Soldier and Warrior part 1
Percy had popped into Camp Jupiter again to train with various cohorts, as Hazel and Frank were both quite vehement that it was good for him and the legionnaires and probatio liked to see him. (They wouldn’t explain why that was, even when Percy pointed out he was just a boring college now.)
It was fun, and the exercise certainly helped calm his ADHD brain enough to make studying later not as much of a struggle.Â
It was as he was working with some of the newest “recruits” that he first saw the guy. At first he honestly thought he was Ares, then realized that being in Camp Jupiter it should be Mars and there were honestly just enough differences that while Percy was still certain whoever it was, was a god, at least it wasn’t Ares/Mars. (He and Hera held the tops spots for Percy’s least favorite deity’s he wasn’t supposed to attack.)
He decided to ignore him until the god approached, as it was weird enough for him to actually be here, as the gods did not come to Camp Jupiter really.Â
Shrugging it off, he went back to teaching eleven-and-twelve-year old’s how to not stab themselves with their Gladius and hold their shield’s to not get stabbed by someone else’s Gladius. (They weren’t at spears yet, one weapon at a time.)Â
It became a pattern after that, he would be training someone or even training himself, dueling various older demigods and trying to keep his skills to “not embarrassing” seriously, he couldn’t even beat a giant naked statue of Apollo not that long ago...
Then on brief three day holiday in new york, the god was there observing him in the training fields at camp half-blood. (His mom had encouraged the trip as Estelle had declared that she wouldn’t sleep until Percy left, so as to maximize their time together, for toddler logic, Percy had to agree it was pretty sound, but his mom looked unimpressed.)
So there the Ares clone was, just watching him, and Percy had finally had enough.Â
After finishing up the lesson, he got the area clean and worked his way over to were the god was, blatantly waiting. (Percy thought he may have walked into a trap.)
The god smiled, his red-brown eyes keen as he watched Percy approach.Â
“So, what’s up with the stalker routine?” Percy asked. (He’d never gotten the hang of the deference thing.)
The god smiled, “It is not stalking if I ensure you can always see me, young warrior. But to answer the spirit of your question, you fascinate me and I find I enjoy watching you practice and teach your craft.”
“Caft?” Percy asked before blinking. “You mean fighting?”
The god nodded. “Indeed, for I am Enyalius, god of soldiers and appreciating the ability and skill of the greatest demigod is a very enjoyable pastime.”
“Oh.” Percy didn’t know what else to say really. Â
“It is a pity though,” Enyalius continued; “that you no longer seem to go on quests, as while you are fascinating in training, I dare say you must be magnificent in true battle. I regret that I had been... fading... I think, my father Ares even using my name as his own sometimes, which is quite vexing, so I missed your previous quests.”
“I beat Ares once, though he cursed me for it.”Â
Enyalius grinned, something wicked in the curse of his lips. “I am aware, and yes, my father is a sore loser and given your youth and inexperience, he foolishly went in overconfident.”
After this exchange, he would approach Enyalius after training, and after some brief questioning involving eyebrows, the god actually started joining in on lessons and both more and less fun, started dueling Percy himself, pointing out that Percy could defeat most demigods easily and that sparring against a superior opponent would only be to his advantage.Â
Percy, for the record could acknowledge the advantage but the amount of bruises he got from each bout did dampen his enjoyment somewhat. Enyalius would tease him when he complained, pointing out that simple step into the little Tiber, or even dumping a bucket of water one his head would heal him easily, so that bruises hardly lasted.Â
Things continued in this vein until a messenger approached one day before they could start, bowing “My Lords, the praetors request your presence as soon as is convenient.”
Percy’s eyebrow twitched but Enyalius responded before he could ask why he was a “lord” too.”
“Very well, run ahead and inform them of our arrival once we’ve cleaned up a bit. (They were pretty rank, having already done some lessons with a midlevel group working on their spear abilities.)
Well, Percy was rank, Enyalius of course blinked and was fresh as a damn daisy.Â
With a groan, Percy headed back to his apartment to wash up. When he emerged from the shower, it was to the presence of not only Enyalius, but also some very fancy armor, complete with purple cloak and a golden laurel crown (the one his father had gifted him after the war with Gaia.)
Deciding to not even bother arguing (Hazel and Frank and pretty much everyone else in Camp Jupiter ignored that fact that he’d barely been Praetor and insisted that he’d never been relieved of his title so the purple cloak was in fact appropriate.)Â
It still didn’t explain the way Hazel and Frank straightened and saluted when he entered their meeting area. He was pretty sure as active Praetors they had a higher rank.)
Deciding to let it go for now, Percy asked what was up. (Hazel and Frank looked worried and stressed.)
By the end, Percy understood why that was.Â
Apparently Nero was not alone in his “gather up powerful half-bloods and train and brain-wash them to be my minions” idea. The place he, and a hadnpicked by him squad comprised of both roman and greek demigods was a “boarding school” that had opened up sometime in the last year, it was heavily fortified and while it hadn’t been operated long, the ones running it were heavier handed and there had apparently already been one demigod death. Percy was already furious, but added to that, the people had been sending out searchers of their own, looking for very young half-bloods, the youngest currently at the school was a newborn, practically purchased from his grandparents after their daughter gave birth.
The kicker and why they had so much information, was that the newborn child was Zeus’s firstborn demigod child since the Great Prophecy had passed.Â
Things happened quickly after that, everyone going grabbing weapons and supplies.
The blessing received for this trip were impressive to say the least, on the roman side Cuba, Edusa, Levanna, Rumina and on the Greek side Demeter, Artemis, Persephone and Hebe the goddesses of newborns and children were apparently rather incensed about this, Juno/Hera alone refusing to grant one apparently as she naturally would give to aide to a bastard of Zeus’. Apollo joined the blessing spree right at the end, as he was a protector of young boys.Â
Enyalius rode with Percy as they headed out, he seemed both pleased and annoyed. When Percy asked him he replied “I have long wished to see you in battle, it is true, but I dislike that the reason is endangered children.”Â
Percy nodded, “Yeah, I’ve honestly kind of been wanting to show off for you for a while, but this quest is gonna be all seriousness and probably not fun at all.” Enyalius nodded and the rest of the trip passed in silence.
They met up with the Greek contingent and began setting up a base camp, which included a small nursery area as while the Zeus kid was the youngest, the reports said there were many other toddlers packed away in the “school” as well. A son of Demeter was heading the “baby station” as everyone called it with two daughters of Levanna as his back-up.Â
Artemis in addition to her blessing had sent a group of hunters, Reyna leading them. She saluted Percy with her usual gravitas “Ave, Imperator!” which confused Percy and made Enyalius look smug.
With no time to question her on what that word was, they set to finalizing their plans.Â
A small group of Hermes and Apollo children joined the hunters as the advance group, who would be scouting out the place and were to “cause trouble” if possible. Cherish Trent, the oldest of the Hermes kids that Percy had specifically requested grinned happily at that and tugged at the straps of the bag of who knows what already on her back. “Got it covered bossman!” She said cheerily.”
That resolved, Percy set about getting the legionnaires and greek campers assembled. Â
There initial job was to provide a distraction for the infiltration team, and Enyalius had suggested something that Percy had found plain cool.
So, after they arrived at the gates of the school, he looked at his romans and yelled out “Barritus!”Â
As one his legionnaires raised their shields over their mouths and began to growl.
The greeks that flanked each side of the roman legion started grinning wildly as the growl reverberated.
The School gates opened.Â
Percy looked at Enyalius as monsters began pouring out of the gates. “Ready?” He asked, battle grin already stretching his mouth.
“As Always.” the god responded.Â
