The reflection of Anaklusmos' glint on the glacial ice was near blinding, interrupted only by the multitudes of cracks that seemed to spiral from Percy's knees; he had grabbed the hilt of his beloved companion gingerly, even as he had collapsed in epiphanic exhaustion.
To have gained so much, just to discover those memories gained contained losses upon innumerable losses… and then to rediscover hope…
It was like cosmic whiplash.
"Zoë?"
Anaklusmos vibrated.
Percy's tears, frozen soon after creation in the unnaturally frigid air, fell freely and without abandon.
"Zoë…"
He struggled to speak against the hitches in his throat, against the sobs wracking his body, against the shaking that he wished he could attribute to the cold but could only come as a result of his own realizations.
"I'm so sorry…"
Percy could only weep in shame and horror. The shame of not recognizing his old friend in Maine so many years in the future, of leaving her alone in her time of hope, of not being able to save her on Othrys… and the horror.
The horror of realizing he abandoned her. All those years, decades, centuries, millennia ago.
He never came down from Meteora.
Percy Jackson shed his final teardrops that day. He had none more left to give.
Percy woke up. He hadn't noticed he had fallen asleep, as if a blink had withdrawn him from the world without his realization. He was still staring down at the ice, examining the spiderwebs dotted with frozen teardrops littering the ground, like the tiniest of hailstorms. He was still on his knees, Achilles' curse hiding the severe pain Percy felt internally following the battle with Alcyoneus.
And his hands were still holding on to Anaklusmos - Zoë's? - hilt, protruding from the ice.
"Percy!"
Hazel and Frank were crouched next to him, both concerned. Hazel's voice had woken him from his shocked stupor, but Percy suddenly worried about how many times his name had been spoken.
Percy raised his head, frozen teartracks clinging to his cheeks. He spoke, but his voice came out fragile, cracking and splitting like falling seracs.
"Is it done?"
Frank nodded. "It's done."
Percy let out a shaky sigh of relief, shoulders sagging. He knew that eliminating their foremost threat should have taken the figurative weight of the world off his shoulders, but he only felt even more burdened. He was bone-tired - it was as if the fatigue fended off for hours by adrenaline and emotion had finally broken through his defenses, washing over his muscles at once. His head dropped downwards, forehead resting on Anaklusmos' hilt.
Close, once again.
Percy knew they were asking him questions, or something along those lines, but simply couldn't comprehend it. He only became aware both Frank and Hazel were holding his shoulders when they grabbed him in a full-blown hug. They had known him for days - not even weeks yet - and to have them by his side already was
.
.
.
dangerous.
.
Percy didn't react to their embrace.
Off in the distance, the Strix cried in victory.
It was a miracle the chariot hadn't broken down before they hit Juneau, let alone all the way back to Camp Jupiter.
Percy had eventually stumbled onto the chariot, pulled at unbelievable speed by Hazel's horse, both impossibly fast and incredibly ill-tempered. Arion had cut the long journey back to Camp down to only about four hours, leaving them with roughly five hours difference between their estimated arrival time and their deadline.
Percy had been as close to catatonic as one could get.
It was a maelstrom of emotions where Percy found himself. He knew that an anger and a rage simmered underneath… and he felt that rage. He could feel it clouding his mind, seeping into his thinking. It was corrosive.
But it paled in comparison to the horror he felt.
Percy couldn't take his hand off of Anaklus - Zoë. He couldn't disappoint her again.
He couldn't lose her again.
And so Percy had stared off into the distance, the pine trees and ocean spray blending into an abstract mix of green and blue. He zoned out entirely, desperately trying not to think, not to lose it again… so he shut down.
He certainly didn't look the type of a returning hero, hunched over in shame and sadness.
As Arion bolted into the valley, a trail of dust and mud kicking up in his wake, Percy scanned the horizon, but no army made itself known to him, no monster horde imminently attacking camp. They must've beat it there… how far the attacking force was, Percy hadn't a clue.
They came to a stop just before the Little Tiber. Percy could see Camp Jupiter hustling to prepare for war - the legions were hard at work. The previous bridge across the water had been torn down, stone by stone. A new wall stood on the opposite riverbank, watchtowers and cannons visible along the top. Legionnaires milled about atop the wall, some on watch, some adding final defensive fortifications. The cacophony of hammers and shouting voices created an unpleasant din, a sound Percy hadn't heard during his first visit.
But soon enough, a pair of eyes spotted them.
Gwen's.
"Holy shit!" Her eyes went wide with shock as soon as she clocked the image in front of her - Hazel astride the legendary horse Arion, brown hair blowing in the wind; Frank Zhang, now standing strong with a confidence never displayed prior; and a dead-eyed Percy Jackson, leaning on the Eagle of the Twelfth Legion.
"Open the gates! The Quest is back!"
Shouts and chaos rang out at Gwen's announcement. Construction on the wall came to a clattering halt as legionnaires swarmed the battlements, eager to get a look at the conquering heroes of an honorable quest, Mars' chosen soldiers and the daughter of the Underworld. Cheers rang out as Arion strode across the lowered drawbridge, cheers which turned into roars of approval as Frank raised Percy's hand holding the Eagle into the air. The Legion, once again, was one. Percy could see Dakota, still alive, leaning against the brick wall, a reserved but relieved smile on his face.
Percy could also feel a weird draw from the Little Tiber. It was unusual - as if the River called to him, but his own body fought its influence. Percy couldn't figure why that would be. Why would this river behave differently now? He had never had any difficulty with the Little Tiber before.
Percy could see Reyna flying towards them, astride Scipio. There was a stream of legionnaires behind her, many still holding onto whatever tools their tasks afforded them. Faces excited to see the heroes who had freed Death.
Tired faces.
The imminent invasion of a monster army, and the subsequent preparations, probably contributed to that.
Arion came to a stop, hoofing the ground in front of Scipio as he came down from the air. Reyna was dressed in full praetor military garb, purple cape flowing behind her full set of armor. Percy could hear the drawbridge behind them pulled back up with a loud groan, once again unifying the encircling wall. Scipio whinnied, put off by some ignorant comment about pegasi from Arion, but at least they didn't attack each other.
A hush fell over the crowd as Reyna took her helmet off, long black hair rippling through the air as her obsidian eyes peered at the new arrivals.
She nodded over their shoulders at the wall. "We had the drawbridge built in the hope you'd be able to use it."
Hazel grinned. "I'm glad to have been able to use it."
"You were successful." It was not a question.
"Yes ma'am," Frank offered.
She nodded. Her facial expression didn't change. Percy could sense the fatigue behind her eyes, though.
She was exhausted.
"Romans!" She announced, pointing her spear toward the returned questmates. A cry followed, victorious, exhilarated.
"Ave Frank Zhang, Hazel Levesque, and Perseus Jackson! They have freed Death! They have recovered the lost Eagle of the Twelfth Legion! They are victorious!"
Another cry, louder this time. Spears banged against shields, feet stomped on the Earth. A rousing battle cry.
"We have a battle to come, and it will be tough. We will all need to prove Lupa was correct about us. But the first fight has been won!" She thrust her spear into the sky, commanding attention. Her voice boomed out across the valley. "Rome will not fall today!"
Even Percy, in his mind-addled state, could appreciate the ease Reyna could speak to a crowd. He could see the tiredness nearly melt from the legionnaires' faces. Like a triple shot of espresso, but of confidence and hope.
"Senatus Populusque Romanus!"
The Legion roared it back.
"Now, back to work! We've only a couple more hours! The stronger we are, the more of them will wind up back in Tartarus!"
Cheers rang out one final time before the crowd dispersed. Hammers started once again as Scipio sauntered next to Arion, Reyna observing the new arrivals carefully. She scanned the three, locking eyes briefly with Percy… Percy wished he could perceive what emotions lay behind hers. After a moment, the silence broke.
"Hazel, Frank, Percy… Come with me. We have much to discuss."
With that, Scipio turned, letting out one ignorant whinny aimed at Arion before heading toward the Praetor's office. Arion huffed, but followed.
As the quest followed Reyna along the Via Praetoria, an uneasy silence seemed to settle over them, like a blanket falling down around them. It was eerie. With the exception of the soldiers bustling to build fortifications and set up artillery in the distance… The hills were quiet, stagnant. Even the clouds were stationary, entrapping the warmth of sunlight in the sky, leaving Camp in a gloomy shadow. Percy realized he hadn't seen a single person between the Wall and the border of New Rome - it was empty.
People were hiding.
The soldiers at the wall may have been given resurgent hope for the battle ahead, but most people… most people didn't care.
Most people were just scared to die.
As they entered New Rome, Percy struggled to find any citizens outside their homes aside from active legionnaires serving to defend New Rome. Shops were closed. Windows were shuttered. Lights were off. The Lares hid in the alleyways. Even Terminus had been silent, Percy realized.
It was a ghost town.
"Where… where is everyone?" Frank offered. He didn't need to raise his voice in the slightest for Reyna to hear.
"Some volunteered to serve," Reyna said. "Some are on Temple Hill, offering prayers. Others are hiding. Some… the cowards fled."
An uneasy silence fell over the convoy at that proclamation.
The four finally made it to the Senate House, the golden dome casting a gray shadow over the cobblestone. The building was not ominous, necessarily, but abandoned - like a boarded-up home prior to an imminent hurricane, or a forest with the flames of a fire still off in the distance… but approaching, rapidly.
In silence, the four disembarked. Reyna patted Scipio absentmindedly as Aurum and Argentum bolted from within the arched entrance, yapping excitedly as if they were full-blooded. Hazel whispered in Arion's ear some kind of instruction, perhaps where to wait for them; Percy couldn't gather from Arion's rude, yet not boundary-crossing, retort.
Reyna led the trio to her office in silence, their heels the only echoes in the hallway. The strange atmosphere had awakened Percy a bit. Self-preservation did overtake grief and guilt, at least temporarily. And as the shadows lengthened… it was best to be careful.
The three filed into Reyna's office, taking seats opposite her desk. Aurum and Argentum took up positions on both sides of the desk, eyeing the three of them with suspicion. Reyna walked to the other side of her desk, but remained standing, looking out the window toward the Senate floor. Without looking, she began to speak.
"Octavian killed himself today."
"What?" Hazel shouted, standing up.
Reyna put her right hand to her side, a gesture Percy realized was to placate her dogs. Their teeth were bared.
"That is the official story. Just a couple hours ago. That is what you will tell people."
"What… what actually happened?" Frank asked.
Reyna turned now, lips pursed, looking Frank up and down. A beat passed.
"He gave himself to Earth. Killed the guards on duty. He couldn't escape out of the prison room, so he left another way."
"Another way?" Hazel asked, horrified.
"Like sand through a sifter," Reyna stated. "Right down into the Earth. He's gone."
"Who was on duty?" Frank asked.
Reyna shook her head.
"John and Caroline. They were volunteering, they retired from the Legion a few years ago. That's how I knew you were successful in your quest; they didn't wake up."
Hazel sat back down as the tension hung in the air. Percy didn't know either name, and he didn't sense any recognition from the others; perhaps they were older legionnaires in another Cohort, or retired volunteers.
"He didn't know anything. Nobody else was imprisoned near him, and the guards were instructed not to speak. But still…"
Reyna took a deep breath, clasping her hands.
"The last time Octavian spoke was to you, Percy," Reyna continued. "Was there anything at all, any hints he gave you? What did he say?"
Percy tried to cut through his mental haze to rack his brain. So much had happened since that conversation. He could remember the scrawny, scarecrow-like face well; the stringy blonde hair, pale skin, gaunt facial features, the hatred in his eyes.
Knowledge in his eyes.
"I know what it is you are searching for. I know who she is. I know what you will do. I know, and I won't tell you. I do not control fate - I had my chance, and I missed. It's out of my hands now. But I know when the next juncture is. I know the next time you might die…".
Did he…
Percy bent down, grabbing the book. It wasn't even paper, but papyrus - the pages seemed like they had been cut into book pages. It looked positively ancient.
He turned it over and read the title.
HERACLEIA
BY PANYASSIS
Huh.
A history of Heracles' labors…
Oh.
Octavian knew.
He knew about Aika. He knew about Zoë. He knew about Percy. He knew everything about his past. And if he knew everything that happened back in Greece… How much did he know about recent events?
Shit.
"Percy?"
"He said the camp would be safe, that it would 'survive what's coming,'" Percy said, shaking his head. "But he said I was… I was marked for death."
Reyna hummed.
"I realize now… he knew me. My past. I just… didn't believe it then. I didn't know then."
"But you believe so now?" Reyna asked, an eyebrow raised.
"I do."
"What changed?"
"I remember."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Your life?"
Percy nodded. He wished he couldn't say yes.
Reyna looked to her dogs for confirmation - seeing no objections, she pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.
"You all had an eventful quest, I take it?"
All three nodded.
Reyna moved to the water cooler, grabbing some cups, beginning to fill them up. "Well, we estimate you've got about… three and a half hours until the army shows up. Our scouts saw the Giant Polybotes with them. We don't think there are any more Giants, but seeing any is, well… not good."
"We fought Alcyoneus in Alaska," Frank said. "He's taken care of."
Reyna raised an approving eyebrow. "Impressive, Centurion. Impressive."
"It wasn't me," Frank added. "Percy did the bulk of the fighting, I just helped finish him off."
"Is that so?" A note of suspicion entered Reyna's questioning tone.
What did she know?
Percy didn't react.
Reyna handed the plastic cups down the line - Frank to Hazel to Percy. She stepped back, leaning against her desk.
"We will discuss further details after the upcoming battle. I must commend you on a job well done, although in the event of a victory, we will throw a worthy celebration for you three. We could not have a true Feast of Fortuna today, so we have been praying to Fortuna for forgiveness - but I think a large feast might be in order, especially if…"
Percy zoned out.
He was staring at his water.
Confused.
His throat was parched, certainly. It had only been hours since he battled a Giant to a defeat… but Percy couldn't shake something was up with this water. There was something off.
It was as if his tongue beckoned for something his lips refused to touch.
Hazel nudged Percy, snapping him out of his stupor.
"Sorry," Percy said. "What was it?"
"Did you speak to my sister?" Reyna repeated.
"Oh," Percy responded, putting his cup on the table next to him. "She promised she would help in a battle. Unless… um…"
"Otrera," Hazel supplied.
"Yeah, Otrera. She would challenge her for the throne each night, and still had what, seven or eight tries before we freed Death? So the Amazons should come to help, but only if Hylla remains in charge."
Reyna sighed, scratching her neck as she looked sideways. Her eyes, though, remained steeled. "Well… thank you. I do hope her compatriots took it easy on you."
Frank snorted.
"Frank and Hazel, the two of you are free to go. Percy, if you could hang back one moment, I'd like to ask you something privately."
Without question, the two stood. They looked to Percy though, silently looking for his assent. Percy imagined they didn't want to leave him where they couldn't see him. He nodded at them, giving them a hopefully reassuring smile.
"I'll meet you guys at the wall, yeah?"
He received twin smiles of relief before the two walked out, heading toward the construction efforts.
Percy turned back to Reyna.
She was gone.
One moment, she was leaning against her desk. The next…
Imperial gold was pressed against Percy's neck. Percy froze - he knew it couldn't hurt him, but the suddenness of its appearance shook him.
"You remember," Reyna spat, a near whisper in his right ear.
"…yes."
Aurum and Argentum growled at Percy's feet. Not a growl determining truth… a growl of distrust, of wariness.
"You are an enemy of Rome."
"Who told you that?"
"You attacked Olympus," Reyna said, accusation bleeding into her words. "Did you not?"
Percy hesitated.
"Where did you hear of this?"
"I cannot tell," Reyna offered. "Only a god could've whispered into my ear from above ten minutes ago."
"Ten minutes ago?"
"Stop deflecting," Reyna whispered harshly. She moved in front of Percy, keeping the dagger at his throat.
"Did you attack Olympus, Percy?"
"No," Percy shook his head. "I did not."
Reyna stared at him, eyes narrowed.
"What did you do?"
Percy looked straight into her eyes with his own, eyes full of commitment and hatred - hatred for the self mixing with hatred for others… so many others.
"I did what I had to do."
Reyna pressed her dagger further against Percy's neck, cold metal feeling like ice against his skin.
"So you're an enemy. Of Rome, of Olympus, of us."
"No." Percy snarled. "Not of Rome. I am your ally."
"What the fuck does that mean, Percy?" Reyna spat. "You won't kill me, is that what you mean? You'll bargain with Earth to 'save us,' or whatever lies she feeds you? What side are you on?"
"Oh please, Reyna," Percy stood up, dagger pressing against his skin. "Sides. Don't give me that bullshit, you're too smart for that. Yeah sure, Olympus might not murder us in a bloody war on the Field of Mars, but are we going to pretend that Olympus isn't faulty? Please. Don't kid yourself."
"I should kill you right now," Reyna said. "The Senate would hang you for treason."
Percy locked eyes with Reyna.
"You can't."
Percy reached up, grabbing Reyna's hand - the one holding her imperial gold dagger to his throat. He held it strong against his neck, trying to push his neck into the blade, looking at Reyna the whole time. The blade wouldn't budge, the demigod wouldn't bleed.
"What…" Reyna stuttered.
Percy stepped back. He could see the dagger now had a curvature it hadn't previously.
"Hear me, Reyna," Percy said. "I like you. You're a strong leader. A good one. You're good at this. Suspicion is good. But a great leader wakes up to the world around them and figures out what to do to make it better."
Percy unclenched his fists and stepped back, hoping it would relax Reyna - however briefly.
"This world? It needs a lot of changes. Changes that need to happen, one way or another… changes that Olympus really, really doesn't."
Reyna stared at him. Nonverbal.
"I will fight alongside you today. Until the Giants are dead… You have my word. But know that we are not…," Percy turned towards the door. "We are not on the same side, Reyna. Olympus, they've failed too many times."
Reyna didn't - couldn't - wouldn't - let her emotions show.
"What… what happened?"
Percy looked back into the room, standing in the hallway. He had regained his composure, however briefly, confidence leaking from a straight spine that had been wracked in sobs for hours previously. For he had a mission.
"I started to change it."
His words hung in the air long after he left.
The sky had inhaled. There was a tenseness in the air, one that only raised the hairs on one's arms and sent shivers down one's spine.
The world waited for the sky to exhale, and for chaos to follow.
Percy trudged up Temple Hill. It was an oddly surreal experience - last time he was here, he had sought answers. Last time he was here, he was looking for Nico di Angelo.
Last time he was here, he treated these temples with reverence.
He didn't know better.
It took everything in Percy's power not to actively sneer at some of the temples he passed. There was no reason for some of these temples to be as revered as they seemingly were - was Mars truly that respected? Was Jupiter truly deserving of the largest temple on the hill, even with his kingly status? Percy had to resist the urge to spit at the altar of Jupiter.
He couldn't bait him into a fight just yet.
Percy, instead, had come to pray.
He had remembered the few Olympians who hadn't voted to sentence him to death. Poseidon. Artemis. Hestia didn't have voting power, but he could see the remorse on her face back in the day. And Hades… Nico had said Hades was an ally.
Everyone else, off limits. Everyone else, an enemy. But those few?
Percy considered them lifelines.
He continued the hike. Jupiter's temple rose high above him in the sky - typical - but Pluto's crypt cut deep into the hillside, nearly naked from the visible eyes if one wasn't looking for it. Percy could remember, though - a dark room, little visible light, haunting columns, two stools in front of a small altar. A small window provided a bit of light, but the vegetation overgrowth on the crypt meant it was a mostly obscured opening, right next to the door.
An open door.
Open.
Percy cautiously checked inside, pushing the door further open.
A pale kid knelt down at the front of the room, as if in sujud. Lit candles flanked both his shoulders, while an ominous shadow seemed to erupt from nothing above his head. A shadow that seemed as if to battle with the candlelight, unnatural but entirely normal-seeming. The kid was speaking incredibly softly, whispering some kind of chant - no language that Percy knew, but one that seemed to flow off the tongue and drop straight into the Earth. Somehow, the words felt heavy on the ears.
The kid in front of Percy was anything but normal.
Nico di Angelo.
Percy remembered seeing Nico perform this ritual. He had done it a few times before the Battle for Olympus, deep in the woods; Percy presumed Nico hadn't wanted to freak anyone out, but Percy found the ritual oddly fascinating.
And he knew to let it run its course.
The brief moment was extended, minutes ticking by quickly, before finally Nico's stream of words seemed to halt. It was sudden, and didn't seem at all conclusive. The candles went out, but as if they were snuffed by shadow - no smoke, no flickering. One moment, brightness; another, eclipse.
Nico rose to his feet, face hooded. Percy could make out the pale skin on his hands, though - what was once olive skin had lost its pigment during Nico's frequent trips beneath the ground.
"Cousin." Percy spoke.
Nico turned his head in acknowledgement.
"Percy."
Nico threw his hood off, his jet black hair visible once more, albeit barely. He was nearly invisible in the shadowed room.
"How much do you remember?" Nico asked.
Percy leant back against the doorframe, peering into the darkest corner in the room, as if into a void.
"Everything.."
Nico nodded. "That's… that's a lot, huh."
"Even more."
The room fell silent for a beat. Nico walked over to the wall nearest him, leaning up against it, mimicking Percy's stance. He sighed, running a pale hand through his hair, closing his eyes a few times before speaking once more.
"Do you remember when I found you in that candy shop in Manhattan, the one your mom used to work in? A couple days after I brought you to Elysium?" Nico asked.
Percy shrugged.
"You were just shoveling blue jelly beans into your stomach. If it wasn't a sad moment, it would've been funny." Nico snorted. "What did you tell me, while we were there?"
"I asked about Cary Agosti."
"You did. I remember your anger after talking to him. The defeatism of it all, the acceptance Cary had for his situation, right? I know that pissed you off."
"True."
"And yet, you asked why anyone should or would care if you died," Nico said, a tinge of depression hidden in his voice. "Because you missed your mom, and you wanted to go see her."
"That wasn't defeatism. That was desperation."
"Do you want to die?"
"I want to see my mom, Nico."
"So why are you still here?"
Percy stayed quiet.
"I need to hear it from you," Nico said. "If I'm going to help you… I need to hear it from you."
Percy steeled his face.
"I'm alive to stop anyone else from dying, to stop anyone else from being sacrificed as cattle for their parents. I won't let a god do what they did to Cary, or me, or my mom, or Aika, or Annabeth, to anyone else. I won't stand for it. I can't."
Nico nodded, stepping forward, quiet, until he embraced Percy tightly. Percy cautiously returned it, hesitation offering reasoning for Nico's chuckles.
"Good to have you back, Perce. You know I'm with you."
Percy nodded. "I appreciate it."
Nico pulled away from Percy, walking over to the stools lined against the near wall. Percy presumed the stools were there as a pretense - he doubted many Romans were visiting Pluto's crypt often. Nico sat, waving his hand to Percy, inviting him to join him seated.
"Now, wait… who's Aika?"
Percy continued to stand, Anaklusmos in hand.
"It's not something I want to talk about."
Nico raised an eyebrow. "Sure, bud. Is she a friend?"
"It's… complicated." Percy spoke. "I met her while my memory was gone, and… is this room sealed?"
Nico didn't have to answer verbally. The door flew shut as the candles once more lit, as if an unseen force was operating a control deck in an observation room.
"She fucking died, Nico. God fucking damnit, man. The Gods threw her into Tartarus, just because of her dad. I fought fucking Zeus to try and stop them, but I just… I couldn't fucking save her in time."
"Fought Zeus?" Nico leaned forward. "Dude, what are you talking about? Olympus has been closed for months."
"No, not now. I, well…
Before Percy could answer, a horn blew.
Then another.
And another.
The attack had begun.
"Well, shit. We'll talk later." Nico drew his stygian iron sword, a chill emanating from it. "Shall we, cousin?"
Percy held Anaklusmos in his right hand, strong grip on the blade's handle. He gazed out the doorway toward the Field of Mars, noticing swaths of young fighters hurriedly picking up shields and spears. An army of monsters advanced imminently.
"Let's fight." Percy said.
It was madness.
Monsters streamed down into the valley from the ridge, charging toward Camp Jupiter like a tidal wave of hatred. Dracaenae, cyclopes, telekhines, empousa, centaurs, gorgons, all snarling as they flooded toward the Little Tiber. Archers on the Roman Wall were firing volleys into the coming forces, golden dust beginning to litter the air, but monsters vastly outnumbered arrows. It was chaos.
The army wasn't even the most significant threat.
Polybotes stood in the river, seemingly ignorant to the arrows firing at him. He was wading upriver, the blue water turning a sickening green hue as it passed his reptilian legs. He must have been thirty or forty feet tall - the river barely reached his kneecaps. Blue-green armor clung to his body, poisonous green hair weighed down by basilisks slithering about his head. It seemed like no matter what the Romans tried, nothing would impact him.
The giant laughed as he approached the wall. It was twenty feet of pure stone, stretching entirely across the river's length, the Field of Mars stretching behind it. It was an incredible engineering achievement, getting that wall built. The archers along the parapets and in the watchtowers were joined by cannons facing the river, both firing into the incoming horde.
Archers that still had to look up to lock eyes with Poseidon's bane.
An unearthly laugh erupted from Polybotes' mouth, like the pounding sea upon a sinking ship's deck, the rumblings of the depths echoing to the tips of the waves. It crashed over the Field, thundering upon the ears of all who were present.
"Romans…" The Giant hefted his trident above his head, a weapon as fearsome as any Percy could remember - ten feet of pure, gleaming, bronze. "Fear me!"
He heaved the trident downward, an arc of pure power streaking through the air. The archers in the way tried to dive out of the way - for a few, an unsuccessful effort. The trident collided with the wall, a structure prepared to counter force from the river, not from above.
It crumpled.
Polybotes strode out of the river, a torrent of green poison cresting the riverbanks as he trampled the stonework remaining. Horns echoed as the Legion tried to reorient themselves - as suddenly as the battle had begun, they had already taken a massive loss.
As Percy shot toward the battle, he could see temporary bridges already being established by the enemy army, for those monsters that could not cross such a river. But already a huge amount of monsters were streaming into the hole in the wall. The parapets were becoming overrun, the watchtowers taken one by one.
The wall was lost as soon as it was put under stress.
As monsters swarmed into the Field of Mars, the true battle began. The Legion hurriedly coalesced back into their cohorts as much as they could amidst the mess, while dracaenae and telekhines streamed over the broken stones. There was no announced charge, no horn signals, no unifying structure to the battle.
Only chaos.
Opposing forces clashed. Spears thrusted, swords swung, arrows flew. Centaurs swung billy clubs and shot arrows into the First and Second cohorts. There were already too many foes to count, and barely a quarter of the full forces had crossed the river. Percy could see Stheno and Euryale among that quarter, hovering over the army, slicing downward through the air and cutting down legionnaires. Frank had transformed into a grizzly bear, tossing monsters into the air and ripping others apart with his claws. Nico was slashing in and out of shadows, his blade spending more time corporeal than himself. It was as if a teleporter was dancing across the battlefield, leaving chaos in his wake. And Hazel rode atop Arion, her spatha unleashing an arc of ruin upon any unsuspecting cyclops, while her other hand held aloft the eagle standard.
Percy shot down from the sky above toward the newly-created gap in the wall, smashing into the hundreds of monsters pouring through with impact - a divot was made from his landing. When the dust cleared, Percy stood, Anaklusmos held aloft as golden dust decorated the dirt around him.
He stood now, rage tinting his vision, red leaking in. As if Percy was a man possessed. As monsters continued to pour into the gap, now cresting the divot's edge, Percy breathed.
And charged.
He sprinted up the cleft, his sword finding little in the way of obstruction as it slashed through enemy after enemy. Percy was a whirlwind of rage as he made his way toward the river, as if he didn't even notice the enemies he killed.
Percy breathed out as he reached the top of the pit, the Little Tiber extending out in front of him. The enemy army had established five new temporary bridges, with streams of troops flowing across each one. With an upward motion and a tug in his gut, the water erupted from the Tiber, breaking apart each bridge, tossing dracaenae in the air. Percy grinned, dust on his lips, a madman.
He thrust his arms forward, stomach swirling as the water did. A tidal wave erupted from the Tiber, crashing atop the opposite riverbank. Monster after monster was cut down by the impact of the sudden wave, the riverbed of the Tiber empty as the river was conquered in a way it had never been.
Percy felt an impact on the back of his neck, like teeth. But the teeth could not conquer his skin. They shattered. Percy had a feeling it was one of the gorgons, but didn't care enough to look. He shot a dagger of water, flash frozen into ice, back over his shoulder.
The monster took just long enough to die that Percy could hear its wailing.
A quick glance back across the riverbed showed, however, that even the herculean task of moving a river had not impacted the size of the army nearly as much as expected. It was only now Percy realized the monsters were still streaming over the ridges surrounding the Camp, an unknown number still not even visible to Rome's eyes. Only now did Percy realize how outmanned they truly were.
Suddenly, a horn rang out, a foreign horn. Its sound echoed across the valley, but this time from an unusual direction - from the north, where not a single monster had entered the battlefield from. Percy readied himself once more, ready to cut down as many monsters as he had to, ready to fill the gap in the wall himself.
He didn't have to.
Hundreds and hundreds of soldiers appeared on the ridge, clad in camouflage and armed with shields and spears, forklifts and crossbows. It was as if a shadow had appeared on the ridge… but Percy knew better.
The Amazons.
Percy could hear Polybotes laughing and taunting the Romans behind him, but ignored it. He could only squint, trying desperately to determine who truly stood afront the newly-arrived forces. He could only make out one defining characteristic, though.
A smile.
Queen Hylla shouted a command, before the Amazonian army flew down from the ridge, a descending wave of force. The Amazons crashed into the monster army, which had been hurriedly preparing for a new front in the battle - they did not prepare nearly quick enough.
And while the Amazons were too far away for Percy to make out one command or another, he could hear one refrain, echoing throughout the army.
"PRO PENTHESILEA!"
Thank gods for Hylla. Reyna would be happy.
Percy turned back to the fight. The cohorts were certainly holding their own - losses were occurring, but with a now finite number of enemies, hope had been restored. He could see Frank shifting - an eagle raking at the surviving gorgon, a panther leaping onto the neck of a large cyclops, a rhinoceros carving a path of relief toward a trapped centurion. Hazel had disembarked Arion, fighting a deadly two-weapon game, her spatha in her right hand and the eagle standard in her left. Dakota somehow still had his Kool-Aid on his belt. Gwen fought with precision, years of training guiding her stabs. Nico could not be seen, but Percy knew he was up to good.
He thrust out his hand, a blast of air shooting forwards. A path soon appeared momentarily, and Hazel and Percy stared at each other, Hazel in surprise. Percy bounded forward into the gap.
"Hand me the eagle!" Percy shouted.
Hazel glanced with surprise. "What for?" She called.
"I know how to use it!"
"How?"
"Don't worry! Trust me!"
Hazel tossed the standard in the air. Percy jumped for it, shooting off the ground to secure the eagle, before once more crashing upon the ground. It was with great surprise that Percy felt the sheer amount of power emanating from the standard itself. It was like an energy drink poured directly into his muscles.
He raised the eagle above his head, hovering feet above the soil, before thundering as loud as Percy possibly could have.
"TWELFTH LEGION FULMINATA!"
As soon as his words were spoken, the eagle heeded his command. Lightning erupted from the tips of the eagle's wings, arcing every which way, colliding with basilisks and telekhines and cyclopes and earthborn alike. Percy felt himself as the trunk of a massive lightning tree, a feeling that subsided mere moments later as the lightning dissipated as quick as it struck. The afterimage was awe-inducing.
As were the results.
Golden dust littered the battlefield. Centurion armor gleamed somehow more golden. Dirt gave way to a layer of a monster's remnants, a sight which would live in the minds of all present. A field of gold, with a hovering Percy Jackson, holding aloft the Eagle Standard, the first time in decades it had returned to New Rome. An iconic image.
But the fight was not over.
"Romans!" Percy commanded. "Help your Amazonian brethren! Find glory across the Little Tiber, and you will eat well tonight!"
The legionnaires, no matter how much breath they had left in their lungs, cheered. A chant of "Rome, Rome!" began to break out. Percy dropped onto the soil, handing Hazel the eagle. With a nod, she whistled, and Arion seemed almost to summon himself under her, she got on so quickly.
"Follow the eagle!" Hazel roared. The Legion roared in response.
Frank transformed back into a human besides Percy. He pointed in the direction of New Rome, where Polybotes seemed to be scanning the environment as much as he could.
"Big guy?" Frank asked. "Want to go after him?"
Of course, Polybotes wasn't ignoring those pestering him. Percy could see Reyna engaging Polybotes, riding Scipio in the air, dancing away from the Giant's reach and his net. She darted toward his back with her javelin, stabbing forward before darting back once Polybotes reacted. She was just trying to keep his attention skyward from the legionnaires brave enough to harass his legs, despite not being able to reach any further.
"I got it," Percy said.
Percy could do better.
He rocketed upward, Anaklusmos in his right hand, a true extension of his arm. He shot like an arrow, slicing through the air like a cruise missile, before striking. As the giant turned toward the new incoming threat, Percy shot past Reyna and Scipio, wind whipping past his hurtling body. He hit Polybotes straight in the chest, barreling into him as if a cannonball found its target. Polybotes stumbled back into the aqueduct, cracks appearing in the brickwork. Some members of the Legion reflexively turned at the sudden noise, Polybotes gasp echoing across the valley.
There Percy hovered, sword extended, hate overtaking all other emotions, like a wrathful angel come down from the Heavens.
Hatred simply gripped him.
Polybotes straightened up, chuckling. "Son of Neptune! You persist still, I see! And fighting for Olympus, even after all that has happened? Ah, this is a sight to see!"
"I'm going to kill you." Percy snarled.
Polybotes raised his trident toward Percy. The two were eye level, hatred staring at hatred. An understanding seemed to pass between the two of them, briefly - two rebels against the Olympian order, two fighters who would stop at nothing to win.
"If you shall not join Gaea, child," Polybotes rumbled. "Then we are not… aligned."
The giant smashed his fist into the brick aqueduct, slight cracks now erupting into geysers of water, torrents that turned from a healthy blue into a dark, poisonous green as it ran over Polybotes' fingers. Percy darted to his right midair as Polybotes flung the water at him, dodging the attack. He reached out for the poisonous water, grabbing control and launching it back toward the giant.
Polybotes flung his net at Percy. He drastically underestimated the size of the net, and had to nearly freefall in a tumble to dodge it - he lost control of the air beneath him, slamming into the cobblestone of the via beneath him.
He began to rise back to his feet, but Polybotes trident made itself known. Polybotes slammed it downwards as he did to the wall, bringing it directly down toward Percy's disoriented body, the force of a hundred soldiers. Percy shot his hand up, palm facing the sky, air and water together holding the blow off, arm shaking with effort.
Polybotes snorted in frustration, and before Percy could react, dropped the trident and stomped on him.
Percy could feel the impact drive him into the dirt, a Percy-shaped impression carved into cobble. His ribs were killing him. Thank god for the Curse of Achilles - it was the only reason he could have survived such a blow.
Polybotes foot rose once again, scales covered in the blood of other legionnaires. Basilisks shook off the giant's head once more, falling onto the cobble and grass, hissing poison. Percy had to act.
Summoning Lelantos' blessing, Titan blood mingling with Olympian, Percy blasted himself over the surface, escaping his ditch and the second stomp from the giant. Percy groaned, picking himself up.
Percy spat on the ground in front of him, readying Riptide once more. He could see Reyna riding Scipio above them, expression blank on her face. And he knew there were more than a few Romans watching him in awe as the battle wound down around them. Percy knew what they were thinking.
This fight would become legend.
Percy began charging forward once more, rocketing toward Polybotes right leg. He jumped over the strike from the trident, dodging the prongs. He raised his right hand, shards of ice seemingly appearing from the air in front of his fingers, firing toward Polybotes neck like bullets from an uzi. A few found their targets, an annoyed roar rewarding the effort.
Once he got within the reach of the trident, Percy shot upwards, as if a massive trampoline appeared beneath him. He sprang toward the heavens, Riptide gleaming, and finally reached eye level.
Percy slashed at the giant's eyes, finding room in one of the sockets for his blade.
"AGH!" Polybotes yelled, instinctively covering his newly-blinded right eye. The sudden movement nearly caught Percy with a surprise blow, one he had to tumble away from.
"You… sea scum!" Polybotes roared.
Percy darted out of the way of a wild swipe, finding himself underneath a waterfall from the ruined aqueduct, the water from the San Pablo reservoir a burst of energy shocking his system. He slashed with Anaklusmos, and a massive whip of water followed its arc.
The whip slashed into the giant's chest, drawing ichor from his shoulder to his waist. Polybotes once again roared, a roar which grew louder when Percy stabbed Anaklusmos downward into the top of Polybotes' foot.
Percy maliciously tore Riptide out of Polybotes' scaled foot, a ferociousness, a ferality present. He stalked in front of the giant, eyeing him down, watching his every move as he tried to regain control of the fight. He noticed the massive crowd of Romans watching him, not daring to get involved. He just… he needed to let loose.
"I have Gaea on my side," Polybotes snarled, ichor dripping down his face. "You have nobody, Perseus. Nobody to help you."
In front of Percy's eyes, he could see stone and dirt shift suddenly, as if moving of their own accord. Suddenly, before he knew it, pillars of earth rose up from the ground, meeting Polybotes at his foot, chest, and right eye. Within moments, the earth fell away, Polybotes had healed nearly perfectly - no longer was ichor prominent.
"But how?" Percy could hear Dakota gasp.
Percy placed Anaklusmos gently on the ground in front of him, crouching down atop the cobblestone road. Slowly, he stood once more, bracing his feet as Polybotes swiped wildly down with his trident once more.
"I don't care."
As if he had blasters on his arms, Percy thrust his arms upward, twin shock waves of air shot toward Polybotes. Percy dug his feet into the cobble, and still the force sent Percy to his knees, arms straining with effort. Luckily, he didn't need to hold them for long.
The force of the blasts sent Polybotes reeling, lifting the giant up off the ground entirely, before he thudded back onto the Field of Mars, the earth shaking with his landing.
Percy didn't sit idly by. Grabbing Anaklusmos once more - uncapping the pen, as it had returned to his pocket already, he sprinted toward the giant, a wave of water forming behind him. With another gesture, a javelin of water shot forward like a high-powered pressure washer, as if the wave behind him condensed into one singular jet. It bore a hole into Polybotes foot, the scales buckling to the intense pressure. Polybotes roared.
"You… insolent…brat!"
Percy leaped into the air, Lelantos' power surging under him, a hail of ice bullets shooting down from above onto Polybotes torso. Polybotes swung wildly with his trident once more, Percy narrowly spinning past the blow before falling onto Polybotes chest, swordpoint impaling the giant's chest with precision, just between the scales.
A roar.
Percy was clipped by Polybotes' wild swat, his intended smooth roll off the giant's chest turning into an awkward tumble onto his back. Quickly, he got back to his feet, jumping into a quick roll to dodge Polybotes sweeping leg. Polybotes tried to rise from the earth, but Percy quickly launched upward, blade sinking into the giant's kneecap, leg buckling.
Polybotes roared, the air around him vibrating with the noise - Percy could feel it in his ribs. The giant twisted his knee, and Percy's grip of Anaklusmos loosened. Percy was ripped away from his sword, and was batted in the other direction by another swipe of the giant's hand.
As Percy scrambled to his feet, Polybotes brought down his net once more, it having fallen just near to where the giant recovered. Percy swiped at the air, and a sudden wind gust quickly knocked the net aside. But Percy didn't control the gust enough, and not only did the net go flying, but so did Percy, and a few onlooking legionnaires.
Percy didn't have time to check on them.
Once more, the Earth rose to heal Polybotes. As he finally stood once again, the giant huffed, hefting his trident toward Percy.
"You… cannot defeat me, child. Give up."
Percy snorted. "Fuck you."
But Polybotes really did have a point. Just how was Percy going to take care of this? How could Percy defeat a giant who could heal at will…
An idea arose.
Percy waved her off, looking at Aika. "I'm going to need… your powers. To win this."
Aika blanched. "What? I can barely control them!"
The demigod smiled wearily. "Trial by fire. I'm gonna launch him in the air, one more time. I need you to keep him in the air, and sever the water trail he'll have coming from his leg."
Aika looked wild. "How? I don't know - "
Dipsioi's rattling shout interrupted her. Percy continued, hurriedly. "Trust yourself, Aika. Trust yourself." He turned back, sword raised. "I can't beat him water versus water. I need some air in there."
Polybotes laughed, his trident pointing once more at Percy. "I am Gaea's chosen! The Bane of Neptune! No godspawn can hope to defeat me, no matter how powerful you think you are, child!"
Percy could see Frank praying in the distance. Reyna was still keeping her distance in the air, but seemed to be searching for a weakness. Percy could see Nico and Hazel beneath the aqueduct, hidden in the shadows. Nico protecting Hazel was all Percy could ask for.
He knew what he needed to do would terrify many… but he had to.
Reaching out, Percy felt the water surrounding the bones that made up Dipsioi's body, and he concentrated on that water. He could feel it, his hands vibrating as he took control, mentally overpowering a panicking Dipsioi. He held it, held the water constituting his body, and he pulled.
As hard as he could.
Percy ducked a sideways swipe from Polybotes trident, sprinting at the giant for what he hoped would be the last time. A tide of water heeded Percy's command, sweeping over the land, then frozen in a flash. Percy hit the deck, sliding on the ice, dodging the followup swipe of Polybotes' backhand.
As soon as Percy found himself underneath Polybotes, he stopped his slide, ice crunching under his feet. With no small amount of effort, he punched upwards from his kneeling position, hands splayed, almost like setting a volleyball a thousand pounds heavier.
It worked.
Polybotes once again got launched into the air, this time straight upwards - but he didn't come down.
Percy was grunting with effort. Holding something hurt considerably more than hitting something, that much was sure - the strain on his shoulders and arms was far more intense than he expected.
But he needed to do it.
"LET ME DOWN, INSOLENT CHILD!" Polybotes roared in disbelief. He swung his trident downward, but couldn't reach Percy - he was simply too high up. Percy stood, slowly, from his kneeling position, straining against Polybotes as if the sky had fallen upon him once again.
"No," he whispered.
He pulled.
It took all of his might, will, and effort to rob the giant of his ichor. Dipsioi was made of water, Percy's natural element - ichor was far more difficult to control. He had to close his eyes, shut out the world around him, and pull Polybotes apart.
He missed the Romans around him, each one kneeling upon the Field of Mars, their chants of "Percy! Percy!" turning into chants of "Praetor! Praetor!"
He missed Nico, popping out of a shadow and leaping above him, pulling Polybotes' incoming trident into darkness just before hitting Percy's head.
He missed Polybotes' screams, which turned from profanities into unintelligible phrases into desperate pleadings for mercy.
He missed the golden flash and thunderclap of a god flashing into Camp Jupiter, forcing all whose eyes were open to shield them and turn away.
He missed the final moments of Polybotes, when the giant crumbled into individual scales, surrounded by a cloud of golden dust, still hovering in the air before dissipating into the winds.
He didn't miss the blade resting under his chin.
Percy opened his eyes to see Mars standing before him, the two of them surrounded by a reverent Roman populace. He was in full war gear - armor plated every inch of his body, a shiny silver Lorica Segmentata covering his torso and shoulders over his red tunic, a matching helmet atop his head. He held a red shield in front of him, up and proper, larger than the average Roman legionnaire. Percy could see his sandals peeking out from below the shield.
And he certainly could see the glowing red eyes of judgment, disgust, and hatred, staring down at him from over his spear.
"PERSEUS JACKSON!" Mars' voice echoed across the valley, ringing in each and every ear.
"You are to come with me. Olympus will have a word."
And once again, Perseus Jackson, the demigod, the soldier lost in time, the time-stealer, the titan-blessed, the rebel against Olympus, the killer of Dipsioi, the one who battled Polybotes, the one who had lost more than the world, stared up in defiance at his newest enemy, at another who endangered the demigods he cared about.
And spoke, clearly.
"No."
A/N: Hey. Been a while. This may take a long time to finish, I understand. I hope I update more often, now that I've graduated college. Who knows. All I know is that we have three chapters left, plenty of story following, and a saga I simply cannot get out of my head. One way or another… I will write it.
Thank you all. Welcome back. Onward we write and read. I hope you get this notification and choose to reread this story, to rediscover a story you might have loved. Hopefully Chapter 21 comes out much, much sooner than it took to write Chapter 20. Hope you enjoy :)