Previously:
This was one headache he really wished he could avoid. But first, a call to his mother.
Presently
Percy groaned as sunlight streamed into his room. Apollo was a nice guy and all, but gods did Percy sometimes want to curse him.
Of course, it wasn't befitting a Centurion to be lazy, but in Percy's defence, it also wasn't befitting a Centurion to know less about the Legion than his legionaries.
Nonetheless, Percy slowly made his way into the shower he had installed in every house he and his legionaires put up. It was another one of his "indulgences" that would at least be ridiculed when they got back, but Percy once again couldn't find it within himself to care. He knew more than any how dreadful living off the land could be, and he wasn't going to let some pompous jackass in an oversized bedsheet tell him how to lead his Cohort.
He was startled out of his thoughts by a knock at his door. Dammit people, why can't you wake up at healthy times he thought. Nonetheless, he attempted to make his voice as cheerful as possible.
"Come in!" He chirped.
Michael came in, glancing around as if to ensure he didn't have, ah, company. Honestly, you try to be happy, people expect you to have ulterior motives. When you don't try to be happy, everyone assumes you're just an asshole.
"You alright Perce?" Michael asked carefully. He knew better than any how much of a morning person Percy was. He had borne the brunt of more than one angry rant.
"Everybody's a critic" Percy muttered. Michael's lips quirked into a smile, despite his best efforts.
"What's up Mikey?"
"We have a problem." Michael said, quickly schooling his features into the emotionless mask ingrained in every Roman by none other than Lupa herself.
"By we, do you mean me?" Percy asked carefully, bending down to tie his shoes.
"Afraid not. One of our scouting parties came back, and they aren't bringing good news with them." Michael said.
Knowing that could only mean one of two things, Percy quickly finished tying his shoes before standing up and making for the door.
"Well, let's not keep em waiting, shall we?" Percy sighed.
Linebreak
"Well, this is a problem." Percy stated simply. Michael rolled his eyes. Leave it to Percy to state the obvious.
Arrayed before them were hundreds of monsters, or as the Roman Senate called them, "potentially harmful combatants who act against Rome".
Fucking political correctness.
Nonetheless, he stood staring at the number of previously mentioned harmful combatants, simply trying to wrap around exactly how they got here. Their scouts should have seen this army a while ago, and they should have had more time to prepare and gather information. It's almost as if they just appeared, however as far as Percy knew, that should have been impossible.
"What do we do, Chief?" Michael asked simply. Unlike the group of wide eyed probies who stood along the ramparts, Percy knew that getting anxious would get people killed. So, Percy took a deep breath before speaking.
"Any sign that they just want to talk?" Percy asked, slightly hopefully. It would really be the preferable alternative, at least in his mind. The First Cohort really didn't have much to gain by fighting this battle. Sure, the probies could get some experience, and they might as well durability test their weapons. But on the other hand, he really didn't want anybody killed this early in the campaign.
"Uh, don't think so Perce." Michael said.
"Thought so" Percy grumbled. He allowed his mind to race through ideas. He could do nothing, pretend he didn't see them and just hope the monsters would get bored and wander off. Or he could be cautious and keep his legionaries on the walls, forcing the monsters to lay siege. Or he could march out to meet them, and fight a pitched battle on a battlefield the enemy had chosen, and if whoever was in charge of that rabble had any brains, that would mean Percy would have to fight a uphill battle, perhaps even literally.
Option one and two he dismissed instantly. They'd just cause unnecessary suffering to the First, and Percy would rather avoid that too. That left option three, which Percy was loath to do. The First had been conducting minor engagements with some monster hotspots, but those were always in a controlled environment. This time he had no control over anything, he'd just be stuck reacting to the enemy's plans. And by the gods, he hated reacting.
Nonetheless, it could work. Or, rather, a version of it could work.
"Mikey, get the first three battle lines behind the main gate. Have the fourth behind them, and the fifth will go towards the east gate." Percy quickly ordered, his mind racing as he came up with a plan on the spot.
"Sure." Michael said, quickly catching on. "Who are you going to be fighting with?"
"Eh. We'll see. First, I'm going to have a chat" Percy said, smiling a slightly terrifying smile.
Percy turned on his heel and walked towards the main gate. He heard Michael shouting orders behind him and was slightly hindered by the mass of Romans attempting to follow said orders.
Now, let it never be said that Percy was a good speaker. Hades, most of his speeches involved him babbling on and on before ending with something along the lines of "For Olympus!". But for this plan of his to work, he was going to need to channel his inner Zeus.
Reaching the top of the walls, Percy began a slow, methodical march towards a spot directly above the main gate of the camp that Percy idly realized they really needed a name for. Nonetheless, he kept marching.
And by the gods, he had never looked more Roman. He kept in perfect time and in perfect order, marching in time with a silent cadence. His armor blazed a blinding gold in the morning sun, clinking and clanking with each step he took.
As he reached his chosen destination, he paused just a moment, before executing a perfect left face, now facing the army arrayed in front of him.
"Ave!" he called.
The monsters rippled with confusion and slight surprise, not quite sure what to make of this. Eventually one of them, a telekhine, stepped forward.
"Ave!" the monster called back. "Do you wish to pass along a message to your loved ones before we kill you?"
"Not particularly" Percy shrugged. "Just curious as to why we were extended such a kind welcoming committee."
"You Romans have killed a lot of our brethren. We find it to be only fair that we extend the same courtesy to you." The monster replied.
"Might I ask your name?" Percy asked, continuing this astonishingly normal conversation with a monster. Well, as normal as you could get on a battlefield.
"I am named-" The monster began, before delving into a series of clicks, clacks, and strangely, honks.
"Well, good sir, I'm afraid I'm not going to do you the disservice of attempting to pronounce that, so might I call you Jeff for the time being?" Gods, shoot Percy now. He sounded like a damn lobsterback.
The monster, however, appeared to take no notice, as he tilted his head, before nodding acknowledgement.
"Well, Jeff. Here's the issue, I'm here on my master's orders, and you're here on your masters' orders. Now, we Romans are willing to die for our masters. We only have one life, and humans as a whole must eventually die for something. We Romans always choose to die for Rome. For the Roman way of life. For the continuation of Roman traditions, For our Roman family and friends. For the Romans who have died doing the very thing we will die doing. Understand so far?" Percy began.
Jeff nodded, albeit reluctantly.
"Now, allow me one question. What will you die for?" Percy asked.
Jeff was completely taken by surprised. Percy had never seen such a cartoonish expression on the face of anybody, let alone a monster. And it took all of Percy's willpower not to burst out in laughter.
"Allow me to let you into a secret. My army will destroy yours. Sure, we might lose a couple soldiers, but in the end we will win. And we will slaughter every single one of you arrayed on the field before me. Now, what is so important to you and your people that you are willing to die, and then come back for more?" Percy asked, genuinely curious. He had never thought of it from a monster's perspective before.
Jeff paused once again.
"We are bred to kill. We come into this life to kill demigods, and we will die trying, but we are always reborn. We have unlimited tries, so to speak. We don't fail, because we simply cannot. I was a babe when Oceanus was cut to pieces, I slaughtered my first demigod when Kronos was usurped. It is the way things always were, and it will be the way things are." Jeff said slowly.
"Ahhh, but my dear sir, you can do something about it, can you not?" Percy said. Now he had to really activate his speaking skills.
"Perhaps" Jeff shrugged. "but I'm not willing to change."
Percy cursed under his breath. He had hoped to simply talk to the monsters, convince them to go away, and have a party. But things were never that simple in Percy's life, so it's no surprise that this didn't work out either.
"Well my dear Jeff, in that case I am forced to do battle. I pray we won't find ourselves on the battlefield, as you have made a deep impression upon me, but whatever happens must happen. Good luck, sir!" Percy called.
Jeff simply nodded before turning around and marching back towards his army, looking slightly perplexed at the conversation he just had. It was something that neither Percy or Jeff, nor anyone who had witnessed it, would ever forget.
"Mikey, first three lines out front. Fourth just behind, leave the fifth where they are." Percy barked.
And with that, the very same cornu that the Twelfth Legion's ancestors carried to battle under Caeser screeched to life, and the First Cohort began their march.
Like the days of Old, legionaries marched to war. Sunlight gleamed off of their armor, surely blinding any and all who may look at them. The legionaries kept in time, almost as if they were on a routine ruck march and not going to battle. It was an awe-inspiring sight, and Percy only made it more terrifying by standing in the front lines of the wall of bodies.
If there was anything monsters knew, it was the name Perseus Achilles Jackson.
In their panic, the monster army recklessly charged towards the First Cohort, causing Percy to smirk. It was the first mistake in what would surely be a one-sided battle. Ordering his Cohort to speed up their march, the blood in Percy's veins began pumping.
"Mors! Mors! Mori quam foedari!" Percy cried before plunging into battle.
And true to form, Percy was a demon. Every strike, every slash, every stab connected with an enemy. It wasn't long before Percy was covered in dust, and monsters began to hesitate before halfheartedly attacking him. All that caused Percy to get even more confident in his strikes, thinking that the enemy was close to giving up.
However, that was not to be, as before the Romans could think, a terrible screech tore though the midday air.
Percy turned towards the direction where the sound came from, only to see smoke rising from the Roman encampment.
"Pull back! Pull back!" He bellowed, causing the Romans around him to turn and look at what made their Centurion order a retreat. And what they saw was enough to turn their confidence into cowardice.
Standing atop the walls they had left only moments before stood Kampe, and by the Gods it was not what was needed at that moment.
Before long, the previously disciplined Romans began to crack, slowly inched backwards. Percy and Michael were working double to keep them in line, but once Kampe screeched it became too much for the probies.
They quickly turn and ran, and some ran straight into the monster army behind them in their panic, being subsequently cut down. And just like that, the whole Cohort's morale shattered, and everybody ran for their lives.
What everybody considered to be a routine war patrol had become the greatest blot on Roman military history since the sacking of Rome.
AN: Ahhh, ain't life great. Anywho, I've had this one on the shelf for a while. I'm sure I'll rewrite it sometime, but I decided to just post it as is. It's not perfect, I wouldn't even call it good, but it's high time I updated.
For those who keep telling me Percy is too OC….you have read this story so far haven't you? Now I get it, there's too much crap out there. But this story is meant to be heavily OC.
As a bonus to the folks who are still around, I'll post the first rewritten chapter of Silver and Sea Green this weekend.
Until then!