Perseus- Talking strategy
I pulled a camper aside, as the rest of his cohort, the second, ran into battle, not taking notice of the boy who I'd forcefully removed from his battalion.
"Hey! Who do think-" He fell silent as he got a good look at me.
I stood in a full suit of imperial gold armour, designed based off of my divine form. Shapeshifting rocks! I had traded the celestial bronze for imperial gold, and my chest plate and helmet took on a more roman form.
My mask was squarer, and more intimidating than the smooth round one of my greek form. On top of that, I had a big blue cape that was pinned to my breastplate, and it fell down and rested at my heels. Obviously, my skin tone was more human and less… bronze, and my eyes didn't glow. I looked human enough, or at least I would if I didn't stand at seven feet tall.
"Tell me the situation! Has Mars broken the line?" I barked. I didn't like yelling at kids, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
"No! They got here through Caldecott tunnel. We quickly lost the camp, but Terminus managed to set up a powerful barrier around the city. Mars led a concentrated attack on the shield, but he just broke through. He has to hold the barrier open while his zombie boys get through. We have a defensive line set up at the-"
"Ok, enough! Where are the praetors?"
"Frank is at the line, holding the boys together. Reyna is at the senate house, devising strategies and keeping everything else from falling apart."
"Good man," I said and I pressed a hand to his chest. "Hold your head high, and your sword strong. Ad victoriam, soldier!" Then I pushed him onwards, hoping my blessing would suffice.
I dashed my way through the forum, and made my way to the senate house. I could hear the argument before I even walked through the door.
"We need to clear out!" One man said. "He's going to break through and rip us apart."
"We are romans! We don't back down!" Said another.
"Quiet!" I heard Reyna roar. It was then I decided to make my entrance. I burst through the door, and stormed into the senate house, with my cap trailing behind me, adding to the drama. Now everyone was silent. I observed the members of the senate in front of me. They were at each other's throats. Then I was surprised to hear a quiet, but familiar chuckle.
"Now you decide to come back," said the hidden figure at the furthest seat at the table. "Not exactly discreet, are you? Blue crest, blue cape, I wonder who this could be?"
I sat at the end of the table, the only vacant spot, and made a blue throne materialise under me as I sat.
"Yea, yea," I said, and I pulled the helmet from my head, and rested it on the senate table. I heard more than a couple gasps. "It's good to see you too, di Angelo."
I shrunk myself, my helmet and my throne down to their size.
"So, I assume we are having a level headed, well thought out debate about our next move?" I asked.
Silence followed as they considered how to handle the new god in their presence; even Rayna was lost for words.
"Yep," Nico piped up. "You know how it is, shouting, screaming and strangling, basicly the standard at a roman parliament," he said in a too serious tone. "In other news, did I tell you guys that Percy has become a-"
"No, you didn't," Reyna interrupted. "When did this happen?"
"We can get into it later, when the camp isn't at risk of destruction by a psychotic, overpowered meathead and his undead friends," then I turned my gaze back to Nico.
"I assume we've gone over this already?" I asked.
"Ares kidnapped my stepmother, Persephone," a mumble rose from the other senators. "Or Proserpine, as she's called here. Dad gave me a warning before-"
"This?" I asked, gesturing around me.
"Yes. He's also given Ares the power of-"
"All the rivers in the underworld?"
"Yes. How-"
"I was in Tartarus, remember? The monsters are currently enjoying some nice, fresh sweat water for a change. Delicious."
"We need to strat-e-gize," Reyna said slowly.
"She's right," another guy said, and he stood from his chair. Hank. "We can't abandon the city. The camp might be move out ready, but we can't leave the city behind."
"I think we should leave. We have to value the lives of New Rome's citizens over our head strong pride," said another, whom I recognised as Larry.
It took about twenty seconds for another argument to break out. I masaged my temples as I held my frustration in.
While these 'politicians' quarrel, men and woman, boys and girls, are fighting to protect the city. I could feel the cries of pain, as a hostile sword met its mark. I could hear the battle cries of brave warriors, ready to give their lives to fight for their home, and their people. While these heroes fought and died with honour, their 'superiors' argued like a bunch of five year olds. I found it insufferable. Quickly, my patience weathered away, and a cold anger, hardened with determination, set in.
"Enough!" I roared, experiencing the strength of my godly voice for the first time. "Everyone out! I want to discuss the matter with the Praetor in private. Court adjourned! Gear up and make yourselves useful, the soldiers need their leaders out on the battlefield."
The senators quickly filed out.
"Nico?" Reyna asked, just as he was about to leave. "Get Frank back here, and I want a quick report of the situation out there, with a rough causality estimate as well. Go!" He nodded, and disappeared into the shadows.
I stood, walked to Reyna's side, and peered at the map of the city that was rolled out on the table.
"So as I understand it, Mars has to hold the barrier open for his boys, and we're holding him off at the main road," I said.
"Yes, but the entire camp is surrounded by his army, so escape is difficult, although not impossible. Other than that, we have smiths and fletcher's working overtime in the forum, and Nico's boyfriend has been heading the medical staff that's tending to the wounded in the coliseum."
"Will is here? I'd hoped he'd be tending to the wounded at half blood. He's needed there, more than ever."
"What's happening over at the other camp? How are they holding?" She asked, genuinely concerned.
"I don't know. My greek form is helping them escape, but I can't keep tabs on what's happening on his side. It's like my mind has been split in two. Apollo got it easy. I do know, however, that the city has fallen. Ares lifted half blood hill itself and destroyed the barrier. I'm hoping that the Athena Parthenos has given my friends enough time to make a quick getaway."
Suddenly, Nico leapt out of the shadows, with Frank at his side. Frank awkwardly picked himself up off the floor, and stumbled into the chair across from us. He had blood seeping from his shoulder, and it was clear something was broken in his foot.
"Hey," I said. "What's it like out there?"
"Percy?" Frank said, shocked at my new look. "Wha-"
"I go by Perseus now," I said, matter of factly.
"I'll fill you in when I take you to the infirmary," Nico told him.
"No! I can still fight. After this I'm heading back out there. The men need me."
"Take him to the infirmary after this, Nico. First, we talk strategy," I announced.
So we did. But it quickly became clear that we had few options. Frank went over his report of the situation and we realised we had one possibility. Our advantages: Better soldiers, better equipment, me and we are more organised. Their advantages: Numbers, numbers, numbers and Mars.
We discussed breaking through the ranks that were keeping us inside the city, as a means of escape, but we'd have to leave a large number of men behind to hold off the main attack, and it's simply too great a task. All we could really do was fight and pray, and this quickly became evident.
"Ok, we're done here. Take Frank to the infirmary. Reyna, keep everyone together, but stay out of the fighting. We need you alive to keep everything afloat. I'm going to go and assist the men. Maybe I can wield some goddy voodoo and increase our strength or something."
"You have no idea what you're doing, do you?" Reyna asked.
I simply smirked and shook my head, trying my best to hide the stress and fear inside me.
She nodded, determination on her face.
I knew her, and how scared she was on the inside. Her whole life was here. This was her home and her family at stake, and she was so close to losing it all. Yet she projected a strong, determined demeanor, solely for the purpose of keeping up moral. In a way, she's one of the strongest people I've ever known. She can just never catch a break.
One minute later- I was looking over the weapons that were being handed out at the forum, and the only thing going through my head was: Oh gods, the weapons are so… so… roman. Javelin, gladius and bow, those were my choices, and they all sucked. Even my roman form is greek, I'm just less greek and more roman, but mainly greek… that makes sense, right? I went to bend down, and unsheathed my knife from my right boot, when I couldn't help notice the bronze sword sheathed at my hip.
Excited, I pulled the sword out. My greek form must have collected riptide and I didn't even notice! I hugged my old friend, then pulled my knife from my boot, and held it in my left hand. Riptide had a brighter glow emitting from it than before, and I could feel the power the blade held within. I think I had done a lot more than bless the weapon. With my symbol of power in one hand, and my knife in the other, I was as ready as I could be.