The Animal Within

Chapter 73 - Caesar

Jason's head spun. Marcus had been right in having Ella the Harpy found and brought to Jason to speak with him.

Antonius and Augustus were discussing the prophecy between themselves long after she'd left, and the broken sentences echoed through Jason's head too. The issue with Ella's prophecies were the broken lines and verses. It all came through in bits and pieces that weren't matching up with each other.

"The past dead, a new coup,
to crown one, for a new view,
by the snake's tongue, for time,
an ancient god, new rule to be sung,
at the behest of the immortal goat,
to the sea's rage, a life eternally remote.

Jason had no idea what it meant. He could figure out a few bits from it that might make some sense, but the overall prophecy seemed mostly gibberish. Some of the lines didn't even rhyme with each other the way they were supposed to.

"We were right," Augustus said, however, much to Jason's annoyance. "One is to be crowned," Augustus said with a smile.

Jason took a deep breath. "New Rome is a Republic," he said, feeling like a repeating, broken record at this point.

"For now," Augustus dismissed.

The son of Jupiter grimaced. He gingerly touched his side, which was feeling better after a few hours of forced rest. Jason still didn't feel brilliant and he worried if he'd be able to fight effectively to defend Rome, but he didn't have a choice.

If Rome was attacked, Jason would defend his home.

A knock on the infirmary door startled Jason out of his musings. "Pontifex, you have visitors – hey! You can't just barge-" The door opened, causing Jason to tense at the alarmed and raised voice of one of his guards.

The first man stepping through the door wasn't one he recognised in the slightest, but Marcus Aurelius – the second man through the door – muttered a few words to the guard before he turned his smile towards Jason. A poor legionnaire stumbled through after them with wide eyes, a large crate rolling in in front of him. Marcus ushered the legionnaire out of the infirmary once he'd stopped the crate inside.

"Pontifex, allow me to introduce to you-"

"Julius," the dark-haired man said across the room as he strode across the infirmary towards Jason, Augustus and Antonius. "Caesar if you want to be respectful." Jason's eyes widened. "Augustus, what mess did you get yourself into that you're like this?" Julius Caesar asked, his attention firmly on the man whom was his adopted son.

Augustus smiled and rose unsteadily to his feet. "Father," he greeted, extending his arm towards Julius. Caesar accepted the first arm offered, and then traded a package under his arm for his other and offered the second arm too. It seemed to be a custom that the two former Emperors carried out as a greeting.

Jason grimaced as he sat up. His side was healing, but still not fast enough. He curiously eyed the package that Julius was holding as he also greeted Antonius, faster than he did with Augustus. It was clear there was still familiarity between Julius and the other Emperors.

"I thought you were not supposed to arrive until later this evening," Augustus said with a faint frown when the greetings were over.

Julius Caesar smiled. "I was," he said. "But at a stop-over in New York, I happened to meet Nero and he offered me a seat in his private jet since he was flying over here anyway. We had quite a conversation," Julius Caesar mused.

Jason stiffened. "Nero?" He asked sharply. "The Nero that Nico's said was terrorising Camp Half-Blood recently?"

"The same," Julius Caesar said, finally looking to Jason. Jason eyed him warily as Julius approached and settled on the end of Jason's bed, casting a curious look over the Spear of Achilles and the Ancile that rested beside it as he rested the package he held across his lap. "Fascinating," he muttered, glancing to Jason. "Do you mind?" He asked, already picking up the Spear and studying it in his hands before Jason could even open his mouth to answer. A look of disapproval flashed across his eyes. "This is not the weapon of a Roman," he stated mildly.