𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 [Jason Grace]

13

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞, the monsters came from everywhere.

The traps worked, but they were overwhelmed. The sheer number and variety of monsters shocked Dante. Earthborn, Cyclops, even the Gorgons. 

June 24th, one day before his seventeenth birthday, the Giant's army attacked. Dante swore he wouldn't die before his seventeenth birthday. He had big dreams (singing Dancing Queen karaoke with Ida). 

Most of the battle was happening on the Fields of Mars, Dante was glad for it. The Twelfth Legion was arrayed trying to protect the city. Scorpions fired into the ranks of the Earthborn. Hannibal the elephant plowed down monsters right and left, but the defenders were badly outnumbered.

On her pegasus Scipio, Reyna flew around the giant Polybotes, trying to keep him occupied. The Lares had formed shimmering purple lines against a mob of black, vaporous shades in ancient armor. Veteran demigods from the city had joined the battle, and were pushing their shield wall against an onslaught of wild centaurs. Giant eagles circled the battlefield, doing aerial combat with two snake-haired ladies in green Bargain Mart vests.

The legion itself was taking the brunt of the attack, but their formation was breaking. Each cohort was an island in a sea of enemies.

"Hold, Second Cohort!" Larry's voice projected, but even Dante could hear the slight wavering in it. They were all hopelessly outnumbered. There was no way all of them were making it out alive.

Not so weirdly, Dante's mind travelled to his brother. He should have told him he loved him.

By the Pomeranian line, a Cyclops siege tower shot glowing green cannonballs into the city, blasting craters in the forum, reducing houses to ruins. Dante had no doubt Terminus was doing all he could to protect the city. Even with a god on their side, they were losing. 

A few demigods on the outside ranks fell first. 

The enemies were so many, Dante could barely see the other cohorts. 

Ida was barking out orders and inspiration in Latin, but it was chaos all around them. "We need to join the first cohort!" She yelled, which might have been the first smart thing she said that day. Strength in numbers and all that.

A girl next to Dante fell with a hit from a Centaur. Dante tried to reach for her, his fingers brushing against hers, and then she was gone. She fell to the ground, swarmed and overtaken by the enemy. There were too many casualties already. 

The only good thing that had happened that day was the fact that dead monsters stayed dead. Which meant Percy, Hazel and Frank had succeeded on their quest. It felt like a giant fuck you to Octavian. 

The second and first cohort had locked shields just to stay alive. And still they were being picked off one by one. The larger the group they formed, the more their chances of survival would be. But Romans had never been much for survival, they were conquerors. 

"Octavian!" Ida screamed as she drove her pilum through a cyclops, reducing it to dust. Dante watched just to make sure for the thousandth time, but the cyclops stayed dead. "Merge cohorts! We have a better chance of survival that way. Form ranks!"

Octavian didn't heed her advice. In fact, he urged his cohort away from the second. 

"What the fuck?" Dante couldn't help the words as he watched the no good slimy son of a bitch inch away. The first cohort left the second to fend for themselves like they had been doing from the start of the battle. "What about the fifth?" He suggested, "Ida, we could merge with the fifth, lock shields and stay put, rotate people on the outside."