AN: Making the battles into 3 chapters so I can expand a bit more. Here's a chapter after a long time waiting. I'll revise this and make it easier on spelling and grammar but in the meantime, here's something.
A few days before the battle
The Island
Perseus, Zoë, Thalia, Jason, Iapetus, Rhea, and The Gauntlet all stood around a table in Rhea's home with a map and diagrams of both Camp Jupiter and the surrounding mountain ranges and Camp Half-Blood and Manhatten, looks of concentration on their faces as they discussed plans for the battle on both the Roman and Greek fronts.
"Well, we know that the son of Poseidon and a son of Hephaestus, went on a mission to destroy a ship that they believed to be suspected of housing the titan army but it turns out that another spy within the camp leaked the plan before the proper damage could be done." Marius revealed and Thalia looked up at the centurion with slight concern.
"Just the two of them? If they thought that an entire army was being kept there, why didn't they bring more support?" she questioned.
Hadrian stepped up next to Marius, "Minimal footprint we would assume. We didn't look too far into why only two of them were sent but we do know that a fight broke out between the son of Poseidon and the host of the Crooked one. However, the son of Hephaestus was caught in the explosion of the ship and is dead."
"Did you catch a name?" Thalia asked the two centurions.
Hadrian nodded, "We believe the casualty to be a Charles Beckendorf." Thalia's mouth formed a line as she remembered the kind-hearted head counselor for cabin nine.
Perseus rubbed at the bridge of his nose and exhaled deeply before he felt Zoë grab his free hand and stroke the back of his hand in reassurance. "Who do we think is likely to follow him for the attack on Olympus?"
Iapetus rubbed at his beard, "We took care of Koios so he will not have to be taken into account but Hyperion will be a given, and Prometheus will do what he thinks is best. Oceanus is another but he will likely focus on Poseidon for control, fighting in the seas. Krios will do whatever is bid of him."
"Most of the other gods and goddesses have refrained from taking up arms after my emergence but there are still some that have sided with Kronos, and not too mention the various spirits and whatnot." Perseus added in.
"That is only the attack on Olympus but what of Othrys?" Zoë interjected. "Surely, it will not be left undefended as Jason and the others lead an attack."
"They won't but I can accompany Jason to Mount Othrys to handle whoever is left in charge of the mountain." Iapetus suggested and Perseus looked to Jason to get his opinion.
"I won't say no to the help." Jason replied in kind and Perseus looked back at Iapetus.
"Then do so." answering his uncle and turned to Jason. "What's Camp Jupiter's plan for the siege?" the god asked, making Jason scratch at his head before pointing to two points along the mountain.
"The Legion is going to attack from two directions. We'll have two smaller bodies entering from the canyon on the side with the main force assaulting directly up the front. We plan to trap the opposing force between us and move from there." Jason explained.
"Has a scouting party been sent out before this?" Aurelius asked and even though Jason nodded for them to see, the centurions would let nothing fall through.
"We'll do our own immediately after this." Marius instructed and looked to Hadrian, Cassius, and Tiberius. "You three will do your assessment and we'll build our plan from there once you're back." he ordered and all three nodded.
"Shouldn't be too difficult for us." Hadrian commented, already planning a route in his head.
Jason looked at Perseus with a determined look on his face, "I won't let you down."
Perseus looked to Jason and smiled, "I know you won't but I'm still sending the rest of The Gauntlet with you for this assault." his tone let him know that he wouldn't be budging on this.
Jason nodded in acceptance before he looked at his sister and Thalia quickly waved off his concern. "Don't sweat it. Mom's coming with me to Manhattan so I'm pretty much covered on all bases." she told her brother before looking at her mother.
Zoë nodded, "Indeed I will be and I hope you know that I'll expect you to stay close to me and not stray too far." she advised with a look.
Thalia gave a shrug, "You know I'll try my best not to." she responded and looked at her father, unaware of her father's plans while their battles took place. "Dad, what're you gonna be doing?" she asked, noticing how her mother stiffened and a grim look appeared on her face at her question.
Perseus' eyes flickered to Zoë's hands, watching them tremble momentarily before she put them behind her back and out of view.
"I'll help you when I can but I'll be taking down Typhon when the time comes."
"Then take me with you." Zoë practically pleaded with him, unshed tears in her eyes.
Perseus shook his head, not willing to put her at risk with Typhon, "You don't have experience fighting Typhon, and Thalia needs you more." he argued.
She shook her head intensely, "Thalia is strong, we both know that and it's not like I want to let her face this by herself!" she retorted hotly, letting her anger lace her words.
"You're acting like I haven't fought Typhon before!" he shouted in frustration.
"The first time you fought Typhon, you almost died!" Zoë shouted back with her breath hitching at the reminder.
"But I didn't and we put Typhon down afterwards." he muttered before he turned and walked a few paces away from her. He faced away to calm himself when he heard her shudder and he turned back to look at her only to find her head down and body trembling.
Perseus exhaled heavily and ran a hand through his hair, knowing their emotions were high because of the situation. He walked closer to her and took hold of her hands in his, running his thumbs over her knuckles.
"I can't be losing you again." she whispered and hearing how broken she sounded when she said it made him wish that they didn't have to argue in the first place. She placed her head against his chest and he kissed the top of her head in comfort.
"Zoë, please look at me." he gently pleaded with her and she lifted her head off of his chest to look at him, letting him see the tears that fell down. He cupped her face with his hands and touched her forehead with his, "You won't lose me again, I promise you. No matter what happens, I will always come back to you." he whispered softly and closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers.
He felt Zoë squeeze his hand and it jolted him back into the present, giving her a reassuring smile.
"It'll be alright." he promised before looking at both Thalia and Jason. "Once the fighting is over, I'll come find you." he told the two of them.
The day of
In her room, Thalia finished strapping her gauntlets onto her forearms and stared at her reflection in the mirror, letting out a deep breath.
"Are you alright?" Thalia turned around to see her mother leaning against the doorframe, looking at her with curiosity and concern.
Thalia nodded her head, "Yeah, I'm fine." she said as confidently as she could muster but Zoë had trouble believing her daughter as she raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Would you like to try answering that again? You know it's harder for you to lie to me after all these years." the goddess pointed out.
"It is alright to feel uncertain or even fear. No one can avoid those feelings." she continued to assure in case Thalia felt doubt. "I know your father has feared for your brother and you when you both are away from him and so do I. I am still afraid that I might lose your father again just as I know he fears that he might lose me." she told her as she approached.
Thalia dropped herself onto her bed, sighing and she felt the end of the bed dip down slightly as her mother sat beside her. "Do you feel that you are prepared as best as possible?" Zoë asked her quietly.
"Yeah." Thalia muttered, staring at the ceiling.
"Then that is the best you can do for yourself." Zoë answered and Thalia sat up on her bed, looking at her mother. "I will be with you but I need you to promise me that you will not go far from my side unless it is necessary." the goddess requested.
"I promise that I'll do my best." Thalia replied, repeating what she said earlier and Zoë nodded with a small smile.
"That is all I ask." she kissed her forehead and pulled her daughter into a very secure hug. "I don't know if I've told you this yet but from the time we first met to now when I can call you my daughter, you have made me so proud of you, and know that you can never disappoint me. I love you, Thalia." she whispered into her ear.
Thalia smiled back and squeezed her mother tighter, "Love you too, Mom." she said with a sniffle as just like with her dad and his hugs, the hugs she had with her mom made her feel safe.
Zoë kept the hug going for a few more minutes before breaking it off and stood up, gesturing to the door with her head, "Come on. We should prepare to leave any minute now."
Jason stared at his helmet, running a hand through the dark plume. Ever since he was a child, he looked up to his uncles and wanted nothing more than to bear the crest on his armor but now that he did, Jason felt the need to prove himself even more now. He looked up from his helmet and saw the rest of The Gauntlet going through their pre-battle rituals.
Ignatius ran a whetstone over the blade of his gladius, honing the steel to an even finer point.
Aurelius ran a cloth down his blade until he could see his reflection.
Marcus sat facing the wall, eyes closed while Magnus was resting his forehead against his shield, muttering something that Jason couldn't quite hear.
Cassius swiped his blade through the air in a practiced manner.
Hadrian was looking at their armory, eyes reviewing the weapons they had stored on the walls.
Tiberius had his warhammer in his lap with his helmet lying on the ground before him.
Darius was lying on his back, eyes closed as if he were sleeping.
Jason's eyes looked for Marius and found him in a corner on a chair, facing out towards his brothers, looking on. The demigod let out a deep breath that he didn't know that he was holding before standing up from his seat. His armor gleamed in the sunlight as he crossed the distance to Marius.
"I'm ready." he said confidently, seeing Marius look him up and down before he nodded and a smirk appeared on his face.
"You look ready." the older centurion replied before standing up from his chair, catching the attention of his brothers as he clapped his hands loudly. "Who wants to spill blood?" he asked loudly to his brothers with a smirk still on his face and was met with the sounds of fists banging against shields.
Perseus placed his hands on Jason's shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "You are my son." he said with decisiveness. "For too long, have I called you my nephew when you have truly been more my son than not.
"I'm going to make you proud, Dad." Jason whispered.
Perseus looked at his reflection as he stood fully armored, fingers twitching as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
"You know, if we didn't have a battle to take care of, I would be tempted to have you ravage me right now." Zoë's voice teased from behind him, making him give a small smirk.
"Only ravage and not make love to you? Am I making you flustered right now?" he replied in the same teasing tone despite his tense body language.
She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, "Well I never said we could only do one or the other, now did I? And just like always, I am very flustered." she cheekily said before her husband turned around in her arms.
He took in her own armored form and did a once-over before he gave her a grin, "Well I would say you're making me hot and bothered right now."
She grabbed his chin and tilted his head down towards her before she planted her lips on his, kissing him slowly. Zoë broke off the kiss and pecked him on the lips before cupping his face with her hands and her eyes closing. She felt him lean his forehead against hers and his hands go to wrap around her armored waist.
"I love you so much." he whispered tenderly.
"I love you too." she breathed back just as tenderly.
Thalia, Jason, The Gauntlet, and Iapetus stood on the beach with Rhea just off to the side, the sister and brother duo waiting for their parents to show up before they split off for the battles they were to fight.
"Mom and Dad's coming now." Thalia pointed out as their parents walked out of their home and towards them before they were immediately pulled in a surprise hug by both of them.
"After this is over, we're all taking a well-deserved family vacation." Perseus muttered, making them laugh.
"That would be nice." Jason muttered back.
"Dibs on picking the place." his sister muttered.
They slowly broke off the hug when Iapetus and Rhea walked over, the latter going to hug her son and daughter-in-law before repeating the process on her grandchildren. "You two better be safe now." the Titaness advised.
"We will, Grandma." Thalia promised for her brother and herself but Jason nodded in any case.
Perseus and Iapetus grasped forearms and nodded at each other before Perseus approached his Gauntlet.
Marius banged his fist against his chest and bowed his head, "We fight in your name, Lord Virtus. We will not fail." the lead centurion promised.
"You have not failed me before so I do not see why you will fail now." Perseus said, putting his faith in those who served him after all these years. He walked back to Zoë, his wife grabbing his hand as soon as they were in reach of each other and gave him an affectionate squeeze, one he returned.
Perseus kissed Jason's forehead and nodded at Iapetus before looking back at his son, "You have my strength and my love with you." he told.
The demigod just hugged his father before he picked up his shield and helmet from the ground and walked next to Iapetus and The Gauntlet.
Iapetus nodded at his sister before he flashed away, taking the others with him.
Thalia gave herself a once-over before she nodded at her mom, "I'm good to go." she spoke to which the goddess smiled at her.
"That you are." Zoë replied and placed a hand on Thalia's shoulder.
Her father repeated what he did with her brother and kissed her forehead, "You won't be alone out there."
"I never have been." she maintained with a slight grin and he smiled at her back before looking at Zoë and she took the initiative by giving him a chaste kiss and pulled back with a knowing smirk.
"You'll get another one after this is over." her words delivered a promise as the look in her eyes told him not to do anything that would prevent them from reuniting after the battles were fought.
He gave her a small promising smile as he watched his wife and daughter disappear from his sight.
"You have work to do, do you not?" Rhea reminded and Perseus nodded once more. "My son, be well and bring reckoning to those who stand against our family." she said seriously.
Summoning Leviathan in his hands, he sighed, "When do I not?" he rhetorically asked before flashing away.
Manhattan
Zoë and Thalia appeared in an alleyway not too far from where the battle was taking place if they took into account the sounds of fighting relatively close to them.
"Guess we missed the fun starting." Thalia joked as she popped her spear and Aegis out and Zoë snorted lightly at her daughter's remarks as she summoned a bow in her hands, nocking an arrow at the ready.
The two of them carefully manueovered the alleyways until they spotted one of the bridges where it seemed like a majority of the fighting was taking place from their position.
A couple of cyclopses rounded the corner in front of them and immediately yelled upon seeing two they considered enemies.
"Finally! I thought I would've died out of boredom." Thalia shouted as lighting cracked off of her body and spear.
"Thalia." her mother reprimanded lightly with a smile as she pulled the string back and released the arrow in a snap motion, the projectile finding its home as it pierced through the head of one and into another.
The demigoddess bashed her shield into the leg of one cyclops, sending him toppling before she thrusted her spear forward and pierced the chest of the downed cyclops and sent a bolt of lightning at another that was running at her, weapon ready to swing. She looked up and saw her mother dispatch the remaining monsters with Anaklusmos.
"I'm good." Thalia said, knowing her mother would've asked and received a nod in return. The two of them ran out onto the main street and immediately encountered a group of demigods and monsters.
The small group of Kronos' forces were thrown off by the sight of a demigoddess and an apparent goddess and Thalia quickly used their shock against them as she kicked at the first demigod she saw.
Meanwhile at Camp Jupiter
Reyna and the Senate stood on a platform and watched the rest of the Legion prepare themselves to march to Othrys but the former was currently doing her hardest not to strangle Octavian, the Auger doing his best to be as annoying as possible as he tried to put himself in command of one of the assault elements.
"Octavian, last I checked, the only spot for command was for the Fifth and I'm very sure you would rather be anywhere else than that so why don't you be a good Auger and go do Auger things?" Reyna suggested with bite as she felt herself reach the end of her patience.
"Well then who is going to lead the Fifth?" Octavian questioned.
Reyna exhaled deeply and glared at him, "I will." she said and Octavian couldn't help but laugh, further angering the Praetor.
"Need I remind you that you're the Praetor? You're in charge of us all." he said snidely.
"And seeing that she is your leader, you would do well to show her more respect than." Lupa said as she approached the group and upon seeing the wolf goddess, they all bowed their heads.
"Lady Lupa, we were not anticipating your arrival." one of the senators said shakily.
Lupa looked unimpressed as she stared at the senator, "The Legion goes to war and you do not expect me to see them off? Do you hold me in such low regard?" she questioned and Reyna stifled her laughter at seeing the whitening-face of the senator who tried to retract his earlier statement but before he could say anymore, Lupa continued.
"I am not here to see you continue to embarrass yourself as I am here to bring you much needed help." the goddess said. "There will be one who leads."
As Lupa spoke, the chatter and talk of everyone that was on the field suddenly died down in a quiet hush and from where Reyna and the others were standing, they could only see that everyone was parting away but couldn't tell for who until they came closer.
Reyna was the first to see the head of blonde hair approach and her heart leapt in her throat.
Accompanied by The Gauntlet, Jason ignored the stares as he walked past the rest of the Legion and when he walked up those steps, he couldn't help but glance at Reyna for a second before he forced his eyes straight.
"Lady Lupa." Jason greeted respectfully.
Reyna knew the senators were feeling unease as she herself couldn't help but fidget slightly as she observed the figures that stood around Jason almost protectively and espite not being able to see their faces due to shadows obscuring their features, she could tell from the way their heads were turned that they were being monitored very carefully. The armor they wore almost seemed to absorb light despite the gold trim on it and the shields they carried almost seemed like a story. It didn't escape Reyna that Jason was dressed just like them with the only difference being the plain black and gold shield that he carried.
"Despite what Lady Lupa says, I'm really here just to fight for the camp." Jason said as he rested his hand on the hilt of his gladius.
"L-Lady Lupa, with all due respect, I must protest your selection! To have a criminal such as the one before us would be an insult to Rome!" a senator yelled out and Jason racked his brain for a name to match the weasel-like face.
"Are you implying that you know what is best for Rome?" Lupa questioned as she bared her teeth in offense.
"Peter! You're in the presence of a goddess so watch your tongue!" another criticised.
"Ah, Peter." Jason thought.
Octavian apparently was determined to follow up on what the senator said and wanted to stick his foot in his mouth, "Lady Lupa, I must agree with my fellow senator when I say that Jason Grace is a threat to the safety of Rome and I must insist that he be put back in confinement at once." he proclaimed for all to hear with an air of superiority and began the mistake of approaching Jason while he was armed despite the nine centurions that stood ready to deal harm.
The Auger of Camp Jupiter wasn't even in arms-reach of the demigod before Aurelius stepped out of the guarded formation they were in and shot his arm out to defend his charge.
Octavian yelped in panic as he felt gloved-fingers wrap around his throat and squeeze hard before he was unceremoniously slammed onto his back with the imposing centurion looming over him. He reached for his dagger in a panic to try and fend off his attacker but he felt a strong foot stomp on his forearm and the thump of a warhammer land next to his head in warning as he screamed in pain.
"It appears that the Auger would need to remain behind with the medics to tend to his early injuries." Marcus intoned in his deep voice.
The guards that stood around the platform were seemingly frozen as their baser instincts told them that they stood no chance.
"Should anyone dare to make an attempt on the one placed in our protection, they will find nothing but a brutal death await them for we are true." Marius backed from his positon at the front of the formation.
Jason looked at Reyna, "With your permission, then I'll be taking my position up with the Fifth?" he asked as he knew that despite the order from a Roman goddess, Reyna would be subject to internal discontent from the rest of the Legion should he proceed without asking for the sake of pretending.
Reyna nodded at him as she felt like she couldn't trust her voice and she watched Jason put a hand on the shoulder of the centurion that was still on top of Octavian. "I think they got the message." he joked and Aurelius got off of him and resumed his position along with Marcus.
Jason tipped an imaginary hat before walking off the platform with his protectors and tooking up his position at the front of the Fifth Cohort.
Looking back at the others, he grinned, "Let's go siege a mountain."
Mount Othrys
Catapults launched stones as the Romans tried to overcome the fortifactions on Mount Othrys while simultaneously fighting off the Scythian Dracanae from the Titan army.
Jason ducked under a blade and swiped his gladius through the arm of an approaching Scythian Dracanae.
"Meeting all your expectations?" Hadrian asked with a smirk underneath his helmet.
"Oh definitely!"