Chapter Eight: The Fall of the Romans

Point of View: Perseus Jackson

I land outside of Camp Jupiter in front of the tunnel and in between the camp and the monster army. "To battle!" I yell and the monsters charge into the tunnel. 

I walk slowly into the tunnel, taking my time. Once I reach the solid and locked phalanx of the Roman demigods, I draw my sword. Reyna, in her immortal praetorship, is the first to notice me. "Keep strong!" She yells forcefully and throws her shield into the mix, strengthening it. 

I push back the phalanx with ease and the monsters surround those once I push them back out of the tunnel. Most of the army floods down into the ranks of the rest of the legion, the brave souls guarding the tunnel surrounded by the worst of this half of our army. 

"Who are you?" Reyna asks me and watched warily.  

"The Bane of Olympus." I answer. 

"Funny, you don't look like the Ophiotaurus." She smirks, but it's unsteady and her voice is slightly shaky. 

"No, I don't. And I'm not. I'm one of the souls come to destroy Olympus and tear it to pieces. And you're in my way. The children of the gods die first while your parents do nothing to save you. Not to mention your Greek brothers and sisters aren't here. But that isn't their fault. They're being kept busy. And our spells repel them away from their own border, keeping them inside. Pitiful. I thought you were all supposed to be strong." I counter. 

"I'm never in the way because I am always leading." She steels herself and drops her shield, pulling out her spear. She comes closer. 

"Then I guess you'll die before these other foolish souls." I point at the others of the phalanx with my chin. 

"I'll reform and come back if you do best me." Reyna says. 

"I'm a son of Tartarus. I can make sure you won't reform or never leave the Pit. You'll be in my territory, my home. You would be mine to make sure your soul is in eternal agony. I do enjoy bringing pain to those who oppose my father." I tell her. 

Her trip on her spear tightens and she turns pale, but she charges anyway. The moment she stepped forward, was the moment she sealed her fate. When she is about to run me through, I side step and run her through instead. She impales herself on my sword and I lean down next to her ear. "So much sadness boiling in your soldiers at seeing you die first. Such a pity. I used to like you. But now you're dead. See you down in the Pit, Reyna." I whisper. 

She shimmers away and the field is dead silent. The monsters are grinning at me. I know they only had one praetor, no one else would take the other position. I address the monsters, "What are you waiting for? Kill them all, eat your fill and when you're too full, slaughter the rest. Any immortals are sent to Tartarus, don't eat those. Enjoy." I tell them. I turn and sheathe my sword as all the monsters walk past me. "Chief, you're in charge. I've got gods to hunt down." I tell an overgrown cyclops.

"Yes, sir! Thank you." He salutes me and runs down, bashing into the phalanx and eating one he picks up at random. I turn and look at the field. Buildings on fire, collapsed. Soldiers dead or bleeding out, being eaten, fighting for their lives. Weapons and armor litter the field and hardly any dust piles revealing that monsters are winning this fight and will probably beat them all. 

And what do I feel? Noting but pure, blissful, pleasure at seeing the fools dying because of their moronic parents ruling their lives. They would have been better off not listening to them. 

What do I know about this war? If they wouldn't have sent me to Tartarus, I would have been here to save them and things would be different. But they aren't, and I don't care about these soldiers anymore.  

I flash over to the city and Terminus just looks at me. "My old friend, how are you?" I ask him as I casually walk towards him. 

"They're going to die. All of them. Please, spare the few that still survive. Have mercy." Terminus says. 

"Mercy? Oh no. I am not allowed to show mercy to these children in particular. And as soon as this war is over, monsters will go out and hunt down very last demigod and descendant. There won't be any left." I inform him with a smirk. 

"No!" He pleads. "Who are you?" 

"An old friend. An old praetor. An old soldier. An old hero. Once loved by all. Now loved by few. Betrayed and broken. Now I'm back with an all new attitude. And I'm here to kill off the gods. You're one of them." I say. 

"Perseus? Perseus Jackson?" Terminus asks hopefully. 

"How'd you guess?" I ask and laugh menacingly. I point my sword at him. "Oh my, it seems your view on me has now changed. I intend on making you fade. You will not reform. The time of the gods, is over. A new era will dawn and the age of many will begin." 

"Humans will die by the hundreds!" Terminus argues. 

"I'm not that stupid." I spit. "I have already taken care of that. Humans will be protected. I have made them all swear on that. My brothers will take over the domains for which they were born and others will take over domains."

"What's in it for you?" Terminus asks in defeat. "What power do you want?" 

"All I want at the end of this war, is the pleasure of seeing Olympus in shambles, torn apart, smoking, and marred by my own two hands. I don't want power, I want justice. Too long have the gods wrongly accused many and punished them unfairly. I'm here to put an end to that. Justice is my honor to carry out. I have already begun the elimination process. I've murdered so many gods before this war even started, I am that unsettling presence you have all been feeling lately. Not to mention losing so many gods and goddesses in record time. I mean, the balance has already been thrown out the window. I had to absorb their blood to keep it there so we could assign their roles to new deities. Evil gods who have turned. And every time I go to kill, I come back with at least one new ally." I tell him. 

"So I see." Terminus wilts. 

"There is one thing I know about you, border god. You won't give up on these children. Especially since there are more in another encampment and soon they will all lie dead or in the stomachs of my soldiers. You did today, for you will not surrender." I say. 

"No, you are right. And I only ask one favor. One favor as I say how I am so very sorry for what happened to you. I did not know until a few demigods asked about your disappearance and were told you had to die so that they all could live and you did it willingly. I knew better than they did. So did Reyna, but she is stuck inside this camp due to immortality. Was stuck. So I ask one thing." Terminus becomes stone like again. 

"Very well, border god. Name it." I nod at him. 

"Burn shrouds for them. All of them." Terminus says. 

"It shall be done." I promise. 

"Thank you. I still believe that there is something of the old you left." He smiles a little at me. 

I pierce his heart with my sword. "That may be, but it is very dormant. Rest now, old friend and enjoy the afterlife of the faded gods."

He shimmers and something drops into my hand. I inspect it and find a smaller version of his entire statue on a silver cord. A pendant. Of Terminus. I close my hand around it and look up. "Goodbye, border god." I whisper and the pendant glows warm. I feel something enter me and I gasp as I become patron to a new domain. I feel New Rome's border and bring it down. I put the pendant around my neck and hide it underneath my armor. 

"Now for Iris." I shake my head sadly and flash to her location. 

"No! Get away from me!" Iris screams at me as I advance through the field at her, forcing down her power to flash away. 

"Tell me, if I gave you a choice, what would you pick?" I ask her. 

She stops and so do I. "A choice?" She asks. 

"Yes." I nod. 

"What is it?" She asks frightened. 

"Join me or fade forever." I say. 

She looks hesitant. "I'll...join you. I have seen who you are, child. I am sorry." 

"Wonderful news. Come then." I hold out my hand. She reluctantly comes forward and takes hold of my hand. "I suppose you'll want to know where you'll be safe. I'll put you with the others that have joined our cause. I do believe you know Nemesis. She knew better than to side with the gods. They lose to justice and vengeance. It has already been foretold." 

Iris nods and places her hand over my heart. "You will be better." She whispers. I feel something burn where her hand is and then my right shoulder blade starts to burn. I look at her quizzically and she smiles sheepishly. "My gift to you and to help heal you little by little." She kisses my cheek and I flash her away to the other minor gods. They reside in my mother's house in the Pit where they won't weaken. 

I manage to see what's on my right shoulder blade and find it's a tattoo of an orb of light. I sigh. At least it's not a rainbow. My heart doesn't have anything on it thank Tartarus. But I feel a little different. 

I shake my head and flash to Olympus. I take out the next few targets before entering the throne room. 

"Olympians! So nice to see you!" I wave at them all with a devilish smile plastered to my face, my torso covered in immortal Ichor. I absorb it and half of them gag. "How is the besieged camp?" I ask excitedly. 

"Oh my Rhea, you are so evil." Aphrodite gags again. 

"Don't say that. It's all of your fault. If you had stopped wrongly justifying such evil actions, this wouldn't be happening or at least you could be winning. But no." I say. 

"Who are you?! Tell us your name!" Athena cries. 

"Oh that's an easy one. I more expected, Oh my Olympus! Please spare us! We can't win this alone! Someone help us!" I cackle and they all press into their thrones. "Perseus Jackson, at your service." I bow mockingly. I straighten and laugh at their horrified faces. "Oh, your faces are priceless. I wish I had a camera. No? Too bad. I would have loved enjoying this moment forever. Oh wait, I can. I remember things forever. How I do so love the anguish and guilt rolling off of you. So delicious. You see your mistake I take it?" I chuckle darkly. 

"What made you this way? You would never break." Ares asks and comes down. 

"What made me this way? I'd never break? Oh, how wrong you are war god." I laugh at his face. "You're right. Or, I suppose you used to be right. But you see, my soul required loyalty to never break. I had to believe in all of you. But you sent me here, most of you forgot about me, what I did, what was right, what was moral. I was forgotten by my so called friends and family. I disowned my mortal mother and my godly father. I became the son of those you call evil. I broke because I had nothing left to be loyal to or love or protect. At the moment I said yes and accepted Tartarus, I became a new person with new ties. When I entered the Pit that day you sentenced me, I started to fade. Brought back to be tortured. I'm not the same boy you sent down there. I'm the monster that stars in your worst nightmares. I'm the one that is going to kill and torture and take away your pride and egos. I may have some similarities to the boy you loved and betrayed, but those a far from my mind right now. Because in this moment, I want nothing more than to rip you all into little tiny pieces and then eat them. But I am forbidden and I am only here for a few of you. One will be spared completely. I'm offering that one single entity to come along peacefully of I'll just drag you out. You already know who you are." 

I hold out my hand and they all look at me in shock. All of them except one, Apollo. He slides off his throne and walks over slowly, shocking the others even more. He takes my hand and I grin evilly. "Yes, you are intelligent to know what is about to happen." I give him my partial blessing. "Go now to your sister. She'll be delighted to see you. I guess I have your eternal word to not join this fight, just like she has sworn." He nods and I flash him away to my wife. I look at all the Olympians. "This should be fun." I laugh and hold out my hand, immobilizing all but Ares, Aphrodite, and Dionysus. Those three come to the middle of the room so they are better protected. 

"What are you doing?" Ares asks spitefully. 

"Eliminating a few threats. Oh, Aphrodite, you are in my domain and I feel for you. Do not be frightened. Would you think I'd kill a fellow deity of love?" I look at her. 

She looks surprised and then seems to get it. "You're a P-" 

"Yes, I am. So I extend the same offer to you that I gave Apollo, if only because it was necessary and out of my love for my wife." I tell her. 

She nods and walks right up to me. "Yes. I'm tired." I hold out my hand and she reaches until here is in mine. 

"Hmm, connections. I see what you have been seeing for all time. You poor goddess. You may join Apollo instead of the minor gods. Say hello to my wife for me." I tell her and she smiles, kissing my cheeks. I give her my partial blessing and flash her away. 

"Who is your wife?" Ares asks. 

"Oh, you cannot be so dull." I roll my eyes and scoff. 

Dionysus speaks up from a pale complexion. "You married our sister Artemis." 

I grin. "Indeed I did. At the will of my father. She has rekindled something old inside. Though I do not believe it will save you. Targets must be terminated." 

Ares and Dionysus shudder. Dionysus glows and becomes the vision of a warrior in his prime. "Then I won't be terminated without a fight." He says. 

I nod with a warm smile on my face. "Admirable. I had a feeling you weren't so lazy, insanity doesn't allow that to happen. Another actor among the mythological world. I myself had that experience. I hope you pass easily, wine god." I tell him and Ares charges me first with his spear. 

I unsheathe my sword and parry the blow. I cut through the spear and Ares's eyes widen tremendously. I cut off his head and he shimmers to reform in Tartarus. I lay my sword to rest on my shoulder and look at Dionysus curiously. "I am to make sure you go straight to Tartarus where Owen can have you tortured, but I do not think you should have to face it. I will make you fade like some of the others Owen did not want. After all this time, you deserve your peace." I tell him. 

He looks at me strangely. "But I don't even know where we go once we fade." 

"I do." I say softly. "It is where all of you go. Every deity who has faded goes there. I believe it is your time. Your time to enjoy the Waters of Solace." I tell him. 

"Sol-" He begins to ask, but my sword entering his heart interrupts him. 

He grips my arm and whispers in my ear, "Thank you." 

I nod. "My pleasure. Goodbye." I twist my sword and he fades away. 

Something drops into my hand again and this time, it is a wine glass pendant. I sigh and attach it to Terminus's gift. 

I wave my hand over the others and they start to gasp and freak out. All there is left is Hera, Zeus, Hestia, Hades, Demeter, Poseidon, Athena, and Hermes. "Dear Hestia, you are so peaceful and my father wishes to extend to you immunity in this war. As well as Demeter and Hera. Two of you never fight and the other is either forced or enraged. Will you accept my father's generous offer?" I say. 

"What about the Giants who want us?" Hestia comes to me hesitantly. 

"Have no fear of them. Should they touch you with the blessing I would give you, should you accept, their hand would be burned and deflected. You will not be touched nor harmed." I say and hold out my hand. 

She smiles warmly and takes my hand. My blessing radiates over her and I flash her away to Artemis. I look at Hera and Demeter who are whispering to each other quietly. "And you two? Will you come with me to my home?" I hold out both hands this time and wear a straining welcoming smile. They come forward and take my hands. My hands close around theirs and they glow with my blessing. "Delightful. To the rest of you, I should hope you know what is to become of you. I won't be sorry if you see my true darkness. But that will be later on. The next time you see me, I'll be the one murdering at the Greek encampment." 

I flash away with the two goddesses to my home. 

Artemis pov

Apollo appears in a black light and I know Perseus has sent him. I squeak and jump onto my brother, hugging him. "I am so glad you are okay." 

Apollo's arms wrap around me and I can't help but compare the feeling to Perseus's. Apollo isn't nearly as warm, which is fairly odd. "Sister." He breathes. 

"Yes, it's me." I whisper to him. 

"You're married." He says. 

"Happily married, yes." I tell him and laugh in relief. 

"He is good to you?" Apollo asks unsure. 

"Mhmm." I nod. "He's always kind and when he's not he gets mad at himself and corrects it immediately. Grandmother is a lot nicer than we thought before." 

"And he's never mean to you? Never unsettling? You're sure you're happy with him?" He looks me in the eyes. 

"Of course. The only thing that was unsettling was the blood drinking but now I have grown used to it." I reassure him. 

He sighs and nods, pulling me into another hug. "Okay." 

"Well, I guess I'm alive." Aphrodite's voice sounds from behind me. 

I turn and my brother and I look at Aphrodite. "Hello, sister." I tell her. 

She squeals and hugs me. "You're married. My little sister is married!" She swings me around with monster strength. 

"Aphrodite!" I exclaim and giggle. 

Apollo is smiling. "What are we to do now? You obviously have a place to stay, but where do we go?" Aphrodite asks as she sets me down. 

Another flash and Hestia stands in between the three of us. "Aunt?" I ask uncertainly. 

"I'm glad to see young Perseus has found love again and with you. You were losing your warmth slowly, dear. It was a little bit surprising for me as I tried to restore it over time. Now it's back fully and I don't have to worry about you." Hestia hugs me. 

"Yes, that is a kind passage of words. Welcome to my home." Perseus's voice sounds from behind all of us. We turn to see him with Demeter and Hera. "Thank-" Apollo starts to say. 

Perseus raises his hand and walks straight up to Apollo, they are the same height. "Just let me point out a few things to you sun god. I was under orders to kill you without hesitation. Because my wife loves you and because there would be nothing left without the light of the sun and she would die due to your light fading, I spared you. I brought you here. I won't promise your safety. Aphrodite is under my domain as a Primordial, she is already safe. Hestia, Demeter, and Hera were offered sanction because they are normally peaceful when it comes down to war. They are normally peaceful and so they may walk freely. You, however, are a different story entirely. Your children are main forces in the war, you control enormous parts of our world, your light angers many monsters and they want nothing more than to snuff it out, you are an Olympian, and I have half a mind to kill you for several reasons. Do not test me. Do not thank me. My saving you from my father's wrath could get the majority of you killed in his blind rage. I must placate him. My mother likes the idea of having you around. If it makes my wife happy, so be it. Fine. But I will not be responsible for your safety. You may have my blessing to save you from many things. But be warned, I did not give you protection from Titans, Giants, gods, or Primordials. You are on your own with them. Stay out of their way and maybe they won't kill you. As to where you'll stay, you'll all stay here under my territory's sanctuary. It is too rough outside for you at the moment. I extend the hospitality I must give and suggest that you, Apollo, train to remain able to defend yourself. Because I will not come to your protection." 

"I understand." Apollo nods. 

"Do you?" Perseus asks and my brother nods. 

"Yes. Have you known about my sister?" His eyes narrow at my husband. 

Perseus freezes and then glances at me. "Since I woke up this morning. I have taken notice of the intertwining little destiny." 

"What are you talking about?" I ask unsure. 

Perseus sighs and turns around slowly. He comes towards me and places his hand on my abdomen. "You are with child. My child." He tells me. 

"What?" I ask, shock taking over. 

"Sweetheart, you bear his child." Hestia tells me. 

Perseus removes his hand and takes both of mine in his. "You don't have to have it." He tells me and let's my hands drop, turning away. 

I grab onto one of his hands and he stops. "I want to have it." I force out from the shock and it's true, I'm just adjusting to the idea of having a child. Tears run down my face. He doesn't turn around. "I do want to have it. Believe me. I've wanted one now for a long time." 

He looks over his shoulder with calculating eyes. "Then you should understand the power that child will hold once born. It's not just my child, it's yours. I have no clue on what it will be. It is blocked from my sight. Not even Apollo sees it. We must wait. It will not be a Primordial, nor will it be a god or goddess. I doubt very much it will be a Titan or Giant. It will be something new entirely. It will start a new race. It will have domains, it will be immortal, and it will have all of my traits as well as yours. The curse will not pass on to it, nor will the unsettling changes of mine. My original traits before the changes will flow into it. Not the sea, but the Earth and Pit. It just won't have my kinks. Those would be learned if it grows old enough knowing." 

I nod. "I know." 

"You'll be the mother of a child of a man who turned into a monster." He whispers. 

"You aren't a monster." I whisper. 

He smirks. "You haven't seen me fight yet." 

"Why does that matter?" I ask. 

"If you worry about my weird habits in normal functioning, my habits and ways in a battle are completely advanced into gruesome." He says. 

"I don't care." I cross my arms. 

He raises an eyebrow, scoffs, and then shakes his head. He tries to walk away again but I yank him back. "What?" He asks. 

"Where are you going?" Apollo asks grudgingly. 

"To do my job." Perseus says confusedly, like we don't understand. 

"Where are you going this time?" Hestia asks. 

"Topside. My mother wishes me to find the hunters and bring them to my wife. Why, I do not know. I'm just doing as told." He answers. 

"Wait, are you unaffected by ancient laws?" Hera asks him. 

Perseus doesn't look anyone in the eye and instead just looks above my head. "Yes, I am unaffected. It's is because..." He looks down at me and gently removes his hand from my grasp. "Go rest. The rest of you can find a place to sleep somewhere in the house. Mother Earth knows there's plenty of room." He says and flashes out in black light. 

Percy pov

I teleport to the forest in Mexico where I located the hunters. I walk through the forest and come across the Hunt's camp. They move around sluggishly. 

The gait of the depressed and lonely. 

I walk to the edge of the camp and sigh. This brings me to their full, undivided attention. They all whip their bows out and form together. I put my hands up. 

"Who are you?" Thalia asks. 

"The man who is watching over Artemis." I answer. 

"Where is she?" Phoebe asks desperately. 

"Where she has been for the past few days." I reply. 

"Why are you here?" Atalanta asks. 

"Is our sister okay?" Phoebe comes right up to me without fear and her anger about my being male is gone due to her anxiety. 

"Artemis is unharmed. I am here to bring you to your sister. I cannot take no for an answer. I am...sorry. But you must come. Especially since it's for your own safety and Artemis is awaiting you." I tell them. 

They all reluctantly come forward. All except one, a little girl who is frozen in place at the sight of me. I tilt my head at her and come to a conclusion. "I frighten you, don't I?"

She starts to back up but stops. I come forward slowly and crouch down in front of her, making her start to shake. "Do not be afraid. I will not hurt you in any way." I tell her. 

"You look..." She starts. 

"I know. But that doesn't mean I am. Do you not wish to see Artemis? Why does it matter what I look like when all I am doing is bringing you to her?" I reason with her. 

"Okay." She walks over to the others. 

"Oh dear," I put a hand to my head. "So many of you." 

"We are eighteen in number." Thalia informs me. 

"So I see." I reply. 

"Well, are we going?" Phoebe asks in irritation. 

"Yes. I'm deciding how to do this. Hmm..." I tell them. 

"How to do what?" Atalanta asks nervously. 

"Well, Artemis is being kept safe in a dangerous place. I am trying to think on how to keep you safe. Unfortunately, I realize what this means." I sigh and come forward closer. 

I rest my hand on Thalia's shoulder and she glows with a black light. She jumps back and I do the same to Phoebe. "What was that?" Thalia asks. 

"You can't be serious." Phoebe looks at my left hand and snatches it, holding it up. "You're married to her." She looks horrified. 

"Yes." I tell her and wave my hand over the rest of the hunters, making them glow black. 

They all give me this confused and yet understanding look. "Take us to our sister." Thalia orders. 

"I'm getting there, lieutenant." I snap. We all flash and appear in the living room. They all look around. "She sleeping upstairs. I suggest you let her rest. You may sleep wherever there is room. Try the second floor. I feel the third floor is currently occupied." I start to go up the stairs. 

"Wait." Phoebe commands. 

I turn back slowly, one foot on the first step. "Yes?" 

"Why are e still together if she is married to you?" She asks. 

"A question to be asked tomorrow when we are all not dead tired and about to drop. Get the little ones to bed. Artemis will be with you in the morning." I tell her. 

"And the answer? Can you tell me if its good or bad at least?" Phoebe presses. 

"That is for you to decide. All will be revealed on the morrow. For now, get some rest. I will not repeat myself. Do not make me put you all in your rooms. My nerves are already tried." I tell her. 

I continue my exodus up the steps and stop to watch them file into rooms on the second floor before going back to the other flight and ascending to the bedroom. I enter and lie down next to Artemis's sleeping form. She seems more peaceful than before.