Chapter Title: Apparently, I Am The Son Of A Roman God
I don't know exactly who the hell Colton Reynolds even is, though he is very familiar for some reason. But to be fair, to see a guy like him use a mid 19th-Century Weapon to inflict a kill shot on two Gorgons flying out of a tunnel at point-blank range was insanely impressive.
We had all just crossed the river, and a large group of people that were coming across the river towards us when it happened. There was a loud bang and I turned around just in time to see the bullet go through the heads of both of the Gorgons and then they instantly both fell to the ground, killed instantly while one behind the other. Needless to say, it was an absurd scene to even witness.
Percy had went across the river with the old lady named Juno still on his back, as did we.. we had to, for she kept telling us to do so. I will admit, the fact that Percy literally walked on water was absolutely surprising. We had only just got to the other side when the shot rang out. We - as well as almost all the other people our age there with us - stood there, frozen in complete shock at the sight.
"Did.. Colton.. just do that?" Michael asked, literally speechless and in disbelief at what had occurred.
"I think he did.." I said back, stunned as well.
The other people with us, aside from the old lady, were in a similar state. There was a long silence for a few moments.
"I'll go get him.." anxiously said one of them finally, a black haired and dark skinned girl in armor, who went across the river and up the shallow slope to him. They talked for a little bit before both of them came back across the river.
The old lady simply cackled once more. "That boy.. he, like the one who carried me, is a very special one, that's for sure.." she said as the two rejoined the rest of us.
None of us once again spoke for a while until one of them, a dude who looked like he had been a linebacker maybe in high school, broke it. "Who are you?" he asked.
"Better yet, what are you?" asked the girl in armor.
"That's.. kinda what were trying to figure out, Reyna.. we know we're demigods.. but other than that.. a lot of our memory is missing, somehow.." Colton responded. Percy, Michael, and I all nodded.
The old lady looked unfazed at all of the awkwardness going on. "Well, that was a lovely trip.." she said. "Thank you, Percy Jackson.. as well as to your friends.. Luke Castellan.." The old lady pointed to me. "..Michael Yew.. and Colton Reynolds."
They all seemed to think I was someone familiar to them when the old lady called my name, but none of them seemed to be able to name why. Somehow, I guess to a degree, they must have had a bit of amnesia about my own past much like I did. Either way, I hoped it wasn't bad.
The one girl in armor made a choking sound. "Percy... Jackson." She said it almost as if she had seen him before, which made me curious about Jackson's past now.
Even with armor, you could definitely see she put in quite a lot of work in getting to where she currently was, for the chest plate of her armor was covered in medals. She must have really worked her ass off here if she was decorated that heavily. But then again, that was just me.
The old lady laughed with delight. "Oh, yes" she said. "You'll have such fun together!"
As if today wasn't already weird enough, the old lady began to glow and change shape right in front of us. When it was all said and done, suddenly there was no longer an old lady on Percy's back. What was there instead was not on his back at all now.
Instead, there now stood next to him a seven foot tall lady, wearing a flowing pale blue dress, embroidered with swirls and patterns of glittering gold. A cloak hangs from her shoulders as she gripped a long golden staff that is topped with a pastel pink lotus flower. She is standing with such elegance and confidence that is overwhelming for some of the teens around us, and they definitely recognize her now, judging from their reactions.
The other teens with us all take a collectively shocked blink for a moment and then bow before her a second later, dropping to their knees although one of them did it so fast he nearly impaled himself on his own sword, causing me to grimace upon noticing that. Yikes, I thought to myself. Thank goodness he didn't hurt himself. That left me, Percy, Michael, and Colton as the only ones left standing.
"What in the world..?" Michael mutters. It was astounding, really.
Hazel spoke next. "Juno." The name thus spoken had a big, heavy weight to it from the way it left Hazel's lips that gave me the impression that we were dealing with a very important figure to these people right now.
Percy soon knelt down and bowed at her feet, now leaving the three of us no choice but to all similarly follow his lead.
'Juno' smiled. "Rise, Percy Jackson. Rise, Luke Castellan. Rise, Colton Reynolds. Rise, Michael Yew, for you four have already done me a good deed."
We all rose, though it looked like from Percy that he was a little bit hesitant about it for some reason.
A similar look was present on Colton and Michael's faces too. I'll admit, even I was a bit nervous about this too.
"So.." Percy started. "..since I done you a good deed, does that mean I get my memories back?"
"Yeah.." Colton added. "..I don't really like being all amnesiac to be honest."
Michael and I nodded in agreement with that.
"In time.." Juno replied, and me, Michael, and Colton all groaned. "It may take a bit longer since you chose to walk across the Tiber instead of swimming, but if you succeed here at camp, you all will most definitely regain your memories. Either way, you have shown that there is hope to the future."
I don't think any of the four of us liked that last part at all. I certainly did not. It sounded vague for sure, but something about it made us all give a look of unease as if we all knew what lay in store down the road. I don't know why though.
"Romans, I present to you the son of Neptune.." Juno said, pointing to Percy. "..the son of Mercury.." She then pointed to me. "..the son of Apollo.." She pointed to Michael, before pointing to Colton last. "..and finally the son of Mars, though there's way more to him than meets the eye. For months, these four have been sleeping, but now they are awake. Their fates are in your hands. The Feast of Fortuna comes quickly, and death must be unleashed if you are to stand any hope in the battle. Do not fail me!"
Juno then shimmered and disappeared. I was confused, and judging from their reactions, so were Michael, Colton, and Percy. Who the hell was Mercury? Then my eyes drifted to Colton, who was simply looking at himself. What exactly had Juno meant by there was more to Colton than met the eye? What had she even meant by that? I had a lot of questions, but very few answers right now, and judging from the others, they were in the same boat as me right now.
Colton and Percy looked at Hazel and Frank, hoping for some kind of explanation, but they were just as confused as we were. The girl named Reyna now stepped forward, eyeing us warily. It was unnerving a bit, to be honest. She eyed as if she was uncertain about if we were friend or foe right now.
"So.." she said coldly, "..a son of Neptune, a son of Mercury, a son of Apollo, and a son of Mars, who come to us with the blessing of Juno." I don't know why Reyna said "Neptune" with enough distaste that made it sound like this Neptune person, Percy's parent — whoever they were, was a bad omen, she just did. It seemed confusing honestly.
"I guess.." Percy said, albeit still a bit hesitantly. "..like Colton said, most of our memory is gone. Do I know you?"
Reyna hesitated for a moment. "I am Reyna, praetor of the Twelfth Legion. And.. no, I don't know you."
Something about that last part sounded like she was lying. But that could be just me. The fact that Michael's eyes seemed to light up like red X's as if she just said a wrong answer told me however that it was not just me though. She was definitely hiding something, that was for sure. But what?
"Very well.." Percy said, clearly not wanting to argue about it.
Reyna turned to Hazel. "Hazel.." she said to her. "Bring them inside. I would like to question them at the principia. Then we'll send them to Octavian. We must consult the auguries before we decide what to do with them."
The way she said that last part.. I had a very bad feeling about what she meant. The others seemed to feel the same way.
"If you mind me asking — ma'am.." Percy said. "But what do you mean by 'decide what to do with' us?"
Reyna tightened her grip on her dagger as if she didn't like having her orders questioned. "Before we accept anyone into camp.." she replied. "..we must interrogate them and read their auguries. Juno said our fate is in your hands. We have to know whether the goddess has brought us a new recruit or if she brought as an enemy to kill."
While she seemed to back up this as she glared at me, Colton, and Michael, when it came to Percy, she studied him as if she was questioning what she said herself. Somehow though, Colton just glared right back at her with equal, if not greater intensity, actually causing Reyna to flinch and look away. Everyone else looked on stunned. I now decided to get my question out then and there and get it over with.
"So who exactly is Mercury then?" I asked.
A few groans rose up in the crowd behind Reyna and Hazel, but Reyna took a deep breath. "Let me explain.. Mercury is the God of Thieves, Travelers and the Messenger of the Gods. Apollo is the God of Prophecy, Archery, Healing, Music, Poetry, and the Sun. Mars is the God of War, and father of the Roman People. As for Neptune.. he's a.."
Reyna hesitated for a moment. "..a very ominous case.." I didn't like at all what she implied by that. I really didn't like it.
Percy looked the same way to be honest. He definitely didn't like what was meant by that at all. But either way, I was definitely processing the information given to me. So I'm the son of the Messenger Of The Gods, who also happens to be the God of Thieves and Travelers. That sounds like a combination that should never go together honestly.