"You should have killed him," a voice behind Percy says.
Percy turns to see a man standing behind him at the entrance to the temple of Neptune. The man is strongly built and has a black beard and shoulder length hair. He is loosely wrapped in a green toga with gold detailing and holds a golden trident. The toga seems to float around him as if it's underwater.
"Father," Percy says, "What do you mean?"
"You asked for my advice," Neptune says, "My advice is this: you should have killed that senator who insulted you."
"Oh," Percy says, feeling a bit sick, "I was actually hoping for advice on how to not lose control of my temper and almost murder someone for insulting my mom. The punishment should fit the crime."
"Anyone who insults your mother insults you and by extension, me. Death is an appropriate punishment for mortals that insult the gods," Neptune says casually.
"I am also mortal. Would you kill me for insulting the gods?"
Neptune green eyes focus on Percy, "I would never allow that. Stand up son, let me take a look at you."
Percy stands, pulling his blood-soaked toga awkwardly around his shoulders. Neptune approaches and stares into Percy's eyes. Percy stares back. Neptune raises his trident and stabs at his son. Percy instinctively tries to defend himself, but although Riptide makes contact with Neptune's trident, Percy doesn't have the strength to deflect the weapon. The prongs of the trident poke three small wounds into Percy's upper arm.
"What was that for?" Percy says angrily.
"Good instincts," Neptune responds as he reaches forward and pulls his finger through Percy's blood. Neptune's fingers are cold like the ocean. He rubs the blood between his fingers, "Hm. You are still mortal, but you're closer to a god than a human at this point, about 80%."
"What?"
"Congratulations. I haven't had a child this close to ascension since Theseus. Although he was Poseidon's child," Neptune says patting Percy on his shoulder, "You'll have to die before you can complete you ascension though. It's weird that you're mortal at all if you have two immortal parents."
"My mother is human," Percy says, trying to process what it means to be 80% god, "I wasn't actually born from Mount Vesuvius."
"You weren't? That's what all the dolphins are saying. And I don't remember impregnating a human recently. I usually remember these things. Also, I would have noticed a child as powerful as you before the eruption, and I had not sensed you at all," Neptune says.
"So your first thought was that you impregnated a mountain?"
"Oh, I've definitely lain with the spirit of Vesuvius before, she is a fiery lady. I shook her rocks real good, if you know what I mean. This wouldn't be the first time I impregnated something people thought was impregnable."
"Dad. Gross. I don't need to know that," Percy said, horrified.
"I got my wife's brother pregnant once. That's how your brother Anteros was born. Salacia was… not happy with me, but in my defense, Nerites has a kind soul and a great ass."
"Please stop."
"So who is your mother then, that I do not remember her at all?" Neptune asks.
"This may sound unbelievable, but I am from about two thousand years in the future. I got sent back in time when I held onto Kronos' blade and shook the earth so hard the volcano erupted. Then I awoke during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius," Percy says.
Neptune states at his son, glancing at his left arm where the blade had cut Percy. "I suppose that does explain why I don't remember your mother. I've never impregnated an unborn soul before. The fates must have been pretty drunk when they wove this particular tale. Erupting not one but two volcanos? That's impressive, well done."
"I didn't mean to erupt any volcanos. I was afraid and it just happened," Percy says, clutching the blood-stained cloak tighter around his shoulders. The blood from the cloth stains his hands. "I never meant to hurt anyone."
"Pity. That's less impressive."
"I didn't do it to impress you. I was trying to survive, and I succeeded!" Perseus snaps. He takes a breath to calm himself. "Look, I can tell you about the future. Kronos is trying to return and he's recruiting demigods," Percy changes the subject. Trying to think of all the things he should tell his father about.
"In two thousand years? I'll let my future-self figure it out. My siblings and I have defeated our father before, we can do it again. I barely make plans for one month in advance, I'm not going to bother planning for two thousand years in advance," Neptune says as he waves away Percy's attempts at advice.
Percy is caught off guard. What? But…
His disoriented mind goes over their conversation and picks up on an odd detail, "You mentioned Theseus was Poseidon's son. I thought you were Poseidon, and that Neptune was just your Roman name. Poseidon is my father."
Neptune's eyes glow, "I am Poseidon, and I am not."
"That doesn't make any sense," Percy says.
"Does it not, Perseus? I would think a Greek demigod who is halfway to becoming a Roman god would be uniquely able to understand exactly what that means."
Perseus' eyes glow in response to his father's words, "How do I stop the transition? How do I control it?"
"Control it?" Neptune asks, "I think you fundamentally misunderstand what a god is. I am not a human who lives a long time and controls the ocean. I AM the ocean. I AM the streams and the rivers. My anger IS the storm and the shaking earth. This form I have now is useful, but I am not fully contained within it."
"You pray to me in Latin in this temple to Neptune in the heart of Rome. Here I am Neptune.
The Mediterranean Sea connects to the Atlantic Ocean. On calm days you might not notice a difference between the waters of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, but during a storm the difference is stark. Any sailor worth their salt knows the difference between sailing on the sea and on the ocean. A ship built to traverse the Mediterranean would be swallowed by the waves of the Atlantic.
There are fish in the depth of the Atlantic Ocean that would not survive in the warm and shallow waters of the Mediterranean. There are fish in the Mediterranean that would freeze or be ripped apart within minutes of being in the open ocean. There are also schools of tuna that will swim back and forth between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic without noticing the transition. There are whales that hunt seals in the sea just as easily as they do squids in the open ocean.
Water flows easily and constantly between these two bodies. If you walk along the beaches of North Africa, would you be able to tell when the Mediterranean ended and the Atlantic began? To try to draw a strict line between the two bodies of water would be ridiculous. They are the same, and they are very different."
Neptune is standing directly in front of Perseus now. Father and son with matching green eyes. "You can build a mountain range and keep your two waters separate Perseus. You can make sure that the waters of your mortal and godly selves never mix. You would remain unchanged, but in exchange you would have no influence over your godly self when he emerges and grows stronger.
Or you can open the channel wider. Let your waters flow back and forth. You would change. Your worship and your domains would influence who you are and how you act, but your waters would be part of the god you are becoming and you would never be completely foreign to yourself," Neptune says.
"If I build a good ship with a deep keel and a strong rudder, my friends should be able to sail in both the Mediterranean and the open ocean. Even if the waters are different, even if there is a storm, a well-built ship should be able to endure," Perseus says.
"Build your ship then Perseus. I would love to see it when you are ready," Neptune says patting Perseus on his shoulder. The candle Percy had lit to pray to Neptune goes out and the temple falls into silent darkness.
Percy is alone, and he is not.
He'd been holding onto the time-traveling, volcano-erupting secret tightly. Now he's finally told someone, but they didn't even really care. Percy falls into a heap at the foot of his father's shrine and an exhausted laugh bubbles up from him as adrenaline leaks out of his body like water from a colander. The laugh turns into dry sobbing, which turns into hiccups that turn into silence.
80% God.
What does that even mean?
.
A crowd was gathering in the senate house square. Now that the lightning has passed, people came into the square and walked up the steps to see what had happened in the Senate Hall. Messengers had run up to the senate hall and left minutes later, bringing messages all around the city. Most senators had fled down the steps and away from the square.
"We should go back home," Marcella says, still clutching her son's arm tightly, "I do not trust this crowd."
"I have to at least see what happened," Gaius says, pulling away from his mother to walk up the steps. Her son wasn't a child anymore, as much as Marcella might still wish it.
"Just come back down soon," Marcella says, keeping an eye on the crowd in the square.
People were coming to the senate hall from all over Rome as word spread. The crowd was discontent with fear and anger. Marcella saw that some of the messengers that had visited the senate house were mulling around among the crowd, talking to groups of people and pointing first at the senate house and then at the road that Perseus had walked down. The crowd started getting more restless and angrier.
The sound of hooves indicated the arrival of the Augustus and his Praetorian guard. The crowd parted for the procession and a few people were knocked over by the guard's horses as they passed. The horses come up the steps past Marcella, who bowed as they passed. At the top of the steps, the Augustus dismounted and walked into the Senate Hall.
"Domitian! What the FUCK happened?" The Augustus' voice came from inside the hall.
Gaius came back down the steps to Marcella's side. "The whole floor is covered in blood. There's a severed arm on the floor of the senate hall," Gaius tells her, "Do you think Perseus was hurt?"
"I think we need to leave this place before the crowd gets any angrier," Marcella says, pulling her son down the steps.
Just then a senator emerged from the senate hall. His toga was stained red with blood and had a hole ripped in the front. He was missing an arm and a section of his toga had been ripped up to bind the wound. The man walked alone as every other senator seemed to move out of his way as he wobbled down the steps. A roar went up from the crowd.
"That's the bastard that insulted Lord Perseus!" a shout came from the crowd.
"Heretic!"
"A disgrace to Rome!"
Undecipherable angry shouting came from the now crowded square. Marcella heard the sound of breaking glass. Marcella grabbed her son's arm tightly and pulled him into the nearest road, "We're leaving. Now."
.
Julia had been awake since the early hours of the morning. There had been a fire in Rome and her father had insisted she stay awake in case they had to leave the palace. Then there were reports of Perseus putting out the fire by bending the river itself. Titus had gone to investigate. Julia had wanted to come but apparently it was too dangerous for a girl so Julia has been sent to her room where she has been reading spicy poetry.
Apparently the first Augustus had been so offended by these scrolls that he had banished the poet out of Rome to the distant edges of the empire. 'The Art of Love' by Ovid. It was basically an instruction manual for how to seduce with the wives of senators. The places Ovid recommended for a romantic rendezvous included every temple and public building constructed by the Augustus. Julia can see why it got the poet banished.
What an idiot.
A soldier burst into her room and Julia shoves the scroll under her blankets immediately. "Your father has called for you, Lady Julia," the Praetorian guard says.
Julia finds herself walking down the palatine hill to the circus maximus surrounded by ten guards. She wears her long royal purple pala. It was storming earlier, but the storm had passed by now. There was only a light rain at this point. Except at the temple of Neptune at the base of the Circus Maximus, which had a small storm cloud above it. Julia assumed Perseus was doing his god magic there.
Julia meets her father and uncle across from Neptune's temple. They tell her about what happened. Perseus prevented a city-wide inferno and saved thousands of people. Then a senator insulted his mother so he cut the man's arm off while displaying his godly powers to all of Rome. He had then retreated to Neptune's temple, likely to pay proper respect to his father.
People around the temple were leaving gifts on the small square in front of the temple to honor Perseus and hopefully appease his rightful wrath. People had left jewelry, oil lamps and flowers. There was a crowd forming on the edges of the square, but no one dared enter the raincloud radius around the temple.
Titus welcomes her with a kiss to her forehead. "Julia. Perseus has seen fit to bring an end to our deal, so I in turn release you of your vow of silence regarding his nature. Additionally, I have decided to offer him your hand in marriage. I will discuss the details of the offer with him privately. Given your upcoming engagement, it would reassure the people of Rome of our alliance if you are seen with him," Her father says.
Engaged! Or about to be, at any rate. How exciting. All of Julia's friends have already been married, while Julia remains unmarried at seventeen. Most of her friends are married to generals or politicians who are forty years old or older. Her husband will be younger than her, a demigod, and a kind but absolutely bizarre man. Her children will have godly blood. "Of course, father. It would be my honor," Julia says, accepting the quest he has set out for her.
"Tiberius Alexander will stand guard at the entrance to the temple if your discussion does not go well," Titus continues, "but I do not believe you will be in any danger as long as you do not insult his mother or the gods themselves." Julia had never once felt threatened around Perseus, so she was inclined to agree.
With the Praetorian Guard by her side, Julia walks across the square to the temple of Neptune. All eyes are on her and Julia composes herself with as much grace as she can. People offer her blessings as she walks. A few people are so overwhelmed they sob.
Julia pushes open the wooden door to the small temple. The room beyond is dark and there is a foot of water on the floor. At the far side of the room directly below the alter to Neptune is a wet lump of cloth and limbs with dimly glowing eyes. Perseus did not seem wrathful so much as exhausted. Julia took a hesitant step into the water of the temple.
"Hello Perseus, may I come in?" Julia asks. When no response comes, she closes the door behind her and steps forward.
"Did your father send you to arrest me?" Perseus asks from his position on the floor.
"No. Why would my father arrest you?" Julia asks.
"I stabbed a man, cut off another man's arm and flooded the senate building with blood. I'm no expert on Roman law, but I'm fairly certain that is illegal. He should arrest me."
"You are certainly no expert on Roman law if you think my father would arrest the son of Neptune for delivering divine justice. From what I've been told, the senate agrees that Senator Celsus was solely responsible," Julia says as she lights a lantern and sits down next to him.
Perseus eyes glow green in the dim light as he looks at her, "Why are you here then?"
"Rome is worried that you are upset with them. You've been in here for over two hours. My father has sent me as a display of his trust, or something."
"I have been trying to… swish the waters of my soul," Perseus admits.
"What does that mean?"
"I have no idea."
"Is it working?"
"I have no idea."
Julia pats him on his shoulder. Her hand comes back slightly wet with blood. "You'll have to wash that with ammonia to get the blood out," Julia says.
"Why do you know how to get blood out of clothes?" Perseus asks, alarmed.
Julia stares back at him, "I'm a woman." She then takes great pleasure is seeing Perseus' confusion turn to understanding turn to embarrassment. His eyes return to normal.
"Oh, right. Forget I asked," Perseus mutters, looking away with a bit of a blush.
Julia laughs, stands up, and offers Perseus her hand, "Come on. Let's get out of here. You can swish the waters of your soul outside after you tell the people of Rome that you are not going to drown them." Perseus looks at her hand then takes it. She pulls him up but does not let go of his hand.
"I should warn you, my father intends to offer you my hand in marriage," Julia says as they walk toward the door of the temple.
"Already? Domitian mentioned he might, but I thought I had more time. I'm not sure I'm ready to be married, I'm only fifteen. Not that you're not... um... lovely and pretty and stuff."
"I'm sure you can convince him to make it a long engagement. You do understand that our marriage would be a political alliance between you and my father, right? It would help assure the empire that the gods are not upset with Rome."
Perseus sighs, "Politics. I had hoped to marry for love." Julia had to stop herself from laughing. Only plebians married for love. The best you could hope for as a patrician was to learn to love your partner after the wedding. Or at least respect each other and use your marriage to create powerful political alliances. Still, Perseus' romantic naivete was kind of endearing.
They open the door and walk out of the temple. The raincloud above the temple has disappeared. A cheer goes up from the crowd of Romans around them. Julia holds onto Perseus' hand and waves to the crowd. People get on their knees to offer blessings and prayers. Perseus comes to an abrupt stop halfway across the square. His eyes are locked on a new offering that has been placed in front of Neptune's temple.
.
Senator Celsus's severed head.
.
It was forever frozen in an expression of fear.
The rest of his still bleeding dismembered body parts were also strewn across the square among the flowers and jewelry. Perseus gripped her hand tightly. Julia needed to make sure this situation didn't turn bad for Rome.
"Are you upset?" Julia whispered, "Are you upset with Rome? I can have the body parts removed."
"No. Yes. I –" Perseus' eyes glowed, then dimmed, leaving him disoriented, "They killed him. Why would they-? I think I need some time. I am too tired to deal with this right now and there are so many voices."
Julia didn't really understand why he was so upset. By all accounts, Perseus and Celsus had never gotten along. The senator had publicly insulted the mother of a demigod who had just saved the city. Of course he was going to die. Still, Perseus seemed upset and that didn't look good to Romans who had done nothing but try to appease their lord.
"Shall I walk you to the river? Or to your home?" Julia asked.
"The river," Perseus says, keeping his voice low, "I think I need to swim in the waters of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic for a bit. Can you tell the Plinius family that I'll be gone for a while?"
The Circus Maxima and the Temple of Neptune were not far from the Tiber River. So Julia keeps a pleasant smile on her face, grips Perseus' arm tightly, and walks them to the river as if that had always been the plan. Once at the riverfront, Perseus lets go of her hand and walks into the river. He stops, turns and kisses her hand.
"Come back soon, my lord," Julia smiles, raising her voice so the crowd around her can hear them, "The festival of Neptunalia will be celebrated in two weeks. Will you return to Rome by then?"
"I'll do my best… um, my lady," Perseus says then walks into the water effortlessly. His toga floats around him and mirror his movements as he swims downriver. Julia thinks he looks like a god.
Julia is going to have to explain this to her father. She takes a deep breath and keeps her calm smile on her face as she turns to see him walk up behind her. This is going to be a long day.
.
Earlier that day:
When reports came in that Perseus was very publicly putting out the flames, Domitian had known today would be the day. He'd asked Titus if he could lead the Senate meeting this morning, and Titus had agreed easily enough. So Domitian had sent out his messengers and told them to go to the flames and spread news of whatever they saw there around Rome, except to the houses of senators. This was not breaking his vow to Titus to stay silent on Perseus' nature, because Domitian did not mention Perseus at any point.
Then the senate meeting had happened, and Domitian opened the floor for any public grievances. Senator Celsus did not disappoint. The water that flooded the senate hall was unexpected, and the glow of the trident did strike fear into Domitian's heart. Neptune was apparently watching over the boy and Perseus himself was a lot more powerful than Domitian had realized. He was sure to act surprised and horrified when Perseus cut the Senators arm off.
Domitian would have preferred murder, but he could make this work. Once Perseus was out of the senate hall, Domitian had sent his messengers. One to his brother to tell him of the event, and the rest around Rome to tell the people exactly what happened. Senators were fleeing the Senate Hall. Then the sound of hooves announced Titus' arrival.
"Domitian!" Titus said looking around at the blood covered floor and the severed arm lying in the middle of the senate hall, "What the FUCK happened?"
Titus walked through the senate hall with his guards, stopping only to order one of his guards to wrap Senator Celsus' wound so he would not bleed to death. After a public greeting, Domitian led his brother into one of the two smaller conference rooms at the back of the hall. Domitian asked for a private meeting, which seemed to concern the Praetorian guard. Titus, however, agreed to only take Tiberius Alexander with him. Domitian supposed that would have to do, the man had proven good at keeping secrets.
"What happened?" Titus demanded.
Domitian then explained what happened in the senate hall. The accusations against Perseus' mother and the shade cast upon Titus' own character and Perseus' response.
Then Domitian continued. Last year not long after Titus was declared Augustus, Domitian had learned that it was Senator Celsus who had sold Uncle Sabinus to Vitellius' soldiers. However, when he became Augustus, Titus had sworn that he would put an end to the treason trials and that no senator would be put to death during his reign. This had won Titus quite a lot of support. Likely, it was this assurance that had made Celsus sloppy with his secrets. Initially, Domitian had assumed Celsus would live unpunished. For as much as Domitian hated the man, he would not undermine Titus' decrees.
Then a demi-god had walked into Rome. If a demi-god killed a man for heresy, no one could blame the Augustus now could they? All Domitian had to do was ensure Celsus publicly insulted the demigod.
"You planned this," Titus said.
"Oh yes," Domitian admitted easily enough, "And I do not regret it. This way I can avenge our uncle, and you can keep your promise not to execute any senators. Such schemes are beneath an Augustus after all, but I am not Augustus. Don't look so surprised, brother. Did you not do the same thing for our father? Eliminate any threat and traitor with extreme prejudice?"
"He is not dead, Domitian. He may come to suspect your scheming," Titus said, shaking his head, "I will banish him from Rome for heresy. Let us hope he will not implicate you in attempted murder."
"Is he not dead?" Domitian asked, calmly, "I sent out messengers so the fervent crowd outside would know exactly what happened and what Celsus looks like. I think it's been long enough."
"What?"
Domitian and Titus walked back out through the senate hall, past the severed arm to the iron doors. The senate hall had emptied out while Domitian and Titus had been talking. In the square below, the results of Domitian's plan became evident.
"Domitian, I believe I have underestimated you," Titus said, looking out on where a mob of angry Romans were ripping the corpse of Senator Celsus apart limb from limb. One Roman was using a shard of a broken wine bottle to cut the senator's head off. "Thank you, brother. This was most considerate of you."
Domitian elbowed his brother lightly, "We Flavians stick together."
.
.
.
Author's Note:
Human sacrifice was (officially) not practiced in Rome anymore at this time. However, Romans did occasionally ritualistically murder prisoners NEAR a temple. Just to show that the Roman gods were more powerful than their enemies. Definitely not a human sacrifice to the gods though- that would be barbaric. For example, a triumph was a big military parade led by the conquering general (during the time of the republic), or by the Augustus (during the empire). They would parade all the shit they had stolen from their enemies, show off their new slaves they kidnapped, and then kill the leader of the enemy.
"Now the last part of this triumph was at the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus; and when [Vespasian, Titus and Domitian] got there, they stopped. For it was the Roman's ancient custom to wait there until somebody brought the news that the general of the enemy was dead. This general was Simon, the son of Gioras, who had been led in this triumph among the captives. A rope had also been put upon his head; and he had been drawn into an appropriate place in the Forum – he had also been tormented by those that drew him along – the law of the Romans required, that criminals condemned to die, should be killed there. Accordingly, when it was related that there was an end of him, and all the people had set up a shout for joy…" – Josephus' account of the triumph of Vespasian, Titus and Domitian.
Not human sacrifice though. Romans want to be clear about that. He died in the Forum, not in the temple so it wasn't a human sacrifice. Obviously. Romans aren't barbarians.