The Warrior | Heroes of Olympus

6

4 days. 

4 days went by and the camp was under attack. No sign from Percy, Hazel or Frank. I started to think they were dead. I was starting to think I was going to be dead if we didn't get reinforcements. 

The battle wasn't going well. 

The Twelfth Legion was arrayed on the Field of Mars, trying to protect the city. Scorpions fired into the ranks of the Earthborn. Hannibal the elephant plowed down monsters right and left, but we 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 greenBargain Mart vests—Stheno and Euryale. 

The legion itself was taking the brunt of the attack, but our formation was breaking. Each cohort was an island in a sea of enemies. The Cyclopes' siege tower shot glowing green cannonballs into the city,blasting craters in the forum, reducing houses to ruins. I watched,a cannonball hit the Senate House and the dome partially collapsed.

I shouted more orders at my cohort desperately trying to keep us together or well, at least alive and on our feet. 

I dived and rolled out of the way of attacks. I slashed as many cyclops as I could and I was moving so rhythmically that a circle of golden dust fell around me. But even I began to struggle. Cyclops kicked me and hit me with their clubs. I barely managed to summon my shield in time for protection. 

Any day now Percy. I thought as I fought Cyclops. Any freaking day now. 

My thoughts must've had magical powers because Percy came riding into battle a second later. 

He was without a doubt, the strangest reinforcements in Roman military history. Hazel rode a horse. Frank transformed into a bald eagle—I wasn't even going to question it—and soared above them. A cyclops who looked to be on our side ran down the hill, waving his club and yelling, "Bad pony-men! BOO!" while a harpy fluttered around him, reciting facts from the Old Farmer's Almanac.As for Percy, he rode a hell hound into battle with a chariot full ofImperial gold equipment clanking and clinking behind, the golden eagle standard of the Twelfth Legion raised high above him.

"Jasper!" Mike shouted I glanced over at him I had been too distracted by Percy. He pointed to the fifth cohort. Who was about to get crushed by cyclops. I gripped my spear and took off toward them. The first cohort could handle themselves and despite the fifth being cursed and disliked, they were part of the legion, and I wanted them alive. 

I thrust my spear into a chest of a cyclops before it could swing it's club. I didn't have time to dislodge it so I summoned my sword and began hacking away at the cyclops. But there were too many.  

Percy skirted the perimeter of the camp and took the northern most bridge over the Little Tiber, charging onto the Field of Mars at the western edge of the battle. The horde of Cyclopes continued hammering away at the campers of the Fifth Cohort, who were trying to keep their shields locked just to stay alive. I did my best to take out as many as I could. But even I was no match for all of them. 

Percy shouted, "Fifth Cohort!" and slammed into the nearest Cyclops. After the Cyclops disintegrated—and stayed disintegrated, thanks to Percy, Hazel and Frank's quest—Percy leaped off his hell hound and slashed wildly through the other monsters.The cyclops who Percy called Tyson charged at the Cyclops leader, Ma Gasket, her chain-maildress spattered with mud and decorated with broken spears.