~A/N~ So I just saw the new PJO trailer for Disney which was released six days ago at the time I'm writing this. Man when it was first announced that this series was being made, I was on top of everything, checking every day to see if there were any new updates. But as you can see, my anticipation has dwindled seeing that I didn't even know they released a trailer along with the premiere date until a week later!
I'm sure that the show will be entertaining - at least I hope so - but I just can't get over the fact that it isn't book-accurate with its characters. Now I'll get some heat for that but at this point, I don't care, It just irks me that when Rick first announced this show, he said he was going off the books. Then to say that we're racist because we don't like the casting choices just soured my mood towards the show and him even further.
And if there's one thing I can't stand is the hypocrisy from the fans. When the PJO movies were released, you all were seething that the characters weren't accurate to the books in terms of age and in Annabeth's case, her looks. But now that the show is coming out with actors -and I mean all actors- that are even worse in terms of book accuracy, you praise it. Why? Well, I think we all know why but I'll let you be the judge of that. I just wanted this series to get the attention it deserved and for the show to get it right seeing how they massively screwed up the movies but I guess that's just too much to ask for.
I do hope the series does well. I really do. Because it's still one of my favorite book series of all time. I'm sure I'll watch it on some pirate site because I refuse to give that Godforsaken company Disney any of my money.
Let me know your thoughts about the upcoming series! Are you going to watch it? Or just stick with the books?
Enjoy the chapter!
~End A/N~
"They're here."
Percy looked up from his computer to a disheveled Jason Grace. Dirt littered his body, twigs and leaves adjourned his hair, and his wide, deer-like eyes, had a crazed look about them. Sighing, Percy shut down the computer as he got up from his seat. Placing a hand on his cousin's shoulder, he mist traveled the two of them to where Jason had originally been tasked. A lookout post, high in the mountains overlooking a flat plain.
Reappearing there, it took no time for the son of Poseidon to locate the enemy army. Its sheer size caused dust to bellow up into the sky and even the faint rumbling of their marching could be heard echoing throughout the valley. Percy couldn't help but feel the worry crawl its way into his heart. This was no army of two to three thousand. It was at least five to six. The image of the kid he had killed by the river flashed across his mind, causing him to feel anger towards the late demigod. He had lied to him. Or at least not tell the full truth remembering that he had made him swear on the River Styx
"This is more than expected." The son of Jupiter stated the obvious, anxiety clearly evident in his tone. Percy hummed in agreement as he fiddled with riptide in his pocket, desperately thinking of ways they could counter a force this big.
"Our original plan is out the window now, Perce. We can't do a head-on fight with an army this large."
"I know. Just- just give me a minute to think." The son of Poseidon replied with a wave of his hand. He needed silence for a moment to clear his head. Obviously, their original plan was dead now. He had first intended to fight in the forests surrounding Camp Freedom. Do some gorilla warfare tactics under the cover of night to wear the army down but that was off the table now. An army of this size would just simply overpower them and charge straight through to camp.
Sitting down, he gazed outward at the billowing dust and the endless plains. They couldn't simply fight a head-on battle either. They were still undermanned for that sort of thing. Hearing an eagle screech above him, he looked up to see the bird fly towards the army. Such a majestic bird he thought to himself. He was saddened at the thought of what might become of its habitat in the days to come. But as he watched the bird fade off in the distance towards the enemy, that's when an idea finally came to him.
"Why don't we just fight them here?" He said, causing Jason to raise his eyebrows.
"Here? In the plains where there's no cover?"
"Yeah. It's far from camp and if we need to retreat, we'll have hopefully worn them down enough to the point where we can take them on in the woods." Percy replied.
"But we can't fight them traditionally. At least not until we take down some of their numbers, you know that right?" Jason said, skeptical of the possible plan.
"Of course, Jason." The black-haired demigod stated as if it was obvious. "That's why we'll fight them from a distance."
"With the guns we got from the fort." Jason snapped his fingers, likening the idea. "But what about ammo? We don't have enough for an army like that."
"We kill as many as we can with what we have. We'll bring the Pegasi and bomb them from the air. As well as getting the ballistas and catapults up here to this cliff as well."
"And if there's still more?"
"Then we fight until there's no one left standing." The son of Poseidon gravely replied, his gaze not wavering in the slightest at the statement. Jason crossed his arms as he too stared out to the distance, his mind clouded with what was to come soon. How many of these demigods, coming to kill them, did he know? How many had he grown up with? How many had he fought with in the previous wars? It sickened him of what this journey had become. A journey that inevitably ended with war. But what they did to Piper. To his unborn child. It sickened him far more. It enraged him beyond reason and he will take great pride in returning the favor to all those that took that happiness away from him.
"Then we better prepare. Tell everyone and get them ready." He said, feeling Percy put his hand on his shoulder before his vision warped. Reappearing back in camp, the blonde-haired demigod realized that Percy wasn't with him. He presumed his Greek counterpart had gone to take care of a few things before it was time for the announcement. Taking a breath of air and trying to relax, Jason walked over to one of the newly built buildings that he and Piper were currently staying in. Due to the sheer size of the camp now and how many demigods inhabited it, the buildings needed to be large, bigger than even the previous ones before they had been destroyed by the attack. There were ten of them now, housing over one hundred demigods each, with even more being under construction.
Walking inside, he was greeted by the usual bustling crowds of demigods doing their tasks for the day. Some were cleaning their weapons and armor, some were preparing food and some were just lounging around. It was busier than what he had been used to for his duration in Camp Freedom but it was a welcomed change. It meant that things were getting back on track. It meant that all their hard work was coming to fruition.
"Jason." He heard a man call out from the hallway. Turning, he found himself looking at the son of Nike.
"Ben. What's up?" He asked, looking at the man who seemed his better days were behind him. His pale skin, baggy eyes, and lowered head made him look more like a son of Hades rather than Nike. But Jason understood why he was like this. His twin sister, Ashley, had been killed in the attack two months ago. Searching through the rubble for the bodies was heart-wrenching, especially for Ben as the only thing they could find of Ashley was her head. He took her death hard, almost to the point of suicide had it not been for Frank and Nico. The two of them had managed to stop Ben from doing it thanks to their shared experiences. But it was still hard for him. He barely had enough energy to get out of bed most days nor eat at least two meals. All he did was stay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He asked himself every day what he could've done differently. What could he have done to save her? That question ate at his soul.
"Are they here?" Ben questioned, his voice coming out more as a murmur. Jason scratched the back of his head, making sure that no one was eavesdropping before answering.
"Yeah, they're here. In the north plains currently. Probably will arrive in a day." He whispered, causing Ben's eyes to stare blankly ahead. His lips twitched slightly, almost in a sadistic way.
"Good." He said before walking away without another word. Jason watched his fleeting figure disappear back into the room, worried about what the son of Nike was planning. But he couldn't focus on that now. There were more important things that needed to be done. Entering his room which was on the third floor, he was greeted by the sight of a sleeping Piper, her bareback turned to him. Her skin glowed due to the sun peering in from the window, giving her an ethereal look. One that Jason couldn't tear his eyes from. Slowly slipping into bed, he kissed the side of her neck, slowly awakening her from her slumber.
"Something's up, isn't there?" Piper softly groaned, inching back into Jason's warm embrace.
"How'd you know?" The son of Jupiter muttered into her, causing Piper to chuckle.
"You wouldn't dare wake me from my beauty sleep if it wasn't important."
Jason stayed silent for a moment, trying to enjoy this small moment and etch it into his mind before the chaos ensued. Oh, how he desperately wished that every day could be like this, to be without worry. Without fear of what was to come. But as he stayed silent in this warm bed, he could almost feel the faint pounding of the enemies marching. He could feel it reverberate through his very bones. That's how he knew that the time was near. And the time for enjoying this moment was fleeting. Soon, the only thing he would feel was the blood of the fallen soaking into his skin.
"They're here." He broke the silence. Those two words filled Piper's heart with dread. The scars across her body burned at the mention of the approaching army, causing her hands to subconsciously soothe the closed wounds. Closing her eyes, she leaned even closer into Jason as he tried to control her rapidly beating heart.
She felt a flurry of emotion, some of which she couldn't even comprehend which was surprising due to her status as a daughter of Aphrodite. She knew she was angry. Angry at the demigods of those two camps who come here to kill them. To ruin their lives again. To ruin all of which they've created. She felt hatred too. They killed her child and almost her too. They killed the chance of her and Jason having a family. And for that, she wanted them to rot in the deepest part of Tartarus.
But despite the hate she held towards them, she couldn't help but remember the times when they were still on the same side. The times when they sang by the campfire. The times when they stood shoulder to shoulder on the battlefield. Annabeth, Drew, Malcolm, Clarisse, and countless others, she didn't want to kill them. They were just in an unfortunate situation where family was on opposite ends of the battlefield. But this war was one they could not afford to lose. It didn't matter if they were fighting against family. She would do what needed to be done. No matter who stood opposite her sword. After everything she'd been through, she wasn't about to just roll over and become the Gods' slave again.
"I hate this." She whispered, one lone tear running down her cheek. Jason kissed the tear away as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Me too, baby. But that won't stop me from killing every last one of them. They killed my child. I won't let them take you away too."
And with that, the pair tried their best to forget about the approaching battle for at least a little bit. They didn't want to take this moment for granted as it was probably one of the last ones they could share with one another. Closing his eyes and taking in her scent, Jason fell asleep. It wasn't a peaceful sleep, however. He didn't have dreams since arriving at Alaska but this was the first one to happen.
Flashes of the battles to come raced across his vision along with the sounds. Swords, gunfire, explosions, and the screams of the dying, filled his ears to the point where they felt like bleeding. Wincing, he tried his best to block it out but it was too much to bear. He pleaded for it to stop but to no avail.
"STOP!" He yelled. Looking around, he realized he was in the middle of an ensuing battle taking place on the streets of New York. Demigods clashed with one another, tearing each other to shreds. The stench of blood was palpable in the air, causing him to gag. He slipped on guts as he tried to walk, causing him to fall on his back. Looking up, he noticed the sky littered with flashes of lightning along with Pergasi and soldiers on them. They were dropping Greek firebombs onto the buildings and the soldiers.
He could only watch as two squads of demigods fighting one another were blown into pieces as a bomb was dropped in the middle of their battle, causing blood to splash against Jason's face. The stench of burnt flesh was seared into his nostrils.
Wiping away the blood in his eyes, his vision shifted again, revealing a new location. This time on Olympus. The scene was no different compared to New York. The buildings were destroyed, blood filled the streets and demigods were fighting one another. Trying to move but found that he couldn't, the son of Jupiter could only watch as the demigods, clad in black armor, mercilessly killed the ones in silver. The remaining demigods, after assessing the situation began to make their way towards him. Trying to grab his sword but found that he was still locked in place, he bit the inside of his cheek in anger.
"Who are you?" He tried to question but it seemed the warriors hadn't noticed him and instead only walked through him. Right, it was only a dream. That eased his tension somewhat. But when a black figure suddenly appeared from mid-air with black armor and a golden skull mask, the son of Jupiter felt true fear. The power this man held was enough to bring him to his knees. It was similar to his father's if not even greater! Grimacing from the aura of pure power, Jason strained his head upwards to find that the man, no…God, was walking down the aisle of kneeling demigods.
"Are we ready?" The God questioned, arriving at the golden doors that led to the throne room.
"Yes, my lord. We're ready on your command." A soldier to his side questioned, causing Jason's eyes to widen in shock. He recognized that voice! But before he could get a better look to confirm his suspicion, the God had opened the doors. Immediately, Jason was thrown back from a powerful blast, sending him flying at blistering speeds. The last image he could comprehend was the black-armored God's back turned to him, his shining, bronze sword similar to one that someone he knew very well owned, raised in his hand.
Gasping awake, the son of Jupiter shot out of bed in terror. His heart raced throughout his chest as he frantically looked around to assess his surroundings. But hearing Piper's soft snoring, he realized where he knew. He was in his bedroom, safe and away from danger. Slightly flinching when he heard knocking on his door, he quickly got up to open it which revealed Leo who seemed to be in a hurry.
"Where've you been?! Percy's speech is about to start." He said, causing Jason to slap his forehead.
"Oh shit, is it already that time?" He replied looking out the window to see that the sun was just setting behind the mountains. Cursing, the son of Jupiter quickly awoke Piper as he got dressed. In less than a minute, the trio was on the move to the dining pavilion where all one thousand demigods were currently, eating the feast that Percy ordered to be prepared. Sitting down with the rest of the leaders of Camp Freedom, Jason, and Piper began to scarf down their food. They had been asleep for the majority of the day and had missed out on lunch. But it was well worth it. Just being in each other's company had eased their tension about the upcoming battle. And although Jason had that horrific dream that he had forgotten a majority of, he was still confident about what they were doing and what was to come in the days ahead.
"Well, better enjoy this. We've used up a lot of our food supply for this party." Frank said from his side, eating a chicken leg. Katie, who along with her brother and sisters had procured the meal, hummed in agreement. It was a stressful day to get this prepared but they all deserved it for what they were about to go through. Percy had realized this and was the first to suggest such an idea. He wanted everyone to try their best to relax and enjoy one of their potential last days with one another. He wanted one last good memory with his friends before they went to the field of battle. Was it a rash idea to use a lot of their supplies for this potentially last meal? Perhaps. But was it worth it to give the demigods one last idea of what they were fighting for? Absolutely.
Laughter, Dancing, and games were all prevalent at this party. Even alcohol was brought out but only to the senior members of the camp. But when their leader came walking in, wearing a face that demanded attention, all of the activities died down for a moment. Percy stood in the middle of the pavilion, causing all heads to turn towards him. Their leader looked solemn as he looked out at his family. Jason couldn't blame him. He would hate to have to be the one to send these people, his friends and family, out to battle.
"I want you all to look around at one another." Percy finally broke the silence. One by one heads turned to their left and right, looking at their friends. Jason felt Piper ease her hands into his as she watched the son of Poseidon. Percy let his statement sit for a moment before continuing.
"That's what you're fighting for." He said, gesturing with his hand out to the crowd. "You're fighting for each other. For this camp. For the promise that one day, you'll be able to live without the threat of the Gods taking your freedom away."
"I know you're scared for what's to come and frankly I am too." He admitted truthfully. "But we can't let fear dictate our lives. We can't just sit down and take a beating. Not anymore."
Jason could see Frank squeeze his hand into a fist, looking as if he was relieving the night Hazel had died. It seemed Percy's words were causing everyone to remember a beating they had taken courtesy of the Gods. Hazel, Ashley, Charles, Lee, Bianca, and countless others have died due to the Gods actions and inability to protect their own children.
"That's why I'm asking you to fight!" Percy shouted, pounding his hand onto a table. "Fight as if the Gods themselves our on our doorstep looking to take away everything we have built!"
Cheers and shouts of encouragement began to ring out into the air as Percy continued to speak.
"Because they are! They've sent their army here to kill us once and for all! They've sent their own children to kill us, the very children that just a few years ago fought their wars for!"
By this point, Percy was heaving for breath as he put both hands on the table, his head hung low.
"They're in the northern plains. They'll arrive at our camp tomorrow if we don't stop them." He said softly but everyone could hear. Looking up with eyes that screamed of determination, he eyed the mountains off in the distance, separating them from the enemy.
"That's why, tomorrow morning, we'll take the fight to them."
Silence ensued for just a moment until chaos ensued. Demigods, inspired by Percy's speech, screamed out various cheers.
"Camp Freedom!"
"Camp Freedom!"
"Camp Freedom!"
"We'll show those bastards who they're fucking with!"
"We'll always fight by your side, Percy!"
Said demigod in question nodded his head to his family before making his way out of the pavilion. His job to rally the troops and get them inspired for the fight tomorrow was accomplished. Now came the hard part.
Walking back into his office, he took a seat, putting his head into his hands exhaustedly. He hated to put on that face. The face of a leader. He hated to inspire all of them just to lead them to their deaths. It sickened him. How hypocritical it was for him to send these kids off to war just like the Gods did to him. What made him better than them if he was doing the exact same thing?
"You look tired." A woman's voice said from a chair in the darkest part of his office. Rubbing his eyes, he could only make out the silhouette of a woman, her body and face covered from the shadows. Yawning, Percy leaned down on the desk.
"I am." He replied. Something was off with this woman. She sat perfectly still in the chair and if one were to take a closer look would see that she was transparent. But Percy was too tired to see that, already on the brink of passing out.
"Remember what I said." The woman whispered, her face barely coming into view with a creepy smile plastered on it, as Percy fell asleep.
"Kill them all." Were the last words he heard before succumbing to the sweet embrace of the darkness.
It felt as if not even a minute had passed when he was awoken by knocking on his office door. Jolting in his seat, he rubbed the drool from the side of his mouth as he opened his eyes. Looking out the window, Percy realized that it was indeed the wee hours of the morning, despite his body thinking it had only been a minute. His guess was five in the morning judging by the faint light of the sun behind the mountains out his window.
Hearing a knock on his door once more, he got up from his seat to answer it but not before noticing the chair in the corner. Had somebody gone into his office last night and talked with him? He couldn't remember and decided it was best to not dwell on it any longer.
"It's time." Hecate's first words to him were as he opened the door. Rushing past him with a bundle of wrapped cloth in her hands, she quickly put it on his desk before walking over to him and began to undress him.
"Woah, woah. What's going on here?" Percy said with raised hands but Hecate was having none of it.
"It's not what you think but I need you to cooperate with me here, ok?" She replied, lifting his shirt over his head. Now shirtless, the Goddess could only stare at the son of Poseidon's body which was littered with not only muscle but scars from his time as a demigod. Strangely, she found that a turn-on as well.
"And the pants as well." Hecate continued, mentally slapping herself back to reality.
"Really?" Percy replied, rolling his eyes but seeing her unrelenting look, he succumbed to her request.
By now, the Goddess was slightly breathless as she took in the sight.
"Is-Is that Riptide orrrr…" She pointed shakily down below, causing Percy to slightly blush.
"Hecate, I swear to the Gods that whatever you need to do, you do it now or so help me."
"Ok, ok." She replied hurriedly, running over to the desk where she had put the bundle of cloth. Unwrapping it to reveal a silver chain necklace, she went back over to him before putting it around Percy's neck. The son of Poseidon couldn't help the slight shiver rack over his body when he felt the Goddess's cold fingers trail down his back slightly.
"What is it?" He asked, rubbing his hand over the cold metal.
"It's my gift to you…for getting me out of that prison." She replied, sitting down on his desk. "Think of your body wearing battle armor." She said with a smirk.
Closing his eyes, Percy thought of his regular armor that he always wore and in a mere instant, he could feel his weight shift slightly. Opening his eyes, he looked into a mirror on the wall and saw himself wearing the most beautifully terrifying armor he'd ever seen.
"A mix of Greek and Roman armor. All in Stygian iron." Hecate began, slowly walking around him. "A Roman helmet with a golden plume. And finally…a golden mask to stoke fear into your enemies." She said, running her fingers across it. Percy leaned closer as he inspected Hecate's gift. He didn't know why but he felt as if he had seen this armor before. It felt…familiar? Like he had worn it before.
"How'd you get the iron?" He asked.
"Hades owed me a few favors. Took a while though to get it made and enchanted. That's why you haven't seen me around." She replied with a smile.
Thinking of the armor coming off his body, the enchanted items instantly disappeared back into a necklace around his neck, amazing him even more.
"I don't know what to say."
"Don't say anything then. Just show me that I didn't make the wrong decision siding with you in this war."
Percy took a moment of silence as he stared at himself through the mirror. He could practically feel the enemies marching towards his home. Was he ready for this? Was he really ready to kill the very people that not even a few years ago had denied immortality for? He guessed he wouldn't know until the battle began. Staring at his reflection, he could see the images of his dead friends and family staring back at him. His feet were cemented to the ground, refusing to let him look away.
"Kill." They whispered in unison.
"Kill."
"Kill."
"Kill."
Percy, although terrified at the gruesome images of his dead family, fell into a trance as he stared back. The saying If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you, replayed in his head as the voices continued. Forcefully closing his eyes, he desperately tried to stop the voices that now felt right next to his ear, screaming to kill. Focusing on his breath, they slowly died down along with his rapidly beating heart. Reminding himself that he was in control helped. This was his body. This was his mind.
Opening his eyes once more, he looked back into the mirror and found himself staring at the golden mask. His armor had unconsciously appeared on him again. Staring into the lifeless eyes, he decided to keep it on. It would be best to see his soldiers see him like this. To inspire them.
"Let's go." His muffled voice said before exiting the office. It was time. It was time to start this story. Or rather…it was time for the beginning of the end.
Walking out the door, he noticed that the camp, dimly lit by torches scattered around, was quiet. Although it was only five in the morning, camp usually had a couple early risers already working for the day. However, this time, it was dead quiet. Not even the sounds of nature could be heard. It seemed even the animals knew that today would be a day of infamy.
"They're already assembled on the cliff waiting for you." Hecate said from behind, seeing his confusion. Nodding in reply, he prepared to mist-travel to the site but suddenly he heard the fluttering of wings from above him. Looking up, he saw the black silhouette of a familiar Pegasus, camouflaged thanks to the darkness.
"Boss." Blackjack greeted, sparing him his usually chirpy greetings. Even he knew this was no time for such things. Percy, despite knowing what was about to happen, couldn't help the smile split across his face. Walking up to his long-time friend, Percy softly leaned his head against Blackjack's.
"Thank you…for always being there for me." He whispered to his friend. No matter what type of situation it was or whenever he may be, Blackjack was always there for him and never doubted him. He was loyal to the very end.
"Always, boss. Just put it on my sugar cube tab." The Pegasus replied, causing Percy to chuckle.
"If we make it through this, I'll get you a whole box of them." He answered, hopping onto his friend's back. Helping Hecate on board as well, he made sure she was situated before flying high into the air and off into the direction of the northern plains. Looking down below at the beautiful valley, he was saddened at the thought of this place becoming a barren wasteland due to war. It was one of the last places on earth untouched by the Gods or even mortals for that matter. It was only them, the demigods of Camp Freedom, that had the blessing of living there. As the camp faded from his view, perhaps for the last time, he promised himself that if he were to come back alive, he would do everything in his power to keep the valley that way.
It didn't take long for them to arrive at the cliff where the demigods were currently. It was a sight to behold seeing all one thousand of them on the hill from above, decked out in their battle armor. Setting Blackjack down, Percy helped the Goddess off the Pegasus before being greeted by some of the demigods.
"Didn't recognize you for a second there. Almost shot your ass down." Dakota said, drinking Kool-Aid heavily from his canteen. Percy hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk to his Roman friend considering all that they'd been through but he was glad he was here and not on the opposite side of the battlefield. It would be a shame to lose a good friend and a good cohort leader of camp.
"They're in the tent waiting for you." The son of Bacchus said, showing him to a temporary command post for the leaders to discuss strategies.
"You want to come?" Percy asked Hecate but the Goddess shook her head.
"I want to talk to my children on both sides before the battle starts." She said before walking away without another word. Percy grimaced as he watched her fleeting figure. How terrible it must be to be a mother and see her children about to slaughter one another. Perhaps she was trying to convince them to back out of the battle but judging by just how much bad blood there was between the two armies, he doubted her words would have any effect. Turning back, the son of Poseidon let Dakota lead him into the tent where the leaders currently were discussing something.
"If they flank to the west, the balistas and catapults won't be able to reach them. We'll have to send a cavalry unit to stop them before they can counter."
"I agree but what about…"
The talking died down as Percy walked in, wearing his new armor in full glory. The leaders could only stare in awestruck as the man walked towards them.
"Holy shit." Travis was the first to exclaim, staring up at the towering demigod that looked more like the God of destruction.
"Shit, forgot I was wearing it." The black-haired demigod explained as he took off his helmet. The others let out a sigh of relief as they realized it was only Percy.
"Thought you were a God for a second." Nico said, the others nodding in agreement. Jason couldn't help the shudder pass through his body as he eyed the golden mask that seemed to stare into his soul. For some reason, it reminded him of something. Perhaps a dream he had but he couldn't remember. All he knew was that this armor was something unordinary. Deciding it was best to think about that for another time, he droned back into the conversation.
"Hecate made it for me but enough about that. Tell me what's the situation." Percy said causing Katie to continue on with what she was discussing before he had interrupted them.
"We're still going with the plan that we discussed earlier but we need to talk about countermeasures. If they try to break from the West, our long-range weapons won't reach them. If they go to the East, they'll eventually reach the woods where we'll have to search for them, splitting our forces."
Percy looked down at the map they were circling, eyeing every point of location they had drawn out. Using his years of expertise, he quickly thought of ways to combat these obstacles.
"I agree with Jason. If they go west, get a Cavalry unit to meet them. We'll send reinforcements if need be. But the West would be a little tricky. You're right about the woods splitting our forces."
"What do you suggest then?" She asked, causing Percy to momentarily go silent in thought.
"Send them to fly above the woods. Drop bombs throughout the area to draw them out. They can't hide in a forest fire." Pointing with his index finger at the makeshift figure of a horse that symbolized their Pegasi rider cohort.
"Understood." The leaders said in unison, eyeing each other nervously which didn't go past the son of Poseidon.
"What is it?" He asked but received no response. "Guys, tell me now. I need to know everything I can. The good and the bad."
"Its-uh…It's Leo." Connor replied anxiously.
"What about him?" Percy asked with a wave of his hand.
"He's gone. Like gone gone. He wasn't seen when we assembled the army and he wasn't in his room when we went to check."
Percy's eye twitched as he sat down in a chair. He doubted that Leo was taken hostage overnight but it didn't sound like him to run away. Despite how anxious the son of Hephaestus was about fighting, he would never abandon his friends.
"Ok, I'm sure he's ok so don't worry. We have other things to deal with like who will be leading his cohort?" He said, remembering how important Leo's troops actually were. They were responsible for the larger long-range weapons. Maintaining and keeping them operable was their job. Getting out on the frontlines wasn't their thing but if it came to it, they were trained for that as well.
"We elected Flecther Mahomes. Leo's been teaching him whenever Frank hasn't been available." Jason replied causing Percy to turn toward the son of Mars.
"Is he ready for that responsibility?"
"I believe so." Frank replied with confidence. "He's hungry to prove himself, Perce. He's been personally trained by me to lead and fight. I have no doubt he won't fail under the pressure."
Percy slowly nodded his head as he thought of the younger demigod. He had grown since the time he had first met him and when he had tried to protect him down in that cave had shown that he was ready for the ultimate sacrifice.
"Alright. Inform him of his new position." He said, causing Frank to nod his head. Getting up from his chair, Percy lifted the flap of the tent and noticed that the sun was just now peaking over the mountains, illuminating the plains and the enemy camp that had stayed overnight.
"Report to your cohorts. The enemy will be marching soon." He ordered, still looking out at the plains. Walking out of the tent, the son of Poseidon put back on his helmet as he went to personally inspect each and every cohort. He wanted to make sure that everyone was ready and that there were no loose ends. It already infuriated him about Leo and having to put Flecther in that position but what else could you do in that situation.
"Sir!" The first demigod, a son of Ares named Mike Shelby, greeted him with a salute.
"Hey, Mike. Everything okay on your end?" Percy said, patting him on the shoulder.
"Yes sir, we're ready. But I heard Fletcher is leading Leo's cohort. Is that true?" The burly demigod asked to which Percy nodded in reply.
"It is. You ok with that?"
"Yes sir. He's my friend and I wouldn't have it any other way!" Mike replied.
"Have each other backs out there." Percy said as he walked off, out to inspect another cohort before it was time to fight. By the time he was done, an hour had passed and the sun had fully risen, illuminating the enemy demigods thanks to the bronze armor they were wearing. It was a sea of glowing bronze, a sight Percy had never seen before. It was a beautiful but terrifying scene. He was sure the others felt the same. He felt bad for the ones that had never fought in a war before. Seeing an army this size would've made him shit his pants if he was a newbie. Walking to Flecther's cohort, Percy could already tell that the blonde demigod was anxious as hell. He couldn't stand still, pacing back and forth beside one of the balistas.
"Fletcher? You ok?" He interrupted, causing the poor boy to whiplash his head in his direction.
"W- Who are you? Are you a God? Do I need to bow or something?!" He said, already going to a knee.
"It's me, man." Percy said, taking off his helmet again.
"Percy." He huffed, even going to a deeper kneel causing the son of Poseidon to roll his eyes as he dragged the boy up from the ground.
"Enough of that, bro. Get up."
"Percy, why would you give me this position? I can't lead! I've only been at camp for a couple of months now. Surely there's someone more qualified!" Fletcher anxiously questioned, looking on the verge of passing out. His breathing was quick and his face looked as if all the blood had been drained from it. All in all, he looked the complete opposite of what Frank had described him as.
"Because you're ready for this. Fletcher."
"I'm not. I can't do it." The boy interrupted, causing Percy to grab his shoulders.
"You are. Remember when you saved me from the minotaur down in that cave?"
"Yeah, but you're invul-"
"Don't finish that sentence." The son of Poseidon replied, looking around to make sure no one had heard. It was still a secret about his attainability of the curse for a second time and he wanted to keep it that way. "Just listen to me, okay? You can do this, Fletcher. You've been ready for a long time and it's time for you to prove it."
"But Percy-"
"No buts. If it makes you feel any better, you won't be on the front line. That is if things go according to plan."
"Ok, that's-that's good." Fletcher said with his hand over his chest.
"But your job is still really important, probably the most important of all the cohorts. If those ballistas and catapults stop firing, we'll be overrun. I need you to be smart. I need you to be a leader so that way we won't have to send our soldiers, our family, out to die."
"I-I can do that." He said, sounding more calm.
"Good. Now look, I have to go but remember, stay calm and collected. You got this, okay."
"Yeah. Thanks, Percy."
Giving one last reassuring smile to the young man, Percy made his way to the cliff that overlooked the army of Olympus. Some leaders were already there, overlooking the sight of thousands of demigods, ready for war, walking toward them.
"Everyone ready?" He asked.
"As ready as we can be." Jason said by his side, mounted on his own white Pegasus.
"Percy." Frank said, catching his attention. "I think they want a speech before it starts." He whispered, causing Percy to look at the demigods behind him, all gathered together. They looked apprehensive and he couldn't blame them. But most of all, they looked to him to inspire them. They couldn't go into battle confident if Percy didn't inspire them to be. Patting Frank on the shoulder, the son of Poseidon stood tall in front of his soldiers as he began to speak.
"I've told you all what you needed to hear last night. Remember what you're fighting for and have each other's back. If you do those two things, we'll win!"
Although simple and to the point, his words had done their job. Demigods pounded their shields with their swords, drowning out the enemies' own marching. Seeing the army come closer and closer to their cliff, Percy ordered the cohorts to their position.
Waiting for them to get within hearing distance, Percy pulled out his sword as he stood defiantly at the front, making sure that everyone could see him. He looked like a God, waiting to be let loose and destroy everything in his path. He gripped his sword tightly as he watched a familiar face stroll out to the front on her Pegasus.
"Reyna." He said to himself. The proud Roman, wearing Rome's most regal armor, unflinchingly stared up at the demigods of Camp Freedom. Despite the disadvantage of being downhill, Reyna looked as if the battle was already won. Such is the way of prideful Romans. Sadly, Percy knew that there were going to be no winners today despite whatever outcome there may be.
"Demigods! Traitors of Olympus! We have come to take you back to stand trial for treason against Lord Jupiter! Lay down your arms and there shall be no blood spilled today!" She announced loudly, her strong voice echoing throughout the plain.
Laughter rang out from Camp Freedom's side, not believing a word she was saying. Instead of replying, the demigods pounded their shields three times in defiance. That was all that needed to be said. They were not going back in chains! Not again. The only way they're walking off this battlefield is to be carried or on their own.
Reyna, seeing the act of defiance, craned her head to Percy who was looking down at her, his blank, gold mask staring into her eyes. Reyna felt chills go down her spine as she looked at the man she considered more God than demigod. She could feel his aura even from here. But that wasn't going to deter her. They'd travel all this way to get these demigods back to Olympus. She couldn't just stop and go back empty handed or else Jupiter might have her own head.
"We can settle this peacefully, Percy. No one has to die!"
Percy bit the inside of his cheek as he looked out across the plains, littered with thousands of demigods itching to see him dead. The thought that these people wanted him gone, after everything he's done for them, enraged him beyond repair. He fought, bled, and killed for them. His friends died for them. All in the name of giving them a chance at life. A chance to live another day.
But this…this battle, this war, it was for none of those things. This was a battle of revenge. A battle of hatred. These demigods, standing before him as if he were Tartarus himself, did not hold the same honor as in the previous wars. They did not hold the same love for one another, the same understanding that they would have each other's backs. No, these demigods, led by Zeus, were taught only one thing. Kill the traitors or else. That was all to it. They had no other motive besides killing Percy Jackson and his allies.
And as Percy looked out across the sea of enemies, he realized he barely recognized any faces at all. At most, only a handful. The thought of the Gods finally claiming their children only for revenge and of killing saddened him. If they had done this earlier when he was still on their side, he would've perhaps stayed. Uncapping his sword, he realized, however, that it was too late for such thoughts. It was too late to reconcile. The war was now finally here. And what a war it would be. One that the world had never seen before. A war of not just endless slaughter. But a war that would set back the world generations.
"It's too late. You know that." The son of Poseidon said, raising his sword high in the air, causing the sun to glare off the metal, giving it an ethereal glow. He didn't want to do this. He truly didn't. Despite what some might think of him, he didn't like to kill. But this was necessary in order to ensure their survival. Their peace. Their freedom. And gods be damned if he were to give up those things.
Slowly pointing his sword in the direction of the army, signaling to all his soldiers behind him to commence the attack, one lone tear slid down his face as he waited for the chaos to surround him. He wasn't sad that the battle was beginning nor of all the deaths that would soon occur. No…he was only sad about how there wasn't any doubt in his mind. How easy, how effortlessly it felt to point his sword towards his family. But that's the thing. These people, who he didn't recognize, weren't his family. Not anymore. They haven't been for quite some time.
And with that final thought which sealed his conviction, the first shots rang out across the valley. Soon after, the first cries, the first screams of pain and anguish. It was finally here. After everything the demigods of Camp Freedom had been through, it had finally arrived. The first battle. The first battle…of The Demigod Revolution.