The Second Jackson- Piper McLean book 1

Reinforcements and Boss Fights

Lani

We were without a doubt, the strangest reinforcements in Roman military history. Hazel rode Arion, who had recovered enough to carry one person at normal horse speed, though he cursed about his aching hooves all the way downhill.

Frank transformed into a bald eagle- which I think my brother still found unfair- and soared above us. Tyson ran down the hill, waving his club and yelling, "Bad pony-men! BOO!" while Ella fluttered around him, reciting facts from the Old Farmer's Almanac.

As for my brother and I, we rode Mrs. O'Leary into battle with a chariot full of Imperial gold equipment clanking and clinking behind, the golden eagle standard of the Twelfth Legion raised high above us.

We skirted the perimeter of the camp and took the northernmost bridge over the Little Tiber, charging into the field of Mars at the western edge of the battle. A horde of Cyclopes was hammering away at the campers of the Fifth Cohort, who were trying to keep their shields locked just to stay alive.

Seeing them in trouble, I felt a surge of protective rage. These were the kids who'd taken me and my brother in. This was my family, a place where I didn't have to live in the shadows of my past or my brother's triumph.

I shouted, "Fifth Cohort!" and slammed into the nearest Cyclops. The last things the poor monster saw were Mrs. O'Leary's teeth

After the Cyclops disintegrated- and stayed disintegrated thanks to Death- Percy and I leaped off Mrs. O'Leary and slashed wildly through the other monsters side-by-side.

Tyson charged at the Cyclops leader, Ma Gasket, her chain-mail dress spattered with mud and decorated with broken spears.

She gawked at Tyson and started to say, "Who-?"

Tyson hit her in the head so hard, she spun in a circle and landed on her rump.

"Bad Cyclops Lady!" he bellowed. "General Tyson says GO AWAY!"

He hit her again, and Ma Gasket broke into dust.

Meanwhile Hazel charged around on Arion, slicing her Spatha through one Cyclops after another, while Frank blinded the enemies with his talons.

Once every Cyclops within fifty yards had been reduced to ashes, Frank landed in front of his troops and transformed into a human. His centurion's badge and Mural Crown gleamed on his winter jacket.

"Fifth Cohort!" he bellowed. "Get your Imperial gold weapons right here!"

The campers recovered from their shock and mobbed the chariot. Percy did his best to hand out equipment quickly.

"Let's go, let's go!" Dakota urged, grinning like a madman as he swigged red Kool-Aid from his flask. "Our comrades need help!"

Soon the Fifth Cohort was equipped with new weapons and shields and helmets. They weren't exactly consistent. In fact they looked like they'd been shopping at a King Midas clearance sale. But we were suddenly the most powerful cohort in the legion.

"Follow the eagle!" Frank ordered. "To battle!"

The campers cheered. As Mrs. O'Leary, Percy, and I charged onward, the entire cohort followed- forty extremely shiny gold-plated warriors screaming for blood.

We slammed into a herd of wild centaurs that were attacking the Third Cohort. When the campers of the Third saw the eagle standard, they shouted insanely and fought with renewed effort.

The centaurs didn't stand a chance. The two cohorts crushed them like a vise. Soon there was nothing left but piles of dust and assorted hooves and horns. I hoped whatever centaur I was starting to remember would forgive me.