed, a resounding *clang* as Reyna shield hit his head, knocking him down. The Ares cabin carefully ventured towards Michael, who flung Micah down Half Blood-Hill before drawing his sword; injuring many campers before finally going down under a pile of First Cohort legionaries. Chiron came forward, instructing the Apollo cabin to tend to the wounds of Micah, the First Cohort to restrain Michael and for Reyna and Annabeth to tie up Butch. The latter of the two would be kept in the cellar of the big house, until they came to and would be answer questions.
Nico stood in the shade of the verandah, grimacing at the scene before him. Then shadows wrapped around his figure, taking him into the unknown.
Hey guys, do you want more bit sized chapters like this on a more regular basis or large chapters once a month? Leave a review