Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus Series.
Story: Divided Soul
AN: I'm back from vacation. I got a question from a reviewer about Scipio being a Consul. Yes, during the days of the Roman Republic before the empire Consuls were elected in pairs. This chapter will discuss that a bit more, let's just say that the Romans always had a Consul in their midst. I'm sure everyone can figure out who that is.
Chapter 4: The Giant's Vanguard
Castra Semideus
The praetors stood to face the new Consul of Rome. Reyna stepped forward with a questioning look. Lupa looked toward Scipio first.
Reyna, you have a question child? Lupa asked. Reyna gave a slight nod.
"Aren't there supposed to be two Consuls?" Reyna asked. Scipio gave the daughter of Minerva a slight smile.
"Yes, but this camp has always had a being who fits that description," Scipio said, as he smiled at Lupa.
"Lupa, you're the other Consul?" Reyna asked.
Yes, child, I always had the role of camp Consul, but now during a time of war there is a need for a military Consul, Lupa said, as she gestured towards Scipio.
"What are your orders, sir?" Reyna asked. She said sir like it burned her tongue. Scipio just smiled at her reaction.
"I want the legions to prepare for battle. The enemy will send their vanguard first to test our strength," Scipio said.
What vanguard? Lupa asked. Suddenly, a trumpet sounded throughout the camp. Everyone could tell that it was a warning blast.
"I think you're going to find out. Praetors, assemble the legions. We need long range weapons with silver tips," Scipio said, as he sprinted out of the arena. The praetors just stared after him.
"Why silver?" Reyna asked.
You heard him, get going, Lupa yelled, snapping the young demigods back to reality.
Scipio raced through camp dodging shocked campers as he headed toward the sound of the trumpet. As he ran the sounds of additional trumpets could be heard as the praetors assembled their legions. Scipio stopped at the boundary of camp. The Roman trumpeter stood at the boundary. He stared warily at a group of creatures just on the other side of the magical boundary.
In the clearing near a narrow stream just on the other side of the camp boundary stood a strange assemblage of creatures. They all had wolf-like features, with large protruding snouts with massive teeth that dripped with saliva. Their eyes glowed yellow in the late evening light. They stood on two legs, but they were hunched over as their backs were covered in fur with a massive hump. Their feet and hands were very large and held massive canine claws that curved towards the end with jagged blades on them. Their skin was dark, almost grey, and it looked extremely tough.
Suddenly, the creatures parted to allow another being to approach. This creature was similar to the others, except he was a foot taller and his eyes seemed to pulse with power. The creature looked through the camp boundary, until his eyes rested on Scipio.
"You are the leader of this camp?" the creature said with a slight snarl.
"I am. Lycaon, why are you here?" Scipio asked. The campers that stood behind their leader gasped at the name. Lycaon gave a slight bow and tried to smile through his massive snout and fangs.
"I'm at a loss, since I don't believe we've met before. Who are you?" Lycaon asked.
"I'm Scipio Marcellus, son of Neptune and Consul of Rome," Scipio said. The crowd that stood behind Scipio became deathly quiet when he said that he was the Consul of Rome. Lycaon just glared at the son of Neptune.
"I challenge you, son of the sea god," Lycaon said. Scipo smiled at the monster before him.
"I will accept your challenge, if you promise that your minions will stay out of the fight," Scipio countered. Lycaon smiled again.
"I agree and I promise that they will stay out of the fight," Lycaon said. By this time Reyna and the first legion had arrived. The other legions began to fill in around the boundary to camp with their bows, spears and javelins at the ready. "Your legions must do the same."
"I promise that my legions will not attack during our fight," Scipio said. Lycaon nodded.
"Scipio, you can't fight him, he's a lycanthrope," Reyna yelled. Scipio turned toward the daughter of Minerva with a scowl on his face.
"Do not presume to judge my decisions, daughter of Minerva. Those who question a Consul of Rome should be prepared for single combat and a fight to the death," Scipio said, as he turned his back on her before stepping through the boundary. The werewolves began to growl, but Lycaon raised his clawed hand to silence them.
"I have accepted the challenge; no one may intervene," Lycaon warned. The werewolves stepped back to make room for the battle. Lycaon looked at Scipio closely with what looked like a smile on his wolf-like face. "You will make an excellent addition to my family."
Scipio stepped forward, he held his sword in his hand, but he didn't extend his shield, instead he rubbed his fingers across a silver ring on his left hand. The ring was rather large, and extended to cover half his finger. It was in the shape of a wild boar, the symbol of Mars. The eyes of the boar glowed red as Scipio touched it. Scipio squeezed his left hand into a fist and the ring transformed into a half meter long silver knife. Lycaon's eyes narrowed at the sight.
The wolf king charged with his imperial gold broad sword. He stabbed towards Scipio while slashing with his clawed left hand. Scipio moved to allow the sword to pass just below his ribs. Scipio saw the claws moving towards his face, but he didn't move. The Romans all flinched as they saw the clawed hand move toward their newly appointed leader. The clawed hand struck home against Scipio's face with a sickening crack, but Scipio did not cry out in pain. Instead, Lycaon screamed in agony as the claws on his left hand cracked against the invincible skin of the son of Neptune. The Romans were stunned, but Lycaon stood still as he just stared at Scipio in disbelief.
Scipio smiled at the king of the werewolves. "Sun Tzu said, 'All war is deception.' Now you understand," Scipio said. Lycaon glared at the Consul of Rome with pain and anger evident in his eyes.
Lycaon stepped back, away from the son of Neptune. "My children, destroy him," Lycaon yelled. The werewolves stalked forward. Scipio was outnumbered twenty to one, but the demigod just smiled. He closed his eyes and the humidity in the air seemed to increase. The temperature outside seemed to rise as the moisture in the air increased. The monsters charged forward, but stopped within three feet of the Consul of Rome. Scipio opened his eyes and green color of his eyes seemed to swirl like a whirlpool. Suddenly, the twenty werewolves fell to the ground, their eyes bulging out as they choked for air. The creatures couldn't die of suffocation, but it would keep them from fighting.
"Now," Scipio yelled, and the Roman archers and spearmen snapped back to reality. In an instant dozens of arrows and spears flew through the air, striking the immobilized werewolves. The silver tips of the weapons caused the creatures to melt into the ground and dissolve.
Lycaon turned to run away, but he met a wall of water in front of him. The small stream that had been only a meter or two wide was now thirty feet in the air and as solid as ice. Lycaon was trapped. He turned to run away, but Scipio was on him. Lycaon struck with his sword, but Scipio blocked it easily. Scipio thrust forward with his silver knife. The blade dug deep into the side of the immortal. Lycaon began to cough up blood and he was wheezing from lack of air. Scipio pulled out the blade, and then cracked Lycaon in the head with the handle of the knife. Lycaon stumbled, and then fell to the ground unconscious.
Scipio placed his sword back into its sheath, and then he pulled out a pair of silver handcuffs. He placed them on the clawed hands of Lycaon. Scipio touched the base of the silver knife and it turned back into the ring. The son of Neptune grabbed Lycaon, and then threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The Romans just stared at their leader as he carried the King of the werewolves into their camp. Lupa ran up to Scipio with outrage in her eyes.
You cannot bring him into camp; he is too dangerous, Lupa yelled.
Scipio stopped, and then glared at the mother of Rome. Lupa stepped back as Scipio's glare intensified.
"I'm taking him to the ocean," Scipio said, calmly. "Do not question my decisions until you know them fully." He stalked past Lupa, heading towards the beach. Lupa and the first legion followed behind him.
Scipio stepped into the water. He began to speak softly, until two large hippocampi emerged from the waves. Riding on the backs of each creature were two blue skinned men wearing golden armor. They each carried a long harpoon in their hands. They dismounted from the hippocampi and walked toward the son of Neptune. Once they reached him, they bowed their heads.
"Take him to my father," he said. "Lord Neptune is expecting him." The two mermen grabbed Lycaon and carried him back to the hippocampi. They tied the prisoner to one of the magic sea horses and then mounted their rides and dipped beneath the surface of the sea.
Scipio turned around to see the surprised faces of the first legion with Lupa and Reyna standing in front. They all bowed their heads toward Scipio in honor of his victory. Scipio nodded, and then said, "Do not presume that this small victory means that we will win the war." Scipio gave all the campers a stern look. "As a great man once said, 'If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I would spend six of them sharpening the axe.' We must be the prepared army."
"Who said that?" Bobby asked curiously. Scipio looked at the young son of Minerva and smiled.
"Abraham Lincoln," Scipio said as he walked past the first legion toward the command tent.
Mount Olympus - Throne Room
Two goddesses stood near the great hearth. One wore a brown robe with a hood that was pulled back. She had brown hair and her eyes flared with flame. The other goddess wore a simple white chiton and her grey eyes looked into the hearth carefully. The flames showed the small battle and the imprisonment of Lycaon at the hands of the son of Neptune.
"You're father would not be happy if he knew that we were watching the Roman camp. We are in our Greek forms," Hestia said, as she looked towards the other goddess.
"Yes, I know he would be, but I want to check on Perseus," Athena said.
"You've never been that concerned for his welfare before. Why now?"
Athena looked at her aunt sadly. "My daughter is taking his absence rather poorly."
Hestia lowered her head regretfully. "Yes, I have heard her prayers for him when she makes her sacrifice. She is very sad indeed."
"Now I find out that Juno and Mars had taken away all his memories and replaced them with the memories of a Roman warrior," Athena said angrily.
"What my sister did was wrong, but her intentions were not evil," Hestia said. Athena rolled her eyes at the statement.
"Really. You believe that? Hera would love to make my daughter feel pain. She has no love for Perseus, either."
"She chose him because he led the Greeks, just as Jason led the Romans."
"So, it was just a little bonus for her to hurt my daughter. It still doesn't make me feel good."
"Why did Minerva sign the letter?" Hestia asked. Athena looked at her favorite aunt, and then sighed.
"It was the right thing to do, the smart thing."
"You're right, as usual. It was the smart thing to do, plus it has clearly helped Perseus be accepted into the camp."
"Yes, he's a Consul of Rome now, alongside Lupa. What happens when the Romans and Greeks meet? I still don't believe Hera's plan will work."
Hestia nodded. "I understand your concern. I share the same reservations, but it must work or all is lost." Athena nodded. She looked back into the hearth, as Scipio spoke to Lupa and the first legion at the beach. She followed him as he walked towards the command tent before the image faded.
"I must admit that this Scipio is interesting. I can't believe that he is the same person as Perseus." Hestia nodded.
"I agree, but as you told me, he is Roman and Greek, maybe this is his Roman side that we are finally seeing. This is the mature and grown up Perseus. This is the warrior and not the hero." Athena's brow furrowed as she processed her aunt's words.
"What will happen when he is reunited with Annabeth? Will he choose her and his previous life, or will he choose the life of a Roman?"
"No one can tell, but I know Perseus rather well. He loves your daughter and I know what he saw in the Styx." Athena's eyes widened.
"How?" she asked.
"I know the Lady of the Styx. She told me what anchors Perseus to the mortal world. Would you like to know?" Hestia asked as she gave Athena a mischievous glance. Athena rolled her eyes and sighed.
"You know how curious I am," Athena said.
"I think you know the answer."
Athena's eyes widened. "Annabeth?"
Hestia gave her niece a warm smile. "Yes, she's his anchor." Athena's face paled. "What's wrong?"
"His memories of her are gone. You know what this means?" It was Hestia's turn for her face to pale.
"He's lost that which grounds him to the mortal world." Athena nodded. Her eyes were filled with anger and worry.
"He'll become like Achilles. He'll be lost without his anchor. He will live only for battle." Hestia wrapped her arms around her niece in a comforting hug. Athena's anger seemed to fade, just a little.
"My daughter must know of this. She must be ready when the time comes."
"Zeus has forbidden contact with Camp Half Blood," Hestia warned.
"I don't care. I will not let my daughter suffer through this alone. I will help her; she must be ready when they finally reunite," Athena said as she separated from Hestia and strode out of the throne room. The goddess of the hearth just looked at her niece as she walked away.
"Good luck, my dear," Hestia said, and she turned her attention back to the hearth.
AN: I'm glad to be back from vacation. I updated this chapter based on my Beta, Starlit Reader's review. She did another great job. One of Scipio's powers were revealed, more on that in the next chapter. It looks like Athena is a little rebellious in this story. More to come, so stay tuned.