Percy Jackson son of Neptune

Chapter 13

Chapter Fourteen

Piper hadn't been expecting the girl from before, the younger African-American who had landed on the ship. She seemed so innocent, yet here she was describing the murder of a human, even if he sounded absolutely deplorable, as if it was no major matter. Jason was similarly confused, though for different reasons.

"They elected him Praetor, even after he killed the augur?" He asked the girl, Hazel, who nodded with a bright smile.

"Well, nobody liked him, from what I understand." Hazel said. "Once the gods acquitted him, Percy became very well-known and admired around Rome, and the legion. Four other candidates dropped out when they heard he was running. He won ninety percent of the vote!"

"And that doesn't concern you?" Piper asked, doubting the validity of the claim. It was Jason who answered, shaking his head.

"Percy's always been popular with the rank and file. That doesn't surprise me at all." He admitted. "What about this whole Imperator situation? How did that come about, exactly?"

"Well, that's an interesting story, but Percy said I could tell you." Hazel said with a smile.

She then proceeded to explain how Mars arrived telling Percy to take Hazel and Frank to Alaska, and to free Thanatos, who had been chained, which was preventing monsters from staying dead. After a series of events, including intervening in an Amazonian civil war, playing Russian roulette with poison, breaking the siege of Frank's grandmother's house, and an epic battle with a giant in Alaska, Percy and his quest mates not only freed Thanatos, but also recovered the legion's eagle, and almost all the weapons and armour that had been lost in the 1980's. They arrived at camp in time to save the legion, with Hazel and Frank handing out weapons and armour, while Percy used the eagle to destroy masses of monsters, before engaging Polybotes in single combat.

"How did he kill him then?" Piper asked. "You need a god and a demigod to beat a Gigante."

"Oh, Percy asked Terminus for help, but since Polybotes hadn't crossed into the city, he wouldn't." Hazel explained. "So, Percy threw Terminus at Polybotes, and then stabbed him in the heart. The monsters tried to flee after that, but he drowned most of them using the Little Tiber. The rest were finished off quickly, and then the legion raised him on their shields, and called him Imperator. Quite a few of the citizens who had remained came out and did the same. The senate confirmed it the next day."

"Percy.... Threw a marble statue at a Gigante?" Jason asked incredulously. Hazel nodded at him.

"Terminus wasn't very happy, but he was also the one who suggested calling Percy 'Giganticus'. Percy doesn't like the name, but he's been granted it regardless." Hazel told the group. "But, the best part is, despite all this power he has, he still lets the senate rule. Some aren't happy about him being Imperator, but it was the will of the legion, and our right. We couldn't have chosen a better leader!"

Piper noticed Jason flinch, and her heart went out to her boyfriend. The next question caught all of them off guard.

"Are he and Reyna still a thing?" He asked Hazel, who narrowed her eyes at the question.

"The Consul and Imperator are in a healthy, stable relationship." She stressed. "Not that it is any of your business."

"How is it not? I'm still a member of the legion, am I not?" Jason countered, only for Hazel to freeze. "I'm not, am I?"

"No." She affirmed quietly. "The senate gave you an honourable discharge for your years of service."

"Did Percy do it?" He asked, and Piper could feel the sadness radiating off him.