Percy Jackson and the Avengers

Chapter 54

POV: Percy

         Nico had eaten as much ambrosia as he could without combusting and shadow travelled them both to camp. When Percy arrived all he saw was carnage. Maybe two hundred different monsters massed just outside camp borders.

         Even though camp had grown, the wars had done its damage. A lot of the campers were greener than grass in spring. But the veterans who were left? On the greek side, that was two dozen of the toughest, bravest, most experienced, battle hardened war veterans since the gods still lived in the Mediterranean. For once, the odds weren't stacked that far against the demigods. But they were tired. Tired of war, of blood, of losing comrades. Percy felt an anger he hadn't felt since Annabeth had died.

          'No, not died. Disappeared.' Percy corrected himself. He couldn't think about her yet. Camp was under attack and he wouldn't fail his family. Never again.

         He strode to the battered front lines, meeting up with Clarisse. The daughter of Ares barely glanced at him before dismissing the newbies she was reprimanding. He sighed as he listened to her tell off the two demigods for insubordination and nearly getting another camper killed.

        "Get out of my sight. I don't want to see either of you fighting, you'll only get someone else killed. Make yourselves useful. Clean your cabins for inspection or something. Just get out of the way." She snapped. The two boys scrambled out of the angry half blood's way.

         "Clarisse. Tell me what's going on." He ordered. She nodded, falling in step with him on his right as they strode over the hill.

          "They're children of Gaea, the survivors at least. The nastier monsters she managed to raise from The Pit before, well you know. A few monsters from what's left of her army. They've been attacking the borders in waves for the last few hours." Percy shook his head. Camp hadn't recovered enough for an attack on this scale. He uncapped Riptide.

         "Well. I guess it's time we sent them back, don't you think?" He looked at his one time enemy, a lopsided grin fixed firmly over his face. This he knew. This Percy could fix. He could smile and joke and defend his family. Clarisse smiled grimly back.

         "I guess you're useful for something Prissy." The two veterans exchanged tired looks before charging down into the melee.

          "Cabin 5, phalanx!" Clarisse yells over the din. The Ares cabin immediately locks their shields together, a wall of bronze for the campers to retreat behind temporarily. Weapons bristle over the top as the monsters snarl and pull back. For a moment the two opposing forces are watching each other. Percy signals for the ranged weapons. The archers draw their bows.

       "Fire!" Percy calls. Arrows arch over their wall and monsters charge, many of them disintegrating.

       "Ares, hold the line!" Clarisse calls. The other demigods begin to branch out in front, ducking around and behind their defensive position around the camp borders. Percy throws himself into the fight, his sword flashing in the light. His ADHD kicked into high gear, taking in everything and nothing all at once.

        The Ares cabin is holding the line, the rest of camp using them as a base to rally around. He catches glimpses of the Stolls battling hellhounds. He hears Piper's voice echoing across the field, her compulsion wrapping around the tired demigods, pushing them to fight harder.

         At one point he has Nico at his back, the two of them ducking and dodging around each other, perfectly in sync after fighting together for years. Nico gestures and a wave of undead soldiers rise. Percy growls, as he rolls under a sword swipe. He smells ozone, knowing that Clarisse's fourth electric spear, in almost as many years, is being put to good work. The Hephaestus cabin seemed to have finally gotten their own set of defenses together as a wave of greek fire flew over their heads into the monsters, the explosion killing every monster in a five foot radius of the impact. Percy was slammed into the ground from behind. A hellhound had been hit in the blowback of an explosion and landed on Percy. He was lucky nothing broke, even if his ribs felt like he'd been hit by a bowling ball. He reached over his shoulder and stabbed the monster. He took another look around.

        The hill was on fire and most of the monsters were gone. But the campers were tired. Percy groaned, ready to charge again when he heard the sound of a battle horn being blown behind him, and when he glanced up the hill, he sighed in relief. A dozen fresh Romans stood at the ready, Jason in the lead.

         "Need some help?" The former praetor called.

         "Naw. Give me five more minutes." Percy rolled his eyes. The Romans charged down the hill as the greek demigods dragged or carried the injured back towards the safety of camp's borders. Percy and Jason launched themselves at a small group of Laestrygonians together, dodging the flaming cannonballs, Jason going high, Percy going low. Like Percy predicted, five minutes later, half blood hill was quiet, nothing but monster dust and groaning demigods.

          Looking around at the carnage, Percy felt old. He'd fought for so long, and yet camp still wasn't at peace. He needed Annabeth. She would have known what to do, what to make of the attacks on camp. He wanted so badly to see her, to touch her, to hold her. He wanted to see her smile, listen to her heart beat. He needs Annabeth.

         And now he could.

         If Nico was right, if she really was alive, Percy was going to find her. Even if he has to walk through the deepest depths of Tartarus again. He turned to Jason.

         "Can you?" He asked, gesturing at the straggling greek demigods. His friend nodded.

        "I heard about the prophecy. Go. Just remember, both camps stand with you." Percy nodded tiredly before he let out a loud taxicab whistle. Blackjack swooped down next to him.

         'Yo Boss! Need a lift?' Percy mounted his old friend easily.

         "Yeah, I need you to take me to the city. And how many times do I need to ask you not to call me boss?"

         'You got it Boss. Can we get donuts on the way? Percy let out a tired laugh.

          "Always with the donuts. We'll see buddy, we'll see."